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2025 Pathways to Impact
March 4 @ 8:30 am - 1:30 pm
Come learn from an exceptional lineup of keynote speakers who are experts in their fields. This year’s topics are curated to address the opportunities and challenges facing many businesses today:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Strategic Planning
- Elevating Your Brand
Enjoy a day of networking, learning, and inspiration with like-minded community members, business leaders, and entrepreneurs from Clarington and Durham Region. Explore cutting-edge ideas, gain actionable strategies to strengthen your business, and take home a special swag bag. With a delicious breakfast, lunch, and beverages provided throughout the day, it’s an experience you won’t want to miss!
Key Note Speaker Spotlight
Dr. Carolyn McGregor – Professor and Dean at Ontario Tech University
Dr. McGregor is a Professor and Dean at Ontario Tech University, specializing in artificial intelligence for health and wellness. As the Research Chair in AI for Health and Wellness and Director of the Joint Research Centre in AI for Health and Wellness, she develops AI-driven solutions to improve patient care. A two-time Canada Research Chair in Health Informatics, she focuses on neonatal health informatics, using machine learning to enhance clinical decision-making and outcomes.
She has secured over $16 million in research, consultancy, and infrastructure funding, leading major projects such as a multi-million-dollar FOAK research program with IBM and a $3M FedDev Health Ecosphere initiative. With over 190 refereed publications, three patents across multiple jurisdictions, and two startup companies, she has extensive international research collaborations and has advised Canadian government working groups. At Ontario Tech and Ontario Shores, she leads AI-driven research to reduce patient aggression and improve staff training in mental health care.
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Katie Dempsey – Managing Partner, Brand Ambition
Katie Dempsey is the Founder and Director of Marketing at Brand Ambition, a boutique agency that has launched over 400 brands across industries like real estate, tech, and retail. With a background in wellness marketing, she specializes in helping businesses refine their identity and develop growth-focused strategies. A passionate entrepreneur, Katie also co-founded The Park Coworking and is a sought-after speaker on branding and marketing.
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Nic (Nicole) Gagliardi – Nonprofit Governance Consultant, Rise and Run
Nic Gagliardi is a recognized innovator and changemaker in the Canadian nonprofit sector, with over a decade of leadership experience in purpose-driven organizations. She specializes in nonprofit governance, strategic planning, and impact evaluation, leveraging her graduate degree in social planning from York University and ongoing professional learning in equity, strategy, and evaluation. Known for her empathetic listening and creative problem-solving, Nic excels at turning big ideas into actionable plans. A sought-after speaker, she will be sharing her expertise on strategic planning in her presentation.
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This event is pay-what-you-can, with a minimum ticket price of $10. If you’d like to contribute more, please select your donation amount in the ‘Add-On’ section.