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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250430T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250430T190000
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SUMMARY:SPARK Toronto 2025
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, April 30\, 2025\, from 1:30 PM to 7:00 PM EDT – This in-person paid leadership event is open to all who wish to register and has a limited number of participants. \n \nFind inspiration. Leave with a new perspective. Spark impactful change. \nSPARK Toronto 2025 is an exclusive\, interactive event that connects business leaders with the global change makers who are driving 2SLGBTQIA+ equity forward. Unlike traditional conferences\, SPARK Toronto 2025 fosters intimate\, impactful connections with individuals who are shaping the global workplace and human rights landscapes. \nThis is not a “sit and listen” event that could be replaced with a webinar. SPARK Toronto 2025 is a must-attend experience that brings together cutting-edge strategies\, and actionable insights for businesses ready to elevate their approach to inclusion in Canada and globally. \nThis Year’s Theme: From Global to Local\nAs we have been seeing worldwide progress for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion over the past decades\, we are now seeing a global backlash against Two-spirit\, queer\, and trans rights. This backlash has been global in reach with a number of countries recriminalizing LGBTQIA+ people\, restricting access to gender-affirming care\, banning drag as an artform\, the banning of books and more. With international speakers this SPARK will focus on how we continue to promote 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion at home within this global context. \nEvent Objectives:\n\nGlobal Insights\, Local Impact: Showcase strategies for workforce effectiveness by engaging directly with human rights advocates and business leaders from Canada\, the USA\, Mexico\, the Netherlands and beyond.\nConnection & Collaboration: Create unique opportunities to interact face-to-face with changemakers like David Pollard (he/him)\, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Workplace Pride Foundation\, and other global leaders.\nAction-Oriented Learning: Provide actionable takeaways for Canadian companies to thrive in:\nTougher markets where LGBTQIA+ rights are under threat.\nEmerging markets where opportunities are expanding with recent advancements like same-sex marriage legalization or decriminalization of homosexuality.\nDeepen Sponsorship Impact: Align sponsor brands with global 2SLGBTQIA+ progress while creating authentic connections with decision-makers in HR and workforce development.\n\nGOLD SPONSOR\n \nHOST SPONSOR & LOCATION\n[vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″] \n[/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″] \n\nEY\nEY Tower\n100 Adelaide St W – 40th Floor\nToronto\, ON M5H 0E2 \n[/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][/vc_row] \nKeynote Speaker:\n[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nDavid Pollard (he/him)\nExecutive Director\, Workplace Pride Foundation \n[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”2/3″] \nDavid Pollard is co-founder and Executive Director of the Workplace Pride Foundation. The Foundation represents the LGBTIQ+ networks of more than 130 prominent companies and organizations and strives for greater LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion internationally. \nHe has worked for 30+ years in the international corporate world\, 20 of which have been dealing with LGBTIQ+ issues from an international Civil Society perspective. David is founder and former Global Chairman of ING’s LGBTIQ+ employee network and\, in his 16 year career at ING\, fulfilled a number of responsibilities including the creation and management of ING’s European Affairs Department. \nDavid holds degrees in International Relations (BA\, Political Science and Business\, University of Oklahoma\, USA) and in European Affairs (Masters: Diplome d’Etudes Europeén\, Université Catholique de Louvain\, Belgium). He lives in Amsterdam with his husband Michael. \n[/vc_column][/vc_row] \nEmcee:\n[vc_row custom_bg_color=”{“solid“:{“id“:“Border color“\,“color“:“#ebebf5“}}”][vc_column width=”1/3″] \n  \n \nTranna Wintour (she/her) \n[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”2/3″] \nTranna Wintour was revealed to the French-Canadian audience during her remarkable stint in the second season of Big Brother Célébrités\, the Quebec version of Celebrity Big Brother\, in which her personality\, her resilience and her humour burst onto the screen. \nHowever\, Tranna’s career began about ten years earlier in Anglophone Canada\, where she was actively developing her talents as a comedian\, singer\, author and producer. In 2019\, she was named one of the 10 most promising comedians of Just for Laugh’s New Faces. That same year\, Fashion Magazine crowned her as one of the queens of Canadian comedy. During this period\, one of her flagship projects\, the Chosen Family podcast produced by CBC\, was named one of the best podcasts by Apple Canada for two consecutive years. \nSince then\, she has been a regular on a number of French and English events\, including Juste pour rire\, ComédiHa! and Just for Laughs galas\, and popular TV shows such as En direct de l’univers and La semaine des 4 Julie. She is also a recurring featured guest on a lot of Quebec radio stations and podcasts. \nHer career on stage continues to evolve at a rapid pace\, thanks to her English-speaking or bilingual shows which garner significant attention from the media and the public. In 2023\, Tranna was frequently called upon to open for the immensely popular comedian Matteo Lane\, which she still does brilliantly to this day. \nTranna is more than ever an icon of the LGBTQ2S+ community\, both in French-speaking and in English-speaking circles. \n[/vc_column][/vc_row] \nSpeakers:\n[vc_row] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nGrandmother Kim Wheatley (she/her)\nAnishinaabe Cultural Consultant \n[/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″] \nTraditional Anishinaabe Grandmother Kim Wheatley is Ojibway\, Potawatomi and Caribbean in ancestry. She is a band member of Shawanaga First Nation located on the shores of Georgian Bay on Robinson Huron Treaty Territories and is Turtle Clan. She carries the Spirit name “Head or Leader of the Fireflower” and has worked for 3 decades with Indigenous and non-Indigenous Communities across Canada. \nAs a multi award winning speaker for over 3 decades Kim has appeared locally\, nationally and internationally in books\, magazines\, television\, radio and numerous news articles. She is a published author\, hand drummer\, singer\, water walker\, artist & ceremonial practitioner. Kim is committed to forging good relationships based on acts of reconciliation that honour the past\, connect the present and contribute to the future. \n[/vc_column][/vc_row] \n[vc_row custom_bg_color=”{“solid“:{“id“:“Border color“\,“color“:“#ebebf5“}}”] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nShawnie Hawkins (she/her)\nSenior Director of the Workplace Equality Program\, HRC Foundation \n[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”2/3″] \nRaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins\, SHRM-CP (she/her) Senior Director for the Workplace Equality Program at HRC Foundation. She has been an advocate and educator on LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion for over 15 years. In this role with HRC\, she is responsible for managing key corporate and constituent engagement programs\, namely educational resource development\, training\, ongoing communication platforms and multimedia projects addressing current and emerging LGBTQ+ subjects for advancing workplace inclusion efforts. Before joining the Foundation\, she worked in the corporate space as a Human Resources Business Partner and as a Leadership Development professional\, designing and implementing training curriculums for organizations across multiple industries like retail and telecommunications. RaShawn holds a BS from the University of Iowa and has a Leading in Diversity\, Equity\, and Inclusion certification from Northwestern University. \n[/vc_row] \n[vc_row] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nFrancisco Robledo (he/him)\nFounder & managing partner\, ADIL diversidad e inclusion laboral. Implementing partner for Human Rights Campaign Foundation in Mexico\n[/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″] \nEntrepreneur\, consultant and strategist in workplace inclusion since 2010. Trainer and speaker with 15 years of work experience\, with special focus and interest in LGBTQ+ people. Graduate in Information Systems from UNAM. He worked in companies such as 3M and Telefónica Movistar. He was part of the 2024 class of Stanford University’s LGBTQ Executive Leadership Program. \nIn 2014\, he founded ADIL Diversity and Labor Inclusion\, a consultancy firm to promote total inclusion and non-discrimination policies and procedures for all people in their workspaces. Strategist behind initiatives such as forums on good practices of workplace inclusion\, national surveys on workplace discrimination\, editorial projects to make executive leaders visible in favor of diversity\, equity and inclusion. \nRegarding LGBTQ+ matters\, since 2016 it has implemented in Mexico the certification for companies HRC Equidad MX Best Places to Work LGBTQ+ Equality\, from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation\, which in its 2025 edition more than 300 companies participate and impacto more than 1.4 million workers. From 2011 to 2022\, he served more than 1\,000 same-gender couples in civil registry procedures since the approval of marriage equality in Mexico City\, until it was legislated in all the states of the country.\n[/vc_column][/vc_row] \nModerators:\n[vc_row custom_bg_color=”{“solid“:{“id“:“Border color“\,“color“:“#ebebf5“}}”][vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nLatoya Nugent (she/her)\nHead of Engagement\, Rainbow Railroad \n[/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″] \nLatoya Nugent is a Black queer feminist\, refugee\, and movement strategist with over 15 years of experience in education\, advocacy\, and organizational leadership. Rooted in the Freirean philosophy of teaching for transformation\, Latoya centers lived-expertise and collective power to reimagine systems and co-create a liberated future. \nAs Head of Engagement\, at Rainbow Railroad\, she leads high-impact strategies in design thinking\, public engagement\, and partnership development\, driving alignment around a bold mission for global queer liberation. Her portfolio includes communications\, volunteer mobilization\, and refugee leadership—bridging community wisdom with institutional innovation to amplify reach and deepen impact. \nLatoya’s leadership has been instrumental in the Caribbean\, where she pioneered work at the intersection of Black feminisms\, queer identities\, and economic justice. A respected critical thinker and visionary\, she continues to influence global conversations on equity and belonging. \nLatoya has made Canada her home\, thanks to the radical and revolutionary work of Rainbow Railroad and the kindness and compassion of The 519. \n[/vc_column][/vc_row] \n[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″] \nColin Druhan (he/him)\nExecutive Director\,\nPride at Work Canada[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \nJade Pichette (they/them)\nDirector of Programs\,\nPride at Work Canada[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \nJose Patiño-Gomez (he/him)\nDirector of External Relations\, \nPride at Work Canada[/vc_column][/vc_row] \nAgenda:\n\n1:30pm – 2:45pm: Welcome and Opening Keynotes\n2:45pm – 3:00pm: Networking Session / Break\n3:00pm – 4:00pm: Regional Roundtable Discussions\n4:00pm – 4:15pm: Networking Session / Break\n4:15pm – 5:00pm: Key Reflections and Closing\n5:00pm – 7:00pm: Networking Reception\n\nRoundtable Facilitators: \n\nUSA: Colin Druhan (he/him)\, Executive Director\, Pride at Work Canada & Shawnie Hawkins (she/her)\, Senior Director of the Workplace Equality Program\, HRC Foundation\nMexico/Latam: Jose Patiño-Gomez (he/him)\, Director of External Relations\, Pride at Work Canada & Francisco Robledo (he/him)\, Founder & managing partner\, ADIL diversidad e inclusion laboral. (Implementing partner for HRC Mexico)\nEurope: Jade Pichette (they/them)\, Director of Programs\, Pride at Work Canada & David Pollard (he/him)\, Executive Director\, Workplace Pride Foundation\n\nWhat Makes SPARK Unique?\n\nIntimacy and Access: This is an event where you don’t just hear from the leaders—you meet them.\nGlobal Perspectives: SPARK Toronto 2025 provides the rare opportunity to engage with advocates and experts from Canada’s major trading partners (USA\, Mexico and the EU) and beyond.\nFuture-Focused: With a focus on actionable insights\, attendees leave equipped to drive real change within their organizations.\n\nAudience:\n\nC-suite and Senior Leaders\nDEI and HR Professionals\n2SLGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group leaders\n\nAccreditation Hours:\n[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″]This program has been approved for 3 CPD hours under Section A of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log of the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA). For more information about certification or continuing professional development\, visit the HRPA website at: www.hrpa.ca.[/vc_column][/vc_row] \nRegistration and Pricing:\nLIMITED SEATS – Purchase your tickets as soon as possible. Registration is now open on Eventbrite\, and the participation fees are: \nPartner tickets: Senior leaders of Pride at Work Canada’s Proud Partners & Community Partners \n\n$345.00 (+ tax) – Early Bird Price (Until March 20th)\n$445.00 (+ tax) – Regular Price\n\nGeneral tickets: For senior leaders of other companies & organizations (non-partners) \n\n$545.00 (+ tax) – Early Bird Price (Until March 20th)\n$645.00 (+ tax) – Regular Price\n\nExclusive Access & Discounts: *All registrants will also receive an exclusive 15% discount to attend the Future of Work Canada 2025\, taking place on April 1-2\, 2025. **Early Bird registrants are eligible to apply for a complimentary VIP pass to the Future of Work Canada 2025 – Future Talent Conference. Passes are limited and will be granted to applicants who meet the required criteria (director level and above). \nOn Eventbrite\, participants will be asked to inform some personal & professional details\, accessibility requests\, food restrictions & allergies\, and to rank the roundtable conversations. For any additional questions reach out to us at events@prideatwork.ca.
URL:https://staging.prideatwork.ca/event/spark-toronto-2025/
LOCATION:EY Tower – Toronto\, 100 Adelaide St W - 40th Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M5H 0E2\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Leadership,Networking,Paid event
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20240417T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20240417T190000
DTSTAMP:20260420T003920
CREATED:20240125T214306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241009T134915Z
UID:10000716-1713360600-1713380400@staging.prideatwork.ca
SUMMARY:SPARK - Toronto
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, April 17\, 2024\, from 1:30 PM to 7:00 PM EDT – This in-person paid leadership event is open to all who wish to register and has a limited number of participants. \n  \nFind inspiration. Leave with a new perspective. Spark impactful change.\n  \nSPARK is a transformative half-day symposium bringing together Senior Executives\, Diversity\, Equity\, and Inclusion (DEI) leaders\, and Talent Acquisition professionals for shared learning\, networking\, and innovation. \nThis Year’s Theme: Elevating Talent Acquisition for the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community.\nWe know that Two-Spirit\, queer\, and trans communities are a wealth of creativity\, innovation\, and have a dynamic impact in workplaces. Yet\, employees and job seekers from these communities are often overlooked\, deemed unconventional hires\, or stagnate in their careers. \nSPARK aims to break barriers and shine a spotlight on the untapped talent within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community\, both in the workplace and the job market. \nDIAMOND SPONSOR\n\n[vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”1/3″] \n\n[/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″]“Scotiabank has been a Proud Partner with Pride at Work Canada for many years. We are pleased to be supporting the SPARK conference for a second year. At last year’s inaugural conference\, our DEI leaders in attendance benefited from the sessions focused on Indigenous solidarity\, anti-black racism\, and accessibility. This year\, members of our Global Talent Acquisition Team are looking forward to learning insights into how the Bank can elevate our recruitment strategies to continue supporting members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.” \nDenine Das (she/her)\, Vice President\, Global Inclusion\, Scotiabank\n[/vc_column][/vc_row] \nKey Highlights: \n\nInspiring Insights: Dive deep into the talent acquisition process\, exploring attraction\, selection\, and development strategies.\nDynamic Discussions: Engage in lively keynote presentations and thought-provoking roundtable discussions led by driven Two-Spirit\, trans\, and non-binary leaders.\nStrategic Networking: Foster intentional connections to fuel organizational change and create workplaces where everyone\, including Two-Spirit\, trans\, and non-binary individuals\, thrives.\n\nHOST SPONSOR & LOCATION\n[vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”1/3″] \n\n[/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″] \nEY\nEY Tower\n100 Adelaide St W – 40th Floor\nToronto\, ON M5H 0E2 \n[/vc_column][/vc_row] \nAgenda: \n\n1:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Welcome and Opening Keynotes\n2:45 PM – 3:00 PM: Networking Session / Break\n3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Attraction\, Selection\, and Development Roundtable Discussions\n4:00 PM – 4:15 PM: Networking Session / Break\n4:15 PM – 5:00 PM: Key Reflections and Closing\n5:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Networking Reception with Two-Spirit\, queer\, and trans leaders and talent\n\nLearning Objectives: \n\nUnderstand how to attract and retain 2SLGBTQIA+ talent.\nDiscover the experiences of Two-spirit\, trans\, and non-binary talent.\nCultivate a relationship with fellow DEI leaders and 2SLGBTQIA+ talent.\n\nSILVER SPONSOR\n[vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row content_placement=”middle” consent_include=”include” equal_height=”true”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text] \n\n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text] \n\n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] \nAudience: \n\nSenior Leaders\nDEI professionals\nTalent Acquisition Professionals\n\nWe invite all participants to complete our SPARK pre-event survey\, which will contribute to discussions during the sessions. \nAccreditation hours:\n[vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”1/4″] \n\n[/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″]This program has been approved for 3 CPD hours under Section A of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log of the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA). For more information about certification or continuing professional development\, visit the HRPA website at www.hrpa.ca.\n[/vc_column][/vc_row] \nRoundtable Facilitators: \n\nAttraction: Jade Pichette (they/them)\, Director of Programs\, Pride at Work Canada & Dani Gomez-Ortega (she/they)\, Senior Manager – Global Diversity\, Equity\, and Inclusion\, McCain Foods\nSelection: Colin Druhan (he/him)\, Executive Director\, Pride at Work Canada & Delphinium Araya (she/her)\, Project Coordinator\, 2Spirit\, Trans and Non-Binary Social Health Programs\, HQ\nDevelopment: Misha Goforth (she/her)\, Manager of Programs\, Pride at Work Canada & Karibu Ramos (they/them)\, Executive Director\, Elevate Equity\n\nREGISTRATION & PRICING\nLIMITED SEATS – Purchase your tickets as soon as possible. Registrations will be open on Eventbrite soon\, and the participation fees are: \nGeneral tickets\nFor senior leaders of other companies & organizations (non-partners)\n$1\,300.00 (+ tax) – Regular Price\n$1\,100.00 (+ tax) – Early Bird Price (until March 17) \nPartner tickets\nSenior leaders of Pride at Work Canada’s Proud Partners & Community Partners\n$800.00 (+ tax) – Regular Price\n$600.00 (+ tax) – Early Bird Price (until March 17) \nOn Eventbrite\, participants will be asked to inform some personal & professional details\, accessibility requests\, food restrictions & allergies\, and to rank the roundtable conversations: Attraction\, Selection\, and Development. For any additional questions\, reach out to us at events@prideatwork.ca. \nBUY YOUR TICKET HERE.\nSPEAKERS\n[vc_row] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″]\n \nChris Mossiah (they/them)\nExecutive Director – Consumer & Community Banking\nJP Morgan Chase\nKeynote Speaker\n[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”2/3″] \nChris\, based in New York City\, is a Product Director of a digital design system within the Consumer & Community Banking line of business. They are also the Co-Chair of the Firmwide GEC (Gender Expansive Council) as well as co-lead for the Transgender\, Gender Nonconforming\, and Non-binary subcommittee of the PRIDE Tri-State BRG. Chris has worked for JP Morgan for over 6 years while being a member of the Pride leadership team for over 5 years. Chris also serves as a member of the Out & Equal Board of Directors. \nPrior to coming to JP Morgan\, Chris was enlisted in the US Navy as an electronic technician and has been in the technology field for over 20 years. Chris holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in computer science from The City College of New York and Syracuse University\, respectively. They reside in New York City with their 20-year-old son\, Carmello and French bulldog\, Creed.\n[/vc_column] \n[/vc_row] \n[vc_row] \n[vc_column width=”1/2″] \n \nElder Laureen Blu Waters (they/them)\nIstchii Nikamoon: Earth Song\, Wolf clan.\nCree/Metis/Micmac\nRemarksBlu is a member of the Metis Nation of Ontario. Blu’s family is from Big River Saskatchewan\, Star Blanket Reserve and Bra’dor Lake\, Eskasoni First Nations\, Cape Breton Nova Scotia\,and the Red River. Blu grew up with her grandmother and learned about traditional medicines learning healing methods and care of the sick. Her grandmother also shared her knowledge of the great teachings. She is currently working at Seneca College as an Elder on campus providing traditional teachings and one-to-one counselling. Blu spent 2.5 years working for the Nation Inquiry for murdered and missing women as a grand mother to commissioner Brian Eyelfson. and sits on the grandmother circle. Blu sits on the Thunder women healing lodge as a director of the board. Blu also sits as the Ontario representive for Metis people with 2 spirts in motion board. Blu also provides ceremony and teaching and counselling for 2 spirit people of the first nations\, in Toronto. Blu was also the national caucus representative for the Toronto Urban Aboriginal strategies for five years working with the community of Toronto and the government. She is also a graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology receiving her business software micro-computer architecture and A+ certification. Blu’s gifts include: Traditional teachings\, giving traditional spirit names\, hand drumming\, song writer\, creative writings\, and full moon conductor. Pipe ceremonies and sweat lodge ceremonies.and Traditional counciling. Blu is a Two-Spirit person\, a mother of 3\, a grandmother of 3\, a sun dancer\, pipe carrier.[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/2″] \n \nDr. Andrew B. Campbell (DR.ABC) (he/him)\nAssistant Professor and Teaching & Learning Coordinator\nUniversity of Toronto\nEmceeDr. Andrew B. Campbell (DR.ABC) is an Assistant Professor\, Teaching Stream in Leadership for Racial Justice in Education\, and the Teaching and Learning Coordinator for the Master of Teaching program at the University of Toronto. DR.ABC is well known to the OISE community for his leadership on advancing anti-discrimination work in teacher education and received OISE’s 2022 award for Excellence in Initial Teacher Education. He presently teaches courses in anti-discrimination education\, leadership and diversity\, educational change\, urban education\, and Black Educators’ pedagogy and practice. He has presented at numerous conferences and has delivered many presentations as a keynote speaker\, motivational speaker\, and workshop facilitator. He loves people\, food\, fashion\, travelling and bringing his community together for a good meal.[/vc_column] \n[/vc_row] \n  \nRoundtable Facilitators\n  \n[vc_row] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nJade Pichette (they/them)\nDirector of Programs\nPride at Work Canada\nAttractionJade Pichette is an inclusion\, diversity\, equity\, and accessibility (IDEA!) professional based in Tkarón:to/Toronto. Currently\, Jade serves as the Director of Programs at Pride at Work Canada\, where they work with over 250 large employers across Canada around gender expression\, gender identity\, and sexual orientation inclusion. Previously\, Jade served as the Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator at the ArQuives\, the Education Programs Coordinator at Kind Space\, and an independent inclusion consultant. They are an Ásatrú Gythia (priestess) and interfaith advocate who was the first trans-feminine person to present at the Parliament of World Religions in 2018. Jade was one of the authors of Transitioning Employers: A survey of policies and practices for trans inclusive workplaces and is the cohost of the Uncovering Belonging Podcast. Jade has been named one of Future of Good’s 2022 Young Impact Leaders\, Toronto Metropolitan University’s 2021 Pride Champions\, and is a judge for the Canadian HR Awards. In their spare time they can be found geeking out over queer\, trans\, and Norse histories\, firekeeping\, and spending time with their chosen family.[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nColin Druhan (he/him)\nExecutive Director\nPride at Work Canada\nSelectionColin Druhan has been at the helm of Pride at Work Canada since 2014\, steering the organization through significant growth. A champion for community-led initiatives\, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Stephen Lewis Foundation\, which funds grassroots efforts to fight HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. A former Chair of Volunteer Toronto\, Canada’s largest volunteer centre\, Colin is committed to public service. In 2020 he was named a DiverseCity Fellow by CivicAction\, a recognition that underscores his dedication to inclusive civic engagement. Originally from Cole Harbour\, Nova Scotia\, Colin earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from NSCAD University in Halifax. He supplemented his skills through executive education programs at the Rotman School of Management and Cornell University. In 2020 he completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program at Harvard Business School.[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nMisha Goforth (she/her)\nManager of Programs\nPride at Work Canada\nDevelopmentMisha Goforth is a project manager and gender equity specialist with several years of experience in the international development and policy field. She holds a Master of International Public Policy from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo. In her professional and academic careers\, Misha is devoted to integrating gender justice and intersectionality into public policy in the international development and environmental fields and has a keen interest in advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ rights in these spaces. In 2019\, she presented on “Gender and the Environment” at the International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology where she led a discussion on the integration of gender-equitable approaches to environmental research. For the past several years\, she has worked as a gender advisor with the Government of Mongolia where she helped pass the first Gender-Responsive Policy for the extractive sector in Mongolia. With her passion for practical research\, Misha has also advocated for the rights of refugees with Global Affairs Canada and is currently supporting a project on empowering racialized and newcomer youth with Empowerment Squared in Hamilton.[/vc_column] \n[/vc_row] \n[vc_row] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nDani Gomez-Ortega (she/her\, they/them)\nSenior Manager – Global Diversity\, Equity\, and Inclusion\nMcCain Foods\nAttractionDani Gomez-Ortega is a global Diversity\, Equity and Inclusion leader with a passion for empowering others to create more inclusive spaces. Dani has championed inclusion across various sectors for 10 years. She is also an MBA candidate at the Ted Rogers School of Management. Currently Dani works as a global DEI leader at McCain Foods\, where she collaborates with teams across the world to drive inclusion. Most recently\, Dani was featured in the book “Global Changemakers for a Feminist Future” by Dr. Gayle Kimball and has won multiple awards for her work including a Bill 7 Award. Dani’s work and commitment to inclusion are shaped by her lived experience as a Venezuelan Latinx\, immigrant\, transgender woman with an invisible disability.[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nDelphinium Araya (she/her)\nProject Coordinator\, 2Spirit\, Trans and Non-Binary Social Health Programs\nHQ\nSelectionDelphinium (Delphi) Araya\, identifies as Trans\, 2Spirit\, Chilean-Canadian woman. Delphi has over 15 years experience in advocating for trans inclusion and equity. Her work in culture is founded in belief of decolonizing and indigenizing systems so we can treat the roots causes of social injustice. Delphi has also worked with organizations like 2 Spirited People of the 1st Nations and Ontario\, PODER- a decolonial feminist Latinx organization and Elevate Equity\, the first trans led organization in Toronto.\, Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy; as a member of their board of Directors\, as a social justice storyteller\, and as a peer outreach worker to help better support and serve the two spirit communities in and outside Toronto. In whatever community she works with and is a part of Delphi is carrying on the legacy of a teacher like her Two Spirit ancestors before her.[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″] \n \nKaribu Ramos (they/them)\nExecutive Director\nElevate Equity\nDevelopmentKaribu Ramos is a trans nonbinary person from Kūskatan (otherwise known as) El Salvador. They are a firm believer that the marrying of the DEI and the Nonprofit Industrial Complex can only be dismantled by interweaving the voices of the communities advocating for justice. Karibu’s work is deeply rooted in a self-reflexive practice of compassion\, trust\, and the inner root work that is required from someone living with intersecting identities\, privileges\, and varying levels of access and inaccess. In their career they have implemented transformative approaches to Trans Solidarity in the workplace. Karibu’s commitment and tenacity to influencing sustainability within traditional and non-traditional employment avenues with and for Trans and Nonbinary communities has been a catalyst in influencing cultural and systemic shifts in Canada and the US. Karibu is unrelenting and deliberate in their pursuit of creating autonomy through an intersectional approach towards justice. Karibu Ramos is a writer\, Equity Consultant\, and the Founder and Executive Director at Elevate Equity.[/vc_column] \n[/vc_row] \n[vc_row] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″]Cecilia Gentili (she/her)\nAuthor\, actress\, activist\, and Principal Consultant & Founder\nTransEquity\n \nCecilia Gentili is the award-winning author of Faltas\, actress on FX’s hit series POSE\, and renowned activist for transgender and sex worker rights. Most recently\, her one-woman show Red Ink had its off-Broadway debut to sold out crowds. She owns and leads TransEquity\, a nationally recognized consulting firm that provides cultural programming\, advocacy\, policy building and strategic advising for organizations\, government agencies\, brand partners\, and community. Her ongoing legacy of community advocacy\, storytelling and activism has been monumental in protecting federal rights from the U.S. Supreme Court\, raising millions in funding for trans rights\, and building foundational programs for trans and sex work communities to thrive in.\n[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″]\n \n  \nIn Cecilia’s Loving Memory\n[/vc_column] \n[vc_column width=”1/3″]Legacy is the best word to apply for Cecilia Gentili. Her inspiring dedication to community advocacy\, trans rights\, immigrant rights\, and sex work activism has transformed the scene and the lives of thousands of people to thrive in. Sadly\, Cecilia passed away on February 6\, 2024\, and she will be missed but never forgotten. She will continue living in the memory of our 2SLGBTQIA+ communities to honour her commitment to fighting institutional discrimination and her passion for changing lives through art. Cecilia’s journey was one of resilience and triumph\, as she navigated the complexities of identity with grace and courage. Find more about Cecilia’s legacy on TransEquity. \n“But sometimes\, when I tell my children I love them\, I see you all over me\, too. When I think of you\, I think of a woman who\, in her greatest pain\, was full of joy\, and who understood that that joy was not to be kept.” \nFrom Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist (2022)[/vc_column] \n[/vc_row] \nBUY YOUR TICKET HERE.\nThis in-person paid leadership event is open to all who wish to register and has a limited number of participants. \nDo you have any questions about SPARK? Please send an email to events@prideatwork.ca.
URL:https://staging.prideatwork.ca/event/spark-toronto/
LOCATION:EY Tower – Toronto\, 100 Adelaide St W - 40th Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M5H 0E2\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Leadership,Networking,Paid event
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