Conference-Presenters
2026

I am Amna Altaf, a first-year PhD researcher at the University of Derby, United Kingdom. My research focuses on digital transformation, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystems, innovation, and socio-economic development. I hold a Master's degree in Business Economics and have an interdisciplinary academic background in business, management, finance, and economics. My research interests explore how digital transformation shapes entrepreneurship and contributes to socio-economic mobility, particularly for underrepresented entrepreneurs. I have presented my research at international academic conferences and am passionate about advancing knowledge at the intersection of digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Through my research, I aim to contribute to academic scholarship while generating insights that support evidence-based policy and practice for entrepreneurial and socio-economic development. "

Originally from Yellowknife, NT, Jacq has over a decade of experience leading non-profit organizations. She co-founded what is now known as the Northern Mosaic Network, the only 2SLGBTQ+ human service agency in the Northwest Territories, and proudly served as the agency's first Executive Director. Jacq is a registered social worker (non-practicing) in Saskatchewan, and holds a Masters of Education in Curriculum & Instruction. With parents originally from North Battleford and Outlook, SK, Jacq was particularly excited to move to Saskatchewan in 2017. Upon moving south, she became actively involved in the non-profit sector in the Prairies. In 2021, she founded Ivy + Dean Consulting after having experienced a decade of difficulties finding consultants who shared her values and approach to non-profit leadership, and who understood local realities in the Prairies and Northern Canada. Today, she appreciates being able to share her time between Yellowknife, NT and Regina, SK working with a wide range of clients throughout the country. Jacq has been involved with CQCC since 2021. Ivy + Dean Consulting is the NWT's only LGBTQ-Owned Certified Business. Jacq also co-founded Saskatchewan Queer Entrepreneurs & Professionals (SQEP) in 2022. She served as SQEP's President until May 2026. In 2023, Jacq became the first entrepreneur from Saskatchewan or the North to win the CQCC/EY Pitch Competition. In 2025, Jacq acted as a mentor for the Northern Mosaic Network's Queer Business Mentorship program. Most recently through Ivy + Dean Consulting, Jacq led a Needs Assessment Project with the Northern Mosaic Network to understand the needs of 2SLGBTQIPA+ entrepreneurs in the Northwest Territories. When they aren’t busy working or volunteering, you can find them drinking too much Diet Pepsi, reliving their childhood on Neopets.com, and spending time with friends and family."

Marley is a business advisor, strategist, and founder of BAIA, an advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs, artists, and mission-driven organizations turn strong ideas into sustainable businesses. Over the past 15 years, she has worked across operations, marketing, brand strategy, project development, and business growth, supporting both early-stage founders and established organizations. Her approach is practical, holistic, and rooted in the belief that a business should support the life its owner wants to live rather than consume it. Marley is especially interested in helping make entrepreneurship accessible to those without easy access to capital and who are outside of traditional circles of influence. Alongside her advisory work, she writes and photographs through Airplane Mode, an independent project exploring place, work, freedom, and the architecture of a self-directed life."

Jayden Fox (she/her), Co-Founder & Operations Director of Better Belonging, is a queer and neurodivergent entrepreneur with more than 15 years of operations and change management experience. She has led transformational initiatives across industries, bringing a systems‑thinking lens and a human‑centred approach to every project. With lived experience navigating life with an invisible disability, Jayden approaches challenges with empathy, curiosity, and a commitment to co‑creating solutions that work. She focuses on building structures that support connection and clarity for all.

Andrew Hartman (they/them) is a queer, Métis evaluator, educator, and Ph.D. candidate in Applied Social Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan. At the heart of their work is a throughline from shame and gender-based violence toward healing, resilience, and the pursuit of queer joy, a thread that runs through both their scholarship and their practice. Andrew partners with community organizations to carry out community-based and culturally responsive evaluations that help improve programs and services. Working at local and national levels, they treat evaluation as a practical, collaborative tool, one that centers the voices and lived experiences of those most affected in order to strengthen services and inform policy. Their focus areas include gender-based violence, help-seeking and psychological healing, housing and 2SLGBTQ+ youth homelessness, and natural supports. Andrew is also a dedicated teacher in Psychology & Health Studies and in Gender, Sexuality, and Social Justice, with courses such as Social Psychology and Performing Masculinity. In 2026, they received the Provost's Graduate Student Teacher Award at the University of Saskatchewan. Alongside facilitating workshops and mentoring emerging evaluators, they delivered a TEDx talk in February 2026, "The Joy of Not Fitting In" at TEDxUniversityofSaskatchewan. Across all their work, Andrew's passion lies in amplifying community voices, disrupting systemic barriers, and building more inclusive and affirming services and systems.

Parker Johnson (he/him) is an award-winning writer and business owner based in Calgary, Alberta. In 2021, he founded Cottonwood Creative, a cross-border marketing agency supporting queer-affirming and social impact organizations around the world. A product of rural Oklahoma, Parker was exposed to community-based institutions at an early age, developing a deep appreciation for grassroots advocacy and collective empowerment. Parker brings with him nearly 20 years of communications, business development, creative, and management experience for top companies across a variety of sectors, including nonprofits, construction, academia, and healthcare. Parker lives in Calgary with his husband Preston and their dog Theo. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, camping, film photography, traveling, and game nights with friends."

Yahlnaaw is a Skidegate Haida, queer, and transgender entrepreneur, educator, and the Founder and Lead Consultant of Taajuu Consulting. Grounded in intersectional, decolonizing, and Rematriation frameworks, Yahlnaaw leverages over 12 years of institutional leadership and a Master of Arts in Indigenous Studies to dismantle systemic barriers. As a champion for 2SLGBTQIA+ empowerment, they actively co-create accessible tools, advocate for structural policy equity, and help entrepreneurs navigate institutional landscapes. Guided by core Haida values like Yahguudang (Respect) and Gina 'Wadluxan gud ad Kwaagid (Everything Depends on Everything Else), Yahlnaaw bridges the gap between lived experience and systemic change, modeling how diverse identities drive entrepreneurial innovation and collective community growth.

Elli McDine (she/her) is a strategist and community builder based in Edmonton, Alberta. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Alberta 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, where she leads work at the intersection of economic inclusion, entrepreneurship, and queer and trans joy. With a background in public administration and psychology, Elli has held senior leadership roles across the public, nonprofit, and education sectors, driving transformation through insight, storytelling, and collaboration. She is also a documentary filmmaker and writer exploring themes of identity, personal transformation, and belonging

Pablo Muñoz is a strategist, designer, and filmmaker whose work explores the relationship between culture, place, and communication. Through his studio, Narrative Shift, he helps Indigenous organizations, arts institutions, municipalities, and purpose-driven organizations develop brands rooted in place and identity. His practice sits at the intersection of storytelling, visual identity, and public engagement, drawing on a background in industrial design, strategic communications, and community consultation. Rather than treating branding as marketing, Pablo approaches it as cultural infrastructure: a way of making knowledge, values, and relationships more visible and accessible. His work has included collaborations the City of Vancouver, The Salish Firekeeper Society, the City of Toronto and public institutions, artists, and non-profit organizations across Canada. Whether developing a visual identity, producing a documentary, or facilitating community conversations, he is interested in one question: How can creative thinking and design serve our collective future?"

B. Pick (any pronouns) is a PhD Candidate at Ivey Business School whose work focuses on 2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneurship. With over 5 years of lived experience as a queer entrepreneur, their work is both immensely personal and deeply rooted in queer theory. B is passionate about making anti-oppressive theories and practices more easily accessible to researchers and educators in management and entrepreneurship studies. Their recent publication with the Institute for Gender and the Economy, “Rainbows Ahead: Pathways for 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Research, Policy, and Practice” offers guidance for a variety of stakeholders about 2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneurship.

I’m Tomy Perreault-Bélisle, a transgender man and the founder and CEO of Banana Prosthetics, a Canadian company specializing in handmade silicone gender-affirming prosthetics and apparel. I launched the company at the age of 22 after experiencing firsthand how difficult it was to find realistic, comfortable, and affordable products for trans people. What began as a personal project has grown into an international business serving customers around the world. My mission is to make gender-affirming products more accessible while improving confidence, comfort, and quality of life for trans and gender-diverse people. I work closely with healthcare providers, retailers, and community organizations to expand access to these resources. I’m passionate about showing how lived experience, innovation, and entrepreneurship can create meaningful social change and empower our communities.

Shelley Price (she/her) is an Associate Professor at Acadia University in Nova Scotia. Her teaching, research and service work relates to expanding trauma-informed and culturally humble approaches to management and management education with a keen interest in advancing the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIAP+ (MMIWG2S) Calls for Justice and the Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Calls to Action. She works with Indigenous storytelling methodologies, collective storytelling practices, community-led and participatory action research, trans-local learning, and art-based ways of reconnecting the heart, mind, body, and spirit.

"Kyng Rose, known artistically as Blxck Cxsper, is a Montréal-based multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, and cultural organizer. Their work spans music, performance, and world-building, always rooted in questions of identity and survival. As a musician blending hip-hop, R&B, and Afro-Caribbean influences, they tell intimate, political stories that earned them recognition as a Billboard Change Agent and CBC Quebec Black Changemaker. Kyng is the founder of Trans Trenderz, an independent record label and creative collective dedicated to uplifting transgender and marginalized artists. Through this alternative venture, they develop emerging talent and build platforms that prioritize community over algorithms. Whether through song, script, or grassroots advocacy, Kyng’s practice challenges systemic erasure and asks a central question: how do we build worlds where we can do more than just survive?"

Landon Turlock (they/them), RSW, BSW, MA, a settler descendant on Treaty Six Territory, is a Social Planner with the City of Edmonton. They lead the "Beyond Belonging: The 2SLGBTQIA+ Safe Spaces Action Plan." Landon's experience spans government, post-secondary, and community-based research, focusing on supporting hate crime survivors and 2S/LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

I am a dedicated paralegal student at Centennial College with a strong interest in legal research, advocacy, and access to justice. My academic focus includes criminal law, administrative law, and dispute resolution. Beyond my studies, I write legal articles on linkedin., where I share insights on legal issues, professional development, and the evolving legal field. I am also passionate about leadership, community engagement, and personal growth. Through faith-based teaching and mentorship, I strive to encourage and guide others positively. I value integrity, discipline, and continuous learning, and I aim to build a meaningful career that allows me to support individuals, contribute to society, and grow as a knowledgeable and compassionate legal professional."

Vanessa is the Founder of Vanessa Burns Grant Consulting based in Halifax, NS. Since 2021, Vanessa has worked with over 140 clients to help them apply for first time grants, become more confident in their grants programs, and win much needed funding. Vanessa Burns Grant Consulting is a certified Queer owned business with the Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce (CQCC) and was awarded the 2025 Atlantic Canada Certified Queer Supplier of the Year. She is 1 of 6 professionally accredited Grant Professionals in Canada and holds the GPC designation. There is more to grants than writing and Vanessa doesn't approach grants in the traditional sense. She helps to architect the futures of small businesses and not for profits through a strategic process. She’s built a reputation for moving past the grind of paperwork and turning grant funding into a powerful change agent.

Originally from Colombia, I have been living in Canada for the past 20 years. I am fluent in French and have an intermediate level of English.

Christy Fung is the Co-Founder and Technical Lead of Orbit North, a northern consultancy that helps organizations strengthen their operations through information management, workflow automation, and responsible AI adoption. With a background in GIS, engineering geology, software development, and information management, Christy helps organizations improve how their information, workflows, and digital tools work together to support better decision-making and more efficient operations. She has worked with government, Indigenous organizations, nonprofits, and multidisciplinary teams to modernize digital systems, improve data quality, and build practical solutions for long-term organizational success. As a queer entrepreneur, Christy believes technology should empower communities by reducing administrative burden, preserving organizational knowledge, and enabling organizations to focus on the people they serve. Through Orbit North, she is committed to building practical, future-ready systems that create lasting community impact.

Daphne Dike-Hart is the Founder and Executive Director of Black Pride YYC & Black Pride Canada, a trailblazing advocate for the Black 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada. With extensive experience in healthcare and community advocacy, Daphne leads innovative initiatives that intersect tech, culture, and social change, creating spaces for inclusivity and empowerment.

"Dr. Katelynn Carter-Rogers is a Michif scholar, data scientist, and the Founder of Alpha Ethics Research & Consulting. An Assistant Professor of Management at St. Francis Xavier University's Gerald Schwartz School of Business, she specializes in Indigenous Business and organizational inclusion. Dr. Carter-Rogers holds a PhD in Business Administration from Saint Mary's University and brings over 15 years of social science research expertise to identifying structural barriers and evaluating organizational programs. Championing 2SLGBTQI+ and marginalized business owners, her consultancy leverages advanced data science and inclusive system design to dismantle institutional friction, enabling diverse entrepreneurs to build equitable, self-determining enterprises. Mick Elliott-Keewatin (Okimâwâtik) is a Two-Spirit citizen of the Okanese First Nation, an organizational and entrepreneurship researcher as well as a recovering corporate addict with Nêhiyaw, Saulteaux, and mixed European ancestral roots. As the inaugural Indigenous business PhD Candidate (ABD) at the University of Calgary and a Research Fellow at the Mila AI Institute, Mick bridges technology, institutional theory, and Indigenous resurgence through an intersectional 2SQ lens. Their work is informed by decades of multinational corporate experience across Turtle Island, grounded by a circle of Knowledge Keepers guiding their ceremonial and Elder journey. Mick utilizes relational, decolonizing frameworks to examine how complex worldviews co-exist with dominant business systems, building bridges of authentic allyship between diverse communities and mainstream economic networks. Through their research and community practice, they create actionable toolkits that empower 2SLGBTQI+ and Indigenous business ecosystems—closing socioeconomic gaps while fostering collaborative innovation, policy equity, and collective communal wellbeing. Dr. Shelley Price is an Inuk scholar from Labrador, an educator, and an organizational consultant with deep roots in community-led change. Serving as an Associate Professor at Acadia University's F.C. Manning School of Business Administration, her work bridges the gaps between traditional knowledge systems, academic management, and systemic equity. Holding a PhD in Business Administration from Saint Mary's University, Dr. Price grounds her scholarship in trauma-informed methodologies, radical acceptance, and cultural humility. As an advocate for 2SLGBTQI+ economic resilience and gender equity, her research weaves Indigenous storytelling into business structures to dismantle power imbalances, build bridges of authentic allyship, and cultivate communal wealth. Yahlnaaw is a Skidegate Haida, queer, and transgender entrepreneur, educator, and the Founder and Lead Consultant of Taajuu Consulting. Grounded in intersectional, decolonizing, and rematriation frameworks, Yahlnaaw leverages over 12 years of institutional leadership and a Master of Arts in Indigenous Studies to dismantle systemic economic barriers. As a champion for 2SLGBTQI+ business ecosystems and economic empowerment, they actively co-create accessible tools, advocate for structural policy equity, and help entrepreneurs navigate institutional landscapes. Guided by core Haida tenets like Yahguudang (Respect) and Gina 'Wadluxan gud ad Kwaagid (Everything Depends on Everything Else), Yahlnaaw bridges the gap between lived experience and systemic change, modeling how diverse identities drive entrepreneurial innovation and collective community wealth."

Divinica’s perspective is informed by her path as a trans, queer, disabled white settler in Sipekne’katik, an unceded Mi’kmaq territory within Mi’kma’ki. She has spent over twenty years working in construction, education, consulting, corporate leadership, and coaching, helping her relate to people with empathy and insight. Through her coaching practice, Divinica helps neuroqueer professionals explore what becomes possible when they love their work, how they work, and who they are at work."

I am Kurdish-Iranian, immigrants and clinical counsellor, living and working in BC. For the past 3 years I've been working on opening a multidisciplinary health center specifically for racialized people. In June 2026, I opened the physical location for Nabat Health Center, a queer forward, gender affirming, fat inclusive, connection centered clinic in New Westminster, BC.

Eliot Newton is a genderqueer activist and educator who has been working in the 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion field since 2014. They previously worked for the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity in a variety of roles, culminating in the design and implementation of a 1.1-million dollar sexuality education project entitled ‘Not Just the Tip’. They have also worked as a contract clinical educator for Rainbow Health Ontario, training health care professionals on trans-inclusive care. They have personally taught thousands of children, youth, educators, and physicians. Eliot now freelances as a gender and sexuality expert, helping teachers, businesses, and community organizations make their spaces safer for queer and trans clients (as well as their staff!). Their greatest passions are helping people to understand themselves more complexly, and teaching how we can all play more kindly in the sandbox of gender and sexuality. You can learn more about them at Genderbandit.com .

Colt Politte is the Executive Director of Quadrangle NL and holds several years of experience in building strong and agile non-profit programs across a variety of sectors. His background includes housing and homelessness policy, fundraising, communications, and social enterprise development. Matthew LeDrew is the REKH Research Officer for Quadrangle NL and CEO of Engen Books, one of the largest queer-focused book publisher in eastern Canada. Matthew has several years experience as an author, writing coach, and business executive in the literary and publishing fields.

Shaquille Pratt is the Director and Curator of Programs at Black Pride Canada, where he designs and leads programming that centers the experiences of Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities. His work focuses on creating spaces that are culturally grounded, accessible, and rooted in care. Recently diagnosed with ADHD and autism, Shaquille brings both lived experience and intention to how programs are shaped and delivered. His approach challenges one-size-fits-all models and prioritizes community-led, affirming ways of building connection, wellness, and belonging.

Dr. Katelynn Carter-Rogers is a Michif / Red River Métis scholar, data scientist, and the Founder of Alpha Ethics Research & Consulting. An Assistant Professor of Management at St. Francis Xavier University's Gerald Schwartz School of Business, she specializes in Indigenous Business and organizational inclusion. Dr. Carter-Rogers holds a PhD in Business Administration from Saint Mary's University and brings over 15 years of social science research expertise in identifying structural barriers and program evaluation. Championing 2SLGBTQI+ and marginalized business owners, her consultancy leverages advanced statistics and inclusive system design to dismantle institutional friction. By centering Indigenous methodologies alongside rigorous empirical research, she crafts concrete, actionable tools that enable diverse entrepreneurs to successfully transition into corporate environments and build equitable, self-determining enterprises.

I am an educator in the BC public Francophone system and a specialist in gender-affirming and gender-equitable English-to-French translation and revision. As a sole proprietor, I have offered training workshops to Ministries of Education, University Faculties of Education, Translation organizations, and School Boards, always with a focus on building organizational capacity around gender-affirming, anti-oppressive, and place-based translation practices and and translation ethics.

Jenna Wray (they/she) & Jayden Fox (she/her) are co-founders of Better Belonging, an organization dedicated to creating spaces that foster inclusion, psychological safety and collective well-being. As queer and neurodivergent entrepreneurs, with a combined 30+ years of professional experience, they use storytelling and evidence-based strategies to influence change that supports mental health and inclusion.