2009 ALLIES Learning Exchange: Leading with Ideas

Akanko, Henry

Director, Hire Immigrants Ottawa

Plenary Panelist

Henry is the Director of Hire Immigrants Ottawa (HIO), an initiative that brings together employers, immigrant agencies and stakeholders to develop solutions to systemic barriers around the integration of skilled immigrants into the Ottawa labour force. Henry has several years of international development experience, managing education, healthcare and institutional development projects in a number of African countries including Ghana and Tanzania. Prior to joining HIO, he was the Acting Executive Director of the Canada-Africa Community Health Alliance – an Ottawa based NGO that support isolated community healthcare institutions in Africa. Henry holds a Master of Arts Degree in International Development Studies form the University of Guelph.

Alboim, Naomi

Maytree Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor, School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University

Plenary and Workshop Speaker

Naomi Alboim is a fellow, adjunct professor, and vice-chair of the Policy Forum at the School of Policy Studies at Queen’s University. She is also an active public policy consultant, advising governments and NGO’s across Canada and abroad. As a Maytree Fellow, Naomi works on issues pertaining to the integration of skilled immigrants into the Canadian labour market including writing policy papers on the issue. She is on the board of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council and is the chair of its Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Naomi worked at senior levels in the federal and Ontario provincial governments for 25 years, including eight years as deputy minister in three different portfolios, including the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship. She is a member of the Order of Ontario and a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Gold Medal for public service.

Archer, Kelly

Manager, Foreign Credential Recognition Division, HRSDC

Marketplace Presenter

In 2000, Kelly  joined the federal public service and has held several positions in the area of labour market policy at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC). Kelly is currently a Manager with the Foreign Credential Recognition Division, Skills and Employment Branch at HRSDC. She is responsible for the Going to Canada Immigration Portal, the Working in Canada Web site and the award winning Working in Canada Tool. Kelly holds a BA and a MA in Political Science from York University.

Astbury, Janice

Senior Program Officer, J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

Workshop Presenter

Janice Astbury has been a Senior Program Officer with the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation since 2006. Her responsibilities include grants management, development and implementation of proactive initiatives and contributing to the Foundation’s evolving strategy to fulfill its mission of supporting Canadians in building a society that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient. Janice is responsible for overseeing the ALLIES program in collaboration with colleagues at Maytree and has particular responsibility for managing the Quebec portion of the program.

Bach, Michael

National Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, KPMG

Marketplace & Workshop Presenter

Michael is the National Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for KPMG in Canada. In this capacity, he is responsible for the overarching diversity strategy for KPMG in Canada, including the development and implementation of all diversity related programs and initiatives. Michael is also the Deputy Director of Diversity for KPMG International and heads up the KPMG Global Diversity Network. In this role, he is responsible for assisting KPMG member firms around the globe in the development and execution of their diversity initiatives. Michael is also the founding chair of pride@kpmg – the employee resource group for KPMG Canada’s LGBT members. Previous to his work at KPMG, Michael was a Director of Technology for a large Canadian bank, responsible for regional US offices; and worked as the Special Assistant to the Chief Whip of the Official Opposition at Queen’s Park in Ontario. He has an extensive background in community volunteerism as the coordinator of the Lesbian and Gay Youth of Toronto; Chair, of the Toronto AIDS Walk “Day Committee” and Marketing Advisor to the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. Michael currently sits on the Advisory Board for TRIEC and is a board member of the LGBT Youth Line and is the founding co-chair of Pride@Work Canada.

Barbe, Manon

Présidente, CRÉ de Montréal

Workshop Presenter

Mayor of LaSalle since 2003, Manon was previously City Councillor and then Borough Chair. At the present time, she holds a number of positions in the central city: Associate Advisor to André Lavallée as well as Chair of the Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal (CRÉ-Montréal), the Council’s standing committee on cultural development and quality of the living environment and CRÉ-Montréal’s transportation steering committee. She is also the ex-officio Chair of Développement économique de LaSalle and a member of the Conseil des arts. Manon was formerly Associate Advisor on sports and recreational activities, scientific facilities and the OIB as well as Associate Advisor on transportation. In addition, she chaired the Committee on urban planning, development and mass transit as well as the Committee on transportation, infrastructure management and the environment. Manon has always been involved in LaSalle’s community life and has served on the Board of Directors of various organizations, such as Club Optimiste LaSalle, Centre culturel et communautaire Henri-Lemieux, Association des amis du Centre hospitalier de LaSalle, Association des bénévoles du Centre hospitalier de LaSalle and Jardin d’enfants Topinambour.

Boyles, Terry Anne

Vice-President, Member Services and Public Policy, Association of Canadian Community Colleges

Plenary Panelist

Terry Anne has been Vice-President, Public Affairs, with the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) for several years. In this role she is responsible for the advocacy efforts of the Association with the federal government on a wide range of policy areas. In addition she leads the Member Service areas of the Association ranging from leadership development programs for College Boards, Board Chairs, and Presidents . ACCC is national and international voice of Canada’s 155 colleges, institutes, cégeps, university-colleges and polytechnics with campuses in over a thousand communities across the country. Prior to joining the Association, she was President, Saskatoon Region Community College following several years on the Senior Management team at Red Deer College in Central Alberta. Terry Anne has been a member of several national boards and currently serves on the Aboriginal Human Resource Council of Canada Board of Directors and the Habitat for Humanity – National Capital Region Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Statistics Canada National Advisory Committee on Postsecondary Education.

Broadbent, Alan

Chairman, Maytree

Plenary Speaker

Alan Broadbent is Chairman of The Maytree Foundation and Chairman and CEO of the Avana Capital Corporation. Avana initiates and funds civic engagement projects to strengthen the public discourse on civil society, including: the Jane Jacobs Prize, which celebrates “unsung heroes” in the Toronto Region and the Institute for Municipal Finance and Governance at the Munk Centre, University of Toronto. Alan is also Chairman of several related organizations, including the Caledon Institute of Social Policy (co-founded by Maytree in 1992), Tamarack – An Institute for Community Engagement (co-founded in 2001), and Diaspora Dialogues, which supports the creation and presentation of new writing that reflects the diversity of Toronto. Alan is also Chairman of the Tides Canada Foundation; advisor to the Literary Review of Canada; Co-Chair of Happy Planet Foods; Member of the Governors’ Council of the Toronto Public Library Foundation; Senior Fellow of Massey College, and Member of the Order of Canada.  He is the author of the book Urban Nation: Why We Need to Give Power Back to the Cities to Make Canada Strong.

Burke, Laura

Learning Coordinator, ALLIES, Maytree

Marketplace Presenter

Laura Burke is the Learning Coordinator for ALLIES where she is responsible for managing and expanding the national scope of hireimmigrants.ca. She joined Maytree upon completion of a MA in Immigration and Settlement Studies focusing on immigrant labour market integration. Previously Laura worked in the financial sector and coordinated employee feedback groups to solicit direct communication with the aim of improving employee engagement. Laura is fluently bilingual in French and she holds an honours degree in French and International Studies from the University of Toronto. Her studies have taken her to France for a year and to India for two years, where she attended the Mahindra United World College.

Caballero, Rachel

Assistant Editor, Canada’s Top 100 EmployersMarketplace Presenter

Rachel is a member of the editorial team for the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project and is also the Editor/Writer of the “Best Employers for New Canadians” competition, currently in its third year. Born and raised in Toronto, Rachel holds a BA in English and Communication Theory from the University of Toronto.

Calahan, Susan

Manager, Talent Acquisition, TD Bank Financial Group (TDBFG)

Susan has managed The Mentoring Partnership for TDBFG since June 2007 and has implemented a number of enhancements to the program. To date, TDBFG has completed over 450 mentoring relationships. Prior to joining Talent Management, Susan worked in Learning and Development and Retail Support for TD.

Calla, Mario

Executive Director, COSTI Immigrant Services

Workshop Presenter

Mario has been the Executive Director of COSTI Immigrant Services since 1987. COSTI is a social service agency that has been providing a broad range of services to immigrants and refugees in the Toronto area for the past fifty years.Mario is involved in his community in a volunteer capacity. He has served as Chair of the City of York Community and Agency Social Planning Council, Vice-President of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants and Vice-President of International Social Services of Canada, among other activities.

Cardozo, Andrew

Executive Director, The Alliance of Sector Councils (TASC)

Marketplace Presenter

Andrew Cardozo is Executive Director of The Alliance of Sector Councils (TASC), an alliance of organizations that address skills development issues in key sectors of the Canadian economy.  Andrew also teaches a media policy course at Carleton University and is a columnist for both, the Ottawa-based Hill Times and Broadcast Dialogue magazine. He was a Commissioner at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) from 1997-2003. Andrew chairs the board of the New Canada Institute, a think-tank which addresses issues of dynamic change in Canada, is a board member of the Ottawa-based Catholic Immigration Centre, is a public adjudicator for the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, and an artist in his free time.

Coolican, Murray

Former VP Manulife Financial Canada

Murray retired from Manulife in 2007 as Vice-President, Corporate Affairs. While at Manulife he promoted the hiring of skilled immigrants and was a founding board member of TRIEC.Murray’s career has spanned the public and private sectors including: Vice-President, Public Affairs, Nova Scotia Power Inc., Deputy Minister, Ontario Government, Native Affairs Secretariat and Senior Vice-President of Corporate Resources at Maritime Life. An active and dedicated volunteer, Murray has shared his leadership with the community in a number of ways including: Vice-Chair, Board of Governors, Dalhousie University, Halifax; Chair, Halifax Metro United Way; Chair, Halifax Chamber of Commerce and Director, World Wildlife Fund Canada. Murray’s work with the United Way was recognized by United Way Centraide Canada with the Chair’s Award of Distinction which recognizes superior achievement and sustained dedication.

Cummings, Sue

Senior Vice President, Human Resources, TD Canada Trust

Plenary Panelist

Over the past 20 years Sue has worked in a variety of HR positions across the financial services industry. Her professional experience scans both the UK and Canada, culminating in her current position with TD Canada Trust. Sue’s areas of responsibility have included roles in compensation and employee relations in addition to heading HR for retail and wealth operations. Most recently, Sue held the position of VP HR for Wealth Management at CIBC.Sue is a graduate of the University of Essex with a Bachelor of Law, and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in the UK. Sue is also a member of the Board of Directors for The Hincks-Dellcrest Treatment Centre for children’s mental health, a member of WXNWisdom, and a member of the Financial Institution Advisory Council working with The Chang School, Ryerson. Sue serves as a Director on the board of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC).

Cunningham, Ruth

Vice President, Greater Halifax Partnership

Marketplace and Workshop Presenter

Ruth is the Vice President of the Greater Halifax Partnership, the economic growth organization for Greater Halifax. With more than 20 years experience with the private and public sector in operations, governance, marketing and research, Ruth oversees the strategic planning and management of all marketing and communication activities and project based initiatives at the Partnership. Prior to this role, Ruth held the positions of Director of Marketing and Projects and Manager, Investor Relations. In addition to her work at the Partnership, Ruth is involved with Envision Halifax, sits on the Board of Directors for Affirmative Industries, a not-for-profit organization that invests in Nova Scotians with disabilities who are striving to achieve economic independence, and is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators. Ruth is a native of Sydney, Nova Scotia, and received her education at Saint Mary’s University.

Davidson, Paul

President, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

Plenary Panelist

Paul has played leadership roles in government, the private sector and the voluntary sector. He has been named president and CEO of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, for a five-year term beginning May 11, 2009. Paul was appointed executive director of World University Service of Canada (WUSC) in October 2002.  WUSC is now active on more than 70 campuses across Canada and in over 17 countries. Prior to joining WUSC, Paul spent seven years in Canadian book publishing including five years as executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers. In the early 1990s, he led the Toronto office of the government relations firm S.A. Murray Consulting following three years at Queen’s Park, where he served as a political advisor to Ontario’s Leader of the Opposition, Treasurer and Deputy Premier. Paul holds an MA from Queen’s University and a BA from Trent University. In June 2008 the Trent Alumni Association presented Paul the Spirit of Trent Award for leadership in public service, international development and administrative leadership. He served from 1998 to 2004 as a volunteer on the Board of the ALS Society of Canada, where he chaired the Advocacy Committee.

De Luca, Anna

Dean, Language Training and Adult Literacy, NorQuest College

Workshop Presenter

Anna De Luca is the Dean of Language Training and Adult Literacy at NorQuest College. She has been working in ESL program development, delivery and administration for over 25 years. She has worked internationally as well as on several national projects and served on provincial and national boards pertaining to programs for immigrants. Anna is currently the Alberta representative on the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks national board.

Dean, Cindy

Program Coordinator, Greater Halifax Partnership

Marketplace Presenter

Cindy Dean is the Project Coordinator of the Connector Program at the Greater Halifax Partnership, the economic growth organization for Greater Halifax. She engages business leaders in proactively integrating newcomers into the workplace. The Connector Program directly assists newcomers by expanding their business networks and deepening their attachment to the community which increases their chances of securing employment. In addition to her work at the Partnership, Cindy sits on the Board of Directors for the Dartmouth Sportsplex, a community recreation and fitness facility, and is active in her community as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and the Halifax United Way. She is a native to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and completed a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Public Relations at Mount Saint Vincent University.

Deans, Julia

CEO, Toronto City Summit Alliance

Moderator

Julia is the CEO of the Toronto City Summit Alliance, a coalition of senior business, non-profit, government and community leaders formed to address challenges to the Toronto region’s social and economic future. The Alliance’s current projects include a major regional environmental campaign, Greening Greater Toronto, and DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project aimed at accelerating racial and cultural diversity of Toronto’s leaders. At the Alliance, she has also been closely involved in the development and launch of the Toronto Region Research Alliance, the “Time for a Fair Deal” report of the Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults Task Force, Luminato -Toronto’s festival of arts and creativity, the Emerging Leaders Network, and Toronto Summit 2007 – “Making Big Things Happen”, a meeting of over 630 leaders to discuss challenges facing the Toronto region. Julia began her career as a litigation and environmental lawyer with Torys LLP, working in its Toronto and Hong Kong offices. From 1997-2001, she lived in Singapore, where she established the South East Asian operations of a major UK-based legal recruitment firm. Julia has a BA (Hons) from Queen’s University, a Master of Public Administration degree from Columbia University, and an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School. She is qualified to practice law in Ontario, Hong Kong, and England and Wales. Julia serves on the Board of Luminato and on the Advisory Council of MetroLinx.

Dildar,Yasir

Researcher, Centre for Community Based Research

Marketplace Presenter

Yasir is a recent immigrant and has worked with the Centre for Community Based Research (CCBR) since January 2008. Before coming to Canada he worked with the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). He has also worked in a number of other countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Yasir did his first master’s degree in Sociology from University of the Punjab, Lahore and another master’s degree in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague. His research and evaluation interests include cultural diversity and immigration issues, international development, gender, democratic governance and poverty alleviation. Currently he is leading two immigrant employment related evaluation projects – Waterloo Region Immigrant Employment Network (WRIEN) Evaluation and London/Middlesex Employer Leadership Strategy Evaluation.

Duncan, Howard

Executive Head, Metropolis Project

Plenary Panelist

Howard received his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1981 from the University of Western Ontario where he studied the history and philosophy of science. He was a post-doctoral fellow there and subsequently taught philosophy at the University of Ottawa and the University of Western Ontario. In 1987, Howard entered the field of consulting in strategic planning, policy development and program evaluation. In 1989 he joined the Department of Health and Welfare in Ottawa where he worked in program evaluation, strategic planning, and policy. His final year at Health Canada was spent managing the department’s extramural policy-research program. In 1997, Howard joined the Metropolis Project as its International Project Director, and became its Executive Head in 2002. He has concentrated on increasing the geographic reach of Metropolis, enlarging the range of the issues it confronts, and increasing its benefits to the Canadian and international migration policy community by creating opportunities for direct and frank exchanges between researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.

Elton, Bob

President and CEO, BC Hydro and Chair, Immigrant Employment Council of BC

Plenary Panelist

Bob joined Powerex, a subsidiary company of BC Hydro, in December 2001 as Chief Financial Officer. He was appointed to Executive Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of BC Hydro in March 2002, and was subsequently appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in November 2003. Bob received his Master of Arts from Cambridge University, England. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1976 and is a Chartered Business Valuator as well as a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia. He was with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP for over 20 years and was made a partner in 1987. From 1996 to 2001, he was Chief Financial Officer of Eldorado Gold Corporation. Bob has coached girls and women’s soccer in the community for over 20 years.

Fehr, Dianne

Executive Director, Immigrant Access Fund

Marketplace Presenter

Dianne Fehr is the Executive Director of the Immigrant Access Fund, a charity that provides micro loans to immigrants living in Alberta who need help with the costs of obtaining the accreditation/training they need to work in their field. Dianne joined IAF in 2006, and has held positions in communications/marketing, fund development and management with not-for-profits since joining the sector in 2000. Her work in the corporate sector included Manager of Marketing for a large international law firm.

Harcourt, Mike

Former Premier of British Columbia (1991-1996)

Plenary Speaker

As a former mayor of Vancouver and Premier of British Columbia, Mike helped Canada’s westernmost Province and the City of Vancouver earn the reputation as one of the most livable places in the world. As Mayor and Alderman he offered a new concept of urban renewal that involved rehabilitation in the False Creek and Coal Harbour areas. Mike’s government established the Commission on Resources and the Environment, resulting in new guidelines for forest management and made a commitment to expand B.C.’s protected areas to 12% land base. He is Honorary co-chair at the University of British Columbia’s Advisory Council on sustainability; Chairman – Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow (QUEST); serves on City of Vancouver Greenest City Action Team and advisor to the City of Vancouver and High Growth Communities of the lower mainland; and consultant/advisor to Translink; Mike was honored to receive the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service and the Canadian Urban Institutes’ Jane Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award. He speaks and advises on sustainable cities and communities worldwide.

Hewson, Katherine

Assistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration

Katherine is Assistant Deputy Minister in the Citizenship and Immigration Division of the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.  Katherine holds a B.A (English) from Glendon College, York University and a LL.B. from the University of Toronto. She began her career with the Ontario Public Service in 1988 as a policy advisor at the Ministry of Labour where she worked on a variety of legislative and other policy initiatives in the area of employment standards, labour relations and pay equity. She has also worked as counsel to the Ontario Labour Relations Board and at the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. Katherine has held a number of positions at the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, including Manager of the Employment Equity Legislation Project; Director of the Equal Opportunity and Disability Access Branch, and Director of the Citizenship Development Branch. As Assistant Deputy Minister, she has led the development of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement, the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act and other initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for newcomers to Ontario.

Huddart, Stephen

COO, J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

Plenary Speaker

Stephen Huddart is responsible for the Foundation’s granting program and is the Director of SiG@McConnell. Previously he worked as Executive Director of Troubadour Music and he co-founded and operated the Alma Street Café, Vancouver’s jazz café of record. He also held several executive positions with the BC SPCA. Stephen has served on the boards of several post-secondary organizations, including Langara College, the BC Centre for International Education, and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges. He is currently on the boards of the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers Network and ArtsSmarts. He has a Masters of Management degree from McGill, and is the recipient of awards in several fields, including Vancouver Business Person of the Year.

Jafri, Nuzhat

Executive Director, Office of the Ontario Fairness Commissioner

Marketplace Presenter

Nuzhat became the first executive director of the Office of the Fairness Commissioner in September 2007. She has wide leadership experience in both public and private sectors. She directed diversity initiatives at Scotiabank and previously at the Bank of Montreal, where she delivered award-winning leading-edge programs. In the Ontario government, Nuzhat developed a cultural policy framework at the Ministry of Culture. She oversaw the passage of amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and the development and implementation of key regulations. Earlier, she was a director at the former Employment Equity Commission. Most recently, Nuzhat was the manager of Global Experience Ontario, the information and referral centre for internationally trained persons at the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.

Khan, Sohail

Project Manager, Skills International

Sohail Khan is the Project Manager of Skills International, a collaborative non-profit project in Ontario dedicated to connecting “job ready” internationally trained professionals with employers. Sohail has led the design, development, and implementation of Skills International since its launch in 2006. He obtained his MBA from the University of Ottawa and has over has over 15 years of IT management and development experience. Sohail is focused on bridging the gaps between IT and other functional departments by understanding and communicating the business requirements to the IT department.

Kreuger, Monica

President & CEO, Global Infobrokers Inc./Praxis Group of Schools

Plenary Panelist

Monica is a passionate advocate for Saskatchewan, developing global community, environmental stewardship, entrepreneurship and youth. She and her husband/business partner Brent, along with their team of entrepreneurs associated with Global Infobrokers, have assisted over 700companies to get their start in Saskatchewan and Alberta through training and management coaching provided in their post secondary institute, Praxis School of Entrepreneurship. Monica is the Chair of the Entrepreneurship Council for Enterprise Saskatchewan, VP of Finance for the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce; Vice President of the Saskatoon Chapter of Business and Professional Women, Chair of the Saskatoon Chapter of Children’s International Summer Villages, Board member of the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association and Business Mentorship Institute, Community Partner of the Canadian Youth Business Foundation where she won the National Community Partner award in 2008, member of the advisory boards of the Princess Shop, ShutOut Solutions and ClubMynx. A formal mentor with the Raj Manek Mentorship and Canadian Youth Business Foundation programs and an informal mentor to many others, she also has her own set of mentors to whom she turns regularly. A belief in lifelong learning led her to be a sessional lecturer for 10 years with the U niversity of Saskatchewan Edwards School of Business where she developed and taught Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management courses.

Kunin, Roslyn

Senior Fellow and Director of the British Columbia Office, Canada West Foundation

Keynote Speaker

Roslyn Kunin was educated in Quebec and Ontario, finishing her studies with a Ph.D. in economics from the University of British Columbia. The University of Victoria has granted her the degree of Honorary Doctor of Laws. She has been awarded the Crystal Ball Award by the Association of Professional Economists, the Woman of Distinction Award by the YWCA, a Canada 125 medal for service to the country and is a member of the Order of Canada. Roslyn has served the community in many positions including Chair of the Vancouver Stock Exchange, Director of the Business Development Bank of Canada, Governor of the University of British Columbia and the North/South Institute, Chair of the Vancouver Crisis Centre and Vice-President of the YWCA. She is vice-chair of WorkSafeBC, a member of the National Statistics Council and has published numerous articles and books. In her career, Roslyn has worked in the private sector, written a weekly newspaper column, taught at several Canadian universities including Simon Fraser and UBC and served twenty years as Regional Economist for the federal government in B.C. and Yukon. She is now Senior Fellow and Director of the British Columbia Office of the Canada West Foundation and is in private practice as a consulting economist.

Lamont, Anne

CEO & President, Career Edge Organization

Marketplace Presenter

Anne Lamont has been President and CEO of Career Edge Organization since 2007. Her involvement in Career Edge spans thirteen years, including seven years as a member of the board of directors and four years as Chair of the Board. Anne’s broad experience includes areas of public and financial sector policy, including advocacy and community engagement with the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, and interaction with all three levels of government. Her areas of interest have included promoting a vibrant and competitive Canadian financial services sector, financial literacy, corporate citizenship and social responsibility, diversity, employability, economic integration of skilled immigrants and consumer protection and education. Her professional career in the financial sector includes over 25 years experience with RBC Financial Group in Canada and internationally and seven years in policy development with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. At the time of her retirement from RBC in 2005 she was Vice President, Policy & Regulatory Affairs. Anne holds Bachelor of Arts (Mathematics & Psychology) and Bachelor of Education degrees from Queen’s University, and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario. She has been an active volunteer in the non-profit sector both in Montreal and Toronto.

Leiba, Sheldon

President & CEO, Mississauga Board of Trade

Plenary Panelist

Sheldon is the President & CEO for Mississauga Board of Trade, the leading business association in Canada’s 6th largest city. As a not-for-profit, private sector business organization, the Board of Trade serves as the voice of business on issues of concern to the Mississauga business community and provides a wide diversity of business programs, services, events and benefits to help business develop and succeed. Prior his appointment as President & CEO for Mississauga Board of Trade, Sheldon was Chief Executive Officer for The Brampton Board of Trade, where he served for over seven years. From 1997 to 2001 he was Executive Assistant to the Mayor of Brampton. In 2009, Sheldon is serving as Chair of the Chamber Executives of Ontario, and is also on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. Through Sheldon’s leadership, the Boards of Trades that he has led have been very active in supporting immigrant employment initiatives.  In particular he developed the “Skills Without Borders – Connecting Employers and Skilled Immigrants” award-winning program (www.skillswithoutborders.com) and has served on a number of related committees in the Toronto and Peel regions. Sheldon holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Queen’s University School of Policy Studies, along with a Specialized Honours Degree in Public Policy and Administration, and Certificate in Urban Studies, from York University.

Link, Karen

Director, Critical LINK Management Group

Plenary Speaker

Karen Link is the director of Critical LINK Management Group, an Edmonton-based consulting firm offering innovative and effective solutions to regional labour and skill challenges. Karen has a diverse career spanning 29 years as a project manager and facilitator in the fields of formal and informal education, economic development, culture and tourism. Karen led the formation of the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council. She has supported the Western Canadian cities of Calgary, Saskatoon and Vancouver develop their respective Immigrant Employment Councils. Karen is currently excited about a yearlong pilot project building welcoming and inclusive workplaces in Edmonton’s nonprofit sector.

Karen Link on establishing an immigrant employment council

Marcotte, Anne-Marie

Chargée de projet – Alliés Montréal

Marketplace Presenter

Anne-Marie  Marcotte  has a solid background in project management (design, management, monitoring and evaluation) in an international context. She also managed her own consultation firm based in Mali (West Africa) as an expert in capacity building, organisational development and communications. Anne-Marie has been coordinating Alliés Montréal for la Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal since January 2009. Under her direction, with the collaboration of her colleagues, Alliés Montréal has developed several communication tools, organised its launch, recruited corporate partners and champions, and built the foundations of a long-term development strategy. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, International Affairs, from l’Université du Québec à Montréal

McFadden, Peter

Executive Director, Waterloo Region Immigrant Employment Network (WRIEN)

Marketplace Presenter

Peter McFadden joined The Waterloo Region Immigrant Employment Network (WRIEN) as Executive Director in July 2006 after spending the previous 14 years as President and CEO of the Southern Ontario Travel Association, at the same time fulfilling the role of Managing Director of Festivals and Events Ontario. He spent four years as director of economic development for the City of Waterloo after managing the Waterloo and St. Thomas Chambers of Commerce. Peter has a diploma and certification (Ec.D.) in Economic Development from the Economic Developers Association of Canada and a Professional Manager’s Designation (P.Mgr.) from the Canadian Institute of Management.

McGahey, Kelly

Senior Manager, Stakeholder Relations, Hire Immigrants Ottawa

Workshop Presenter

Kelly McGahey manages stakeholder relations for Hire Immigrants Ottawa, a local initiative that works with employers to enhance the integration of skilled immigrants into the workforce. Kelly’s roles include facilitating the development and execution of strategic action plans with sector specific working groups, along with providing knowledge transfer and project management expertise. She has extensive experience working in the field of labour market integration of internationally trained individuals, in both front line and strategic planning capacities. Kelly also has broad experience in outreach, engagement and project and program management in the private and not-for-profit sectors.

McIsaac, Elizabeth

Executive Director, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

Workshop Presenter

Elizabeth McIsaac is the Executive Director of TRIEC, a multi-stakeholder collaboration that identifies and implements local and practical solutions that lead to meaningful employment for skilled immigrants. Elizabeth has worked with TRIEC since it was launched in 2003 as a project of Maytree. She has also held various positions at Maytree, most recently as the Director of Policy. Previously, Elizabeth was the Executive Director of the Association of International Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, and also worked in direct service with immigrant and refugee communities, as well as holding various roles in research and teaching.

McLean, Randy

Manager, Economic Policy, City of Toronto

Plenary Panelist

Randy is the Manager, Economic Policy and Sector Services with the City of Toronto Economic Development, Culture & Tourism Division. He is an engineer by training with a background in Business Administration and Urban Planning. Randy has over 25 years experience working in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He is a member of the Toronto Community Foundation Board of Directors and Chair of the Foundation’s Community Initiatives Committee. Randy was previously a member of the Board of Governors of George Brown College and a member of the Board of Directors of the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto’s Historic Distillery District. He was also a lead member of the staff team supporting the development of the City’s Agenda for Prosperity.

McLellan, Kevin

Program Manager, Employer Initiatives, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

Kevin oversees TRIEC’s employer initiatives including the How-To HR Workshops and the hireimmigrants.ca Roadmap. Kevin managed the 2008 hireimmigrants.ca awareness campaign and oversees TRIEC’s partnership with the Consortium of Agencies Serving Internationally-trained Persons (CASIP) and the resulting network of job developers. Kevin joined TRIEC in 2005 after launching an award winning labour market initiative in Durham Region, in collaboration with educators, employers and NGOs. He spent fifteen years in the advertising industry working with clients such as General Motors and the Canadian Tourism Commission. He has a BA from the University of Windsor, a certificate in Business Administration from Seneca College and is a provincially licensed ESL instructor. His community work has included serving as a board director for the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre. He is currently serving as a member of the National Steering Committee for the Information and Communications Technology Council’s project Building an IT Framework for Internationally Educated Professionals.

Mills, Emily

Media Relations and Communications Specialist, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

Workshop Presenter

Emily Mills is currently the media relations and communications specialist for TRIEC. Previously, her responsibilities included organizing TRIEC’s annual Immigrant Success (IS) Awards and coordinating the 20 Journeys exhibit. From 2005 to 2007, Emily was the assistant diversity producer at CTV News where she successfully pitched stories to local and national programs, expanded a speakers’ bureau of diverse experts, and helped to coordinate editorial board meetings. She has also worked at Canadian Heritage, Corus Entertainment and as a freelance music writer. Emily founded an annual youth scholarship and has volunteered extensively with ethnic communities and in the arts. She was profiled in Luminato’s Mille Femmes, a photo tribute to 1,000 artistic, creative and inspiring women in Toronto. Emily holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Ryerson University and an Honours BA from York University.

Morley, Fred

Executive Vice President & Chief Economist, Greater Halifax Partnership

Fred is Executive Vice President and Chief Economist of the Greater Halifax Partnership. The Greater Halifax Partnership is an investor-funded organization focused on retaining and expanding existing business, and bringing new investment to Greater Halifax. In this role, Fred leads the team that developed Halifax’s award winning approach to business retention and expansion, managed and wrote Halifax’s first economic strategy, initiated the community’s first immigration program, and worked to attract many high profile new investors. Prior to this, Fred was Senior Manager, Business Retention and Expansion and Research at Nova Scotia Business Inc. Fred was previously the Director of the Marketing and Research for Nova Scotia Economic Development, where he was responsible for the overall strategic direction for investment and trade activities. He joined the Government of Nova Scotia as a Senior Economic Advisor in mid-1995 and  also taught part-time for nine years in the Economics Department of Saint Mary’s University. Fred did his graduate work in economics and economic development issues at Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s University. He was appointed to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in 2008. and also serves on the Boards of the International Economic Development Council in Washington DC, the Acadia Centre for Small Business & Entrepreneurship, abd the Saint Mary’s Business Development Centre. Fred also Chairs Halifax’s Regional Planning Advisory Committee.

Fred Morley describes the Halifax Connector Program

Munoz, Ximena

Fairness Commissioner, Office of the Manitoba Fairness Commissioner

Marketplace Presenter, Plenary Panelist

Ximena, herself an immigrant professional, came to Canada from Chile and has spent over two decades working to improve settlement and labour market services for immigrants. As director of the Manitoba Settlement and Labour Market Services Branch, she worked extensively with provincial departments and with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Manitoba’s Settlement Strategy, developed under her leadership, has set new directions for Manitoba to develop services and supports that meet the needs of increasing immigration to the province. Throughout her career, Ximena has been committed to the improvement of qualifications recognition practices for internationally educated professionals. In 2001, she organized Manitoba’s first think tank meeting bringing together immigrants, regulators, employers, policy-makers and other stakeholders which led to the development a Qualifications Recognition Strategy that was the first of its kind in Canada. On the basis of this strategy, Ximena has been working ever since in collaboration with regulators, employers and educational partners to establish several ground-breaking responses to address the barriers internationally educated immigrants face. Ximena was appointed as the first Fairness Commissioner in Manitoba in December 2008. In that capacity she is responsible for implementing the Fair Registration Practices in Regulated Professions Act.

Munro, Devin

Manager, Business & Government Relations, WIL Employment Connections

Marketplace Presenter

Devin is the Manager of Business & Government Relations at WIL Employment Connections, a non-profit organization located in London, Ontario specializing in the provision of quality employment support services and career development solutions for Canadian newcomers. Devin also serves as the Intergovernmental Liaison for the London Middlesex Immigrant Employment Council (LMIEC).  His previous positions include the Manager of External Relations at Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB); Senior Advisor, Stakeholder & Caucus Relations for Ontario’s Minister of Labour, and 10 years of experience managing a constituency office for a federal Member of Parliament.

Niazi, Kamran

Vice-president, Major Accounts, Robert Half International, Canada

Plenary Speaker

As a Vice-president within Robert Half Canada, Kamran is responsible for developing and managing client relationships and signing vendor service agreements with major accounts, training and developing staff, speaking to companies to determine their staff augmentation and recruitment needs and networking with external partners and organizations. Since joining Robert Half in 2004, Kamran has specialized in the placement of highly skilled accounting, banking, finance and audit resources on a contract and full-time basis. He is a Robert Half Finance & Accounting spokesperson and has been featured on national television segments and in major Canadian publications, where-in he provides commentary on issues related to the workplace and career management.Kamran started his career in finance and planning with a leading technology services company in the United Kingdom and later branched out in to management consulting. He has worked in a consulting capacity for global finance and technology consulting firms in the United Kingdom and Canada and a major Canadian banking institution. Kamran has an honours degree in Business Studies with Management Science from Glasgow Caledonian University and is an MBA graduate from the University of Surrey. He serves as a Director on the board of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC).

Noorani, Nick

Founder & Publisher, Canadian Immigrant Magazine

Dinner Host

A social entrepreneur and an immigrant advocate, Nick Noorani, is the author of Arrival Survival Canada and founder/publisher of the Canadian Immigrant magazine (www.canadianimmigrant.ca), A sought-after speaker and member of the Dominion Institute’s speakers’ bureau, his frank and humorous presentations bring in stories from his own immigrant journey as he discusses the importance of diversity in business and the successful integration of immigrants in Canada. Nick enjoys touring the country delivering his ‘Seven Success Secrets for Canadian immigrants’ talk and is a radio host with Radio Canada International (RCI) for the popular show for immigrants called The Link where he answers questions from potential and existing immigrants. Nick is also an active community volunteer and leader. He is President of the Vancouver Multicultural Society, member of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Advisory Committee (BACSP), the RCMP – Commissioner’s Advisory Committee on Visible Minorities, the Ethno Business Council, the Greater Vancouver Citizenship Council and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Nick received the Inspiration Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2005 and in 2007 he was honoured by the North American Association of Asian Professionals (NAAAP) as Vancouver’s leading business professional. In 2008 he received the award for best editorial from the Canadian Ethnic Media Association.

Odgers, Todd

Associate Director, Centre for Excellence in Intercultural Education, NorQuest College

Marketplace Presenter

Todd is the Associate Director for NorQuest College’s Centre for Excellence in Intercultural Education in Edmonton working with both the college and business community. The Centre’s services include intercultural and English in the Workplace (EWP) training, applied research, educational resource development, and professional development for educators. Prior to NorQuest, Todd spent ten years designing and delivering training to corporate Japan and five years in British Columbia working in the field of international and intercultural education.

Omidvar, Ratna

President, Maytree

Plenary Speaker

Under Ratna Omidvar`s leadership, Maytree has gained recognition for its expertise in developing, testing, and implementing programs and policy solutions related to immigration, integration and diversity in the workplace, in the boardroom and in public office. Ratna also serves as a director of the Toronto City Summit Alliance and the chair of the Board of Directors of The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). Ratna is a Fellow of Centennial College, and received an honorary diploma from George Brown College. In 2006, Ratna was appointed to the Order of Ontario. In 2010, the Globe and Mail profiled Ratna as its Nation Builder of the Decade for Citizenship.

Paul, Peter

Project Leader, ALLIES, Maytree

Peter Paul was born in Ethiopia, and lived in India and the U.S. before moving to Canada. He earned a Ph.D. in public administration and urban affairs from the University of Akron (Ohio). He taught public administration and grants administration while working in local government as Senior Research Analyst for the county legislature. Peter entered public service as a program administrator on a U.S. Federal community development initiative on housing and urban development. He joined Maytree in 2008 as Project Leader of ALLIES, bringing with him experience in public policy analysis, community development and grants administration.

Pavri, Yezdi

Vice Chairman, Toronto, Deloitte

Yezdi Pavri is Vice Chairman at Deloitte Canada, based in Toronto. He is a member of Deloitte’s Client Council, and prior to this appointment was the managing partner of the Toronto practice. Previously, Yezdi led Deloitte’s National Enterprise Risk Services (ERS) practice for over a decade. He serves as the advisory partner for some of Deloitte’s largest financial services and retail clients, specializing in strategic risk management & governance. He is a member of the board of trustees of the United Way of Toronto and chairs its admin & audit committee.Yezdi has been with Deloitte in Canada for over 30 years and, prior to that, with a predecessor firm in the UK for five years. He obtained a B. Tech. (Aeronautical Engineering) degree from IIT (Bombay), and a M.Sc. (Thermal Power Engineering) degree from Imperial College (London, U.K.). He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ontario. Yezdi serves as a Director on the board of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC).

Pollack, Kelly

Executive Director, Immigrant Employment Council of BC

Plenary Panelist

Kelly is the Executive Director of the Immigrant Employment Council of BC. Kelly brings more than 20 years of experience in diverse, multicultural settings developing and managing programs and services for immigrants. Kelly was a member of the executive committee of the Employment Access for Skilled Immigrants Initiative, and was involved in the development of the BC Internationally Trained Professional Network and Solutions for Access, a project in partnership with BC regulatory bodies. Previous to the Immigrant Employment Council Kelly was the Director of Employment and Language Programs at MOSAIC. Kelly brings both passion and a thorough understanding of the challenges and opportunities for addressing the labour market barriers faced by immigrants.

Rimok, Patricia

Presidente, Conseil des Relations Interculturelles, Quebec

Plenary Panelist

Patricia has been the President of the Conseil des relations interculturelles of Québec since October 2003. The “Conseil’s” primary role is to advise the Minister of immigration and cultural communities on the planning and implementation of government policy on issues relating to immigration, integration and ethnocultural diversity. Some of the more recent publications under her leadership have included briefs on managing ethnocultural diversity, reasonable accommodation, religious diversity, racism policy and immigration capacity. She was promoted by the Minister’s council to preside the Conseil after briefly occupying the post of chief of staff for the Minister of Immigration and citizen relations. Prior to these nominations, she was special political advisor to the Mayor of Montreal, on municipal reform and cultural communities from 1998 to 2001. Patricia has also held a number of management positions in both the public and private sector, primarily as Executive Director of the Maimonides Geriatric Hospital Foundation and as Vice-President and co-founder of Scoop Communications. She holds a graduate degree in communications and political science from McGill University.

Robertson, Gregor

Mayor, City of Vancouver

Plenary Speaker

Gregor was elected Mayor of Vancouver in November 2008. Gregor is committed to building a sustainable and prosperous future for Vancouver. Prior to entering politics, he co-founded Happy Planet, and grew the Vancouver-based socially responsible company up to 50 employees in 10 years. Happy Planet received the Ethics in Action Award in 2004, and was awarded the Vancouver Mayor’s Environmental Award for exemplary achievement in 2003. For his achievements as a successful entrepreneur and community leader, Gregor was named one of Canada’s “Top 40 under 40″ by The Globe and Mail in 2004. In 2005, he was elected to the provincial legislature as Member of the Legislative Assembly for Vancouver-Fairview and served as the Opposition Critic for Advanced Education and the Critic for Small Business and Revenue. As MLA, Gregor led a successful campaign to protect affordable rental housing, fought for the regulation of carcinogens and toxins throughout BC, and advocated for small businesses impacted by Canada Line construction. He has served on a number of boards, working for sustainable farming and forestry, and to protect wild salmon. Through his business, he’s helped support over a thousand community organizations and events, from the Food Bank to the Folk Festival. His current local and regional appointments include Director, Greater Vancouver Regional District (Metro Vancouver), Hastings Institute Inc. Board, City of Vancouver Public Housing Corporation, Vancouver Civic Development Corporation and Harbour Park Developments Ltd.

Robson, Bill

President and Chief Executive Officer, C.D. Howe Institute

Keynote Speaker

Bill took office as President and CEO of the C.D. Howe Institute in July 2006, after serving as the Institute’s Senior Vice President since 2003 and Director of Research since 2000. Bill has written extensively on government budgets, pensions, healthcare financing, and on inflation and currency issues. His work on demographic change and health-care financing won an award from the federal Policy Research Secretariat, and his work on monetary policy with David Laidler has won prizes from the Canadian Economics Association and the Donner Canadian Foundation. Bill chairs the C.D. Howe Institute’s Monetary Policy Council. He writes a regular column for The Globe and Mail, and is a familiar commentator on economic issues in the media. Bill serves as an advisor to, or director of, several education-related and public affairs organizations. He lectured on public finance and public policy at the University of Toronto from 2000 to 2003. Before joining the C.D. Howe Institute in 1988, he held positions as an economist with Wood Gundy Inc. and the federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. He has a B.A. from the University of Toronto and an M.A. from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University.

Saunders, Stephanie

Loan Program Manager and Project Coordinator, ALLIES, Maytree

Stephanie is the Loan Program Manager at Maytree. The program provides short-term training loans to immigrants and refugees who are seeking employment. She has worked at Maytree for ten years on various initiatives using her research and communications skills. Prior to joining Maytree, Stephanie worked as a research associate at the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy where she authored several reports about the National Survey of Giving and Volunteering. She also worked as a esearcher for The Taking Toronto’s Vital Signs initiative, a community indicator project supported by a group of private and voluntary sector organizations. Stephanie holds a M.A. in Geography from the University of Toronto and a B.A.A. from Ryerson University in Applied Geography.

Schalm, Phil

Program Director, Gateway for International Professionals, Ryerson University

Marketplace Presenter, Plenary Panelist

Working within partnerships internal and external to the university, and with funding support from the Governments of Ontario and Canada, the Gateway offers profession-specific programs to provide bridging to licensure and employment for internationally qualified professionals in midwifery, dietitetics, social work, accounting and financial services. The Gateway also offers PLAR and programs in language and professional communications for employment. Phil’s previous programming responsibilities at Ryerson have included the faculties of community services and business, where he has managed the incubation of new certificate and degree programs, and has created learning partnerships in Hong Kong, Brazil and Jamaica. Before joining Ryerson, Phil worked at the Saskatchewan Education Ministry, where his responsibility included K-12 curriculum, and teacher education and certification. He also lectured in the University of Saskatchewan, Ryerson, and the Singapore Teachers Training College

Sihvonen, Irene

Senior Director, Services and Organizational Development, ACCES Toronto

Marketplace Presenter

Irene is the Senior Director, Services and Organizational Development at ACCES Employment, a community-based employment services agency. ACCES provides a comprehensive range of services for both employers and job seekers across the Greater Toronto Area, including sector-specific bridging programs for internationally-trained professionals in engineering, finance, accounting, IT, sales and marketing, and tourism. Irene’s involvement with the non-profit and public sectors spans over 25 years, during which time she has worked extensively with employers, and led the development and delivery of innovative and effective employment services. Irene also served in policy and advisory roles with the Government of the Northwest Territories, supporting the effective delivery of health and social services to a diverse population. Since 2007, Irene has chaired the Steering Committee of a Job Developers’ Network, formed by eight member organizations of the Consortium of Agencies Serving Internationally-trained Persons (CASIP). The CASIP JD Network came together as a component of the Employer Toolbox project, developed by TRIEC, and is designed to support employers to source and hire internationally-trained workers through a job developers’ network and a job-posting website resource.

Singer, Rhonda

President, Noanda Enterprises Ltd

Marketplace Presenter

Rhonda is one of Canada’s leading advocates for the successful integration of Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs).For nearly 10 years she was President of the award-winning Progress Career Planning Institute (PCPI) and was instrumental in the organization’s rise as a developer of cultural competency and career management products and services.Rhonda’s vision inspired her to create and produce with partners the nation’s first IEP Conference, a unique forum specifically designed to assist Internationally Educated Professionals optimize their career opportunities with Canadian employers. She is a frequent speaker on Cultural Intelligence and its implications for Canada’s business community. Rhonda‘s other activities includes serving as Chair of a National Steering Committee Initiative for Internationally Educated Professionals for the Information and Communications Technology Council, (ICTC) as well as membership on many other diversity committees. Rhonda holds a Master of Science degree (Career & HR Development), as well as a certification in Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Occupational Health and Safety and retains her Registered Nursing license.

Singh, Navpreet

Manager, Training and Workshop Development, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

Plenary Speaker and Workshop Presenter

Navpreet is the manager of training and workshop development for TRIEC’s employer initiatives. She is responsible for creating and managing the workshop content development and design, managing the delivery of the workshops across the Greater Toronto Area, and creating simulation-based learning tools (videos) that are offered to hiring managers and HR professionals. From April 2007 to January 2009, Navpreet managed the workshops pilot program – Talent Development for Organizational Effectiveness (TDOE) -through TRIEC’s partnership with Ryerson University . Previously, Navpreet has worked in the financial services industry in retail banking and wealth management where she held successive managerial roles. Navpreet earned her undergraduate degree in Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Toronto and graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Windsor. She is currently pursuing the CHRP (Certified Human Resources Professional) designation.

Stemp, Joëlle

President, YU Centrik

Plenary Panelist

Joëlle is the president of Yu Centrik, a Montreal firm specializing in User Experience and Interface Design Services. Joëlle has been designing interfaces for 20 years with a strong focus on humanizing technology to make it easier to use. Some of her career highlights include implementing Minitel services in France and University of Montreal’s first information system available via the Internet. This experience led her to work for five years as an interface designer and UX consultant for Montreal Computing Research Center. Joëlle has a background in communications with added certification from Human Factors International. She co-founded Yu Centrik in 2003 and now leads an inter-disciplinary team consisting of 40% talented immigrants.

Subramanian, Sangeeta

Project Leader, ALLIES National Mentoring Initiative, Maytree

Plenary Speaker & Marketplace Presenter

Sangeeta Subramanian has over 12 years of community and organizational development, project management and research experience in the not-for-profit sector. She has consulted internationally with agencies such as the Ford Foundation, Population Council, United Nations Population Fund and the International Council for Management of Population Programs. Sangeeta has held Project Manager and Coordinator roles with Maytree, South Asian Women’s Centre and Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI). She is currently Project Leader, ALLIES National Mentoring Initiative. Prior to this she was the Manager, DiverseCity onBoard at Maytree and Project Manager, The Mentoring Partnership (a TRIEC program). Sangeeta holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Madras, India and a Post Graduate Degree/Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management. Additionally, she has a Certificate in Non-profit Management and Leadership from the Schulich School of Business.

Tocchi, Silvano

Director, Foreign Credential Recognition Office, HRSDC

Plenary Panelist

Silvano  is the Director of the Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Division at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada where he is responsible for the FCR Program, the Going to Canada Immigration Portal – Working in Canada section (www.workingincanada.gc.ca), as well as other initiatives that contribute to improving the integration of immigrants into the Canadian labour market. He has previously held various positions related to labour market policy and programming within the Federal Government. Silvano holds a “Diplôme d’études supérieures” (masters) in international relations from the “Institut universitaire de hautes études internationales” in Geneva and a Bachelor degree in History from the University of Ottawa.

Wightman, Faye

President and CEO, Vancouver Foundation

Dinner Presenter

Since Faye’s arrival in 2005, she has been leading Canada’s largest community foundation through a number of important changes designed to increase its impact in BC communities. Prior to joining the Vancouver Foundation, Faye was President of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation for 14 years and then spent two years as Vice President of External Relations at University of Victoria. She has served as Executive Director for Sunny Hill Foundation for Children as well as Campaign Director for the United Way of the Lower Mainland. She has also been a member, on the board, and/or served as president for numerous not-for-profits and other organizations. Faye’s vision and her strong commitment to philanthropy were recognized in 2004 when she was one of five women honoured with the “Influential Women in Business Award,” an annual award presented by Business in Vancouver magazine.

Wong, Baldwin

Multicultural Social Planner, City of Vancouver

Plenary Panelist

As Multicultural Social Planner at the City of Vancouver, Baldwin has worked on issues related to diversity, multiculturalism and immigration for over two decades. From 2005- 2008, he was liaison staff to the Vancouver Mayor’s Task Force on Immigration, which proposed priorities and recommendations to the City regarding newcomers’ integration. The Task Force co-convened the Metro Leaders Summit on Immigrant Employment in the fall of 2008. Baldwin is a member of the Joint Federal and Provincial Immigration Advisory Council. He also serves on the management board of Metropolis B.C. a multi-sectoral body which undertakes research on migration and integration issues in B.C. In his volunteer work, Baldwin has participated on the boards and committees of various non-governmental organizations, including Leadership Vancouver, the Law Society of B.C., and Coast Mental Health Society. Baldwin was Chair of the Provincial Advisory Council on Multiculturalism, which advises the Provincial Minister on issues related to the promotion of multiculturalism in the Province of British Columbia.

Yerema, Richard

Managing Editor, Canada’s Top 100 Employers 

Marketplace and Dinner Presenter

Richard is Canada’s best-selling career author. He is the author of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, which is now entering its 10th annual edition and was named by The Globe and Mail as Canada’s best-selling business book. Richard directs the editorial team that oversees the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, as well as Mediacorp’s specialized “top employer” competitions: BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ottawa, Montreal, Financial Post 10, Young People, Diversity, New Canadians, Green and Family-Friendly. He is also the author of The Career Directory, which is now entering its 17th annual edition and is the best-selling Canadian career publication of all time. His editorial independence and quality of work is one of the most enduring and respected in the Canadian career field. Raised in Southern Ontario, Richard is a graduate of the University of Toronto and currently resides in Toronto.