The Diversity Institute is also a research lead for the $300 million Future Skills Centre and the $8.6 million Women Entrepreneurship Hub. Wendy has been recognized with the Harry Jerome Diversity Award, the Bob Marley Award, the Canada-Pakistan Business Council’s Female Professional of the Year, the Metropolis Research Award, the CATA Alliance, Sara Kirke Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and 100 Most Powerful Women by WXN. She has been named a YWCA Woman of Distinction and one of the International Women’s Forum 2020 Women Who Make a Difference, a Woman of Influence and one of the “100 Alumni who shaped the Century” by the University of Toronto. Wendy holds a PhD, an MBA, an MA, and honorary doctorates from Laval and Concordia.

She now supports nonprofits, public, private sector and early-stage entrepreneurs with governance frameworks, board training, executive coaching, recruitment and capacity building.  Trish has served on more than 25 boards.  She currently sits on the Women’s Enterprise Center Board, Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) First Vice President, Indigenous Relations Committee (chair), UBCM Economic Development Committee, Metro Vancouver Indigenous Relations Committee, The Black Opportunity Fund Governance Committee. 

In her current consulting practice, she offers training, and facilitates conversations aimed at increasing understanding of anti-Black racism, systemic racism and intersectionality.  She coaches leaders and teams on how they can integrate equity-based approaches in their programs, policies and services.  Chanel also played a pivotal role in the research and planning phase of a Gender Analytics Online Program which was launched by the Institute for Gender and the Economy in the fall of 2020.  She is currently supporting organizations to improve their equity and inclusion outcomes through equity assessments, training and knowledge building, community engagement, and action planning.  When she is not working on disrupting systemic racism, she is likely at the dojo working towards her second degree black belt.    

As a community leader and changemaker, Josh works tirelessly to improve the quality of life the people with disabilities and to continuously break down existing barriers to access and inclusion. To improve web accessibility and usability, Josh joined accessiBe and the accessFind initiative as the Community Relations Manager.   

They were one of the authors of Transitioning Employers: A survey of policies and practices for trans inclusive workplaces and are the cohost of the Uncovering Belonging Podcast. Jade has been named one of Future of Good’s 2022 Young Impact Leaders and Toronto Metropolitan University’s 2021 Pride Champions. In their spare time they can be found geeking out over queer, trans, and Norse histories, disability justice, interfaith advocacy, firekeeping, and spending time with their chosen family. 

He is honored to co-chair The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada board of directors and in 2019 was named a top 40 under 40 for his efforts of incorporating reconciliation and decolonization. Recently, Tim authored a children’s book, called Napi Kii Imitaa (Napi and the Dogs), and is proud to have this story shared in Blackfoot and English. 

She is a PLACES Fellow Alum of 2015 with The Funders Network, a board member with Environment Funders Canada and JUMP! Canada and a newly appointed Dialogue Fellow with Simon Fraser University focused on Indigenous ways of knowing and Philanthropy.  
Twitter: @WeyktKris

Jessie is passionate about being a systems changer, and from a First Nations perspective, you will often find her accelerating dialogue regarding individual and shared responsibility and activism when it comes to racial, gender, and worldview diversity.