Brendan Howe is the CEO and visionary founder of Techify, a technology company specializing in proactive technology, productivity, and cybersecurity driven by data and AI. With over 15 years of experience, Brendan has led Techify to become a leading player in the industry. Techify has consistently been included on Canada’s list of top-growing companies, demonstrating its remarkable progress and achievements. Brendan’s deep knowledge of the non-profit industry has positioned Techify as a trusted partner in this sector, with non-profits representing a significant percentage of the company’s clientele. Under Brendan’s leadership, Techify continues to deliver cutting-edge solutions, leveraging data and AI to drive innovation and success for its diverse client base.
Charles Buchanan is the Founder and CEO of Technology Helps. As an innovator and visionary, he has a distinguished history in corporate technology leadership (including Suncor Energy, Deloitte, Oracle, MNP, and Royal LePage), management consulting, and entrepreneurship. Charles has a has founded and worked with numerous technology companies in diverse areas such as online gaming, fintech, environmental protection, and more. He continues to be an authority in the tech space and has provided expert advice and implemented large-scale technology solutions for enterprise clients.
Dan Kershaw, also known as the “Furniture Banker,” leads the Furniture Bank, a charity social enterprise that seeks to end furniture poverty across Canada. Inspired by sustainability and backed by over 17 years of digital experience, Dan applies his education in Environmental Studies and Marketing Technology to encourage innovative sustainable, data-driven impact strategies in the charitable sector.
How can we harness technology to make a difference in the world? That’s the question Jason loves to explore with organizations. Jason serves as Chief Digital Officer of the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience which aims to build a digitally-enabled nonprofit sector, where Canada’s diverse nonprofits use data and tech to advance their mission and multiply their impact. As an experienced digital executive, Jason has consistently provided leadership to help organizations stay ahead of the technology curve. He has successfully championed organization-wide digital-first approaches and has developed and implemented strategies that support operations, marketing, fundraising, and program delivery.
Meena Das (she/her/hers) is the founder, consultant, and facilitator at her practices NamasteData and Data Is For Everyone. NamasteData is focused on advancing data equity for nonprofits and social impact agencies. Meena specializes in designing and teaching equitable research tools and analyzing engagement. She leads her work with love for the community, respect for her lived experiences and knowledge from decade plus experience of working with data. She supports nonprofits in 3 core areas: data collection assessments, community surveys, and staff workshops on improving data equity (through data collection, visualization, human-centric algorithms etc.) Connect with her on LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/meenadas
Anne-Marie Pham brings over 25 years of experience in diversity and inclusion to her work with various communities and workplaces. With a background in leading diversity initiatives for Spectra Energy and the City of Calgary, as well as training roles at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, she possesses a profound understanding of EDI issues. Anne-Marie excels in mobilizing, educating, and disseminating cutting-edge research and best practices in this field. Her expertise spans industries in the business, public, and non-profit sectors, where she delivers dynamic presentations, training, and consulting services.
Dr. Wendy Cukier is the Diversity Institute Founder, Academic Director of the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and Research Lead of the Future Skills Centre. She is the co-author of the bestseller, Innovation Nation: Canadian Leadership from Java to Jurassic Park and former VP of Research and Innovation. The Diversity Institute has 100 research staff, 100 research associates from around the world, 200 industry partners and focuses on dimensions of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, future skills, and entrepreneurship and innovation.
Trish is an accomplished award-winning entrepreneur, diversity & inclusion strategist, mentor, board professional, author, speaker, and a local government elected official. Her unique journey is rooted in her educational background and impressive early career in microbiology & embryology, combined with her extensive experience as an entrepreneur and Consultant. She is the Founder and CEO of Synergy Executive & Boards Consulting Group, a pan-Canadian diversity-oriented consulting company which specializes in Executive and board recruitment, Board Governance Training and EDI consulting. Synergy is committed to helping companies attract and retain BIPOC talent, create brave, safe and inclusive spaces as well as build diverse, world-class management teams through exceptional talent and solutions.
Lisa Paull, ancestral name Ts’eláselwet is the new Director of Programs & Services. Lisa is a mother to three amazing children and comes from a long line of Squamish Nation descendants, her late grandparents are Tilly Moody and Edwin Paull and Louie & Jessie Miranda; her late parents are Jolene Joseph-Paull, Louie Miranda John, and Darcy SR Joseph. Lisa’s professional background is connected to educational programs & services, personal development. Her focus is to support Indigenous capacity building through the delivery of impactful programming and services, which includes true collaboration with stakeholders and partners.
Dr. Lourie is one of Canada’s most influential leaders and experts on climate change and the transition to a net-zero economy. Best known for his ability to rethink climate problems and develop solutions that benefit both the economy and the environment, he has been instrumental in creating more than a dozen organizations that play a critical role in Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy, including Canadian Climate Institute, the Institute for Sustainable Finance, Farmers for Climate Solutions, Efficiency Canada and The Transition Accelerator. His focus at Ivey Foundation is the Economy and Environment program, which provides funding to these net-zero focused organizations, among others. He also liaises with government, industry, ENGOs and the business community to ensure Canada achieves net-zero by 2050 while remaining economically competitive.
Duke Chang is an accomplished executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in financial services and technology, transforming businesses through innovation and product-led growth. Most recently, Duke served as the Worldwide Head of Product, Business Development, and Customer Experience for Lenovo Solutions and Services Group where he built and scaled the broad solution portfolio to support Lenovo’s $3 billion business.
Duke is adept at identifying customer needs and innovating solutions to intuitively bring tangible value to customers, solving real world problems and opportunities. He is also a co-founder of Act 3 Reality, an education technology company focused on helping children with autism and other social and learning challenges using Virtual Reality.
How can we harness technology to make a difference in the world? That’s the question Jason loves to explore with organizations. Jason serves as Chief Digital Officer of the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience which aims to build a digitally-enabled nonprofit sector, where Canada’s diverse nonprofits use data and tech to advance their mission and multiply their impact. As an experienced digital executive, Jason has consistently provided leadership to help organizations stay ahead of the technology curve. He has successfully championed organization-wide digital-first approaches and has developed and implemented strategies that support operations, marketing, fundraising, and program delivery.
Lisa Mort-Putland is a Certified Volunteer Administrator who has worked in the volunteer-led sector for more than 2 decades. She is the Executive Director at Volunteer Victoria in the Lekwungen speaking territories of the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. Lisa holds a BA in drama and a Masters of Public Administration. Lisa often speaks at events and facilitates training on volunteer management, governance, and grant writing. Lisa is an identical twin, Welsh, and sits as the Board Chair for Volunteer Canada.
Rensia Melles is a certified Psychological Health and Safety advisor with over 20 years of experience managing and designing international employee support programs for fortune500 employers. She is a passionate advocate for creating a difference in the workplace for both employers and employees on the topic of mental health and psychological safety. She has published and presented internationally on a wide range of employee support topics, including leveraging the workplace for health, global trauma support, mental health and employer liability. In 2019 she founded Integral Workplace Health, providing organizations psychological health and safety consultancy from a systems perspective.
Dr. Wendy Cukier is the Diversity Institute Founder, Academic Director of the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and Research Lead of the Future Skills Centre. She is the co-author of the bestseller, Innovation Nation: Canadian Leadership from Java to Jurassic Park and former VP of Research and Innovation. The Diversity Institute has 100 research staff, 100 research associates from around the world, 200 industry partners and focuses on dimensions of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, future skills, and entrepreneurship and innovation.
Steven Ayer is the CEO of Common Good Strategies, a social impact research firm based in Kitchener, ON. He is a social strategist, data scientist, and public speaker. Combining his extensive management & social impact experience, Steven leads projects that bring a wealth of knowledge & networks to clients seeking strategy and research support. Steven is the author of dozens of reports on the nonprofit sector, revenue development strategies, and social issues like affordable housing, precarious work, food insecurity, and mental health. He is a professor in the Non-Profit & Social Sector Management program at Seneca College where he teaches strategy and financial management.
Bruce MacLellan is a communications veteran and the Chair of Proof Strategies Inc. a firm he started in 1994. With over four decades in private consulting, Bruce has also worked in government as Chief of Staff to the Minister of National Defence in Ottawa and Executive Assistant to the Minister of Culture in Ontario.
Proof Strategies was named the #1 Workplace in Canada in 2010 by Great Place to Work® and has received more than 300 industry awards for exceptional client work. The firm has been carbon neutral since 2008 and was certified in 2022 as a Caring Company by Imagine Canada.
Professor Wenjue L. Knutsen is one of Canada’s leading academics who studies nonprofit organizations and public policy. She is jointly appointed in three departments at Queen’s: the Smith School of Business, the Faculty of Health Sciences – School of Nursing, and the School of Policy Studies. She holds a doctorate (Ph.D.) in public administration from one of the leading public administration programs in the United States, the Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University. She also holds a Masters in Public Administration (M.P.A.) from Wayne State University.
John is a graduate of Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario), BComm, 1983. He started his career at Procter & Gamble (Toronto) in market research, and then Johnson & Johnson (in Montreal) as the Market Research Manager.
In 1986, John co-created Tandemar Research, with his partner. This was a very successful market research enterprise, hiring hundreds of people, and doing business in both Canada and the USA, with a few global projects.
Mark Blumberg is a partner at the law firm Blumberg Segal LLP (Blumbergs) in Toronto and works almost exclusively advising non-profits and registered charities on their work in Canada and abroad. Mark has written numerous articles, is a frequent speaker on legal issues involving charity and not-for-profit law and is the editor of www.canadiancharitylaw.ca – Canadian website dedicated to news about the Canadian charitable sector as well as legal and ethical issues for Canadian charities operating in Canada or overseas. He also has established the websites www.CharityData.ca, the largest portal of data on the Canadian charity sector, and www.SmartGiving.ca a website encouraging informed charitable giving.
Paulette Senior has devoted her life and career to breaking down systemic barriers and building up diverse women and girls. Her personal experience immigrating to Canada from Jamaica as a young girl ignited her interest in social justice and helped make her the dynamic, grounded leader she is today.
Paulette’s career began in social services in some of Toronto’s most underserved neighbourhoods. She witnessed the need for systemic change and learned the power of putting the voices of women and equity-seeking communities first. She became known for her excellence in shelter, employment, and housing service provision, as well as for her intersectional approach to advocacy. She has earned numerous awards and has become one of the most respected women leaders in Canada.
Steven Ayer is the CEO of Common Good Strategies, a social impact research firm based in Kitchener, ON. He is a social strategist, data scientist, and public speaker. Combining his extensive management & social impact experience, Steven leads projects that bring a wealth of knowledge & networks to clients seeking strategy and research support. Steven is the author of dozens of reports on the nonprofit sector, revenue development strategies, and social issues like affordable housing, precarious work, food insecurity, and mental health. He is a professor in the Non-Profit & Social Sector Management program at Seneca College where he teaches strategy and financial management.
Aleksandra Vasic, CVA is a certified volunteer engagement professional with over 15 years of experience managing volunteer programs in social service and healthcare settings. She is the Director of Volunteerism at Volunteer Success, a Canadian online platform that connects volunteers to meaningful opportunities and allows organizations to find qualified volunteers. She is the current acting Past President of PAVRO, the provincial association for Volunteer Engagement professionals and the Past President of TAVA (the Toronto Association for Volunteer Administrators). She lives in Toronto with her partner and dog and loves spending time with her two daughters and two stepdaughters. She is also a caregiver to her two parents.
Meet Alison, Network and Engagement Coordinator at Volunteer Alberta. With a laser focus on nurturing connections within Volunteer Alberta’s member network, Alison also spearheads the dynamic Alberta Volunteer Center Network and continually explores fresh avenues to engage with the sector at large. Recently started to Connect a community of Practices for Volunteer specialists.
Armed with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies and a diploma in Arts and Cultural Management, Alison boasts an impressive academic foundation. Her proficiency is further fortified by eight years of hands-on experience as a volunteer coordinator, making her a true maestro in the realm of volunteer management.
Lisa Mort-Putland is a Certified Volunteer Administrator who has worked in the volunteer-led sector for more than 2 decades. She is the Executive Director at Volunteer Victoria in the Lekwungen speaking territories of the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. Lisa holds a BA in drama and a Masters of Public Administration. Lisa often speaks at events and facilitates training on volunteer management, governance, and grant writing. Lisa is an identical twin, Welsh, and sits as the Board Chair for Volunteer Canada.
Lori is a volunteer management expert, consultant, and podcaster, as well as an internationally published author and workshop facilitator who has taught workshops to many diverse audiences across North America.
Lori consults with organizations on volunteer and board management, resource and learning and strategic planning to name a few areas.
Lori pushes the boundaries of volunteer management through her writing, consulting, and teaching.
Donna Marshall is a thought leader, professional speaker, lecturer, curriculum developer, and writer specializing in mental health, harassment, psychological safety, and interpersonal skills training (soft skills).
Along with Dr. Stephanie Bot, she developed Workright Ltd.(workright.ca), an organization that offers professional online training and certification courses in Soft Skills, Mental Health, Leadership and Compliance (training.workright.ca).
Jordan Friesen is the President of Mindset Mental Health Strategy Inc. He is a mental health expert with experience leading national programs and initiatives focused on workplace mental health. He uses is knowledge of best practices to assist organizations who want to take progressive action to support the mental health of their employees as an imperative for the future of work. A skilled educator, Jordan can distill complex ideas into actionable insights for a wide range of audiences, from executives to students.
Rensia Melles is a certified Psychological Health and Safety advisor with over 20 years of experience managing and designing international employee support programs for fortune500 employers. She is a passionate advocate for creating a difference in the workplace for both employers and employees on the topic of mental health and psychological safety. She has published and presented internationally on a wide range of employee support topics, including leveraging the workplace for health, global trauma support, mental health and employer liability. In 2019 she founded Integral Workplace Health, providing organizations psychological health and safety consultancy from a systems perspective.