Women Leadership Nation Breaking Barriers

From Dreams to Leadership: A Journey of Passion and Resilience Ann Buller, President Emeritus of Centennial College, is a visionary leader renowned for embedding equity and social justice principles into the college's programs and operations. Assuming the presidency in 2004, Ann spearheaded various innovative mentoring and outreach initiatives that transformed Centennial into a beacon of inclusive and responsive education. Her leadership catalyzed major transformative changes, particularly in the areas of leadership development and global citizenship education. Under her guidance, Centennial’s internationalization efforts received numerous accolades, and she introduced award-winning programs supporting underrepresented students, including those from underserved neighbourhoods, students with learning disabilities, and first-generation college students. Ann Buller’s impact extends beyond Centennial College through her work as a keynote speaker and faculty member at the National Executive Leadership Institute. She has served as the Board Chair of the Canadian Bureau for International Education and Colleges and Institutes Canada and sits on several influential boards. Her contributions to postsecondary education have been recognized with prestigious awards such as the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics Leadership Award and the Top 100 Most Powerful Women Award. Ann’s dedication to education and social inclusion recently earned her the Order of Canada, highlighting her lifelong commitment to improving lives through learning. She holds a diploma in Public Relations from Humber College, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from York University, and a Master of Arts in Education from Central Michigan University. The Women Leadership Nation Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer!  Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Let’s Break Barriers Together! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Oleksandra Zubal shares her inspiring life story and experiences as a business women, wife, and mother in the time of war in Ukraine.   Please support her by following her on Twitter @OleksandraZubal   It is important that we all unite in support Ukraine and that we take the time to understand the reality of this war on the lives of people just like us that only wish for peace, love, freedom, and family.   Oleksandra is dedicated to helping to raise funds in order to support those fighting for the freedom of Ukraine and for democracies all over the world. Please support her by following her on Twitter @OleksandraZubal   The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer!  Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Sue Pitchforth of Owner and Principal Designer of Decor Therapy Plus is an International Award-Winning Designer, a TV personality, and a professional speaker. Sue’s approach to design is refreshing, unique and inexpensive, yet yields luxurious results.  Believing the home is an expression of your life and personality, Sue says most people usually have a lot of what they need, they just don’t know it. “You would be surprised, how every home has the best stories and items in their basements or closets”, according to Sue. She is passionate about creating spaces where homeowners surround themselves with things they love and that reflect who they are. Her workshops and seminars are extremely popular, inspiring thousands of homeowners around Ontario. Sue is a leader in the industry and is forging new directions with her unique “Staging & Design from a Distance” virtual services. She is excited to be based out of the Nation’s Capital and recently has been appointed as “Ottawa Ambassador” for the Canadian Association of Property Stylists. A proud Rotarian, Sue gives back to her community by volunteering on various Boards and is passionate about mentoring new entrepreneurs. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Helen Ashton is the Vice President of Human Resources at Campbells Company of Canada. Helen obtained a Bachelor's degree focused in Economics and Information Technology from York University and a Master’s in Industrial Relations and Human Resources. In this episode, we discuss her career journey from the military to human resources and the current transition to the digital workplace due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where she shares incredible insights into how to lead a new workplace environment. We also discuss the importance of mental health and Helen shares some of her best practices for supporting your team during this challenging time in the world.  The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Deborah Gillis, President and CEO of the CAMH Foundation Deborah Gillis is President and CEO of CAMH Foundation. As a recognized thought leader on gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, Deborah has dedicated her career to driving social change. Deborah’s unique blend of passion, strategic vision, and entrepreneurial spirit is helping her lead CAMH Foundation in transforming how Canadians understand and address mental illness, in the workplace and in society. Deborah put her ideals into practice in her previous role as President & CEO of Catalyst, a global non-profit that helps build workplaces that work for women. She advised some of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies on how to accelerate and advance women into leadership. Deborah has received national and international accolades for her advocacy efforts and business achievements. In 2016, she was named as one of Canadian Business magazine’s 10 Most Powerful Business People and was awarded the Foreign Policy Association Medal. In 2017, she was appointed to the Canada-United States Council for   Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders and also accepted an honorary Doctor of Laws honoris causa from Cape Breton University for dedicating her life’s work to advocating for women’s rights and equality. She serves on the Board of Governors of St. Francis Xavier University.   The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Erin Bagwell is a documentary filmmaker, blogger, and creative! Erin produced and directed Dream, Girl the documentary showcasing the stories of inspiring & ambitious female entrepreneurs in NYC. To make the film she raised $100K on Kickstarter and premiered the film at Obama's White House in May 2016. In 2018, Erin became a mother and started filming her new short documentary, Year One. The film is an intimate look at the first year of motherhood through Erin's eyes. It addresses the identity shifts, the challenges of experiencing postpartum depression, and the everyday extraordinary moments of being a new mom. Year One is set to release Spring 2021. After living in Brooklyn for 10 years, Erin and her family recently moved back to her hometown in Buffalo, New York. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Courtney Symons is the Editor in Chief at Shopify. Courtney Symons is the Editor in Chief at Shopify, a Canadian multinational e-commerce company headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. It is also the name of its proprietary e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems Courtney made her dreams come true by writing my first novel on the coastline of eastern Australia in 2010. She explains how she was supposed to be working, but instead, she made the decision to sit in the sand with her new Macbook and write. When she returned home from Australia had a draft manuscript of her first book called “Once, We Were Stolen”, which was successfully published.  Courtney was also a technology reporter for the Ottawa Business Journal, which publishes a bi-weekly newspaper and daily web content. Courtney was also a finalist in the Hot Mommas Project, a global case study competition based out of Washington, D.C., which collects success stories from women across the globe. http://about.me/courtneysymons http://www.courtneysymons.com @CourtneySymons    The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Nicole McKinney, Founder, and President of WAKING THE unCONSIOUS In, 2019 Nicole founded and launched the Not for Profit WtC WAKING the unCONSCIOUS that has a core premise to focus a lens on both the systemic and relational dynamics of elements like Anti-Black/POC Racism and Unconscious Bias, specifically the Unpacking of Privilege and Marginalisation, allowing for critical examination and an understanding of intersectionality. Nicole’s work is inspired by the legacy of her father, Dr. David McKinney Jr: a renowned Academic in the US and Canada, who ended his career at the University of Guelph With a career-long focus on anti-black racism, he worked with organizations such as the Black United Front in Nova Scotia and pioneered research into police brutality. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com     He also advocated for human rights in conjunction with Daniel G Hill and took on several major court cases including the famed 1990 Supreme Court case, McKinney vs the University of Guelph.

Fatima Zaidi, is the CEO and co-founder of Quill Inc., who over the past few years Fatima has won two Top 30 under 30 awards, the Young Professional of the Year by Notable Life, and one of Flare Magazine’s Top 100 Women. Fatima and I discuss her journey to always wanting to become an entrepreneur and her commitment to life-long learning. We also explore the argument for having a mentor during an entrepreneurship journey as well as Fatima’s importance of having an advisory team in place from the conception of her business. Along with how to lead during COVID-19. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Kim Smiley is an artist, fashion designer, and social entrepreneur.  Kim pursued advanced degrees at McGill and Harvard University, where she graduated first in her class. She later conducted a post-graduate fellowship in Japan. In Tokyo, Kim discovered the metallic lace that would become her eternal canvas.  As women, Kim believes we apologize too much. So she unapologetically leaves you with this: Kim Smiley is building an Empathy Empire, marrying fashion and philanthropy, empathy and activism. She is employing newcomers in Toronto for a living wage and has bold plans to expand to India and Israel, where she envisions Arab and Jewish women working shoulder to shoulder to create pathways for peace. Born in Montreal, Kim lives with her family in Toronto.  She loves making people feel beautiful and believes the most gorgeous human beings radiate beauty from the inside out.  In this podcast, Kim shares her life journey, along with inspiring insights that will benefit everyone who believes in the power of empathy. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Zibby Owens is the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books. Zibby, named “NYC’s Most Powerful Book-fluencer” by New York Magazine’s Vulture, conducts warm, inquisitive conversations with authors, making her show a top literary podcast as selected by Oprah.com in 2019 and 2020. She also created the Moms Don’t Have Time to Lose Weight community and hosts the accompanying podcast. Zibby is the Editor-in-Chief of Moms Don’t Have Time to Write, a Medium.com publication. Most recently, she released an anthology, Moms Don’t Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology (Skyhorse Publishing, 2/16/21). Zibby is a regular contributor to Good Morning America and has recommended books in the Washington Post, Real Simple, and other outlets. She has also contributed to Parents, Marie Claire, Redbook, the New York Times online, and many other publications. She has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, the BBC, and many local news outlets. She currently has a two-book deal for children’s books with Flamingo, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and another upcoming anthology with Skyhorse Publishing: Moms Don’t Have Time To Have Kids: A Second Anthology (11/1/21). Zibby serves on the boards of the Mount Sinai Health System, the Mount Sinai Parenting Center, the Child Mind Institute, and co-chairs the Library Council of the New York Public Library. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Zibby currently lives in New York with her husband, Kyle Owens of Morning Moon Productions, and her four children ages 6 - 13. She always has a book nearby.   The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Beth Milliard, PhD who was recently promoted to Staff Sergeant at York Regional Police shares her fascinating career journey in the field of policing and her academic journey that led her to obtaining a PhD, creating new knowledge in the field of peer-support programs designed to help support the mental health of police officers’. Beth shares amazing insights into how you can successfully navigate your career, take chances, while also making a difference in the world. We all have a greater purpose in life that we are pulled towards. For us, our goal has always been to help women break barriers in their careers or their lives. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Amanda Goreski is an inspiring leader both in the field of law and as a documentary producer. Check out one of Amanda’s most recent documentaries called “Miracle, Baby” the story of Cory Conacher, a professional hockey player living with type 1 diabetes at: www.suprecontent.com   The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Today's leaders need to be highly resilient and what better way to improve your ability to be resilient than to allow yourself 4 minutes to take a mindful break. COVID-19 is really testing our resiliency... so if you are having one of those days, balancing work, homeschooling, the unknown...just take 4 minutes and listen to Mallika Chopra's incredible guided meditation. www.WomenLeadershipNation.com   The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Abigail is the Head of Strategic Planning and New Business Development at the ZOO, Google’s creative think tank for agencies and brands. She and her team works closely with the advertising and marketing communities to help develop their strategic and creative efforts for the digital space. While at Google, she has also launched an industry-first thought leadership series on human beings deep, emotional relationships with the digital space: Humanizing Digital. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

The Honourable Mary Ng was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill in April 2017 and was appointed Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion in July 2018. She was then re-elected in October 2019, and was appointed Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade in November 2019. Mary is a devoted community leader who has always believed in the power of public service, with 20 years of experience in the areas of education, women’s leadership, job creation, and entrepreneurship. Mary immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong with her family when she was very young, and grew up in her family’s small business – she knows first-hand the challenges and opportunities that many new Canadians face. Mary is committed to working with Justin Trudeau to grow and strengthen our middle class, and she understands what it takes to ensure well-paying jobs for the hard-working people in Markham—Thornhill.   The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Pooja Handa is an award-winning broadcaster who most people recognize as the co-host of Toronto’s #1 morning show, CP24 Breakfast. Torontonians have come to know Pooja as one of the familiar faces greeting them every morning helping them start their day with a smile. She started in 2008 at CP24 as a News Anchor and Reporter and has covered everything from politics to entertainment. She is a born storyteller, who uses her wit and humour to engage viewers.  Pooja has hosted many prominent Toronto events including the annual Toronto International Film Festival, Pride Parade, Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival, Toronto Raptors Championship Parade, Canada’s Walk of Fame, and many more. She also makes regular appearances on CTV’s The Social and The Marilyn Dennis Show. Before joining CP24, Pooja worked as a traffic reporter and entertainment host for Global Morning News in Toronto, where she created and hosted a unique entertainment segment called the PH FACTOR (Pooja Handa Factor). In total, Pooja has been in the business for almost 20 years. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Vicki Saunders is the founder of SheEO.world   “Our ecosystem-based model dramatically improves outcomes for women entrepreneurs. With the SheEO model, women show up as customers, advisors, network connections and funders of revenue-generating women-led businesses that are working on the World’s To-Do List.” Vicki Saunders   https://sheeo.world/about-us/   The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Zahra Al-harazi is the co-founder of Skillit (www.myskillit.com) and Author of What it Takes. Skillit is an experiential marketplace for skills. The founder and CEO of Foundry Communications, an internationally acclaimed, award-winning marketing and communications firm based in Calgary, Al-harazi was selected at Chatelaine’s Top Female Entrepreneur of the Year, named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network, and voted one of RBC’s Top 25 Canadian Immigrants. Al-harazi, an internationally sought-after speaker and consultant for leading organizations around the world, also served as the Canadian ambassador for UNICEF. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com

Rhonda Klosler is the National COO and Toronto Office Market Leader at RSM which is an international tax and accounting firm.  As the national chief operating officer of RSM Canada, Rhonda oversees the firm’s finance, human resources, and growth initiatives. In addition, Rhonda leads the Toronto office in her role as office managing partner and executes the firm's growth plans in the Toronto market. Rhonda is a graduate of Brock University, and a CPA, CA, having earned her designation in 1993. That same year, she joined the predecessor firm and was made a partner in 2001. In 2012, Rhonda completed the Harvard Business School Professional Services program. The Women Leadership Nation, Breaking Barriers Podcast is committed to helping women break barriers through the power of storytelling, self-awareness, and knowledge sharing. We started this podcast as a platform for women to share their journeys, experiences, and insights so that we can learn and grow from one another. We hope you enjoyed this episode and would love for you to subscribe to our podcast! Also, we hope you will follow us on our journey thru Instagram at @LadouceurJennifer! Thanks for listening and welcome to the Women Leadership Nation community!  Together we can break barriers! www.WomenLeadershipNation.com