Susan Taylor

Vecova

Susan Taylor is the Director of Business Development at Vecova, where she oversees two social enterprises: the Bottle Pick-up Service and the Airport Cart Retrieval Service. In this role, she leads operations, develops strategic partnerships, and drives revenue-generating initiatives that support Vecova's mission. The Bottle Pick-up Service and Airport Cart Retrieval Service generate funding that is reinvested into programs and services for people with disabilities, while also creating meaningful employment opportunities. Susan is passionate about social enterprise, community impact, accessibility, and building sustainable business solutions that strengthen inclusion and support positive outcomes for individuals and communities

Workshops

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Other speakers & attendees

Natalie Wynn-Dempsey

Little Wonders Early Literacy Music Play Program

As the creator of Little Wonders Early Literacy, Music, and Play Program Offering, I have spent over 18 years evolving the work—from Mother Goose to Mother Goes to Africa and everything in between— weaving Indigenous teachings and cultural stories into early learning and community wellness. Today, as Indigenous Engagement Coordinator at Momentum, I draw on 30+ years of experience, guided by Elders, ceremony, and community, to help advance Truth and Reconciliation.

Angela Clarke

Trellis Society

Angela Clarke is the Chief Strategy Officer at Trellis Society, where she leads initiatives focused on addressing complex social challenges through collaboration, innovation, and strategic partnerships. She is passionate about creating lasting community impact through affordable housing, philanthropy, government relations, and organizational growth.

Randy Poon

Purpose and Performance Project

Chief Story Officer and Founder of the Purpose and Performance Project, a consulting and coaching collaborative that helps leaders and organizations align purpose with impact.

Carla Link

YWCA Calgary

Carla Link is the Director of Communications & Community Relations at YWCA Calgary, where she leads communications, advocacy, government relations, and community engagement initiatives that strengthen public trust and advance organizational impact.

Natalie Noble

Calgary John Howard Society

Natalie Noble is an executive director at the Calgary John Howard Society, where she leads programs aimed at tackling the root causes of crime through housing, education, employment, and restorative justice.

Hayley Bell

Spinal Cord Injury Alberta

Hayley Bell is the Communications and Fundraising Lead at Spinal Cord Injury Alberta, where she develops fundraising, partnership, and engagement strategies that support individuals and families living with spinal cord injuries. She is passionate about building inclusive communities and strengthening the long-term sustainability of the nonprofit sector.

Kailey Armstrong

YWCA Calgary

Kailey Armstrong is the Director of Economic Prosperity at YWCA Calgary, where she leads initiatives that help women build financial confidence, grow businesses, and pursue meaningful careers.

Adaeze Hubbard

Calgary John Howard Society

Adaeze Hubbard is the Director of Employment and Social Enterprise at the Calgary John Howard Society, where she leads workforce development and social enterprise initiatives that create employment opportunities for individuals facing barriers and support long term community impact.

Vivian Ceilin

Calgary Counselling Centre

Vivian Ceilin is the Chief Operations Officer at Calgary Counselling Centre, bringing extensive leadership experience across the public, private, and non-profit health sectors. With a background in dietetics, an MBA, and expertise spanning clinical practice, operations, and business development, she is passionate about strengthening services that improve lives and deliver measurable community impact.

Christopher Lawley

The Impact Concierge

Christopher Lawley is an organizational resilience and systems design leader who helps purpose-driven organizations scale without losing their mission or values. As an Impact Concierge, he partners with visionary leaders to build resilient, people-centered systems that strengthen operations, support growth, and ensure lasting social impact.

Susan Taylor

Vecova

Susan Taylor is the Director of Business Development at Vecova, where she oversees two social enterprises: the Bottle Pick-up Service and the Airport Cart Retrieval Service. She is passionate about social enterprise, community impact, accessibility, and building sustainable business solutions that strengthen inclusion and support positive outcomes for individuals and communities

Jeff Loomis

Momentum

Jeff works as the Executive Director of Momentum - a change-making organization that combines social and economic strategies to reduce poverty in Calgary. Momentum partners with people living on lower-incomes to get good jobs, create their own job through self-employment and save money to build their assets.

Jenna Walsh

Elevated Escapes

Owner of Elevated Escapes, Social Business Coordinator with Be Local YYC, and Co-founder of GOT Foundation

Joe-Ann Schlosser

The Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association (HSCA)

Joe-Ann Schlosser is the Executive Director of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association (HSCA), bringing more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience and a passion for community engagement, collaboration, and social innovation.

Laura Keating-Elske

People & Planet Consulting

Laura Keating-Elske helps guide thoughtful decisions in service of people and the planet. She is a cofounder and Decision Science Lead at People & Planet Consulting, supporting purpose-driven organizations in turning complexity into clear, actionable pathways.

Alina Turner

HelpSeeker

Alina Turner is the CEO & Co-Founder of HelpSeeker Technologies, where she leverages technology, data, and community engagement to address complex social challenges and create lasting social impact. With a PhD in Anthropology and extensive experience in social innovation and systems change, she is a recognized leader in using AI and technology to strengthen communities.

Meaghan Bell

Calgary Housing

Meaghan Bell is the Leader, Programs & System Planning at Calgary Housing Company, bringing over 15 years of experience advancing research, policy, and program innovation to improve outcomes for people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. She leads strategic initiatives focused on housing stability, service transformation, and system improvement.

Brian Hill

TuffHill eBikes

Co-Founder of TuffHill eBikes, locally designed eBikes suited for the Canadian riding environment. TuffHill eBikes takes an inclusive, educational approach as they connect with customers, and advocate with the city for better bike infrastructure.

Julian Gelfand

Always Beyond Corp.

Julian Gelfand is the Co-Founder and Operations Lead at Always Beyond, a Calgary-based employee-owned managed services firm, where he helps businesses simplify IT, cybersecurity, and cloud technology. Passionate about building strong relationships and client-centered solutions, he believes technology should empower people and give businesses a competitive edge.

Michelle Lee

StartWork / Institute for Community Prosperity

Michelle Lee is the Coordinator of StartWork at the Institute for Community Prosperity at Mount Royal University, where she supports refugees in overcoming barriers to employment. She is a Registered Social Worker with a background in social enterprise and innovation, passionate about creating inclusive opportunities, strengthening communities, and advancing solutions to complex social challenges

Colby Delorme

Imagination Group

Colby Delorme is President of the Imagination Group of Companies and a Métis entrepreneur with experience spanning construction, brand development, marketing, certification, franchise development, tobacco manufacturing, and business consulting.

Cristina Lanz

Calgary Foundation

Cristina Lanz is the Senior Investment Administrator at the Calgary Foundation, where she supports the Foundation’s Primary Endowment and Impact Investment Program.

Meredith Perich

Meredith Perich Facilitation

Meredith is a facilitator, trainer, and program designer who brings together a lifelong commitment to community, a deep curiosity about how people learn, and extensive experience in social enterprise and innovation.

Brenda Kinnie

Spinal Cord Injury Alberta

Brenda Kinnie is the CEO of Spinal Cord Injury Alberta, where she helps organizations navigate complexity, strengthen impact, and achieve long-term sustainability through strategic, authentic leadership.

Talia Bell

YWCA Calgary

Talia Bell is the Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Calgary, where she leads strategic initiatives that advance safety, equity, and opportunity for women and families through innovation, partnerships, and community impact.

Suzanne Braun

Relish Ideas

Suzanne Braun is the Founder and Managing Partner of Relish Ideas, a Certified B Corporation and award-winning branding, marketing, and digital agency. She is a leader in branding, innovation, and digital strategy, helping organizations grow through creative, purpose-driven solutions while supporting entrepreneurship and community impact.

Alyssa Lindsay

Calgary Foundation

Alyssa Lindsay is a Capacity Building Associate at Calgary Foundation, where she supports community building and nonprofit capacity through research, facilitation, and collaborative learning. With more than 15 years of experience in social innovation, design thinking, and systems change, she is passionate about strengthening communities and driving meaningful social impact.

Kurt White

Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking

Kurt White is the Manager, Programs, at the Hunter Hub. He leads their portfolio of entrepreneurial programming initiatives, empowering founders and changemakers to develop the skillsets needed at every stage of their journey.

Colby Delorme

Imagination Group of Companies

As President of the Imagination Group of Companies, Colby Delorme has led ventures across construction, brand development, marketing, certification, franchise development, ceremonial tobacco manufacturing, and business consulting.

Jeff Dyer

Trellis Society

Jeff Dyer is the CEO of Trellis Society, bringing more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience in poverty reduction, affordable housing, youth development, and homelessness prevention.

Sofia Legge

Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking

Sofia is a venture programs professional with a background in biological sciences and entrepreneurial thinking, bringing a cross-disciplinary perspective to innovation and program development.

Kristi Lalach

Calgary Co-op

Kristi Lalach is the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary with Calgary Co-op.

Heather Jansen

Calgary Dream Centre

Heather Jansen is the Social Enterprise Manager at Calgary Dream Centre, where she leads mission-driven ventures that create employment opportunities and drive social impact. She is passionate about using business as a tool for social change and helping shape the growing social enterprise sector in Calgary and beyond.

Catherine Bell

The Awakened Company

Catherine Bell is the Founder and CEO of The Awakened Company. She is an entrepreneur, leadership expert, executive coach, and bestselling author, Catherine has spent more than two decades helping leaders and organizations flourish through greater self-awareness, courageous leadership, and healthy culture.

Sage McIntosh

Calgary Co-op

Sage Pullen McIntosh is the Director of Communications with Calgary Co-op.

Lisa Gareau

Candy Event Consulting

Lisa Gareau is the founder of Candy Event Consulting, where she helps in-house and do-it-yourself event planners create successful, meaningful events through coaching, strategy, and planning resources. With a lifelong passion for event planning and over a decade of experience as a Connection Strategy Coach, she is dedicated to empowering others to achieve better event outcomes.

Barb Rallison

StartWork / Institute for Community Prosperity

Barb serves as the Associate Director at the Institute for Community Prosperity. Her work, both locally and nationally, focuses on applying economic approaches to advance community benefit and address complex social challenges.

Guy Levesque

Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking

Guy Levesque is the Executive Director of the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, where he helps foster entrepreneurial mindsets and supports the next generation of innovators and changemakers. With more than 30 years of experience across research, innovation, education, and industry partnerships, he is passionate about advancing innovation and unlocking human potential.

Philip Lozano

Momentum/SVI: Alberta

Over a decade of experience working in social enterprise, with a focus on community and grassroot initiatives

Alex Laidlaw

Calgary Foundation

Alex Laidlaw is the Director, Impact Investments at Calgary Foundation, where he manages the impact loan program and supports charities and nonprofits in using innovative financing to accelerate community impact. He is passionate about advancing social good through impact investing and community-focused partnerships.

Stephanie Jackman

Local Investing YYC

Director of the Board, Co-chair of the Fund Development Committee

Bill Zheng

RadiCare Ventures

Bill Zheng is the President and CEO of RadiCare Ventures, a Calgary-based social enterprise that creates employment opportunities for people facing barriers while strengthening community resilience, public safety, and inclusive workforce participation.

Susan Herman

Radiance Family Society

Susan Herman is the Executive Director of Radiance Family Society, a leader with over 20 years of experience in the Calgary area. She is passionate about seeing Calgary be an inclusive city that values quality of life for all.