Shannon Gander is a Mental Health and Resiliency Strategist. She is a skilled consultant, trainer, counselor, and mediator who has been consulting with individuals and teams for over 25 years. After working with multiple clients whose stress level had impacted their ability to work, Shannon became the Director of Life Work Wellness, a company committed to empowering individuals and workplaces to achieve their goals for better mental health. She has a passion for teaching skills for riding our waves of stress while helping clients prevent burnout. Shannon is one of the authors in a recently released book: Teacher Take Care – a guide to well-being and workplace wellness for educators.

Leah Marie Dorion is an interdisciplinary Metis artist raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. A teacher, painter, filmmaker and published writer, Leah views her Metis heritage as providing her with a unique bridge for knowledge between all people. Leah holds a Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Arts, and Master of Arts degree. She has numerous creative projects to her credit, including academic papers for the Royal Commission of Aboriginal Peoples, books for children, gallery showings of her art works, and numerous video documentaries that showcase Metis culture and history. Leah’s paintings honour the spiritual strength of Aboriginal women and the sacred feminine. Leah believes that women play a key role in passing on vital knowledge for all of humanity which is deeply reflected in her artistic practice. She believes women are the first teachers to the next generation.

Boozhoo, My name is Brenda Mason, and my Anishinabe name is 'Imprint Hanging Standing Woman,' I'm Oji/Cree, and I speak my language. I belong to a fish clan-Red Sucker, and I was raised in Sandy Lake First Nations, a remote community located in Northwestern Ontario. My aunty mom and uncle dad raised me, along with other children. I have a son who has blessed me with grandchildren. So, yes, I am a grandmother and loving it. Today, I reside in Thunder Bay, and it is my home for 38 years. I graduated from Confederation College in 1990 with a Social Services Worker Diploma. I am registered with the College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers. Today, I work within St. Joseph's Care Group, Mental Health Outpatient Program. I provide Cultural and Spiritual Services, including Traditional therapy and Traditional Healing, for 28 years. I've walked with the Elders for several years before sending me out to do my Traditional Indigenous work in our community. It's the community members that started coming to me and referring to me as an Elder. I also provide Elder support to the students and staff at Oshki-Wenjack, Education Institute, for about 11 years. I also teach one of the classes in the Aboriginal Wellness and Addictions Prevention Program every year.

Tina Geers is a Protector of Play, an Accidental Educator and an Advocate for Early Childhood Educators! She brings over 18 years of classroom, coaching, and leadership experience to share with you. Tina’s goal is to walk alongside you on your journey as an early childhood educator, by offering you continuous learning opportunities that spark the fire of inspiration, as you explore and discover the possibilities of play together!

Jan and Janet formed their Early Years Social-Emotional Learning team while professors of Early Childhood Education at Fanshawe College, London, ON, where Janet is now the ECE Program Coordinator. During this time, they were trainers for Kids Have Stress Too! and shared this resource with students and the ECE community. For the past two decades, they have researched and taught the milestones and challenges of social-emotional development and the importance of relationship-based approaches to build a sense of security, self- and other-awareness, and social skills that are key developmental tasks in the first five years of life.Most recently, they have created a resource for Social Emotional Learning and Relationship Building Strategies. TFL Early Years SEL supports educators in establishing a safe and trusting, play-based, emergent learning environment where children feel they belong as valued and socially competent members of the group. The practices included in the training are evidence-informed throughout.Jan and Janet have also authored the My Feelings Children’s Book Series of 4 children’s books (for ages 2 ½ -5), describing emotional intelligence and competence, including reasons for, symptoms of and self-regulation strategies for children’s strong emotions.

Jan and Janet formed their Early Years Social-Emotional Learning team while professors of Early Childhood Education at Fanshawe College, London, ON, where Janet is now the ECE Program Coordinator. During this time, they were trainers for Kids Have Stress Too! and shared this resource with students and the ECE community. For the past two decades, they have researched and taught the milestones and challenges of social-emotional development and the importance of relationship-based approaches to build a sense of security, self- and other-awareness, and social skills that are key developmental tasks in the first five years of life.Most recently, they have created a resource for Social Emotional Learning and Relationship Building Strategies. TFL Early Years SEL supports educators in establishing a safe and trusting, play-based, emergent learning environment where children feel they belong as valued and socially competent members of the group. The practices included in the training are evidence-informed throughout.Jan and Janet have also authored the My Feelings Children’s Book Series of 4 children’s books (for ages 2 ½ -5), describing emotional intelligence and competence, including reasons for, symptoms of and self-regulation strategies for children’s strong emotions.

Anisha Angella is an entrepreneur, author, Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), and ECE leadership coach on a mission to elevate and empower the ECE community, one professional at a time. Anisha achieves this by supporting ECE educators, leaders, owners, and parents through coaching, advocacy, and collaborative workshops.No matter what stage of your ECE career, she can help you reconnect to your passion and purpose, get focused on goals, and take purposeful action to unleash your full potential. Anisha brings diverse experience in the ECE industry- from leading childcare programs in the classroom to senior management overseeing 45+ childcare locations- she’s done it all!She uses this wealth of knowledge and experience to strengthen ECE communities for professionals, parents, and children. She shares valuable insights on topics such as leadership, diversity, burnout, mental health, and communication in a way that encourages audiences to speak up and engage in active learning.

Carla Ward is an Early Childhood Educator and the founder of Early Learning Foundations, a business dedicated to education and enhancing the work of Early Childhood Educators. She has held various roles in the education profession for more than 19 years. Carla is a certified Wunder-Based educator who brings a sense of wonder and passion into every aspect of her business, from hosting The Everything ECE Podcast to workshop development and keynotes. Carla loves to share actionable and inspiring ideas with educators in and out of the classroom to help support professional practices in Early Childhood Education.

Over the 20 years that Julie has been an Early Childhood Educator, she has gained experience in a variety of areas within the field of Early Childhood Education: Director of a preschool, supervisor of after-school care as well as 3-5 and Infant Toddler programs, and centre management. Julie’s primary focus has evolved to encompass team leadership, management training and program development. She has had articles published in provincial and national ECE journals on the topics of emergent curriculum and leadership, and her goal is to support fellow educators and early years professionals in providing high-quality early learning experiences for children and families

Farrah Rahim thinks with her heart. This has catapulted her to a successful career in pediatric and adult speech language pathology. Farrah was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario. She has 2 young children and a husband with whom she loves to spend time. Farrah completed her B.Sc. in Biopsychology at Western University and her M.Sc. in Speech Language Pathology at Dalhousie University. She started her career working in an outpatient program for people with Traumatic Brain Injuries as well as across various inpatient areas of a local hospital, dealing with both swallowing and communication disorders. She also worked for several years in private practice primarily with the pediatric population. Since 2009, Farrah has been working in the school board setting, supporting students with language and communication difficulties and their teaching staff to ensure that students can be as successful as possible in their academic setting. Farrah also has a passion for giving back to the world and she feels that this is the way to true happiness. She does this through connecting people with resources and helping people see their potential so that they can be changemakers in their own lives. She has mentored many young girls and new immigrants both informally and through a girl’s mentorship program. In the near future Farrah would like to pursue playing the piano and writing a children’s book.

Nathalie James boasts nine years of experience in early childhood education, holding various roles including educator, supervisor, and director in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. She has served as an Early Years Supervisor for EarlyON centres, conducted numerous parenting workshops, and managed sites with capacities of up to 150 children and over 30 staff members.Nathalie's current focus is on providing leadership and workshops on early development and social skills for families with children aged 0-6. Her proudest achievements include building lasting relationships with families and supporting fellow educators in understanding the crucialimportance of early childhood education. Driven by her passion for ECE, Nathalie finds inspiration in working with children and is committed to advocating for the early years' sector, using her extensive experience to educate and collaborate with dedicated educators.

As part of the team at Bookmates, Nancy has a wide range of experience in facilitating workshops that focus on sharing early literacy strategies, tools, and resources. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree and spent several years travelling five continents and collecting a million special memories. Prior to joining Bookmates, she worked for Scholastic Canada and owned “The Book Girl”, a company providing books to schools and child care centres in Winnipeg. In her spare time, Nancy can be found driving her daughters to their many sports, choir, and theatre activities, spending time at the family cabin, and coaching ringette.

ECE III, CAE, Forest & Nature School PractitionerCindy believes that learning is a never-ending process and enjoys inspiring others in their journey of growth and discovery.Cindy has dedicated over 35 years to the field of Early Childhood Education. She has worked the frontlines, as a director, and recently operated a group family child care program with a strong focus on outdoor and nature play. Currently, she is the Director of Oakville Early Learning Centre, instructs at Red River College Polytechnic, facilitates workshops, and advocates for children to connect go outside and with nature. In the fall of 2023, she was recognized as an Exchange Leader through the Exchange Leadership Initiative.

Shanda Burnett strongly believes in creating opportunities for all children to learn and grow. As an Early Childhood Educator and Resource Teacher, she expertly promotes inclusion of children with special needs in the child-care community and has a wide range of expertise in supporting children’s social and emotional development, including children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Shanda’s in-depth knowledge of child development and assessment methods, coupled with her experience facilitating workshops for professionals, parents and children, makes her an invaluable member of the CMAS team.

Ana is a proud mother of three, a children's book author, and the founder of Early Years Thriving. She has worked in various capacities within the early years field since 2007. Ana has experience working with children and families with complex needs using inclusive and trauma-informed approaches. She has many aspirations but her current focus is to inspire positive change in the field by sharing a vision of social wellness and social justice for all.

Tammy is a dedicated RECE who has travelled an incredible journey throughout the past 25+ years in the field. Although they hold a Masters Degree in Leadership, with confidence they state, everything they know and have learned about "leadership" they have learned from being an Early Childhood Educator. Leadership is about impact and influence. What other profession other than ours gets this opportunity on a daily basis? It is Tammy's deepest desire to empower and rejuvenate the ECE community to cultivate a world of future leaders. A future that leads with pure heart.

Pooja Kalsi has a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from State University of New York. She has 26 years of experience in the Early childhood field as a teacher, facilitator, supervisor, director and instructor. She is very passionate about finding ways to promote children's creativity and expression of discovery. She is a firm believer that positive guidance is the only way to guide behaviours that challenge us. She currently teaches at Langara College in the ECE department. She is a mother of two children and believes that she continues to learn from the world around her.

Tonja Armstrong-MacInnis, a 2021 Prime Minister's Award Recipient for Teaching Excellence in Early Childhood Education, has over 30 years experience in varying capacities in the field of early learning and care - including facilitating numerous workshops that incorporate the pedagogical documents of our field with an anti-oppression and anti-racist lens. She actively shares her passion for lifelong curiosity and collective discovery as a current member of the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario's CARE Collective of Black Early Childhood Educators, the Director of Humber College's Child Development Centre and Manager of the City of Toronto’s Every Child Belongs Unit at Humber College.

Our preschool team consists of four Early Childhood Educators, each with various experiences and years in the field. Together, we work diligently to offer an inclusive, welcoming, and enriched program that incorporates an Emerging Curriculum inspired by the Reggio Emilia Philosophy. We use documentation as a tool to share stories of the children's learning with their families, and in the last couple of years, we have been hosting ECE students from VCC for a field trip to learn about our practices.

Lobna Ajaini is an Early Childhood Leader with an Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership Degree and an Early Childhood Education Diploma from Sheridan College. She is completing MPED, a Masters Degree of Professional Education in ECE through Western University. Lobna is a multi-award-winning educator and leader who received the 2022 Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Research Award about Forest Schools, the 2019 Sylvia Leal Leadership Award, and the 2016 Davis Campus Commemorative Award. Recently, Lobna wasfeatured in the prestigious Hoinser Media Group book as one of the 100 top powerful global leaders.Lobna is the founder of Childhood Empowerment, a platform dedicated to fostering growth and development for early childhood educators. She is currently working as an ECE college instructor in Ontario where she was nominated several times in the Above and Beyond program for supporting her students and for her teaching style. She previously worked as a Family Support Facilitator, site director and Montessori French teacher. Lobna is passionate about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), humanitarian and environmental community projects. Her love for creativity and innovation stems from her educational background in the engineering field. She values lifelong learning and facilitating workshops to empower educators, children and families.

I am a Post-Secondary Professor with a Master of Education in Curriculum Studies and Leadership and I am an RECE. With over 15 years of experience between the front-line field and post secondary settings. I am passionate about creating inclusive and safe environments that are delivered through a lens of diversity and equity. I actively promote being a reflective practitioner and motivates her students to become leaders in the field by engaging in life-long learners and by developing their ability to have compassion for others lived experiences.

Georgianna has over 20 years of experience working with individuals and families both in Canada and internationally. Passionate about empowering caregivers and parents, she is dedicated to helping each child develop a strong sense of self-worth, confidence, and trust. As a first-generation Chinese-Canadian, she appreciates the joys and challenges of navigating dual cultures. Combining her corporate, nonprofit, and counseling experience, Georgianna offers a distinctive approach to mentoring leaders, guiding them to uncover and leverage their hidden strengths to better support their teams. Georgianna is the proud mother of two boys, runs a private coaching practice, teaches and facilitates for Rising Woman, and co-hosts the podcast Wholehearted Loving: Simple Tools That Make Life Feel Better. She also co-created the online program Priming the Body for Peace, which helps individuals enhance their self-regulation through straightforward daily practices. To learn more about Georgianna, visit www.georgiannalee.com

Richard Monette’s career spans over 40 years as an innovator, educator, and leader in the sectors of sports performance, corporate development, and education. A certified teacher in four provinces, he developed the first sport psychology curriculum approved for high school credits in Alberta. Richard is part of the leadership team at B2ten, a registered charity that supports Olympic Canadian athletes in achieving success on the world stage and funds the Active for Life initiative. Richard is also a sport psychology consultant to Olympic and professional athletes and consults with corporations and business leaders on the benefits of being purposeful. Married with two children, Richard lives in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies in Cochrane, Alberta, where he pursues a very active lifestyle.

Dr. Nidhi Menon is a board member at the AECEO and the Newcomer Services Community of Practice lead. She is an Assistant Professor in Early Childhood Education at the University of New Brunswick as well as an instructor at the School of Early Childhood Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Meena Ahuja is a RECE and has worked for over ten years with newcomer families and children in the Center for Newcomer Children (CNC) at Afghan Women’s Organization. She is also a member of the Newcomer Services Community of Practice at the AECEO.

Shehla Masroor is a RECE and has 20 years of experience working with young children and families. She had worked in the Center for Newcomer Children (CNC) at Afghan Women’s Organization for the last 11 years. She is also a member of the Newcomer Services Community of Practice at the AECEO.

Megan is a Registered Early childhood Educator who is currently working in London, Ontario as a Manager with the YMCA Newcomer services, CNC program. Megan comes from an extensive background of childcare experience, with 18 years of experience as an Early Childhood Educator. She has been with CNC YMCA for the past 5 years. Before starting out in this industry, Megan studied Musical Theatre, and graduated from the Randolph Academy of performing arts with a dance arts major. She then became a dance instructor and a certified 'Parent and Child' early childhood music teacher. She taught parent and child music classes for a few years, which in turn led her in the direction of studying early childhood education at Fanshawe College. Megan never saw herself as much of a singer, however learning how to 'use her voice' assisted her in discovering this unique style of teaching through music, in her early childhood education experiences.