Preconference Primer Learn what to expect from the GBA Plus Conference, how the conference will be run, what you will learn, how to ask questions, how to get involved and more.

Speakers coming soon.

Land Acknowledgement: To ground the day of learning in an acknowledgement and to honour the Indigenous lands which we are gathered on; to remember the historical oppression Indigenous communities have and continue to experience in this country, and to commit to continuous learning and action to advance equality.

Speakers:

Dr. Michael Lickers

Dr. Michael Lickers is a well-known Mohawk educator from Six Nations of the Grand River.

Michael is a Senior Advisor of Indigenous Relations for Suncor Energy. Founder and past Executive Director of the Ghost River Rediscovery program, Michael has over 30 years of experience in leadership, cultural outdoor education, community development and youth leadership development. Michael is well recognized for his knowledge and work with Indigenous peoples in Canada and internationally, he is continuously engaged in presentations, training seminars and conferences.

Michael holds a Master’s in Leadership and Training (MALT) and a Doctor of Social Sciences (D.Soc.Sci.) from Royal Roads University with a focus on Indigenous Youth Leadership Development. Michael is author of “Urban Aboriginal Leadership: The Delicate Dance Between Two Worlds,” and has published several articles on Indigenous epistemology, Indigenous youth leadership, international youth programs, non-profit management, community development and Indigenous methodology.

Michael currently teaches at Royal Roads University in the School of Leadership (MAL) and Interdisciplinary Studies (Global Indigenous Ways of Knowing), serves as the Indigenous Scholar in Residence and is currently assisting in the development of the MA in Climate Action Leadership in the School of Environment and Sustainability. Michael has previously taught courses at the University of Calgary (Werklund School of Education and International Indigenous Studies: Indigenous Knowledge Land Based Course) and St. Mary’s University (Introduction to Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Ways of Knowing – Cultural field course).

Michael brings a unique combination of rigorous professionalism, wide program development, including International teaching and work, outdoor education, cultural education and leadership experience, grounded in traditional cultural teachings.

To set the stage for the two days of GBA Plus unlearning and learning. To build a foundation for the GBA Plus Conference rooted in the urgency and importance of intersectional GBA Plus work. To clearly demonstrate why GBA Plus matters or should matter to all.

Birgit Umaigba – Keynote Speaker

Birgit Umaigba is an award-winning Registered Nurse and health equity activist who is committed to creating an anti-racist healthcare system. Her advocacy work has blazed a trail of positive change and she is a sought-after consultant and speaker on healthcare, leadership, mental health, DEI and anti-racism, and anti-oppressive pedagogy. With a remarkable career spanning diverse domains, Umaigba brings a unique lens to every conversation as she inspires audiences to ignite change, challenge norms, and build a future based on fairness and equity.

To equip participants with tools and methods for gathering qualitative and lived experience data and stories using creative, trauma-informed approaches, and innovative methods of analysis.

Speakers:

Lionel Migrino

Lionel Migrino is a recognized community leader and advocate for inclusion. He holds a Bachelor of Management degree from the University of Lethbridge, with a major in Human Resources and Labour Relations. Lionel is currently employed at Pembina Pipeline, where he contributes to Employee Services and leads the charge in the Accessibility space.

Drawing from his personal experience as a Filipinx-Canadian living with cerebral palsy, Lionel is a passionate advocate for accessibility, diversity, inclusivity, equity, and justice. He is an eloquent speaker on social issues including mental health, disability justice, and racism. Lionel has facilitated anti-racism and decolonization training, as well as disability and accessibility workshops in both non-profit and corporate environments.

In addition to his advocacy work, Lionel is passionate about photography and storytelling. He uses these talents to amplify his own voice and to give a platform to those who are often unheard. He has been involved in several community storytelling projects, including Kwento’t Litrato, CBC Kapitbahay, Disability Pride Project, DEAM collaboration with CBC, and Hiraya.

Lionel’s mission goes beyond raising awareness of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA); he is committed to inspiring action and facilitating change.

Jilian Leblanc

Jillian LeBlanc (she/her/elle) is a feminist policy specialist who is studying at SOAS University in her Masters in Gender and Law in London, UK.  Previous to her studies she worked at the Government of Canada where she managed teams and files with a focus on Gender Based Analysis Plus. She has worked on a number of successful equity initiatives within the Government of Canada such as the Employment Social Development Canada’s Black Centric Lens, Government Lead for the Dr. Robert Bondar Career Development Program and the co-creation of the Guide to Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and Inclusive Open Government. Jillian has also served as a consultant and/or subject matter expert for international organizations such as the OECD developing a case study on Greece and the Green Transition, the Parliamentary Center on their Inclusive Legislatures program and with SOAS university to champion Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Lorelei Higgins

Lorelei Higgins is a Métis Canadian Cultural Mediator, a Rotary Peace Fellow and Positive Peace Activator as well as a Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Program alumna.

She has worked on community-based projects locally and internationally with government agencies, non-government organizations and the business sector. These projects have centred on peace and conflict transformation, Indigenous matters and the elevation of female voices in leadership. Lorelei has worked across the globe in communities in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

Lorelei is the Community Lead for the City of Calgary’s Anti-Racism Program and is working to advance The City of Calgary’s commitments to Truth and Reconciliation.

Lorelei has an MBA, with a specialization in leadership, and she facilitates asset-based community development sessions utilizing an appreciative inquiry lens. Lorelei is also a consultant with Mediators Beyond Borders International.

Lorelei is passionate about creating bold, open spaces for building peace through cross-cultural learning and the establishment and nurturing of enduring, positive relationships. As Mrs Canada 2021 and a Women in Need Foundation Ambassador, Lorelei is leading efforts to increase female leadership in peacebuilding efforts locally and globally.

She is often found adventuring around the world with her family.

To provide a concrete understanding of intersectional data gathering and analysis leading practices, including quantitative intersectional analysis. This session will equip participants with tangible tools and methods for innovative and inclusive data gathering.

Speakers:

Jean-François Roy (he/him)- Unit Head | 2SLGBTQ+ Research and Expertise, Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistic, Statistics Canada | Government of Canada

Jean-François Roy is the Unit Head of the 2SLGBTQ+ research and expertise team at Statistics Canada. Jean-François previously worked at Women and Gender Equality Canada where he developed expertise on research related to gender-based violence. His academic background is in sociology and population health.

Angie Rajani, she/her/hers – Digital Accessibility Program Advisor at the Canadian Human Rights Commission

Angie Rajani is currently a Digital Accessibility Program Advisor to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, where she has led inclusive consultations informing an enterprise-wide strategy for improving accessibility and inclusive design for policies, programs and services offered at the commission. She is a woman of colour, first generation Canadian, and a person who lives with neurodiversity and disability. In her previous roles, Angie has served as an Inclusive Design Strategist at organizations like the TTC, Canada Post, and CIBC, where she has led a series of workshops on inclusive leadership for senior management, developed an organizational strategy for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which included establishing best practices for organizational transformation and communicating DEI. She has also led community consultations engaging people with disabilities for digital and enterprise transformation. Engaging with stakeholders and strategizing for inclusive change is where Angie leverages the GBA Plus framework. Angie holds an Honours Bachelors Degree from the University of Toronto specializing in linguistics with minors in religion and Spanish, as well as a Masters in Religion and South Asian studies. Her education has been the foundation for an interdisciplinary approach to DEI and employing GBA plus in her career. When Angie is not working or consulting, she is a volunteer tutor at Literal Change.

Heather Collier – Lead Strategist, CEC

Heather is an experienced policy professional, who has spent her career tackling some of society’s most wicked problems.

As a Lead Strategist, Heather will support organizations in developing policies, programs, and plans to support systemic change to ensure more authentic and purposeful relationships. She leads engagements, facilitated discussions, and qualitative research to help organizations find their unique path toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion.

With nearly two decades of experience in a government setting, Heather has lead major policy files and engagements on key issues relating to poverty, human rights, economic development, and cross-jurisdictional negotiations. Heather is well-versed in the principles and practice of GBA+ analysis and in navigating complex bureaucracies and supporting them through periods of transition. Her speciality is helping drive organizations to the root causes of a problem and creating concrete solutions to address complex challenges.

Heather holds a BA and MA in Political Science from the Universities of Calgary and Alberta, with a focus on gender-based Canadian policy development. When not working, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, weightlifting, and is always up for trying new activities – this year she learned to ski and highland dance!

To debrief key takeaways and learnings from day one.

To match conference participants in small group networking sessions to build community, learn from each other, and participate in creative problem-solving on common GBA Plus challenges in a supportive environment.

To kick-off the second day of learning with an inspiring presentation on the power and impact of GBA Plus.

Speaker:

Leanne Gawley – Keynote Speakers

Leanne Gawley is a neurodivergent serial student who loves to bake and experience culture. She is the founder of Leanne Gawley Executive Coaching, an internationally experienced finance professional, and the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Shell Canada Limited.

Prior to joining Shell, Leanne worked internationally in Madagascar, where she met her husband and became a bonus mum to two wonderful now teenage boys. In addition, she obtained her CPA in 2011, completed her MBA in 2015, and became a Certified Professional Executive Coach and an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation in 2020. She is married to Donald and a mum to their two young children, who are now 8 and 4.

Her true passion is for people – further to her coaching business and leading within the Shell Canada Organization, she is passionate about Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, even more so after being alongside her husband’s immigration journey from Madagascar to Canada.

To discuss the common challenge of how to evaluate, monitor and report on GBA Plus outcomes. This session will provide participants with key performance indicators (KPIs), evaluation and monitoring strategies, and methods to effectively communicate impact while generating buy-in.

Denise Gareau, She, Her, Elle, Director, Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) Unit, Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) Canada

Proud civil servant with nearly 30 years’ experience working in diverse economic and social public policy fields. Over the past decade, Denise has led on several horizontal and whole-of-government strategies, and in 2019 became the Government of Canada lead for GBA Plus. Denise is a bold advocate for GBA Plus because of the valuable insights it generates for better and more responsive government programs and policies. When public policy practitioners hone their GBA Plus competency, they have a powerful tool at their disposal to change cultures and tackle discrimination. With capacity for GBA Plus in all governmental organization and across diverse sectors of society, people can effect change within their individual context and collectively to dismantle the systems and structures that create/perpetuate inequalities.

Anjum Sultana, Plan Canada

Anjum Sultana (She/Her) is an award-winning public affairs strategist, sought-after media commentator, accomplished public speaker, and published health equity researcher with expertise in gender equity, public health, youth engagement and civic engagement. 
 
Anjum is the Inaugural Director of Youth Leadership & Policy Advocacy at Plan International Canada, a global development and humanitarian organization focused on children’s rights and equality for girls. Anjum leads Team PLAY (Policy, Leadership, Advocacy, and Youth), a group of 15+ passionate change-makers, youth programming specialists, and policy advocates. The team works with young people across Canada to activate their global citizenship and unlock their leadership as well as engages in advocacy to influence Canadian and global decision-makers such as parliamentarians, UN agencies, and multilateral institutions. 
 
Previously, Anjum served as the National Director of Public Policy, Advocacy, & Strategic Communications at YWCA Canada, the country’s largest and oldest gender equity organization. In her role, Anjum has authored several policy reports including ‘A Feminist Economic Recovery Plan for Canada’ and ‘Preventing a Lockdown Generation in Canada’. 
 
Anjum is a well-respected thought leader whose commentary has been featured in print, TV, radio, and digital platforms including CBC, CityTv, CTV, Public Policy Forum, and UN Women. Anjum is an internationally recognized expert in public policy and has delivered keynotes across Canada and globally. 
 
Anjum is a Board Director for Regent Park Community Health Centre and Toronto Environmental Alliance and is an Advisor for the Public Good Initiative at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Progress Toronto, and for the Privy Council Office of the Government of Canada. 
 
Anjum holds a Master of Public Health from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and a Certificate in Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School. 

Dr. Jackie Steele

Dr. Jackie F. Steele is a trilingual political scientist, author and international speaker who has taught at leading universities in Canada and Japan, including six years as associate professor at the University of Tokyo. She has published over thirty academic works, is a long-time collaborator of the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, and is an advisor to UN conferences focused on gender equality, diversity, and disaster/crisis risk governance. As founder and CEO of enjoi Japan K.K. Dr. Steele has guided corporate leaders on diversity and equity for innovation (DEI) as a holistic and evidence-based business strategy. For her work on DEI in Japan, she was selected by APAC Entrepreneur as one of the “Most Inspiring Japanese Entrepreneurs 2021”. Between April 2022-2023, she served as Senior DEI Business Partner for Amazon Japan G.K. In her volunteer life, Dr. Steele serves as President of FEW Japan supporting women’s empowerment, and is a director of the Pride Business Alliance Japan. To support the next generation of intersectional diversity leaders, she is an angel investor with SheEO Canada, and is the Strategic Advisor of WomEnpowered International hosted at GRaSPP (UTokyo). 

To equip participants with effective case studies and outcomes of successful GBA Plus projects in order to ‘make the case’ for GBA Plus sustainability; as well as to share lessons learned along the way. This session also aims to outline how to effectively introduce and roll-out GBA Plus to an organization while ensuring its sustainability in the long-run.

Speakers:

Christopher Khaalid Scipio

Christopher Khaalid Scipio (he/him) is a federal public servant and presently the Inaugural Deputy Director of Black Executives Network (BEN/REN) Secretariat. Previously he was the Senior Gender-Based Analysis Plus Policy Advisor and Team Lead at the Department of National Defence. Christopher specializes in Black inclusion, anti-racism, and gender-based analysis plus. He is active in collective efforts to dismantle systems that oppress individuals and groups due to their identity factors.

Since joining the federal public service in 2010, Christopher has worked primarily in strategic policy on a wide range of files including: change management, justice and security, talent development, digital government, and performance reporting. Christopher has a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from Saint Paul University (Ottawa) and has received numerous awards for his contributions to create a more inclusive and equitable public service.

Outside of his day job, Christopher is a father and a past volunteer with Family Services Ottawa, the Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment, Ottawa Community Immigration Settlement Organization and is presently a board member for the Institute of Public Administration of Canada-National Capital Region, the Great Canadian Theatre Company, and the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce.

Social Media:

Twitter https://twitter.com/ScipioCk

Medium – https://medium.com/@ScipioCk

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-scipio-bbaa1a76/

Nicholas La Monaca National Manager, Fleet Foresight and Integration, Operations Branch, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard

Sofie Grahn

Sophie (She/Her) is the Director of Intersectional Analysis in the Gender Equity Office (GEO) at the Ministry of Finance, BC.

Sofie is currently responsible for the provincial GBA+ revitalization plan and also supports the government commitment to address gaps in health care services experienced by women, trans, and non-binary people. She has worked in policy and field services within the social and education sectors of the BC government. Sofie is on the organizing team of the 2SLGBTQIA+ employee resource group (ERG) in the BC Public Service and frequently provides strategic and program advice on diversity, equity and inclusion.   

To debrief key takeaways and learnings from both days of the conference.