Diane Carriere is a member of Norway House First Nation in Manitoba, and she currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Diane is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) professional both in her region and in tribal areas in the United States of America. Diane has worked in Human Resources for over thirty (30) years both in the corporate sector as well as the Indigenous communities.

Diane is a member of CPHR Manitoba, internationally, Diane is a member of the National Native American Human Resource Association (NNAHRA) and received her Tribal Human Resource Professional (T.H.R.P.) Certificate June 2011, the only First Nation in Canada to hold dual designations.

Diane has created a national Human Resource Association called the Canadian Aboriginal Human Resource Management Association (CAHRMA). This association is dedicated to the development of human resources for our Indigenous communities.

Keri is the Chief People Officer, providing senior HR leadership to support all business units for Westland Insurance. An inclusive, collaborative leader with over 25 years of experience, Keri develops programs that empower professionals to think differently to deliver exceptional results. Keri joined Westland in 2019 where she is responsible for developing people strategies in all areas of talent management aligned to Westland’s future growth and expansion plans. Prior to that she was with Colliers International for 10+ years where she held progressively senior roles before being appointed to Vice President. In that role she was responsible for leading the North American People Services team of more than 90 professionals.

Keri is passionate about engagement, diversity and inclusiveness. Under her leadership, Colliers Canada was recognized as an Aon Best Employer and most recently, the Westland Insurance People &Performance Team was awarded Innovative HR Team of the Year by HRD Canada.

Keri is a Certified Professional in Human Resources (CPHR), holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from E-Cornell and recently completed the Anti-Racism Program at UBC.

 Lui is a strategic human resources executive with over 25 years of experience across the public and private sectors, he brings a rare depth of perspective to the opportunities and challenges facing today's organizations. His career spans both unionized and non-unionized environments, giving him a well-rounded command of diverse workplace dynamics and labour relations. Known for aligning people strategy with business performance, he has led the development of a new HR infrastructure from the ground up, working in close partnership with executive leadership to position human capital at the center of organizational decision-making. His current leadership agenda reflects the priorities of today's forward-thinking organizations: cultivating leadership pipelines that are resilient and future-ready, building cultures where talent thrives and chooses to stay, and driving strategic workforce planning that anticipates, not just responds to, the forces reshaping the world of work. He is equally adept at guiding organizations through complex change management initiatives, ensuring that transformation is both human-centered and tied to measurable business outcomes. With the credibility of a seasoned operator and the mindset of a forward-thinking strategist, he is the kind of HR leader built for the complexity and pace of today's business environment. 

Jamelle Lindo is an advisor, executive coach, and international keynote speaker on a mission to empower leaders emotionally in the disruptive age of artificial intelligence—and beyond. He works with CEOs, founders, and senior executives in accelerated, high-pressure environments where every decision carries significant impact on people, culture, and business performance.

With nearly two decades of experience and 10,000+ hours of coaching and speaking on leadership effectiveness, Jamelle has helped thousands of high-stakes leaders worldwide successfully enhance their emotional intelligence through his proven Emotional Empowerment Process™. Jamelle teaches that by harnessing—rather than avoiding—emotions, leaders create more resilient, human-centered teams that drive sustainable growth and adapt swiftly to change, without sacrificing trust or risking burnout.

Jamelle is an official member of the Forbes Coaches Council, an invite-only organization for successful business coaches, and the founder of PARADIGM People Development, a consulting firm specializing in emotional intelligence learning for leaders. He is also an official partner of CEO Global Network, a premier learning organization for successful CEOs.

Jamelle’s vision is a world where workplaces actively cultivate emotionally empowered humans, who embrace and harness emotions constructively, making the world a better place.

Dr. Dave Mammoliti is the Director of Executive Innovation Programs at the DeGroote Heersink Hub within the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University. He provides strategic and operational leadership for a portfolio of programming focused on innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship across McMaster and the broader health ecosystem. His leadership role oversees flagship programs such as the Health Leadership Academy and the Master of Biomedical Innovation (MBI), both of which are focused on Canadian healthcare transformation.

Prior to this role, Dave spent more than 16 years leading Executive Programs at the DeGroote School of Business, where he led the development and delivery of leadership development programs for managers, executives, and board members across Canada. His work has supported thousands of leaders across sectors and has been instrumental in building strategic partnerships with corporate, public, and not-for-profit organizations.

Dave holds a PhD from the University of Toronto and a Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation from The Directors College, McMaster University. Dave was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council of Ontario to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA).

Lola Obomighie is a healthcare executive and Certified Human Resources Executive (CHRE) with the HRPA. With over 20 years of international leadership experience across healthcare, higher education, and the public and not-for-profit sectors in England and Canada, she currently serves as Vice President, People, Culture & Organizational Effectiveness at Northumberland Hills Hospital.

A strategic and values-driven leader, Lola is recognized for advancing workforce transformation, organizational effectiveness, equity, diversity and inclusion, and people-centred cultures that support engagement, well-being, and sustainable performance. She is passionate about HR metrics, evidence-informed decision-making, and cultivating inclusive workplace cultures that align people strategies with organizational priorities and long-term sustainability. She is also known for her collaborative leadership style and systems-thinking approach.

Lola holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics and Statistics, an MSc in Human Resources Management, and has completed the Rotman Global Executive MBA in Healthcare and the Life Sciences (GEMBA-HLS). She is also a Certified Health Executive (CHE), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), and Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), UK.

Beyond her executive role, Lola serves as an Adjunct Professor and facilitator with Queen’s University IRC, contributes regularly as a keynote speaker and panelist, and is passionate about volunteering and community leadership. Since 2022, she has served on the Board of Governors of an independent private school.

Lola was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch 2025 by Canada International Black Women Excellence (CIBWE) for her leadership, impact, and commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. She was also named one of Canada’s Top Women in the HR Industry, Elite Women 2025 by HRD Canada in recognition of her strategic leadership, innovation, and contributions to inclusive workplace cultures and the HR profession.

Ayo Owodunni is a management consultant and facilitator who brings over 10 years of experience in coaching, training and strategic direction to the table. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Ayo aims to help enterprise-level clients achieve big-picture goals while focusing on diversity, inclusion and cultural understanding in the workplace. His approach combines subject matter expertise, personal stories and just the right amount of humor all intended to break barriers and facilitate better communication between people at all levels of an organization.

Ayo’s passion and natural talent for connecting with audiences shine through in everything he does. His impressive client list spans a variety of industries and includes renowned companies such as Spotify, Canada Life, Microsoft, Thomson Reuters, CIBC, TMX Group and Hydro One to name a few. He is the author of the book, “Values, Culture, Period” – Redefining the Value of Values to Drive Business Results and “Inclusive Leadership”: The Immigrant View – Helping immigrants thrive and soar in your organization. He is also the co-creator of The Ring: 4 Steps to transforming your organization through the power of your values & culture.

Upon immigrating to Canada in 2016, Ayo overcame many challenges before finding his stride-challenges he today helps others avoid. He learned something new every step along his path to success and would later incorporate these pearls into his innovative training programs. Ayo holds an MBA in entrepreneurship and a Life Coach certification. He serves on several organization boards, including immigrantnetworks.com, expedier.co, and Emergency Response Africa. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants.

Award winning, transformational leader, and culture-building executive with experience supporting executive teams and leaders in navigating complexity, strengthening performance, and enhancing leadership effectiveness. She works at the intersection of business performance, leadership, and boardroom dynamics; helping organizations align strategy, people, and execution

With a background as a senior enterprise leader, Janine brings practical insight into executive decision-making, transformation, and stakeholder management. She is a trusted partner to leaders operating in global, highly regulated environments and is particularly effective in supporting executives through periods of transformation, organizational change, and increased complexity and growth.

As an executive coach and facilitator, Janine works with senior leaders and leadership teams to strengthen self-awareness, decision-making, and leadership presence. She creates focused, high-trust environments where leaders can challenge assumptions, think strategically, and translate insight into action.
Clients (domestic and international) value Janine for her clarity, sound judgment, and ability to quickly focus on what matters most, enabling leaders and boards to operate with alignment, confidence, and impact.

Surranna Sandy is a civic executive and convener with more than two decades of experience leading institutional growth, cross-sector collaboration, and systems-level transformation across Canada.

For over 13 years, she served as Chief Executive Officer of Skills for Change, where she led a full organizational turnaround and scaled the organization into a respected national institution for workforce development and education. During her tenure, revenues increased by more than 130 percent, the organization achieved 12 consecutive annual surpluses, expanded to a multi-site and multi-provincial footprint, and grew to a team of more than 150 staff. She strengthened governance, modernized operations, built enterprise risk systems, and positioned the organization as a trusted partner to governments, employers, postsecondary institutions, and major philanthropic partners.

Surranna is known for her ability to convene business, government, academic, and community leaders around complex economic and social challenges. She has secured multi-million-dollar public and private partnerships, led significant capital investments, and advanced initiatives in employment, youth skills development, AI upskilling, and climate action. Her leadership integrates disciplined fiscal stewardship with long-term strategic perspective and data-informed decision-making.

She holds a master’s degree in Global Development Practice from Harvard University, where she also completed graduate studies in Environmental Policy and Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management. She completed the Public Leadership Credential at Harvard Kennedy School. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources Management, a Master of Arts in Leadership and Management, an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Management, and a Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from Western University.

Surranna serves on several boards and advisory bodies across the education, arts, and workforce sectors and is recognized for her contributions to building strong institutions and inclusive communities.

Sania Sanzgiri is the HR Director at Neo Performance Materials, leading Human Resources across Canada and the United States while partnering on global people initiatives across multiple countries. With over 16 years of international HR experience across North America and Asia, Sania has built her career around one core purpose - helping people and organizations grow together.

She believes great HR leadership is about creating the right environment for people to do their best work, developing leaders who inspire others, and building cultures where employees and businesses can succeed together. Throughout her career, Sania has led organizational transformations, strengthened talent strategies, developed leadership capabilities, and shaped employee experiences that drive meaningful business outcomes. Her leadership style combines strategic thinking with empathy, curiosity, and a deep commitment to making workplaces more inclusive, effective, and future-ready.

Sania holds the SHRM-SCP (Senior Certified Professional) and CHRL (Certified Human Resources Leader) designations and is passionate about elevating the HR profession and creating impact beyond the workplace. Outside of work, Sania enjoys dancing and practices mindfulness as a way to stay grounded, recharge, and bring her best self to both her personal and professional life.

 Tanya Sinclair serves as the Vice President, People & Culture for Save The Children in Tkaronto/Toronto Canada where she oversees the People & Culture strategy including the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism strategy for all employees. Tanya is a community-focused people & culture leader who has worked in healthcare, public libraries, not-for-profit, and in academia providing strategy, policy, and advocacy with a focus on well-being, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Tanya holds the Certified Human Resources Executive (CHRE) designation along with the Distinguished HR Professional (DHRP) lifetime award of distinction and is a 2020 Harry Jerome Leadership Awardee. She has served on several boards and diversity advisory committees. Tanya is the founder of a not-for-profit network called Black Human Resources Professionals of Canada www.blackhrpc.org. As a former college HR professor, holds a Master of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Royal Roads University in B.C. and has a post-secondary certificate in Workplace Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging including courses on Indigenous Inclusion. When Tanya isn’t at work, she can be found volunteering or playing volleyball. Tanya’s leadership philosophy is lead, learn, laugh 

Katrina A. M. Stevens, CHRE is a strategic Human Resources executive with more than 25 years of experience partnering with executive leaders to drive transformational change across global engineering, architecture, technology, and professional services organizations. Recognized for aligning people strategy with business outcomes, she has led large-scale organizational design, integration, and talent initiatives across complex, multi-national and multi-entity environments. Throughout her career, Katrina has overseen end-to-end HR functions for organizations with thousands of employees, advising C-suite leaders and leading high-performing HR teams to enable growth, operational excellence, and cultural transformation. Her expertise spans people analytics, talent development, total rewards, equity and inclusion, and succession planning, with a strong track record of building scalable people programs that enhance engagement and retention. A trusted advisor known for her credibility and pragmatic approach, Katrina delivers actionable, data-informed solutions that support both immediate business priorities and long-term strategy while maintaining an active commitment to ongoing professional development and industry engagement.  

Thanuja Thananayagam is an antiracism scholar and senior human resources leader with over 20 years of experience shaping equitable, people-centred organizations. Her expertise spans talent strategy, organizational development, and equity, diversity, and inclusion, with a strong focus on embedding inclusion into systems, leadership, and workplace culture.

Thanuja holds an MBA, an MEd, and a PhD in Social Justice Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Her research examines the systemic barriers faced by immigrant women of colour in the Canadian labour market, contributing to critical conversations on intersectionality, policy, and organizational change.

She brings both academic rigour and practical insight to her work, and is recognized for advancing initiatives that drive meaningful, sustainable impact in workplaces. Thanuja also serves on the advisory council for ElevateHer, supporting efforts to advance gender equity and inclusive leadership.

Travis has more than 20 years of experience leading human resources and labour relations departments in the oil and gas, mining, and heavy industrial sectors. He has acted as lead negotiator in collective bargaining for large multi-union organizations in several Canadian jurisdictions. He currently holds the position of Head of Human Resources, Communications, Communities, and Regulatory Affairs for Burgundy Diamond Mines, the operator of the Ekati Diamond Mine in The Northwest Territories.

Travis has deep expertise in the areas of labour relations, human resource management, and organizational effectiveness. He holds a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School, a Master of Business Administration from Smith School of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Western University. Travis is active in the HR Community through committee and board work, and he holds a number of professional designations (CPHR, CHRL and SHRM-SCP). He is currently a member of the Alberta Labour Relations Board as an Employer Representative.

President and CEO of the National Payroll Institute (the Institute), Peter Tzanetakis champions the principle that timely and accurate payroll is essential  to the health of every business in Canada and the right of every working Canadian. 

Working in partnership with members, stakeholders, subject matter experts and policymakers, he leverages research, specialized expertise, and strategic vision to consistently demonstrate the value payroll delivers to employers, employees, governments and the economy.  

Under his leadership, the organization rebranded from the Canadian Payroll Association to the National Payroll Institute in 2022, and he established Payroll Standards Canada in 2023 to oversee professional requirements and maintain ethical standards for payroll designations. The Institute and Peter have also become a leading advocate for the financial wellness of Canadians, with Institute research demonstrating that financial stress costs Canada $70 billion annually in lost productivity.  

Peter brings over 35 years of experience in public policy and business development across government, private and not-for-profit sectors to his role. Prior to joining the National Payroll Institute in 2018, he served as Vice-President of Government and Corporate Relations at The Financial Advisors Association of Canada (Advocis); Director, Economics and Statistics with PricewaterhouseCoopers; Senior Manager, Tax Policy Services at EY; and Senior Economist and Director of Policy at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.