It’s always a good day when we get to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of the women we’re proud to represent on our roster of talented keynote speakers.
We’re often asked by our clients to recommend top female speakers on a variety of topics in celebration of International Women’s Day, taking place in 2022 on March 8. It is a global celebration to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women across the world.
Here are just a few recommended speakers broken down into some of our most requested topics.
The world is changing at a rapid pace, and the importance of inclusion and diversity is clearer than ever. Yassmin Abdel-Magied expertly combines personal experience and research to equip leaders with the tools of transformative leadership, needed to thrive in the 21st century.
By focusing on capability over experience, Nilofer Merchant addresses the talent gap and shows leaders how to build teams that can both define the right questions for growth and discover new answers so that companies can continue to innovate and achieve their goals.
For over 35 years, Dr. Janet Morrison has been leading large, complex learning organizations, and, even in the face of significant challenges and constraints, she fuels a trailblazing ethos that drives transformation. She shares stories of success and failure in her journey to practice transformative, feminist leadership that is inclusive, authentic, and powerful.
Humans rely on body language to connect and build trust. In an era of digital-first workplaces, Erica Dhawan decodes the new signals and cues that have replaced traditional body language across genders, generations, and culture to help remote teams enhance connectional intelligence and collaboration.
Renowned “Dragon” and one of Canada’s most high profile businesswoman, Arlene Dickinson distills a lifetime of experience to reveal everything you need to know — and do — to start, run, and grow a great business, displaying a palpable and infectious belief in the entrepreneurial spirit.
One of the keys to success is learning how to negotiate effectively. Negotiation and persuasion expert Fotini Iconomopoulos thrives in empowering people to navigate high-stake scenarios, and always leaves her audiences with tangible actions to immediately help them tackle their next challenge.
In her inspiring presentations, Zahra Al-Harazi explores her journey from immigrating to Canada as a refugee to becoming an award-winning entrepreneur. She shares how she channeled frustration into courage, the mistakes and milestones that propelled her, and how a clear and powerful voice can help anyone get what they want most in life.
In a world where the lines between commerce and content, marketing and community, and impact vs. income have become blurred, Joanna Griffiths, the founder and CEO of Knix — one of the fastest growing intimate apparel brands worldwide — walks audiences through how she built one of the most successful and prolific mission-driven brands of the digital era.
Barb Stegemann disrupted an industry from her garage, armed with only her personal visa card and a dream to help people rebuild in war-ridden countries. With compelling storytelling, Barb shares her innovative approach to business and how social enterprise can be used as business model to excel in today’s marketplace.
Sinead Bovell helps business leaders prepare for a world radically transformed by technology through focusing on non-traditional and minority markets. She shares the skills sets, policies, infrastructures, and new societal contracts needed to ensure everyone can reap the benefits of a smart world.
Known to many as the go-to expert on tech, Amber Mac demystifies rapid digitization, sharing practical lessons and invaluable tools that are critical for success today and into the future.
An award-winning technology journalist and podcaster, Takara Small helps audiences understand the technology reshaping our world. From AI and advanced robotics, to data and digital health, she offers a glimpse into the future and insight into what organizations can do today to drive growth.
The Honourable Rona Ambrose is a dynamic national leader, a champion for the rights of women and girls, the former Leader of Canada’s Official Opposition in the House of Commons, and the former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Stemming from her award-winning book Seven Fallen Feathers, Tanya Talaga creates an intimate experience for her audiences, sharing her in-depth knowledge on Indigenous culture and history. She leaves audiences empowered to learn from the past and set forward on a new path for our future based on inclusivity and equity.
Whether it’s economics, geopolitics or international security and terrorism, few people have a better understanding of global issues than Professor Janice Gross Stein. Her dynamic presentations provide audiences with a unique perspective into what’s really happening around the globe, and with a clear, compelling vision of the future.
In her truly globe-spanning keynotes, Sheila Watt Cloutier provides a clear, meaningful, and comprehensive understanding of how key issues such as the environment, economy, foreign policy, health, and human rights are interconnected, and what it means for the future.
Named one of Marketing Magazine‘s “Top 30 Under 30”, Erin Bury dives deep into the trends that have spearheaded digital transformation, including the rise of peer-to-peer apps, software-as-a-service, and mobile. She also shares case studies of legacy industries that are embracing the digital shift to give audiences a clearer understanding of what tomorrow’s consumer will expect.
A “Dragon”, tech titan, and a serial entrepreneur, Michele Romanow started six companies before her 35th birthday. Now the co-founder and president of Clearco — the biggest ecommerce investor in the world — Michele recounts her incredible journey to becoming ranked in WXN’s “100 Most Powerful in Canada”.
Passionate about technology, Nicole Verkindt explores how investment in technology can drive competitive growth, and shows audiences how to leverage it as a competitive advantage. She walks through the latest tech trends and provides strategies for how organizations can be more innovative and entrepreneurial.
In her informative and eye-opening talks, Professor Maydianne Andrade outlines the negative impacts bias have on both individuals and organizations, and, using an inclusive and positive approach, how even well-intentioned individuals may have biases that impede the workplace. She also provides steps that can be taken to reduce these effects and cultivate a positive, fair workplace culture.
An accomplished physician, spoken word poet, and advocate for racialized and marginalized populations, Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa speaks to addressing inequities and advancing efforts in wellness and mental health, especially for the Black community and beyond.
Based on her personal story as a corporate lawyer, Dr. Hadiya Roderique discusses barriers and challenges to diversity and inclusion, with a focus on race, gender, and intersectionality. As a researcher at the University of Toronto, Hadiya’s talks are informed by data and literature on the subject and sees her address common arguments against diversity and inclusion and counter them.
The pandemic showed the need for a proactive approach to ensuring people are well equipped to face the unparalleled stress, unrest, and uncertainty that are becoming more common. Resiliency expert Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe walks audiences through her multi-dimensional approach to wellness that includes the five principles of stressing wisely and her theory of everyday resiliency.
The World Health Organization declared stress as the #1 health epidemic, with loneliness not far behind. And this was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Shimi Kang helps teams build and practice essential life skills — such as self-care, connection, resiliency, and creativity — to go beyond “getting through this” and move towards optimization, and even peak performance.
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 Trudeau tirelessly shares her personal stories to remind others of the importance of nurturing the body, mind, and spirit.
Melissa Leong is one of Canada’s most sought-after authorities on personal finance. In her unique money talks, Melissa shows audiences how to get both wealthier and happier, diving deep into behavioural economics, positive psychology, and personal finance to empower audiences to revamp their relationship with money so they can dial down their worries and supersize their joy.
More people have walked on the moon than have been to the places Jill Heinerth has explored right here on earth as a cave diver. Her dynamic multimedia presentation inspires audiences to reach beyond their limitations, challenge the unknown, and overcome their fears.
Too often we find ourselves struggling to present a “perfect” self, battling imposter syndrome, dismissing accomplishments, and walking around in a prison of judgment. Samra Zafar shows audiences how to embrace vulnerability and show up authentically to foster genuine trust, real connections, and collective resilience. This is how we unlock our full potential and become remarkable leaders.
The way we work has fundamentally shifted. Drawing on psychology, behavioural science, and neuroscience, Dr. Lisa Bélanger explores the behaviours we can implement to optimize our ability to think clearly, be productive and resilient, stay driven, and avoid being overwhelmed, even in high-stress situations.
Business today is more competitive than ever. Getting ahead and staying ahead requires you to make tough calls, face hard choices, and work through conflict. Liane Davey walks audiences through the process for creating productive conflict that will improve results and enhance engagement.
In this time of enormous change, we must prioritize workplace well-being to prevent employee burnout and increase motivation. Jennifer Moss, a globally recognized expert in workplace wellness, provides tangible solutions to increase psychological fitness for a healthier and happier today, and in the new future of work.
Dr. Kimberley Amirault-Ryan has coached and trained some of the world’s top athletes and teams, including many Olympians. She has witnessed and coached first-hand the habits, behaviours, and environments required for achieving success, overcoming obstacles, and inspiring excellence.
Marnie McBean, Canada’s chef de mission for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and long-time mentor to Team Canada shares her insights and stories of the leadership and resilience that contributed to Team Canada having its best Summer Games despite globally challenging times.
From one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians comes a raw but life-affirming story of one woman’s struggle with depression. Told with honesty and passion, Clara Hughes shares her personal journey through physical and mental pain to a life where love and understanding can thrive.
Whether she’s performing her music, hosting an event, or telling her deeply personal and affecting stories, Jann Arden’s wisdom and wit shine. She shares her personal journey, explaining the importance of adaptability, being built for change, and how to look for good — and even funny — things, even in the most difficult of situations.
There’s no better way than humour to remind us we’re all in this together! Beloved comedian and Bell Let’s Talk ambassador Jessica Holmes weaves comedy, characters, and music together to bring understanding and hope to a serious subject — mental health.
For Serena Ryder, music is medicine. In her powerful keynotes, Serena Ryder shares the difficult path she took to regain her mental health, and how, through it, she rediscovered her voice both as a performer and an advocate for those struggling with mental illness.
Interested in learning more about our keynote speakers and what they can bring to your next event? Email us at [email protected].
