NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)
NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)
Computer Systems Technology Diploma (Honors)
Computer Systems Technology Diploma (Honors)
1998 – 2002
1998 – 2002

NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)
NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)
Management Diploma, Human Resource Management
Management Diploma, Human Resource Management
1989 – 1991
1989 – 1991

Marni Panas is diversity and inclusion professional dedicated to creating safe and welcoming, and inclusive environments especially for the LGBTQ population in large public and private organizations, all levels of government and departments, health care, educational institutions, corrections and law enforcement. Most recently she was a member of the LGBTQ2 Apology Advisory Council which helped draft the apology Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2017 to LGBTQ people in Canada who for discrimination and injustices faced by this community as a result of federal legislation, policies and programs.

Marni Panas was also part of the work that led to Gender Identity and Gender Expression being added as protected grounds from discrimination to Alberta’s Human Right’s Act. She was part of an expert panel that assisted in developing guidelines to support school boards in Alberta in creating policies that would provide safe and welcoming environments for LGBTQ students, families and staff. She recently provided testimony to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs in support of Bill C-16 (And Act to amend Canada’s Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code of Canada) which received Royal Assent in July, 2017.

Marni has holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Administration and is currently working towards her Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional designation. Marni Panas has been invited to share her experiences and expertise in community engagement, facilitation, Patient & Family Centred Care, bereavement and loss, and inclusive health and cultural safety for LGBTQ* patients and their families locally, nationally and internationally. She is a regular lecturer at Edmonton’s universities.

She has consulted with the various levels of government, law enforcement, universities, local school boards, community services organizations, health care professional colleges and societies, corrections facilities, corporations, and other institutions on public engagement and development of inclusive spaces and services for our diverse population. She often appears in local and national media discussing a variety of topics that affect the community in which she lives. Marni Panas has also made appearances on CNN and The BBC.

As an engaged member of her community, Marni Panas received the Human Rights award from the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, nominated as an Edmonton YWCA Woman of Distinction and named a Camrose Composite High School Alumnus of Distinction for her commitment to creating a community where diversity is not only accepted, but celebrated. A community that is safe for others to be their authentic selves.

Martin Lespérance is a keynote speaker, trainer and host. Martin Lespérance has spent his entire career in the field of coaching and training, working as an artistic gymnastics coach, a Canadian Armed Forces Reserve soldier, a high-school teacher, an advisor for the Quebec Government Secrétariat aux Loisirs et aux Sports, a national trainer at Bayer, and a director of training and development at Essilor Canada. He is an expert communicator and an extremely passionate speaker. He knows how to light up a room full of participants and rouse their emotions. He is enthusiastic, forthright, humorous, pragmatic and intelligent.

In recent years, Martin has focused on giving motivational conferences and workshops to help teams achieve their goals and get inspired. He has motivated entrepreneurs in China, Thailand, France, United States and across Canada.

He uses his creativity and sense of humour to lead national sales meetings. He also hosts keynotes with a great deal of intensity and generosity.

His objective is to inspire people to act so that, together, we can live in a better world.

WHO SAID IT CAN’T BE DONE? LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Marty Park is a rare breed. At the age of 21, while most students are neck-deep with homework and weekend plans, Marty was running his first company, with 8 staff members on payroll. Since then, Park has owned and operated over 14 companies, across industries from software to restaurants, audio production to marketing – he has become an expert at business growth and the personal growth that comes with it.

On top of being an accomplished entrepreneur, Marty Park is an award-winning business coach and has been involved in the launch, growth, restructuring or financing of a multitude of companies internationally. Working with clients to conquer adversity, transform their performance and achieve their ultimate vision of success, in business and life. As a serial entrepreneur and veteran business coach, Marty has identified strategies, ideas and specific actions that can help anyone create a better business and a better life. As a speaker his stories are real, relevant, and the tools and tips he shares are purposeful and immediately implementable.

Above all, Marty Park is a expert business strategist and storyteller. His crafted keynotes include equal parts, humour, practicality and energy for each audience. Marty is not about academia – he is about real world solutions and experience you can use. As a result, his audiences come away feeling energized, enlightened and equipped to put the wheels in motion to produce better results. Marty Park delivers dynamic presentations to many different audiences related to business leadership, business strategy, business growth, branding, marketing, entrepreneurship, sales, customer service/experience, innovation and business success.

Marty is a storyteller. When he steps on stage you feel as though you are in the story with him. His presentations are crafted with equal parts, humour, practicality and energy. Marty is not about academia – he is about real world solutions and experience you can use. His audiences come away feeling energized, enlightened and equipped to put the wheels in motion to produce better results. He’s the real deal. Marty hasn’t had one big, lucky break in business, but instead has consistent success across many industries, geographies and economic conditions. What sets Marty apart from other speakers is that he has experienced, first-hand, the unforeseeable highs and lows of being a hands-on business operator.

Noteworthy

Mary Charleson is a marketing speaker, educator, writer and consultant. She presents keynotes & workshops at conferences and any type of business or organization. Charleson believes that it comes to marketing, it all starts with a solid strategy. Mission, vision, objectives, and strategies must all align with core offerings, core competencies, and a segmented approach to create a unique positioning. Mary Charleson’s expertise helps any organization launch, expand, or refocus.

Mary Charleson develops strategies for strategic business units, markets, products, pricing, distribution, and promotions. Our recommendations are based on an assessment of your internal strengths and weaknesses, external threats and opportunities, your competition, the customer and the business environment, as well as segment opportunities and trends analysis.

As a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, Mary Chareleson’s customized presentations marketing presentations appeal to a variety of different clients. She has the ability to use storytelling and her research into large and small businesses best practices, address audiences in a compelling and memorable way.

Mary Charleson can also build a half or whole day workshop to make the program specifically for your business. Mary Charleson is a sought after academic, who actively consults in her field, bringing current knowledge and examples to every audience and presentation. Mary regularly delivers marketing seminars for Small Business BC, as a way to support the entrepreneurial community in Western Canada.

One of the world’s leading authorities on customer service, the customer experience, company culture, and hospitality, Micah Solomon is a regular contributor to Forbes.com and his expertise has been featured in Inc. Magazine, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, CBS, ABC, NBC, and the Harvard Business Review.

At the podium, Micah Solomon combines essential principles with detailed, insider knowledge and strategies that will keep your competitors scrambling, your customers coming back, and your bottom line showing better results. He deftly tailors his presentations to suit companies of any, industry, and market, using an award-winning visual style and an unfailingly witty delivery.

As a customer service consultant through his customer experience consulting firm, Micah Solomon prides himself on helping companies of nearly all sizes and markets get to where they want to be – using expertise from his own experiences in the trenches of numerous industries.

Micah’s broad expertise includes customer service and the customer experience in retail, automotive, manufacturing, technology, banking, financial services, legal, not-for-profit, government, education (both K-12 and higher education), the patient experience in healthcare (including as keynote speaker for the Cleveland Clinic Patient Experience Summit and contributor to the Journal of the Patient Experience), and the hospitality industry – this industry being central to his most recent book, The Heart of Hospitality: Great Hotel and Restaurant Leaders Share Their Secrets, with a foreword by Herve Humler, President and COO, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

A business leader and entrepreneur himself, Micah Solomon built his own company into a market leader in the manufacturing and independent entertainment field and was also an early investor in the technology behind Apple’s Siri. His remarkable story is familiar to millions, thanks to Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Seth Godin’s bestseller Purple Cow, Forbes, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Investor’s Business Daily, The Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal Radio, CBS and NBC television programming, and other media.

Leisse Wilcox is a transformational life and mindset coach who teaches purpose-driven individuals how to elevate their impact using emotional intelligence. A passionate speaker, dynamic thought leader, author, NLP practitioner, podcast host, taco enthusiast, cancer survivor, and mom of three, her entire experience has been about coming home to her truest self, and to call herself “beloved.”

Leisse teaches purpose driven individuals to turn the difficult and ugly into something purposeful and beautiful, using a process she calls “Emotional Alchemy,”and genuinely believes that changing the world starts by making the changes we want to see within ourselves, first.

An expert featured on Simple Habit, and an entrepreneurial advisor with StartUp Canada, Leisse’s intention is to guide people to come home to themselves, giving them permission to live, authentically. Leisse’s first book To Call Myself Beloved will be available in the fall of 2020, and you can watch her on Season 2 of Amazon Prime’s “The Social Movement.”

Lesley-Anne Scorgie has a passion for personal finance was strong well before her appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2001. What started all the fuss in the first place was when she took up teaching her high school business class about investing, much to her teacher’s surprise. This resulted in the local newspaper writing about her, which in turn triggered interest from the producers of the Oprah Winfrey show.

Since appearing on the show in 2001 called “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth”, Lesley-Anne Scorgie has branched out as a bestselling author, renowned professional speaker, educator and popular columnist and television personality. Her area of expertise has also expanded into career navigation, entrepreneurship and women’s workplace equity and diversity issues. Lesley-Anne will bring the focus and insight you need to get on the right track towards financial and career independence

Today she is armed with her three books The Modern Couple’s Money Guide: 7 Smart Steps to Building Wealth Together (April 2016), Well-Heeled: The Smart Girl’s Guide to Getting Rich (April 2014), and Rich by Thirty: Your Guide to Financial Success (January 2007/2015). Lesley-Anne Scorgie owns and operates MeVest, a money school for Canadians offering one-on-one money coaching and employer programs.

In addition to being a guest of Oprah Winfrey, Lesley-Anne Scorgie has made numerous television appearances including CBC, Breakfast Television, The Social, Montel Williams, and MTV Live. Her financial articles have appeared in publications such as Metro News, Toronto Star, Men’s Health magazine, the Globe and Mail and the Calgary Herald. Lesley-Anne has been a spokesperson for Government Savings Bonds and BMO Bank of Montreal. Lesley-Anne has a BComm from University of Alberta and an MBA from Queen’s University. In 2011, Lesley-Anne Scorgie won Avenue’s Top 40 Under 40 award and WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada.

A sought-after keynote speaker, Likky Lavji’s candid, energetic, and effortless presentation style engages and resonates with audiences. With over 25 years of leadership experience, Likky has been acknowledged by leading organizations, including Lenovo Canada, Ingram Micro, Royal Bank of Canada, for his ability to redefine networking and his innovative approach to conducting business.

Here is what people say about Likky Lavji:
““It’s truly an honour to have Likky Lavji on our team of Certified Go-Giver Speakers & Coaches. He is not only a wonderful ambassador of the Go-Giver message; he is the very embodiment of it. When combined with his overall business and marketing acumen and ability to connect with his audience, he is able to bring exceptional value and true transformation to his clients! I highly recommend Likky as both as a facilitator as well as a keynote speaker. Your audience, your
company, your bottom line will come away better as a result.”
— Bob Burg, coauthor of National Best Seller “The Go Giver”, Recepient of CPAE NSA Hall of Fame Award

“We invited Likky Lavji, a certified speaker, networking expert and business and personal coach to speak to us about ‘How to ask for referrals’ we now are excited to have more meaningful discussions with our clients whereby we are able to go beyond a banking transaction to building quality relationships. Thanks Likky Lavji!
— Vineet Verghese, Manager Business Markets, Royal Bank of Canada

Likky is the President and Lead Facilitator of Dante Group, a Vancouver-based consulting firm that works with growth-oriented, mid-sized companies to resolve the core issues that are impacting longterm growth in their organizations. His methods lead his clients to greater profits, increase employee satisfaction and strengthen customer loyalty. Business leaders and sales professionals alike love working with Likky because he provides nothing short of exceptional value and true organizational transformation for his clients.

Linda Crawford is a keynote and workshop speaker that offers practical strategies for individual and organizational health and wellness. Crawford is a dynamic, motivated and spirited individual who exudes a quiet confidence and passion for life. She delivers engaging presentations that build healthier individuals and stronger communities. Her keynotes, seminars serve to enhance the lives of her participants, leaving them feeling inspired, rejuvenated, connected and educated to lead a lifelong journey of health and happiness.

Linda Crawford owns and operates a successful fitness and lifestyle company. She is a strong role model and leader for people wanting to live a life of adventure, joy, abundance, health and vitality. Linda is an Certified Personal Fitness Trainer, Life Coach, Healer, Dancer, Instructor and Speaker, empowering individuals to “Step Into Their Greatness” the moment they say YES to themselves around Self-Care has always felt like a calling. Linda Crawford’s deepest passion lies in working with individuals in a fun, spirited and transformative process to awaken the fire of  body, mind and spirit.

In her current fast-paced role with a dynamic team at Alberta Blue Cross, Linda is involved in in supporting organizations to build healthy workplace culture. This also includes consulting, wellness strategy development, presenting workshops and contributing creative ideas with a focus on prevention of modifiable lifestyle factors for individuals, workplaces and communities.

Linda Crawford is also a published author with a best selling book on Amazon called, “Pebbles in the Pond”. Linda Crawford’s gifts of compassion and sincerity, along with her search for deeper meaning about life invite others to feel comfortable and inspired in discovering their own path of self-enlightenment. Linda is also involved with the India/Nepal Yoga Project which brings the wisdom, power and knowledge of yoga and meditation to those effected by human trafficking. This charity implements local and global fundraising initiatives through “One Red Bead” project to raise funds to support those in need in create sustainability.

Linda Crawford’s Certifications:

• Erickson Certified Life Coach
• Erickson Train the Trainer
• Facilitator Developmemt – Personal Best Seminars
• Lifestyle Meditation
• Management: Productivity,Leadership, Strategy – Udemy
• Neurolinguistic Programming
• Reconnective Healing
• Train the Trainer – Peak Potential
• Psychological Health and Safety Trainer – Canadian Mental Health Association
• Mental Health First Aid – Mental Health First Aid Canada
• Mindfulness Training – Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute

Linda Edgecombe (CSP) is one of the Top 60 Motivational Speakers in the World. As a result, Linda is a Speaker Hall of Fame of Canada inductee. She is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and the author of six books. Edgecombe offers insightful, amusing, and practical advice on building a creative, energetic, and engaged team in these challenging times. Linda Edgecombe is an internationally renowned, award-winning, and dynamic speaker. As a result, she creates a massive positive impact wherever she presents. Her presentations are fast-paced and content-rich.

The Wall Street Journal featured Linda Edgecombe as an expert in shifting peoples’ perspectives on their work and home life to stop living in the “when this then that” paradigm. She is a bestselling author, and is one of Canada’s most popular presenters. She has spoke all over the world to audiences from almost every industry. Linda Edgecombe has a passion for empowering women and raising money to rescue girls in Nepal from child contract labor.

Linda’s message is as welcome as a good belly laugh and as profound as an honest look in the mirror. For the past 24 years, she has developed and delivered dynamic presentations on the subjects of Work/Life Balance, Leadership and Accountability across North America and Overseas. Most of her clients choose learning points from a few of her addresses to customize them for their staff/ members. Edgecombe brings over 20 years of recreation, employee wellness, lifestyle, and corporate consulting experience to her programs and her clients. She was a consultant for the Participaction campaign promoting healthy living to North Americans, and is the bestselling author of Breaking Busy: Finding Peace in the Chaos; Boost: Powerful Tools to Re-Energize and Re-Engage You and Your Team in Crazy Times; Shift…Or Get Off the Pot; and On The Edge: Living and Leading With Purpose and Balance.

Linda Edgecombe’s mission is to motivate and prepare individuals to take on anything that comes their way. She promises to create powerful shifts, increase accountability and momentum for her participants. All while lifting their spirits through humour and relative content. Linda believes that “a laugh is worth more than a thousand words and it has the power to change the way people feel, think and take action!”.