2025 Speakers

Chris Wind rim is the Executive Director at BILD Central Alberta, where he plays a vital role in connecting, educating, and advocating for the residential construction industry. Previously, Chris was the Membership and Community Relations Manager at the Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce.

A proud local of Red Deer, Chris possesses a strong community spirit. He graduated from the Donald School of Business and has a genuine passion for business and community development.

With his excellent communication skills and an upbeat attitude, Chris excels at building effective and meaningful relationships with the members of the
community he serves. He serves as a Director on MEGiobal's Community Board, and previously, Vice-Chair for Tourism Red Deer, and Council Member for Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership.

Chris lives In Red Deer with his wife, Aspen, and their son, Jackson. When he's not working, he enjoys pursuing his hobbies, including golfing, snowboarding, biking, traveling, and learning new things.

Sgt. John Hubbard is a 15-year veteran of the Lacombe Police Service. He is the patrol sergeant in charge of officer safety, which includes responding to physical confrontations, and is an expert in firearm analysis. He received his initial training with the Calgary Police Service.

One of Sgt. Hubbard’s passions in his role is working with young people in schools and educating and building positive relationships between law enforcement and youth. He is happy to share his experience with participants at the conference.

Dan has worn many hats. He’s served as a corporate lawyer; he’s been a business executive and an entrepreneur, taking businesses from concept to
maturity. Dan now engages with students as he shares his experiences with the next generation of leaders at MacEwan University—and the Saruk Centre.

Kylene's desire is to enthusiastically transform leader's health and well ness goals from ordinary to extraordinary. This passion for growth and learning inspired Kylene to complete a Bachelor of Physical Education at the University of Alberta coupled with multiple certifications through the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and AFLCA. Her unwavering belief is that when you focus on overall health, you will have the mindset to live your best life and achieve your goals. Kylene uses research, knowledge and innovation with a focus on personal and organizational results to design effective tools that empower and motivate leaders to make informed choices and obtain improved, lasting preventative health and wellness lifestyles.

Brittany Davies is a Registered Psychologist, business owner. educator. and speaker. She has been working in the mental health field for over 10 years and has grown her private therapy practice into an organization of 15 therapists at Social Shift Therapy & Well ness. Social Shift Wellness is a new and modern approach to mental health in this community that combines therapy, mental well ness programming, community collaborations, and educational programming. She is passionate about community building, increasing education on mental health, and decreasing stigma. Over the years, Brittany has created and delivered multiple mental health education programs for businesses to support psychologically safe work environments. When Brittany is not dreaming up new ways to increase access to mental health, she loves to be out and about with her family in her community.

Ronda Ziakris is a Manager in Consulting: Indigenous Services for MNP, a leading accounting firm in Canada. She holds a master’s degree in Education Leadership/Administration and is a Certified Trauma and Resilience Trainer. She has extensive experience as a teacher, principal and education superintendent. 

She deems it an honour to work with First Nations communities as an education expert, client manager, education advisor, project lead and strategic planning and visioning facilitator. She has also led non-profit teams, and speaks on leadership, personal growth and trauma-informed practices. Authenticity, honesty and humour are her top three values.

Nicaj is a business administration student at Red Deer Polytechnic, focusing on entrepreneurship and small business, with a minor in accounting and psychology. Nicaj's journey is driven by a profound commitment to leadership, personal development, and a continuous quest for learning in all aspects of life. Simultaneously commencing her career in the administrative and operations realm. Beyond academics and work, Nicaj's true passion lies in building meaningful connections, promoting authenticity and kindness, and cultivating a space that encourages everyone to be the best version of themselves.

We are excited that Danielle will facilitate our workshop on Friday. As a seasoned ICF Professional Certified Executive Leadership Coach, she will engage you in a transformative discussion centred around optimizing
leadership potential and organizational growth through effective team building. Drawing from her extensive experience, Danielle will provide you with the skills and knowledge to build successful teams through an
activity-based workshop. She will help you discover your strengths as a leader and an effective team member. Danielle will also provide invaluable insights into productively tackling hurdles in a team environment.

Rayna Sutherland (she/her) holds an Honours BA from the University of Toronto in International Development and Women’s and Gender Studies. She has worked with grassroots social justice organizations and research hubs in Canada and African countries. These experiences nurtured her passion for justice-seeking research and policy advocacy through anti-oppressive, community-based, and action-oriented approaches.

Rayna recently completed the Parliamentary Internship Program (PIP), where she worked for government and opposition MPs. Now, she brings her anti-oppressive lens to the federal cabinet as the West/North Regional Advisor to the Minister of Public Safety.

Kent Hehr was born and raised in Calgary and in October 1991 was a victim of a random act of violence, a drive-by shooting. The injury left him a C5 quadriplegic not being able to use or feel 95% of his body.  After rehab, he returned to school at the University of Calgary where he earned a Bachelor of Law in 2001. Kent practiced law at the prestigious national firm, Fraser Milner Casgrain (now Dentons), and continued being a community leader, working with the United Way and heading the Alberta branch of the Canadian Paraplegic Association.  Kent was elected in 2008 to represent Calgary-Buffalo in the Alberta Legislature where he served two terms and in 2015 he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre. Kent served as Minister of Veterans Affairs & Associate Minister of National Defence from 2015-2017 and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities from 2017-2018. In 2020, Kent started HSC & Associates, a full-service public relations and policy advocacy firm. Currently, Kent also serves as the VP of Strategic Partnerships & Growth for Fueling Brains, a company that focuses on executive function and whole-brain development in children aged 0-6 years. Ever passionate about the well-being of his fellow citizens, Kent continues to have a strong connection to organizations that help children and families build their lives. Currently, he also serves on the Board of Directors of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Alberta and the Alberta Abilities Network. 

Delicia, a Registered Counseling Therapist, is passionate about helping people realize the importance of self-care and develop healthy relationships. She will assist you in a journey towards fulfillment and growth.

Romando, a recent graduate from Burman University, serves on the staff of the College Heights SDA Church. A pastor, singer, music director, and speech coach, he strives to be authentic in order to foster learning, commitment, and excellence.

Ian believes it’s important to be involved in the community—and the world. For nearly 30 years he was Branch Manager for Scotia Bank and participates
in service groups and local government. “But my life was changed,” he states, “when I travelled to Kenya. I realized how vitally important it is to help others.”
Back in Alberta, he looks forward to working with future leaders at the Saruk Centre.

The relationship of health, fitness, and stress is Sharon’s passion. She’s designed and implemented a Fitness for Leadership component in international leadership training courses. Now, she looks forward to empowering future leaders to live fully and positively.

Elijah O’Sullivan is a fourth-year International Studies student at Burman University. Originally from Honduras, he previously served as Student Association President and led initiatives that fostered collaboration
and community. Elijah has worked with summer youth teams in Indigenous
communities, served on wildfire unit crews, and played on various sports teams. He has also participated in research on global social issues. Elijah values meaningful connections and is excited to share insights on the essentials of teamwork while learning from others’ perspectives.