Speakers and Session Descriptions
Drew Dudley
Session: The Leadership Test: Six Questions that Transform People and Organizations
“How many of you are completely comfortable with calling yourself a leader?”
Leadership author and educator Drew Dudley has asked that question to thousands of audiences around the world, and in fewer than 1% of those audiences were the majority of people willing to call themselves leaders. That’s a problem, and this session will focus on how to solve it.
In this engaging and empowering keynote, Drew aims to demonstrate that there is a form of leadership to which we should all aspire: one that is driven by a daily commitment to acting on six key leadership values: impact, courage, growth, empowerment, class and self-respect.
Drew will provide six simple questions that comprise “The Leadership Test”, and while the questions may be simple, the behavioural changes they generate build better careers, stronger organizations, and more fulfilling lives. A commitment to passing “The Leadership Test” turns those six values into more than just words, and changes how you treat yourself and the people around you.
Sharing stories from small town Canada to the deserts of Qatar, and insights from leaders of all types--CEOs, elite athletes, cab drivers, custodians and everyone in between—this presentation will change the way you think about leadership in your life and workplace.
About Drew: Somewhere around the middle of his undergraduate education, Drew realized engaging with the world was a lot more fun than writing papers about it. While still a student he became heavily involved in Canada’s largest post-secondary charitable initiative in support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada, eventually serving as the National Chair of the organization. As he moved into his career, he took on the challenge of creating and building the Leadership Development Program at the University of Toronto, which became the largest and most dynamic in the country. It was those leadership students who changed the course of Drew’s professional life: they secretly organized a campaign to put him onstage at TEDxToronto 2010, where he delivered a talk that would go on to generate more than 5 million views around the web. A high-achieving lifestyle took its toll however: undiagnosed bipolar disorder set the foundation for binge eating and drinking, and Drew grew to over 300 pounds while struggling with the emotional challenges of a career that kept him on the road 250 days a year.
Drew credits the Day One process with saving his life— he began applying the process to improving his mental and physical health. Recognizing how many people were struggling silently with similar battles, Drew began infusing these experiences into his keynotes, hoping to remind people that their scars in no way stand in the way of their leadership.
In 2018, Drew shared both his story and the Day One process in his first book This is Day One: A Practical Guide to Leadership That Matters. Today, Drew continues to travel the world sharing the Day One process with organizations of all kinds—aiming to redefine leadership for as many people as possible.
Alessa Crispo
Session: A New Wave of Student Leadership: Into the Thick of It
About Alessa: Alessa Crispo is a young Indigenous leader with a passion for driving change by bringing youth voices to the table. As Manager, Student Life and Experience at Chartwells Canada, Canada’s largest educational foodservice provider, Alessa is dedicated to empowering students by providing support, collaborating with student leaders, and breaking down barriers for students on campuses coast to coast.
With over eight years of education specializing in Peace and Conflict Resolution, Sociology, and Public Relations and Event Management, Alessa has already held leadership roles with many youth-focused organizations including Sault College Students’ Union, Live Different, Motivate Canada, World University Service of Canada and now Chartwells Canada.
She has spoken at over 75 national and provincial conferences, and engaged over 100,000 Canadian youth on topics such as leadership, mental health, global food security, refugee resettlement, Indigenous nation building and purpose-driven corporate initiatives.
Alessa is passionate about creating meaningful and lasting change. She recognizes the importance of mobilizing student voices, and she is committed to creating a platform for youth to dream big, collaborate and champion change.
Bryan Boechler
Session: It’s Your Time, Own It!
We don’t manage time but our choices dictate what happens during our time. This session is about you influencing what happens in your world based on what is important to you.
About Bryan: Hello, I'm Coach Bryan. Throughout my life, the roles I've filled have been in service to others, it took me a long time to learn that while serving others I could do what I wanted to do, but given my nature I will always be working on applying that lesson. Helping others is where I find fulfillment. I have delivered personal and team coaching since 1990, and my aim is to help individuals recognize and build off their character and capabilities, expanding on their impact while learning how to work effectively with others for greater effect.
Scott Ste. Marie
Session: Leading with Compassion
About Scott: At over 30 million people reached and counting, Scott continues to dedicate his life to destigmatizing mental illness, while offering a new and hopeful way to discuss and promote emotional wellbeing. He pulls upon expertise from his lived experience with depression and anxiety but also his many years of experience at Twitter, AdParlor, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Schizophrenia Society of Canada. You can learn more about scott at www.depressiontoexpression.com