5 hours 40 mins
Wellbeing Summit Canada is bringing together senior HR leaders from some of the country’s top organizations to share in-depth knowledge, develop new strategies, and take the next steps in building healthier, happier workforces. Join us for a day full of keynote presentations, panel discussions, and case studies on essential topics like fostering mental and physical wellness, managing stress, avoiding burnout, adapting to change, and building employees’ sense of security and belonging. Now’s the time to take a step back and see how you can build a better, more supportive work environment that helps your employees thrive. Register today and be part of this essential discussion on wellbeing in the workplace.
Learn about holistic wellbeing strategies that can make a difference in your organization and improve your workforce engagement
Harness mindfulness and psychology to improve mental wellbeing, boost productivity, and create a better workforce culture
Find out how you can integrate wellness into the workplace and maximize the benefits and uptake of benefits and services
Vice President HR
CloudMD
Vice President HR
CloudMD
I recently CloudMD as the Vice-President and Head of Human Resources. As part of the Executive Leadership team, I lead the HR function and help drive the People & Culture goals & priorities for the organization. Prior to CloudMD, I worked at Bank of Montreal for 25+ years in customer service & sales leadership roles (MasterCard contact centre division), business project management at Moneris Solutions, and strategic planning as Chief of Staff to BMO’s Personal & Commercial Banking President & CEO. Roles in HR including Head of HR for the Personal & Commercial Headquarters teams, Corporate Finance Division, and HR Program leadership for Digital Acceleration and Agile Transformation capabilities.
Most recently, I worked for Rogers Communications, leading the HR team supporting the Connected Home (Residential) business, Customer Contact Centre teams, and leading the People & Culture work-stream for the Rogers-Shaw Acquisition.
I graduated with an MBA from Dalhousie University, received my fellowship from the Institute of Canadian Bankers.
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness
LCBO
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness
LCBO
A Masters prepared Neuroscientist, with over 15 years of experience in the fields of Health Promotion, Harm Reduction, and Mental Health and Addictions, Lilian has supported a number of organizations in developing workplace programs, and initiatives that foster a healthy, safe, and inclusive workplace culture.
With prior experience leading large transformational culture change efforts at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), and most recently as the Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness at the LCBO; Lilian brings thoughtful and collaborative approaches to fostering measurable improvements that support holistic wellbeing, safety, and inclusion while driving operational outcomes.
Founder & CEO
RK Empathy
Founder & CEO
RK Empathy
Payal, an organizational psychologist, and former clinical therapist elevates leadership through the lens of empathy and emotional intelligence. She helps organizations and leadership recognize how emotional intelligence transforms a culture of innovation and creates customer experiences through creating a psychologically safe culture that puts its people first.
Through her 15+ years of experience as a former clinical therapist and global leadership consultant for fortune 500 companies, she teaches her 3 pillars of leadership that help leaders transform emotional intelligence from an abstract thought to a tangible experience that directly impacts the growth of their company and the community they serve.
Chief Medical Officer
Air Canada
Chief Medical Officer
Air Canada
Dr. Jim Chung is Air Canada’s Chief Medical Officer. In this role since 2014, he has oversight for both employee and passenger medical regulations and pilot medical certification. He is also responsible for the corporate disability management program and the corporate wellness program, Unlock the Best in You (UBY).
Dr. Chung is a graduate of the faculty of medicine at the University of Toronto and completed his undergraduate studies at McMaster University.
He served in the Canadian Forces in various medical officer roles while stationed at CFB Petawawa including a deployment to Bosnia on Canada’s NATO SFOR mission and to Turkey with Canada’s Disaster Assistance Response Team, in response to a major earthquake in 1999.
Dr. Chung attained his flight surgeon training through the Canadian Forces and received his master’s degree in Aviation Medicine and a post-graduate diploma in Occupational Medicine with Otago University.
Dr. Chung also completed his emergency medicine training and certification with the University of Toronto following his service with the Canadian Forces, practising as an emergency medicine physician in Toronto prior to joining Air Canada in 2009 and assuming the role of Chief Medical Officer with the airline in 2014.
Principal, Vice President, Wellness & Disability Innovation and Growth
Cowan Insurance Group
Principal, Vice President, Wellness & Disability Innovation and Growth
Cowan Insurance Group
As Principal, Vice President Wellness & Disability Innovation and Growth, Lianne is accountable for the strategic priorities, initiatives, innovation and growth of our Return to Health® wellness and disability practice. Joining Cowan in 2015 as a senior benefits consultant, and later moving into the role of Practice Lead, VP Wellness & Disability Operations, Lianne’s passion for wellness and devotion towards clients’ needs has made her an exceptional mentor to her colleagues and contributed significantly to the success of our wellness and disability practice.
In Lianne’s current role, she works closely with our Wellness & Disability operations to ensure practices and product offerings align with the increasing complexities of workplace health and disability. In addition to her role in Business Development, Lianne continues to use her extensive industry knowledge in wellness and disability to help organizations identify their organizational health risks and develop targeted wellness, stay-at-work, and disability program initiatives that reduce absenteeism rates and costs, and improve overall employee health.
With over25years of group benefits, disability, wellness, and absence experience in a variety of roles, Lianne was a recipient of the2018 Well-Being 100™Award, recognized by the Corporate Health and Wellness Association (CWHA) for delivery of exceptional innovation and positive change. She has also been involved with the Economic Round table for Mental Health, and a speaker at industry events.
Lianne holds both a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Education degree, and her MHCC Mental Health First Aid certificate. She has also completed the Certified Excellence Professional Program in Quality and Healthy Workplaces.
Director, Global Wellness and Benefit Strategy
OMERS
Director, Global Wellness and Benefit Strategy
OMERS
Leigh-Ann is the Director, Global Wellness and Benefits Strategy at OMERS/Oxford. The well-being mandate, under Leigh-Ann’s accountability, is a key element in creating a rewarding employee experience as part of the OMERS/Oxford People Strategy. Leigh-Ann is responsible for the development and execution of the newly launched 2025 Global Wellness Strategy, as well as delivery of an enhanced benefits strategy. Leigh-Ann has more than 18 years of experience in the health and productivity field working with employers from all sectors and various industries. She has developed organizational health and wellness strategies with populations ranging from 100 to more than 80,000 lives. Leigh-Ann specializes in the transformation of organizations’ approach to managing health from a treatment model to a prevention model. She has been successful in helping employers build healthy work cultures by developing strategies to contain/prevent absence and illness. Leigh-Ann holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Western Ontario. She also earned a Graduate diploma in workplace wellness and health promotion from Centennial College. Prior to joining OMERS/Oxford, Leigh-Ann has held roles with Mercer Canada, Sun Life Financial, Vale Canada Ltd., the Government of Ontario and the Canadian Cancer Society.
Sr. Vice President of Growth and Partnerships
Headversity
Sr. Vice President of Growth and Partnerships
Headversity
Jason is the Sr. Vice President of Growth and Partnerships with headversity, and spent the past 14 years at the forefront of the health-tech space with his previous post as Director of International Partnerships and Strategic Alliances within the Virgin Group. He is also a MacKay CEO Forum speaker, tech investor, and, in a past life, a professional Baseball player. Described as a creative connector, health-tech fanatic, rad dad (of three daughters) and curious George, he’s built a career off failing forward and effective collaboration; internally and externally. He lives and works by the mantra’s “you’re here, so be here”, “be a student” and, “have fun”, which have served him well.
Host, Your Next Job
CBS
Host, Your Next Job
CBS
Steven Greenberg is the CBS news radio host of Your Next Job, the only daily national feature devoted to the labor market. He has been head of HR and general counsel for a global toy manufacturer, founder of his own recruiting firm, temp agency and job board for job seekers over 40. He has been profiled by NBC news and public broadcasting, and he is a featured speaker to job seekers at universities and other groups. He has interviewed the heads of hiring at many of the world’s leading companies and he currently supports the talent management efforts at a Fortune 50 company.
Director, Wellness & Benefits
Starbucks Coffee Canada
Director, Wellness & Benefits
Starbucks Coffee Canada
As director, Wellness & Benefits, Sandra has overall responsibility for wellness (mental/physical/financial/lifestyle), benefits, leave of absence and occupational health & safety for over 25,000 partners (employees) at Starbucks across Canada. She is a resilient leader, who is passionate about partner care, and loves building highly collaborative teams to unlock what is possible.
Sandra’s expertise spans over 25 years, successfully contributing to the growth and transformation of leading retail and restaurant brands. Prior to joining Starbucks in 2013, Sandra had held several senior human resource leadership roles, including Indigo Books & Music and Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Guelph and her CHRL designation.
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Growth
CloudMD
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Growth
CloudMD
Melissa Alvares has over 20 years of experience leading all aspects of marketing including revenue generation, product marketing, brand, marketing technology and operations. Her speciality is driving exponential growth by effectively scaling and equipping marketing teams with the capabilities to capitalize on a clear go-to-market strategy. Melissa has held marketing leadership roles in both the technology and healthcare sector including at MindBeacon, Swift Medical, Sparkrock and Softchoice. She has been named to CDN’s Top 25 Women in IT and is a sought-after speaker on the topics of brand, communication and growth.
Senior Clinical Director
CloudMD
Senior Clinical Director
CloudMD
Dr. Khush Amaria is a Senior Clinical Director at CloudMD (formerly MindBeacon) supporting the provision of therapist-guided digital therapy across Canada and delivery of virtual/in-person therapy through the CBT Associates network of clinics in Toronto. Prior to MindBeacon, Dr. Amaria was a Clinical and Health Psychologist at the Hospital for Sick Children.
In her clinical practice, Dr. Amaria provides treatment for children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of difficulties using a CBT focused approach. Dr. Amaria is also involved in supporting employers, HR leaders and their employees, in meaningful guidance and effective solutions for managing mental health in work settings. As part of her general community outreach, Dr. Amaria is also involved in supporting parents, youth and others on topics related to child and adolescent development and mental health.
Dr. Amaria is a member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario, Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CACBT-ACTCC) and the Ontario Psychological Association. She is credentialed as a CACBT-ACTCC Certified Cognitive Behavioural Therapist.
Assistant Vice President, Wellbeing
Aon Canada
Assistant Vice President, Wellbeing
Aon Canada
Erin is Assistant Vice President, Wellbeing Solutions at Aon Canada, focused on guiding clients along their mental health journey through expert consulting and best in class solutions. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Erin is passionate about supporting organizations in their people focused approach that aims to build a culture of health and resilience, and helps companies sustain even the toughest of times. Her areas of specialty include assessment, strategic planning, leadership practices and alignment with the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety.
Director, Total Rewards
Hootsuite
Director, Total Rewards
Hootsuite
Paul Dhillon is the Director of Total Rewards for Hootsuite and responsible for leading a team to deliver the compensation, sales compensation, equity compensation, benefits, savings plan, global mobility, wellness, rewards and recognition programs in 11 countries. With over 15 years of total rewards experience in private and public companies Paul has a passion for total rewards and ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion, non traditional solutions and agility are at the forefront of the future of total rewards. Paul holds a BBA from Simon Fraser University, a CPHR and CCP designation holder. In his spare time, Paul enjoys travel, hiking, golf, volleyball and discussing the meaning of life.
Founder & Chief Mindfulness Officer
Kairos
Founder & Chief Mindfulness Officer
Kairos
Ariadne began her career as a documentary producer with Bill Kurtis for the History Channel, A&E, and Discovery networks, before she followed her curiosity towards meditation training in 2008. She’s been teaching and developing her mindfulness model at the intersection of well-being and creative thinking for well over a decade. Her diverse background of training includes 700 instructor training hours in self-awakening methodology, a 3-month immersion in non-dual meditation, and extensive MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) course work. She lived in Costa Rica teaching at a renowned meditation institute for 6 years before returning to the US. In 2016, she founded Kairos, a transformation partner for innovative organizations. She speaks on mindfulness at corporate events, and she regularly facilitates mindfulness training at high-performing organizations including Google, Walsh Construction, University of Chicago Medicine& Biological Sciences, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group.
Head, Group Insurance
RBC Insurance
Head, Group Insurance
RBC Insurance
Julie leads a team with overall responsibility for the product development and strategic direction for RBC Insurance’s Group Benefits business. The team is committed to differentiating RBC Insurance through product and service enhancements that make it easier for our clients to lead a healthy lifestyle, manage their benefits programs, and return to health if faced with a serious medical condition.
Prior to joining RBC Insurance in 2014, Julie spent eight years in Human Resources at RBC, responsible for the design, financial management, and communication of the benefits and wellness programs and the financial education and planning strategy for RBC employees and retirees in Canada.
Before joining RBC in 2006, Julie was practicing as a Doctor of Chiropractic, where as a core part of her patient care, she was an advocate for healthy living, encouraging her patients to make healthy lifestyle choices.
Julie holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster University and a Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.
Assistant General Manager; HR, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
Marriott Hotels Quebec Business Council
Assistant General Manager; HR, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
Marriott Hotels Quebec Business Council
Ms. Grenier is currently the Assistant General Manager at the Marriott Residence Inn Montreal Downtown. During her extensive 24-year career in the hospitality industry, Sonia has held positions in customer service, revenue management, sales and operations.Ms. Grenier oversees the operations of the entire hotel. Shealsosupports the revenue management strategies and acts as both Human Resources manager and Director of Sales and Marketing. She is in charge of hiring and onboarding Marriott associates on property and is the direct contact for all third party company services and employees. Ms. Grenier ensures all Marriott standards and LSOP are followed by both hotel associatesand third party employees. As AGM, she currently manages a team of around 100 individuals.Ms. Grenier has been with the Marriott Residence Inn Montreal Downtown since 2011. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from UQAM (Université du Québec à Montreal). Her mother tongue is French; she is fluent in English and completed a B2 level German Class at the Goethe Institute in Montreal.
Managing Director, Global Total Rewards
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Managing Director, Global Total Rewards
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Lisa Morrow is a global HR leader with extensive experience developing and implementing comprehensive total rewards programs. In her role at Ontario Teachers’, she oversees the strategic integration of our leading compensation, performance, wellbeing, benefits, retirement and mobility programs that set the organization apart as an employer of choice.
Lisa is motivated by a strong desire to deliver an exceptional employee experience and ensure that Ontario Teachers’ continues to attract and retain top talent. She holds a double major from the University Western Ontario in Actuarial Science and Mathematics.
Partner
Lighthouse NINE Group
Partner
Lighthouse NINE Group
Greg Smith heads the firm’s Leadership Development and Coaching practice. He also serves clients in the areas of Change Management, Strategy and Alignment, Organizational Design, Culture, Engagement and High Performing Teams.
Greg is a senior business leader who has thrived in challenging business environments for more than 25 years, achieving results that are in line with the required strategic and cultural transformation. His multiple industry experience and expertise in strategy formation, organizational design, talent development and culture building combined with his HR expertise makes him an excellent Trusted Advisor.
As a senior leader at Porter Airlines, Campbell Soup, Marriott and Wolseley, Greg was known as a leader who committed to breakthrough performance and innovation with a pragmatic business focus. His passion for people and his strong creative ability resulted in significant advancement in team member engagement and connectivity in both the profit and non-profit sectors.
Greg has served on numerous boards and councils including the Daily Bread Food Bank, the Food Processors HR Council and co-chair of Matthew House Refugee Settlement Center board
Greg has a proven track record of improving organizational performance through people while challenging conventional thinking. This mindset and experience are very consistent with Lighthouse NINE’s multi-disciplinary approach and his focus on alignment & collaboration fits perfectly with our mission.
Mental Health Disability Specialist
Manulife
Mental Health Disability Specialist
Manulife
Adelaine Thomas is a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario. She joined Manulife in 2009 and is currently a Mental Health Specialist in Group Life and Disability. In her role as Mental Health Specialist, Adelaine coaches Disability Case Managers and guides the application of best practice standards. She also leads innovations in mental health disability management.
Adelaine’s training and career focus has been on the psychosocial and vocational impact of disabilities and chronic illness. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology with a specialization in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of British Columbia. She is also an alumnus of the York-Seneca Rehabilitation Program, with an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Rehabilitation Services. Adelaine has over 10 years of experience working with a wide range of disabilities in both public and private sectors. In addition to her work at Manulife, she is also in private practice providing individual counselling for a multitude of issues including mood and anxiety disorders.
Partner
Lighthouse NINE Group
Partner
Lighthouse NINE Group
Greg Smith heads the firm’s Leadership Development and Coaching practice. He also serves clients in the areas of Change Management, Strategy and Alignment, Organizational Design, Culture, Engagement and High Performing Teams.
Greg is a senior business leader who has thrived in challenging business environments for more than 25 years, achieving results that are in line with the required strategic and cultural transformation. His multiple industry experience and expertise in strategy formation, organizational design, talent development and culture building combined with his HR expertise makes him an excellent Trusted Advisor.
As a senior leader at Porter Airlines, Campbell Soup, Marriott and Wolseley, Greg was known as a leader who committed to breakthrough performance and innovation with a pragmatic business focus. His passion for people and his strong creative ability resulted in significant advancement in team member engagement and connectivity in both the profit and non-profit sectors.
Greg has served on numerous boards and councils including the Daily Bread Food Bank, the Food Processors HR Council and co-chair of Matthew House Refugee Settlement Center board
Greg has a proven track record of improving organizational performance through people while challenging conventional thinking. This mindset and experience are very consistent with Lighthouse NINE’s multi-disciplinary approach and his focus on alignment & collaboration fits perfectly with our mission.
Vice President HR
CloudMD
Vice President HR
CloudMD
I recently CloudMD as the Vice-President and Head of Human Resources. As part of the Executive Leadership team, I lead the HR function and help drive the People & Culture goals & priorities for the organization. Prior to CloudMD, I worked at Bank of Montreal for 25+ years in customer service & sales leadership roles (MasterCard contact centre division), business project management at Moneris Solutions, and strategic planning as Chief of Staff to BMO’s Personal & Commercial Banking President & CEO. Roles in HR including Head of HR for the Personal & Commercial Headquarters teams, Corporate Finance Division, and HR Program leadership for Digital Acceleration and Agile Transformation capabilities.
Most recently, I worked for Rogers Communications, leading the HR team supporting the Connected Home (Residential) business, Customer Contact Centre teams, and leading the People & Culture work-stream for the Rogers-Shaw Acquisition.
I graduated with an MBA from Dalhousie University, received my fellowship from the Institute of Canadian Bankers.
With many challenges facing employees in today’s workplace and younger generations of workers entering the workforce with increased expectations for support, it is critical for companies to develop comprehensive wellbeing frameworks for employees. This keynote will share detailed insight into the creation and evolution of Air Canada’s workplace wellbeing strategy.
Chief Medical Officer
Air Canada
Chief Medical Officer
Air Canada
Dr. Jim Chung is Air Canada’s Chief Medical Officer. In this role since 2014, he has oversight for both employee and passenger medical regulations and pilot medical certification. He is also responsible for the corporate disability management program and the corporate wellness program, Unlock the Best in You (UBY).
Dr. Chung is a graduate of the faculty of medicine at the University of Toronto and completed his undergraduate studies at McMaster University.
He served in the Canadian Forces in various medical officer roles while stationed at CFB Petawawa including a deployment to Bosnia on Canada’s NATO SFOR mission and to Turkey with Canada’s Disaster Assistance Response Team, in response to a major earthquake in 1999.
Dr. Chung attained his flight surgeon training through the Canadian Forces and received his master’s degree in Aviation Medicine and a post-graduate diploma in Occupational Medicine with Otago University.
Dr. Chung also completed his emergency medicine training and certification with the University of Toronto following his service with the Canadian Forces, practising as an emergency medicine physician in Toronto prior to joining Air Canada in 2009 and assuming the role of Chief Medical Officer with the airline in 2014.
Employee wellness has taken top priority as stressors like inflation, layoffs and never-ending viruses are all leading to increased stress in the workplace. All HR needs to do is implement wellness initiatives and provide these resources to employees, right? Not so fast. Employers have continued to make significant investments in workforce wellness benefits and programs, yet there is a disconnect in the employee’s view. A recent Gallup Poll found fewer than one in four employees feel strongly that their organization cares about their wellbeing—the lowest percentage in nearly a decade. Even with a solid wellness program in place, employees aren’t always using wellness benefits when they truly need them. If employees aren’t utilizing the resources they need, how can HR help to push them in the right direction without overstepping boundaries? It starts with understanding their perceptions, developing inclusive programs and then radically changing how you are communicating them.
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Growth
CloudMD
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Growth
CloudMD
Melissa Alvares has over 20 years of experience leading all aspects of marketing including revenue generation, product marketing, brand, marketing technology and operations. Her speciality is driving exponential growth by effectively scaling and equipping marketing teams with the capabilities to capitalize on a clear go-to-market strategy. Melissa has held marketing leadership roles in both the technology and healthcare sector including at MindBeacon, Swift Medical, Sparkrock and Softchoice. She has been named to CDN’s Top 25 Women in IT and is a sought-after speaker on the topics of brand, communication and growth.
With ever-increasing numbers of employees suffering from stress and burnout leading to decreased productivity, absence and/or disability, Internet-delivered and therapist-assisted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) has proven to be an effective tool to build organizational resilience, treat mental health conditions and help employees return to work sooner. This session will share detailed outcome data on how iCBT can make a measurable difference in the lives of your people.
Mental Health Disability Specialist
Manulife
Mental Health Disability Specialist
Manulife
Adelaine Thomas is a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario. She joined Manulife in 2009 and is currently a Mental Health Specialist in Group Life and Disability. In her role as Mental Health Specialist, Adelaine coaches Disability Case Managers and guides the application of best practice standards. She also leads innovations in mental health disability management.
Adelaine’s training and career focus has been on the psychosocial and vocational impact of disabilities and chronic illness. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology with a specialization in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of British Columbia. She is also an alumnus of the York-Seneca Rehabilitation Program, with an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Rehabilitation Services. Adelaine has over 10 years of experience working with a wide range of disabilities in both public and private sectors. In addition to her work at Manulife, she is also in private practice providing individual counselling for a multitude of issues including mood and anxiety disorders.
In order to promote wellbeing in organizations, leaders need to “put their mask on first” and ensure that they are leading by example when it comes to mental and physical health.This session will examine how to make your leadership team a catalyst for workplace wellbeing to ensure psychological safety and a healthy work environment.
Sr. Vice President of Growth and Partnerships
Headversity
Sr. Vice President of Growth and Partnerships
Headversity
Jason is the Sr. Vice President of Growth and Partnerships with headversity, and spent the past 14 years at the forefront of the health-tech space with his previous post as Director of International Partnerships and Strategic Alliances within the Virgin Group. He is also a MacKay CEO Forum speaker, tech investor, and, in a past life, a professional Baseball player. Described as a creative connector, health-tech fanatic, rad dad (of three daughters) and curious George, he’s built a career off failing forward and effective collaboration; internally and externally. He lives and works by the mantra’s “you’re here, so be here”, “be a student” and, “have fun”, which have served him well.
Director, Global Wellness and Benefit Strategy
OMERS
Director, Global Wellness and Benefit Strategy
OMERS
Leigh-Ann is the Director, Global Wellness and Benefits Strategy at OMERS/Oxford. The well-being mandate, under Leigh-Ann’s accountability, is a key element in creating a rewarding employee experience as part of the OMERS/Oxford People Strategy. Leigh-Ann is responsible for the development and execution of the newly launched 2025 Global Wellness Strategy, as well as delivery of an enhanced benefits strategy. Leigh-Ann has more than 18 years of experience in the health and productivity field working with employers from all sectors and various industries. She has developed organizational health and wellness strategies with populations ranging from 100 to more than 80,000 lives. Leigh-Ann specializes in the transformation of organizations’ approach to managing health from a treatment model to a prevention model. She has been successful in helping employers build healthy work cultures by developing strategies to contain/prevent absence and illness. Leigh-Ann holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Western Ontario. She also earned a Graduate diploma in workplace wellness and health promotion from Centennial College. Prior to joining OMERS/Oxford, Leigh-Ann has held roles with Mercer Canada, Sun Life Financial, Vale Canada Ltd., the Government of Ontario and the Canadian Cancer Society.
Financial problems can be one of the biggest causes of stress and can have a significant impact on stress levels and overall well-being. Supporting employees’ financial wellbeing is one of the best ways to create a sense of security and belonging, and companies need to ensure that they can deliver this support to remain competitive. This session will look at how employers can develop a financial wellness program and measure its success to identify areas for improvement.
Partner Director, Human Insights and HCM Strategic Advisory Group
UKG
Partner Director, Human Insights and HCM Strategic Advisory Group
UKG
As a partner director for human insights and human capital
management (HCM) strategy consultant group for UKG Incorporated, Teresa
Smith advises business leaders and their leadership teams on how to better
maximize people-centric strategies to achieve long-term success. With deep
expertise in change management processes and business innovation, Smith is
an advocate for the unmatched value of an empowered workforce, and helps
organizations more effectively attract prospective employees, engage
existing employees, and holistically develop and manage an exceptional employee experience.
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness
LCBO
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness
LCBO
A master prepared Neuroscientist, with over 15 years of experience in the fields of Health Promotion, Harm Reduction, and Mental Health and Addictions, Lilian has supported a number of organizations in developing workplace programs, and initiatives that foster a healthy, safe, and inclusive workplace culture.
With prior experience leading large transformational culture change efforts at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), and most recently as the Senior Director, of Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness at the LCBO; Lilian brings thoughtful and collaborative approaches to fostering measurable improvements that support holistic wellbeing, safety, and inclusion while driving operational outcomes.
Hybrid workplaces, advancing technology, and an always-on work culture are having a profound impact on employees. The factors can combine to contribute to a feeling of isolation, leading to a real and growing problem that affects both individuals and organizations. This session will address these issues and help integrate practical solutions to develop a culture where employees feel valued and benefit from a sense of belonging and purpose.
Founder & CEO
RK Empathy
Founder & CEO
RK Empathy
Payal, an organizational psychologist, and former clinical therapist elevates leadership through the lens of empathy and emotional intelligence. She helps organizations and leadership recognize how emotional intelligence transforms a culture of innovation and creates customer experiences through creating a psychologically safe culture that puts its people first.
Through her 15+ years of experience as a former clinical therapist and global leadership consultant for fortune 500 companies, she teaches her 3 pillars of leadership that help leaders transform emotional intelligence from an abstract thought to a tangible experience that directly impacts the growth of their company and the community they serve.
Workers in today’s environment require a modern approach to wellbeing to help them overcome a variety of challenges and reach their full potential. And leading companies are realizing that building resilience takes more than a particular program or perk. When organizations embrace an approach that supports the whole person experience, their efforts in building employee resilience are more successful. The panel will examine different insights and approaches that companies can take to help employees not only weather change but navigate it effectively.
Host, Your Next Job
CBS
Host, Your Next Job
CBS
Steven Greenberg is the CBS news radio host of Your Next Job, the only daily national feature devoted to the labor market. He has been head of HR and general counsel for a global toy manufacturer, founder of his own recruiting firm, temp agency and job board for job seekers over 40. He has been profiled by NBC news and public broadcasting, and he is a featured speaker to job seekers at universities and other groups. He has interviewed the heads of hiring at many of the world’s leading companies and he currently supports the talent management efforts at a Fortune 50 company.
Principal, Vice President, Wellness & Disability Innovation and Growth
Cowan Insurance Group
Principal, Vice President, Wellness & Disability Innovation and Growth
Cowan Insurance Group
As Principal, Vice President Wellness & Disability Innovation and Growth, Lianne is accountable for the strategic priorities, initiatives, innovation and growth of our Return to Health® wellness and disability practice. Joining Cowan in 2015 as a senior benefits consultant, and later moving into the role of Practice Lead, VP Wellness & Disability Operations, Lianne’s passion for wellness and devotion towards clients’ needs has made her an exceptional mentor to her colleagues and contributed significantly to the success of our wellness and disability practice.
In Lianne’s current role, she works closely with our Wellness & Disability operations to ensure practices and product offerings align with the increasing complexities of workplace health and disability. In addition to her role in Business Development, Lianne continues to use her extensive industry knowledge in wellness and disability to help organizations identify their organizational health risks and develop targeted wellness, stay-at-work, and disability program initiatives that reduce absenteeism rates and costs, and improve overall employee health.
With over25years of group benefits, disability, wellness, and absence experience in a variety of roles, Lianne was a recipient of the2018 Well-Being 100™Award, recognized by the Corporate Health and Wellness Association (CWHA) for delivery of exceptional innovation and positive change. She has also been involved with the Economic Round table for Mental Health, and a speaker at industry events.
Lianne holds both a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Education degree, and her MHCC Mental Health First Aid certificate. She has also completed the Certified Excellence Professional Program in Quality and Healthy Workplaces.
Assistant General Manager; HR, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
Marriott Hotels Quebec Business Council
Assistant General Manager; HR, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
Marriott Hotels Quebec Business Council
Ms. Grenier is currently the Assistant General Manager at the Marriott Residence Inn Montreal Downtown. During her extensive 24-year career in the hospitality industry, Sonia has held positions in customer service, revenue management, sales and operations.Ms. Grenier oversees the operations of the entire hotel. Shealsosupports the revenue management strategies and acts as both Human Resources manager and Director of Sales and Marketing. She is in charge of hiring and onboarding Marriott associates on property and is the direct contact for all third party company services and employees. Ms. Grenier ensures all Marriott standards and LSOP are followed by both hotel associatesand third party employees. As AGM, she currently manages a team of around 100 individuals.Ms. Grenier has been with the Marriott Residence Inn Montreal Downtown since 2011. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from UQAM (Université du Québec à Montreal). Her mother tongue is French; she is fluent in English and completed a B2 level German Class at the Goethe Institute in Montreal.
Assistant Vice President, Wellbeing
Aon Canada
Assistant Vice President, Wellbeing
Aon Canada
Erin is Assistant Vice President, Wellbeing Solutions at Aon Canada, focused on guiding clients along their mental health journey through expert consulting and best in class solutions. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Erin is passionate about supporting organizations in their people focused approach that aims to build a culture of health and resilience, and helps companies sustain even the toughest of times. Her areas of specialty include assessment, strategic planning, leadership practices and alignment with the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety.
To remain competitive in the job market, it is vital that HR leaders review and update their benefits programs to ensure that they are meeting the needs of their employees and maximizing their investment. This session will examine which benefits and wellbeing offerings can have the most positive impact on your workforce.
Director, Total Rewards
Hootsuite
Director, Total Rewards
Hootsuite
Paul Dhillon is the Director of Total Rewards for Hootsuite and responsible for leading a team to deliver the compensation, sales compensation, equity compensation, benefits, savings plan, global mobility, wellness, rewards and recognition programs in 11 countries. With over 15 years of total rewards experience in private and public companies Paul has a passion for total rewards and ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion, non traditional solutions and agility are at the forefront of the future of total rewards. Paul holds a BBA from Simon Fraser University, a CPHR and CCP designation holder. In his spare time, Paul enjoys travel, hiking, golf, volleyball and discussing the meaning of life.
With the constant flow of information and change that bombards us every day, employees can easily become overwhelmed and succumb to stress. Mindfulness is one of the most powerful workplace tools for employees at all levels to improve work-life balance, avoid burnout, and create their best work. This conversation will cover how to successfully harness the power of mindfulness and some of the measurable benefits that it can deliver including a short mindfulness experience
Founder & Chief Mindfulness Officer
Kairos
Founder & Chief Mindfulness Officer
Kairos
Ariadne began her career as a documentary producer with Bill Kurtis for the History Channel, A&E, and Discovery networks, before she followed her curiosity towards meditation training in 2008. She’s been teaching and developing her mindfulness model at the intersection of well-being and creative thinking for well over a decade. Her diverse background of training includes 700 instructor training hours in self-awakening methodology, a 3-month immersion in non-dual meditation, and extensive MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) course work. She lived in Costa Rica teaching at a renowned meditation institute for 6 years before returning to the US. In 2016, she founded Kairos, a transformation partner for innovative organizations. She speaks on mindfulness at corporate events, and she regularly facilitates mindfulness training at high-performing organizations including Google, Walsh Construction, University of Chicago Medicine& Biological Sciences, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group.
Founder & CEO
RK Empathy
Founder & CEO
RK Empathy
Payal, an organizational psychologist, and former clinical therapist elevates leadership through the lens of empathy and emotional intelligence. She helps organizations and leadership recognize how emotional intelligence transforms a culture of innovation and creates customer experiences through creating a psychologically safe culture that puts its people first.
Through her 15+ years of experience as a former clinical therapist and global leadership consultant for fortune 500 companies, she teaches her 3 pillars of leadership that help leaders transform emotional intelligence from an abstract thought to a tangible experience that directly impacts the growth of their company and the community they serve.
Studies have shown that although a high percentage of workers have access to workplace wellbeing programs, in many cases these programs suffer from low usage and engagement. Many employees cite the fact that they are simply too busy to invest the time required to participate. How can companies encourage uptake and make the most of their investment? This session will look at some of the common obstacles and identify techniques for fully integrating wellbeing into your workplace.
Head, Group Insurance
RBC Insurance
Head, Group Insurance
RBC Insurance
Julie leads a team with overall responsibility for the product development and strategic direction for RBC Insurance’s Group Benefits business. The team is committed to differentiating RBC Insurance through product and service enhancements that make it easier for our clients to lead a healthy lifestyle, manage their benefits programs, and return to health if faced with a serious medical condition.
Prior to joining RBC Insurance in 2014, Julie spent eight years in Human Resources at RBC, responsible for the design, financial management, and communication of the benefits and wellness programs and the financial education and planning strategy for RBC employees and retirees in Canada.
Before joining RBC in 2006, Julie was practicing as a Doctor of Chiropractic, where as a core part of her patient care, she was an advocate for healthy living, encouraging her patients to make healthy lifestyle choices.
Julie holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster University and a Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness
LCBO
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness
LCBO
A Masters prepared Neuroscientist, with over 15 years of experience in the fields of Health Promotion, Harm Reduction, and Mental Health and Addictions, Lilian has supported a number of organizations in developing workplace programs, and initiatives that foster a healthy, safe, and inclusive workplace culture.
With prior experience leading large transformational culture change efforts at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), and most recently as the Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness at the LCBO; Lilian brings thoughtful and collaborative approaches to fostering measurable improvements that support holistic wellbeing, safety, and inclusion while driving operational outcomes.
Director, Wellness & Benefits
Starbucks Coffee Canada
Director, Wellness & Benefits
Starbucks Coffee Canada
As director, Wellness & Benefits, Sandra has overall responsibility for wellness (mental/physical/financial/lifestyle), benefits, leave of absence and occupational health & safety for over 25,000 partners (employees) at Starbucks across Canada. She is a resilient leader, who is passionate about partner care, and loves building highly collaborative teams to unlock what is possible.
Sandra’s expertise spans over 25 years, successfully contributing to the growth and transformation of leading retail and restaurant brands. Prior to joining Starbucks in 2013, Sandra had held several senior human resource leadership roles, including Indigo Books & Music and Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Guelph and her CHRL designation.
Managing Director, Global Total Rewards
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Managing Director, Global Total Rewards
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Lisa Morrow is a global HR leader with extensive experience developing and implementing comprehensive total rewards programs. In her role at Ontario Teachers’, she oversees the strategic integration of our leading compensation, performance, wellbeing, benefits, retirement and mobility programs that set the organization apart as an employer of choice.
Lisa is motivated by a strong desire to deliver an exceptional employee experience and ensure that Ontario Teachers’ continues to attract and retain top talent. She holds a double major from the University Western Ontario in Actuarial Science and Mathematics.
Director of Well-being and Health Services
Telus
Director of Well-being and Health Services
Telus
As Director of Well-being & Health Services at TELUS, Janet Young and her team are passionate advocates for the importance of good health and through their award- winning well-being strategy they’re creating opportunities for team members to become their best selves by enhancing their whole health & well-being, at home and at work and in the community. As the strategy owner, Janet is responsible for the coordination of TELUS’s national fitness centres, EFAP services, absence support (disability management) and proactive well-being related initiatives, all driving true culture evolution.
Prior to joining TELUS, Janet spent 20 years in the consulting/service provider industry advising organizations throughout North America and the globe on the development of comprehensive, high impact wellness strategies. She’s also managed the business development and operations functions for various wellness service providers, including a National carrier.
Partner
Lighthouse NINE Group
Partner
Lighthouse NINE Group
Greg Smith heads the firm’s Leadership Development and Coaching practice. He also serves clients in the areas of Change Management, Strategy and Alignment, Organizational Design, Culture, Engagement and High Performing Teams.
Greg is a senior business leader who has thrived in challenging business environments for more than 25 years, achieving results that are in line with the required strategic and cultural transformation. His multiple industry experience and expertise in strategy formation, organizational design, talent development and culture building combined with his HR expertise makes him an excellent Trusted Advisor.
As a senior leader at Porter Airlines, Campbell Soup, Marriott and Wolseley, Greg was known as a leader who committed to breakthrough performance and innovation with a pragmatic business focus. His passion for people and his strong creative ability resulted in significant advancement in team member engagement and connectivity in both the profit and non-profit sectors.
Greg has served on numerous boards and councils including the Daily Bread Food Bank, the Food Processors HR Council and co-chair of Matthew House Refugee Settlement Center board
Greg has a proven track record of improving organizational performance through people while challenging conventional thinking. This mindset and experience are very consistent with Lighthouse NINE’s multi-disciplinary approach and his focus on alignment & collaboration fits perfectly with our mission.
CloudMD delivers a comprehensive, connected and personalized experience that innovatively delivers fast and direct access to better care. Our whole-person approach places an emphasis on continuity of care across mental, physical and workplace safety. This enables us to deliver superior clinical health outcomes, consistent high satisfaction and measurable business ROI.
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business.
Link to our North America Insight Hub: https://insights-north-america.aon.ca/
Follow Aon on Twitter and LinkedIn. Stay up-to-date by visiting the Aon Newsroom and sign up for News Alerts here.
Headversity is the industry’s first preventative assistance platform (PRE.A.P.), helping organizations integrate proactive, on-the-job mental health and resilience training tools into their company culture. Serving more than 1M employees worldwide in 22+ countries, our mission is to prevent costly behavioral outcomes for organizations by helping their workforce get ahead of adversity.
RBC Insurance® offers a wide range of life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth and reinsurance advice and solutions, as well as creditor and business insurance services to individual, business and group clients. Among the largest Canadian bank-owned insurance organizations, RBC Insurance has approximately 2,900 employees who serve more than five million clients globally.
For businesses to help protect their employees, RBC Insurance offers tailored group benefits plans that include a comprehensive range of group life, disability, health and dental coverage options and flexible features. Through partnerships with industry leaders, we bring innovative value-added services and solutions, second opinion medical and healthcare navigation services, and workplace wellness solutions to our clients.
At UKG™ (Ultimate Kronos Group), Our Purpose Is People. Built from a merger that created one of the world’s largest cloud companies, UKG believes organizations succeed when they focus on their people. As a leading global provider of HCM, payroll, HR service delivery, and workforce management solutions, UKG helps tens of thousands of organizations across geographies and every industry drive better business outcomes, improve HR effectiveness, streamline payroll, and make work a more connected experience for everyone. UKG has earned numerous awards for its culture, products, and services, including consecutive years on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list.
Progyny is the leading fertility and family building benefits solution serving 370+ clients, covering 5.4M lives in 40+ industries. Progyny launched in Canada in 2022, seeing a need for a managed fertility benefit to provide members wraparound care navigation and support, and help employers recruit and retain top talent. Created with diversity, equity, and inclusion in mind, Progyny provides end-to-end reproductive health programs for the entire family building journey and serves self-insured and fully insured clients in the US, Canada and globally.
Our family building services include: clinically integrated member support with robust digital tools (virtual care, app, etc.); the largest network of top providers with ongoing management for quality; equitable and comprehensive plan coverage; male fertility coverage; and targeted programming focused on reducing high-risk journeys throughout the entire family building journey.
Since its founding, Progyny has delivered superior clinical outcomes that exceed national averages and an unparalleled member experience. Progyny completed its initial public offering in 2019 and trades on Nasdaq under the ticker PGNY.
Canadian made, Sprout is a human company, not just a logistical one. Bringing mobility and relocation services to its clients across the country, they are flexible and nimble: supporting real people, the companies they work for, and their families as they settle into a new city, region, or country. Ranging from Program Management, Housing Support, Destination Services, Family Support, Moving Services, Accounting & Financial, Learning & Development & Immigration we support the full spectrum of services companies need. We help our clients and their teams, plant new roots in new markets, serving clients in a variety of different industries including technology, government services, consumer goods, and professional services.
At Virgin Pulse, we empower people to lead healthier lives by engaging them in personal and deeply rewarding experiences. Our world-class engagement stands above the rest — with millions of members returning daily to our programs, partners, coaches, and resources. The result is lasting behavior change, thriving businesses and better humans.
Parking:
Onsite self parking available at a charge of $2 per hour/maximum of $12 per day. Easy subway access just a 2-minute walk from the Old Mill Subway Station.
Preferred Accommodations
Hotel room rates are subject to all applicable taxes and fees. Rooms are subject to availability in each hotel from February 27 to March 2. We recommend that you book as soon as possible or 45 days before the event at the latest.
9 Old Mill Road Toronto, ON M8X 1G5
Book your group rate via by calling line +1 416-232-3703. Quote that you are attending the HRD Wellbeing Summit Canada and use the group name HRD Wellbeing Summit Canada to avail the discounted rate until January 30, 2023.
Room rate: $350 plus tax CAD per room/night
Check in: 3pm Check out: 12pm
Email: [email protected]
Dial-in +1 416-232-3703
5825 Dixie Rd Mississauga, ON L4W 4V7
Book your group rate via by calling line +1 905-670-8180. Quote that you are attending the HRD Wellbeing Summit Canada and use the group name HRD Wellbeing Summit Canada to avail the discounted rate until January 27, 2023.
Room rate: $145 plus tax CAD per room/night
Check in: 3pm Check out: 12pm
Reservation Link: Book your group rate for HRD Wellbeing Summit Canada
Dial-in +1 905-670-8180
560 Evans Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M8W 2W1
Book your group rate via by calling line +1 416-259-7899. Quote that you are attending the HRD Wellbeing Summit to avail the discounted rate until January 27, 2023.
Room rate: $220 CAD per room/night
Check in: 3pm Check out: 11am
Dial-in +1 416-259-7899
Missed this year’s event? Register your interest to participate in the next Wellbeing Summit Canada 2024