Devon Clunis

Devon Clunis

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Former Winnipeg Chief of Police - Leadership, Workplace Culture, Diversity & Inclusion Expert

Devon Clunis is an international business and leadership consultant with extensive Executive Leadership experience. He was Chief of Police for the City of Winnipeg, Inspector General of Policing for the Province of Ontario, and co-authored two children's books on diversity, equity and inclusion. Devon employs a People First principle in all of his work, focused on ensuring individuals' internal and external needs are addressed holistically to meet personal and professional goals. In a time of significant social unrest, Devon engages audiences in community-centric conversations that build understanding and create mutually beneficial paths forward.
  • Expertise In
  • Speaker Types
  • Change Management
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Employee Management
  • Leadership
  • Mental Health
  • Peak Performance
  • Personal Growth
  • Resilience & Adversity
  • Business Management
  • Community Engagement Events
  • Conference
  • Guest Panelist & Guided Q&A
  • Inspirational
  • Motivation
  • Politicians
  • Social Justice & Human Rights

DEVON CLUNIS BIOGRAPHY

Devon Clunis is a renowned keynote speaker, consultant, and coach who has made significant contributions to law enforcement and community building. In 2012, he made history as the first Black chief of police in Canada, solidifying his place in the country’s law enforcement landscape. Clunis, originally from Jamaica, immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of 11 and embarked on his law enforcement career with the Winnipeg Police Service in 1987. Over the years, he held various roles within the police force, progressing from patrol officer to community relations and chaplain, eventually reaching the position of superintendent.

During his tenure as the chief of the Winnipeg Police from 2012 to 2016, Devon Clunis faced the challenge of transforming a city known for its high crime rates and gang affiliations into a safer and more inclusive community. He spearheaded internal initiatives aimed at redefining the roles of police officers, reconstructing their purpose, and reinventing their systems with a focus on compassion, humanity, and values. Through his compassionate and community-building leadership style, Clunis achieved remarkable outcomes that were recognized as “nothing short of a miracle” by McLean’s Magazine in 2016.

Leading an organization of over 1,900 employees with an annual budget exceeding $263,000,000.00, Clunis navigated complex work environments and fostered a culture of inclusivity, care, and purpose. His success relied on attracting and retaining highly motivated, results-driven individuals who thrived in team-oriented settings. Beyond law enforcement, Clunis extended his impact by engaging in consulting work with the Winnipeg police after his retirement. In January 2017, he further showcased his versatility and creativity by launching his first children’s book, co-authored with his wife Pearlene, titled “The Little Boy From Jamaica,” which garnered significant attention.

In response to the social unrest following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Clunis’s commitment to fostering peace led him to accept the role of Inspector General of Police for the Province of Ontario. This marked another significant milestone as he became the first to hold this position in Canada. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Devon Clunis embraced his new role and worked diligently to establish the Inspectorate of Policing, contributing to enhanced transparency, accountability, and public trust within the policing services of Ontario. His dedication and leadership were highly praised by Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, who described him as an “exceptional and transformational police leader.”

Beyond his contributions to law enforcement, Devon Clunis, alongside his wife, utilizes their personal stories, professional expertise, and experiences to empower individuals and organizations in areas such as leadership, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Their goal is to guide others toward a more equitable world where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With a humanized approach to the human experience, they engage in meaningful conversations that challenge oppression and strive to bring awareness to these critical issues.

Devon Clunis continues to apply his proven leadership principles across North America, helping individuals and organizations achieve their aspirational goals. His passion for making a difference in the lives of Canadians and promoting dialogue against oppression drives his work. By combining his rich background in law enforcement, transforming workplace cultures, community building, and compassionate leadership, Clunis has become a beacon of inspiration and a catalyst for positive change.

Videos

Podcasts

Coming Soon!

Devon Clunis Topic Presentations

unifying conversations: embracing the power of diversity and creating an equitable future

  • Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
  • Devon Clunis is dedicated to illuminating the path towards “common unity” and excellence in all aspects of our lives. Recognizing that we are more alike than different, Devon challenges the prevailing narratives that fuel a sense of division and seeks to foster understanding and unity.

    In a world where conversations around Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are often difficult and uncomfortable, many feel hesitant to speak up, fearing potential consequences for their personal and professional lives. Devon believes that this fear-driven approach is limiting and disorienting. Instead, he encourages open, safe, and honest discussions that celebrate the diversity of humanity and embrace our uniqueness.

    Devon and his team create safe spaces where diverse perspectives can be shared and understood. They facilitate challenging conversations that promote learning and growth. By unifying rather than dividing, they aim to create a future that is genuinely equitable, diverse, and inclusive. Devon Clunis bring the audience on a transformative journey towards understanding and embracing diversity. Together, let’s break down barriers, foster unity, and shape a future where everyone’s voices are heard and valued.

embracing equity, diversity, and inclusion: compassion, empathy, and celebrating our differences for a better future

people centric leadership

reshaping the workforce: building value-centric organizations

the diverse workforce advantage: harnessing the power of inclusion for organizational success

culture shifts: leadership in navigating organizational change

ethical leadership: cultivating a value-driven and caring culture for effective engagement

practical leadership to navigate complexity

nurturing learning organizations to cultivate effective leaders

defining purpose: unlocking interpersonal potential

critical thinking: developing skills for effective decision-making

critical thinking in crisis: navigating challenges

community development: revitalizing connections through meaningful conversations

Testimonials

Coming Soon!

Articles & Media

Coming Soon!

Books

Coming Soon!

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How to book Devon Clunis for an event?

Devon Clunis keynote speaker is an expert presenter and has a wide range of experience speaking to a wide variety of audiences and organizations. Devon Clunis delivers keynotes, workshops & training sessions. They may also host or emcee events. Hire Devon Clunis from Winnipeg, Manitoba for your event to inspire the audience to take action and make change in their work and their lives. Your workplace will benefit from our keynote speaker and their keynote talks and speeches will shift the mindsets or behaviours for the audience members in Canada. 

Interested in booking Devon Clunis for an event?

Are you looking to hire Devon Clunis for your event? Devon Clunis Winnipeg, Manitoba is a dynamic and engaging speaker that offers audiences researched content paired with expertise and a dynamic speaking ability. Devon Clunis is also a Canadian corporate consultant and coach and facilitates workshops and training sessions for a corporate audience. Devon Clunis is an expert keynote presenter and speaks on wide variety of topics. Hiring a great speaker for your event is important and working with a thought leader like Devon Clunis from Speakers Canada's roster will engage audiences into the content of the presentation to bring awareness and a fresh perspective for their approach to their work and their lives. Book Devon Clunis to educate, motivate and activate the audience through an interactive and entertaining presentation at corporate meetings and gatherings.

Known as a popular key note speaker in Canada, Devon Clunis creates life changing experiences for the participants with practical insights and strategic advice they can implement right after the session. Working with a one our leading expert speaker like Devon Clunis from Winnipeg, Manitoba offers organizations a fresh perspective to assist the people of the organization. No matter if it is a government, association, or business crowd, Devon Clunis is a perfect speaker for your event. Through unique practical insights for trending topics and years experience speaking to different organizations, Devon Clunis focuses on changing individuals to make better decisions at work and their lives. No matter if you are holding an in person or virtual event, having an influential speaker such as Devon Clunis will engage, motivate, and activate the audience to make a change in their lives and inspire action for results to meet organizational goals. Your workforce will benefit from Devon Clunis's presentations and speeches, with measurable results set to shift the people of the organization and core direction of the company. Book Devon Clunis speaker for your annual general meeting, conference, summit, or convention in Canada.

How much does it cost to hire Devon Clunis for a keynote presentation or virtual event?

Devon Clunis is an expert professional key note speaker with a lot of experience speaking and delivering engaging talks to organizations and audiences in Canada. Each of Speaker Bureau Canada's talent have different ways to assess their fees, and Devon Clunis speaker fee ranges depending on the size of the audience, event format (in person or virtual), event location, and if the organization booking them is a non profit, association, government department/government agency or business/corporation. The speakers we work with are flexible with their fees, and it is important for us to learn more about your event before we approach them, as it is our role to work for you, and to help you find a speaker within budget. 

Please contact Speakers Bureau of Canada and provide us with your event details so that we can contact Devon Clunis to check availability or confirm the pricing and associated costs to hire a great speaker like Devon Clunis for your event. As Devon Clunis's agent and as a Canadian top speaker bureau and talent agency for speakers, we are able to propose each event opportunity from each host organization's behalf to try to help you get in touch with Devon Clunis and confirm them for your in person or online meeting/event. We can also provide and advise on the booking process and potentially negotiate their fee. Speakers Canada is a client focused speaker agency, and we work for you in finding good speakers for your team meetings and booking processes.

Devon Clunis Disclaimer

Speakers Bureau Canada assists companies and event planning teams seeking to hire talent like Devon Clunis for speaking engagements, virtual meetings, conference appearances, training sessions and workshops facilitations. Our Canadian speakers bureau does not claim to exclusively represent Devon Clunis, however they are represented by Speakers Canada, and we work with them closely for their Canadian speaking opportunities and bookings. As Canada's top speaker bureau, we represent Canadian motivational keynote speakers and professional guest speakers that will be available on your upcoming events date and location that are withing the budget. Our talented bureau speaker booking agency can help find business speakers or celebrity speakers that aligns with each organization, audience, event theme and the topic themes you hope for the speaker to address in their presentation. 

When SBC receives a request to book Devon Clunis we provide you with their speaker fees, travel costs and check their schedules. We work closely with the host organization's event planning team and the speaker to handle the logistics and to relay or negotiate associated costs. Our talented team members then will work with our talent directly or their agent/manager/assistant to confirm the Canadian speaker fee and travel expenses, so that event planning teams can receive an official quote for the speaker appearing at the event. Speaker fees and travel costs vary per speaker and our role is to contact Devon Clunis about your event, after we have connected with the event organizers to learn all the event details and/or conference program. Each booking request is unique since session durations and audience sizes can vary which may affect the speaker's fees. If you are looking to hire Devon Clunis, we recommend filling out the booking request form so a booking agent from Speakers Bureau Canada can get in touch with our talent to help you coordinate with your team to engage the speaker for a successful event.