Ron Tite

Speaker. Author. CEO.
Church+State

A best-selling author, speaker, producer, and entrepreneur, Ron Tite has always blurred the lines between art and commerce. He has been an award-winning advertising writer and creative director for some of the world’s most respected brands including Air France, Evian, Fidelity, Hershey, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Intel, Microsoft, Volvo and many others.

He is founder of Church+State, host and executive producer of the hit podcast, “The Coup”, and publisher of This is That Travel Guide to Canada – a best-selling and award-winning satirical book. He has written for television. Penned a children’s book. Wrote, produced and performed a hit play. Created a branded art gallery. And was executive producer & host of the award-winning comedy show, Monkey Toast.

In demand as a speaker all over the world, Ron speaks to leading organizations about leadership, disruption, branding, and creativity.
Ron’s first book, Everyone’s An Artist – Or At Least They Should Be (Co-written by Scott Kavanagh and Christopher Novais), was published by HarperCollins in 2016. His most recent book, Think Do Say: How to Seize Attention and Build Trust in a Busy Busy World, hit store shelves in October or 2019.

Karli Farrow

President and CEO
Trillium Health Partners

Karli Farrow is the President and CEO at Trillium Health Partners (THP). Previously she was the Executive Vice-President of Patient Care Services and Chief Operating Officer where she was accountable for clinical operations and the delivery of exceptional patient experiences. She also oversaw capital planning and redevelopment to ensure that all future planning at THP is closely linked to the delivery of patient care.

Karli joined THP in 2009 prior to the merger of Credit Valley Hospital and Trillium Health Centre. She provided leadership to support the merger of the two organizations in 2011. She has since led innovative processes to engage people within the organization and in the community to achieve the hospital’s strategic mission to deliver a new kind of health care for a healthier community.

Prior to joining THP, Karli worked in health care consulting where she led projects focused on reducing wait times and improving chronic disease management. She has also served in senior advisory roles for the Ontario Government, including Director of Policy for the Premier of O​ntario and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, where she helped develop and implement strategies to improve access to care and long-term sustainability of the health care system in Ontario.

Karli serves on the Board of Trustees of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) and the Board of Directors of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES).

Alison Cocking, BSc. PT, M.Ed.

Managing Director
Insight Health Solutions, Trillium Health Partners

Alison Cocking is a strategic healthcare leader who serves as Trillium Health Partner’s Managing Director, Insight Health Solutions, one of Canada’s largest hospital-based disability management third-party programs. As a senior leader in the healthcare sector, Alison has over three decades of experience leading high functioning teams and programs in their delivery of impactful value-based quality services. The ability to financially contribute Insight’s profits to the hospital’s programs and services to help create a new kind of healthcare for a healthier community, is what drives and inspires her. Alison is a UK-trained Physiotherapist with a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Toronto. An avid kayaker, hiker, traveler and general enthusiast of the great outdoors, Alison’s goal is to have visited 100 countries by 2045.

Scott Maxwell

Chief Executive Officer
Wounded Warriors Canada

Scott is a dedicated public servant, mental health champion, and not-for-profit leader.

Scott’s unique experience intersects public policy, national and provincial government, and non-profit business strategy and development.

His passion for those who bravely serve Canada stems from his high school friend, Trooper Darryl Caswell, from Bowmanville who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on June 11, 2007.
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As CEO of Wounded Warriors Canada, the country’s largest non-profit mental health training and counselling provider for Veterans, First Responders and their families, Scott successfully transformed what was a local volunteer-based initiative into a national organization that provides support to over 30,000 trauma exposed professionals and their families each year.

Scott has been awarded the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medallion and the King’s Coronation Medal for Service to Canada.

Dr. Megan McElheran, R.Psych

Clinical Psychologist & CEO
Wayfound Mental Health Group

Dr. Megan McElheran is a Registered Clinical Psychologist and the CEO of Wayfound Mental Health Group. She completed her graduate training at the PAU-Stanford University Clinical Psychology Consortium, where she obtained specialized training in the treatment of PTSD through the National Center for PTSD in Menlo Park, CA. Dr. McElheran is passionate about arming frontline workers with the tools they need to help manage their workplace stress and has been in practice in Calgary, Alberta since 2008. She continues to focus on work with first responders, and her clinical practice involves work with active-duty members of the Canadian Forces, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, members of the Calgary Fire Department, medical personnel, and others who are directly or vicariously impacted by traumatic events. Dr. McElheran founded the Before Operational Stress (BOS) program to address the gap in preventative mental health training and support for public safety personnel and frontline workers. She routinely engages in teaching and supervisory activity to ensure the sound dissemination of empirically grounded interventions for trauma. Dr. McElheran is regularly engaged in speaking events, both locally and internationally.

Joe Burrows

OHS Consultant
Government of Alberta

Joe is a Forestry Occupational Health and Safety Consultant with expertise in safety and mental health program development. He currently serves as a Safety Officer for Wildfire Operations with Alberta Forestry. His career includes service as a Correctional Peace Officer at the Edmonton Remand Centre and as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Dr. Tim Black PhD, R. Psych.

National Clinical Director
Wounded Warriors Canada

Dr. Tim Black, R. Psych. is the National Clinical Director for Wounded Warriors Canada. During his more than 20-year career as a tenured Associate Professor at one of the top graduate counsellor education programs in the country, Dr. Black has been a researcher, clinician, program developer, program co-founder, and clinical supervisor specializing in group counselling approaches for working with Trauma Exposed Professionals (TExP) and Trauma Exposed Family (TExF) members. As National Clinical Director, Tim supports and oversees the development and delivery of WWC’s group counselling programs in Canada, as well as WWC’s TExP education and training programs, alongside an extensive team of dedicated mental health professionals committed to serving the needs of TExP and TExF communities.

​Mike Wionzek

Chief Operating Officer
Warrior Health

Mike Wionzek joined the Warrior health team as Director – Operations and Partner Support, following a 35-year career as a soldier, paramedic and Deputy Chief. Mike served as the Deputy Chief of Toronto Paramedic Services (TPS), the largest municipal Paramedic Service in Canada with over 1,600 staff that respond to over 320,000 emergency calls annually. Mike’s portfolio included the TPS communications centre (CACC), education and quality improvement, IT and systems engineering, hospital liaison, and system performance.

During the COVID pandemic Mike was seconded to Toronto Public Health and the city’s Immunization Task Force as the Director responsible for managing the COVID-19 Mass Immunization Clinic and mobile response plan. Mike led the design, implementation and operationalization of the largest successful Mass Immunization Clinic (MIC) plan including the hiring and developing of over 2,000 new staff that vaccinated hundreds of thousands of clients, while working collaboratively with provincial, municipal, and local partners and organizations.

Mike has served over 35 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and is currently serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Health Services. Mike has held various positions including most recently Commanding Officer of 25 Field Ambulance and Deputy Commander and Reserve Advisor for the 4 Health Service Group. Mike also served internationally as a military observer and peacekeeper in Sudan, Africa.

Mike has been awarded the Order of St. John, Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Medal, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, King’s Coronation Medal, Canadian Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal, and long service medals for the Canadian Armed Forces, St. John Ambulance, and Toronto Paramedic Service. Mike is also Knight in The Order of St. George where he volunteers his time in raising funds for veterans’ organizations.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Pre-Hospital Care from Charles Sturt University and a Masters of Defence Studies degree from Royal Military College.

Mike believes in supporting our front-line public safety professionals (PSP) and advocates for the reduction of barriers to education and support. Leveraging his ability to build teams and processes Mike will assist in the Warrior Health team in ensuring that every PSP has ongoing and continual access to the best resources available.

Doug Ford

Premier of Ontario
He was also elected as the MPP for Etobicoke-North in 2018.

Previously, Doug Ford served as Toronto city councillor from 2010-2014, and was vice-chair of the Budget Committee, where he delivered hundreds of millions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. While on city council, Ford served on the board of Build Toronto, and was a director of the Canadian National Exhibition. He also served on the Civic Appointments Committee and the Government Management Committee at Council.

A dedicated community leader, successful businessman with Deco Labels and passionate advocate for the people, Doug’s commitment to public service runs in the family. Three generations of Fords have served the people of Ontario in elected office.

Doug is a life-long resident of the community of Etobicoke, and lives there with his wife Karla and four daughters. His commitment to public service includes over 20 years of dedicated work with the Toronto West Rotary Club and serving as a proud member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Jeffery Lang

President and CEO
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)

As the President and CEO of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), I oversee the administration of Ontario’s workplace injury and illness insurance compensation system, serving more than five million people across 300,000 employers. With over 15 years of executive experience in alternative energy, government relations, and business strategy, I bring a diverse and innovative perspective to the insurance industry.

My mission is to make WSIB better, easier to work with, and faster to deliver, so people can recover and get back to their lives. Under my leadership, WSIB has achieved significant results, such as improving outcomes for injured workers, expanding online self-serve options, holding premium rates to a 20-year low, delivering the first-ever surplus rebate worth over $1.2 billion to safe Ontario businesses, and building an inclusive culture centered on accountability, collaboration, empathy, and integrity. I believe strongly in leadership through service, which I demonstrate with my teams, and giving back, which I do in my community and through my development charity.

Myron Demkiw

Chief of Police
Toronto Police Service

Myron Demkiw, a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (M.O.M.), joined the Toronto Police Service in 1990, and became Chief in December of 2022. As head of the largest municipal police service in Canada, and the fourth largest municipal police service in North America, Chief Demkiw oversees 5300 police officers, 2200 civilian Members, and a budget of $1.2 billion.

Over the course of his career, he has served as the Unit Commander of Intelligence Services and the Officer in Charge of Strategy Management Corporate Projects, the Second in Command of 32 Division, Duty Senior Officer, and fulfilled several supervisory roles in various units throughout the organization. He has also participated in several Service-wide initiatives, including as an integral member of the Police and Community Engagement Review (PACER) Team, since its inception in 2012.

As a Staff Superintendent, he was responsible for two different pillars of the organization. He was in charge of Detective Services, which includes the Service’s high-profile investigative units, such as the Homicide Squad, Integrated Guns and Gangs Task Force, and the Hold-Up Squad. He also oversaw Corporate Risk Management, which includes Professional Standards, Professional Standards Support and the Toronto Police College.

In addition to his hands-on experience and community-building work, Chief Demkiw is a well-respected policing leader. He is the Vice-Chair of the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Global Policing Division Committee, he sits on the board of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), and is a member of the Major City Chiefs Association (MCCA). He is known for his ongoing commitment to counter-terrorism and national security. Chief Demkiw is engaged both nationally and internationally on these issues, including as President of the Leadership in Counter-terrorism Alumni Association (LinCT-AA), which counts senior police and intelligence leaders from other Five Eyes partner countries. He is also a member of the CACP National Working Group Supporting Victims of Terrorism and Mass Violence, and a former member of the Countering Violent Extremism Working Group.

Chief Demkiw deeply understands the complex nature and dynamics of a major city like Toronto. He is committed to delivering police services that keep residents safe while making sure his members have the tools they need to perform their duties effectively. For example, he has introduced transformative initiatives focused on supporting the wellness and mental health of his members.

An alumnus of the University of Toronto, Chief Demkiw earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in his twenties, majoring in both Criminology and Political Science. He later returned to attend the Faculty of Law and completed the Global Professional Master of Laws program. He is also a graduate of the Rotman School of Management’s Police Leadership Program. Chief Demkiw is a married father of two and a proud member of Toronto’s Ukrainian community.

Dr. Nadia Aleem

Psychiatrist, MD, MHSc CCFP, FRCP
Mental Health Lead
Insight Health Solutions, Trillium Health Partners

Dr. Nadia Aleem initially worked as a Family medicine Doctor and Addictions Physician prior to retraining and starting her work as a Psychiatrist. She is currently the Mental Health Lead Physician at Insight Solutions, Trillium Health Partners and was formerly the Medical Head at the Work Stress and Health Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Nadia works exclusively in the field of Occupational Psychiatry, specializing in disability management and providing consultation and education on workplace mental health policies. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and provides education seminars to organizations and medical training programs across Canada.

Mike Annan

Director of Service Dogs
BC & Alberta Guide Dogs

Mike Annan resides in Nanaimo, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. Mike, began his career in 2004 by founding Sal Pacific Canine Obedience, where he led a team of trainers and developed puppy and competition-level obedience programs. His LIMA-based, positive training methods attracted up to 120 dogs in classes each month.

In 2008, Mike partnered with Dr. Jeff Grognet, DVM, to launch the Academy for Canine Educators (ACE), a behavior clinic and online education platform serving veterinarians, pet owners, and shelter workers. Their programs included seminars, e-books, and training courses delivered to organizations such as the BCSPCA.

In 2013, Mike was invited to pilot a service dog program for military veterans with PTSD. The project grew rapidly, leading to the creation of VICD Service Dogs. Mike oversaw the program’s first Assistance Dogs International accreditation in 2017—making it one of the first organizations in the world to be accredited under ADI’s Military-Related PTSD Service Dog Standards.

In 2019, VICD Service Dogs merged with BC & Alberta Guide Dogs, expanding operations to include Vancouver Island, Vancouver, The Lower Mainland, Edmonton and Calgary. Mike now serves as an ADI Accreditation Assessor, trainer certification committee member, and Wounded Warriors Canada National Service Dog Advisor. Mikes passion for championing collaboration and excellence in service dog programs has led him to help build OSI PTSD programs around the globe mentoring programs across Canada as well as Japan, Sweeden, USA, Australia and Poland.

Vikki Madden, MSc (OT), OT Reg. (Ont.)

Occupational Therapist, Psychotherapist
FunctionAbility Rehabilitation Services

Vikki Madden is a registered Occupational Therapist and Psychotherapist providing direct therapy services as well as Psychotherapy clinical supervision at FunctionAbility Rehabilitation. Vikki has over 20 years of experience supporting individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, trauma, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, brain injury, chronic pain and addiction. Vikki has completed an Honors Bachelors of Science degree from McMaster University and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Western Ontario. She has completed advanced training and certification in several areas including: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Chronic Pain management, mindfulness-based interventions motivational interviewing and addictions counselling. Vikki is currently an adjunct professor for the school of Occupational Therapy at McMaster University and the University of Toronto. Vikki has significant experience working with the first responder population who are struggling with work related emotional health issues. She uses recovery principles and Psychotherapy modalities to support clients in their recovery journey and to enable function in day-to-day life. In her role as a Psychotherapy Clinical Supervisor, Vikki supports the growth and development of fellow OT’s who are developing their psychotherapy practice. In this role, Vikki provides 1:1 support and mentorship as well as facilitates group supervision and provides regular education sessions on a variety of OT psychotherapy interventions for supervisee’s.

Genevieve Bernardo, MScOT, OT Reg. (Ont.)

Occupational Therapist, Manager of Clinical Services, Clinical Lead for RTW Programs
FunctionAbility Rehabilitation Services

Genevieve Bernardo is a registered Occupational Therapist and Manager of Clinical Services at FunctionAbility Rehabilitation Services. She is also the Clinical Lead for Return-to-Work programming and supports OT psychotherapy program development across the practice in Ontario and BC. With over 20 years of OT experience, Genevieve began working in inpatient rehabilitation, treating individuals affected by a variety of neurological impairments. Following the transition to private community-based work, Genevieve has focused on assessing and treating clients with a spectrum of traumatic brain injuries, multiple orthopaedic injuries, and complex mental health with trauma-focused needs resulting from motor vehicle collisions, workplace incidences, and other personal injuries and conditions. Over the last 9 years, her clinical practice has shifted to focus on mental health and psychotherapy, providing direct assessment and treatment primarily with first responders and veterans, addressing the functional impact on quality of life and return-to-work. She has completed continuing education in several areas including: Neurodevelopment Treatment, Concussion Management, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and Coaching for Return to Work. She uses her varied skill set and knowledge to manage complex caseloads and clients’ recovery, with the goal of restoring and enabling function and engagement in their daily lives. Similarly, she supports therapist teams in the quality of their practice.

Justin Mausz, Ph.D.

Paramedic-Scientist
Peel Regional Paramedic Services

Adjunct Professor
Department of Family and Community Medicine, the University of Toronto.

Dr. Justin Mausz is a clinician-scientist with Peel Regional Paramedic Services and adjunct faculty member in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Mausz’s research occupational health well-being among paramedics.

Elizabeth Donnelly, Ph.D., NREMT

Professor
School of Social Work, the University of Windsor

Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly is a professor of social work at the University of Windsor and a nationally registered Emergency Medical Technician. Dr. Donnelly’s research focuses on workforce mental health and well-being among paramedics.

Dave Wakely, LLM

President
OPSEU/SEFPO Local 277

Advanced Care Paramedic
Peel Regional Paramedic Services

Dave Wakely is an Advanced Care Paramedic and President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 277, representing paramedics and logistics technicians in the Region of Peel.

Mandy Johnston, ACP

Commander
Peel Regional Paramedic Services

Mandy Johnston is a commander with Peel Regional Paramedic Services and lead of the External Violence Against Paramedics Program.

Cory Tkatch, BBA

Deputy Chief, Operations
Peel Regional Paramedic Services

Cory Tkatch is the Deputy Chief (Operations) at Peel Regional Paramedic Services.

Heather Humphrey, BSW, MSW, RSW

Social Worker & Psychotherapist
Insight Health Solutions, Trillium Health Partners

Heather is a mental health clinician (Registered Social Worker & Psychotherapist) in the WSIB Mental Health Specialized Care program and Community Mental Health Program, providing first responders experiencing psychological injuries with meaningful, evidence-based therapies to support their recovery and return to work goals. She has prior years of experience in several inpatient, outpatient, public and privately funded mental health and addiction programs. Her clinical work focuses on first responders who are impacted by psychologically traumatic events, and she was inspired to work with first responders after her experiences as an ER crisis worker and a volunteer in a correctional institution. Recently, she has enjoyed facilitating Warrior Health educational and training sessions to various Public Safety Organizations across Ontario.

She has a Sociology degree from Queen’s University, a Bachelor’s of Social Work from McMaster University, and a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Waterloo.

Taylor Sayers

Director of Corporate Services
UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service

Taylor Sayers is a member of the Ketegaunseebee First Nation and currently works as the Director of Corporate Services with UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service. The police service serves six First Nation communities on and around Manitoulin Island. For the past 15 years she has provided senior leadership to the corporate functions of the police service, and has worked with the Police Service’s Commission, and the Chief of Police to meet and deliver the organization’s strategic objectives and meet its vision and mission. She is also a part of the negotiating team that secures the organization’s ongoing core funding with Public Safety Canada and the Solicitor General and also has served as a key part of ensuring pension parity Ontario Indigenous Police Service employees.

Taylor has been instrumental in being a part of the developments of culturally responsive policing initiatives for the organization, including most recently, the Lighting the Fire Within project. Under the Lighting the Fire Within initiative she developed the culture and trauma informed curriculum offered by the police service. The curriculum focuses on providing participants with crisis intervention and de-escalation training, responding to mental health and addictions crises in communities, trauma informed approaches to policing from a culturally safe lens, and ensuring a proactive approach to an individual’s own mental health as a first responder. This training has allowed individuals in the service to take part in seminars that focus on bettering their overall health and well-being from a holistic perspective - the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of an individual.

She is very passionate about mental health in the workplace and contributes as a member to various provincial and national working groups that focus on improving the mental health of public safety personnel (PSP). Some of the working groups include the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario (IPCO), the Solicitor General’s Mental Health Secretariat - Joint Mental Health Collaboration Table, and the Executive Committee of the Canadian Public Safety Leadership. Taylor was also a part of the advisory panel for the IPCO Mental Health Review of the Indigenous Police Services of Ontario completed in 2021 and served as the police service representative during the review. Taylor is a graduate of Business Administration from Laurentian University – Algoma University College and holds certificates in Labour Law and Workplace Mental Health Law from York University.

Dr. Vivien Lee, C.Psych.

Chief Psychologist
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)

Dr. Vivien Lee is the Chief Psychologist for the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and concurrently served from 2021 to 2025 as the Bureau Commander of the OPP Healthy Workplace Team, a Bureau dedicated to the psychological, physical, and spiritual health for members, families, retirees, and auxiliaries. Dr. Lee has been the clinical advisor for Boots on the Ground – Ontario since its inception in 2018. She is a Board Director for Toronto Beyond the Blue, serves on the Psychological Services Committee of the Canadian Association Chiefs of Police (CACP), and is as a Contributing Editor for the Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being.

Dr. Lee previously worked in the Psychological Trauma Program / Work, Stress & Health Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and as a clinician for Wounded Warriors Canada. She has previously served as a Board Director on the Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA), and as Chair of the Service Provider Reference Group with the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families. In 2025, Dr. Lee was awarded the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal.

Dr. Lee earned her PhD and Masters in Clinical Psychology at Western University and HBSc from the University of Toronto. She is a graduate of the Police Executive Leadership Program at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton, Ph.D., R.D. Psych.

Professor of Clinical Psychology
University of Regina

R. Nicholas Carleton, Ph.D. is a Professor of Clinical Psychology and a registered clinical psychologist in Saskatchewan. His work is focused on supporting the mental health of first responders and other public safety personnel. He has published more than 270 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters exploring the fundamental bases of anxiety- and trauma-related disorders. He has completed more than 500 national and international conference presentations. He also serves as an active member of several national and international professional associations. As principal or co-principal investigator he has been awarded more than $100M in competitive external funding. He has received several prestigious awards and recognitions, including induction to the Royal Society of Canada’s College and as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and he was awarded the 2023 Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation Mid-Career Award and the 2020 Royal-Mach-Gaensslen Prize for Mental Health Research. He is principal investigator for the RCMP Longitudinal PTSD Study (www.rcmpstudy.ca) and the associated extension study for Saskatchewan public safety personnel (www.saskptsistudy.ca), and co-investigator on the Federal Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program for public safety personnel (www.PSPNET.ca).

Dr. Tim Black PhD, R. Psych.

National Clinical Director
Wounded Warriors Canada

Dr. Tim Black, R. Psych. is the National Clinical Director for Wounded Warriors Canada. During his more than 20-year career as a tenured Associate Professor at one of the top graduate counsellor education programs in the country, Dr. Black has been a researcher, clinician, program developer, program co-founder, and clinical supervisor specializing in group counselling approaches for working with Trauma Exposed Professionals (TExP) and Trauma Exposed Family (TExF) members. As National Clinical Director, Tim supports and oversees the development and delivery of WWC’s group counselling programs in Canada, as well as WWC’s TExP education and training programs, alongside an extensive team of dedicated mental health professionals committed to serving the needs of TExP and TExF communities.

Dr. Nadia Aleem

Psychiatrist, MD, MHSc CCFP, FRCP
Mental Health Lead
Insight Health Solutions, Trillium Health Partners

Dr. Nadia Aleem initially worked as a Family medicine Doctor and Addictions Physician prior to retraining and starting her work as a Psychiatrist. She is currently the Mental Health Lead Physician at Insight Solutions, Trillium Health Partners and was formerly the Medical Head at the Work Stress and Health Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Nadia works exclusively in the field of Occupational Psychiatry, specializing in disability management and providing consultation and education on workplace mental health policies. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and provides education seminars to organizations and medical training programs across Canada.

Margaret Campbell

Assistant Professor, Department of Aging and Family Science
Mount Saint Vincent University, Garnet Families

Margaret Campbell holds a PhD in Social and Cultural Analysis from Concordia University. Following her doctorate, she completed a Mitacs postdoctoral fellowship with the Vanier Institute of the Family and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aging and Family Science at Mount Saint Vincent University and a member of the Families Matter Research Group. Her research focuses on three areas: suicide and grief within military, Veteran, and public safety families; the intersection of work and family life; and families with disabilities. In collaboration with Dr. Heidi Cramm, she examines how families experience and make meaning of suicide loss, with particular attention to the organizational, cultural, and occupational conditions that shape grief and remembrance.

Margaret Campbell

Assistant Professor, Department of Aging and Family Science
Mount Saint Vincent University, Garnet Families

Margaret Campbell holds a PhD in Social and Cultural Analysis from Concordia University. Following her doctorate, she completed a Mitacs postdoctoral fellowship with the Vanier Institute of the Family and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aging and Family Science at Mount Saint Vincent University and a member of the Families Matter Research Group. Her research focuses on three areas: suicide and grief within military, Veteran, and public safety families; the intersection of work and family life; and families with disabilities. In collaboration with Dr. Heidi Cramm, she examines how families experience and make meaning of suicide loss, with particular attention to the organizational, cultural, and occupational conditions that shape grief and remembrance.

Dave McLennan

President, CEO
Boots on the Ground Peer Support for First Responders

Dave is a retired police constable having served over 30 years with Peel Police in Ontario. Dave is the founder and president of Boots On The Ground - Peer Support For First Responders. Boots On The Ground provides 24/7 peer support to all First Responders across the province of Ontario including Police, Fire, EMS and Corrections and Nurses. Boots On The Ground serves both sworn and civilian members of all services including serving and retired members.

Dave has answered hundred of calls on the peer support help line and he has intervened with many suicidal callers. He has seen first hand the effects of stress and trauma and has regrettably lost too many First Responder friends and colleagues to suicide. He has witnessed countless others struggle as they face the impacts of trauma, stigma, and reprisal. His continued call to serve has led to the path as Founder and President of Boots On The Ground, making suicide awareness, prevention, and intervention a priority for our anonymous peer support program run by First Responders, for First Responders. With 181 volunteers working the phone lines 24-7/365 and four trainers in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, Boots On The Ground is passionate about creating safer communities for First Responders.

Chris Harkins

Deputy Commissioner
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)

Deputy Commissioner Chris Harkins began his career with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in 1990. He has worked on the frontline, in crime, as a team leader, as an executive officer, and in covert operations. This includes serving as Commander of the Physical Surveillance Unit; Manager of the Analytical Section - Provincial Operations Intelligence Bureau; Deputy Director of the Organized Crime Section East/North; Commander of the Fleet, Supply and Weapons Services Bureau; Commander of East Region; and since 2019, as the Provincial Commander of Field Operations.

He co-led an organizational review on mental health to help strengthen health and wellbeing for members, resulting in the creation of the Healthy Workplace Team for the OPP. Deputy OPP Commissioner Harkins is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management Police Leadership Program as well as a graduate of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Global Studies Program.

He is an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, and in 2025, he was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal, recognizing significant contributions to Canada.

Michael Ainger

Corrections Officer
Correctional Service of Canada

Mr. Micheal Ainger is a 17-year employee of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). While working at Beaver Creek Institution, he assumed a variety of roles (Correctional Officer, Crisis Negotiator, Emergency Response Team member, Security Maintenance Officer, Correctional Training Officer, and Correctional Manager). Additionally, Mr. Ainger gained experience with the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers (UCCO-SACC-CSN), where he contributed on local, regional, and national level initiatives, and as a union executive trainer.

He also assumed roles with CSC’s Learning & Development as a Training Officer with the Correctional Learning and Development Centre, and at the National Satellite Training Academy. When possible, Mr. Ainger continues to volunteer to deliver training sessions, particularly the New Employee Orientation Program, which allows him the opportunity to meet new staff as they begin their careers with CSC.

Most recently, Mr. Ainger has worked within the Workplace Wellness and Employee Wellbeing Directorate. In this area, he worked on the foundation team for CSC’s Workplace Health Management Unit and as a Regional Return to Work Advisor on various occasions. Currently, Mr. Ainger assumes the role of National Manager, Employee Mental Health Unit, and endeavours to apply his experience towards enabling better outcomes for staff throughout the organization.

Dr. Laura McKendy

Senior Manager, Research Branch
Correctional Service of Canada

Laura McKendy has a PhD in Sociology from Carleton University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Memorial University, with research focusing on the mental health and work experiences of correctional workers in Canadian provinces. She currently works as a senior manager in the Research Branch of the Correctional Service of Canada, working a on variety of projects, including employee mental health and well-being.

Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli, PhD

Professor and Research Chair: Safety, Security, and Wellness
Memorial University of Newfoundland

 Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli is Professor (PhD) in the School of Maritime Studies and Research Chair in Safety, Security, and Wellness, at Memorial University’s Fisheries and Marine Institute. The winner of the 2023 International Corrections and Prison Association’s Research Excellence Award, the Canadian Sociological Association’s Angus Reid Applied Researcher Award, and the President’s Award for the International Community Justice Association in 2024. Ricciardelli was also elected to the Royal Society of Canada and is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Her research centers on evolving understandings of the needs of public safety personnel, their leaders, and those who experience systems of justice with a focus on occupational and posttraumatic stress injuries, vulnerabilities, and risk. She has published 18 books, 320+ journal articles, and 75+ chapters and given over 600 presentations in the areas of police, firefighting, correctional workers, public safety communicators, security intelligence officers, and people who are criminalized, and social, mental, and physical health. As a sex and gender researcher, her interests lay in the supporting societies through empowerment of the frontlines for positive community impacts always informed by evidence. She leads a longitudinal study on the mental health and well-being experiences of correctional officers employed by Correctional Services Canada and has participated in correctional officer training with the Service and all Correctional Services in Canada. She also works in partnership with the Uganda Prison Service and Michigan Department of Corrections, as well as select youth justice and heath organizations, and contributes to MicroResearch International.