Facilitated by Sharon McLennon, Director of the NL Workforce Innovation Centre, CNA, the conference portion of the Diversity Summit features more than a dozen business-focused speakers from across North America. The morning’s sessions, running from 8:30am-11:00am, include plenary sessions and a panel focusing on immigration and workforce development. Speakers include Hon. Al Hawkins, AESL Minister; Remzi Cej, Director of the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism; Nancy Drover, Senior Director at NATI; James Goodwin, President and CEO of Great North Data; and Steven Tobin, Executive Director of the Labour Market Information Council. Troy Turner of The Western Star will serve as moderator.

The Keynote Address, running from 11:15am-12:30pm, will be delivered by Washington, D.C., based Wajahat Ali. The son of Pakistani immigrants to America, Mr. Ali has a decorated and distinguished career as an attorney, writer, and TV host, and media strategist, amongst many other accomplishments. He has worked as a correspondent and reporter for Al Jazeera America; written plays and television programs; overseen technology industry think tanks to help aspiring social entrepreneurs; and has contributed to The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Salon, and he regularly appears on CNN. A Q&A session will follow the address. A catered lunch featuring international cuisine will be served from 12:30pm – 01:15pm.

Afternoon sessions, running from 1:15pm-4:30pm, will include a panel discussion moderated by Troy Turner focusing on digital diversity. A variety of breakout sessions will follow. Speakers include Deirdre Ayre, Head of Operations at Other Ocean a; Nour El-Mohri, Founder of Taam Media; Isaac Adejuwon, Founder of Metricsflow; Meghan Felt, Partner at McInnes Cooper; Dana Wagner, Partnerships advisor at Talent Beyond Boundaries; and Steven Tobin, Executive Director of the Labour Market Information Council.

For full event details and registration, please visit www.diversitysummit2018.ca.