Hannah brings her 25 years of experience helping learning professionals create and implement formal training programs for leaders and their teams to build a learning culture. She bridges the gap between formal training and learning embedded in the DNA of teams. Her latest book, Into the Hands of Leaders: Employee Growth through Learning, is focused on the importance of employee and team development and the critical role leaders have in creating a team culture of learning. Hannah has received two learning design awards from the Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL). 2021 – Redesign for Online: Process, template and support 2019 – Risk Management elearning and facilitated program with my client, Shad CanadaShe was also the Director of Sales Training for North America at Foresters Financial in Toronto for several years. Hannah holds an M. Ed., BA.SC. and CTDP.

Cheong Ng is a Knowledge Management Specialist at the Region of Waterloo who describes himself as an eternal learner, engineer, yoga student, and collaborator. With over 15 years of public sector experience and a background in mechanical engineering, Cheong brings a systems-thinking mindset to everything he does, whether solving technical challenges or designing people-centered knowledge solutions.   In his current role, Cheong focuses on helping teams capture, share, and apply knowledge to improve performance, strengthen collaboration, and build organizational resilience. In his work with the Facilities and Fleet Management (FFM) division, he has been instrumental in implementing a specialized onboarding and knowledge management program for staff that complements enterprise-wide orientation with targeted, on-the-ground support.   Cheong holds a degree from Kettering University and brings a unique blend of technical knowledge and people-centered design to his work. Whether collaborating across departments or rolling out a new process, he's always looking for better.

Richard Schafer is an experienced project and program management professional who brings a strong focus on collaboration, facilitation, and partnership. With a track record of aligning diverse stakeholders around shared goals, Richard excels at turning complex challenges into integrated, practical solutions. He is passionate about idea generation and believes that the best results come from co-creating with others, whether it’s with internal teams or external partners. His work is grounded in building trust, exploring multifaceted approaches, and driving outcomes that meet real needs.

Justin comes from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada where he works as a Learning Technology Trainer with Saskatchewan Polytechnic. He has his Master's degree in Educational Technology and Design from the University of Saskatchewan where he began forming his idea of using video games as learning tools. Justin developed and is now running a Game-Based Learning lab where he facilitates lessons on essential skills using popular video games!

Joanna Kirke is a multi award winning certified executive coach, expert facilitator, and President of Kirke Leadership Inc. With over 20 years of experience, she transforms leadership, culture, and business performance across SMEs and global enterprises. Known for unlocking potential at every level, Joanna helps organizations build leadership bench strength, improve collaboration, and drive customer-centric innovation. Her approach blends emotional intelligence, business strategy, and human-centered design, making her especially effective with companies navigating growth or change. She's designed and delivered leadership programs for organizations such as Bell Canada, Scotiabank, BMO, Shoppers Drug Mart, CAE, Biogen, Ratesdotca, CI Investments, Teck, and Rotman School of Management. With a background in HR in tech and financial services, she simplifies complexity and fosters emotionally agile, high-performing leaders. A global citizen who's worked in over 35 countries, Joanna is passionate about inclusive leadership and gives back through pro-bono coaching and women's health advocacy.

Kate is a facilitator and learning designer with 15+ years of experience facilitating impactful workshops, guiding strategic conversations, and creating practical, results-oriented learning programs. At the core of her approach is a focus on surfacing meaningful insights that empower teams and individuals to transform their work in strategic and practical ways. As a facilitator, Kate thoughtfully designs and guides group processes to foster meaningful collaboration, creative exploration, and actionable measures of success. In her current roles she supports leaders and their teams to leverage the power of Generative AI in their workflows. Kate holds certificates in Learning Design from the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, Life Coaching from the Centre for Applied Neuroscience, and Applied Positive Psychology from the Flourishing Center. She is also a Clifton Strengths Educator and integrates Appreciative Inquiry and Design Thinking methodologies into her practice.

With over 25 years of experience with Eagle's Flight, Sue has a proven track record in collaborating with organizations to develop strategy and support tactical efforts in creating high performing, innovative and engaged cultures. Sue is the executive owner of several ongoing culture transformations with large North American and global companies.  Her vast senior leadership experience has established her as a trusted parnter and OD expert for numerous Fortune 500 companies.  She is a skilled facilitator and has personally led highly interactive and engaging sessions ranging in size from 10 to 1000 participants.   Sue's passion for mentoring and coaching is an integral component of both her work and personal life.  She is a mentor in the Rhyze Ventures program for Women Entrepreneurs and an advisor for the Grove, Youth Wellness Clubs Ontario helping created the EDI Reconcilliation Framework.  Sue enjoys a very active lifestyle and loves to compete.

Moe Poirier is Founding Partner at Shift Facilitation Inc. He is a facilitator, speaker, author, and instructional designer who specializes in train-the-trainer. Moe is a facilitation skills training expert and is best known for his work upskilling training teams around the world to level-up their impact on the people and organizations they serve.​

Before Shift was born in 2015, Moe spent the better part of 20+ years as a contract facilitator delivering leadership, coaching, and team performance programs. Along the way he was a partner in two boutique consultancies that focused exclusively on leadership development. Through this work, Moe has had the honour of serving clients from around the world, as far away as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.​

A frequent speaker at industry conferences, Moe has presented at the I4PL's annual conference; and ATD's International Conference & Expo, Core4, and other global in-person and virtual training events.

Jason Lewis is Sr. Partner at Shift Facilitation Inc. As a facilitator, speaker, coach, and consultant he brings a unique perspective to facilitation skills training through his expertise in improv theatre, innovation, and change management.

He is known for challenging leadership teams around the world to level-up their strategic and creative capacity. Jason has been crisscrossing North America and Europe working with leaders for the better part of 15+ years. Along the way he has been certified in Design Thinking at IDEO and mastered the human-centered collaboration toolkit. Through this work, Jason has had the honour of designing and hosting global summits for his clients that serve their 150+ top-tier leaders.

An accomplished speaker at industry conferences, Jason knows how to engage a crowd. His natural strengths are amplified by the depth of his experience on stage as founder of The Kinkonauts theatre company in Calgary, Alberta.

As Chief Innovation Officer, Britney Cole is a visionary leader who positively impacts lives through cutting-edge solutions that drive personal, professional, and organizational growth. With nearly 20 years of experience in corporate training and leadership development, Britney is a highly sought-after consultant, speaker, and thought leader. Her mission is to help employees learn new skills, enable managers to lead their teams effectively, and assist executives in running their businesses. She is passionate about driving change and empowering individuals to reach their full potential and has a track record for creating innovative and impactful programs that achieve lasting results. In her role as Head of the Blanchard Innovation Lab, Britney leads a team of talented professionals who reimagine how the best leaders are created and become a force for positive change. Skilled in design thinking, agile methodologies, and emerging technologies, she leverages these to create a future where leaders inspire greatness.

Stephanie Burgetz (she/her) has been training and  facilitating group learning events for over twenty-five (25) years, and coaching leaders and their teams for more than ten (10). Stephanie's areas of expertise and interest are in emotionally sensitive goal-centric coaching, learning, and leadership development. 

Stephanie has a Masters in Education, is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) from the International Coach Federation (ICF), and is a Certified Training & Development Professional (CTDP) from the Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL).  She also holds many other certifications. 

After working for a number of different health care organizations she recently took the leap into entrepreneurship, and is the owner of Quill and Canvas Consulting. 

Fun facts: Stephanie is a graphic recorder and facilitator, completed her meditation teacher training in February 2020 (talk about timing!) and is authorized to officiate marriage in the Province of Ontario.

Tisha Parker Kemp is a talent development executive and adult education professional with 30 years' experience in the end-to-end management of training programs, including 20+ years in the online learning space. Her audiences are typically professionals, executives, and business owners. She inspires people to learn new skills using proven strategies and current and emerging evidence-based methodologies for teaching/learning. 
 

Greta Dearing, CIP, is the Director of Learning at NFP, an Aon company, with more than 20 years of experience in learning and development and process improvement. She is passionate about lifelong learning and creating personal connections. Greta is an innovator, dedicated to helping people realize their potential through process improvement and talent management, and is a current CTDP candidate. Her enthusiasm for continuous growth is fueled by travel, seeking out diverse experiences, and embracing new opportunities.  Greta makes her home in small-town Northern Ontario and revels in being immersed in the rugged beauty of the Canadian Shield.

Solly Solaiman, M.Eng., PMP is a seasoned professional with over 27 years of experience in training, project management, and engineering. Currently serving as a Senior Training Technologist at Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Solly is known for his results-driven approach, quality focus, passion for training and performance enhancement utilizing his experience and effective collaborations with stakeholders. His strategic, systematic, and creative thinking has led to significant contributions in various roles, including Sr. Training Technologist, Licensing Section Manager, and Project Management Training Section Manager. Solly holds a Master's degree in Engineering from Carleton University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He has been recognized with multiple awards, including the "Power of You" for excellence in teaching and mentoring. Solly is also an accomplished guest speaker and has starred in CBC TV's "Anything But Average." His expertise in developing and delivering high-impact training programs has benefited over 1500 clients.

Heather Tomlinson has multiple years of experience in the nuclear power industry as an operator and manager.

Danielle Wallace and her team at Beyond the Sky: Custom Learning specialize in truly effective learning solutions. As the chief learning strategist, Danielle brings strategic marketing principles she learned from her previous leadership roles at Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo into the world of learning and development. Danielle is a sought-after speaker at global conferences, and her thought leadership is frequently featured in industry magazines and publications. Her podcast "You in 2042: The Future of Work," is available on all podcast platforms. Additionally, her AI+L&D Community of Practice can be found at www.beyondthesky.ca.

Shawna Cole is a Learning & Organization Development strategist with 15 years of experience helping organizations connect talent, culture, and leadership to drive real, human-centered impact. Known for her practical, engaging approach, Shawna designs learning experiences that embed essential skills, emotional intelligence, and communication into the daily flow of work - especially for remote, hybrid, and global teams. Whether she's coaching through complexity or designing digital learning that sticks, she brings passion for helping individuals and organizations thrive in today's ever-changing world of work. 

I am a senior learning manager at CPA Ontario with over 12 years of experience in internal and client-facing learning and development roles. I started my career as a facilitator, teaching complex accounting modules for professional qualifications, moved into instructional design and later started managing the  learning and development function for between 300-1500 employees at professional services organizations like PwC, BCG and Grant Thornton. Learning is my career and my hobby and I strive to share how to navigate L&D strategy and design in complex, high-profile organizations. 

Arman is a senior instructional designer in the Operations Administration division at Canadian North Airlines, where he leads the design and development of innovative and effective learning and performance enhancement solutions, including AI-powered L&D initiatives. He has more than 20 years of experience creating engaging, learner-centric, and accessible courses using a wide range of tools and technologies, and has crafted learning strategies across various sectors. His e-learning work has earned several awards for development, design, and delivery. Arman holds a PhD in Genetics from McGill University and a master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Concordia University.

Maryam is the Director of Learning and Performance at Studio7 Communications, a leading training and performance agency based in Quebec. She has devoted her career to advocating for employee performance improvement, rather than just creating training modules that are not rooted in knowledge, skills, or attitude gaps. With a robust foundation in education and technology, she combines her expertise of two decades to align learning strategies with performance and business objectives to help clients achieve higher ROI. Committed to continuous professional development, she actively participates in conferences and webinars, staying abreast of the latest advancements in instructional design and performance consulting. 

Dr. David Weiss is President of Weiss International Ltd., a firm specializing in Innovation, Leadership, and HR Consulting. David was honoured as the first "fellow" of I4PL (when it was CSTD) and he is a lifetime "Fellow" of HRPA. David has written seven books, including the bestselling books: Innovative Intelligence, The Leadership Gap, and Leadership-Driven HR and has written 60 articles that are available as free downloads at www.weissinternational.ca . David is a Ph.D. Organizational Psychologist, a Certified PCC Coach with the International Coaching Federation, and Affiliate Faculty at Schulich and St. Mary's University. Previously, he was the Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of Knightsbridge, an Affiliate Professor at the Rotman , and a Senior Research Fellow at Queen's University. Follow David's daily LinkedIn posts at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidweiss along with his over 165,000 followers, and read a comprehensive article about David’s professional life and innovative concepts on Wikipedia at www.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Solomon_Weiss.

Cat Mulvihill is a skilled speaker and trainer who helps people identify and overcome barriers to change using her framework, The Momentum Formula. Her work blends an understanding of human behaviour with practical strategies to help create consistent, sustainable, and aligned habits. She has 20 years of experience leading workshops and programs, including a background as a licensed Immunity to Change facilitator. Prior to developing the Momentum Formula, Cat taught virtual presenting and facilitation skills. Her tutorials on YouTube have garnered 2 million views and helped thousands of educators and entrepreneurs. Cat has a BSc in Physiology and Psychology, an MEd in Workplace & Adult Learning, and an MBA in Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour.

Josh is the Chief Creative & Learning Officer for Sponge Group and is responsible for delivering Sponge’s promise of Unforgettable Learning to both its customers and its own people. He leads Sponge’s learning function, our in-house consultancy known as The Practice, and The Studio - Sponge's creative team of designers and developers. 

A recognized leader in the L&D space with a comprehensive global client portfolio, Josh brings to Sponge a global view of the marketplace, a keen eye towards quality, and a strong strategic lens for better connecting L&D to organizational impact. His decade-long leadership journey spans roles in digital learning strategy, solutions design, business development, and creative leadership.  
  
Josh frequently speaks at HR/L&D events and teaches at the University of Toronto. Josh is based in Toronto. 

Patricia Regier is a learner-centered, engaging facilitator and innovative instructional designer with over 20 years of experience in adult education and digital learning. As the founder of Regier Education Inc., she specializes in creating inclusive, accessible, and impactful asynchronous learning experiences that integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL), AI, and adaptive learning strategies. Patricia designs accessible, neurodiversity-informed learning experiences, with cross-sector experience in workplace learning. She holds a Master of Education in Adult Education and multiple certifications in agile instructional design, accessibility, and learning effectiveness. Patricia is the author of The Online Shift: 101 Pro Tips for Facilitators, Workplace Trainers & Speakers and the creator of a YouTube channel with over 945,892 views, where she shares insights on inclusive design, technology integration, and virtual facilitation. Her mission is to design learning that connects, empowers, and drives performance—turning content into meaningful, engaging learning experiences that aren't boring.

Corrie Melanson (she/they) is a queer, white, neurodivergent settler based in Kji'puktuk (Halifax), NS. They combine more than 25 years' facilitation experience with visual tools to facilitate breakthrough conversations that spark engaged action and learning. Corrie uses proven principles of adult education, universal design, and culturally responsive practices to build inclusion, and create engagement, possibility, and collective action.

Sean Rea is the Director, Performance and Learning Solutions at Friesen, Kaye and Associates. His extensive experience in both the private and public-sector spans more than 20 years in Performance Improvement, Learning and Development, and Leadership.Sean is a Training and Organizational Consultant for senior executives and HR directors throughout North America, Asia and Europe. He has worked with such clients as: Allied Learning Solutions, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Amex, Canada Border Services Agency, Canada Revenue Agency, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Lehman Brothers, Lenovo, NetSuite, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Standard Charter Bank and Sunlife.He has presented at industry events including: International Society for Performance Improvement, and Training Magazine's Leadership Summit. Sean has a Master's degree in Sport and Performance Psychology. He is a member of: The Institute for Performance and Learning, and ISPI. Sean is a Certified Training and Development Professional, Certified Performance Technologist, and Certified Technical Trainer.

Dr. Andrew Woods is the founder of Ask Us Consulting. He has delivered soft skills workshops to organizations and individuals in 22 countries on four continents.

Andrew has served as an Adjunct Professor at the Asian campus of EMLYON Business School in Shanghai, China, a globally recognized and triple-accredited business school. He currently teaches on the MBA program at University Canada West, where he continues to inspire and motivate future business leaders with soft-skills training, insights and experience. 

A trained chef, Andrew lives in Vancouver, Canada. He has travelled throughout the world and has a love of food, travel and culture.

Claudette Hutchinson is a globally recognized learning and development strategist, AI adoption expert, and CEO of Owning My. With over 20 years of experience designing high-impact training and upskilling programs, she has empowered 30,000+ professionals across North America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe to lead and learn confidently, especially in the age of AI. Her work spans entrepreneurship, insurance, finance, healthcare, construction, AI, and STREAM (Science, Tech, Robotics, Engineering, Arts, Math), helping organizations integrate automation and innovation into their learning ecosystems. Claudette has delivered AI, blockchain, and systems design training to global institutions, including banks, startups, regulatory bodies, and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Certified in instructional design, talent development, and business coaching, Claudette is known for turning complex ideas into clear, actionable strategies. At the I4PL, she'll lead AI's Supply 4U2 Multiply, an interactive session designed to show professionals how to multiply productivity, streamline systems, and lead digital transformation.

Gifty Gyimah is a Strategist with Owning My and a Program Facilitator at Durham College, where she transforms educational operations through strategic AI integration. She implements AI-based assessments, automated placement tracking, and data-driven scheduling systems that help faculty and administrators streamline daily workflows.
 

I am a certified training and development professional (CTDP) with experience in enhancing the performance of individuals and organizations. I hold a Masters of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering, and certificates in Big Data Analytics and Managing Organizational Change.

Katherine Johnston builds on her experience in 50+ countries as a leader, consultant, ICF coach & author in global contexts. Known for her practical approach, an engaging manner, building high trust environments, and providing tangible results. She thrives on partnering with L&D professionals to create leadership programs, talent strategies & competency frameworks. She facilitates in an inclusive manner and finds great joy in seeing individuals flourish in their roles. Katherine has an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management (now part of ASU). She is the co-author of 2 books about leadership and a third to be published in 2025.

Vanessa Bragg is a ICF Certified Professional Coach and a HR Consultant. Her career spans across diverse leadership roles, notably HR and L&D where she has designed and implemented leadership programs, numerous organizational development initiatives and competency frameworks from emerging to executive leadership. Vanessa can navigate organizational challenges, providing holistic support that aligns individual leadership and team development with overarching business objectives. With a knack for seamless facilitation, she guides discussions, nurturing an environment conducive to growth and sustainable outcomes. Whether coaching leaders, presenting or consulting, her aim is consistent: empowering potential and fostering change.

Michelle Chambers is an award-winning organization development consultant, leadership and team coach with over 30 years of experience transforming organizations through people. As the Chief People, Culture & Strategy Officer with Teams Matter/Chambers & Associates, her work measurably contributes to organizational performance. Michelle has worked with global leaders and top employers like RBC, TELUS, Pfizer, and Johnson Controls, helping teams drive performance, culture, and engagement. She brings deep expertise in systems thinking, change leadership, and organizational learning—and holds multiple credentials, including CTDP, PCC, and CHRL. Michelle is a published author, frequent media contributor, and recognized speaker at conferences including I4PL, HRPA, Coaching.com, ICF, ODN and the Conference Board of Canada. She was awarded the ICF Prism Award for and was a finalist for the Global Change Leader Award. Passionate about learning and change, Michelle equips leaders and teams to unlock potential and achieve sustainable results.

Nitin Deckha (he/him) holds a PhD in Anthropology from Rice University and is a Certified Training Development Professional (CTDP). He designs and facilitates learning programs on leadership development, intercultural competence, and the future of work for local, national, and international audiences. With 15+ years of experience in postsecondary education and professional training, Nitin has taught at the University of Toronto, McMaster University, University of Guelph-Humber, and Hochschule Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. A versatile educator, Nitin equips leaders with the skills to collaborate, navigate complexity, and drive change. He is based in Toronto, Canada.

Dr. Amanda Piche is an Instructional Designer at Manulife on the Sales Enablement Learning and Development team. Before joining the world of insurance, she was an Instructional Designer in Edtech and a post-secondary educator. Having picked up improv as a hobby a few years ago, she's excited to now share how it can be incorporated as part of larger training programs.

Sammy Jakubowicz brings over two decades of diverse experience to the L&D field, with experience leading training initiatives for industry sectors spanning retail to IT, telecommunications, manufacturing, and the legal profession. A passionate advocate for effective learning, Sammy holds a PhD in Philosophy and a CTDP designation. With a proven track record of designing and delivering effective training programs, Sammy is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations reach their full potential. He brings a unique perspective to learning, blending academic rigor with practical application to create engaging and results-driven experiences.

Katie Duarte is the Founder of Action Potential Solutions, a company dedicated to helping organizations improve their effectiveness and success by optimizing feedback. With a master's degree in Organizational Psychology and a research background in feedback dynamics, she brings insights to help organizations make impactful improvements to feedback. Taking a systems approach to her work, Katie also holds two professional designations: one in training and development (CTDP), and one in organization development (ODCP), acknowledging that truly effective feedback requires a cooperative effort between the environment (policies and procedures), the feedback giver, and the feedback receiver.

With over 15 years in Learning & Development, Shuky(Sukran) has worked across diverse industries to design, deliver, and optimize training programs that drive performance. Her personal journey into well-being—mindfulness, physical wellness, and emotional balance—has shaped her approach to teaching. Shuky now focuses on helping well-being professionals refine their delivery and create learning experiences that inspire lasting change. Shuky believes that learning is not just about transferring knowledge; it's about creating an environment where learners feel inspired, supported, and capable of achieving real, lasting change. By integrating well-being practices into L&D programs, Shuky helps professionals design programs that not only engage but empower learners to thrive. She combines her personal journey with her expertise to guide others in creating meaningful, impactful learning experiences that foster resilience and growth.

Garima Gupta is the Founder & CEO of Artha Learning Inc., an award-winning learning design firm. With 20+ years in L&D, education, and tech, she is a recognized leader in creatively integrating AI into learning. Garima holds an MEd in Adult Education and CTDP designation, serves on multiple advisory boards, and regularly speaks at global conferences on AI in L&D, instructional design, and impactful digital learning.