2024 AGENDA

All times in ET

• 8:15 AM

  Registration & breakfast

• 8:50 AM

  Opening remarks from chairperson

  

  Candace DiCresce

  Thought-Leader, Safety & Well-being
  

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  Candace DiCresce

  Thought-Leader, Safety & Well-being
  

  Candace DiCresce is a thought leader in the field of providing holistic safety and well-being support to employees. Most recently, as the Senior Director responsible for safety, well-being and accessibility at Rogers Communications, she enjoyed twelve amazing years leading a talented team that is driven by a passion for supporting employee safety and well-being at work and throughout their lives, and for removing barriers.  

  Candace has over 25 years of experience in safety, well-being, environmental and sustainability problem-solving, working in consulting, industry, and the public sector including at Deloitte, MDS (a global life sciences company), and the Toronto Transit Commission. She was honoured to serve on the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s Council of Governors. In 2018, she was recognized as an Innovator in Workplace Mental Health by DiversityCan Magazine. 

  Candace holds a B.A.Sc. in civil engineering from the University of Toronto, is a proud professional engineer, and is the grateful mother to two weird and wonderful teens. You can learn more about her holistic approach on Matt Burns’ Thinking Inside the Box podcast, available on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

• 8:55 AM

  Welcome remarks from event partner, Human Synergistics

  

  Kate Stewart

  President
  Human Synergistics

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  Kate Stewart

  President
  Human Synergistics

  Kate has served as a Director at Human Synergistics Canada for nine years. In addition to holding a Bachelor of Arts degree, Kate has a wide variety of practical management experience in a range of industries including retail, finance, labour and more. In addition to her special interest in growing and developing leaders, Kate values making a positive difference in people’s lives, whether this is assisting with self-actualization and reaching goals, or seeing the impact that Human Synergistics has on an organization’s culture. In her downtime, Kate enjoys giving back to her community and volunteering with youth in a variety of ways. 

• 9:00 AM

  Opening presentation: Making a compelling business case for L&D investment

  L&D is critical in enabling organizations to adapt to the increasingly rapid pace of disruption and changing competitive business environments, but in challenging economic times it can often be one of the first areas to make cuts. This session will look at best practices for communicating the benefits of investment in specific L&D initiatives to upper management. 

  • Demonstrating how L&D initiatives can directly support company goals  
  • Gathering the necessary data to measure effectiveness and using it to make an effective business case 
  • Making the connection between time and resources invested and increased productivity 
  • Showing how L&D initiatives have a positive impact across multiple departments 

  

  Donna Valiquette

  Chief Corporate Administration Officer Canada, Head of Global Talent & Learning
  MUFG

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  Donna Valiquette

  Chief Corporate Administration Officer Canada, Head of Global Talent & Learning
  MUFG

  Donna Valiquette is Chief Corporate Administrative Officer (CCAO) for Canada and
  Head of Culture and Employee Experience for the Americas. In her CCAO role, she
  oversees Human Resources (for Bank and Securities), Communications and Office
  Management and sits on the Executive Committee for both entities in Canada. In
  2019, she also took on the role of Head of Culture, reporting to the Chief Human
  Resources Officer for the Americas, and this role was expanded in July of 2020 to
  include Employee Experience for the Americas.

  Ms. Valiquette joined MUFG in 2014 from Credit Suisse where she spent six years as
  Head of Human Resources for Canada. Prior to Credit Suisse, she was Vice
  President, Human Resources at Altamira (a subsidiary of National Bank), Director,
  Human Resources at the Canadian Bankers Association and Manager, Human
  Resources at UCU Credit Union. In 2021, Women in Capital Markets honoured her
  with the Transformational Leadership Award, given to senior executives who have
  made a lasting contribution to gender diversity and inclusion and who are driving
  organizational and cultural change with measurable impacts. She was the recipient of
  the MUFG Culture of Excellence Award in 2015, and in 2016 Human Resources
  Director Canada magazine named Ms. Valiquette to its Hot List as one of Canada’s
  who’s who in HR.

  Based in Toronto, with offices in Montreal and Vancouver, MUFG Bank Canada has
  been providing global banking solutions in Canada for more than 60 years. Along with
  its affiliates, the bank offers Canadian and international clients a full range of
  wholesale corporate banking services. It is part of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group,
  Inc. (MUFG), one of the world’s leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo
  with over 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with over 2,700 locations
  and 170,000 employees in more than 50 countries.

• 9:30 AM

  Keynote: Setting a new standard for L&D development

  Over the past 20 years, L & D in Canada has been in a slow decline and has increasingly been placed on the back burner of the HRM Department. Drawing from over 40 years of experience in L&D, Allan Stewart explores the crucial role of L&D in supporting the business as well as the repercussions of ignoring this vital component of an HR leader’s responsibility. This session will: 

  • Review a brief history of L&D in Canada 
  • Map the links between organizational culture and L&D 
  • Identify the key elements of a successful leadership development program 
  • Discuss the organizational outcomes of L&D 

  

  Allan Stewart

  President
  Human Synergistics

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  Allan Stewart

  President
  Human Synergistics

  Allan Stewart has been the President of Human Synergistics Canada since 1996 and is a leading expert on organizational culture and leadership. His unique background combines a successful senior management career with extensive workshop training experience, and a varied academic career.  

  With over 40 years’ experience in organizational behaviour and development, he has been a featured speaker on several television programs, webinars, and events as well as a key-note speaker at many conferences. He has taught workshops across Canada and around the world.  

  Throughout his career, Allan has led workshops, coached executives and helped individuals, teams and organizations make lasting change. His book, Get Your Head in the Game, takes a unique approach to developing leadership skills and establishing a Constructive organizational culture.   

• 9:55 AM

  Networking coffee break

• 10:25 AM

  Fireside chat: Integrating data-driven L&D to respond to changing business needs

  Collecting data on L&D KPIs and evaluating the outcomes in real-time are key to adapting learning initiatives in real-time and supporting the business. This session will look at how organizations can leverage predictive analytics and learning impact measurement to support this process and deliver flexibility and agility. 

  • Identifying opportunities to increase L&D efficiency 
  • Harnessing data to create an accurate picture of training effectiveness 
  • Performing gap analysis to determine how L&D offerings can be updated 
  • Working closely with operations to create agile and flexible training delivery 

  Moderator

  

  Rad Dockery

  Strategic Partner Manager, Cloud | Professor, AI Business & Societal Impact
  The Adaptavist Group

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  Rad Dockery

  Strategic Partner Manager, Cloud | Professor, AI Business & Societal Impact
  The Adaptavist Group

  Rad draws upon 25 years of expertise in business, technology, and sustainability. As a change agent, he integrates AI and Analytics into business processes, driving Digital Transformation. Specializing in Business Growth, AI, and Talent Management, Rad also serves as a mentor and teacher. His transformative work spans across four continents, demonstrating a commitment to change through technology. Rad holds a Business Degree from York University and multiple AWS accreditations. 

  Panelists

  

  Stephen Dadds

  Manager, Learning & Development
  HH Angus & Associates

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  Stephen Dadds

  Manager, Learning & Development
  HH Angus & Associates

  Stephen Dadds leads the learning and development strategy at HH Angus. He creates and executes learning initiatives for employees at all levels of the firm fostering a culture of continual learning and professional development. He has over 10 years experience in corporate learning, talent management, and teaching, across a variety of industries and environments.   

  

  Julie Develin

  Sr, Partner, HCM Advisory
  UKG

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  Julie Develin

  Sr, Partner, HCM Advisory
  UKG

  An expert on employee relations, workplace flexibility, and workforce development, Julie Develin is a Sr. Partner, HCM Advisory at UKG, a global leader in workforce cloud solutions. With more than 17 years of experience as an HR executive focused on improving workplace culture and enhancing the employee experience, Develin helps organizations worldwide implement strategic employee technology and workplace initiatives to enhance productivity, improve communication, and increase satisfaction across the workforce. Develin holds an M.S. in human resources development from McDaniel College, where she continues to work today as an adjunct professor in the human resources management and human services management programs. 

   

• 11:05 AM

  Panel: Integrating career planning, coaching and mentoring to guide L&D initiatives

  In challenging business environments, companies need to comprehensive strategies in place to guide key talent, invest in their development, and inform L&D requirements to meet business goals. This session will look at how companies can match the needs of the organization with the needs of individual employees.  

  • Aligning development strategies with business goals to gain support and influence across all levels.
  • Making the most of resources and budget dedicated to supporting coaching and mentoring
  • Deciding when to develop programs in-house, and when to outsource
  • Harnessing AI to develop personalized L&D programs

  Moderator

  

  Alan Kearns

  Managing Partner & Founder
  CareerJoy

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  Alan Kearns

  Managing Partner & Founder
  CareerJoy

  Alan Kearns is a leading thought leader on all things work. Author and contributor to The National, The Globe & Mail, National Post and CBC Radio, he shares the latest trends and changes in the Canadian workplace. Voted one of the Top 40 under 40, he is the Managing Partner and Founder of CareerJoy, an award-winning national boutique People & Culture firm serving 1,100+ leading Canadian organizations, including World Vision, Shopify, The United Way, Toyota MFG and The Government of Canada.

  Panelists

  

  Sheila Austin

  Vice President, Learning & Development
  BlueCat Networks

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  Sheila Austin

  Vice President, Learning & Development
  BlueCat Networks

  A self-proclaimed lover of learning, Sheila has spent much of her career focused on how adults learn in a variety of industries in large to mid-sized organizations. Sheila leans in when it comes to learning reinforcement and improving people’s ability to feel connected to the success of the work they do.  She has a special interest in the impact leadership has on individuals, organizations, and society at large.  Sheila is passionate about leadership development as a means to positively impact the employee experience and organizational culture. She has a general knack for asking tough questions and helping people think differently.  Currently Sheila is the Vice President, Learning and Development responsible for internal learning, customer learning, partner learning and sales enablement at BlueCat. Sheila brings her whole self to work and is a Mama Bear of 3 firecrackers, 1 furball and partner to the other half of “Team DS. 

  

  Nancy Tavares

  Senior Director, People & Culture
  Paladin Security

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  Nancy Tavares

  Senior Director, People & Culture
  Paladin Security

  Nancy is a senior Human Resources Leader with over 15 years experience across a range of industries including health & fitness, asset management, security and education including the establishment of Learning & Development departments for mid-sized companies. Currently, she serves as the Senior Director of People and Culture at Paladin Security, where she oversees all day-to-day operations of HR with a strategic focus on Talent Acquisition and Labour Relations. In addition, she is an instructor of Human Resources Management at George Brown College. Her educational background includes a Master’s degree in human resources management (MHRM), a psychology degree and CHRL designation. Nancy is a popular speaker of Human Resources related topics and has spoken at many North American conferences on topics such as wellness, HR metrics, talent initiatives and organizational change. Her goal is to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the field. Nancy is an awardee of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Toronto by Women We Admire for 2023.   

  

  Ellana Venn

  Associate Vice President, Learning & Multimedia
  Geotab

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  Ellana Venn

  Associate Vice President, Learning & Multimedia
  Geotab

  Ellana Venn is a dynamic executive, Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL), and Certified Training & Development Professional (CTDP) with extensive expertise in Learning and Organizational Development across diverse sectors, including healthcare, retail, customer service, and technology. Her academic expertise is demonstrated by a Science degree with a Psychology minor and a Business Administration and Human Resources Management diploma, further complemented by an MBA and certifications in Change Management, Leadership and Coaching. At Geotab, she leads strategic initiatives in Learning and Development, skillfully managing employee and team growth, mentorship programs, leadership development, innovative content strategies and video production. Known for aligning her multifaceted skills with organizational goals, Ellana excels in driving employee engagement, retention, and strategic planning while partnering with senior leadership to cultivate a collaborative and high-achieving environment. Her notable career includes impactful positions at Geotab, WW Canada, McKesson, and Amazon, showcasing her ability to foster organizational excellence. Ellana stands out as a well-rounded senior leader, continually dedicated to her own learning and the development of those around her. 

• 11:55 AM

  Case study: Creating a culture of ongoing learning through personalization

  Increasingly companies have recognized that embracing flexibility and tailored learning initiatives leads to improved outcomes and more consistent skill development  This session will examine how companies can develop personalized training initiatives that increase engagement and focus on strengths and opportunities for growth. 

  • Leveraging design thinking to integrate the needs of the learners and the business in L&D programs 
  • Delivering critical skill development by adapting to different learning styles, including audio, visual and kinesthetic 
  • Integrating micro-learning to achieve continuous skills development while supporting work-life balance and minimizing the impact of training on the work day 
  • Understanding the role of AI and LXPs in supporting the needs of each individual learner 

  

  Joanie Clary

  Advisor, Learning & Development
  City of Vernon

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  Joanie Clary

  Advisor, Learning & Development
  City of Vernon

  A talent and development specialist and recognized human resource professional, Joanie Clary is the Senior Advisor, Talent & Organizational Development for the City of Vernon. Joanie developed and lead the implementation of the City’s Learning and Development Framework in 2017 that included but not limited to the new Employee Recognition Program, Coaching, Formal Mentorship, Fundamentals for Leaders, Human Resource Planning, Emotional Intelligence Programs and more. She, along with her colleagues have been the recipient of numerous national awards such as, the 2021 Canadian HR Award of Excellence for Best Learning and Development Strategy, Best in HR: 5 Star Rewards and Recognition by HR Reporter and 2022 Canadian HR Awards – Excellence Awardee – the Work Human Award for Best Reward & Recognition Strategy and most recently an award for excellence for HRD Canada’s for Best Learning & Development Strategy.  She, along with her HR Team colleagues received the 2022 Innovative HR Team by both HRD and HR Reporter, and the 2022 Canadian HR Awards – Canadian HR Team of the Year (500 employees).  

  Joanie holds her Provincial Instructor’s Diploma (PIDP), two Associate degrees: in Business Administration – Human Resources Management and Recreation Leadership. She is an EQi 2.0 certified practitioner, has held her CPHR designation since 2009 and possesses her Certificate IV: Workplace and Business Coaching. 

  She is driven by a knowing that when people are living in joy and empowerment, the ripple impact expands the consciousness of our planet.  

• 12:20 PM

  Networking lunch

• 1:20 PM

  Case study: Creating health and safety focused training for leaders in your organization

  Organizations face growing expectations to prioritize the health and safety of their employees, driven by both ethical imperatives and financial considerations. Leaders within organizations play a critical role in this process, but many lack the know-how to provide effective support. This session will explore how organizational training and development initiatives can empower leaders with the necessary health and safety competencies and cultivate “Pain-focused Transformational Leaders”. 

  • An overview of successes and lessons learned in the development of health & safety focused L&D 
  • Identifying gaps in health and safety training for management 
  • Understanding the importance of prioritizing health & safety throughout the organization, and management leading by example 

  

  Dr. Duygu Biricik Gulseren

  Assistant Professor
  York University

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  Dr. Duygu Biricik Gulseren

  Assistant Professor
  York University

  Dr. Duygu Biricik Gulseren is a prolific scholar and consultant specializing in leadership and fostering healthy workplaces. She work as an Assistant Professor at York University and holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. In addition to her academic work, Duygu actively engages in consulting projects on leadership levelopment and workplace wellness, collaborating with both national and international organizations. Her groundbreaking research has garnered attention from prestigious media outlets including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Psychology Today. Dr. Gulseren is passionately committed to advancing workplace well-being and effecting positive change in organizational psychology. 

• 1:50 PM

  Panel: AI in learning & development – staying on top of rapid changes

  Technology continues to transform the way we learn, and the pace of evolution is only increasing. Employees now have access to many tools and platforms that can greatly enhance their learning experience including real-time personalization, automation and new ways of receiving information. This session will examine the new possibilities and share insights into which solutions have the greatest potential for disruption. 

  • Aligning your technology platforms with your strategy and culture  
  • Evaluating new capabilities: artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality  
  • Incorporating gamification strategies to enhance employee engagement  
  • Ensuring a comprehensive security and privacy policy 

  Moderator

  

  Kieran Murphy

  Talent Coaching Director
  RSM Canada

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  Kieran Murphy

  Talent Coaching Director
  RSM Canada

  Kieran Murphy provides coaching for the functions of Tax, Audit and Consulting along with support services for RSM Canada and RSM US. A former Assistant Cruise Director, Kieran has worked in Talent Development for Professional Services firms for over 16 years. He has presented and facilitated globally on a variety of topics. He is married with 3 sons, two of whom have autism. 

  Kieran has been a Guest Lecturer at University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University and in the UK, Oxford University and Manchester University speaking on Mentoring, Networking and Leadership. Additionally, he has been a Guest Facilitator at the Ted Rogers School of Business MBA in Toronto for the past 13 years. 

  Panelists

  

  Erik Kingissepp

  Director, Talent Management
  Bond Brand Loyalty

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  Erik Kingissepp

  Director, Talent Management
  Bond Brand Loyalty

  

  Juan Naranjo

  Senior Manager, Next Gen Learning
  Rogers Communications

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  Juan Naranjo

  Senior Manager, Next Gen Learning
  Rogers Communications

  Juan leads a team focused on blending cognitive science and technology to advance the boundaries of what is possible in corporate education. His team has deployed Gen-AI powered tools, integrated the company’s LXP into the employees’ native tools, and created VR experiences. These achievements were possible due to his leadership fostering an innovation ecosystem that propitiates the deployment of new ideas. 

  

  Maya Natarajan

  Senior Manager, AI Insights & Enablement
  Deloitte Canada

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  Maya Natarajan

  Senior Manager, AI Insights & Enablement
  Deloitte Canada

  Maya has over 11 years of experience as a seasoned leader in AI and Data Analytics, consulting for clients across multiple industries. Her expertise lies in building large-scale, impactful analytics and data science solutions. Maya leads the National Workforce & People Analytics portfolio in Deloitte’s AI Practice, leveraging human-centered design for better business outcomes. 

• 2:35 PM

  Networking coffee break

• 3:05 PM

  Breakout session: Successful L&D strategies in hybrid 

  This session will provide attendees a view of a sample toolkit containing guided conversations, frameworks, tools and resources to enable leaders and employees to thrive in a hybrid world.  It will also offer the opportunity for participants to discuss and share L&D best practices that have worked for them in hybrid environments. 

  

  Christi Scarrow

  Managing Partner
  Lighthouse NINE Group

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  Christi Scarrow

  Managing Partner
  Lighthouse NINE Group

  Christi Scarrow is a consultant, executive coach, keynote speaker and a best-selling author of the book Truth Warriors. As a Partner at Lighthouse Nine Group, she leads the Insights & Organizational Accountability practice and supports clients in the areas of leadership development, high performing teams, strategy and sales effectiveness. She works with multinational clients and small businesses across many diverse industries. She is passionate about creating clarity, connection and accountability to enable a world based on truth. 

• 4:10 PM

  Panel: What’s next for L&D in 2024 and beyond?

  Technology continues fuelling new ways of working, collaborating and learning, and the pace of change in L&D is unrelenting. This session will recap key themes of the day and look ahead at new business models, training methods and technologies, and make some predictions about the next big disruptive forces.

  • Understanding the increasing importance of L&D as a business-critical priority for building the workforce of the future that can adapt to rapid change  
  • Integrating succession planning for the coming era of demographic change 
  • Integrating learning strategies that can adapt for different generations of employees 

  Moderator

  

  Lauren Johnson

  Journalist
  KM Business Information Canada Ltd

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  Lauren Johnson

  Journalist
  KM Business Information Canada Ltd

  Lauren Johnson is a journalist for HRD at Key Media, where she specializes in the latest HR news and trends. Prior to joining Key Media, she gained experience in the UK and US writing everything from trending and breaking news to investigative and feature stories. She holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Florida . 

  Panelists

  

  Stephanie Fischkohl

  Manager of Operations
  Queen’s IRC

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  Stephanie Fischkohl

  Manager of Operations
  Queen’s IRC

  Stephanie Fischkohl is currently the Manager of Operations at Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre.  Prior to joining Queen’s IRC, Stephanie held other management positions in the private sector and internally at Queen’s University since 2004, including Senior Sales Manager at the Donald Gordon Conference Centre and Program Manager, Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Health Sciences.    

  She is responsible for growing business operations, recruitment and selection, financial modelling, labour management and engagement, and program development.  She opens the lines of communication between clients, customers, and team members to achieve objectives and new initiatives. With over 15 years of management experience in quality improvement, team building, and event production Stephanie leverages her real-world experiences to create an inclusive, positive culture, and high-performing teams.  She is a true advocate for lifelong learning. She is passionate about applying best practices to generate alignment between management and union relationships.  

  She is a long-time member of the Kingston Humane Society, and area captain of the Heart and Stroke Foundation Kingston Chapter.  During her tenure on the Board of Directors at the Kingston Humane Society, she was a stakeholder on the Executive Committee and served as the Board Chair.  She was successful in negotiating a new contract with the City of Kingston regarding shelter services which brought the 20-year-old agreement up to current standards.  

  Stephanie is a graduate of the Business Administration program at St. Lawrence College.  She is currently pursuing her Professional Master of Industrial Relations (PMIR) from Queen’s University.   

  

  Kelley Norris

  Vice President, Implementation Services
  SafeStart

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  Kelley Norris

  Vice President, Implementation Services
  SafeStart

  As SafeStart’s Vice-President of Implementation Service, Kelley is responsible for client implementation success through all phases of the customer relationship process. 

  In over two decades at SafeStart, Kelley has lead consultant and management teams in North America and around the globe to execute client projects, develop unique product implementations and build strong relationships with SafeStart users. 

  Kelley leads a team of safety implementation experts with a depth and breadth of skills ranging from senior leaders in safety, engineering, risk management and organizational performance to posts within the US military. Collectively, this team represents over 500 years of experience. 

  As a sign of success, Kelley and her team are recognized in the industry with accolades that include Safety Plant of the Year, Safety Professional of the Year, distinguished service awards, Individual premier achievement awards and various service medals. 

• 5:00 PM

  Closing remarks from chairperson

  

  Candace DiCresce

  Thought-Leader, Safety & Well-being
  

  ×

  

  Candace DiCresce

  Thought-Leader, Safety & Well-being
  

  Candace DiCresce is a thought leader in the field of providing holistic safety and well-being support to employees. Most recently, as the Senior Director responsible for safety, well-being and accessibility at Rogers Communications, she enjoyed twelve amazing years leading a talented team that is driven by a passion for supporting employee safety and well-being at work and throughout their lives, and for removing barriers.  

  Candace has over 25 years of experience in safety, well-being, environmental and sustainability problem-solving, working in consulting, industry, and the public sector including at Deloitte, MDS (a global life sciences company), and the Toronto Transit Commission. She was honoured to serve on the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s Council of Governors. In 2018, she was recognized as an Innovator in Workplace Mental Health by DiversityCan Magazine. 

  Candace holds a B.A.Sc. in civil engineering from the University of Toronto, is a proud professional engineer, and is the grateful mother to two weird and wonderful teens. You can learn more about her holistic approach on Matt Burns’ Thinking Inside the Box podcast, available on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.