Team Category: Presenter

Kathleen Sawdo is a member of Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation in Treaty 3 Territory. As Executive Director of Indigenous Works and Kocihta, she is leading two national Indigenous organizations advancing workplace inclusion and reconciliation across Canada. A People & Culture leader with unwavering dedication to Indigenous inclusion, for over 20 years Kathleen has worked with organizations transforming how they approach reconciliation and Indigenous workforce development. She has served in board director positions including the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and Thunder Bay Police Community Advisory Committee, bringing Indigenous perspectives to regional governance and community leadership. Kathleen holds professional designations including Tribal Human Resources Professional (THRP) and Canadian Indigenous Human Resources Professional (CIHRP). Guided by a two-eyed seeing approach, she leads with Indigenous values at the forefront – weaving respect, relationship, and reciprocity into organizational strategy and operations. Kathleen’s leadership philosophy centers people as the heartbeat of any organization. She invites others to reimagine what workplace inclusion could be – spaces where Indigenous voices are centered, Indigenous knowledge systems inform organizational culture, and meaningful reconciliation creates pathways to shared prosperity.

Naomi Christopher is a People and Culture leader with more than 15 years of experience across learning and development, higher education, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and consulting. As the DEI Manager for Drax North America, she partners with operational and corporate leaders across the United States and Canada to strengthen inclusive workplace cultures. She delivers trainings and workshops, facilitates learning experiences, and uses data-driven insights to assess culture and drive measurable, sustainable improvements. Naomi collaborates closely with senior leaders to align DEI strategies with business priorities, enhance employee engagement, and embed equity into everyday operations.

Naomi earned her Bachelor of Arts from Purdue University and her Master of Education and Doctor of Education from the University of Houston. She has served as an adjunct faculty member, Learning and Development Specialist, consultant, and health sciences researcher focused on advancing equitable, evidence-based practices. She is currently conducting research on maternal mortality rates among African American women, examining systemic factors and opportunities for improved health outcomes.

She serves on the Board of the University of Houston Alumni Association and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her dog, Nala.

With over 30 years of experience as a BIPOC woman in retail leadership, Cassandra Machado has built a career grounded in purpose, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. In her role as Senior Manager, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at the LCBO, Cassandra leads enterprise-wide initiatives that champion inclusive culture, strengthen organizational learning, and address systemic barriers across a broad and diverse workforce.

Cassandra is also an Employee Resource Group co-lead for Persons with Disabilities, where her signature “can-do” attitude inspires safe, supportive spaces for employees to show up fully and confidently as themselves.

Today, Cassandra brings her insight, energy, and collaborative spirit to this panel, where she continues her mission of sparking dialogue, shifting mindsets, and championing inclusion for all.

Sandra Porteous had a long career at CBC working as a reporter, producer, Sr Producer and eventually as CBC’s first Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. During her time at CBC, she launched the DEL Program – which focused on removing barriers for members of Equity Deserving and Indigenous Groups. Now in its 8^th year, the DEL Leadership program literally changed who led newsrooms and CBC program units across Canada – and ensured that the next generations of leaders reflected the rich diversity of Canada.

Next, Sandra moved to Ontario’s largest public transit agency, Metrolinx – and launched their first DEI Strategy as Metrolinx’s Chief Inclusion Officer. The job involved launching the agency’s first Workforce Census and 8 vibrant Employee Resource Groups while supporting all portfolios.

Sandra is now in her latest role as Director of Equity Leadership at the College of Nurses of Ontario.

CNO is the largest health regulator in Canada, with an Equity Strategy and an Indigenous Equity Framework that serves a wide variety of constituents including nurses, CNO staff, Council members and of course the public. It’s an inspiring place to work and there has never been a more important time to work in the health sector.

Health Equity ensures better outcomes for patients, supported by educated and culturally fluent healthcare providers who truly ensure patient safety. The nurses that CNO supports are an inspiration and key to quality healthcare.

Karine Millaire, Ph.D., is a lawyer and professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Montreal. She is an expert in Indigenous governance, cultural security and participatory approaches. In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 28, she established the first mandatory French-language course for the 400 students who begin their bachelor’s degree in law each year. A member of the Wendat Nation, she is also president of Projets Autochtones du Québec.

Syex̱wáliya Ann Whonnock is a Knowledge Carrier & Elder from Skwxwú7mesh Uxwumixw (Squamish Nation) with strong Indigenous worldviews, ancestral knowledge and traditional teachings.

As taught by her late grandparents, Syex̱wáliya supports families and shares cultural teachings and protocols within and outside of her community. Her passion is to see that Squamish culture, language and ceremonies continue to be the cornerstone of the Nation for future generations and the culture carried on by future generations and her snichim (language) to be used, not only by herself, but for all the families and future generations in their daily lives and ceremonies. Let’s not let our Culture and Snichim die out!

Ana Mohammed is a trained Lawyer, Adjudicator, Mediator and Investigator. She has practiced in the areas of Administrative, Civil, and Criminal law, and has extensive experience in Employment and Human Rights law.

Ms. Mohammed has served under two BC Orders in Council (OIC). She served a 5-year term as an Adjudicator at the BC Human Rights Tribunal and an 18-month term as the BC Commissioner for Teacher Regulation. As a full-time Member of the BC Human Rights Tribunal, Ms. Mohammed heard and decided human rights complaints as a sole adjudicator, conducted mediations and dealt with human rights complaints at the prehearing and preliminary stages.

For over 17 years, Ms. Mohammed has been the principal of ARM Mediation and Consulting, working extensively with unionized workplaces in the private and public sectors, and with non-profit organizations. She has done extensive consultation in the BC Health sector and the College and University sector as a neutral 3rd party mediator, investigator, coach and educator/facilitator. Ms. Mohammed has also conducted workplace assessments, engaged to do industry troubleshooting work, and served as an Ombudsperson at numerous union conventions. Since 2007, Ms. Mohammed has taught Human Rights Law at the University of British Columbia Law School, on a periodic basis, and has presented at many Human Rights and Employment Law conferences.

Ms. Mohammed is the mother of two daughters. She is a first generation Canadian whose family emigrated from the Caribbean when she was a child. She has called 3 Canadian provinces home since 1977. Ms. Mohammed’s diverse experience and training has prepared her to work respectfully and effectively with diverse populations, to assist with nuance and sensitive matters, and to bring a Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) lens to her work.

Wendat and W8banaki (Abénakis), Jennifer has been working for several years in the Indigenous political sphere. She first began as a journalist for Radio-Canada and the TVA network, specializing in Indigenous affairs and the media sector.

Having chaired the National Youth Council of the Assembly of First Nations and represented Indigenous youth from Quebec and Labrador, she established herself within the Indigenous political world.

Trained as a political scientist, she worked with two Ministers of Indigenous Affairs for the Government of Quebec and advised the Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation, Rémy Vincent. Now Director and Leader of First Nations and Inuit Relations for the NATIONAL Public Relations firm, she continues her involvement with various organizations and provides training and lectures.

Jennifer also comments on political news in the media while teaching at the First Nations Executive Education School.

Bonnie Lépine Antoine is a passionate advocate for Francophone minority education, Indigenous education, and Reconciliation. With over 19 years of experience in the education sector, she currently serves as Director of Reconciliation and Indigenous Education at the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique (School District #93).

In this role, Bonnie plays a transformative role in integrating Indigenous perspective and worldviews into educational frameworks. She works to indigenize learning environments, promote anti-racism, equity and social justice among school professionals, and champion experiential, land-based learning approaches. A proud member of the Wendat Nation in Québec, with ancestral ties to the Métis of Red River. She currently lives in Bonaparte First Nation with her family and honors Secwepemc teachings. Bonnie is multilingual, enabling her to foster deep connections across diverse communities.

Her unwavering dedication to Indigenous cultural revitalization is reflected in her efforts to indigenize counselling, leadership, education and services for priority children. Bonnie’s work continues to leave a meaningful and lasting impact on the communities she serves.

Kim Thúy is a writer and speaker who left Vietnam with the boat people at the age of ten. She holds degrees in translation and law and worked in various fields before dedicating herself to writing. Her books, translated into 31 languages, have achieved worldwide success. A recipient of numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award and Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters, Kim Thúy shares her journey and reflections on topics such as beauty, failure, and the realities of families living with an autistic child.