Program

Registration

Time to register, grab a coffee and croissant and start making new friends! 

Chair's Welcome Introduction

Welcome remarks by the chair 

The Future of Work: What Could GenAI Help Us Do Better

• How will GenAI make the workplace more efficient?
• Whole enterprise use of GenAI versus individual usage
• What are the surgical and strategic threats upstream and downstream that should be central to a leadership team’s discussion?
• How to leverage GenAI for strategic workforce planning

Harjeet Chahal, Partner - Workforce Transformation, PwC

HR at the Helm: Bringing People Strategy into the Boardroom

• Making the business case: HR as a strategic growth partner
• Speaking the language of the board: metrics that matter

Carolynn Ryan, SVP, People & Chief Human Resources Officer, BC Hydro

Andrea Cadogan, VP People, FortisBC 

Chantelle Turton, Chief People Officer,  ScalePad  

Keri Fraser, Chief People Officer, Westland Insurance 

Wendy Strugnell, Head of People and Culture, WorkSafeBC 

Moderated by Jodi Evans, Vice Chair, Deloitte Canada

Morning Coffee and Networking Break

Stop. Pause. Start followed by Coffee and Refreshments Break 

Recruitment and Retention in Tomorrow’s Workplace

• What are the most effective ways to find, attract and onboard talent in today’s workplace?
• How predictive analytics help retention and performance monitoring plans to lower turnover
• What tools identify the priorities required to get the talent that matters?
• What are the limitations and future directions of innovation over the HR lifecycle?

Dr. Mitra Madanchian,  Vice Chair (BCOM) & Assistant Professor , University Canada West 

Benefits, Perks and Rewards that Matter 

• What employees want now: financial health, flexibility, and empathy
• Evolving benefit plans to reflect life-stage and workforce diversity
• Assessing common concerns being raised with HR leaders - squeezing finances, budgeting/saving in uncertain times, more workplace communication – and finding solutions to address these concerns  

Building Resilience and Adaptability in Teams

• What frameworks help teams handle ambiguity, pressure, and disruption with confidence?
• Supporting HR staff during prolonged periods of change
• How iterative models can reshape recruitment and L&D
• Building future-ready workforce plans that adapt to emerging realities

Julie Yang, Director of People and Culture, East Side Games 

Elena Bobyreva, Director, Human Resources, Fasken 

Amreeta Wadhwa, Director of People and Culture, Greenlight Innovation Corp.  

Networking Lunch Break

From Policy to Culture: Creating Cultures of Belonging 

• Going beyond DEI: what belonging means for retention
• Designing employee networks and peer communities
• How storytelling drives belonging and inclusion

Stephanie Redivo, Employee Experience Director, TransLink 

Jonathan Anthony, Director, Engagement & Culture, Metrie 

Arig al Shaibah, AVP, Equity and Inclusion, UBC 

Catherine Gordon, Chief People & Culture Officer, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice 

Robyn Dutton, Head of People & Culture, Zanda Health

Driving Meaningful Impact in Workplace Culture Strategy 

Building cultures that fuels performance, purpose, and belonging

• Why workplace culture is a strategic lever...
• Why diagnosing your company culture matters...
• Designing your culture for impact...
• What role does leadership play in driving culture...
• Lessons to learn in shaping positive workplace cultures

Katie Koleszar, Senior Director, Employee Success, Clio  

Human-Centered AI in Learning and Development: Unlocking the Talent Opportunity

• Using AI for identifying, designing, implementing and facilitating talent leadership programs. 
• How is risk managed in AI adoption?
• Building strong inter-departmental relationships and develop leaders through Innovative learning opportunities
• The importance of transparency, and trust when using technology in learning environments

Afternoon Refreshments Break

Please join ONE session from the following:

1. Building Resilience & Adaptability in Teams
2. Building Future Leaders: Aligning Talent Attraction, Retention and Development
3. Supporting Employee Mental Health 
4. Engaging Leadership to Promote Employee Health & Wellbeing
5. Strategies for Building Lasting Inclusion
6. Benefits, Perks and other Rewards During Times of Uncertainty
7. Financial Wellbeing as a Foundational Piece of Organizational Performance  
8. AI and HR – Strategies for Increasing Operational Efficiency

Decolonizing the Workplace: Redefining a People-First Culture to Drive Engagement and Retention

What if the key to a thriving, resilient workplace isn’t more policies or perks—but a deeper understanding of human needs and the systems that shape them? How can decolonizing our approach to people and culture can unlock authentic engagement, trust, and leadership?

How can decolonization foster deep belonging and shared purpose.

Deb Best, Director, Human Resources, Nch’kay Development Corporation   

Chair’s closing remarks 

Top take-aways from the day!

Lydia Di Francesco, CEO & Employee Wellness Specialist, Fit+ Healthy 360 

 Cocktail Reception  

 *Please note this session is available for human resources professionals from employers only