The Women in Leadership Conference brings together professional women to discuss the challenges they face, exchange perspectives, and learn from peers and industry leaders.

The event provides an invaluable opportunity to hear industry leaders share best practices and insights to help women in leadership roles become more effective and be at the top of their game.

Join us at this in-person event. Learn, connect & reconnect – and have fun!

KIM SIMMONDS – Keynote Speaker
CEO
Primary Care Alberta

Mentoring for success

Mentorship provides benefits to both the mentor and mentee. Sharing some personal experience of the benefits of mentorship, including knowledge, expanded networks and career planning. This session is an opportunity to discuss the value of mentorship to individuals and organizations.

• • Benefits of mentorship
• • Practical tools for mentors/mentees
• • Creating organizations that support mentorship

CINDY KIEU
A/Executive Director, Business Operations Division
Edmonton Police Service

Asserting with confidence

Asserting with confidence reframes leadership not as personality, but as practice – shaped by purpose, intention, and curiosity. Drawing on experience across public law, executive leadership within one of Canada’s largest municipal police services, and decades of community and board services, Cindy Kieu explores how the following tools can become strategic – enabling women to lead with clarity, credibility, and authority.

• • Timing
• • Language
• • Tone

PARVEEN MIDDLETON
Partner, SVP
BDO Canada

The ability to influence

Influence sits at the heart of effective leadership, particularly when authority alone is not enough. This session explores how leaders create influence through trust, credibility, and clarity – enabling ideas to move from intention to impact. Participants will examine practical ways to influence outcomes by aligning communication, consistency, and behaviour.

• • Building trust through credibility and follow-through
• • Aligning vision with clear, intentional communication
• • Developing strategies to create sustainable influence across teams

POOJA RAJMOHAN
Director, Sales and Marketing
The Westin Edmonton
Marriott International

Driving engagement in the workplace

Employee engagement is a critical driver of performance and organizational resilience. When leaders understand what drives engagement, they can strengthen commitment across their teams. This session will explore how leaders can cultivate an environment that encourages engagement and enables individuals and teams to perform at their best.

• • Identifying the key factors that influence employee engagement
• • Recognizing and leveraging individual strengths to motivate performance
• • Implementing practical leadership strategies to sustain engagement over time

JODI BAXTER
VP, 5G and Industry Solutions
TELUS Business

Making an impact as a leader

Effective leadership goes beyond managing tasks; it’s about inspiring people, driving meaningful change, and creating lasting value for your organization and community. Leaders who make a true impact understand that their influence extends far beyond their immediate responsibilities, shaping culture, developing talent, and setting a vision that motivates others to achieve collective goals. By focusing on authenticity, strategic thinking, leading with empathy and empowering those around them, impactful leaders create ripple effects that transform teams and organizations.

• • Lead with purpose and vision – Articulate a clear, compelling vision that aligns your team’s efforts with organizational goals, giving people a sense of meaning and direction in their work
• • Develop and empower others – Invest in your team’s growth through mentorship, delegation, and creating opportunities for people to stretch their capabilities and take ownership of important initiatives
• • Drive change through action – Model the behaviours and values you want to see, make courageous decisions even in uncertainty, and create tangible results that demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement

NOHA EL-BANNA
Director, Human Resources
Alberta Pensions Services

Decisiveness in uncertain times: Leading in a BANI World

In today’s complex and fast-changing environments, leaders are often required to make decisions without complete information, clear answers, or the luxury of time. This session explores how women leaders can strengthen their decisiveness while balancing risk, empathy, and accountability in moments of ambiguity. Participants will gain practical insights into leading with clarity and confidence when certainty is not an option.

• • How to move from analysis paralysis to purposeful action in uncertain and high-stakes situations
• • Practical strategies for making sound decisions while managing risk, competing priorities, and stakeholder expectations
• • Building personal confidence and organizational trust through transparent and values-based decision‑making

LINDSAY ENGEL
VP Academic & Student Experience
Red Deer Polytechnic

Turning strategy into action

Strategy only matters if it changes daily decisions, behaviours, and priorities. Turning strategy into action requires more than setting direction – it requires consistent execution across the organization. In this session, Lindsay Engel will focus on three key elements:

• • Good planning
• • Space for experimentation and failure
• • Strong teams, not just strong individuals

TARA SCHNEIDER
Executive Financial Consultant
IG Wealth Management

Navigating challenges through adaptive leadership

Organizations today operate in environments defined by uncertainty and evolving expectations. By encouraging innovation and empowering teams, leaders can create conditions where people respond effectively to change. This approach helps organizations remain resilient and continue moving forward despite disruption.

• • Recognizing when leadership approaches need to shift
• • Maintaining resilience and focus during periods of disruption
• • Adjusting leadership approaches as circumstances evolve

JACQUELINE SMITH – Morning Chair
Vice President, Regulatory
ATCO Energy Systems

RIA AMES – Afternoon Chair
Associate Vice-President, Shared Services
University of Alberta