KEYNOTE: Anna Maria Tremonti | Change & Resilience - April 6, 2021
2021 WATERLOO STAFF CONFERENCE
Change can be both powerful and painful. While inevitable, it often involves risks that many don’t want to take. After nearly two decades, Anna Maria Tremonti made one of the biggest changes of her life: to step away from hosting ‘The Current’ at the peak of the show’s popularity in order to produce and host new, original podcasts. Should she have made the change when she did?
The reality is, change comes with questions. Whether you’re experiencing change in your own life, your organization, or influencing social or political change, the same principles apply. In order to cultivate innovation and disruption, remain ‘change-ready’, and earn the confidence of others we must learn to spot the difficulties before they arise while not fearing the ‘what-if’ scenarios that may never materialize. Drawing from both her personal experience & the lessons she’s learned through her interviews with others, Anna Maria sheds light on pursuing growth and questioning the status quo. This presentation will inspire audiences while also equipping them with the skills needed to assess risk, rationalize fear, find opportunity, carry on through failure, and reimagine success.
KEYNOTE: Jesse Wente | Diversity & Inclusion Is Not A Choice - April 7, 2021
At a time when a reckoning around racial justice is occurring around the world, many organizations, corporations, institutions and governments are grappling with their own histories and lack of diversity and inclusion. As our population diversifies, it’s important to prepare for culture shifts and to engage empathetically with a diverse group of people. Looking at the hurdles towards inclusion, this talk looks to break down those barriers and encourage inclusion on all levels.
In this talk, Jesse Wente will discuss why diversity and inclusion is not a choice, but a necessity. Jesse will outline some of the barriers to success and suggest directions for action.
Key takeaways from this presentation include:
- Listen, Learn...and Act!
- Relationships must come first
- None of it matters without power
KEYNOTE: Paula Stone Williams | I've Lived as a Man and a Woman. Here's What I learned - April 8, 2021
Based on her TED talk (over 2 million+ views), Dr. Paula Stone Williams speaks about her experience living as a male and as a female. Are men privileged in ways they do not understand? Do women have to work harder to be seen as leaders? Do men empower each other more than women empower each other? With humor and insight, Paula Williams answer these questions and more, using both empirical data and her experience in both genders to explore the difference between equality and equity. Attendees will hear Paula's narrative of her journey, as well as be invited to examine their own lives for subtle and not so subtle ways in which we take in the messages of our culture and live them out in every area of our lives. Men will depart with a greater understanding of their own privilege, and the opportunities to make a difference that come along with that privilege. Women will understand the importance of standing up for themselves and working together to bring about change. Both genders will be asked to examine how we bring our privilege with us in all of our interactions.
KEYNOTE: Camille Dundas - Beyond the Underground Railroad: A deeper look at Canada's history with anti-Black racism - April 9, 2021
Canadians often believe that our country is a model when it comes to inclusion, that the country was an end-destination of the Underground Railway, and once here, Black Canadian were welcomed with open arms.
Think Again.
In this keynote, Camille Dundas uncovers some hidden history about Canada and how that has impacted all of our experiences with racism in today’s workplace.
