Rebecca Schoenhardt is the AVP & Market Lead for Canadian Western Bank’s new Waterloo Region presence. In this role, she is building a team in commercial banking, credit underwriting, cash management, and personal banking to support CWB’s goal of becoming the best bank for business owners in Canada. Rebecca brings extensive experience from previous senior roles in wealth management, private banking, and commercial banking, including global positions in Manhattan, Grand Cayman, London, and Toronto Before her finance career, she led her own equestrian business and was short-listed for the Canadian Equestrian Team Rebecca holds an MBA from Schulich School of Business and is a CFA charterholder Outside work, she enjoys theatre, opera, symphony, and is an active dressage judge in Ontario
Soft Skills: Navigating career change and finding your passion, Leadership, particularly for women in leadership , Negotiations, Public speaking
Mike Distler, Founder, Magius Corp
With over 20 years of experience, Mike has led complex cases in areas like wrongful dismissal, fraud, and corporate due diligence. His work includes notable cases such as providing executive protection for high-profile celebrities and conducting critical investigations for major companies like Air Canada and Bell Canada Enterprises Mike is also a dedicated mentor and past professor, passionate about nurturing the next generation of investigators
Soft Skills Attention to Detail, Perspective-Taking, Thinking Outside the Box , Determination and Problem-Solving
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Paige Phillips, Senior Development Manager, KidsAbility Foundation
Paige Phillips is a seasoned fundraising professional with 15 years of experience in major gifts and corporate partnerships Adept at building meaningful donor relationships, she has significantly contributed to the arts, culture, and healthcare sectors. Paige prioritizes genuine connections with donors, ensuring they feel valued and aligned with impactful projects. At KidsAbility this translates to finding ways in which a donor can help transform the lives of children in Waterloo Region and Guelph Wellington.
Soft Skills: Ideation, Teamwork, Communication Bonus: putting people at ease
Linda Braga, Business & Executive Development Specialist , LMI Canada
Linda Braga is a Business & Executive Development Specialist at LMI Canada, the Canadian arm of Leadership Management International, a global leader in personal leadership and organizational development. Linda draws from over 20 years of Leadership experience in environmental, e-recycling, and textile manufacturing industries. Inspired by LMI's transformative process, she joined to actualize her potential. Her passion for personal development and her own journey stands as a testament to the power of personal leadership as she was honored earlier this year as Leadership Management Internationals 2023 Rookie Sales Associate of the Year for the Americas Outside of work, she loves to learn, she’s into fitness, anything that brings joy and most of all, just being with her fam! She’s excited to connect with people who are interested in personal development, personal productivity, effective leadership and organizational growth
Soft Skills: Curiosity, Communication – Listening, Empathy
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Cathy Snyder, President & CEO, Nopak Canada Inc
Cathy is the President & CEO of Nopak Canada Inc , with over 35 years of experience in manufacturing, insurance, and non-profit sectors A Kitchener-Waterloo native, she’s been an active volunteer, serving on boards such as United Way KW and the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce. Cathy holds multiple certifications, including FCPA, CHRL, and CRM, and has won several awards, including the CMA Community Service Award. She’s also a published author with two novels and a short story to her name
Andrew Leith, Founder & President, Octant Executive Advisory Group
Andrew Leith is the founder and president of Octant Executive Advisory Group, specializing in leadership development and executive coaching With expertise in sales enablement, strategic advisory, and organizational resilience, Andrew helps executives and organizations achieve growth and success He advocates for neurodiversity, creating coaching programs that promote cognitive diversity A thought leader in the field, Andrew collaborates with industry groups to enhance leadership and drive regional economic growth Through Octant, he supports organizations in overcoming challenges and building sustainable succes
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Stefanie Bruinsma, Founder & CEO, AutoCate
Stefanie is the Founder and CEO of AutoCate, an on-line, on-call automotive repair support service developed for women, by women to ensure they are confident, informed, and competent car owners Stefanie is a licensed Automotive Service Technician, holding degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Master of Business Entrepreneurship & Technology from the University of Waterloo. She has accumulated over 20 years of experience throughout all levels of the automotive industry. AutoCate was incorporated in 2021, and now has a team of 11 staff, raised over $150,000 in funding, grants and competitions, is currently enrolled in incubator program the Velocity DTK Venture Ready program, and served over 700 community members this year.
Having spent nearly 10 years at MCAP, I have had the opportunity to move through a variety of roles: I started as a CSR on the phones; then worked on the Learning & Development team to provide training to both new and existing employees; I returned to the Call Centre as a Manager of a team of 10 agents; and am now in a Sr Leadership role in the Call Centre with a focus on Operational Performance and Development.
My formal education was as a teacher, and I was surprised both to find myself in the financial sector AND by how much crossover skills there are between teaching and leadership
Soft Skills: Strong communication skills, as well as organization, change management and prioritization.
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Jody Palubiski, Chief Executive Officer & Partner, Charcoal Group
Jody has lead the creation of all Charcoal Group concepts since 2003 With over 40 years of hospitality experience he drives all facets of the company’s development His vision is present in all details of each restaurant’s décor, cuisine, systems, service style and culture.The Charcoal Group was recongnized as the Best Independent Restaurant Company in Canada at the 2019 Pinnacle Awards. Jody received an Honorary Knighthood from the Confederation of Belgian Brewers in 2023 and is an active member of the Board Directors for Smart Serve Ontario
Soft Skills: Problem solving, communication and team building.
Ayo Owodunni, City Councillor, Ward 5 in Kitchener
Ayo Owodunni is a City Councillor for Ward 5 in Kitchener, Ontario, a management consultant, and keynote speaker with over 13 years of experience in leadership, coaching, and strategic consulting. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Ayo moved to Kitchener in 2016. He has worked with organizations like Eagles Flight and BPTN, and ran his own consulting business. Ayo holds a Master of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MBET) from the University of Waterloo, a Life Coaching Certification, and a Certificate in Adult Education He serves on several community boards and committees and is the author of two books Ayo is passionate about helping immigrants thrive
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Destiny Moser, CEO, FoodZen
Chef Destiny is the Founder & Executive Chef at FoodZen, a personal chef and pre-made meal business in Waterloo Region FoodZen's goal is to bring zen to busy family schedules, assist professionals in a better work/life balance, and help seniors maintain their independence by providing locally made, healthy and delicious food As an Indigenous chef, Chef Destiny's focus is to create meals that are hyper-local and ultra-seasonal Her farm-to-table approach supports many local businesses and favours whole foods over processed ones She works closely with the Indigenous community and provides teaching and workshop experiences for others to learn about not only Indigenous food but about healthy eating, food sovereignty and sustainability In October 2022, with the rising interest in the Indigenous culture in Canada, Chef Destiny partnered with Bingemans to open Cedar Spoon Indigenous Catering. With Cedar Spoon, her goal is to showcase the Indigenous foods of Canada prior to the settlers while continuing her own healing and reconciliation journey.
Soft Skills: Resilience, Empathy, Inspiration
Graham Edwards, Community and Partner Engagement Lead, LiftOff Black Innovation Hub
Graham Edwards is the Community and Partner Engagement Lead at LiftOff Black Innovation Hub, where he builds strategic partnerships, secures sponsorships, and leads events to support Black entrepreneurs. After moving to Canada and studying at the University of Waterloo, Graham aimed to work in roles that positively impact the community. A natural problem-solver, he takes a hands-on approach to logistics and relationship-building, contributing to the growth of LiftOff’s network and the success of its programs. Outside of work, Graham enjoys writing poetry, watching anime, and playing basketball Driven by a love for helping others, he is dedicated to fostering connections and creating opportunities within his community
Soft Skills: Relationship Building, Problem Solving, Communication
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Chloe Hamilton, Owner, Warm Embrace Elder Care Ltd
Chloe completed her Honours BA with distinction at the University of Guelph as well as a Geriatric Certificate from McMaster In 2007, Chloe founded Warm Embrace Elder Care and has grown the company into KW’s leading homecare service She volunteers extensively in the community, such as her current roles on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce and the Alzheimer’s Society, and her past role chairing the Elder Abuse Prevention Council
Soft Skills: efficiency planning; project management; employee retention and culture
