
Todd Leader
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
- Change Management
- Employee Management
- Health & Wellness
- Leadership
- Mental Health
- Peak Performance
- Personal Growth
- Resilience & Adversity
- Business Management
- Community Engagement Events
- Conference
- Education & Teachers
- Guest Panelist & Guided Q&A
- Health and Safety
- Healthcare
- Inspirational
- Lifestyle & Health
TODD LEADER BIOGRAPHY
Todd Leader doesn’t just talk the talk. He has achieved real outcomes and demonstrated his ability as a leader, time and time again, and also has developed an engaging and motivating style that can help you benefit from that real-world experience and knowledge. Todd Leader is a Registered Social Worker and a Registered Community Psychologist, with a decades-long career as a multiple-award-winning transformational leader in healthcare and social services. He has also been a multiple-award-winning university educator for more than 30 years.
Todd Leader has been a member of the Nova Scotia Ministerial Advisory Panel on Innovation in Mental Health and Addictions, President of the Public Health Association of Nova Scotia, President of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia, a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Public Health Association, and is currently Vice President of the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers.
Todd Leader’s contribution to his community has also been recognized by a declaration in the Nova Scotia Legislature. He has earned the 2014 Excellence in Teaching Award (Faculty of Arts), and the 2017 Overall Excellence in Teaching Award, from the Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association. Health services under his leadership have earned two international best practice awards and a leadership award for excellence in women’s health.
Todd Leader has built and led built public sector services that include addiction and mental health, primary health care, chronic disease management, health promotion, cancer care support, therapeutic child and youth care, and a drug task force, among others. Todd has also led and sustained the transformation of a mental health and addiction program to achieve the best wait times in Nova Scotia (from 8 months down to 1 month for adults, and from 5 months down to 1-7 days for adolescents) without relying on new money. His work has always been about real change, not just holding leadership positions.
Todd Leader has taught leadership, group dynamics, health psychology, prevention and treatment of addiction, drugs and drug education, leading community and social change, and was a co-developer of a graduate diploma on mental health and addictions. His 2016 book “It’s Not About Us; The Secret to Transforming the Mental Health and Addiction System in Canada”, and his engaging style, continue to influence leadership and client-centered system change across Canada.
As a person with lived experience, Todd Leader is currently writing his second book about a near life-ending medication-induced mental illness and the lessons he was fortunate enough to learn about stigma, discrimination, suicidality, and medication side effects. He is now sharing those insights and practical lessons with workplaces and communities looking to address stigma in a way that goes beyond the oversimplified “let’s talk” mantra.
Todd Leader has learned a lot about leading real change and has taught, coached, and mentored many people to become more effective leaders. He has learned about how to address the psychological underpinnings of an effective leadership team, to achieve collective accomplishments that could not have otherwise been reached. He has learned how to develop inter-agency, inter-organizational, and inter-departmental partnerships that achieve synergy and deep collaboration, not just information-sharing.
If you want to move to the next level of real achievement as a leader or to improve the skills and effectiveness of your team or collaborative partnerships, Todd Leader can help. If you are looking to educate, inspire, and motivate your team, your community, and your conference or workshop participants Todd Leader is your speaker. His training and public addresses are always inspiring, highly engaging, free-flowing, adaptive to the audience, thought-provoking, and impactful. This is where the theory ends, and real change begins.
Videos
Podcasts
Coming Soon!
Todd Leader Topic Presentations
leading with mental health: strategies for cultivating resilience and peak performance in yourself for your team
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
As a multiple-award-winning transformational leader in healthcare and social services, Todd Leader understands the unique challenges that leaders face in managing their own mental health. In his presentations, Todd provides leaders with practical strategies for those in positions or who are do not feel they have an environment where they can be vulnerable to ask for others to help them manage their stress and their own mental health while leading others.
Through his presentations, Todd draws on his extensive experience and expertise to provide leaders with strategies for reducing stress, managing anxiety and depression, and fostering resilience. He emphasizes the importance of self-care and self-awareness, providing tools and techniques for leaders to prioritize their own mental health and well-being.
Todd’s presentations are designed to empower leaders to cultivate a culture of self-care and well-being in their organizations. He emphasizes the importance of setting an example for team members, and he provides leaders with the tools and techniques they need to manage their own mental health in order to lead effectively.
If you’re a leader looking to manage your own mental health and achieve peak performance, Todd Leader’s presentations offer a unique perspective that will help you prioritize your own well-being while leading others. With his practical advice and relatable style, Todd will empower you to take control of your mental health and lead with confidence and resilience.
fostering a resilient workplace: mental health as a strategy
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
In today’s fast-paced and demanding work environment, mental health has emerged as a critical priority for employers seeking to foster a resilient and engaged workforce. In this presentation, a renowned expert in leadership and mental health, Todd Leader, explores the importance of prioritizing mental health as a strategic imperative for organizations.
Drawing on his extensive experience as a multiple-award-winning transformational leader in healthcare and social services, Todd provides practical strategies for creating a workplace culture that prioritizes mental health and wellbeing. He emphasizes the importance of reducing stigma, promoting self-care, and creating a supportive environment where team members can thrive.
Through his presentation, Todd empowers leaders to cultivate a resilient and engaged workforce by prioritizing mental health as a strategic imperative. He provides leaders with the tools and techniques they need to create a culture of openness, transparency, and empathy, helping team members to feel supported and valued.
If you’re looking to prioritize mental health as a strategic imperative in your organization and foster a resilient workplace culture, Todd Leader’s presentation offers a unique and practical perspective that will help you achieve your goals. With his engaging style and evidence-based approach, Todd will empower you to drive transformational change in your organization and create a workplace that supports the mental health and well-being of your team members.
client-centered service delivery: strategies for improving public service and enhancing community pride with todd leader
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
As a leader in healthcare and social services, Todd Leader understands the importance of providing client-centered services that meet the unique needs of the public. In this presentation, Todd offers practical strategies for improving public service delivery by shifting to a client-centered approach that focuses on building meaningful relationships with clients.
Through his presentation, Todd provides leaders with evidence-based tools and techniques for improving wait times, increasing client satisfaction, enhancing service responsiveness, and achieving positive media coverage. He emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of continuous improvement, where service providers seek feedback from clients and make changes based on their needs.
By shifting to a client-centered approach, organizations can improve their public service delivery and become the pride of their community or jurisdiction. Todd’s engaging and interactive presentation style empowers leaders to transform their organizations and provide services that truly meet the needs of their clients.
If you’re looking to improve public service delivery and enhance community pride by providing client-centered services, Todd Leader’s presentation offers a unique and practical perspective that will help you achieve your goals. With his evidence-based approach and decades of experience, Todd will help you develop a culture of client-centered service delivery that sets your organization apart.
creating a culture of care and compassion: using empathy and human-centered design to build stronger human connections
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
In this presentation, Todd Leader explores the importance of empathy and human connection in creating a culture of care and compassion in the workplace. Drawing on his extensive experience in healthcare and social services, Todd provides leaders with practical tools and techniques for using human-centred design to build stronger connections between team members with each other and clients.
Todd emphasizes the importance of human connection in creating a culture of care and compassion. He provides leaders with practical strategies for building empathy and understanding among team members, and for fostering a culture of care and compassion that extends taking a compassionate approach to managing relationships to build trust, synergy and a winning culture. Todd also introduces the concept of human-centred design, which emphasizes the importance of designing systems and processes that prioritize the needs and experiences of people.
Through his engaging and interactive presentation, Todd empowers leaders to transform their workplaces into cultures of care and compassion. He offers practical tools and techniques for building empathy and understanding, fostering strong human connections, and using human-centred design to create systems and processes that prioritize the needs and experiences of the people in and outside of the organization.
Todd Leader’s presentation offers a unique and practical perspective that will help you achieve your goals. With his engaging style and evidence-based approach, Todd will inspire you and your team to build stronger human connections and prioritize the needs and experiences of those you serve.
transform your mental health program
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
The mental health and addiction system has struggled to meet the needs of the public. It is not because of a lack of compassion or intelligence among the staff, management, or healthcare providers. Services can be improved dramatically just by adjusting the way programs are integrated, the ways policies and procedures are developed, and the way administrative decisions are made. Transformation requires a paradigm shift. Todd Leader helps you achieve this shift to elevate your program into a leader in Canada. He will help you take mental health systems and processes to manage those who face addictions and risks to their health, wellbeing and their lives. Beyond talk and into action, prevent more unsafe environments for staff and patients through systems improvement and focusing on the solutions, not the problems.
developing healthy public policy: strategies for improving health and wellness in organizations with todd leader
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
As a multiple-award-winning leader in healthcare and social services, Todd Leader understands the importance of developing healthy public policy to improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities. In this presentation, Todd provides leaders with practical strategies for creating and managing organizational policies and campaigns that prioritize health and wellness.
Through his presentation, Todd draws on his extensive experience in healthcare and social services to provide leaders with evidence-based tools and techniques for improving health and wellness in organizations. He emphasizes the importance of developing a culture of health and wellness, where organizations prioritize the health and wellbeing of their staff and community members.
Todd’s approach is grounded in evidence-based research, and he provides leaders with practical strategies for developing healthy public policy that meets the needs of their staff and community members. He also emphasizes the importance of creating campaigns that are engaging and interactive, to encourage staff and community members to prioritize their health and wellbeing.
If you’re looking to prioritize health and wellness in your organization and develop healthy public policy that makes a real difference for current and future generations, Todd Leader’s presentation offers a unique and practical perspective that will help you achieve your goals. With his engaging style and evidence-based approach, Todd will empower you to transform your organization into a model of health and wellness, where staff are safer, healthier, and more productive towards making health a priority.
overcoming moral injury: an integrative approach with todd leader
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
Todd Leader is a Registered Social Worker, Registered Psychologist, and experienced health and social service leader, with decades of experience running addiction, mental health, medical, and child welfare services. As a university faculty member in psychology for over 32 years, Todd brings both professional and academic perspectives to his approach, grounded in empirical research.
However, Todd’s unique perspective on moral injury extends beyond his professional and academic experience. He also provides a first-hand perspective, having personally experienced a moral injury as a result of a medication’s side effects that caused harm to individuals in his care. This lived experience allows him to offer a well-integrated approach to moral injury, addressing the challenges and emotional impacts from a comprehensive perspective for social workers, families, medical staff and the individual themself.
Through his presentations, Todd provides participants with a complete understanding of moral injury, its effects on individuals and organizations, and how to prevent or manage it. He integrates his professional, academic, and personal experiences to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the issue, including the closely-related concepts of mental illness and stigma. Todd’s interactive style and practical advice have earned him multiple awards for excellence in teaching, and his presentations are known to deeply engage and empower participants, providing them with information and perspectives they can use in their own lives.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive and integrative approach to moral injury, Todd Leader’s presentations offer a unique perspective that will help you overcome the challenges of moral injury and find a path forward.
strategies for achieving synergy and community: developing effective partnerships and collaboration
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
In this presentation, Todd Leader shares his expertise on developing effective partnerships and collaborations that achieve greater social impact and build a community around stakeholders. Drawing on his extensive experience in healthcare and social services, Todd provides leaders with evidence-based tools and techniques for creating deep, meaningful partnerships that go beyond the limitations of traditional models.
By prioritizing the development of effective partnerships and collaborations, Todd emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of collaboration within organizations. His approach is grounded in evidence-based research, providing leaders with practical strategies for engaging communities and achieving stronger connections with employees, their loved ones, and customers.
As a multiple-award-winning leader in healthcare and social services, Todd brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his presentations. His focus on developing effective partnerships and collaborations has earned him recognition for his leadership and success. Through his presentation, Todd empowers leaders to transform their organizations into models of collaboration, creating sustainable and winning cultures.
Todd’s unique and practical perspective provides leaders with the tools to achieve social impact, higher engagement, and brand recognition, and make a difference in their communities through a new lens. His engaging style and evidence-based approach make this presentation a valuable resource for any leader looking to develop effective partnerships and collaborations.
leading for results: customized change-oriented training for succession planning and transitions
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
If you want to get past the theory and improve your skills and effectiveness as a leader, either for your current job or your career goals. This is change-oriented training, not knowledge-oriented education. Todd Leader will inspire how to manage talent to bring new leaders to the forefront of your organization and to help them develop the skills they require to be impactful and effective in their careers.
One size does not fit all, so the training session or presentation will be customized specifically to your needs, and you or your team will become more effective and get noticed for it. Todd offers evidence-based tools and techniques for developing leadership skills, including effective communication, decision-making, and team building. He emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of leadership development, where organizations prioritize the ongoing training and development of their leaders.
Todd’s approach is grounded in evidence-based research, and he provides leaders with practical strategies for developing their own leadership skills, as well as those of their teams. He also emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive environment for leadership development, where leaders are encouraged to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and continuously improve their skills.
managing mental health: strategies for thriving in challenging times with todd leader
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
“Todd Leader is an expert in mental health, with years of experience running addiction, mental health, medical, and child welfare services. As a Registered Social Worker, Registered Psychologist, and health and social service leader, Todd understands the importance of mental health in all aspects of life, from personal relationships to professional success.
Through his presentations, Todd provides participants with practical strategies for managing mental health in challenging times. He draws on his extensive experience and expertise to help individuals identify the signs of mental health challenges and develop a toolbox of strategies for staying mentally healthy and by using the support systems to help them manage their times of crisis.
Todd’s presentations are designed to empower participants to take control of their mental health, by understanding the factors that contribute to mental health challenges and learning techniques to manage stress, anxiety, and depression. His approach is grounded in evidence-based research, and he draws on his personal and professional experience to provide a relatable and engaging presentation.
If you’re looking for practical strategies for managing your mental health, Todd Leader’s presentations offer a unique perspective that will help you thrive in challenging times. With his practical advice and relatable style, Todd will empower you to take control of your mental health and lead a fulfilling life at work and at home.
developing team effectiveness
- Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
Todd Leader will help your leadership, project, or team to work to its true potential and achieve its best results yet. Teams at work don’t always function as well as they can to achieve an organization’s results. You may have great people on the team, but their ability to function as a collective is what will distinguish them from being a good team or a great team. This requires specific practices, based on experience and social psychology research on group dynamics, which can be developed through training.
Todd Leader can deliver customized presentations within the following topic themes.
- Change Management
- Employee Management
- Health & Wellness
- Leadership
- Mental Health
- Peak Performance
- Personal Growth
- Resilience & Adversity
- Teamwork
- Business Management
- Community Engagement Events
- Conference
- Education & Teachers
- Guest Panelist & Guided Q&A
- Health and Safety
- Healthcare
- Inspirational
- Lifestyle & Health
- Philanthropy & Giving Back
Testimonials
Todd is an excellent teacher and mentor. He lectures on real-world leadership skills and instructs how to facilitate change. As a professor, Todd takes the time to address individual students and coach them on how to grow as a leader.
Collette Robert
Todd is one of the most humble people I know and is a leader in every way. Not only does he lead others, but he also promotes leadership in those who want to become one and in those he sees potential in.
Meghan Symonds
Mr. Todd Leader is a pioneer in effectively empowering employee and student leadership abilities…he consults all of his students, individually empowering them to explore and actively engage in creating change beyond the classroom. Mr. Leader is a powerful, changing force in the community, a leader, and an inspiring individual.
Sylvia Gawad
Todd Leader’s strengths lie in his ability to develop self-agency and spark inspiration in every one of his students he teaches…shifting students thinking to systems-focused, using evidence-based practice, and fostering leadership skills, his students are not only inspired to change the communities they live in, but they have the tools to make an effective impact.
Nicole Hart
Todd is compassionate and client-focused in such a unique way that embraces the determinants of health both from a micro as well as macro perspective, dissolving barriers that may restrict access. Todd is extremely insightful and knows how to motivate and lead staff, who may be part of his team. For any program interested in having a direct impact on improving the health of those requiring services, I highly recommend Todd Leader.
Gary Goodwin
Todd is a strong and influential leader with an exceptional ability to motivate. He is insightful, pragmatic and connected to the needs of the community. Todd is a champion of health promotion and of finding practical, long-term solutions to the challenges in the health care system.
Kate Johnston
Articles & Media
Coming Soon!
Books

Related Speakers
Rick Denley
Personal & Business Growth through courageous leadership & Change | Peak Performing Leaders | Author
Trending Topics
- Business & Corporate
- Business Growth
- Business Leadership
- Business Management
- Change Management
- Emotional Intelligence
- Entrepreneurship
- Excellence & Success
Dr. Mitchell Abrams
Physician, Social Architect & Educator and Expert on Energy, Work Life Balance, Health & Wellness
Trending Topics
- Adaptability & Agility
- Burnout Prevention
- Business & Corporate
- Business Growth
- Business Leadership
- Business Management
- Change Management
- Diversity & Inclusion
Mark Breslin
Canadian Comedy Icon - Unleashing Laughter and Wisdom, Renowned Public Speaker, Entrepreneur, Author
Trending Topics
- Business Leadership
- Communications
- Entrepreneurship
- Humour At Workplace
- Influence & Negotiation
- Leadership
- Mindset & Goal Accomplishment
- Peak Performance
Keren Taylor-Hughes
Former CEO - Agile Change Advisor & Transformation Expert
Trending Topics
- Adaptability & Agility
- Alliances & Partnerships
- Business & Corporate
- Business Growth
- Business Leadership
- Business Management
- Business Technology
- Business Transitions
Dr. James Makokis
Two Spirit Doctor - LGBTQ2S, Indigenous, Diversity & Inclusion Expert
Trending Topics
- Accessibility
- Addictions & Substance Abuse
- Bullying At Work
- Burnout Prevention
- Collaboration
- Cultural Diversity
- Disability
- Diversity & Inclusion
Trending Topics
- Accessibility
- Addictions & Substance Abuse
- Bullying At Work
- Communications
- Cultural Diversity
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Emotional Intelligence
- Employee Engagement
Amazing Two Spirit Couple
Amazing Two Spirit Couple & Winners of the Amazing Race Canada Season 7
Trending Topics
- Accessibility
- Addictions & Substance Abuse
- Alliances & Partnerships
- Bullying At Work
- Business Leadership
- Business Management
- Change Management
- Collaboration
Trending Topics
- Cultural Diversity
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Gender Equality
- Inclusive Leadership
- Indigenous
- Leadership
- Leadership & Change
- Mindset & Attitude
Hon. Marion Buller
First Nation and Indigenous Rights advocate, civil, criminal and human rights lawyer & retired judge
Trending Topics
- Cultural Diversity
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Excellence & Success
- Gender Equality
- HR & Corporate Culture
- Inclusive Leadership
- Indigenous
- Leadership
Laval St. Germain
Mountain Climber, Airline Captain & Extreme Global Adventurer
Trending Topics
- Adaptability & Agility
- Burnout Prevention
- Business & Corporate
- Business Leadership
- Business Management
- Change Management
- Collaboration
- Disruption Management
Dr. Lynn Gehl
Treaty & Land Claims Process and Indigenous Rights & Knowledge Expert
Trending Topics
- Cultural Diversity
- Disability
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Gender Equality
- Genrational Differences
- HR & Corporate Culture
- Indigenous
- Leadership
Trending Topics
- Communications
- Conflict Resolution
- Cultural Diversity
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Excellence & Success
- Gender Equality
- Happiness & Positivity
- HR & Corporate Culture
How to book Todd Leader for an event?
Todd Leader keynote speaker is an expert presenter and has a wide range of experience speaking to a wide variety of audiences and organizations. Todd Leader delivers keynotes, workshops & training sessions. They may also host or emcee events. Hire Todd Leader from Halifax, Nova Scotia 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 Todd Leader for an event?
Are you looking to hire Todd Leader for your event? Todd Leader Halifax, Nova Scotia is a dynamic and engaging speaker that offers audiences researched content paired with expertise and a dynamic speaking ability. Todd Leader is also a Canadian corporate consultant and coach and facilitates workshops and training sessions for a corporate audience. Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader 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, Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader from Halifax, Nova Scotia offers organizations a fresh perspective to assist the people of the organization. No matter if it is a government, association, or business crowd, Todd Leader is a perfect speaker for your event. Through unique practical insights for trending topics and years experience speaking to different organizations, Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader’s presentations and speeches, with measurable results set to shift the people of the organization and core direction of the company. Book Todd Leader speaker for your annual general meeting, conference, summit, or convention in Canada.
How much does it cost to hire Todd Leader for a keynote presentation or virtual event?
Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader to check availability or confirm the pricing and associated costs to hire a great speaker like Todd Leader for your event. As Todd Leader'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 Todd Leader 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.
Todd Leader Disclaimer
When SBC receives a request to book Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader 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 Todd Leader, 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.