Illuminate 2022 Speakers

David Barnes brings more than 30 years of experience providing leadership, strategic thinking and management consulting to organizations in the non-profit, public sector and private sector. As a consultant, he has worked with government ministries both in Ontario and the Yukon, the Federal Government, educational institutions, community mental health agencies, child welfare and mental health agencies, as well as private sector organizations. He has also facilitated
planning sessions for the European Patent Office in the Netherlands. As a facilitator, he has had extensive experience leading large- and small-scale community engagement initiatives designed to bring together diverse groups of people. David creates an environment to explore difficult topics around a broad range of opinions and to come together with a cohesive voice. In addition, he has led focus groups and visioning exercises throughout Southern and Northern Ontario in order to bring stakeholders together to support strategic planning and visioning processes. He has lead consulting projects in many First Nation Communities throughout the North.
Through BMG, David is able to bring together highly experienced teams of consultants who bring extensive sector knowledge as well as the technical knowledge necessary to support, where appropriate, organizational redesign options which may be required in any transformative process. He has a deep commitment to EDIB work. Not only in the training space but living through the values of EDI in everything he does.

Blu del Barrio is a transgender non-binary actor based in Los Angeles. Blu del Barrio has been acting in theatre since the age of seven. Blu was in their final year of studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art when they auditioned for the role of Adira on Star Trek Discovery – the first non-binary character in the Star Trek franchise. Blu is currently working on Season 5 of Discovery as well as other independent projects, and is using their growing platform to advocate for other transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.

As Vice President, Research and Chief Economist, Pierre Cléroux is responsible for interpreting major economic trends and analysis for key stakeholders while assessing their impact on Canadian businesses, particularly SMEs. He also oversees a team of experts who specialize in the research, development and dissemination of market intelligence tailored to BDC’s SME clients.
BDC is the Business Development Bank of Canada. Operating out of over 100 business centres across the country, BDC encourages entrepreneurship by providing entrepreneurs with financing, venture capital and tailored consulting services

Emily Coutts is a Canadian actress, producer and director based in Los Angeles. She is currently playing Commander Keyla Detmer on the hit show Star Trek: Discovery on Paramount +. Other film and television credits include Guillermo Del Toro’s Crimson Peak, Clarice, Dark Matter, Designated Survivor, The Girlfriend Experience and Murdoch Mysteries. Coutts holds a BFA in Acting from York University, and completed the prestigious Acting Conservatory at the Canadian Film Center in 2015. Emily has written, produced, and starred in several independent short and feature films, including Dear Jesus, her most recent short film that was shown at Portland Film Festival and Dances With Films in Los Angeles. She is currently in post production on her directorial debut, a short psychological thriller that she filmed in early 2022.

Catherine is the Manager, Corporate Membership at WBE Canada, supporting its Corporate and Government members with their Supplier Diversity journey within Canada including developing and growing their Supplier Diversity programs, identifying opportunities, tools, and resources to enable them to become successful and sustainable within their programs, while making room for Canadian Women businesses to scale and grow their businesses toward a more vibrant Canadian market.
As BMO’s Manager, Supplier Diversity until her retirement in December 2020, Catherine was integral in the growth of their Enterprise Supplier Diversity Program since 2007. As a champion for Supplier Diversity growth in Canada, Catherine is widely respected and recognized across the country, gaining numerous accolades and awards for her commitment and relentless drive to support diversity and inclusion and supplier diversity across Canada.
Catherine’s philosophy on Diversity is underscored by this quote: “When we embrace Diversity our world becomes one in an exceptionally large World. When we reject Diversity, we become one in a very small World.”

Victor Harris is the sales manager at Northern Commerce. With over 20 years in sales, marketing and customer service – 13 of which focused on digital services – Victor has developed an innate ability to align client goals to technology recommendations.
Victor believes that inclusion and diversity helps strengthen internal corporate cultures and can also be used as a lens for aligning external business relationships. Victor is the chair of Northern’s DE&I committee which continues to review and expand Northern’s diversity initiatives.
Victor works with key stakeholders at organizations to help them understand how various digital strategies, services, and tools can be used to achieve their business goals and objectives. He helps clients understand how improving experiences across eCommerce, content management systems (CMS), digital experience platforms (DXP), digital advertising, email marketing, SEO and more – can have a direct impact on increasing revenue.
Northern Commerce is a digital transformation agency that partners with brands disrupting their markets across North America. By leveraging leading technologies such as Acquia, Adobe, and Salesforce, Northern has helped clients achieve award-winning results and trend-reversing revenue gains.
Victor gives back to his local community by serving on the board of directors for the United Way of Elgin Middlesex and he is currently the chair of its resource and relevance committee.
Previously Victor held board positions with the London Chamber of Commerce (Ontario) and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC London Chapter). He has also chaired many local committees and task forces.

David is the current Executive Director for Destination Northern Ontario, the provincially funded regional tourism organization operating in Region 13 with a mandate to increase tourism receipts through product development, marketing, workforce development and investment attraction.
David grew up in the tourism industry and is third generation to work in the family tourism business started over sixty years ago by his grandfather. David is also a past chair of the Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association, OTMPC Northern Tourism Marketing Committee and sat on the Board of Directors for OTMPC.
Destination Northern Ontario has received numerous awards over the years and most recently five industry leadership awards at the Ontario Tourism Summit in 2021.

Pierre-Jean holds a MSc and a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Toulouse in France. He conducted his postdoctoral research at the University of Toronto, at Harvard University, and at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany. Pierre-Jeans research about cooperation and conflict was published in prestigious natural science journals and featured in several media outlets.
Pierre-Jean’s role at BEworks involves designing and implementing rigorous empirical tests of behavioural interventions to quantify behaviour change and translate experimental findings into actionable, scalable solutions for our clients. His work so far has focused on behavioral segmentation modelling, change of habits, adoption of new technologies, and perception of value of services, in the transportation, retail, and finance industries.

Debra is Vice President of Industry Relations and International Marketing at Destination Ontario. Debra has been with the organization since 2003 serving previously as the Director of Marketing to market Ontario as a preferred destination domestically. In her current role, Debra works with a dynamic team to lead the efforts of showcasing Ontario as a global destination. She also strengthens Destination Ontario’s relationships with tourism stakeholders to ensure collaboration, sharing of research information and marketing best practices across the industry. Debra also strives to expand the inclusiveness and diversity of Ontario’s tourism marketing. Her past achievements include delivering the first ever LGBTQ+ Tourism marketing magazine in 2013, and being part of Destination Ontario’s award-winning campaigns such as the 2015 Pan Am/Para pan Am Games ‘Epic is ON’ campaign and the 2017 ‘Where Am I?’ campaign. Debra’s years of experience and her determination to deliver results for Ontario’s tourism industry will continue to be beneficial in the emerging tourism landscape.

Jaymin Luces-Mendes is the founder of Toni Marlow Clothing and Noire Now. They have a wealth of experience in business strategy, innovation and public speaking. As a business leader and community builder who is passionate about people and strategy, Jaymin is focused on positively impacting underrepresented communities for social change through entrepreneurship.

Dev has global expertise in BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging – in both lived experience and as a trainer. He is also the Creator and Executive Producer behind WF1S a Diplomatic Multi-National Trade Mission focused on Arts Culture and the Creative Economy. Dev is the founder of Destigaytions – an LGBT arts, culture and entertainment guide in partnership with UNESCO, National Geographic and Lonely Planet.
Dev has a worldwide presence as the creator of the Global Change Initiative: A Global Summit with a reddit audience of over 350 million. Partners include the United Nations and the British Royal Family. Dev currently serves on the board for the SLC – The Social Leadership Campaign, Chief Admin Officer for Zymonetics Digital Health, The Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies Steering Committee for Global Health 2030 and Canada Health 2030, HRH Crown Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil’s Lakshaya Trust and serves as the Director of Culture, Arts and Youth for the African Union 6RC. In the Past he has served on Boards for European Union Chambers of Commerce in Canada for Made in Italy, UK Fashion and Textile Association and the British Fashion Council.

Thomas Sasso (pronouns they/he) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph. He teaches organizational behaviour, human resource management, and leadership courses to undergraduate business students as well as leadership studies through the University of Guelph’s Master of Leadership program.
Thomas’ research is dedicated to understanding and improving the experiences of diverse and marginalized populations across industries and sectors, with particular focus on 2SLGBTQ+ communities. He co-founded the Sexual and Gender Diversity Research Lab and is the EDI Coordinator for the Lang Business School. Thomas’ research interests broadly include experiences and perceptions of diversity and inclusion, the work-life interface, leadership development, workplace victimization and wellbeing, and continuing education and training. Thomas’ research has been funded by the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and he has presented widely to academic and non-academic audiences.
Beyond academia, Thomas has worked as an independent organizational consultant for a decade with a focus on applying evidence-based practices in assessing and addressing organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges. He is an Expert Panelist for the development of the 2021 edition of the Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks, and served as a subject matter expert in the design of the Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional designation. Additionally, he is actively involved in his communities through ongoing volunteerism. He has served on the boards of directors and advisory committees of a number of organizations and finds opportunities for engaging with his local, regional, and international communities to improve life and make businesses forces of social good.

Darrell is the co-founder and CEO of the Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC), a national not-for-profit organization with a mission to expand the economic opportunities and advancement of the LGBT+ business community in Canada. After studies in Calgary and London, Ontario, and before coming to the CGLCC, he worked at DNA Marketing Group, VIA Rail Canada and the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council.

A.J. brings over 15 years of service, hospitality, and entertainment leadership experience to his management role with the CGLCC. Coming to the team with extensive sales and outreach experience, he is also an avid world traveler. A.J. has seen over 50 countries and 5 continents during his time working with Royal Caribbean in entertainment. He has participated in and helped to organize several floating pride celebrations.

A.J. is focused squarely on adding value and providing opportunities to our current members, as well as expanding our network of certified suppliers, with a primary goal of diversifying corporate supply chains on a national level, and removing access barriers for LGBT+ businesses.

Shelbie is a developmental scientist who has 12 years of experience investigating the development of cognitive abilities and biases. She is particularly interested in how cognitive abilities and biases work together to affect the ways people interpret information. At BEworks, Shelbie has applied her expertise to help increase financially healthy behaviors in diverse populations.

Shelbie holds a PhD in development psychology from the University of Illinois and completed a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto. She also earned an MA in psychology (University of Illinois), an MASc in developmental communication sciences (University of Waterloo), and a BA in psychology (University of Waterloo).

Naoufel started his career in the non-profit sector as General Manager for AIESEC in Morocco, which provides young people with leadership development and cross-cultural global internships. He later transferred to the AIESEC United States in New York City and managed the expansion to Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE through a US government grant of over $1 million. He then took on the interim COO’s role and managed a team of 10 people with a budget of $4 million.
Naoufel joined Microsoft Middle East and Africa as Regional Program Coordinator, managing the Microsoft Software Donation Program for internet safety and security. He also managed relationships with crucial Microsoft partners in the region, like the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development. After two years at Microsoft, Naoufel moved to Montreal to join tech startups. He started at TandemLaunch Technologies, where he built relationships with university tech transfer offices around the world. At his last company, Naoufel was Head of Business Development at Local Logic.
Today, Naoufel is the co-founder and CEO of QueerTech, an organization that aims to Queer The Tech Ecosystem by breaking down barriers, creating spaces, and connecting communities to support and empower LGBTQ2S+ people to thrive.

Spencer is the Manager of Tourism and Accreditation Programs at Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC). Spencer has a diverse background in tourism management, management consulting, economic development, business support, sales and marketing. In his role at the CGLCC, Spencer works on the organization’s various tourism initiatives, training programs, and the Rainbow Registered accreditation program. Previously he was an Associate Consultant at O’Leary & Associates, a management consulting firm focused on economic development and Indigenous relations, working on innovative projects that received recognition from the BC Economic Development Association and the Economic Developers Association of Canada, among others. He also spent time working as a Business Development Associate for BC & Yukon at Futurpreneur Canada, along with work in visitor servicing for Tourism Kamloops and partnership development for Vancouver media powerhouse BBTV. Spencer has a BBA Honours in Marketing and Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business and a joint MSc in Tourism Management from the University of Southern Denmark, University of Ljubljana and University of Girona. He has published research on rural gay tourism in British Columbia in the Journal of Rural & Community Development, with a follow-up book chapter slated for publication in early 2023. Spencer resides in Kamloops, British Columbia, on the traditional and unceded lands of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, within the Secwépemc Nation’s wider ancestral territory of Secwepemcúl’ecw.

Yabu Pushelberg is an award-winning global design house specializing in the practical realization of poetic ideas. With studios in Toronto and New York and over four decades of design defined by purpose and curiosity, Yabu has evolved away from a traditional interior design firm and into creative directors of experience, authoring the next era of design through brand strategy, interiors, product, lighting, textiles, and styling. Yabu’s narrative-based approach celebrates that place and personality are inseparable in meaningful settings. Strategic rigor and a deep understanding of new and legacy brands alike guide the design house’s thoughtful consideration of cultural context and emotional experience in actualizing evocative places and products. Enriched by critical thinking and creativity in equal measure, Yabu’s global perspective and demonstrated expertise has earned the trust of international thought leaders in 19 countries to distill, curate, and express the future of design.

Tim is so extroverted he puts the social back in social media. Tim’s love language is local restaurants, and Time Magazine describes him as “someone we’ve literally never heard of.” Having a passionate love affair with Pinterest, Tim’s dogs, Monster and Mini describe him as “the world’s greatest social media consultant” and says “he knows a lot about YouTube, and gives us treats.”
Tim also felt obligated to share he’s consulted for hundreds of businesses worldwide and completed training with honours in both Adult Education and Digital Marketing Management. He’s also taught business and marketing at Fanshawe and Conestoga College. His newest book, Lousy and Conflicting Advice: A Humorous Reflection on a Career in Social Media Marketing is out now.

Ken Chan serves on the Board of Trustees at Open For Business, a UK-based charity with a mission to improve the legal and social situations of LGBT+ people around the world by using the influence of the private sector. He is Vice-President, Administration at Brock University. Prior to joining the university, Ken was the Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for the Ontario Government’s Vaccine Distribution Secretariat and an Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. In the private sector, Ken was Public Affairs Director at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He was Vice-President, Advocacy, Research and Healthcare at Cystic Fibrosis Canada. He also worked in the United Kingdom, at London City Hall and the British Department for Business. Earlier in his career, Ken was an officer with Peel Regional Police. An experienced director, Ken is also on the boards of Alterna Savings Credit Union, Alterna Bank, First Ontario Performing Arts Centre and ALS Canada. He is former Board Chair of Sherbourne Health, a centre of excellence for LGBT+ health care. Ken holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and has an Executive Masters in Management Research from ESCP Business School, a Master of Forensic Accounting from the University of Toronto, an MBA from the City University of Seattle and a BA from Simon Fraser University. He was also an Executive Scholar in Nonprofit Management at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and is currently a PhD candidate at ESCP Business School. Ken and his husband, Warren, split their time between Toronto and Niagara.

Spoon In has been my passion project for nearly 5 years now, though it has gone through many changes. What began as a pop-up smoothie bar seemingly changed as COVID completely shut down social gatherings for the better part of a year. This obstacle soon turned into the creative push I needed to launch the Ready Made Frozen Smoothie Bowl; a CPG that is not only nutritious, delicious, and convenient, but one that prides itself on inclusive dietary claims. As someone who eats vegan and gluten free, I am constantly on the look out for options that meet my needs. Because of this, I know just how important it is to create a safe food space for so many like myself.

Jefferson Darrell is among Canada’s earliest outliers in the IDEA arena; successfully driving positive change management for organizations for the past five years resulting in more diverse and inclusive teams and increased revenue or new business opportunities. Jefferson is an accomplished marketing communications and public relations professional with more than 15 years of brand strategy expertise generating earned and owned media using traditional and digital channels.
In the DEI space, Jefferson was instrumental in the creation of the Diversity Inclusion Anti-Racism Action Team at the Ontario Science Centre and he represented the Centre on the DEI Committee with the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC). He was also instrumental in organizing the Science Centre’s involvement in the world’s first Pride in STEM Day on July 5, 2018. Jefferson’s change management project with the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) resulted in increased revenue opportunities for the non-profit by diversifying the organization’s development committee.

Nick is the Director of Greater New York Sales at United Airlines, responsible for leading corporate strategy as well as developing new business and engagement opportunities within the region. Having worked in the airline industry for over 16 years, Nick has a strong commercial background through his time spent across the Pricing and Revenue Management, Network Planning, Marketing, and Sales organizations. A California native, Nick is a graduate of the University of San Diego, and holds two B.A. in Media Communications and Spanish Languages and Literature.

Jose is passionate about people, and as Hootology’s Vice President, Partner Success and resident relationship whisperer (aka the guy you can call at any time with any question), he relishes the opportunity each day to get to know Hootology’s clients on a deeper level and to help them uncover and address their meatiest business issues.

Outside of Hootology, Jose is a new dad, a strength and conditioning coach, and a competitive runner.

Ted Flett is a principal lawyer at Zubas Flett Law and represents both employers and employees in all matters of employment law. The Firm is committed to delivering collaborative legal solutions for clients in this ever-changing and specialized area of law. Ted combines his passion for the law and problem solving with his education and experience to deliver results to clients with a workplace or human rights issue, customizing an efficient path to the client’s desired result.
Ted previously practiced at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Canada’s largest law firm, and worked in-house at Bell Canada, Canada’s largest telecommunications company, practicing both plaintiff and defendant civil litigation as well as advisory work. To benefit his clients, Ted often draws on these experiences and the distinct insights into the legal approach taken by national firms and in-house counsel of large corporations.

Brooke Gordon is the Regional Manager, Client Diversity for BDC in Ontario and Atlantic regions, where she assumes the responsibility of helping women, Indigenous, Black and LGBTQ2+ owned businesses accelerate their growth and scale up — and ensuring all thrive through every step of their business journey.
Brooke joined BDC in 2017 with the High Impact Firms (HIF), Advisory Services where she led a team that supported the Growth Driver Program for Ontario. Prior to joining our organization, Brooke served as a trusted business advisor and consultant in the areas of strategic planning and administrative efficiency.
Brooke is a weight lifting enthusiast and health coach who is passionate about sustainable balance between career ambition and personal goals without sacrificing your health. She is a proud volunteer with Soroptimist International, an organization that provides financial support for women enrolled in training (Live Your Dream) and career counseling for girls in high school (Dream It Be It).
Brooke is certified in ITIL and holds a Master’s in commercialization and innovation (MEEi), in addition to both a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Engineering Physics from McMaster University, where she was awarded a patent in semiconductor manufacturing processes. She is additionally a certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach.

Andrew Gurza is an award winning Disability Awareness Consultant and the Chief Disability Officer and Co-founder of Bump’n, a sex toy company for and by disabled people. Andrew uses they/he pronouns and identifies proudly as disabled. Their work has been featured on BBC, CBC, Daily Xtra, Gay Times UK, Huffington Post, The Advocate, Everyday Feminism, Mashable, Out.com, and several anthologies. He was the subject of an award winning National Film Board of Canada Documentary “Picture This”. Andrew has guested on a number of podcasts including Dan Savage’s Savage Love and Cameron Esposito’s Queery. He has spoken all over the world on sex, disability and what it means to be a Queer Cripple. You can find out more about Andrew by going to www.andrewgurza.com and connecting via social media.

With over 5 years in the non-profit sector, Paige brings experience in fundraising and partnership management and a passion for advancing causes that focus on equity and sustainability. She has a BA from Queens and professional experience in communications, tech, and client relationship management.

With his biz Full Picture Management, Tj supports organizations in expanding their capacity to meaningfully include and serve 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. His work is informed by filtering his business & HR education through 20+ years of lived experience and almost decade of 2SLGBTQIA+ community advocacy.
Driven to help improve the workplace and consumer experiences of his fellow queer and trans humans, Tj loves holding space that empowers people to investigate their biases and consider the perspectives of others.
Highlights of his work include: helping coordinate past Pride Festivals in St. John’s, NL; mentoring at queer and gender diversity focused youth camps; cofounding Trans Support NL, a non-profit that strives to improve the experiences of gender diverse folks in his home province; facilitating D&I training for national organizations, including the CGLCC; developing a gender diversity-specific component for Tourism HR Canada’s online training; and continuing his community work through serving as the current 2SLGBTQ+ Rep for the Inclusion Advisory Committee for the City of St. John’s and Board Chair for the NL Sexual Assault Crisis & Prevention Centre.
With his biz Full Picture Management, Tj supports organizations in expanding their capacity to meaningfully include and serve 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. His work is informed by filtering his business & HR education through 20+ years of lived experience and almost decade of 2SLGBTQIA+ community advocacy.
Driven to help improve the workplace and consumer experiences of his fellow queer and trans humans, Tj loves holding space that empowers people to investigate their biases and consider the perspectives of others.

I looked around and realized that despite all our formal systems and processes, few of us sincerely repair our relationships when conflict naturally arises. Justice is hard to find. Realizing that restorative approaches should extend beyond a tiny corner in the justice system, Restorative Approach was born.
I am excited to be included as a pitch finalist so I can share my vision of a restorative, healthy, and connected working world. In my work I am:
Guiding organizations and individuals through a positive, restorative approach to conflict in working relationships.
Supporting organizations and individuals in learning to embody a restorative approach in work and life.
While many spaces lean on traditional, adversarial approaches to conflict, I am working to shift the way that we approach conflict so that our tensions can be generative and bring us closer together. No one wants to have conflict, but it’s a completely normal part of the human experience. When we handle conflict in good ways, we build trust and resiliency.

AJ Leu is the Director of Diversity, Belonging, and Professional Development in the College of Communication and Information at Kent State University. Utilizing knowledge and skills as an active member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) and the National Diversity Council, Leu also serves as an independent consultant and trainer for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) initiatives for a wide variety of organizations. Leu has an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs and Graduate Certificates in College Teaching and Institutional Research & Assessment. Leu also has multiple certifications in DEI&B, including a certification in the NADOHE Standards of Professional Practice training program for lead diversity professionals. Leu has a demonstrated passion and commitment for various topics related to DEI&B, including identity development, strategic planning and assessment, training and development, employee resource groups, and success and retention initiatives.

Tim is a leader in driving transformation with a lifelong business focus on improving working cultures and working lives. He’s passionate about facilitating inclusive and sustainable change, building capabilities, and coaching leaders to enable their organizations to thrive through change.
To date, he has supported over 30 organizations through transition, including having enabled M&A integrations valued at $32 billion in aggregate. Tim founded Prompta as an organization where our people and clients feel safe, supported, and empowered to bring their whole self to work.

The pandemic was (and still is) a tough time for everyone. My colleagues and I, working on the frontlines, had it particularly difficult –the equipment we wore to protect ourselves actually prevented us from eating and drinking all day and night. We would leave work burnt out, malnourished, and dehydrated.
The truth is, all people struggle with hydration and nutrition at one point or another. Our busy lives distract us from the signals that our own bodies are sending. We turn to quick fixes, energy drinks and sugary juices, with occasional sips of water in between.
I created Hydronique Hydration to change all that. I began in 2021, by creating my own powder blends in my small apartment kitchen, until eventually partnering with an established manufacturer to produce high-quality nutrient-rich sugar-free hydration formulations.
Although Hydronique Hydration is still a small brand, we are encouraged by all the positive feedback from customers and the industry, and look forward to further expansion with new products and flavours.

Zahra Qureshi is a coach, consultant and community leader who works with changemakers and founders to support their passion for positive impact on people, communities and the planet. A Chartered Professional Accountant (CMA) committed to doing business with heart, she launched Optinum Professional Corporation with a mission to reduce the overwhelm and stress caused by finance and impact planning tools. With Zahra’s support, entrepreneurs and changemakers can build confidence and strategic clarity to achieve financial sustainability, powerful growth, and positive social change.
She also launched a learning and networking community in 2020 called Social Venture Circuit (SVC) and joined the Startup Canada network to help early-stage social entrepreneurs amplify their impact. For the last two years, she has led SVC to host a national conference for social entrepreneurs to build new connections and understand the social impact sector better.
Zahra shares her passion and knowledge through workshops at 15+ entrepreneurship programs across Canada, covering topics such as accounting basics for new founders, financial empowerment, the power of budgeting, creating an impact blueprint, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Born and raised in Bermuda, James completed his education in Canada, with a Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Political Economy) from McGill University and a Masters of Management & Professional Accounting from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. James is a CPA, CA and has worked internationally in a variety of roles.
James started his professional career as an auditor, specializing in the entertainment and media industry, and then worked in industry at CBC News as the Senior Manager of Financial Operations. He then followed his passion for aligning people strategies to business objectives while working at PwC in Canada and Australia in a variety of human capital, marketing and sales roles. In December 2019 he joined Scotiabank as their VP, Global Talent Acquisition. His passions for talent acquisition center around employer brand, candidate experience, technology and diversity and inclusion.

Sophia Stone is an award-winning Canadian-American Latine entrepreneur based in Toronto. She is a force of nature destined to change the consulting space. Since her early years as an engagement manager, she has strived to challenge outdated consulting and contingent workforce standards. Her motivation is driven by equity of access for all consultants and the desire to create a fair, unbiased and transparent environment for all. With a BA in International Affairs from the American University of Paris and a Master’s Degree in Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship from the Smith School of Business, Sophia is a lifelong learner, dog lover, and world traveler.

Shenela Tavarayan is the Retail Commerce, Senior Manager in charge of the Small Business portfolio at Interac. Her responsibilities include Merchant acceptance and usage, growth of new products and Interchange pricing controls and process. She is also a co-lead and co-founder of the Women’s Employee Resource Group at Interac Corp. Focused on turning inwards and listening to the perspectives of the strong women at Interac, the Women’s Employee Resource Group helps to inform Diversity and Inclusion program development while fostering an inclusive work environment where everyone feels respected and valued.

He’s called “Electric Bill” for a reason. Bill Williams is on a mission to shock us out of our static daily routines. He is known for his unique brand of electrified methodologies for the workplace, now available to you in his book electric Life.
Bill’s honest, succinct, and enthusiastic approach to leadership has inspired and reshaped countless national organizations over the span of thirty years. Whether coaching an individual over Zoom, or speaking to rooms of more than a thousand delegates, Bill’s impact is equally felt. His power comes from hearing “No” and reformulating it as “Not Yet.”
Bill is the principal and president of the boutique leadership development firm, The B4 Group Inc, and the host and brand ambassador for The Art of Leadership Signature Series / The Art of Leadership for Women . Bill caters his solution-based strategies to individuals and corporations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.