Send us a textI feel I got to know author B. Jeffrey Madoff when reading his book "Creative Careers: Making a Living with Your Ideas”. It was one on my pile of library books I had gathered for an event planning course I’ve been developing for creatives.On the faculty at Parsons School for Design, Jeffrey taught a course he developed called “Creativity: Making a Living with Your Ideas”.I’m grateful he put many of the concepts and conversations from his course into his book so creatives like me...
Send us a textCarolina Panoff is a life coach specializing in authenticity and the visionary founder of Be You Disco, a groundbreaking team-building company that brings wellness and authenticity to the forefront through music, movement, and mindfulness.Passionate about breaking down barriers, Carolina helps transform company cultures to thrive relationally by boosting well-being and improving the bottom line.She focuses on fostering belonging, connection, and empathy within teams, drawing ins...
Send us a textMike Morrison is the leader and the founder of SocialNext, a premier digital marketing event organization that hosts some of Canada’s most influential conferences, including SocialWest, SocialEast, SocialPacific, and SocialNext: Toronto.With a passion for fostering community and professional growth, Mike has dedicated his career to curating events that bring together digital marketers, industry leaders, and innovators from across the country.Known for his keen insight into digit...
Send us a textJan Keck is a recovering shy guy, people-loving introvert, and a deep connector.He is also is a Facilitation Skills Trainer, Workshop Facilitator, Experience Designer, TEDx Speaker.His mission is to teach empathetic leaders how to design group experiences that spark engagement, increase trust, and foster deep connections - so nobody feels left out.Jan believes that gatherings without intentional structure inadvertently perpetuate patterns of oppression, and it’s the responsibili...
Send us a textJon McCoy is a husband, father of two sets of twins, and a creative soul with a passion to make a positive impact in the world. With a background in design – Jon has spent more than 15 years in the nonprofit world, starting as a graphic design intern, then marketer, and ultimately a fundraiser. In 2020 alongside two like-minded friends, Jon jumped his nonprofit job opportunities to create We Are For Good, a media company for social impact leaders. With a goal to ...
Send us a textPete Bombaci is a visionary business and social change leader who - in 2016 -launched The GenWell Project, Canada’s Human Connection Movement, which has recently become more relevant than ever.The mission of The GenWell Project is to make the world a happier and healthier place by educating, empowering, and catalyzing people around the importance of proactive face-to-face social connection as an action we can all take for our health, happiness, longevity, and the betterment of s...
Send us a textMaya Corona and David Schmeikal are a dynamic husband-and-wife duo, blending backgrounds in graphic design, painting, branding, and coaching to help humans create and be creative.Maya, with over two decades in graphic design, now explores the depths of her self-expression and joy through painting and creative initiatives focused on connecting communities together.David has worked as an entrepreneur and creative professional for 15 years and now guides others to unleash “who they...
Send us a textAshley Tedham has leaned into her life with courage and has become a leader who embraces the “fear factor” in her leadership.A native Calgarian with a passion for international and community development, Ashley obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science at the University of Calgary in 2007, and a Master's Degree in 2012 in International Affairs at The Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland.Over the last fifteen years, Ashley has worked with various International Orga...
Send us a textLinda Joyce Jones believes that gathering is essential to living a meaningful life. She’s a self-proclaimed obsessive organizer of people, places, and events – orchestrating special occasions in both her personal and professional life for more than 25 years!Her pragmatic approach and knack for sweating the small stuff has helped her organize successful corporate conferences, community events, retreats, fundraisers, and more. Something both Linda and I believe to be true - many h...
Send us a textJanice Cardinale has been listed as one of the top 100 most influential people in events, she’s in the Smart Meetings Hall of Fame, is noted as one of the BizBash’s 15 over 50, is a Smart Meetings Entrepreneur, a Reiimagine Powerful Business Woman, aaaand is the fiery Founder of the Event Minds Matter community – which is where our lives intersected in the Fall of 2023.The community Janice ignited in 2022 grew out of a compassion and concern for the next generation of event, mee...
Send us a textI recently attended an innovation day to support a friend and colleague who was presenting. Hanging at the back of a room I found a seat – as it turns out – right where I was supposed to be that day.Sitting beside me was a high energy, business development and marketing professional, who seemed to be deeply engaged with his local community, and who was – clearly – a “natural connector”.Kent Patel is excellent at seeing the big picture, and drilling down to details, organizing pr...
Send us a textCathy Derksen is a catalyst and disruptor, supporting and inspiring midlife women to rediscover their brilliance and step into new possibilities.As the founder of her company Inspired Tenacity Global Solutions Inc, Cathy helps women take on the courage to face major changes in their life.Cathy is an international speaker and an 12x bestselling author who inspires her audience to dream big and take a leap of faith into reaching for their goals.She has created a platform supportin...
Send us a textWith three decades under her belt in the nonprofit sector, Joanne Toller has had the privilege of wearing many hats, primarily as a nonprofit coach. Joanne is the Founder of The Cause Charity Specialists, where she specializes in fundraising and nonprofit marketing consultation. Her expertise lies in strategic planning and the evolving digital landscape of fundraising and nonprofit marketing.As a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Joanne has witnessed the sector's many cha...
Send us a textJessica McBride is the The Tech Savvy Assistant and is committed to stay ahead of the curve in today's rapidly changing tech environment.As a former Executive Assistant, she now provides executive support and administrative training.A self-professed generalist, Jessica has spent a lot of time learning new skills and technologies just well enough so that they can make her life easier. Now it’s her goal to help others gain the confidence needed to to make their lives easier too!Sp...
Send us a textWinnie Hsu came to Canada thirty years ago as a financially struggling student from China, working several low-paying jobs to sustain herself. Eventually, she started her own small accounting business. But that was 20 years ago. Today, she has a team of fifteen professionals serving over 200 small businesses in the greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley in B.C.Winnie never stops learning. Wanting to achieve more, she studied for an MBA with the Jack Welch Management Institute...
Send us a textTim Gareau is a Calgary hometown lad, singer-songwriter who accompanies his originals with acoustic guitar and harmonica. His carefully crafted lyrics speak of relationships, past and present love, the joys of nature, social issues, spirituality, bees, owls, dogs and even crocodiles!His music is primarily influenced by folk - but he easily adds a slice of rock, a spatter of jazz, a smatter of blues, with a pinch of country. And I'll say, as his wife a whole lot of "tongue ...
Send us a textGrant Assenheimer grew up as a farm kid, worked as an engineer, travelled the world as a humanitarian worker, and landed as an executive leader. His drive to find solutions is backed by a deep value of different perspectives and the patience to discover root causes, leading to sustainable, systems-level outcomes.Grant has had an outstanding career as a water engineer, previously worked with Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) in the Democratic Republic of the...
Send us a textTracy Folorunsho-Barry is a Career Strategist and Founder and CEO of Grow Women Leaders, helping immigrant women get hired and advance their careers.She is a passionate advocate for women's empowerment, with a focus on immigrants and BIPOC women. In 2017, through GROW Foundation, she launched Project150: Accomplished Immigrant Women in Canada and the Speak Out Women series.Recognizing the gaps in empowerment, leadership, and career development services for immigrant ...
Send us a textRichard Lee-Thai, doesn’t feel he’s a “natural connector” but is fascinated by people and has learned - over some lonely years - how to connect in authentic, meaningful ways! These learned skills have helped him to both connect meaningfully with others and has helped him become an advocate and friend to those that want to learn to do the same.Richard Lee-Thai is a TEDx Speaker, Connection Consultant, and co-author of “Become Your Superself: Connect with Yourself to Connect with ...
Send us a textKarla Combres is a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, ceremony guide, facilitator, and speaker. She helps people to honour and celebrate life’s big moments – the joyful beginnings, difficult endings, and everything in between.She believes in the transformative power of meaningful, authentic, story-based ceremonies to connect and inspire us as we move through life’s transitions. After spending over a decade living, working, and studying in other cities and countries, Karla...