Voices of Leadership | Leadership Stories | Women Leadership | Female Founders

Ever wondered how navigating gender bias at sea could transform your leadership journey? On today's episode, we are joined by Toni Chaltas, CEO of Achēv. Tonie shares many inspiring stories and valuable insights, including her adventures aboard the Blue Nose II tall ship, where she confronted gender bias and learned the vital lesson of choosing her battles wisely. Setting the stage for her im...

On today's episode, we talk with Julie Ellis. Julie is an entrepreneur, speaker, coach, author and podcast host. Julie shares her remarkable journey, from her experience as a co-founder of Mabel's Labels to her authorship of Big Gorgeous Goals   and to her new adventure as the host of the Figure 8 podcast. Join us as we explore how Julie's background in dance has uniquely shaped her...

On today’s episode, we talk with Vivian Manasc, an architect and pioneer in the green building movement. She is the Founding Principal at Reimagine, an architectural firm dedicated to collaboration, joy, creativity, and sustainability. We explore Vivian's passion for sustainable design, her philosophy of optimism, and her unwavering dedication to fostering environments where community and cre...

In today's episode, we talk with Camelia Nunez, a self-proclaimed "profpreneur" who blends her entrepreneurial spirit with a deep passion for education. We talk about why she believes building a culture of curiosity and continuous learning around education is important and how it will affect how we live, learn and work.  Camelia shares her experiences growing up in Romania, witnessi...

On today's episode, we talk with Mardi Witzel, CEO and co-founder of PolyML, an advanced AI and machine learning company. Mardi is also a leader in AI governance, serving on the Digital Governance Council’s AI Ethics Advisory Panel and contributing her expertise to the Province of Ontario’s AI Expert Working Group. Mardi explains PolyML's innovative intersection of data analytics and AI...

On today's episode, we talk with Jane Halford, founder of Halford Consulting. Jane is passionate about the power of storytelling and how it shapes leadership. She candidly shares her personal experience of overcoming workplace bullying as a CEO, and how she transformed her challenges into a powerful message. Jane also delves into her extensive expertise in leadership and transition, emphasizi...

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Melissa Durrell, the CEO and Chief Strategist of Durrell Communications, and a partner with Roseview Global Incubator. Melissa's diverse background includes successful careers in politics, award-winning Canadian broadcast journalism, and her current work with international entrepreneurs looking to establish and grow their companies in Can...

In today's episode, we talk with Rose Greensides, the Executive Director at Social Venture Partners (SVP). SVP is a unique partnership that brings together the time, talent, and funding from the community to support the nonprofit sector. Rose shares some inspiring stories about how SVP has helped several local organizations in the Waterloo Region. You'll be amazed at what SVP has been ab...

On today's episode, we talk with Sherry Shannon VanStone, a trailblazing, successful serial entrepreneur.  Sherry is currently the founder of Profound Impact and the co-founder of Women Funding Women. Sherry's career started with her being an accomplished code breaker, which she explains is just as cool as it sounds. She shares her insights and experiences on leading startups to successf...

On today's episode, we talk with Deborah MacLatchy, President and Vice-Chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University. She is also a zoologist who is passionate about science and is still actively involved in research and mentoring students across Canada. We discuss the importance of nurturing young girls' interest in science during their high school years, setting the stage for further explor...

On today's episode, we talk with Tracy Van Kalsbeek. Tracy is an accomplished Executive Director, a passionate volunteer, and a valued community builder. Her leadership journey is a treasure trove of inspiration and wisdom for aspiring leaders. Tracy takes us through her remarkable career trajectory, from her formative cadet days to her influential tenure at Manulife, her time at the Uptown W...

Are you ready to learn how to talk about your work using purposeful self-promotion? On today’s episode, we welcome Lisa Bragg, author of Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion . We had so much to talk about that we divided our conversation into two episodes. In part two, Lisa and I continue our conversation about imposter experience. We explore ideas from Lisa...

Are you tired of feeling like your hard work and achievements go unnoticed? Do you struggle with self-promotion and feel like you're not being seen or heard in your industry? On today's episode, we talk with  Lisa Bragg, author of the book Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion . Lisa is a renowned speaker, advisor, and professional mentor who helps...

Have you ever considered how a strong support network can catapult your career to new heights? Patricia Polischuk, Vice President, Business Development with the Organizational & Talent Development practice at B. Riley Farber joins us to unravel the secrets of career empowerment and the transformative power of networking. She shares her insights and advice on career transition, leadership, and...

In this episode, we welcome Melanie Rodriguez, Director of Corporate Partnerships with the Toronto Public Library Foundation. Melanie shares insights from her experience with the IWF Fellowship and emphasizes the importance of the continuous pursuit of learning and seizing opportunities for career pivots. We also discuss the importance of mentorship and the challenges facing female leaders today....

In this episode, we welcome Rosa Lupo. Rosa is a partner based in the Waterloo office of the Corporate Commercial Group with Gowling WLG, a global law firm. Her specialties include commercial real estate law both locally and globally. Rosa shares with us the story of how watching the show L.A. Law influenced her decision to become a lawyer. We discuss the importance of using different leadership s...

 In the latest episode of our podcast, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mandy Bujold, a Canadian boxer who has made a name for herself on the international stage. From her humble beginnings in Kitchener, Ontario, to her rise to fame as a two-time Pan American Games gold medalist, Mandy's story is one of perseverance and determination. During the episode, Mandy shared her journey to becomin...

On today’s episode we welcome Martha Breithaupt. We talk about innovation, the dangers of the ‘broken rung’ as an obstacle women face on the path to senior leadership, the state of science, Martha’s newest venture, which is devoted to innovation in both the science and business sectors and R&D tax credits, which are more interesting than you might think! We also talk about the importance of me...

Welcome to today's episode! We are thrilled to have Tricia Mumby as our guest. Tricia is an accomplished entrepreneur, co-founder of Mabel's Labels, and guiding force in the business world. During our conversation, Tricia shared her passion for buying URLs, her current interest in Bleisure travel, and her business book club. We also get an exclusive look behind the scenes of Mabel's...

Today we welcome  Jane Klugman to the podcast. Jane is an amazing leader, whose career has taken her through entrepreneurship, real estate, and business development. Jane is also the Honourary Colonel for the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, making her the first woman in the history of the Regiment to hold this esteemed position. Join us as Jane takes us on a journey from her first job at a cot...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Voices of Leadership . On today’s episode, we welcome Ginny Dybenko, a serial high achiever who has recently retired, for the fourth time. We talk about topics such as the International Women's Forum (IWF), leadership styles, our fondness for Amazon ordering and our perpetual race against GPS.Ginny recounts her experiences through her various careers, from the c...