Adaeze Hubbard
Innovate Calgary
As the Inclusive Innovation Coordinator for the Social Innovation Hub, Adaeze supports diverse founders across Alberta to access programming, supports, and networking opportunities, while empowering underrepresented founders and entrepreneurs and connecting them to the innovative ecosystem in Alberta.
Innovate Calgary has been the innovation transfer and business incubator centre for the University of Calgary for over 30 years, fostering entrepreneurship and bringing new technological discoveries to the world. It's mission:
-Guide entrepreneurs in building innovation-driven enterprises
-Create value for academic and industry partners
-Support the innovation economy at home and abroad
Workshops
Other speakers & attendees
Suzanne Braun
Relish New Brand Experience Inc.
An experienced entrepreneur, Suzanne Braun is the Founder and Managing Partner of Relish New Brand Experience Inc. Since 1998, Suzanne has led the transition of Relish from a design boutique with one employee into an integrated agency of over 25. Suzanne championed Relish to become a Certified B-Corporation in 2017, voluntarily meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
moreCarol Markusse
Induna Solutions
Rooted in a deep understanding of the psychology of business, people, and leadership, Carol has positioned herself as an OD Consultant and Leadership Coach at the intersection of business transformation and human psychology. She has led transformations for diverse clients, showcasing her ability to understand people's psychology in the workplace and implement dynamic and practical solutions.
moreMorẹ́nikẹ́ Ẹniọlá Ọláòṣebìkan
Kemet Group Inc.
Founder of Kemet Group, a startup that aims to boost drug-manufacturing capacity in Africa
moreColin Christensen
LendHOPE
Cofounder of LendHOPE, an enterprising non-profit that creates equity through training, community, and access to crowdfunded microloans. Their first loans went out in April 2020 and they are now in 4 languages, 10 countries, 150+ entrepreneurs and holding a 100% repayment rate.
moreKeith Murray
Second Fire Sacred Arts
Faith leader and transdisciplinary artist – a writer, designer, activist, speaker & facilitator
moreHeather Gray
Camp Living
Camp Living’s social mission is to alleviate the cost of living, while uniting generations of families under one roof. Families are spread all over long distances and its tough to find time or money to visit. Cooking and cleaning can get exhausting. Our aim is to have a room for everyone with a cook and cleaner on site for families to live together, affordably.
moreDr. Leah Gramlich
Faculty of Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Alberta
Physician, nutritionist specialist and Gastroenterologist. Dr. Gramlich is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta with a cross appointment in Agriculture Life and Environmental Science. She is also Provincial Medical Advisor for Nutrition Services and is the Scientific Director of the Diabetes, Obesity and Nutrition Strategic Clinical Network in Alberta Health Services.
moreSherilyn Trompetter
MT Consulting Group
Sherilyn is a compassionate and authentic consultant and accredited coach who has worked in various themes of diversity, equity and inclusion for over two decades. Sherilyn brings a trauma-informed approach to consulting organizations and coaching individuals and groups. A masterful facilitator, Sherilyn is able to elicit powerful insights and initiate transformative experiences.
moreChristine Spottiwood
AB Seed | Namada | ABSI Connect
Christine has been working in the not-for-profit and small business sectors for the better part of 15 years, with a formal background in accounting and strategic measurement, and an informal background in strategy and broad thinking. She brings to the table a range of skills from facilitation, to writing, to data analysis, to relationship development, to challenging the status quo.
moreChristina Owczarek
XhAle Brew Co.
Founder of XhAle Brew Co, a profit-for-purpose craft brewing company, and a first of it's kind as Alberta's first all-women-and-queer founded brewing company
moreAzalea Kim
Bow Realty
Realtor and property manager for 25 years with a passion for problem solving and helping others
moreDiane Cassidy
Vacant Lots Farm Club
Diane is a designer, flower enthusiast, and daydreamer. Her career has been dedicated to design creativity, best practices, and operational excellence. After a decade at a multi-disciplinary design firm she have worked on over a million square feet of interior design projects while leading teams and clients of many sizes.
moreSusannah Tawse
IncluCity Calgary
Multidisciplinary Designer | Community Builder | Co-Founder IncluCity Calgary
moreGuirlene Joseph
The Dollar Detectives Society
Guirlene Joseph is an Accredited Financial Counsellor of Canada (AFCC) and the founder and Executive Director of The Dollar Detectives – a national non-profit organization committed to empowering youth with the financial knowledge, perspective and skills required to walk confidently into adulthood.
moreAva MacLean
Clear Sky Meditation Center | Awakening Lovers
Ava is the Marketing Director at Clear Sky Meditation Retreat Center and a Somatic Sex and Relationship Coach in her free time.
moreMike Rowlands
Junxion Strategy
President & CEO at Junxion, a firm that for over 20 years has been advising on strategy, sustainability, and social impact for some of the world’s most courageous and generative companies, non-profits, and movements
moreAmanda Jenson
Volunteer Lethbridge Association
Executive Director for Volunteer Lethbridge Association
moreMeaghan Farquharson
Bright Lights
A registered psychologist, clinical counsellor and certified yoga instructor, Meaghan has worked in hospital psychiatric wards, prisons, addictions treatment centers, homeless shelters, palliative care facilities, and the Victim Services Unit of the RCMP. Her passion is supporting community leaders, oscapewis and helping professionals to stay vibrant and well as they support others to rise above abuse, trauma, and life altering events
moreJayda Karsten
Building Equality in Architecture Calgary
Jayda Karsten’s interdisciplinary artistic and curatorial practice investigates the spaces and places in the built environment that are in a state of flux. She is the Treasurer of Building Equality in Architecture Calgary, a ground up initiative that promotes equality and diversity in the city-building professions.
moreDuncan Cryle
Clear Sky Meditation Center and Conscious Organizations
Founding member of Clear Sky, whose mission is empower people to transform struggle and embrace vitality through offering supported personal retreat spaces, group mindfulness and mediation retreats, online courses on integrating mindfulness into daily life as a force of transformation
moreEvelyne Nyairo
Ellie Bianca
Founder and CEO of Ellie Bianca, a holistic skin care line that cultivates and empowers women through sustainable business practices and fair trade
moreErnestina Malheiro
Uplift Learning Inc.
Ernestina’s lived experience with resilience and trauma has inspired her vision of working towards a kinder and more compassionate society that is Resilience and Trauma-Informed. As a Curriculum and Instructional Designer, she’s had the privilege of working with dozens of subject matter experts. She’s strategized and implemented e-learning for organizations with 25,000 to 90,000 employees over the last 20 years.
moreJack Goodwin
Vacant Lots Farm Club
Jack am a scientist at heart who was diverted into practical design and ecological agriculture by the ominous realities of the present world: ecological degradation, climate change, and incredible disparity. After spending 9 years at the University of Calgary pursuing a BSc. in Chemistry and working in a world class geo-chemistry lab, he found the challenges of supplying humanity’s needs to be more present than ever.
moreElder Margaret Crookedneck
Elder Margaret Crookedneck was born and raised in the boreal forest of what is now known as the Meadow Lake Provincial Park. She’s never formally attended school but has learned and shared history, song, story and curricula for social studies, math, science and Cree Languages Arts in nêhiyawêwin. She sits as and Elder in the Ministikwan Lake Elders Council and continues to assist as a consultant and knowledge keeper.
moreAntoine Palmer
Sparrow Capital
Co-founder and director of Sparrow Capital and the Sparrow Group of Companies based in Edmonton
moreCharla Vall
Vall Impact Company
Founder of Vall Impact Company, whose purpose is to propagate bold ideas and strategies that lead to a just and regenerative world. In this vision of the world, everything we do as a society has a net positive impact on the planet and its people.
moreLatosia Campbell-Walters
Sparks Planning Group
RPP, MCIP, PMP, and Principal & Managing Partner at Sparks Planning Group, with over 20 years of experience in urban planning and project management
moreMelissa Gladue
Futupreneur
Business Development Manager for Indigenous Entrepreneurs at Futupreneur, the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39.
moreVictoria Ross
aGRO Systems Inc., AB SEED
With a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary and four years of experience operating a social enterprise called aGRO Systems Inc., Victoria brings a wealth of lived experience in social entrepreneurship and Albertan Agriculture.
moreErin Melnychuk
Blue Monarch Management
Erin is a community economic developer, social innovator, and business leader who gives a damn. She works with companies, governments, and community organizations to design effective solutions to some of the biggest challenges society is facing today.
moreJohn MacInnes
Earthware Reusables
Founder of Earthware Resuables, a business that offers a return-for-reuse zero waste takeout container program in Calgary, Airdrie, Canmore and Banff.
moreTheodora WarriorHealy
Warrior Moccasins
A proud Blackfoot member of the Piikani Nation from the southern region of Treaty 7, in Alberta, Canada. An independent Indigenous Empowerment Facilitator with a passion for financial literacy, awareness and education. Through her life experience, truth telling and knowledge sharing she helps her people navigate the Western world.
moreRyan Lacanilao
Alberta Living Wage Network
Ryan Lacanilao is the Coordinator and Economist for the Alberta Living Wage Network. He guides the living wage calculations, manages the certification program, and leads the Network’s projects. Before shifting focus to the nonprofit sector, he spent a decade in the public service as a policy researcher, analyst, and advisor, where he specialized in principles-focused evaluation, intersectional analysis, and systemic design.
moreTiffany Matson
Futurpreneur
Senior Business Development Manager at Futurpreneur Canada, an organization that provides free resources, financing and mentorship to young entrepreneurs
moreSarah Mateshaytis
Collectively Tangled
Sarah Mateshaytis (she/her) is a registered social worker who cares deeply about how we’re all actually doing. She's a co-founder of Collectively Tangled, a social enterprise that provides mental health services, education and support specific to entrepreneurs and individuals working in the startup and innovation sector.
moreDr. Karen Benzies
Liminality Innovations Inc
Founder and CEO of Liminality Innovations Inc whose flagship product, Merge, is an evolution of family centred care that systematically creates a culture shift to bring parents closer to the care of their baby in NICU. She holds a PhD and two post-doctoral fellowships (Stockholm and Ottawa) and served as Associate Dean Research and Acting Dean. Benzies acquired $33 million in operating grants and led multiple large teams to generate over 160 research publications.
moreTenzin Topdhen
True Gents Barbershop
Tenzin Topdhen inherited the business in 2022 after his friend who owned the business sadly passed away. As a proud Tibetan business owner, Tenzin has been able to both preserve his friend’s legacy and continue his journey towards his childhood dream by creating a vision statement that gives a strong purpose to his business. His end goal is to make the Dalai Lama, who he describes as his “Superman,” proud.
moreMaroof Ahad
Newo Global Energy
Member of the energy audit and solar teams at Newo. With a background in civil engineering and NAIT’s alternative-energy technology program under his belt, Maroof seeks to combine the technological with the relational.
moreJordana Armstrong
UCeed Social Impact (investment fund)
Jordana Armstrong is a social impact practitioner with over a decade of experience leading initiatives to advance social entrepreneurship. As Director, Social Innovation at Innovate Calgary, she manages a team that supports hundreds of impact-oriented researchers and entrepreneurs across Alberta who are using market approaches to achieve impact in communities they serve.
moreKaren McAllister
The Mindful Money Coach | Clear Sky Retreat Center
Karen is a Certified Money & Business Archetype coach, a Time To Think Facilitator, a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, non-profit leader, and spiritual-seeker. Her passion is helping individuals, families, couples, social entrepreneurs, and mission-based organisations wake up to their value and talents, so that they can contribute their very best to the world.
moreHeather MacKenzie
Solar Alberta
Heather MacKenzie is the Executive Director of Solar Alberta, where she and her team are working hard to accelerate Alberta’s transition to a just and sustainable energy future. She is a seasoned leader, community organizer, and green business advocate.
morePhilip Lozano
Be Local YYC
Manager of Be Local YYC, with almost 10 years of experience working in social enterprise, with a focus on community and grassroot initiatives
moreWinnie Chow-Horn
Government of Alberta
Serves in the Community Development Unit for the Government of Alberta
moreShelby Corley
Three Hive Consulting
Shelby is the CEO of Three Hive Consulting and Eval Academy. After years of serving clients in the non-profit, government and healthcare sectors, her approach to evaluation has become highly practical. With a graduate degree in anthropology, Shelby inherently prioritizes equity and systems thinking.
moreGino Genson
Newo and Re(source)
Co-founder of Re(source), a carbon offset development company that helps homeowners sell their solar-PV carbon offsets. He also devotes part of his time to helping Newo with marketing, videography, photography and more.
moreJesse Ward
Hope Cleaning
CEO of Hope Cleaning, a Calgary based commercial cleaning company that provides meaningful employment for vulnerable women. Their mission is to empower and equip their staff to embrace and create a better future for themselves and their families.
moreDenise Kirk
GBV Resource Collective Inc.
Business and finance executive whose expertise lies in strategies harmonizing processes, people, and technology to take organizations to the next level in growth and profitability. She brings 30+ years of business experience extending across corporate finance, organizational development, strategies, operations, and corporate sustainability.
moreVanessa Richards
Hollyhock Leadership Institute
Transdisciplinary artist and facilitator with a passion for communities, collaboration and culture she initiates arts-based social projects that move us towards life affirming change
moreMarsha Hebert
Eat For Life By Marsha
Founder and owner of Eat For Life By Marsha Inc., a Calgary-based gluten-free company focused on promoting healthy eating through her cookbooks and Gluten-Free Pantry store
moreAdaeze Hubbard
Innovate Calgary
As the Inclusive Innovation Coordinator for the Social Innovation Hub, Adaeze supports diverse founders across Alberta to access programming, supports, and networking opportunities, while empowering underrepresented founders and entrepreneurs and connecting them to the innovative ecosystem in Alberta.
moreLaurel Dault
Hollyhock Leadership Institute
Facilitator and lead of Hollyhock's Signature Programming, including Activate, Run for Office, and Social Venture Institute (SVI)
moreSara Sail
Skip The Line
CEO of Skip The Line, a shopping delivery service application that brings fashion to your fingertips in less than two hours
moreBrian Hill
TuffHill eBikes
Co-Founder of TuffHill eBikes, locally designed eBikes suited for the Canadian riding environment. TuffHill eBikes takes an inclusive, educational approach as they connect with customers, and advocate with the city for better bike infrastructure.
moreAdrienne Furrie
Adrienne Furrie Makeup
Adrienne Furrie is a professional makeup artist and beauty brand founder with over 20 years of experience working in beauty, fashion, and business. Add working mom, fitness enthusiast, entrepreneur, carer of children, husband and two large family dogs to her life-experience and you get a pretty well-rounded, approachable, and pragmatic beauty confidant! One who’s found her calling helping others find their beautiful.
moreKira Hunt
Adaptive Ecosystems
Landscape technologist, biomimicry researcher, and artist with a broad range of knowledge that includes urban planning, ecology, biology, design, machining, and mapmaking
moreConnie Stacey
Growing Greener Innovations
Founder and president of Growing Greener Innovations, an award-winning Canadian energy technology company
moreZach Manntai
For the City
Zach Manntai acts as Managing Director at For the City, developing strategies and overseeing the team. Founded in 2017, For The City has established itself as a boutique consulting firm, focusing on the intersection of faith and community. Zach believes that the principles of empathy and community-oriented service has shaped his trajectory, punctuating every pivotal role and opportunity he's pursued.
moreJenna Walsh
Momentum/Be Local YYC
Social Business Coordinator with Be Local YYC, Co-founder of GOT Foundation and Founder of Elevated Escapes
moreDr. Allison Bichel
EmergeCo
Founder and CEO of EmergeCo, a social venture dedicated to capacity building and collaborative action address complex challenges faced by individuals and society
moreKelly Lydiard
On A Dime Transformations
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of On A Dime Transformations, an organization helping people in recovery from addictions build meaningful careers
moreTynan Allan
CultureING
Tynan is a compassionate innovator, speaker, challenger of the status quo, and optimist for the future. Today, he spends his days acutely focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Consulting practice, CultureING. His expertise lies in leading change, facilitating difficult conversations, and creating a safe place at work where people can thrive. As a Queer Biracial Black man, he also brings a unique lived experience that enriches his approach to DEI.
moreKen Scheck
BLive Music
Founder of BLive Music, a company dedicated to promoting and supporting local musicians. They are focused on building tools, implementing technology, and fostering community via collaboration and peer to peer promotion of live music. They provide the support and let the artists do what they do best: create and connect those who love their work
moreCarrie Liu
Bamboo Dumplings
Carrie has experience as an IT Business Analyst to help organization streamline and automate processes in addition to running Bamboo Dumplings for the last 5 years.
moreJill Drader
Struggle Is Your Success | OwlSeek
Jill Drader is a renowned public speaker, award winning entrepreneur, and professional mentor based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. With over two decades of experience in the personal development industry, Jill has become a trusted advisor and spiritual director to countless individuals and organizations seeking to transform their lives and achieve their goals.
moreZach Lyster
The Commons | Ripple PM
Zach uses creativity and innovation to solve collective problems. Buzzing with constant ideas, Zach co-leads a powerful team to innovate how people gather, meet and collaborate. With relationship building and connection at the forefront, Zach’s evolving knowledge and expertise enables him to see the details and the bigger picture.
moreRachel Forbes
Canada Bridges Social Development
Program Assistant at Canada Bridges, a non-profit which supports young people to be catalysts for change in their lives and communities.
moreJames Boettcher
Righteous Gelato
Custodian of Culture & Chief Empowerment Officer at Righteous Gelato, a certified B Corp using business as a force for good for people, planet and community
moreSona Khosla
Benevity
Sona Khosla is Chief Impact Officer at Benevity, Inc., the leading provider of global corporate purpose software. At the helm of Benevity Impact Labs, a social innovation hub, Sona and her team are focused on accelerating impact and inclusion through data insights, community and innovation.
moreKat Gagnon
Dreamcatchers Healing Circle
Kat is a certified Yoga Therapist, a Soul Care Coach, and an inspirational speaker. Kat helps those who have forgotten their dreams, to remember who they are, deepen their connection with self and to hear the whispers of their hearts through yoga therapy and dream filled wisdom circles.
moreGarett T. Strawberry
O'Chiese First Nation, Community Development
Garett is from the O’Chiese FN, the only Ojibwe Nation in Alberta. Garett is currently working for his FN Community as an Economics Development Manager, and has been very involved with the community development planning with Wellness as the core of the scope of work.
moreSamuel Obadero
Ayo StudioX
Award-winning photographer who began the first black-owned photography studio in Calgary where he now mentors other young artists
moreGail Yakemchuk
Social Enterprise Fund
Gail is an accomplished business and project manager with several years working in the communication, television and arts industries. She has combined production expertise with commercial business awareness to implement effective management and accounting practices in the private and public sectors.
moreLeah Fink
All Thrive
Leah Fink helps transform the leadership and culture of organizations in order to create better mental health, not just within the company, but for families as well. Her consulting focuses on developing systemic understanding, meaningful communication skills, an ethical use of power, capacity in clarifying assumptions, skillfully using healthy tension, and increasing EQ.
moreDr. Kevin wâsakâyâsiw Lewis
Nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) instructor, researcher, writer and founder of kâniyâsihk Culture Camps
moreChelsea Prescod
Canadian Women's Chamber of Commerce
Chelsea is the Vice President of Business Development and Growth at The Canadian Women's Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC). CanWCC is the first – and only – Chamber of Commerce for women-identified and non-binary business owners in Canada. Chelsea encompasses an eclectic professional and entrepreneurial background with a deep commitment to empowering and mobilizing communities, specifically youth, women, and systemically excluded entrepreneurs.
moreJane Bisbee
Social Enterprise Fund
Executive Director of the Social Enterprise Fund, one of Canada’s more active impact investment funds
moreRachael Aliza John-West
Secret Garden Studio
Rachel Aliza is a social worker and a recording artist. She works alongside people to help them improve their quality of life and to empower their true selves. She loves to use creativity, especially music, as a tool towards healing and wholeness.
moreJean Byllingiro
Ubumwe Community Consumer Co-op
Program Director of Ubumwe Community Consumer Co-op, with the goal of using co-ops as a vehicle for systematic change
moreMrs. Matilda Lewis
Mrs. Matilda Lewis recently graduated from the Indigenous Languages Certificate Program through the University of Saskatchewan. Mrs. Lewis holds a Bachelor's of Education as well as a Master’s Degree in Education. She has taught for over 30 years at all levels and was a part of the Cree Immersion Program of Island Lake School.
moreMariah Dolores Tanedo
Cocobakes YYC
At Cocobakes, they believe that food has a way of bringing people together. Their food truck isn't just a business - it's a place where friends and family can come together and enjoy great food and company. Cocobakes take pride in their personalized service and strive to make every customer feel like part of our family.
moreXolani Ncube
Ubuntu Pies
Xolani has a passion for bridging the economic inequalities through empowering economically vulnerable groups through employment and entrepreneurship skills training.
moreMicah Louison
Coala Energy Inc.
Conducts research and development at Coala Energy Inc, a for profit company that provides safe seating and heating, using recycled sediment left behind from oil sands and coal /silver mines extraction
moreTim Lipp
Peer Mediation and Skills Training +
Tim has been in the social venture space for a while. His career started in sociolinguistic mapping of minority communities in Nepal. He then studied business and won a few academic and enterprise competitions. Tim has been an auditor and a tech-founder. Always learning and building new connections!
moreKeltie Gower
Social Innovation Institute, MacEwan University
Program Coordinator of the Social Innovation Institute, whose mandate is to assist Social Entreprises through connection to community, faculty and students
moreTammy Plunkett
Author | Advocate | Advisor
Tammy is a certified life coach, DEIB Strategist, author of Beyond Pronouns: The Essential Guide for Parents of Trans Children, and a speaker who began her career as a registered nurse.
moreNatalie Wynn-Dempsey
Momentum Indigenous Engagement Coordinator | Owner of Little Wonders Early Literacy Music Play Program
My name is Natalie Wynn-Dempsey (aka Miss Natalie of Little Wonders). My traditionalname is Rainbow Eagle Woman. My family has so many opportunities to expressthemselves in the myriad of colourful perspectives rooted in African, First Nationsdecent and more. I proudly honour my Lenape heritage from Delaware Nation atMoraviantown through my maternal grandmother, as well as my Tsalagi heritagethrough my paternal grandmother.
moreChristopher Lawley
Facilitation & Coaching Services
Christopher Lawley is a coach and facilitator who helps his clients realize the vision they have for their lives and organizations. Christopher weaves together his diverse life experiences and keen questioning skills to hold space for deep transformation for his clients.
moreTravis Smith
Hop Studios
President of Hop Studios. Creator of many ExpressionEngine add-ons, and an expert with multiple CMSs like Craft CMS and Wix and Squarespace. Was editor of large news websites (Variety, Los Angeles Times), university lecturer (USC, BCIT), board member (VUL, WFDF, OpenMedia), conference speaker, Ultimate player (#SOTG @ USAU, UC, Leiout, Boracay), Canadian & American. Mac user. Loves gadgets and camping.
moreLulu Mashonganyika
LiiT Care Connect Inc.
Lulu Mashonganyika, the spirited founder and CEO of LiiT Care Connect Inc. Hailing from Zimbabwe, she knows well the benefits of the proverb "it takes a village to raise a child," when one has access to it.
moreRajan Rathnavalu
Newo
Founder and CEO of Newo and co-founder of the Sunrise Farm Cooperative and the Spirit of the Land project
moreMartin Baker
Local Investing YYC
Board Member of Local Investing YYC, a for-profit investment cooperative investing in early-stage Calgary-based businesses that generate financial, social, and environmental returns. Local Investing YYC removes barriers to receiving funding through traditional channels, while creating local impact through member investments that are RRSP and TFSA eligible.
moreRachel Ward
Hope Cleaning
CEO of Hope Cleaning Inc, a cleaning company with the mission of providing meaningful employment opportunities to vulnerable women in Calgary.
moreTed Fleming
Partake Brewing and Premium Near Beer
Founder of Partake Brewing and Premium Near Beer, the number one selling craft non-alcoholic beer in Canada
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