Speakers / Topics: Leadership
We believe the aim of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers. Our experts point individuals and organizations in the right direction to guide others to achieve personal and professional goals.
The Hon. Catherine McKenna
Former Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
As the former Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, The Honourable Catherine McKenna spearheaded groundbreaking environmental initiatives across Canada. She was a lead negotiator of the Paris Agreement, successfully defended landmark legislation to e...
Cassandra Worthy
Founder and CEO, Change Enthusiasm Global
With contagious energy, Cassandra Worthy is a disruptive thought leader on change who helps companies build organizational resilience and adaptability. Too often change adoption is disrupted from the emotional landscape in which it occurs — this is where Wor...
Jamie Clarke
Extreme Adventurer | Entrepreneur | Performance Coach
Business is an adventure, and mountain-climber Jamie Clarke shows audiences how to strategize and succeed in their ventures. An acclaimed adventurer and entrepreneur, Clarke draws parallels between the dynamic environments found in business and nature to share...
Steve Cadigan
Future of Work | Talent Strategist | Company Culture Expert
Today’s digital world requires a new strategy for building great teams. For 30 years, Steve Cadigan has been at the forefront of global talent strategy and company culture. He is best known for scaling LinkedIn from a team of 400 to 4000 in just 3.5 year...
David Burkus
Bestselling Author | Helping Leaders and Teams Do Their Best Work Ever
One of the world’s leading business thinkers, David Burkus’ forward-thinking ideas and bestselling books are changing how companies approach innovation, collaboration, and productivity. He is a skilled researcher and inspiring communicator who has worked w...
Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa
Physician | Changemaker | Transformative Leadership | Advocate for Diversity and Inclusion
One of Time magazine’s “2021 Next Generational Leaders”, Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa is a medical trailblazer spearheading change in healthcare and beyond. She is an accomplished physician, spoken word poet, and advocate for racialized and marginalized popula...
Pam August
Former Director, Culture Activation at WestJet
Visionary, purpose-driven leaders recognize that there is untapped potential in their organizations. When this potential is left unrealized, it can lead to misalignment between an organization’s brand promise (external experience) and culture (internal e...
Silken Laumann
Olympic Hero | Mental Health & Child Advocate
A world champion single sculls rower and a four-time Olympic medallist, Silken Laumann knows what it takes to be the best in the world. She also knows what it means to overcome adversity. While at the peak of her game, a boat crashed into her leg, almost endin...
Joanna Griffiths
Founder and CEO, Knix
Since launching Knix in 2013, Founder and CEO Joanna Griffiths has built it into one of the fastest growing intimate apparel brands worldwide. Through its mission to empower women and its focus on product innovation, Knix has become the sixth fastest growing c...
Kendal Netmaker
Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Author, and Indigenous Speaker
An award-winning entrepreneur and author, Kendal Netmaker is a master storyteller who uses his natural gift to help people shift their mindset and find the success they seek. He speaks professionally to thousands of people worldwide on resilience, leadership, ...
Perry Bellegarde
Former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations
Chief Perry Bellegarde has dedicated his life to championing the rights and well-being of First Nations. For 35 years, he has held various First Nations leadership roles, including two terms served as the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). ...
Peter Mansbridge
Former Chief Correspondent for CBC News and Anchor of The National
For more than five decades, Canadians have trusted Peter Mansbridge to guide them through the political, economic, and cultural events that have shaped our nation. He is one of Canada’s most respected and recognizable figures, having spent 30 years as CB...
Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal
Nike's Former Leadership Development and Talent Strategy Head | Resilience Expert
Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal is a leading global authority on resilience, well-being, and mental health. Previously the head of executive leadership development and talent strategy at Nike, she is now the founder and chief resilience officer of the Resilience Lead...
Dr. Janet Morrison
Leadership and Transformational Change Expert
Currently the President and Vice Chancellor of a large, multi-disciplinary post-secondary institution renowned globally for an ethos of trailblazing, Dr. Janet Morrison is an educator, thought leader, and change agent. She draws on her 35 years of experience l...
Jamelle Lindo
Emotional Intelligence & Resiliency Expert
Jamelle Lindo has worked with thousands of professionals to help them level up through the practical application of emotional intelligence and mindfulness strategies. As an emotional intelligence leadership coach, trainer, and speaker with over 11 years of div...
Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour
America’s First Black Female Combat Pilot | Author | Business Consultant
Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour is a gutsy trailblazer, whose resume is an impressive collection of firsts—including being the first Black woman combat pilot in the US Armed Forces. Prior to that she worked as a police officer, served two tours of duty ...
Robyn Benincasa
World Champion Adventure Racer | Bestselling Author
When the challenges are steep, and the competition fierce, Robyn Benincasa provides individuals and organizations the tools they need to inspire themselves and one another to their greatest heights and to cross their most challenging finish lines. As a two-tim...
Masai Ujiri
President and Vice-Chairman, Toronto Raptors | Founder, Giants of Africa
As president and vice-chairman of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri has led the team through its most successful period in franchise history, including an NBA Championship. In June 2019, the Raptors won their first NBA title with a six-game victory over Golden ...
Erica Dhawan
Leading Expert on Digital Teamwork, Collaboration, and Innovation | Bestselling Author
Erica Dhawan says we all have the power to drive innovation, but first we need to get past the roadblocks we create for ourselves: endless meetings, cross-team dysfunction, resource-wasting duplication, and a lack of real, meaningful inclusion. Drawing on her ...
Dan Heath
Innovative Business Thought Leader | New York Times Bestselling Author
Dan Heath helps audiences prevent problems before they happen, understand how to create extraordinary moments, and make better choices in life and work. Along with his brother Chip he is the co-author of four long-running bestsellers: Made to Stick, Switch, De...
Hamza Khan
Future of Work Expert | Author of Leadership, Reinvented
Hamza Khan is a multi-award-winning marketer, bestselling author, and global keynote speaker whose TEDx talk “Stop Managing, Start Leading” has been viewed over a million times. He shares actionable insights on resilience, productivity, and leaders...
Riaz Meghji
Human Connection Expert | Author of Every Conversation Counts
Riaz Meghji is a human connection keynote speaker and author of the book Every Conversation Counts: The Five Habits of Human Connection That Build Extraordinary Relationships. He is also an accomplished broadcaster with 17 years of television experience, inter...
Jennifer Moss
Workplace Expert | Author of The Burnout Epidemic
Jennifer Moss is an award-winning journalist, author, and international public speaker specializing in workplace wellness and performance. Her book, Unlocking Happiness at Work, received the distinguished UK Business Book of the Year Award, and her most recent...
Ben Nemtin
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author | Co-Founder of The Buried Life Movement
As the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? and star of MTV’s high rated The Buried Life, Ben Nemtin uses keynote presentations to help empower and motivate groups to make a difference and live courageously. Nemt...
Lekan Olawoye
Founder and CEO, Black Professionals in Tech Network
Lekan Olawoye is the founder and CEO of Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN) — the largest Black tech and business community in North America — and is a passionate advocate for organizational change and lasting progress. He was named one of Canada’...
Tina Varughese
Cross-Cultural Communication and Diversity Expert
An Indo-Canadian daughter of first generation East Indian parents, Varughese says her cultural background allows her to find “the best of both worlds” and shed light, knowledge, and, most importantly, universal humour into the changing workplace. H...
Jack Armstrong
Award Winning Broadcaster | Toronto Raptors Game Analyst | TSN’s Basketball Insider
Best known as the colourful and entertaining voice of the 2019 NBA Championship winning team, the Toronto Raptors, Jack Armstrong has spent more than two decades covering basketball for TSN and NBA TV. Prior to this, he spent a decade as the head basketball co...
Eric Termuende
Future of Work and Leadership Expert
A globally recognized thought leader, bestselling author, and speaker, Eric Termuende brings a fresh perspective to workplace culture and the future of work. His actionable and entertaining keynotes combine research, storytelling, and case studies to help lead...
Ambassador Bruce Heyman
Former US Ambassador to Canada | Author, The Art of Diplomacy
Bruce Heyman served as the US Ambassador to Canada under President Barack Obama from 2014 until 2017. His leadership emphasized the importance of the Canada-US relationship and pushed for more collaboration and cross-border investments. Today, he continues to ...
Jennifer Barroll
Corporate Leadership and Communications Consultant
Jennifer Barroll is a passionate communicator. With a background as an actor, media personality, and stand-up comedian, she uses her quick wit and energetic personality to deliver practical leadership training and communication tools. Having worked with some o...
Drew Dudley
Internationally Acclaimed Leadership Speaker | Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author
Called one of the most inspirational TED speakers in the world, Drew Dudley is on a mission to redefine leadership. With more than five million views, his TED talk “Everyday Leadership (The Lollipop Moment)” proved that leadership is not a characteristic o...
Brian Burke
NHL Leader | Community Activist | Philanthropist
Hockey legend Brian Burke is a dynamic figure in both the worlds of business and sport. He is the president of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and formerly held leadership positions in the organizations of the Calgary Flames, the Toronto Maple L...
Shane Feldman
Connection | Community | Leadership
Shane Feldman believes community is the answer to every question and the solution to every problem. Recognized by The White House, The Prime Minister of Canada, and The United Nations for his achievements in community leadership, he helps leading brands optimi...
Anthony McLean
Mental Health | Inclusivity | Education
With a background in theatre, Anthony McLean delivers lively presentations on mental health, diversity and inclusion, and education. He has delivered hundreds of inspiring talks across the world, rocking the stage at conferences, colleges, and corporate events...
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Leadership and Diversity Expert | Social Advocate
Yassmin Abdel-Magied is an engineer, author, broadcaster, and award-winning social advocate. Her powerful TED talk, “What Does My Headscarf Mean to You” has more than 2.5 million views and was selected as one of TED’s top 10 ideas. An internationally ren...
Scott Burrows
Expert on Vision, Mindset, and Pure Grit
Scott Burrows has lived the hero’s journey. Growing up as an all-star athlete, Burrows played college football at FSU and was a top-ranked kickboxing champion whose last fight was broadcast by ESPN. During the height of his athletic career though, Burrows su...
Lane Merrifield
Former “Dragon”, CBC’s Dragons’ Den | Tech Entrepreneur
A former “dragon” on CBC’s Dragons’ Den, Lane Merrifield is one of Canada’s leading tech entrepreneurs. He is the founder of Club Penguin, which was the largest children’s online social network. At age 28, he sold it to Disney for $350 million, whe...
Mandy Gilbert
Entrepreneur, CEO, and Investor
A bestselling author, entrepreneur, CEO, and tech investor, Mandy Gilbert has been recognized as a United Nations Global Accelerator and ranked as one of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs on Canadian Business’ Profit 500 list and Chatelaine’s W100 list. ...
Gregor Jeffrey
Communication Thought Leader
So many of us struggle with communication in our work or in our personal lives. Gregor Jeffrey’s own challenges with communication led him to a remarkable discovery — that the key to connecting with others and achieving influence can be found in scienc...
Jacqueline Carter
Leadership & Mindfulness Expert
The world is facing a global leadership crisis. 77% of leaders think they do a good job of engaging their people, yet 88% of employees say their leaders don’t engage enough, and 65% of employees would forgo a pay raise to see their leaders fired. Leaders...
Jamie Mason Cohen
Leadership & Performance Expert
Referred to by some as the “personality x-ray machine”, Jamie Mason Cohen is a certified grapho-therapist and leadership strategist whose TEDx talk on how to spot a leader through their handwriting has been viewed more than two million times. His unique an...
Johnny Cupcakes
CEO, Johnny Cupcakes | Award Winning Entrepreneur & Brand Hysteria Expert
If you dream of inspiring cult-like brand loyalty—the kind that involves mile-long queues and even permanent tattoos— then Johnny “Cupcakes” Earle is for you. The founder of the world-renowned tee-shirt brand Johnny Cupcakes, Johnny’s kno...
Sarah McVanel
International Recognition, Culture, and Retention expert
Sarah McVanel is passionate about guiding people to discover their own greatness and recognize the greatness in others. Her curated, customized talks explore why recognizing greatness is a fundamental key to improving morale, increasing top talent retention, a...
Dr. Lisa Bélanger
Behavioural Change Expert | Researcher
An organization’s greatest asset is its people. Award-winning CEO Dr. Lisa Bélanger shows leaders and teams how insights from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural science can be applied in the workplace to optimize performance, productivity, and innova...
Allison Massari
Inspirational TED Speaker | Burn Survivor | Visual Artist
Hailed by audiences worldwide as “life-changing”, “riveting”, “extraordinary”, “bold”, and “deeply moving”, Allison Massari’s message of courage, kindness, and resilience resonates with participants long after an event has finished. Liste...
Choir! Choir! Choir!
International Singing Phenomenon
Choir! Choir! Choir! has sung with Tegan and Sara at the Junos, performed at a David Bowie tribute in New York, and have even taken to the Radio City Music Hall stage with Debbie Harry and The Flaming Lips. A collective led by creative directors Nobu Adilman ...
Martin Luther King III
Global Human Rights Activist
As the oldest son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King III serves as an ambassador of his parents’ legacy of non-violent social change. Motivating audiences with his message of hope and responsibility for...
Mel Robbins
Expert on Defeating Doubt | Award-Winning CNN Commentator | Bestselling Author
In her globally acclaimed TEDx talk, Mel Robbins wowed the world with the science-backed secret to change: The 5 Second Rule. More than 17 million views later, the 5 Second Rule has become a bestselling book and a life-changing movement that challenges thinkin...
Jennifer Keesmaat
CEO, The Keesmaat Group | Partner, Markee Developments
Jennifer Keesmaat is passionate about creating places where people flourish. A renowned urban planner, she was named one of the “most powerful people in Canada” by Maclean’s, one of the “most influential” by Toronto Life, and one of the top Women of ...
The Hon. Rona Ambrose
Former Leader of Canada’s Official Opposition in the House of Commons
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. Rona knows politics....