speakers
past SPEAKERS
Megan Hammond
Elizabeth Lyn Jewelry
Entrepreneur and creative Megan Hammond is the owner of Elizabeth Lyn jewelry, a heart centred small business mentor, partner and mother.
An entrepreneur for the last 15 years, Megan values intentional connection and fostering community, and believes in embracing the emotion in business, trusting your gut, and moving slow to go fast.
Kathryn Thompson
Creatively Owned
Kathryn Thompson is a Canadian-based entrepreneur who inspires people to use their stories as a way to create change in the world. She's an award-winning marketing and communications expert with more than 20 years of experience.
After growing one of her businesses to close to a million dollars in sales in less than four years, she sold it with a single email. Kathryn is now the founder of Creatively Owned, a marketing and communications firm that helps entrepreneurs use the power of words to create instant appeal for what they are selling.
Shaina Lynden
Ryde YXE
Shaina Lynden is a dedicated mother of five, proud member of Yellow Quill First Nation, police officer in the Equity and Cultural Engagement Unit at the Saskatoon Police Service, and an accomplished entrepreneur.
After embarking on her career as an officer with the Saskatoon Police Service in 2005, Shaina's profound passion for community engagement and well-being led her to co-found Ryde YXE Cycle Studio in 2016, which is a woman owned and operated small business that expanded to a second location in Saskatoon in 2018.
Shaina is an advocate for the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, promoting economic reconciliation and diversity in leadership. She currently holds a bachelor degree in Kinesiology from the University of Saskatchewan, a Masters in Organizational Leadership from Arizona State University, and is looking to pursue her next educational milestone as a dedicated lifelong learner.
Shaina currently serves on the Saskatoon Police Service Indigenous Women and Two Spirit Advisory Circle, the Elders Advisory Circle, and the Saskatoon Police Advisory Committee On Diversity. She is also on the board of directors for The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, and The You Are More Project, which is a non-profit that aims to support survivors of sexual violence.
Christina Marie
Awāsis Boutique
Christine Marie, a Filipino/Métis Mom of two, launched Awāsis Boutique in Feb 2018 as an online shop. Awāsis means child in Cree. It is the first Indigenous inspired baby and kids fashion shop in Western Canada. After seeing a gap of Indigenous inspired clothing for babies/kids on the market in Canada, she set out to fill this gap. To not only provide little ones with fashion pieces that connect them with their language and culture, but to also educate others about the Indigenous culture.
A few Highlights:
CBCs Top 40 under 40 finalist in 2019
New Business Venture nominee for Sabex Awards 2020 New Business of the year finalist for WMBEXA 2020 WESK- Women Entrepreneurs of SK, Indigenous Award Finalist 2021 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur nominee 2021 SREDA Soar pitch recipient- 1st place winner 2022 Entrepreneurship Finalist- SABEX Awards 2022
Mistahi Mamîcîhîtowin 1st place winner 2022
WESK Indigenous Entrepreneur Award- 1st place winner 2023 NSBA Finalist- NSBA Business Builder Awards 2024
Lauren Scharfstein
Lauren is an associate lawyer at the law firm Scharfstein LLP in Saskatoon. Lauren maintains a general practice with a special focus on Corporate Law, Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning, and Estate Administration. The best part of Lauren’s job is working directly with her clients to help them achieve their goals.
Lauren is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission and sits on the Board of Directors for the Concentus Citizenship Education Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mandate is to advance education focused on responsible citizenship in an intentional manner. Lauren is a sessional lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law teaching a course on Business Negotiation.
Kelly-Anne Bodvarson
Elevate Counselling & Wellness
Born and raised in Saskatoon. I was raised in a serial-entrepreneurial home where we learned at
an early age the value of business, budgets and family. In my life I have worn many hats, contributing to my early years working with youth, seniors, and families to a COO and GM’s of different types of companies.
I have a passion for budget and truly appreciate a good spreadsheet. In my recent years I have switched gears, where my husband and I chose to leave jobs and working for others, to begin a counselling business, Elevate Counselling and Therapy. I chose to go back to school and begin a new journey where I can utilize my business knowledge mixed with my love for working with people.
Celene Dupuis
Revamp Salon
Meet Celene, the dynamic CEO of Revamp Salon Company Inc. With over 20 years of professional public speaking experience, Celene has embarked on a transformative journey. Her path has evolved from educating stylists to help them earn, learn, and live their best lives to becoming a seasoned business mentor and a dedicated advocate for personal development training.
As a trained Little Voice Mastery Coach Celene works one on one with people looking to become the biggest, best version of themselves, and she helps them discover what little voices may be standing in her way.
Her passion for evolving and learning has led her to become a highly sought-after facilitator in Canada and the United States. She has hosted over 10,000 hairstylists from all over the world, and her advice and knowledge have been published in multiple magazines, including Canadian Hair Dresser, Flare, Hairdressers Journal (London), The KIT, and Hello Magazine across North America and Europe.
In 2014, Celene opened Revamp Salon Company with the goal of creating an environment where she could mentor others in the industry and teach them how to build the career of their dreams and the life they've always dreamed of. Her main goal as a business owner is to build them as a person first. Amazing humans lead to amazing careers.
Celene has worked hard to give back to her community, As a wife of a paraplegic her and her husband Mark have worked in the community to create awareness for the lack of accessibility in our Saskatoon Communities.
She and her company has won numerous awards, including the 2014 Waste Minimization Award and the 2022 Saskatoon Best of Top Salon Award. She has also been awarded the Retail Rockstar by HPSA USA, and was personally awarded the Saskatoon Chief of Police Award for Community Service. Furthermore, she has been nominated for the Loretta's Award for the 2023 YWCA Women of Distinction Awards, which recognizes women who have faced extreme hardship and adversity and have overcome them to achieve success.
Johaine Thomas-Miranjie
JTM Business Solutions
Johaine Thomas-Miranjie is the President and CEO of JTM Business Solutions, an independent Accounting Firm based in Saskatoon, and one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch of 2023.
She is a proud wife, mother, and a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with 20+ years of accounting experience. Johaine is also an author, speaker, and Co-founder of JTM Foundation, a Canadian registered non-profit organization focused on education and empowerment of youth and women in Canada and Guyana. She is a community leader and trailblazer that utilizes her accounting and business knowledge and experience to serve others.
Pam Smith
IG Wealth
Pamela Smith brings 33+ years of experience in banking and business ownership to her role with Danyluk & Associates Private Wealth Management. She also has an extensive agriculture background.
Pamela has her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and Registered Retirement Consultant designations. Her focus is to assist families with customized solutions to meet their goals and protect their wealth across generations.
She loves travelling, the great outdoors, and enjoys spending time with family and friends. She is blessed with three children and two grandchildren.
Tracy Bitternose
Tracy Bitternose is an award-winning hair stylist and professional hair educator who enjoyed her career of over 30 years.
An entrepreneur for 25 years she has a vast experience in business and developing employees. She is an author, and her book “For the Love of
Hair; Surviving and Thriving in the Business of Hairdressing & Life”, sales are worldwide.
She has multiple certifications as a Brand Educator, Educator in adult education and business mentorship. She was on the board for the
Saskatchewan Trade and Apprenticeship Certification Commission. She also sat as part of the lead team on the National Occupational Analysis
Review consulting on changes and updates to Hairstyling Curriculum. She is now a Business Development/Operations Consultant. She enjoys
the ability to connect people and build relationships to bring the community
together.
Tracy’s focus has always been on helping people, which attracted her to the amazing career of hairdressing and the second career of Business
Development. She has helped thousands of clients to feel better, heal their hearts, build their business and open infinite possibilities for them.
Tracy’s life experience has taken her through abusive relationships, divorce, workplace dramas, and health problems including surviving cancer, and she has overcome it all. Today she smiles with a loving husband by her side, a boisterous desire to keep learning, and a life she joyously embraces every day.
Michelle Braaten
SyNK Wellness
Wellbeing Counsellor & Facilitator, proud Founder of SyNK Wellness and (most importantly) human BEING!
With over a decade of experience in the world of wellness guiding classes, workshops, retreats and working with clients 1-1, what she values most… is community, connection, real & raw conversations and empowering people to “SyNK Into A World Within”.
BUT, that’s not all…
By combining the science of weight & pressure therapy with nature and upcycled materials, SyNK has handcrafted the perfect product line to soothe both body and mind!
To learn more about SyNK’s products & mission visit www.synkwellness.com or follow along @synkwellness on Instagram.
“It’s time we get back in SyNK”