Anna Grolle is Chief Corporate Officer at Cactus Club Cafe, where she is a driving force in developing the restaurant brand’s competitive advantages.

Ayesha Howitt brings over fifteen years of corporate human resource experience, including five years of dedicated DEIR practice.

Hassel Aviles has built a career in the hospitality and foodservice industry for over two decades working primarily in restaurants, event production and entrepreneurship.

A luxury hotelier with a hospitality background spanning 30+ years, starting at the Fairmont Banff Springs. She spent approximately 50% of her career in the Fairmont Canadian properties and 50% as part of the global Fairmont leadership team, in Sales, Revenue Management and Operations.

The first-ever female President and CEO of the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA), Ingrid Jarrett is an industry powerhouse who has spent the past three decades directly contributing to building the tourism sector across BC and Canada.

Lana Popham was elected MLA for Saanich South in 2009, and re-elected in 2013, 2017, and 2020. She is the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport.

Lizzy Ojo Martens is the Vancouver Chapter Lead at Colour the Trails. At CTT, she is committed to providing safe, fun, and accessible spaces for people of colour to learn and grow in community in the outdoors.

Named #14 in Vancouver Magazine's 2024 Power 50 list, Lorraine has been recognized for her ability to build key relationships across various sectors and her innovative approach to arts and culture.

Makenzie Chilton is a highly sought-after public speaker, with over 10 years of experience in motivating and inspiring audiences to achieve their professional and business goals. She is known for her engaging and dynamic presentations, which draw upon her extensive expertise in positive psychology, career coaching, and emotional intelligence.

Mandy Farmer is the CEO of Accent Inns Inc. with eight hotels across two brands, Accent Inns and Hotel Zed, plus her live-fire restaurant and bar, ROAR

Mary Point is a member of the Musqueam Indian Band – former Musqueam Community Planner and Facilities Manager, she is currently the Director of Indigenous Relations at Vancouver International Airport (YVR); and the Relationship Manager for the Musqueam Indian Band - YVR Airport Sustainability & Friendship Agreement

Natasha and her team of 20 support organizations throughout Canada and the US to recruit, retain and develop top talent. She is also the Author of the #1 best selling book, The HR Insider; how to land your dream job and keep it.

Puneet (she/her) is an accomplished accountant with 15 years of experience, specializing in the hospitality industry for the past decade. Her passion for food, nurturing people, and promoting team-first philosophies led her to find a perfect match in this field.

Richelle Akimow loves the hospitality industry, has been working in it since she was 16 years old, and has never left. She loves the humans in hospitality who give so much of themselves for others; their creativity, their passion, their innovation, and their deliciousness. Richelle has been with Gordon Food Service in British Columbia for 21 years and has been the General Manager since 2022.

With over 25 years’ experience in leadership, Robyn has led operations, communications and events at some of British Columbia’s marquee organizations including Vancouver Airport Authority, Canada Place Corporation and Capilano Suspension Bridge Group.

Shiva is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Masters as well as a Wine Spirit Education Trust Level 4 Diploma Candidate.

Shobna Kannusamy (she/her) is the Founder and Principal Coach at Soirette Connections and the host of the Colour Me Brave Podcast.

Having trained under renowned chefs throughout her career, at the age of 21, Detkavich found herself competing for the title of Top Chef Canada; making history as the youngest and first Indigenous woman to ever compete.

Sophie specializes in developing in-house gender equity policies and chairing Employee Resource Groups, helping employers become more sustainable, profitable, and innovative.

Stacey is the current Education Director of Good Night Out Vancouver, a BC-based non-profit society that works directly with the hospitality, music and arts sectors to prevent and respond to sexual violence, creating safer spaces for both workers and patrons.

As the Director of Partnerships, Teresa is responsible for supporting relationships and partnerships as well as developing and implementing programs across Canada to establish and grow regional Indigenous tourism associations.

Founded in 1999, Minerva BC is a registered charity that is dedicated to advancing the leadership of women and girls. As CEO, Tina has more than 15 years’ senior leadership experience in the career development, education, and social impact sector.

Trina is the VP of Marketing & Communications for Accent Inns and Hotel Zed. She has a 25-year, multi-award-winning marketing career under her belt.