Social Impact

 Allison Gibson is based in Toronto and has a track record for creating impact-driven programs and leveraging her entrepreneurial experience to support founders to take scalable business ideas from beta to producing revenue. Allison also provides consulting and program development for purpose-led organizations with a focus on impact, investment readiness and community building. She is passionate about demystifying the world of venture capital and creating pathways to funding for women, BIPOC communities and newcomers. In her spare time, you can find Allison volunteering in her community, supporting the development of food access programs for under-resourced neighbourhoods and napping on the couch with her 2 cats. 

Sebastian's work as Government Relations & Membership Manager at Imagine Canada focuses on improving the health and working environment for thousands of registered charities and nonprofits. His work has successfully influenced federal legislation and CRA regulations affecting charitable partnerships and nonprofit reporting. He led the organization of the inaugural Nonprofit Budget Coalition, with participation from over 50 leading sector organizations, as well as a Leadership Roundtable and Advocacy Day for the sector on Parliament Hill. 

In his free time, Sebastian works with several organizations to push for global anti-poverty and anti-discrimination legislation. He serves on the board of Results Canada, and supports Disability Without Poverty on their National Partners Table. He has volunteered as a mentor for the Enchante Network, Propel Impact Fellows, and summer mentor for the Loran Scholars Foundation. He has served on several delegations for Young Diplomats of Canada, advocating for anti-poverty policies and equal rights. Sebastian is an MPP alumnus of the Max Bell School at McGill University, as well as the University of Ottawa as a Loran Scholar.

Lizz has spent more than a decade with CanadaHelps, Canada’s largest platform for giving, as a key part of its leadership team. 

Since 2022, she has been the Project Lead of Charity Growth Academy, CanadaHelps’ new digital transformation program for smaller charities. Charity Growth Academy gives charities a manageable place to start on their journey to digital transformation, focusing on awareness building, foundational learning and practices, skill building, and understanding the possibilities. It is designed with the operating realities of charities in mind — so the content is relevant and accessible.

In her time at CanadaHelps, she’s had the opportunity to work on some of CanadaHelps’ other impactful, mission-focused projects, including the launch of GivingTuesday Canada, the Crisis Relief Centre, and Unite for Change, as well as telling the stories of small charities through the Giving Life blog and a special small charity documentary series. 

Lizz is especially passionate about the role of smaller charities in the everyday lives of Canadians and the critical services they provide. She has had the opportunity to volunteer with a number of smaller charities and nonprofits, as well as benefit from the work of nonprofits throughout her life.

Hilary Kilgour is a Founding Partner of Audaxa Ventures, advancing social impact by investing in the most promising solutions at the intersection of climate and health. As one of the first funds in Canada focused on advancing social equity and impact, she implements system level strategies that balance growth with sustainability. With over a decade of experience, Hilary's leadership spans Fortune's 100 Fastest-Growing Companies, startups, and global brands. She has served as a speaker and advisor for Google, Virgin Atlantic, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, showcasing her expertise in social innovation. Prior to joining venture, Hilary successfully navigated leadership roles in corporate, philanthropic and government roles where she drove social innovation in inaugural roles to meet the growing needs and visions for change. Hilary serves as a trusted advisor, catalyzing innovation, magnifying impact, and strengthening the innovation ecosystem. Part of Canada’s leading accelerators such as MaRS, ventureLAB, Spring, and Future Capital, she has advised and supported more than 50 ventures in raising more than $32.5M in capital. A frequent keynote speaker and facilitator, Hilary focuses on topics like social innovation, scaling impact, and systems change. A recognized leader, she is committed to developing Canada's top innovators to address critical climate and health challenges while advancing equity. With an MBA in Sustainable Systems from Presidio Graduate School and a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University, where she was an All-Canadian athlete, Hilary combines her experiences with equity with her expertise in business to drive meaningful change. 

Nikki Ball is currently a Manager of Sponsorship and Strategic Partnerships at CIBC. A proud graduate of McMaster University, she was inspired to follow her passion for sports and philanthropy from her time as a competitive athlete and love of volunteering for local charity organizations. Through networking and career exploration she found her fit within the Sponsorship and Community Relationships team at CIBC starting with the TO2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games to now executing high calibre and high profile events with over 160+ community partners. 

She resides in Toronto, Ontario with her pup Willow and enjoys running away to the family cottage to slow things down.

Ramina is the International Advocacy Specialist at UNICEF Canada. She is passionate about building a better world for children and advocates to keep them protected, healthy, educated, and to give them a fair chance at fulfilling their potential.

Ramina brings her extensive experience in public policy, politics, and government relations to advocate for the rights and well-being of children around the world. In addition to experience in the civil service and private sector, she has served in a variety of political roles on Parliament Hill, providing strategic advice, directing legislative and policy agendas and responding to emerging political issues for Members of Parliament. She has helped lead and oversee the development of key pieces of legislation for the Government of Canada.

Ramina holds an M.A. in Global Governance from the Balsillie School of International Affairs at the University of Waterloo, and a B.A. (Hons) in Philosophy and Middle East Studies from the University of Toronto.

A passionate advocate for a plastic pollution-free ocean, Natasha is a dynamic leader in the environmental NGO space. Natasha has a unique skill set that she’s collected from her broad experience ranging from executive level leadership, ecotourism, and business management. 

In her current role as the Executive Director of Mind Your Plastic, Natasha advocates for a plastic pollution-free Canada by creating lasting and impactful relationships and leading the organization’s team of passionate and engaged team members. She is focused on creating collaborative partnerships with like-minded organizations to create a network of change-makers. 

She is a captivating public speaker and loves to share real, collaborative solutions to the plastic pollution crisis. 

Prior to her current role, Natasha has spent many years working in retail management, always going outside of her role to include sustainability and volunteer committees to create positive change and reduce pollution impact. Through her experience at a world-renowned ecotourism facility, she was one person amidst a team that worked on a facility-wide Ban the Bottle project where single-use plastic bottles were eliminated from sale. Natasha has also seen the harmful effects of plastic pollution as a volunteer at a Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, where she provided care to injured marine life. 

Natasha has over 15 years of leading engaged and inspired teams in a wide array of capacities. She is a compassionate, positive and growth-focused resource for any team she leads and always keeps morale high. She has led teams of 20+ direct reports and 100+ volunteers. 

Natasha currently resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her husband, dog and cat. In her spare time, she continues her obsession with ocean conservation as a PADI Advanced Scuba Diver, leading the Board of Directors of a community aquarium, The Back to the Sea Society as the President, and volunteering with the Fishing Gear Coalition of Atlantic Canada.

Cheralyn Chok (she/her) is the Executive Director and co-founder of Propel Impact, a national Canadian non-profit that operates deep experiential learning programs for youth aspiring to work in impact investing and impact consulting. Since the inception of Propel Impact in 2019, she has led the organization to train 400+ youth across Canada, who have directed $775,000 into impact investments and provide technical assistance to 200+ social enterprises, non-profits, and charities. Social and environmental impact have always been core to her work; Cheralyn brings entrepreneurial experience from founding and operating a zero-waste necktie company for seven years (Miley Cyrus bought one in 2015!) and was an early employee at social ventures ChopValue and Awake Labs. She holds a BCom from the University of British Columbia and was named a BCBusiness Top 30 Under 30 in 2022.

Mohamed Huque has spent his entire career advancing social change, from grassroots organizations to global charities. He is the Director, Community Impact at Toronto Foundation, one of the largest community-based funders in Canada. In this work, he mobilizes resources to address the social inequities in the city and beyond. Previously, he was a strategy consultant advising some of the world’s leading NGOs on programs that ranged from supporting micro-enterprises in Afghanistan to establishing agricultural co-operatives in Sudan. As a former charity executive, he helped develop Canada’s first national reading strategy and also led a frontline social service agency supporting low-income communities. At the heart of all his work has been a commitment to justice and equity to ensure those closest to any problem are centred when designing for solutions. He is a past Board Chair at Amnesty International Canada and Ariane de Rothschild Fellow at Cambridge University and presently the Co-Chair of Amnesty International’s Americas Region.

Gwendolyn Moncrieff-Gould is the Director, Public Policy and Engagement, with BGC Canada (formerly the Boys and Girls Clubs). She has nearly a decade of experience advocating in the nonprofit sector, including with Universities Canada, where she led the association's work across a number of files. 

Gwendolyn has prioritized equity and inclusion throughout her career. At BGC Canada, she has been thrilled to work with Clubs to advocate for safe, affordable childcare options for parents, ensuring that women in particular can stay in the workforce. At Universities Canada, she lead work to advance reconciliation across the post-secondary education sector. While in Ottawa, she volunteered with the Ottawa Hospital to draft and implement queer and trans inclusive policies to better serve patients of all backgrounds. She also volunteered with Equal Voice as an inaugural Daughter of the Vote, a program designed to ensure fair gender representation in Canadian politics.

She has also worked in policy development for the MacEachen Institute at Dalhousie University. Her research on reducing racial underrepresentation in legislatures has been cited by the Nova Scotian Commission on Effective Electoral Representation. 

Gwendolyn holds a Combined Honours Degree in Political Science and Contemporary Studies from the University of King’s College, and a Master’s in Political Management from Carleton University. She lives in Toronto, and is grateful to be able to run through the city’s many ravines when she isn’t working.

Natasha E. Feghali is a Stanford Fellow and an award-winning Canadian for her philanthropy in the community and dedication globally. She is a Stanford University Fellow of the Draper Hills School for Democracy and Democratic Rule. She is the recipient of the 40 Under 40 United Way/ Leadership Windsor-Essex Award 2018, the Sovereign Canadian Medal in 2015 and the Odyssey Award University of Windsor 2018. Most recently, the 2023 Finalist for the 100 Inspirational Women Award in Toronto, Canada, by the Universal Women Network.

Eliana is a social impact entrepreneur passionate about neuro inclusion, accessibility, and creating community spaces where people can form deep social ties and feel like they belong. As one of the co-founders of ND-Connect, Eliana is building an intersectional mentorship and peer connections platform for neurodivergent adults to connect with others who share lived experiences and grow with the community. She also co-founded a non-profit, Viability, where she's led organizational development, community programming, and neurodiversity education initiatives. To date, she’s supported 1000+ leaders in making their cultures and processes more accessible, including at organizations like Interac, IBM, McMaster University, and the University of Toronto. She also facilitates weekly non-hierarchical peer programming with neurodivergent young adults. Eliana brings her lived experiences with neurodiversity (ADHD + mental health) when advocating for systems change, and ultimately, hopes to create more spaces where neurodivergent people can live as their authentic selves and thrive. In her personal life, Eliana loves travelling, hiking, art, cooking, and spontaneous adventures that get her dopamine flowing.

Nabil Ali serves as the Chief Operations Officer at IDRF, a pivotal role in which he spearheads the organization's internal operations and its wide-reaching global programs across several continents. With IDRF active in over 40 countries, Nabil collaborates closely with team members to ensure the successful worldwide implementation of projects through local partnerships. He has been instrumental in expanding IDRF’s domestic programs in Canada, which now support over 8,000 youth in more than 100 schools and communities with job readiness training and educational services.

Before his tenure at IDRF, Nabil enhanced his field expertise as a research consultant in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. During his time in East Africa, he led UNICEF's Rapid Education project, evaluating the education infrastructure in over 6,000 schools and showcasing his ability to manage extensive and impactful projects.

Nabil's academic background in International Development Studies from York University and advanced studies at the University of Toronto and Humber College have laid a solid foundation for his career. His journey from a research consultant in East Africa to a chief officer at IDRF exemplifies his dedication to making a tangible difference in the global community through education and sustainable programs.

Anna currently lives in Toronto, Canada after immigrating with her family from Guyana at a young age. She’s the founder of Savouring the Indo-Caribbean, a digital platform that aims to support a thriving Caribbean community through positive representation, dialogue, community collaboration, advocacy and cultural education. She’s a Steering Committee member of the Indo-Caribbean Organizations Network (ICON), an organization aiming to serve the Indo-Caribbean community in unique ways through charitable and philanthropic initiatives such as fundraising, clothing drives and empowerment events. 

Anna Chowthi is the founder of Merge Project Management and Leadership (Merge PM&L), a technology project management consultancy supporting organizational-wide strategic technology initiatives and implementations in the non-profit and entrepreneurship space. She is currently the strategic implementation Project Lead at the Heart and Stroke of Canada driving the implementation of enterprise-wide technology and strategic initiatives, including a portfolio of digital and process optimization initiatives, as well as strategic implementations such as equity, diversity and inclusion action plans. 

She’s a writer and co-author of various books, including “Blooming Through Adversity”, “Two Times Removed: An Anthology of Indo-Caribbean Fiction” and “Two Times Removed 2: An Anthology of Contempory Indo-Carbbean Stories”. She’s the writer at Conscious Womaning, a platform and blog aimed to empower readers towards our highest potential.

For her professional, community and passion work, Anna was a nominee for the 2021 and 2022 Women of Influence RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneurship Award. She’s passionate about intentional leadership and social issues, and has spoken, hosted and facilitated various conversations through various events and programs, such as Conscious Leadership with Women of Project Management (WoPM).

Anna is a lover of food, hiking, travelling and anything that allows her to be creative.

Michael Lecchino is an Italian-Canadian student and dedicated volunteer from Montréal, Québec. Quadrilingual—fluent in English, French, German, and Italian, he studies marketing at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business. Michael's passions extend from designing visual identity systems to exploring the great Canadian outdoors, where he finds joy in snowboarding, hiking, and kayaking. These activities not only reflect his love for nature but also enrich his multifaceted approach to leadership and innovation.

Michael's leadership is anchored in empathy, collaboration, and a commitment to servant leadership, evident in both academic settings and community projects. His international experiences have informed his dedication to creating supportive, mentored environments, making education more inclusive and engaging. Recognized with awards like Quebec’s Lieutenant Governor’s Youth Medal and the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association Meritorious Bursary Award, Michael has demonstrated a profound dedication to his community, academic excellence, and the pursuit of inclusive initiatives.

Driven by a vision to uplift educational communities, Michael fosters environments where innovation, inclusivity, and social responsibility intersect, contributing to societal betterment. His endeavours showcase a relentless pursuit of a more connected, empowered, and diverse educational landscape, embodying the spirit of leadership that shapes a more inclusive and effective future.

Nour Hage, aged twenty-six, leads Civiconnect, a pioneering non-profit focusing on youth empowerment through skills training. His journey blends professional acumen, entrepreneurial drive, and social commitment.

Beginning in 2017, while still in university, Nour founded Datathon, an educational non-profit introducing students to data analytics and AI. Over four years, it grew into the university’s largest academic conference, drawing interest from Canada’s corporate leaders.

In 2021, Nour co-established Civiconnect’s Youth Skills Studio, expanding its reach through partnerships with educational institutions, community centers, and local businesses. Under his guidance, Civiconnect trained 500+ youth and completed 300+ projects for the community.

Nour’s leadership secured multi-million dollar partnerships and grants, driving Civiconnect’s sustainable growth. His innovative initiatives bridge the gap between education and employment, enhancing youth employability.

Committed to personal growth, Nour serves on the boards of three community organizations and engages in volunteer work. His visionary leadership, entrepreneurial drive, and dedication to social impact distinguish him as an emerging leader shaping the future of youth empowerment.

Mariana is a Program Manager at the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, representing Canada's vibrant Ukrainian community, boasting 1.4 million members. Acknowledging the pivotal role of youth leadership, Mariana initiated the Youth Ambassador Program, empowering young Canadians to actively engage in their communities nationwide. 

As a first-generation immigrant, Mariana stands for diversity and inclusion, enriching Canadian society. Committed to community service, she co-founded Ukrainian Youth in Vancouver, supporting immigrant youth integration and resilience. From 2021 to 2022, Mariana led the Ottawa Hub of the Global Shapers Community, spearheading projects aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. She now serves on the board of the Canadian International Council – Ottawa Branch as Programming Director promoting dialogue on Canada’s role in international affairs.

Mariana is passionate about education and contributes to knowledge advancement through research. She is an emerging scholar of the Network for Strategic Analysis – an incubator of Canadian and global expertise on geostrategic events. In 2023, Mariana represented civil society at the inaugural NATO Youth Summit in Washington, D.C., engaging in critical dialogues on democracy, security, and technology.

Hailey is a social impact leader who has dedicated her career to empowering people to see their potential. She has spent a decade leading social service organizations and is passionate about mental health, youth wellness and taking a strength-based approach to community development. Some of her career highlights include founding the Yukon Distress & Support Line, establishing a collective impact strategy for northern disability-serving organizations, creating foundational training for front-line workers in the territories and becoming a thought leader for mental health in the workplace and inclusive hiring. She became the Executive Director of Unsinkable a national mental health charity founded by Olympian Silken Laumann that harnesses the power of storytelling to bridge the gap between those struggling with their mental health and steps to mental wellbeing in 2023. She holds an honours degree in Psychology from Queen's University and a postgraduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from Simon Fraser University. She is a contributing writer to KBI Inspire Magazine, a digital publication focused on youth mental health and a coach for the Fora Network for Change Rise on Boards Program.

A leader in the non-profit sector with almost 10 years of experience in social and climate justice locally and nationally. Sam has a passion for coordinating projects and connecting people with a strong track record in program implementation, project management and financial management. 

She is a graduate of York University's Master of Arts in Socio-Legal Studies in which her research took a critical stance on law and policy. Sam also holds a BA Honours from Carleton University in Law with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. She has a wide range of work and volunteer experience in higher education and non-profit leadership. Since 2014, she has worked on many social justice issues, applying an intersectional lens to fields such as gender equality, campus sexual violence, increased access to mental health supports, youth leadership and sustainable development. She is a co-founder and former board director of Students for Consent Culture Canada, a national non-profit working to end campus sexual violence and promote cultures of consent. 

Currently, Sam is the Executive Director for Kawartha World Issues Centre, an award winning charity focused on connecting global issues to local initiatives in the Nogojiwanong | Peterbrough area. Additionally in 2023, Sam was the interim Executive Director for TRACKS (TRent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledges and Sciences) Youth Program, an organization dedicated to facilitating dynamic, land-based youth programming that braids multiple scientific approaches by centring Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

Roxanne Leduc has spent the last decade building transformational strategies for large and small organizations all over the world. Coming back from Europe where she was leading the international development strategy of a consulting firm that was later acquired by EY, she joined the leading pre-seed/seed investment firm in Canada to raise their $100M fund. In parallel, she joined Canadian Women in VC's board where she still sits, and led the first-ever research on ways to close the gender gap in VC with HEC Montréal. Roxanne launched Cap Inclusive, a consulting firm specializing in helping firms build inclusive operational and investment practices for a more sustainable economy. Cap Inclusive is the BCorp of DEI, being a third-party validation that a firm's practices are equitable and inclusive, making them attractive employers & brands. 

Thomas Simpson is a strategic executive leader with over a decade of experience driving organizational success through adept strategy development, national program operations, and effective leadership of large teams across Canada. Currently serving as Vice President of CNIB Voice and Executive Director of Come to Work at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), Thomas has demonstrated a proven track record of achieving public policy goals, revenue generation, and impactful stakeholder engagement.

Thomas has been instrumental in leading CNIB's largest strategic plan consultation, engaging 13,000 individuals nationwide and contributing to the development of the organization's strategic plan. His efforts have also resulted in raising over $10M for CNIB's signature employment program, Come to Work, through successful government and corporate revenue initiatives. Notably, Thomas oversaw the development of Canada's most accessible payment terminal, facilitating over 4.2 million accessible transactions since its launch.

Throughout his career, Thomas has been influential in shaping legislation with a direct impact on people with disabilities, including the Accessible Canada Act and the Canada Disability Benefit Act. 

Thomas holds an Honours Bachelor of Social Science with a specialization in Political Science and a minor in History from the University of Ottawa. In his spare time, Thomas is the Chair of Lupus Canada, where he works to amplify the needs of people living with lupus through research, advocacy, public awareness and education.

Amanda Bartley is a senior management consultant and human behaviour researcher with over 10 years of progressive leadership expertise in both the private and public sector. She has worked in financial services, global and local public health, biopharma, and consumer packaged goods. Currently, Ms. Bartley is Senior Manager working in Advisory Services at KPMG LLP, specializing in banking engagements across North America in the delivery of data risk, regulatory compliance, and agile change management.

 

As an advisor, Ms. Bartley’s community and civic engagement includes serving as one of the youngest Alumni Governors at the University of Toronto as well as in an advisory capacity on the Constituency Council for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Previously, she served as Vice-President of the Board of Directors of Family Service Toronto. In 2022, she was awarded the Government of Ontario Volunteer Service Award and in 2020, she was recognized as Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch. At KPMG, she also mentors several colleagues across the US and Canada firms.

 

Ms. Bartley received an Honours Bachelor of Science in Economics and Psychology from the University of Toronto.

With over a decade of experience in corporate leadership, I've dedicated my career to enhancing social impact and elevating brand recognition. Through strategic partnerships and innovative initiatives, I've spearheaded successful CSR campaigns with industry leaders like Sun Life, EllisDon, Dream Unlimited, Toronto Community Housing, Brands for Canada, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Football Club, MLSE, Toronto Raptors and Blue Jays. My work has earned recognition on municipal, provincial and federal levels. I've also fostered strong relationships with educational institutions, integrating them into social initiatives for impactful partnerships. My track record speaks to a commitment to excellence and a passion for making a difference in our communities.

Lars is a creative thinker working at the intersection of finance and social change. As the Portfolio Manager for Realize Fund I, Rally Assets’ mandate under the federal government’s Social Finance Fund, Lars is responsible for making private market investments to enable a vibrant Canadian impact investing sector, delivering more socially just and environmentally sustainable outcomes for communities across the country. He brings a decade of experience to this role from both the demand and supply sides of the impact investing market. He has built products raised meaningful capital, and been an investor allocating and deploying capital. Prior to Rally, Lars was most recently an Impact Investment Manager at Vancity, where he managed a diverse portfolio of investments in Canadian impact-focused funds and was an early team member at Vancity Community Investment Bank, where he drove new business relationships across lending and investing functions. 

An active volunteer, Lars has sat on the Canadian Community Economic Development Network’s National Policy Council, the Impact Investment Committee of the Laidlaw Foundation, the Investment Committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Foundation of Eastern Canada and is a former Board Chair of Not Far from the Tree, Toronto’s urban fruit picking project. Lars holds a BA Honours in Environment, Sustainability, and Society and Political Science from Dalhousie University, a Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation from the University of Waterloo, and is a CFA charter holder.