Team Category: Presenter

Linda holds a Ph.D., a Masters and a Bachelors of Social Work. Linda has over 29 years of experience working in non-profit, human services and health care, including almost 20 years with Alberta Health Services where her most recent role has been the manager, Provincial Addiction and Mental Health. She has also been an instructor at St. Mary’s University and the University of Calgary where she has lectured on issues of diversity, oppression, leadership, and racism as a social determinant of health. Linda has a solid background in research, structural; transformational change management and community development. She has a strong commitment to racialization, equity, mental health, environmental health, diversity, and cultural competency.

Sona Khosla is Chief Impact Officer atBenevity, Inc., the leading provider of global corporate purpose software. At the helm of Benevity Impact Labs, an incubator and resource hub, Sona and her team bring cutting-edge data, research, insights and best practices to help organizations and individuals maximize their impact and authentically live their purpose.

Prior to Benevity, Sona spent 15 years marketing disruptive tech-based companies including the world’s second largest independent online payments business and Getty Images where she led a campaign that ranked #2 on Adweek’s Top Stories of the year. Now the host of Benevity’s podcast, Speaking of Purpose, Sona makes guest appearances on shows discussing topics such as building purpose-driven brands, authentic employee and customer engagement, corporate giving trends and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

As a political activist and community organizer, Dinoba (she/her) has worked extensively in the field of gender equity at the intersection of race. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto, and later obtained a Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs degree from the University of British Columbia. Under the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians, Dinoba has led a national study on gender-based violence within the South Asian community in Canada and published an 80 page report. She is currently leading a study on toxic masculinity among South Asians as it impacts gender-based violence within the Greater Toronto Area. Her passion for addressing gender and racial inequity influenced her work at the United Nations Children’s Fund at the Regional Office of South Asia in Nepal. There she was placed in the Education Section where she was instrumental in writing country profiles on the barriers to education faced by South Asian girls in rural communities. She has co-published a policy report on the Rome Statute’s understanding of conflict-related sexual violence. Outside of the office, Dinoba is a classically-trained Bharathanatyam dancer who completed her arangetram. She speaks fluent Tamil and loves all things connected to her roots.

Namita Khatri is a business solutions designer who prides herself on creating purpose-driven corporate EDI&A initiatives and programs that drive fundamental and sustainable change. Her passion lies in partnering with companies to optimize their EDI&A programs that result in increased engagement, innovation, profitability and overall well-being.

With over 15 years in the workforce solutions industry, Namita’s experience in the last few years has focused specifically on developing EDI&A practices within the areas of recruitment, hiring, training and engagement.

Namita’s prior experience includes leading national Solution Design and Proposal teams to achieve corporate sales targets, marketplace differentiation and company growth. Namita also collaborates with a Montreal-run, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a brighter future for Montreal’s diverse linguistic and cultural youth population.

Tara Kappo is anîhiyaw’skwewof thesakâwiyiniwakfrom the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Treaty 8. She is the daughter of Margaret Kappo and the late Harold Cardinal (Sucker Creek First Nation, Treaty 8) and the traditionally-adopted daughter of Harvey and Lorraine Raine (Smallboy Camp, Treaty 6).

Tara is an alumnus of the University of Alberta from which she holds a Bachelor of Arts (Native Studies), a Certificate in Aboriginal Governance and Partnership, and a Master of Arts (Native Studies). She was also awarded the inaugural Chancellor’s Medal in Leadership from the University of Alberta in 2015. Her academic endeavors were grounded in the lifelong learning she’s received from her family aroundnîhiyaw(Cree) lifeways, governance and law, and Treaty rights and responsibilities. She considers these teachings as the impetus, as well, for involvement in various areas, such as serving as a volunteer member of the Walking With Our Sisters National Collective, and her current work with Treaty 8 Urban Child and Family Services where she is contributing to the development of a Treaty 8 collective child well-being law.

While completing her Psychology Degree at the University of Windsor, Tyjondah Kerr started her career in gaming in 1994 with Casino Windsor. She began working for OLG in 1999 and has held management positions at OLG Slots at Mohawk Racetrack and OLG Slots at Woodbine Racetrack. During her 20+ years with OLG, Tyjondah has had progressive leadership roles.

She is currently the Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion within People and Culture. She oversees OLG’s Diversity & Inclusion Council and other Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Tyjondah is accountable for the Equity Diversity and Inclusion strategy for the organization and helps to create a sense of belonging for OLG’s employees.

In 2019, Tyjondah received the Vaike Murusalu Empowerment Award at OLG. Her dedication for leadership and empowering people to reach their goals has been her driving force with every position she undertakes.

In 2020, Tyjondah became one of Canada’s 100 Accomplished Black Women by 100ABCwomen authored by the Honourable Jean Augustine.

Tyjondah is a married mother of 2 and resides in Brampton, On.

Raymond Jordan Johnson-Brown is a Director, Youth Advocate, and Queer Content Creator who is conscious of the privilege he has in the work he does within the community. He identifies as a cis gendered homosexual male, and currently lives on traditional Blackfoot and Treaty 7 territory. Raymond’s aim is to provide support, offer artistic opportunities, and create community connections for marginalized groups. Creating a city that is inclusive of all people regardless of their gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status without fear of being excluded is at the forefront of his vision.

Raymond is currently the Director of Community Engagement for Calgary Pride, Executive Director of SNAP Dance Company, and a Youth Support Worker for Pathways Community Services.

Manager, Training & Education, Abilities Centre

Mubina began her journey with the Abilities Centre in 2023 and is very motivated by the organization’s mission and vision. She holds a BA in Sociology & Economics from the University of Toronto along with multiple mindset coaching certifications and brings years of professional experience in the IDEA space and in the coaching industry. Furthermore, Mubina brings significant intersectional lived experience to the team as she uses a wheelchair and is a single mom of a teenager, enhancing her expertise in accessibility and inclusion. The time Mubina has spent engaging in the multitude of projects has strengthened her abilities as a manager, facilitator, and trainer. Mubina has worked with people across the globe from different backgrounds and varying ages, including athletes and youth. Serving others and working with people is a true passion of Mubina’s, and she has come to realize this is indeed her true purpose in life – and she loves every minute of it!

Mubina is an athlete and participated in many competitive parasports in her younger days. Today, she spends her free time with her son and at local arenas watching him play hockey.

Mark Johnson is the Director, Human Resource Operations and Talent Acquisition for EPCOR Utilities Inc., an Edmonton based utility provider providing power, water, drainage and natural gas services in 4 provinces and 3 states. Over a 30 year career as an HR professional and leader, Mark has worked in a variety of areas with specialized focus on labour relations, talent management, leadership development and succession planning.

Mark acts as Chair of EPCOR’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, established in 2018 to develop and implement an D&I framework aimed at creating an inclusive workplace that respects, values and leverages different opinions, lifestyles, beliefs and experiences while ensuring that each employees feels valued, engaged and enabled to professionally and personally succeed.

Mark is a graduate of the University of Alberta and is a Certified Professional in Human Resources.

Jeff Ince’s career in insurance started 25 years ago as a claims trainee at the Royal Insurance Company in Toronto. From there, he joined the claims team at the Canadian head office of Johnson & Higgins where he was introduced to the world of global brokers. At that time, Marsh & J&H were arch-rivals, so when the merger of the two brokers was announced in May of 1997, Jeff accepted an offer to leave the brokerage world and go back to the claims side – this time in Claims Management.

Jeff chose to leave J&H as he had an offer to join the Head Office Marketing staff of the Independent adjusting company of Lindsey Morden (the predecessor of Cunningham Lindsey). It was at this company that Jeff found a mentor and role model. He was Jeff’s manager and quickly became his close friend and in today’s terminology – an ally. It was also during Jeff’s time at LM that he met who would become his future husband and father of his twin daughters. Jeff spent 13 years at Cunningham Lindsey – 4 of which were in suburban Washington D.C., including September 11, 2001. Later, Jeff went on to become a partner in a start-up insurance brokerage in suburban Toronto, and then back to working for a global broker called Marsh!

As Co-Chair of the Canadian Pride BRG in its inaugural term, Jeff practices diversityandinclusion daily. He is very proud of what his BRG has accomplished in its first year and can honestly say that his involvement with D&I at Marsh has changed his life for the better. Jeff truthfully brings his whole self to work every day and didn’t do that prior to his involvement with the Pride BRG.