Women Inc. - Leadership Conference

TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2014 /CNW/ - Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario is bringing together Canada's top female business and finance leaders December 10-11, 2014 for its Women Inc. conference at the Toronto Region Board of Trade. This event facilitates an exclusive professional development and networking opportunity for women in business to learn from an engaging collection of distinguished guest speakers as they define some of the challenges, obstacles and solutions that exist in today's business environment. Full conference details can be found at:  cpaontario.ca/womeninc

(Media registration and interviews with speakers and/or photographs are available on request.)

Workshops and speakers include: 

THE POWER OF COURAGE
Robyn Doolittle, bestselling author and investigative reporter with The Globe and Mail – Talks about pushing forward even when it seems the world is against you.

"One thing I've learned over the last few years is just how important it is to believe in yourself," said Robyn Doolittle. "That may sound obvious, but it's not always easy. There are inevitably people out there who may not want you to succeed. Push past those roadblocks. When you know you're right, don't back down."

COLLABORATION OVER COMPETITION: THE ART OF WE – THE GERMAIN DIFFERENCE
Christiane Germain, co-president and co-founder, Groupe Germain Hospitalité – Talks about her journey and addresses how respect, competence, aesthetic sense and teamwork have elevated Group Germain Hospitalité to one of the most successful independent hospitality businesses in Canada.

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
Colleen Johnston, FCPA, FCA, group head finance, sourcing and corporate communications and chief financial officer, TD Bank Group – Shares the lessons she has learned along her leadership journey to her senior management roles while exploring the tools and support women need to advance their careers.

MAKE YOUR MEETINGS MATTER
Diana Kawarsky, president, The Soft Skills Group Inc. – Addresses modern skills needed to communicate clearly, perform with confidence and present your ideas with professionalism to your team and leaders.

RELENTLESS ADAPTATION: HOW GREAT COMPANIES ARE REALLY INNOVATING TO WIN
Amber MacArthur, innovation expert, TV host, and bestselling author – Speaks to how fusing new concepts like crowdsourcing and gamification to a timeless strategic framework can help organizations learn how to adapt and how to win in a fast-forward economy.

"Women are, by nature, relentless adaptors," says Amber MacArthur.  "For decades we've shown that we can, and we will, embrace change in order to lift up the next generation of female leaders -- and in 2015 and beyond, technology can help." 

HEALTHY WORKPLACE – YOUR BEST STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE 
Jane Riddell, chief operations officer, GoodLife Fitness – Demonstrates why including employee health, wellness and activity in your business strategy can transform your workplace and your bottom line.

GROWING OUR RESILIENCY THROUGH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Lori Wilson, principal consultant, Pivotal Learning Inc. – Identifies and leverages emotional capabilities, in turn increasing effectiveness and resilience when surrounded by change.

REAL ESTATE SUCCESS STORIES
Scott McGillivray, real estate investor, TV host, financial expert, contractor and writer – Tells his story of success and what it takes to generate wealth with real estate in today's economy.

PARENTING AND THE SANDWICH GENERATION
Sue-Ann Maislin, facilitator, Morneau Shepell
Canada reports that more than 700,000 Canadians aged 45 to 64 are splitting their time, energy and money, caring for their children and parents. This workshop will encourage participants to tune into important considerations in their lives with respect to caring for elderly family members, caring for children and grandchildren, as well as caring for themselves.

PANEL DISCUSSION: WOMEN TAKE THE LEAD
Women leaders will share their experiences working in positions of authority and reflect on the changing role of women in business, education and the workplace. Panelists include: Patricia (Trish) Barbato, CPA, CA, CGA, senior vice-president, Home Health & Business Development, Revera Inc.; Debbie Baxter, CPA, CMA, vice-president, Corporate Real Estate, Deloitte Canada; and Ruth Liebersbach, FCPA, FCMA, chief financial officer, McMaster Innovation Park.

Event Location: Toronto Board Of Trade, First Canadian Place, 77 Adelaide St W., Toronto, ON

About the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario
CPA Ontario protects the public interest by ensuring its members meet the highest standards for integrity and expertise. CPA Ontario serves and supports its more than 80,000 members and approximately 20,000 students in their qualification and professional development in a wide range of senior positions in public accounting, business, finance, government, not-for-profits and academe. Certified General Accountants (CGAs), Certified Management Accountants (CMAs) and Chartered Accountants (CAs) are now unified under the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. Chartered Professional Accountants are valued by organizations of all types and sizes for their financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight, management skills and leadership. For information on the profession, visit cpaontario.ca. To become a CPA in Ontario, visit gocpaontario.ca.

SOURCE: The Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario

Amy Mulhern, Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, 416-322-6520 or 1-800-668-1454 ext. 8311, [email protected]; Perry Jensen, Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, 416-969-4271 or 1-800-387-0735, ext. 271, [email protected]