PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE & Perseverance
Be motivated by the inspirational stories of success from leading Canadian Women!
1 • Patience, Persistence & Perseverance
HOPIN “HOW TO” What is Hopin? Hopin is a virtual events platform where attendees can learn, interact, and connect with others. In Hopin, you can network with others through chat windows and 1-on-1 video conversations in the Networking tab, watch our Main Stage for announcements, join in on group networking and brainstorming in our Sessions tab and explore our exhibitors in the Expo tab. This platform allows you to video chat with attendees, so please be prepared to have your audio & video on. The platform also imports content in from YouTube, so please make sure you don’t have any firewalls that will prevent you from accessing the full event. To watch a video on how the platform works and an explanation of each of the features, please click this link.
Why Register on Hopin? The event will be hosted on Hopin and requires you to set-up a profile in advance (which acts as your virtual business card). By registering prior to the event, it will make for a smooth login process on the event date. As you attend the event, you can virtually connect with people and booths. At the end of the event, your new connections will receive your virtual business card. You can find your connections by going to your profile. They will be organized by event.
How do I access Hopin? Once you are registered for the event through our website, the link and password to access the Hopin event will be sent to you via email from the Chamber’s Events Team (at least 4 business days prior to the event). Please remember to open the link in a Google Chrome web browser.
Create a Profile at: www.hopin.to
We must open the doors and we must see to it they remain open, so that others can pass through. – Rosemary Brown
1 • 14th Annual Inspiring Women Event
BE SOCIAL 1. Take Your Own Photos! There’s no professional photographer, but we still want to see how you’re experiencing this year’s event! Share your photos, and join in the conversation online, using the hashtag #InspiringWomenEvent.
2. Use our virtual photobooth! We’re also excited to partner with Picture Us Mirror Photobooth this year, to provide you with a virtual photobooth! You can access the photobooth link through the Reception page, or, by clicking below. We can’t wait to see all your photos!
Access virtual photobooth here: https://bit.ly/3liZUC2
3. Give us a follow! For highlights of today’s event and to see announcements on next year’s event, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. 14th Annual Inspiring Women Event
@inspiringwomenevent
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2 • Patience, Persistence & Perseverance
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SCHEDULE 8:00am
Event Starts
8:00am 8:00am 8:15am
Expo: Exhibitors Networking: 1-on-1 Networking Session: Beginner Yoga with Angela Bryson
8:50am
Main Stage Program • Part 1
8:50am 9:00am 9:10am
Opening Remarks Activity: Mindfulness Moment with Susan Cranston Keynote Presentation: Mandy Bujold
9:30am
Live Sessions
9:30am 9:30am 9:30am 9:35am 9:40am 9:45am
Expo: Exhibitors Networking: 1-on-1 Networking Session: An Introduction to Crystal Healing with Desiree Dawn Designs Session: Live Q&A with Mandy Bujold Session: How to Build Your Personal Brand with Chanèle McFarlane Session: Entrepreneur Spotlight: Val Shah, DROM
10:10am
Main Stage Program • Part 2
10:15am
Activity: DROM with Val Shah
10:25am
Keynote Presentation: Komal Singh
10:45am
Keynote Presentation: Vanessa Craft
It’s the moment you think you can’t, that you realize you can. – Celine Dion
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*Schedule subject to change.
SCHEDULE 11:00am
Live Sessions
11:00am 11:00am 11:05am 11:10am 11:15am 11:20am
Expo: Exhibitors Networking: 1-on-1 Networking Session: Live Q&A with Vanessa Craft Session: How to Fight Imposter Complex with Tanya Geisler Session: Entrepreneur Spotlight: Lilian Umurungi-Jung, Mumgry Session: Live Q&A with Komal Singh
11:40am
Main Stage Program • Part 3
11:45am
Activity: Sparking Creativity & Re-Focusing Attention with Janet Holmes
11:55am
Keynote Presentation: Diane Clemons
12:20pm
Keynote Presentation: Sarah Nicole Landry
12:50pm
Live Sessions
12:50pm
Expo: Exhibitors
12:50pm
Networking: 1-on-1 Networking
12:50pm
Session: How to be an Effective & Resilient Leader with Jackie Lauer
12:50pm
Session: How to Craft a Positive (and Productive) “Work from Home” Experience with Clare Kumar
12:55pm
Session: Live Q&A with Sarah Nicole Landry
1:00pm
Session: Live Q&A with Diane Clemons
1:30pm
Event Ends
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*Schedule subject to change.
ACTIVITY FACILITATORS Angela Bryson
@AngelsLandingYoga • angels-landing.ca
8:15am
Angela is the owner and creator of Angels-Landing Yoga & Wellness, and the newly opened AngeLove Boutique, a gift shop with the intention to “give something that means something”. Yoga has been fundamental to her life for decades, keeping her strong, grounded and centred. Teaching yoga has continually inspired her to seek a greater depth of knowledge, always learning and growing, receiving certifications at home in Canada as well as in Costa Rica and Bali. Her classes and workshops work with the body’s subtle energy, connecting movement and breath to create a soulful practice with attention to detail and alignment. detail and alignment.
Susan Cranston
@AuthentikaConsulting • authentikaconsulting.com Susan is a certified leadership coach and business consultant. She is passionate about helping leaders, aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners uncover limiting beliefs, gain greater self-awareness, and foster a growth mind-set so they feel more confident and capable of achieving their most audacious goals. Susan is a Certified Mindfulness and Primordial Sound Meditation Teacher, Ayurvedic Perfect Health Educator, and a Certified Yoga Teacher.
9:00am
Notes & Inspiration:
Presented by:
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ACTIVITY FACILITATORS Val Shah
@DromPractice • drompractice.com Val is the CEO and Founder of Val Shah Corp., an organization designed to energize, motivate and inspire people through fun, easy and adaptable movement and mindfulness experiences. She created her second company called DROM Practice - fusing together the energy of the drum with the OM of meditation. A powerful and magical combination to get anyone out of their head and into the moment.
9:45am & 10:15am
Janet Holmes
janetholmesconsulting.com
11:45am
Janet Holmes is a Learning & Development Specialist who has discovered the creative power of graphic recording and sketchnoting. Her passion around graphically capturing key messages helps learners remember those messages by engaging both sides of the brain. After spending much of a 30 year career in the corporate world within Learning & Development, she now works as a Consultant either delivering workshops (her speciality is ‘Building a Growth Mindset’ or teambuilding) OR she is sketchnoting virtual meetings and presentations.
Notes & Inspiration:
Presented by:
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SPEAKERS Mandy Bujold
@MandyBujold • mandybujold.com Mandy Bujold is a Canadian amateur boxer, whose career was launched following a successful 2006 season when she claimed the Canadian National Championship and Boxer of the year titles. Included amongst her many achievements are 11 Canadian National Championships, 3 Continental Championships, a Gold medal at the first Pan American Games and a Bronze medal at the first Commonwealth Games that included women’s boxing. During the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, Mandy 9:10am & 9:35am successfully defended her title and became the only female boxer in history to win 2 Pan American Games titles. She took home a Gold medal at the 2016 Continental Olympic Qualifier securing 1 of only 2 spots available for the continent in her weight division for the Olympic Games in Rio. Mandy has been recognized by Waterloo Region as a Woman of Influence and named KW Citizen of the Year for her outstanding contribution to the community. In 2018, Mandy brought her passion for the community and boxing together as she founded a white collar charity boxing event called Champions for Charity. She is also a new mom to Kate Olympia (“KO”).
Notes & Inspiration:
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Presented by:
SPEAKERS Desiree Dawn Kschesinski
@DesireeDawnDesigns • desireedawndesigns.com Desiree is the self-proclaimed ‘crazy crystal lady’ behind Desiree Dawn Designs. Desiree offers distance crystal healing sessions and shares her high vibe crystal jewels, tools, and decor to help others find their path and purpose. Desiree, like so many others, is no stranger to hardship. She leveraged the challenges, trauma, and pain in her life to fuel her self-healing and self-discovery journey. Crystal healing was integral to this process and helped her redesign her life. Now, she shares her crystal 9:30am knowledge and healing energy with others. The result is that her clients raise their own vibration, rise-up, and shine their bright beautiful lights. Desiree’s career as a soul entrepreneur started through designing, making, and selling crystal jewellery. A life-long learner and soul searcher, Desiree is a second degree Reiki Practitioner and a Certified Crystal Practitioner.
Notes & Inspiration:
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SPEAKERS Chanèle McFarlane
@ChaneleMcFarlane • chanelemcfarlane.com Chanèle McFarlane is a multiple award-winning Certified Career Strategist and TEDx Speaker. As the Founder of her career advice website, Do Well Dress Well, she has built an international audience around her approachable and practical advice on personal branding and career strategy. Her expert commentary has been featured in media outlets such as Fast Company, Elle Canada, Forbes, Canada’s National Observer, CBC Toronto and more. A trusted advisor on youth employment, Chanèle 9:40am currently serves as a Career Strategist-in-Residence for Accelerate Her Future, a career accelerator for women of colour in college and university. Chanèle also contributes to the future of diverse thought leadership with non-profit organization, Women and Color, where she co-created a public speaking bootcamp. Chanèle is also an accomplished communications and digital marketing professional specializing in content strategy, events and thought leadership. Chanèle has been recognized as one of PR in Canada’s Top 30 Under 30, one of the Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada and one of the Top 25 Women of Influence.
Notes & Inspiration:
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SPEAKERS Komal Singh
@AraTheStarEngineer • arastarengineer.com Komal Singh is an Engineering Program Manager at Google, and creator of children’s STEM bestseller “Ara The Star Engineer”. As an accomplished technologist, D&I advocate, public speaker, and awardwinning community influencer, her work has been featured on Globe & Mail, Forbes, Financial Post, CTV, The Social, The Record, TEDx, Daily Hive and more. Her career in technology spans 14+ years. Currently at Google, she works with engineering teams that build planet-scale infrastructure and products FTW. She 10:25am & 11:25am believes in empowering girls and minorities to discover the magic of STEM. Her debut picture-book “Ara The Star Engineer” was an instant bestseller published globally in more than 10 languages; sequels are now in the works. Komal grew up in India where she did her undergrad in Computer Science from Delhi University, and later moved to Canada to complete her Master’s in Computer Science from Simon Fraser University. A globetrotter at heart, she has travelled to over a dozen countries, and currently lives in Waterloo. She is also a mother to two mini droids, a ceramicist, mango lover, and zen seeker. She loves cupcakes and coding, data-crunching and day-dreaming, and is always up for an adventure!
Notes & Inspiration:
Presented by:
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SPEAKERS Vanessa Craft
@VanessaCraft • tiktok.com An award-winning journalist and thought leader, Vanessa’s work centres around creating, building, and supporting ground-breaking storytelling through a lens of inclusivity and authenticity. In October, Vanessa was appointed Director of Content Partnerships at Tik Tok Canada, where she oversees content strategy, growth and management of the platform’s community of Canadian creators, media publishers and public figures. Previously, Vanessa was Editor-In-Chief of ELLE Canada, the first time in history 10:45am & 11:05am that a black woman has held this esteemed title at any ELLE magazine around the world. During her near decade tenure, she significantly increased the diversity of voices and cover stars in the magazine and expanded the audience, growing readership by double digits in print and online. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in fashion and celebrity circles, including Marc Jacobs, Celine Dion, Victoria Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sandra Oh, Keira Knightley and Michael Kors. In 2019, she opened Michelle Obama’s Becoming show in Toronto. Her work history is proudly non-traditional.
Notes & Inspiration:
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SPEAKERS Tanya Geisler
@TanyaGeisler • tanyageisler.com Tanya Geisler is a certified Leadership Coach, TEDxWomen speaker, and writer who teaches leaders how to combat their Imposter Complex and lead with impeccable impact so they can achieve their ultimate goals. Her clients include best-selling authors, engineers, public speakers, entrepreneurs and rockstar motivators.
11:10am
Notes & Inspiration:
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SPEAKERS Lilian Umurungi-Jung @Mumgry • mumgry.com
Lilian Umurungi-Jung is the owner and founder of MUMGRY. One day while grocery shopping hungry and pregnant, she noticed a lack of snacks that took into consideration the dietary restrictions and specific needs of women during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and beyond. Reading labels and deciphering if snacks were good or bad was time-consuming and took all the fun out of eating for 2! With a strong craving for peanut butter, she decided that nuts would be the main focus and created MUMGRY 11:15am natural nut butters in three varieties: smooth peanut butter, dark chocolate peanut butter and the firstever pistachio chocolate almond butter; all made using no added sugar, palm oil, or additives - only the good stuff! MUMGRY is for everyone and removes the guesswork from snacking.
Notes & Inspiration:
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SPEAKERS Diane Clemons
@DianeClemons • ienlee.com With a dad who sang in a traveling quartet and an entire family that grew up singing in church, Diane developed a love and passion for music at a young age. Diane believes music has a way of telling a story that sooths the soul and touches the hearts of listeners. In 2007, her real journey began when she released her very first CD “Fly Away” produced by Mark Masri, which sold exclusively in Wal-Mart throughout Southern Ontario. Since then, she has produced and released “Joy to the World” in 2015 11:55pm & 1:00pm and “What I Love About Christmas” in 2016. Apart from her love for music, Diane is known for her gift of motivational speaking. Through her life’s trials and tribulations, she uses her natural gift of storytelling to motivate and compel her audience.
Notes & Inspiration:
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SPEAKERS Sarah Nicole Landry
@TheBirdsPapaya • thebirdspapaya.com Sarah Nicole Landry is a mom of three – soon, four! – who loves cultivating powerful social media conversations around life and our experiences in it. Sarah is a body confidence activist, speaker, writer, 3x cover girl, and weekly podcast host. Her lifestyle includes approximately 12,000 unanswered emails and peanut butter straight from the jar.
12:20pm & 12:55pm
Notes & Inspiration:
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SPEAKERS Clare Kumar
@ClareKumar • clarekumar.com Productivity catalyst Clare Kumar writes, consults, and coaches on the intersection of efficiency, effectiveness, and enjoyment. As a person with sensory processing sensitivity (otherwise known as superpower), Clare Kumar cultivated and honed her organizing and productivity skills driven by the need to calm her environment and feel more in control. For over ten years, she has served as a regular media contributor and brand spokesperson on productivity, organization, and work-life integration, appearing in 12:50pm Fast Company, The Huffington Post, The Social, The Marilyn Denis Show, and more. She co-invented and launched a patented and well-loved organizing product which was sold all over North America and through shopping television. Clare currently works with leaders and their teams as a speaker and executive coach committed to encouraging sustainable contributions from every team member, with a focus on the inclusion of those with neurodiversity and invisible illness. Clare spent her teen years in Waterloo and currently lives in Etobicoke, with an uncluttered view of the lake.
Notes & Inspiration:
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SPEAKERS Jackie Lauer jackielauer.com
Passionate about leadership development and culture, Jackie grew her career leading technology sales teams at companies like ITI and Nortel. With a passion to create great leaders and high performing cultures she pursued multiple certifications in coaching, change management, emotional intelligence, neuroleadership, and mediation. For the past 20 years she has led a boutique consultancy specializing in building high-performing happy workplaces with the science of positive psychology and neuroleadership. 12:50pm Her client lists includes organizations like Department of National Defence, Axonify, Loblaws, Plum, House of Commons, City of Barrie, University of Guelph, Dejero, eSentire and many more. She has been a startup mentor helping technology CEOs grow and scale their businesses at Communitech and the Accelerator Centre. She is an often invited keynote speaker on topics related to culture, change, leadership, mindfulness, EQ, conversational intelligence and innovation. Best of all, she has a no BS approach, an infectious laugh and loves what she does.
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SUPPORTERS During the Live Sessions, we encourage you to visit the Expo to speak live with exhibitors! While you’re visiting their booth, don’t forget to ask for their Code Word for the Expo Contest. You can enter them below. Every Code Word you collect is an extra chance to win.
Enter your code words here: https://forms.gle/2j47cDHqeV6uXBFK7
Women’s Leadership Committee:
Lesley Warren, Lesley Warren Design Group Inc.
(Chair) Kim Wilhelm, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region (Vice-Chair) Kat Katsambrokos, Waterloo Region District School Board Allison Bourke, Oxford Learning Waterloo Amanda Melnick, United Way Waterloo Region Communities
Nahla Kor, Kor Capabilities Rachel Sommers, RBC PH&N Investment Counsel Rebecca Hempey, The Delivery Guys Inc. Sandra Stone Susan Cranston, Authentika Consulting Inc. Hannah Kelly, Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
Janice McVey, Dean Group Karen Temple, BDO Canada LLP Kathy MacDonald, Home Hardware Stores Limited
Carolyn Marsh, Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
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THANK YOU SPONSORS! A BIG thank you to our sponsors for your support of the 14th Annual Inspiring Women Event. We truly appreciate it! GOLD & ACTIVITY SPONSOR
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