If you’re looking to feature a strong female voice as your next keynote who’s guaranteed to leave your audience inspired, engaged, and motivated — this post is for you!
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’ve rounded up just some of the incredible Canadian women we have on our roster, who are recognized across the country, if not the world, for their stories of courage, strength, leadership, business acumen, and so much more.
Jann Arden catapulted onto the Canadian music scene in 1993, with the release of her debut album, Time For Mercy. She boasts 19 top-10 singles, and has received eight Juno Awards, including “Female Artist of the Year” and “Songwriter of the Year.”
Jann’s wisdom and wit shine in everything she does. In her presentations, she shares her personal journey, showcasing the importance of adaptability and being able to find the good — and even funny — in whatever life throws at you.
A two-time Olympian, 10-time National Champion, two-time World silver medalist, and the only Canadian woman to win a World Championship gold medal in track and field — Perdita Felicien has had an extraordinary career as a 100-metre hurdler.
Perdita chronicles her journey to the top in her new memoir, My Mother’s Daughter: A Memoir of Struggle and Triumph (to be published April 2020), which explores her difficult childhood as the daughter of an immigrant who would experience racism, domestic abuse, and even homelessness in her new home, Canada. Through it all, Perdita’s mother would always pull her family through.
In her inspiring talks, Perdita draws on what she learned from her mother’s strength and how she used it to chase her dreams and overcome the “hurdles” life can throw at you.
Clara Hughes has spent most of her life striving to be the fastest person in the world. When the six-time Olympian decided to switch gears and “slow down to the pace of a human being”, she hiked over 16,000 kilometres where she discovered the healing power of movement.
In her candid, personal talks, Clara explores how movement can change lives, and draws from her experience living with depression to inspire audiences to face their fears, find their voice, and become the champions they’re meant to be.
For more than 15 years, Marci Ien was at the helm of the national morning program, Canada AM, before joining as co-host of one of television’s most popular daytime programs, The Social. Marci brings this same energy to the stage as an emcee, interviewer, moderator, and speaker.
As a keynote, Marci draws on her incredible career as a journalist, sitting down with hundreds of newsmakers, celebrities, and politicians, to share lessons learned from many of the world’s most interesting and successful personalities, as well as her own journey of navigating change, work-life balance, and more.
Amanda Lindhout is a sought after, internationally renowned speaker for her emotional, powerful storytelling. In 2008, Amanda traveled to Somalia and was abducted by a group of masked men along a dusty road and held hostage for 460 days She survived on her strategy, fortitude, and hope in the face of unimaginable adversity, and today uses her tale of survival to reveal life changing insights into mind conditioning and reframing stories of pain into power.
Amanda is the bestselling author of the award-winning memoir, A House in the Sky. The book is now being developed into a Hollywood motion picture with two-time Oscar-nominated actress Rooney Mara playing the role of Amanda.
Lainey Lui is beloved for her unique insights into Hollywood and pop culture as the founder of the world-famous celebrity gossip website, LaineyGossip.com; a correspondent on CTV’s Canada’s #1 entertainment show, etalk; and the co-host of CTV’s The Social. A successful female entrepreneur, Lainey shares her business acumen in her keynotes as well as her affinity for gossip and the important role it plays in our culture.
A “Dragon” on CBC’s hit show Dragons’ Den, Michele Romanow is a tech titan and a serial entrepreneur who started five companies before her 33rd birthday. Today, she is the co-founder and president of Clearbanc, an alternative funding company for online startups, which invested $1 billion into 2000 businesses in 2019. Michele brings her incredible entrepreneurial savvy to every stage.
Michele is the recipient of the Toronto Board of Trade Award for entrepreneurs under 30, was ranked as one of the “100 Most Powerful in Canada” by WXN, and was the only Canadian to be named on Forbes’ “Millennial on a Mission” list.
An award-winning journalist and author, and the First Ojibway woman to deliver the CBC Massey Lectures, Tanya Talaga is an acclaimed storyteller. Her book Seven Fallen Feathers is a national bestseller and won the 2018 RBC Taylor Prize.
In her powerful keynotes, Tanya shares Indigenous stories from across Canada and the world, humanizing the legacy of residential schools and colonization and sharing her hope for a more inclusive and equitable future.
Margaret Trudeau is a Canadian icon, celebrated both for her role in the public eye and as a respected mental-health issues advocate. From becoming a prime minister’s wife at a young age, to the loss of both her son and her former husband, to living with bipolar disorder, Margaret tirelessly shares her personal stories to remind others of the importance of nurturing the body, mind, and spirit.
Nobel Peace Prize nominee Sheila Watt-Cloutier speaks with passion and urgency on the issues of today — the environment, the economy, foreign policy, global health, and sustainability. Experienced in working with global decision-makers for more than a decade, Sheila offers a new model for 21st century leadership. At a time when people are seeking solutions, direction, and a sense of hope, this global leader provides a big picture of where we are and where we’re headed.
