Dr. Nutt is a respected authority for many of North America’s leading media outlets.  She is a regular foreign affairs panelist on the acclaimed news program, CBC TV NEWS “The National”, as well as a regular contributor to Now This News.   Nutt’s written work has been published by TED Ideas,  The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, The National Post, Maclean’s Magazine, Reuters, The Ottawa Citizen and The Huffington Post, amongst others, and she has appeared in Town & Country Magazine, Time Magazine, Epoch Times (New York), Chatelaine Magazine,  More Magazine and on NBC Nightly News, BBC World News Service,  America’s Radio News Network, CTV Power Play, NPR, CTV National News, Global TV News,  and CBC Radio, to name just a few. In November 2015, Dr. Nutt spoke at the Ted Talks Live “War & Peace” event at The Town Hall Theater in New York City, which aired on PBS the following year. Dr. Nutt’s TED Talk on the complex issues surrounding conflict and the deadly impact of small arms, which garnered over one million views in just six months, can be viewed on TED.com

Dr. Nutt’s critically-acclaimed debut book, entitled Damned Nations: Greed, Guns, Armies and Aid, was released by McClelland and Stewart Ltd. (a division of Random House) in October 2011 and was a #1 national bestseller in both hardcover and paperback.  Lewis Lapham declared it a “brave and necessary book”, while the Literary Review of Canada called it a “brilliant polemic.”  Damned Nations is a bracing and uncompromising account of Dr. Nutt’s work in some of the most devastated regions of the world. A new edition of Damned Nations was released on November 6, 2018 in Canada and the USA and includes a new 6000 word introduction covering recent events,  as well as statistical updates throughout the core text.

Dr. Nutt was named one of Canada’s 25 Transformational Canadians by The Globe and Mail, and has been recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.  Time Magazine has featured her as one of Canada’s Five Leading Activists.   In July 2011, Dr. Nutt was appointed to the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honour, for her contributions to improving the plight of young people in the world’s worst conflict zones.

Samantha Nutt graduated summa cum laude from McMaster University, earned an M.Sc in Public Health with distinction from the University of London and holds a Fellowship in Community Medicine (FRCPC) from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  She is further certified by the College of Family Practice and completed a sub specialization in women’s health through the University of Toronto as a Women’s Health Scholar.  Dr. Nutt is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates from universities in Canada and the U.S.A.

Dr. Nutt is a staff physician at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto.  She is a Senior Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto and is on the board of the David Suzuki Foundation.

Danyliw & Mann has grown out of that bedroom and into one of the leading Canadian firms in the industry and represents several Juno and Grammy award-winning or nominated artists across Canada, the United States and beyond.  Kenna is a CPA, CA who started her career with Coopers & Lybrand and also worked with Laidlaw and Pricewaterhouse Coopers before founding Danyliw & Mann. Kenna and her family are Burlington residents who have lived in the community for 20 years.  Kenna is the Treasurer on the Sarah McLachlan Foundation board, is the former Vice-Chair of the Art Gallery of Burlington Board of Directors, is a new member of the Hamilton Community Foundation’s Women4Change group, is a member of the JR Digs Acoustic Christmas organizing committee, volunteers services for The Avril Lavigne Foundation and was on the board of the Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute and Planned Parenthood Hamilton.

Chief Roche has found success as a fire service leader by demonstrating skills and experiences in Disaster Response and Recovery, Fire Management, Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Intensive Care Nursing.   This broad and unique background has afforded Chief Roche the ability to be successful in managing a wide range of complex challenges in uncertain environments.

More recently, Chief Roche is representing the Canadian Asscociation of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) on the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Bullying Prevention Task Force that will explore the causes and consequences of bullying, identify promising practices that will reduce incidences of bullying, and craft training opportunities for the fire service to effectively address bullying.

Noting that the City of Burlington is already at the forefront of promoting access, equality, diversity and human rights through innovative policy, programs and services.  Karen is committed to contribute in a meaningful way due to her appointments to the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC); International Diversity Executive Leadership Program (iDELP) whereby diversity, inclusion and equity is a significant priority that will significantly improve culture and acceptance within the fire service.

Karen is married to her partner of 20 plus years and is the mother of three (3) adopted siblings (brothers) since they came into their care in 2012.

Determined to constantly service Realtors’ needs and being proud to see them grow their business, Realtors become long term clients of Sold Right Away. 

Sold Right Away has grown tremendously in the past few years. From one Realtor client to over 500 today and showing a steady growth from 2008 to 2021. With consistency, we have proven that we have stable procedures and systems in place to sustain growth. We also have the creative minds to adapt to ever changing markets, trends and demands, from the 2008 recession to market growth and expansion and as well during the pandemic.

Maude Leger is heavily involved in the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and has built relationships with numerous entrepreneurs, business owners and city stakeholders over the past 13 years. Maude is also contributing as Chair on the Board of Directors for 2020-2021.

Award winner as the Small Business of the Year in 2011 and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018 from The Burlington Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards recognizing overall success and excellence of local area businesses.

Melissa is highly regarded for her passion for innovation, technology and the ability to constantly move forward and embrace change. Her vision for strategic alliances will serve her well as Melissa reintroduces Big Brothers Big Sisters to the community with a collaborative and inclusive direction. Building on the agency’s 100-year-old history of mentoring, Melissa approaches Big Brothers Big Sisters with fresh ideas to better prepare our community’s children for future success. Melissa knows firsthand, the transformative power of mentoring, not only as a leader within the Big Brothers Big Sisters, former Board member but also as a mentor of Mitchell for 10 years.

Michael brings 35 years of Human Resources experience in addition to participation on varied local boards including Habitat for Humanity in Niagara. In addition to his HR background Michael held the role of General Manager Canada for Red D Arc Welder Rentals.

Michael remains a champion for Diversity and Inclusion within the Bosch Organization in Canada.

As a Workplace Culture Architect, Carolyn works with business leaders who place their people at the core of business success to create organizational systems and practices that are people-centred, forward-thinking and prepared for demanding and challenging business climates.

Carolyn is the owner of Pinnacle Culture and has a 25-year track record helping organizations enhance the employee experience and evolve their workplace culture. She has worked with clients across various industries, ranging from small businesses to large corporations, and as a Senior Business Leader in the pharmaceutical industry leading teams through significant change.Her real-life experience is bolstered by her love of learning. She has a Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Adler University in Chicago, a Human Resource Management Diploma from Sheridan College, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster. She is also proud to be part of a global team of independent Certified Dare to Lead Facilitators who are trained and certified to bring the Dare to Lead™ research by Brené Brown to organizations.

Her podcast PWE & ME, now in its fourth season, is designed to inspire people at all organizational levels to create purposeful workplace experiences and close the gap between what people say should happen to transform the workplace and what is actually happening. She is also the author of Amazon best-seller Rules of Engagement: Building a workplace culture to thrive in an uncertain world.

Minister Gould has deep roots in her hometown of Burlington, Ontario, and is an active member of the community and an advocate for women’s issues and affordable housing. She has volunteered with and actively supports the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club, the Burlington chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women, the Mississauga Furniture Bank, Halton Women’s Place, and other local organizations.

Minister Gould lives in Burlington with her husband Alberto and son Oliver.

With the birth of Oliver, Minister Gould became the first federal cabinet minister to have a baby while holding office. She is passionate about breaking down barriers for women, youth, and underrepresented groups.

Prior to joining the OCC, Rossi most recently served as President and CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada where he helped to advance the research, advocacy, education and awareness of the most common cancer in men.

Mr. Rossi also served as CEO of Heart and Stroke Foundation – one of Canada’s largest non-profit organizations – overseeing consecutive years of record fundraising combining for over $600 million in total and launching many new, life-saving initiatives.

His passion for public policy has led him to stand for election both for the position of Mayor of Toronto and for MPP.

Mr. Rossi has held senior positions at the Boston Consulting Group, TORSTAR, Labatt/Interbrew and MGI Software. He is a graduate of McGill and Princeton.

Rossi currently serves as a member of the Board and Audit Committee of TerraVest Industries. A past board member of United Way of Greater Toronto and other charities, Mr. Rossi has been an active community builder. In fact, in 2012 he was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for his Philanthropic and Community service.

A dedicated adventurer, Rocco has walked the legendary Camino de Santiago several times, cycled the 1900 km length of Yonge Street from Rainy River to Toronto, kayaked the 500 km from Toronto to Ottawa, and climbed to Everest Base Camp.

Mr. Rossi has a BA (Hons) in political science from McGill University and a Masters of Arts in politics from Princeton University. He is married to his wife of 30-years, Rhonnie, and they have a 28-year-old son, Domenic John, who is a teacher.

Prior to joining the OCC in 2018, Claudia researched mortgage markets for National Bank Financial and measured social impact for Charity Intelligence. She has a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford and a BA from the University of Toronto.

Denise is an active volunteer in the Hamilton and Halton community.  Her lifelong commitment to women’s equality and gender equity has earned her a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Agnes Macphail Award. Denise has also been recognized by Mohawk College as a Distinguished Fellow, representing the highest honour that Mohawk College bestows on individuals in their field.

Candy has written and hosted many broadcasts including Ab Day Live, the Indspire Awards, and the imagineNATIVE Film Fest Awards Show.

Candy was valedictorian of her class at Dalhousie Law School and went on to practice Labour and Aboriginal law in a large corporate firm until show biz came knocking.

Before pursuing entertainment full time, Candy directed First Nations education for the Nova Scotia Department of Education for a decade.  She is currently working on a Masters of Education at St. Francis Xavier University and has taught in the Transition Year program at Dalhousie University.

Candy spends most of her time in airports and airplanes as she travels the globe speaking to audiences, large and small, about the power of love, kindness and self-acceptance.  Candy believes we are more alike than different and that you can NEVER have too much Candy.

Candy first book, a memoir, will be published by Harper Collins in the fall of 2021.

Entrepreneurs, business professionals, and students want to hear what David has to say. He is a frequent lecturer and speaker at Canada’s leading business schools and conferences – David is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at both the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University and the Schulich Executive Education Centre at York University. He has published three books: The Brand-Driven CEO, The Value of a Promise Consistently Kept, and Brand Forward, Brand Back. In 2013, he was honoured for his outstanding work and contributions by being inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Marketing Hall of Legends.

David loves music, golf, and travelling with his family, where together they can laugh and learn.

Carolyn is the owner of Pinnacle Culture. She has a 25-year track record helping organizations enhance the employee experience and evolve their workplace culture. She has worked with clients across various industries, ranging from small businesses to large corporations, and as a Senior Business Leader in the pharmaceutical industry leading teams through significant change. Her real-life experience is bolstered by her love of learning.

She has a Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Adler University in Chicago, a Human Resource Management Diploma from Sheridan College, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster. She is also proud to be part of a global team of independent Certified Dare to Lead Facilitators who are trained and certified to bring the Dare to Lead™ research by Brené Brown to organizations.

Her podcast PWE & ME, now in its fourth season, is designed to inspire people at all organizational levels to create purposeful workplace experiences and close the gap between what people say should happen to transform the workplace and what is actually happening. She is also the author of Amazon best-seller Rules of Engagement: Building a workplace culture to thrive in an uncertain world.

Lisa-Marie believes in balancing one’s professional and personal life.  She is married with 3 children and lives in Downtown Burlington.  She is also very active in supporting her local community, is involved in many charitable organizations and has competed in several prominent sports events, including the New York and Chicago Marathons.

Joseph’s design aesthetic is one of bold femininity and high fashion, while remaining focused on uncompromising fit. From his Cashmere 2016 winning bathroom tissue gown to outfitting red carpet looks for TIFF 2017, 2018 and 2019, where his heart-shaped backless silhouette was a favourite among photographers and media, Joseph’s designs are always of high calibre. His capsule collection for Toronto Women’s Fashion Week’s runway celebration of Canada’s 150th brought luxury and couture to the runway in a powerful way that was uniquely Canadian.

In addition to constantly elevating his brand, Joseph remains passionate about elevating the state of Canadian home-grown fashion through mentorship programs at George Brown, Humber College, and through his advocacy towards made-in-Canada brands. In 2020, Joseph paved the way for fashion designers in Canada by pivoting his studio to produce protective equipment, including masks and gloves, to aid in the fight against COVID-19. Joseph was the first made-in Canada fashion label to bring masks to the market, with proceeds from each purchase going towards his local hospital in Burlington. His passion for his craft, and for the country that inspires him, is evident in everything Joseph does; where his designs and brand model are representations of his passion and love for the Canadian fashion industry.

Lynn started her career in a Chemical Manufacturing firm in Mississauga, as an H.R. Generalist.  After being laid off, she quickly found a home in the recruitment world.  Lynn spent several years with a full-service executive search firm in Mississauga, learning the recruitment craft.  She developed the Company’s hiring processes, created their in-house Policies and Procedures as well as a full onboarding & orientation program.  She was instrumental in creating an enhanced industry specific training program to develop and teach new talent acquisition professionals.  The organization grew from 5 full time staff to over 20 staff across 3 locations in a few short years.

Lynn decided to start her own business, Beechey Management Resources in 2001!  As an extension of her clients’ own teams, she brings a strategic approach to identifying and evaluating top talent, ensuring skill and culture fit every time.  For many of her small business clients, who would not have the capacity to have a full time H.R. Professional, she provides a variety of H.R. support on a consulting basis ensuring they have the right programs in place.  These programs include strategic planning, policy development, onboarding & orientation development, performance management programs and employee relations support. 

Lynn has been an active member of the Burlington Community, leading fundraising initiatives for Breast Cancer causes as well as support services and continues to be an active member of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce. 

Before joining BDC, she spent a number of years working in commercial banking in the Windsor area.  Mary Ann is a former director of St. Joe’s Hospital Foundation in London and Board of Governors for Grand River Hospital Foundation.  She sat on various committees supporting entrepreneurship and automotive growth in Ontario & Canada.

A dedicated learner, Alex became a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) in 2013 and earned his Public Accountant (LPA) license in 2018. He graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (accounting) from Wilfrid Laurier University.

In his personal time, Alex enjoys soccer, snowboarding, and golf and is well-travelled.