TEDxRyersonUWomen | Speakers

Gwen Elliot
Host

Gwen Elliot is a recent graduate of Ryerson’s Radio and Television program.

Upon graduating, Gwen found herself where many Millennials do: moving back home with the parents while trying to find that elusive ‘dream job.’ While trying to find it, she studied hundreds of successful people to find out how they started their big careers. And so Gwen’s obsession with what it takes to ‘start’ was born. She shares her research on a blog, which evolved into a website, and eventually a television show which she created and hosts on Rogers TV Toronto called, ‘Start Something Big!’

Along the way she’s interned in Series Development at MTV in Santa Monica, CA, worked behind the scenes for Project Runway Canada, Canadian Idol, the Gemini Awards, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight etc., and on-air hosting segments for MuchMusic, VJiam.tv, Toronto Fashion Week, and RUtv (Ryerson’s Television network) before coming to Rogers TV. Gwen’s vision for Start Something Big! is to expand the concept into a global platform to encourage people to take action today to work on their dreams.

Julia Hanigsberg
Moderator

Julia Hanigsberg was appointed Vice President, Administration and Finance effective October 1, 2010. Prior to that she was General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Governors of Ryerson University from 2006-2010. For the 2008-09 academic year she was also the Interim Dean of the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. Her previous positions include roles with the Ontario government as Counsel and Special Advisor to the Secretary of Cabinet, Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General and Counsel in the Policy Division of the Ministry of the Attorney General. She was Chief of Staff to the Attorney General of Ontario from 2003 to 2005. Immediately prior to her appointment to Ryerson University, Hanigsberg was Visiting Professor of Law and Government at Osgoode Hall Law School.

A lawyer by training, Julia is a Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Business and Audit Committee of the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, a member of the boards of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Centre for Diversity, a member of the DiverseCity Champion Council, a member of the Steering Committee of the Greater Toronto Civic Action Alliance, a member of the Leadership Committee of Legal Leaders for Diversity, a member of the McGill Law Journal advisory committee, and a member of the Dean’s advisory council of the McGill University Faculty of Law.

Annette Verschuren

Annette M. Verschuren served as the President of Home Depot Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Home Depot Inc. from March 1996 to January 31, 2011. During her leadership the store growth in Canada went from 19 to 180 stores. Annette also headed the entry into China as President of the Asia Divison of The Home Depot Inc from September 2006. She served as President of EXPO Design Center of The Home Depot Inc., from February 2003 to October 2005. Ms. Verschuren was Vice President, Corporate Development of Imasco Ltd. (Canadian holding company) from March 1996 to February 2003. Annette was President & Co-owner of Michael’s of Canada (arts & crafts stores) from 1993 to 1996, leading that company’s entry and growth in this country.

A native of North Sydney, Nova Scotia. Annette is the Chair of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference 2012 and is on the Board of Liberty Mutual, Habitat for Humanity, Icynene and the Conference Board of Canada.

Ms. Verschuren has been honoured with Canada 125 Medal, a Doctorate from Mount Saint Vincent University and a Doctor of Laws (LL.D) from St. Francis Xavier University and holds Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish , Nova Scotia.

Kristyn Wong-Tam

Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam has an extensive career investing in the City of Toronto through both the public and private sectors. Her contributions have led to the development and support of numerous social planning programs, business ventures, art endeavours and successful community initiatives.

As a tireless community advocate, Councillor Wong-Tam has a distinguished track record of human rights advocacy and was a co-founder of Asian Canadians For Equal Marriage, and the past president of the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter that successfully lobbied the federal government for the head tax apology and redress.

Prior to being elected to City Council in 2010, Councillor Wong-Tam was an accomplished real estate professional and supporter of the arts. As a founding member of the Church-Wellesley Village Business Improvement Association, her business advocacy and entrepreneurship focusing on urban economic development, earned her a seat on the Mayor David Miller’s Economic Competitiveness Advisory Committee which produced the Agenda for Prosperity in 2008.

Councillor Wong-Tam continues to be a champion for sustainable living and environmental health and plays a vital role in ensuring the vibrancy of our city and its economic and social development.

Nam Kiwanuka

During the mid-80s, Nam Kiwanuka and her family fled Uganda’s civil war and lived in a Kenyan refugee camp before moving to Canada. After moving out on her own at the age of 16, Nam went on to graduate with a Journalism degree from Ryerson University. As a MuchMusic VJ and Host for Sportsnet, Nam interviewed Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Cameron Diaz, Michael Jordan, Britney Spears and she co-hosted the annual music award show, the MMVA’s. Nam has worked with Sportsnet, BET, ET Canada, NBATV, CNN and has appeared on CBC Television & the BBC. She’s traveled to Mali to tell the stories of FGM survivors and has volunteered in Sierra Leone with Journalists for Human Rights.

Nam has been an Ambassador for MalariaBites, a Canadian Red Cross campaign. She’s documented the lives of those living in IDP camps in Northern Uganda and has been published in the Toronto Star, Chart magazine and Jane. Nam has been featured in Maclean’s magazine, Sway, Flare and was named a ‘Woman to Watch’ by Chatelaine Magazine in 2008. Nam was awarded with a UMAC award for ‘Best Media Personality’ and was on the cover of Planet Africa Magazine in May 2010. In August 2008, she produced a TV pilot called ‘This Is Africa’, a show that celebrates the faces and places of Africa. She’s in the process of securing a broadcaster. Nam recently became a mother with the birth of her first child, a son named Eli. She currently writes a column for the BBC’s Focus on Africa Magazine and she’s a Contributor to the Hot Topics Panel Chat on the Marilyn Denis Show on CTV.

Valerie Fox

Valerie Fox is the Director of Ryerson’s Digital Media Zone. She was responsible for its development and opening in April of 2010. As Ryerson’s Director of Innovative Technology Solutions, Fox was the natural selection for overseeing the DMZ’s inception.

With more than 25 years of experience in the creative industry, Fox is an active advocate of the user experience. She has worked with technology in the university sector, for industry and for consumers. Her roles have varied from business development, to creative direction and user experience for various digital technologies including digital media (3-D virtual experiences, video production and animation), portal, e-Commerce, e-Marketing, e-Learning, Kiosk, mobile applications for museums, live events, public, retail and financial institutions.

Fox’s experience in facilitating organizational change, coaching, project management, innovation, communication strategy, user experience and creativity was the perfect fit for her initial role at Ryerson University: facilitating student engagement. She has carried these skills over to her role at the DMZ where she is principally responsible for making industry and institutional connections to bring partnerships and collaboration to the DMZ.

Before joining Ryerson University, Valerie Fox was the National Practice Lead of User Experience Design for IBM Canada. Her mission was to ensure customers were aware that IBM was not only a technology leader, but also a leader in award-winning, innovative design and successful in cross-channel user experience practices, based on user-centered design methodology. Prior to that, she made a name for herself as the Creative Director for the Official Sydney Olympics website.

Fox is a professional coach and an inventor herself, holding multiple patents. Her achievements include: Patent awarded for “Universal Shopping Cart” concept (one of IBM top 5% patents)

Tracy Leparulo

Tracy Leparulo is a 4th year Business Management student, majoring in Marketing Management and Entrepreneurship. It is her second term as President of Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Ryerson. She is an executive of the Ryerson Entrepreneurship Institute, the only student representative on the Ryerson Digital Media Zone Steering Committee, and on the planning committee for the Ryerson Athletic Centre at the Gardens (Maple Leaf Gardens). She was selected as a Forward 50 student as part of the Ted Rogers Leadership Center, and is leading the Careers and Development and Employment Partnership Referendum in the Ted Rogers School of Management. Tracy actively works with and advocates for the autism community, in addition to starting several entrepreneurial ventures.

Maya Mboup

Maya Mboup is a 4th year Business Technology Management student. She is currently finishing her term as President of AIESEC Ryerson. An avid parliamentary debater, Maya placed top 3 at JDC Central’s Parliamentary Debate Competition in 2010 and 2011 and was a Keynote Panel Speaker at the UN-HABITAT World Urban Youth Assembly in Rio de Janeiro Brazil in 2010. Maya strongly believes in the power of mentoring seen in her current role as a Residence Advisor and previous role as an Academic Link in Ryerson Residence. She has received the Brian Muscat Student Leader Award and Marion Creery Residence and Campus Life Award from Ryerson University Student Housing Services, as well as the Marion Creery Student Leadership Award from Ryerson University’s Vice Provost of Students. This December, Maya will be travelling to Kenya and Senegal on a humanitarian mission as Miss Africa Canada in hopes of communicating with youth on key issues relevant to the African continent, as well as promoti ng gender empowerment to young girls.

During her trip, she will also be working with Initiatives A Plus, an international nonprofit organization she founded in 2008, which assists students globally in making professional connections through a global mentoring program. Maya aspires to be an active catalyst towards the proactive use of technology to combat various economic development issues.

Daphne Bennett

Daphne Bennett brings over 20 years of experience in the area of human relationships and creating learning environments for personal and professional transformation. Her studies at The Centre for Right Relationships & The Leadership Circle have been paramount in her development as leader and entrepreneur. A consummate leader and catalyst for promoting awareness of self and others, Daphne believes that we have the ability to affect change in our work places and the world. She has worked with numerous organizations, leaders and teams who believe in the possibility of tapping into their own potential and experience transformation in all the areas of their life.