Campus Speakers

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 1.8 million views, and she has become an internationally renowned speaker on the topics o...

The road to real leadership is rarely a straight one. Among Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs, few have faced more obstacles than Zahra Al-Harazi. With a no-holds-barred attitude, Al-Harazi helps people and organizations realize their potential for succ...

Trey Anthony is a visionary creator, comedian, television writer, and award-winning playwright of international significance. The first African Canadian woman to have her own program on a primetime Canadian network, she is the writer of the critically acclaime...

Jann Arden can bring a hall full of people to tears through song, only to have them, moments later, rolling in the aisles from her off-the-cuff comedy. Whether she’s performing her music, hosting an event, or telling her deeply personal and affecting stories...

Sally Armstrong has covered stories in zones of conflict all over the world. From Bosnia and Somalia to Congo and Afghanistan, her eyewitness reports have earned her the Amnesty International Media Award four times over, as well as acclaim all over the world. ...

Jordan Axani has a long track-record of bold acts that move and inspire people. Whether becoming one of the youngest people to bike across Canada, or being at the centre of the most viral human-interest story in the internet’s history (the tale of a Canadian...

Chris Bailey provides audiences with practical and tactical advice for becoming more productive. Called “the most productive man you’d ever hope to meet” by TED Talks, a “productivity mastermind” by Fast Company, “a quirky a...

Chris Bashinelli was 20 years old when he traveled to Tanzania to film his first documentary, asking the question: how can we change the world? When he returned, his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It was this moment that he realized there was nothi...

On a mission to bridge the gap between young entrepreneurs and the digital future, Sinead Bovell strives to create conversations that will lead towards a progressive, informed, and thriving new era. She is a futurist and the founder of WAYE, an organization th...

When it comes to building teams, creating momentum, and employing winning strategies, Orlando Bowen is the real deal. A former professional football player and now high-performance coach, for the past fifteen years Bowen has used storytelling, fitness activiti...

Mark Brand is one of North America’s foremost social entrepreneurs. With 11 businesses under his belt, he is an example of a new form of leadership that encompasses good in every step. Determined to breathe new life into our struggling and disjointed com...

Kevin Breel’s TEDx Talk, “Confessions of a Depressed Comic”, has garnered more than four million views, making it one of the most watched TED talks ever on mental health. In the years since he delivered it, Breel’s been called one of the “most ...

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...

Named one of Marketing Magazine‘s “Top 30 Under 30”, Erin Bury is an entrepreneur, marketer, former technology journalist, and startup advisor. A monthly columnist for the Financial Post and a tech commentator on CTV News, Bury shares the ins...

Susan Cain believes society dramatically undervalues the talents of introverts. In her bestselling book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, and in her record-smashing TED talk, Cain explores ways to tap-in to the quieter c...

Ben Casnocha is an award-winning entrepreneur and author from Silicon Valley. BusinessWeek named him”one of America’s top young entrepreneurs,” while PoliticsOnline called him one of the “25 most influential people in the world of inter...

Michel Chikwanine has overcome unimaginable pain and struggle. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Michel grew up amid the terror of the Great War of Africa. Much of his childhood was ravaged by the death and decay of a war that claimed the lives of 5.8 ...

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 ...

Canada’s 16th Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Joe Clark is one of the most widely respected Canadians in history. Clark reaches across divides — from chairing the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers campaign against apartheid, to winning unanimous agre...

Anderson Cooper untangles the complex webs surrounding today’s biggest news stories and engages audiences with his world view of the latest hot spots and global issues. The anchor of Anderson Cooper 360, a provocative weekday program on CNN that goes bey...

As the host of many of television’s most popular programs, Jessi Cruickshank knows how to capture eyes and ears. Acclaimed for her hilarious humour and friendly demeanour, Cruickshank showcases her unique abilities as an emcee, moderator, or on-stage intervi...

At just 12 years old, Severn Cullis-Suzuki gained international attention when she delivered her famous speech at the Rio Earth Summit, pleading for the delegates to preserve the planet. Since then, Cullis-Suzuki has continued to advocate for intergenerational...

Seeking a master of ceremonies or a fabulous evening of entertainment? Then look no further. James Cunningham has proven, time and again, that he’s among the most skilled corporate emcees and comedians in the world. His personalized performances and attentio...

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...

Daniel Dale has spent nearly a decade reporting on populist politicians with an aversion to the truth. Beginning with Mayor Rob Ford’s infamous reign in Toronto City Hall, and continuing today at CNN where he’s responsible for fact-checking every w...

Wade Davis’s presentations—illustrated by his exquisite photographs—are a wild and moving celebration of the wonder of humanity and the diversity of the human spirit, as expressed through the myriad of cultures he has encountered. A former Explorer-i...

Be it resolved that The Debaters Live comedy show is an entertaining and stimulating way to liven up any event. Award-winning comedian and hilarious host Steve Patterson and two stand-up comics are ready to entertain with an exhilarating exchange of “fac...

For businesses, organizations, and governments striving to succeed in the innovation economy, and anyone who hopes for a bright future, Ilona Dougherty’s perspective is what you have been waiting for. Ilona Dougherty is an award winning social innovator and ...

Mike Downie is a multi-award-winning documentary filmmaker and the co-founder of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. A celebrated and inspirational storyteller, Downie takes his audiences on a ride that explores how our stories define us, remind us of o...

Called one of the most inspirational TED speakers in the world, Drew Dudley is on a mission to help people discover the leader within. With more than five million views, his TED talk “Everyday Leadership (The Lollipop Moment)” redefined leadership ...

With his extensive pop culture knowledge and an innate ability to ease his guests into intimate and candid conversation, Tyrone Edwards brings his expertise to Canada’s most-watched entertainment program as the anchor of etalk. A versatile presenter and ...

Robin Esrock’s success as a global adventurer, travel writer, bestselling author, and international TV personality is no accident — although it did start with one. After a bike accident left him with a modest insurance settlement, Esrock quit his job to se...

In this digital age of distraction and disconnection, many companies are finding it increasingly challenging to engage and retain both top-tier talent and customers. This is where Shane Feldman thrives. Recognized by The White House, The Prime Minister of Cana...

Internationally recognized for her inspiring story, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is an acclaimed author, humanitarian, broadcaster, and spokesperson who has spent much of her life in the glare of the public spotlight. Speaking candidly about her person...

Named by Time magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World,” Niall Ferguson’s work impacts industry, finance, government, and academia. Controversial, expansive, and eloquent, Ferguson’s talks explore themes that have urgent relevan...

Richard Florida is one of the world’s leading urbanists and a sought-after speaker. Named one of Esquire‘s “Best and Brightest,” alongside luminaries such as Bill Clinton and Bill Gates, Florida has fascinated audiences all over the world w...

Michael J. Fox has one of the best-known faces in Hollywood. In addition to being recognized as a star in dozens of blockbuster films and highly rated television series, Fox is also recognized worldwide as the face of Parkinson’s disease, a condition he has ...

Rock musician, songwriter, and political activist, Sir Bob Geldof is the rare combination of musical talent and successful businessman. He created the Live Aid concerts, built a media empire, called urgent attention to the world’s most vulnerable people,...

Yossi Ghinsberg knows survival like almost no one else. When he was just 21 years old, he made headlines around the world for having survived in the Amazon rainforest for three weeks, alone. Today, Yossi draws on the lessons he learned from his ordeal to show ...

Swish Goswami has built a multi-hyphenate career at just the age of 24. He is the CEO of Trufan, a social intelligence platform that helps brands of all sizes make smarter marketing decisions. His company, which acquired SocialRank in late 2019, works with cli...

As head of Toronto digital creative agency launch*pad, Evan Hadfield has built a name for himself from the ground up. The mastermind behind Colonel Chris Hadfield’s “Space Oddity” YouTube sensation, as well as dozens of other videos by the fa...

Referred to as “the most famous astronaut since Neil Armstrong,” Colonel Chris Hadfield is a worldwide sensation whose video of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” — seen by over 75 million people — was called “possibly the mos...

Rick Hansen, C.C., O.B.C., is a Canadian icon who has dedicated his life to awakening the world to the potential of people with disabilities. He is best known as the “Man in Motion” for undertaking an epic 26-month, 40,000 km journey around the world in hi...

Scott Harrison has helped to bring clean drinking water to millions of people around the world. The founder and CEO of charity: water, one of the most well-known philanthropic organizations in the world, shares how his approach to running a non-profit — from...

More people have walked on the moon than have visited many of the places that Jill Heinerth has seen on Earth. From the most dangerous technical dives deep inside underwater caves, to searching for never-before-seen ecosystems inside giant Antarctic icebergs, ...

With over six million views, Mark Henick’s TEDx talk, “Why We Choose Suicide,” is among the most watched in the world. His story of searching for “the man in the light brown jacket” who saved his life from a teenage suicide attempt captured g...

As host of television’s pre-eminent entertainment news program, ET Canada, Cheryl Hickey greets over half a million loyal viewers each night as she relays in-depth profiles, breaking news coverage, and behind-the-scenes exclusives. A nominee for a presti...

Commonwealth Writers’ Prize winner and bestselling author of The Book of Negroes, Lawrence Hill speaks as well as he writes. With engrossing, poignant talks on diverse topics such as channeling creative energy, censorship, racial identity, mental health, an...

Bestselling author of The Ingenuity Gap, Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon shows audiences how to adapt and prosper in a world of ever-increasing complexity, speed, and surprise. Called “one of the best-informed and most brilliant writers on global affairs today...

Simon Jackson, who shot to fame as the founder of the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition when he was just 13 years old — is a storyteller, connector, and movement builder committed to improving our public discourse about the natural world. Discussing his personal s...