Jill Bolte Taylor
MOTIVATION
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a trained and published neuroanatomist specializing in post-mortem investigation of the human brain. In an ironic twist, Dr. Taylor woke up one day to discover that she was experiencing a rare form of stroke, an arterio-venous malformation (AVM). Three weeks later, she underwent major brain surgery to remove a golf ball size hemorrhage that was placing pressure on the language centers in the left hemisphere of her brain. In her book, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey. Dr. Taylor recounts her challenges for recovery and the insights she gained. Dr. Taylor currently serves as President of the Greater Bloomington Affiliate of NAMI.

Cassie Campbell
TEAM WORK
At age five, Cassie Campbell laced up her first pair of skates. Now, as the Captain of Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team and a heroine of Canadian sport, she has taken part in three Winter Olympic Games, seven International Ice Hockey Federation World Women’s Championships, nine Four Nations Cups and the Torino Ice Tournament. Her teams have won 21 medals in total, including 17 gold medals and four silver medals. Bold, dynamic, and passionate, Cassie draws on her accomplishments to explore the themes of leadership, teamwork, motivation, and determination. A lively, passionate, and engaging speaker, she knows firsthand about the key roles that teamwork, determination, and great leadership play at the most challenging times. The result is a keynote speech that inspires, informs, and entertains.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali
OVERCOMING ADVERSITY
Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1969. As a young child, she was subjected to female genital mutilation,where she was “cleansed” with the aid of a pair of large scissors wielded by a local clansman. Unlike many children born at that time in Somalia, she had the good fortune to receive an education in local schools. As she grew into a young woman, she embraced Islam and strove to live as a devout Muslim. In 1992, Ayaan escaped an arranged marriage by fleeing to the Netherlands where she was given asylum, and in time citizenship. She also served as an elected member of the Dutch parliament from 2003 to 2006. Ayaan Hirsi Ali was named one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” of 2005, has published a memoir Infidel (2007) and has written and delivered many speeches and articles addressing her subjects of interest, including the importance of freedom of speech and the rights of Muslim women.

Sue Paish, Q.C.
AMBITION
As the CEO of Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd., Sue is responsible for the strategic leadership of Pharmasave’s over 400 community-based retail pharmacies and health centers coast to coast. Sue is a respected leader with a track record of success in a variety of roles. As Managing Partner of Fasken Martineau Dumoulin, Sue spearheaded the expansion of the law firm from one office in Vancouver, to its international status with nine offices on three continents. Sue has also played a key leadership role as Senior Vice Chair of The Vancouver Board of Trade and Director of various public and private companies. She is also Founding Chair of the Women’s Leadership Circle^®. Sue has been recognized for her leadership and accomplishments in various contexts, and was named in 2005 to the list of “Canada’s Most Powerful Women – Top 100”.

Gayle Hallgren-Rezac
CONNECTING
Co-author of WORK THE POND! writer, speaker, entrepreneur (Founder, Cookies by George) and a YWCA Woman of Distinction. Gayle is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and has spent over two decades observing and writing on networking around the world. She is also an expert on the ‘art of conversation’, a subject she writes and speaks on frequently. Gayle is chief engagement officer of Shepa Learning Company, their training and development company.

Judy Thomson
CONNECTING
Co-author of WORK THE POND!, Judy Thomson is a chartered accountant, trainer and team builder who has held executive positions in human resources and administration with global companies in Canada and Asia. She was also part of the start-up management team of the world-famous Rocky Mountaineer Railtours. In addition to her role as chief operating officer of Shepa Learning Company, Judy is a business consultant, vice-chair of The Vancouver Board of Trade’s Women’s Leadership Circle^® advisory board, and sits on the board of directors of a publicly traded mining exploration company.

Alison Levine
COMMUNICATION
STRATEGIES
Alison Levine is no stranger to risk-taking. She has survived sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, sudden avalanches, and a career on Wall Street – all without the use of supplemental oxygen. Levine was born with a life-threatening heart condition that precluded most demanding activities. Thirteen years after her diagnosis and a life changing surgery – climbing stairs soon gave way to climbing mountains. Pushing her limits on the world’s highest peaks she became one of the most experienced female mountaineers. In recent years, she has conducted numerous speaking tours to raise awareness and money for girls’ scholarships in third-world countries.

Joy Behar
MOTIVATION
Joy Behar, co-host of ABC’s “The View,” is among today’s leading comic talents. Whether performing standup comedy or interviewing politicians and artists, she is a leading woman both on stage and screen. “The View” has received 22 Daytime Emmy Awards. Her film appearances include “Cookie,” with Peter Falk” “This Is My Life,” directed by Nora Ephron, and Woody Allen’s “Manhattan Murder Mystery.” In theater she earned rave reviews for her starring role in the off-Broadway hit “The Food Chain,” and also in the critically-acclaimed “The Vagina Monologues.” Ms. Behar is involved with numerous philanthropic organizations and is a frequent contributor to a number of charitable foundations.