Previous Speakers

Her recent work explores feminist and decolonial approaches to care and the professionalization of nursing. She has led and collaborated on research funded by SSHRC and provincial agencies, published in journals such as Nursing Ethics and PLOS Global Public Health, and contributed to public discourse through media and policy forums. She is recognized for bridging research, practice, and policy to advance sustainable and socially just health systems.

As the CHRO for SE Health, one of Canada’s largest not-for-profit social enterprises, Matt has the privilege of providing leadership that supports and enables 8000+ dedicated care practitioners across Canada, to provide the best care, impact lives, and bring hope and happiness to millions of people through more than 25,000 daily interactions. 

Dr. Velji is currently the Chief of Nursing & Professional Practice and Assistant Deputy Minister for the Province of Ontario. She has held senior leadership positions in several Academic Health Science Centres and has operated a successful consulting company. Dr. Velji is a sought-after consultant for system level projects and has led external reviews of several organizations. She is a surveyor with Health Standards Organization/Accreditation Canada.

Dr. Velji’s responsibilities extend to provincial and national leadership. She has held the roles of Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Accreditation Canada, member of the Board of Directors of Health Standards Organization (2012-2018), United Way Campaign Chair for London Middlesex (2016), and as President and Chair of the Board of Directors of Canadian Nurses Association (2014-2016).

Dr. Velji has cross-appointments to the University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, University of Ontario Tech University and Nippissing University. She has won several outstanding achievement awards including the Sigma Theta Tau Excellence in Administration award, University of Toronto Distinguished Alumni award, Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) Margaret Comack Award of Excellence in Nursing Leadership, and the Award of Excellence in Teaching (student nominated) from the Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto. She has been profiled in the boundless banner campaign as an outstanding alumnus of the University of Toronto.

At the system/global level, Dr. Velji is a consultant to global sites, including East Africa, the Middle East and Asia, for development of policy, credentialing, training, and academic plans.

A dynamic speaker, skilled facilitator, and Associate Certified Coach, she is frequently called upon to address topics related to executive recruitment, talent development, and inclusive leadership. Ryna also serves as a course developer and instructor for York University’s groundbreaking Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Action Certificate program and as a faculty member of Schulich ExecEd.

An active community member, she serves on the AESC North American Diversity Leadership Council and as Board Director for Kinark Child and Family Services. Her global perspective, shaped by living on four continents, informs her approach to cultivating diverse leadership and building high-performing teams.

Prior to joining CAMH, Myfanwy worked extensively in Labour Relations in large organizations including CN Railway, the Toronto Star, and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Myfanwy is a Labour and Employment Lawyer by training, and holds the Certified Human Resources Professional designation. She is also a committed volunteer in the community, having served on the Boards of Directors of Fred Victor Centre and Dixon Hall.

At KDH, Frank leads with vision, strategy, and focus, enabling and empowering KDH’s high performing teams. He has an unwavering commitment to building strong collaborative relationships in the community and region.

Frank is very active at local, regional and provincial tables. Provincially, he served as Co-Chair of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA)’s Small, Rural & Northern Hospital Network and as a member of the OHA’s ED Strategy Advisory Group bringing advice and guidance to Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health.
Frank has a Master’s degree in Health Services Administration from Dalhousie University and a Master’s degree in Communication Management from McMaster University and Syracuse University, and has completed his Certificate of Management Excellence from Harvard Business School.

Prior to his work at Greenshield, he was the Executive Medical Officer at Inner City Health Associates in Toronto, one of the largest community clinical organizations in Canada. He is a Board Member of AMS Healthcare, focused on AI and technology adoption in the healthcare sector, a member of the Innovation Advisory Committee of HealthcareCAN, and was an inaugural National Health Fellow at McMaster University. Dr. Bond continues to practice as a primary care physician and is a faculty member of the Department of Family and Community Medecine at the Temerty Faculty of Medecine, University of Toronto.

Originally from Winnipeg, Dr. Bond completed his undergraduate training at Queen’s University, his MD from the University of Ottawa, postgraduate specialty training in Family Medicine at the University of Toronto and a Master of Health Administration from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the Universities of Saskatchewan and Regina, and a Master of Business Administration at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

As Chief Nurse Executive, Annette will be working with nurses and leaders to understand and implement strategies to support and advance nursing locally, provincially, and nationally. Annette’s almost 24-year nursing and health care career includes practice experience in maternal-newborn care and acute and primary care settings in Nova Scotia and northern Canada, as a lecturer and clinical instructor in the Dalhousie University School of Nursing and School of Health Sciences and in progressive leadership roles in Nova Scotia and the Atlantic.

Annette was Vice President, Clinical Care & Chief Nurse Executive at IWK Health prior to being seconded to the Department of Health and Wellness, leading the development and implementation of the provincial health workforce strategy. Prior to this, she held leadership roles with Indigenous Services Canada. First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Atlantic Region and was with a provincial program providing practice support and education in community and regional hospitals in Nova Scotia. Annette is a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Nursing, holds a Master of Nursing and PhD in Nursing from Dalhousie University and is an adjunct faculty member in the Dalhousie University School of Nursing. Annette believes collaboration and connection are key for practice, organizational and system change and she is committed to designing and supporting systems of health and social care focused on the talent and expertise of teams to meet individual, family and community health needs grounded in quality care, equity, and social justice.

Annette lives in Hammonds Plains with her partner, Chris, and their daughter, Georgia.

Lauren has led highly sensitive investigations and workplace assessments across the healthcare sector and broader public service, including matters involving workplace violence, sexual harassment, systemic discrimination, and leadership misconduct. She is particularly known for her ability to manage environments where workplace issues intersect with public accountability, reputational risk, and employee well-being—realities that healthcare leaders navigate every day.

Beyond investigations, Lauren has designed and delivered advanced HR and leadership training for thousands of professionals, including individualized sensitivity coaching, executive training, and organization-wide culture initiatives. Her work has included developing respectful-engagement training for team members and leaders, sexual harassment training for emergency services, and inclusivity training in politically charged environments—all grounded in psychological safety, trauma-informed practice, and practical HR solutions.

Lauren is a trusted educator and thought leader in workplace mental health law and investigations. She developed and co-chairs the Osgoode Professional Development Certificate in Workplace Mental Health Law and chairs or facilitates multiple advanced investigation programs for HR professionals and legal practitioners across Canada. She is also the author of Powerful Employment Policies and a frequent contributor to national media and professional publications on HR law and workplace culture. She is also a former board member and past vice chair of the Canadian Mental Health Association Peel Dufferin.

Laurie served as Director of Investigations and the Accreditation programs for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the province’s medical regulator. Laurie led a large, multidisciplinary team that managed thousands of investigations involving complex clinical and professional issues. She also oversaw the Out of Hospital Premises Inspection Program which is responsible for the inspection and accreditation of medical and surgical clinics in communities across the province.

Earlier in her career, she developed and managed a death investigation triage system for the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario, further strengthening her expertise in high-risk, high-accountability environments.

Drawing on deep public-sector leadership experience, Laurie now supports healthcare organizations through workplace investigations, culture assessments, leadership coaching, and training. Her work focuses on team health, integrity, and sustainable performance, particularly during periods of organizational stress, conflict, or change. She is also a co-developer of a comprehensive three-day program designed to help healthcare professionals identify and course correct boundary and ethical transgressions.

Before joining SickKids, Lara held numerous healthcare positions in the community. She was instrumental in directing the nursing strategy for the Homeless Outreach Pilot Project in the Region of Peel and enhancing neonatal nursing care through Toronto Public Health. She has also had international experiences at the American University of Beirut.

Lara, who speaks five languages, has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration, and a Leadership Certificate from the University of Toronto. She is also a cross-appointed faculty at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg, Faculty of Nursing at UofT, as well as preceptor to graduate students from various healthcare and business programs. She has been involved in fundraising for many years, and is the Founder of the Emma-Rose Fund, which provides financial assistance to families of children with MPS Diseases. Lara continues to participate in many groups and association by serving as chair, member, or advisor on healthcare, educational, and governmental boards.

Lara has been invited to speak at different local and international forums on numerous topics, including international healthcare education, leadership, and public-private partnerships. In her own words, Lara confirms “I am blessed to have a personal and professional life full of global cultural experiences, and I hope to continue on this journey as long as I possibly can”.

I believe in bridging the gap between practice and theory. That is why, in addition to my corporate work, I serve as an adjunct professor at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business. I am also pursuing my doctorate, where I am researching the impacts of impostor syndrome and confidence within healthcare leadership.

With a passion for innovative and inclusive service delivery, Steven creates an environment to engage individuals in the provision of high-quality compassionate care to the most vulnerable.  Steven’s career has included leadership in addictions and mental health, developmental services, primary and community care, academic health sciences and medical policy arenas. With a passion for sustainable change management and creating opportunities through disruptive innovation, Steven is well known for challenging the status quo.

Steven sits as the Chair of AdvantAge Ontario, and co-chairs the Refugee 500+ task force of Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB) where he also sits as a Strategic Advisor on international recruitment in the healthcare arena.  As a CEO and systems leader, Steven also takes the opportunity to be a change maker and systems disrupter to address staffing needs in an HHR challenged environment.

In particular, Lara formerly worked as a Director for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and was instrumental in pioneering the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), Canada’s approach to refugee labour mobility.

In his role, Michael oversees the registration program that ensures applicants meet nursing entry-to-practice requirements and he leads the teams responsible for customer experience and frontline regulatory support.

Michael is committed to modernizing services and strengthening public trust in nursing regulation through innovation and continuous improvement in Ontario’s evolving nursing registration landscape.

Before joining CNO, Michael worked with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) for more than 30 years in progressive leadership roles where he strengthened operational effectiveness and customer service and directed service modernization initiatives.

During her 12-year tenure, Brittany held a variety of roles, all focused on the goal of better mental health for everyone, including forensic research, addictions assessment, managing the Work, Stress and Health Program (OSI), and Manager of Strategic Partnerships within Business Development.

Brittany led several national and international large-scale partnerships with public and private organizations to build and enhance workplace wellness and psychological safety. Brittany is NOVA and TEND certified, and has led the development of Debriefing protocols and Empathic Strain/Secondary Traumatic Stress training, with specialized expertise in collaborating with first responder groups as a former volunteer firefighter.

Since relocating back home to the Maritimes in 2021, Brittany has led the creation of healthy workplace and psychological health and safety initiatives within Horizon Health Network, continuing her efforts to support mental health and foster psychologically safe workplaces.