The Communities Moving Beyond Crisis Summit will bring together brands and experts with a mutual interest in finding ways to come out the other side of the crisis stronger and better connected.

Join us as we present experts who’ll share their thoughts on how to emerge from the worst of the pandemic with more influence, larger networks and proven ways to remain at the center of one’s communities.

Speakers and Panelists Include:

Keynotes

Tonya Surman, Founder and CEO at Centre for Social Innovation
Sherwin Modeste, Executive Director, Pride Toronto

Panel Discussion – Communication in a Post-Crisis Society

Dr. Geoff Soloway, Founder at MindWell-U
Janice Sutherland, Founder and CEO at This Woman Can
Melissa Horne, PhD, Director, Client Experience at Dialectic and Host of Just One Q podcast

Panel Recording – Discussion moderated by Jenny Okonkwo, Founder, Black Female Accountants Network: “Future of Virtual vs Office” with:

Unstoppable Tracy Schmitt, International Speaker, Best Selling Author, TV & Podcast Host, Decorated Athlete
Paul McIntyre Royston, CEO, Grand River Hospital Foundation,
Coko Galore, Artistic & Managing Director at Bad Dog Theatre Company
Kristi Herold, CEO, JAM and Sport & Social Group

As professionals in the US, Canada, the EU and elsewhere begin to get through the worst of the pandemic, what does a post-crisis workforce look like? What will be the expectations of leaders and employees in terms of the ways we work and how we collaborate? Will the office be a more inclusive place? How can leaders reintegrate and support a demoralized and stressed workforce? What will corporate communications look like on the go forward? How will the ongoing safety checks restrict the ways we can work? Hear from a panel of experts on what they predict for a workforce forever-changed by the pandemic.

What You’ll Learn

Discover how the pandemic changed how corporate brands connect and engage with customers and employees
Hear how mindfulness can be used by HR and leaders to address mental health issues, help build mental agility, and better respond to stress and anxiety associated with the lasting effects of the crisis
Get the panelists’ take on what we’ve learned about ourselves and our businesses since Q1 of 2020
Understand how your employee-repatriation and hiring efforts can be managed in ways that meet DEI best-practices
Hear thoughts on the best ways to move forward with workforce planning that retain the best bits of Work-From-Home (WFH) with the ‘necessities’ of bringing large swathes of employees back together
Get deeper insights into the reasons why many leaders are pushing for their employees to return to the office

Who Should Attend?

This event will be particularly relevant for people in these fields:

Leaders of companies and not for profit organizations
HR and Recruiters
Wellness
Professional Speakers
Associations
Business Coaches
Marketing/Communications
Anyone interested in growing communities in engaging ways

About Our Speakers and Panelists

Tonya Surman, Founder and CEO at Centre for Social Innovation

Tonya Surman is one of Canada’s leading social entrepreneurs. Her clients: people and planet. Her superpowers: visionary ideas that inspire, models that harness collaboration, and spaces that accelerate systemic change.

When the timing was right, Tonya led the charge to unite social innovators with the creation of Social Innovation Canada – a national network that supports people, organizations and systems to solve problems better. Tonya is now dedicated to proving that the Next Economy is possible by building regenerative and equitable business models that put people and planet first.

Tonya is the recipient of numerous awards: the Ashoka Foundation, the Trillium Foundation and Socialight Canada are among the many organizations that have recognized her leadership and contributions. A vibrant speaker and a trusted advisor, she is often tapped by civil society organizations and government for advisory and committee positions.

Dr. Geoff Soloway, Founder at MindWell-U

Dr. Geoff Soloway has been working in the area of health promotion, mindfulness and wellbeing for almost 20 years. Geoff completed a PhD on Mindfulness at the University of Toronto, as well as a Master’s of Education on Holistic Education.

Geoff has worked as an Instructor at University of Toronto and University of British Columbia (UBC) and as a consultant offering mindfulness-based workshops and programs for professionals in the workplace. Geoff received a certificate in Organizational Coaching for UBC.

Janice Sutherland, Founder and CEO at This Woman Can

Janice Sutherland is an award-winning women’s leadership expert and founder of This Woman Can an online community for professional women.

She provides coaching and training specializing in helping women and organizations build leadership skills through Executive Mentorship, Leadership Training and Executive Team Facilitation for both corporate executives and entrepreneurs globally.

She is a sought after keynote presenter for corporate and nonprofit environments and speaks on issues relating to leadership, women’s advancement, professional success and work/life alignment. For more details, visit www.janicesutherland.com

Melissa Horne, PhD, Director, Client Experience at Dialectic and Host of Just One Q podcast

Melissa holds a PhD in Black History from Rutgers University. Specializing in the history of social justice movements, Melissa’s research focuses on the historic systems of racism and oppression within historically black universities and colleges and the ways in which students and faculty have organized movements to subvert and challenge these systems.

Melissa parlays her expertise by helping clients develop targeted and strategic social justice education campaigns, influencing the policies that affect people of colour, and the LGBTQ+ community.