Ramona Parkash Arora is the Vice President of Global Talent Development at Dell Technologies serving as the organization's Chief Learning Officer, overseeing the consultation, design, development, and deployment of leading-edge learning solutions aimed to elevate the capabilities of 135K+ team members, leaders and executives across the company. With a vision for continuously infusing a modernized approach to learning, Ramona’s leadership pushes the boundaries on learning and development, inspiring her team to transcend traditional classroom and virtual learning practices to create learning that incorporates the use of AI and chatbot technology, behavioral science, simulations, kinesthetic experiences, and even film. From her roots as a high school social science teacher (instructing 9-12th grade geography, sociology, and nutrition science classes) and Varsity Boys Basketball coach, Ramona‘s passion and expertise is grounded in helping people maximize their potential and supporting organizations in developing their people in meaningful ways. With over twenty years of experience navigating the world of learning in various geos and with a variety of learners, Ramona is often called a “talent tinker,” “career connector,” and “fairy job mother” as she applies her teaching, research, coaching, strategic and data-obsessed muscles to help individuals connect their true talents with organizations, work, and people that enable a values and vision-aligned career journey. Her keen interest in this work led her to pursue her doctorate degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada where she studied the impact of (socio)economics, migration, and cognitive decision-making on human capital trends through a critical lens of studying the career journeys of young adults from small island communities, and uncovering how small-island nations and organizations cultivate, leverage and sustain diverse talent to meet the changing economic and strategic landscape of their workforce. This work and these experiences inform so much of the work Ramona currently drives. Today, Ramona often finds herself in the learner seat as she interacts with the world through her three children – ages 10, 6 and 2.

Ryan currently holds the position of Senior Advisor, at the Anti-Racism Secretariat at Global Affairs Canada (GAC). A graduate from McGill University’s Department of Integrated Studies in Education (B.Ed – 2012, & M.A. 2014), he is a Prosci® certified trainer and change practitioner, expert facilitator and natural born leader with a background in participatory research and grassroots engagement. As a featured diversity, equity, and inclusion speaker on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's (TBS) Federal Speaker's Forum, his talks focus on topics related to antiracism, allyship, and change management.

Ryan has delivered his presentation titled “Turning White Fragility into White Humility: My Journey Through Change” to more than 15 different government departments and agencies, and to over 15,000 federal public servants and counting. Through his presentation, Ryan guides his audience through his struggles with his own white fragility using powerful personal experiences, practical change management principles, as well as material from leading anti-racism scholars. He then shares pertinent information related to allyship, finishing with an inspiring but challenging message to all in embarking on our own respective journeys in dismantling systemic racism.

As a straight, able-bodied White man born in Canada, Ryan’s perspective on matters related to diversity and inclusion may not seem obvious or even logical at first glance. However, the convergence of his experiences as a father, his personal journey with his partner, and his professional background intricately illustrate how we are all capable of change and that the systemic change we desire first begins at the individual level, one person at a time.

John R. is L’nu from the Millbrook Mi’kmaw Community in Nova Scotia. John is a co-founder and Executive Director of the Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance (W2SA) – a 2S organization that advocates for 2S people in Atlantic Canada and nationally. 

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John integrates Indigenous perspectives using Etuaptmumk or Two-Eyed Seeing in curriculum development, research and cultural studies especially in areas that impact Indigenous youth and their well-being.  John’s doctoral studies is to explore gender, sexuality and sex, using L’nuwey perspectives to explore cultural strategies to address mental health for Two-spirit youth.