MEET THE 2025 SPEAKERS & FACILITATORS

More information to come. 

Nicole Dubé, Curiosity & Communications Expert, Broadcast Journalist & Storyteller 

Nicole is the owner of DUBÉ MEDIA Consulting & Storytelling, and is a familiar face in the Canadian media landscape. The professional speaker and emcee is known for her 20 year career as a national reporter, network news anchor, and former host of CTV Morning Live Winnipeg.

​

Nicole is a journalist-turned-communication consultant and curiosity expert who is on a mission to help people and organizations tell their story and engage their audience through keynote speaking, media training, executive presentation coaching and specialized communication services.

So what can Nicole Dubé, a 20 year veteran journalist and entrepreneur, teach leaders and organizations about growth and success? CURIOSITY & Clear Communication! 

Career journalists and broadcasters do three things everyday: Use curiosity and ask questions to gain insight and clarity, use critical thinking to disseminate information quickly and find the story, then tell the story so that the information lands with a wide audience. 

​

If leaders, organizations and their people did this everyday, they would find the story behind any problem, and get to the right solutions much quicker. 

Nicole’s keynotes focus on cultivating curiosity, self-interrogation, and storytelling for deep human connection in business and life.

Her decades of broadcasting and live interviewing skills are distilled into sharp insights, tools, and actionable behaviours for today’s fast-changing environments. 

In a world heavily reliant on AI support and tech tools, skillful in-person communication is increasing in value.

Nicole will show you how to enhance the skill nothing can replace: In-person dialogue. 

Yemilo Audu is a dynamic strategist, facilitator, and advocate for inclusive and accessible
gatherings. With expertise in participatory leadership, conflict resolution, and human-centered design, she collaborates with organizations, businesses, and community groups to create experiences that foster connection, engagement, and impact.

Her work is deeply rooted in a multidisciplinary background in sociology, psychology, and
accessibility, complemented by hands-on experience in community organizing and capacity building. Whether designing transformative gatherings, consulting on equitable engagement strategies, delivering keynotes on leadership with a focus on human connection, or mentoring emerging professionals, Yemilo brings a thoughtful and strategic approach to every initiative.

Beyond her professional work, she actively volunteers with organizations focused on equity, inclusion, and community development, reinforcing her commitment to creating spaces where all voices are valued. Her dedication to fostering meaningful interactions makes her a sought-afterpartner for those looking to design gatherings with purpose, measurable outcomes, and lasting influence.

Email: yemilo@tukodaproductions.ca
Phone: 204-596-5154
Tukoda Productions
Link tree: https://linktr.ee/tukodaproductions
Email: info@tukodaproductions.ca

Pat Hirst is a seasoned Learning & Development (L&D) leader, and founder and president of Touchstone Resources, a consulting practice specializing in leadership development, negotiation, presentation skills, and communication. A trusted advisor to C-suite and HR professionals, Pat is dedicated to empowering individuals and teams to reach their full potential while driving organizational excellence.

With extensive experience in higher education, Pat has instructed at York University’s Schulich School of Business, the University of Winnipeg, and Red River College. She has also held key L&D roles with Wawanesa and People First HR. Currently, as Senior Manager of Training & Development at MacDon Industries, she leads a team focused on onboarding, employee and leadership development, and establishing a strong L&D practice supporting a global team of over 2,000 employees.  Under her leadership, diversity, equity, inclusion, (DEI) has been a major focus, shaping programs that foster an inclusive workplace culture.

Pat’s impact was recognized in 2024 when she was named one of Linamar’s Diversity Champions, an honor awarded to only ten employees out of 36,000, highlighting her commitment to advancing DEI initiatives.

She is the author of In a Perfect World: Interpersonal Skills for Life, providing practical insights into effective communication and relationship-building.

Kelly is a consultant, trainer and speaker who’s been making online marketing make sense for organizations, nonprofits and industry groups for over 25 years. She’s the Founder and President of Squarely Accessible.

Kelly’s lived experience as the daughter of a disabled mom is the driving force behind her passion for accessible marketing and communications. She's on a mission to humanize accessibility and bust through the myth that it's boring, technical and complicated. With her combined background in user-centred design and her expertise in digital accessibility, she's delivered bespoke courses to professionals from organizations across Canada and around the world.

She’s a Board member with Level It Up, a nonprofit dedicated to finding meaningful work for people on the autism spectrum and she’s on the National Advisory Committee for Partners for Planning, a nonprofit that empowers people with disabilities and their families to create meaningful lives and secure futures, firmly rooted in community.

Melissa Goulbourne is an Educational Consultant with 18+ years of experience in instructional design, curriculum development, eLearning, and project management. She has worked across corporate, nonprofit, and post-secondary sectors, specializing in designing engaging learning experiences that empower individuals to achieve their goals.

Passionate about making education accessible and impactful, Melissa integrates art, storytelling, and ethical AI into her work, ensuring that learning is engaging and inclusive. She believes AI has the potential to break down barriers, making high-quality education and information more accessible to diverse learners. Her recent work includes developing awareness training for the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association to help employers create more inclusive workplaces and designing a Global Citizenship course that inspires students to take action toward a sustainable future.

Beyond her professional work, Melissa enjoys staying active outdoors, practicing yoga, and exploring her love for cooking. She is committed to leveraging technology and storytelling to create transformative learning experiences that leave a lasting impact.

Kristina Kircher has been managing Learning & Development teams for over 7 years and has held various training and teaching positions for over 20 years. Through her current role with Bison, she leads the development of leadership programs, various training curriculums, and is involved in numerous cross departmental projects. In addition, she is heavily involved in committee work including DEI, employee recognition, accessibility, charitable giving, and social committee. Kristina is dedicated to enriching the employee experience and happily jumps into projects that enhance workplace culture. "We spend so much of our time at work, I want people to enjoy it! We can have fun and produce excellent work at the same time.” Outside of work, Kristina is deeply interested in fitness, nutrition, and exercising her mind.  She enjoys spending her time camping and hiking with her 3 kids or engrossed in a book. 

Philip is a seasoned learning and development professional with a passion for innovative training solutions. With a strong background in eLearning, sales, and marketing, he brings a global perspective to online training. A Cambridge graduate with a double major degree, Philip has worked across diverse industries, crafting tailored learning strategies that address unique organizational challenges.

As a cornerstone member of Neovation since 2009, Philip has played a pivotal role in shaping its vision. Now, as Senior Sales Director, he focuses on empowering organizations with cutting-edge learning strategies, ensuring engaging, effective, and scalable training solutions.

Philip’s approach blends technology, strategy, and a deep understanding of learner engagement, making him a trusted partner for organizations looking to transform training and drive measurable success.

Chad Morton is a seasoned Learning & Development Specialist with over 25 years of experience in the field. Currently, he is with Bison Transport, where he is responsible for creating leadership development programs, engaging online learning modules, and managing the corporate Learning Management System (LMS).

​

Chad is passionate about mental health and psychological safety in the workplace. As a Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor and Mental Health First Aider, he integrates his belief that everyone deserves a better workplace into all his initiatives. Chad has successfully introduced Mental Health and Psychological Safety training at Bison Transport, striving to enhance the learning experience for everyone the L&D team interacts with.

Anne has extensive experience working with and for the autism community at local, provincial, national, and international levels. This work has led to the identification of gaps and barriers to autistic people achieving their full potential in our communities, and more specifically, their competitive, meaningful employment in our workplaces. Her work at Level It Up, promoting greater employment for skilled autistic job seekers in STEM and the Arts, has led to the development of "Level It Up Learning,” an e-learning platform designed with and for autistic learners to help them acquire career ready knowledge and skills. 

​

Ashleigh is the leader of the Product Team at Neovation in Winnipeg, where she manages developers, designers, and QA analysts as they work on various eLearning products. Ashleigh is also on the board of Level It Up, an organization that supports autistic job seekers. Her support for Level It Up recently became more personal after being diagnosed as autistic and ADHD. 

Ashleigh is an advocate for accessibility and inclusive design, working to make websites, apps, and products more accessible to all users. She has spoken about accessibility to a variety of audiences including at TedxWinnipeg 2019, where she shared the fundamentals of digital accessibility with attendees. Ashleigh has also published articles on digital accessibility in Code Magazine and The Learning Guild.