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Samantha Kaine

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Samantha Kaine

Samantha Kaine is a Jamaican-Canadian, award-winning independent film and television creative producer, mentor, and DE&I leader committed to the advancement of emerging under-represented voices and talent. Throughout her production career of 20+ years, Samantha has successfully advocated for fair, safe, and equitable access to funding and work environments. In 2020, she founded I.M.P.A.C.T, a national, Federally incorporated non-profit organization to combat systemic and anti-Black racism, that serves a growing group of 100+ members across Canada. As a board member, Samantha brings extensive expertise in championing talent, innovation, and excellence, while advocating for proper and truthful representation on screen. She currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Independent Screen Fund (CISF) for BIPOC Creators and is actively involved in four of Telefilm’s committees: Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, Diverse Languages Subcommittee, Authentic Storytelling, and Industry Advisory. Most recently, Samantha partnered with I.M.P.A.C.T members to write The Producer Pledge that was signed by 175 production companies and raised $300,000+ that allowed BIPOC producers and creators to survive and thrive during the COVID-19 lockdown. She has created several successful programs, including a foundational building program in French “Empowering Black and Racialized Women” in partnership with the University of Montréal and CBC/Radio-Canada, to help Black female-identifying university students establish themselves in Quebec’s television industry. In 2020, Samantha started a virtual Magnify CommUNITY SUMMIT and organized a two-day, bilingual, in-person summit in Montreal in 2022 to combat systemic racism in the Canadian audiovisual industry. She provided written recommendations for an anti-racism action plan for the Canadian Human Rights Commission and contributed to the creation of the Canadian Media Fund pilot program for racialized producers. As a producer, Samantha worked on Subjects of Desire, a documentary that explores the cultural shift in North American beauty standards toward embracing Black female aesthetics and features, while exposing the deliberate and often dangerous portrayals of Black women in the media. With her articulate leadership, Samantha steers complex conversations and transforms organizations by integrating inclusion into mindsets and behaviours. She currently lives in Los Angeles where she continues building bridges for diverse talent in the US and Canada.

Samantha Kaine is a Jamaican-Canadian, award-winning independent film and television creative producer, mentor, and DE&I
leader committed to the advancement of emerging under-represented voices and talent. Throughout her production career of
20+ years, Samantha has successfully advocated for fair, safe, and equitable access to funding and work environments.

In 2020, she founded I.M.P.A.C.T, a national, Federally incorporated non-profit
organization to combat systemic and anti-Black racism, that serves a growing group of 100+
members across Canada.

As a board member, Samantha brings extensive expertise in championing talent,
innovation, and excellence, while advocating for proper and truthful representation on
screen. She currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Independent Screen
Fund (CISF) for BIPOC Creators and is actively involved in four of Telefilm’s committees:
Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, Diverse Languages Subcommittee, Authentic
Storytelling, and Industry Advisory.

Most recently, Samantha partnered with I.M.P.A.C.T members to write The Producer Pledge
that was signed by 175 production companies and raised $300,000+ that allowed BIPOC producers and creators to survive
and thrive during the COVID-19 lockdown. She has created several successful programs, including a foundational building
program in French “Empowering Black and Racialized Women” in partnership with the University of Montréal and
CBC/Radio-Canada, to help Black female-identifying university students establish themselves in Quebec’s television industry.

In 2020, Samantha started a virtual Magnify CommUNITY SUMMIT and organized a two-day, bilingual, in-person summit in
Montreal in 2022 to combat systemic racism in the Canadian audiovisual industry. She provided written recommendations
for an anti-racism action plan for the Canadian Human Rights Commission and contributed to the creation of the Canadian
Media Fund pilot program for racialized producers.

As a producer, Samantha worked on Subjects of Desire, a documentary that explores the cultural shift in North American
beauty standards toward embracing Black female aesthetics and features, while exposing the deliberate and often
dangerous portrayals of Black women in the media.

With her articulate leadership, Samantha steers complex conversations and transforms organizations by integrating inclusion
into mindsets and behaviours. She currently lives in Los Angeles where she continues building bridges for diverse talent in the
US and Canada.

Giovanna Buscemi

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Giovanna Buscemi

As a progressive Human Resources executive and coach, Giovanna has dedicated her career to helping individuals and organisations achieve transformational change. Giovanna has held leadership positions across a range of industries, including academia, transportation and logistics, manufacturing and most notably in the pharmaceutical industry. With expertise in change management, strategy development, and operational excellence, Giovanna has been relied upon to develop high performance teams and deliver innovative HR programs, systems, and policies designed to improve the employee experience. In addition to her professional contributions, Giovanna is actively involved in two non-profit organisations, serving on the Board of YES Montreal and on the parity certification committee of Women in Governance since 2019. As a woman, daughter of immigrants and mother of three children Giovanna is passionate about contributing to the mission of Synclusiv and creating meaningful change that recognizes the value Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can bring to the fabric of our society.

As a progressive Human Resources executive and coach, Giovanna has dedicated her career to helping individuals and organisations achieve transformational change. Giovanna has held leadership positions across a range of industries, including academia, transportation and logistics, manufacturing and most notably in the pharmaceutical industry.

With expertise in change management, strategy development, and operational excellence, Giovanna has been relied upon to develop high performance teams and deliver innovative HR programs, systems, and policies designed to improve the employee experience.

In addition to her professional contributions, Giovanna is actively involved in two non-profit organisations, serving on the Board of YES Montreal and on the parity certification committee of Women in Governance since 2019. As a woman, daughter of immigrants and mother of three children Giovanna is passionate about contributing to the mission of Synclusiv and creating meaningful change that recognizes the value Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can bring to the fabric of our society.

Sheryl Johnson

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Sheryl Johnson

Consultant

Sheryl was privileged to have served as the corporate Marketing officer for Kids Help Phone, Kraft, Intuit, Kellogg’s, and Manulife over the past several years. As a business leader, she helped build the value, revenue, and profit for global Blue Chip brands, typically in environments that were not diverse, not inclusive, and not equitable. With Synclusiv, she is leveraging her business passion and expertise to help organizations reflect, engage, and include the diverse audiences they serve. ​ Sheryl has augmented her University of Waterloo Sociology education with Diversity & Inclusion and Psychology of Leadership Certifications from Cornell University in 2022. She is also a Board Member of the Textile Museum, a Therapy Dog Volunteer with St John Ambulance, and a Mentor with York University Yspace.​

Sheryl was privileged to have served as the corporate Marketing officer for Kids Help Phone, Kraft, Intuit, Kellogg’s, and Manulife over the past several years. As a business leader, she helped build the value, revenue, and profit for global Blue Chip brands, typically in environments that were not diverse, not inclusive, and not equitable. With Synclusiv, she is leveraging her business passion and expertise to help organizations reflect, engage, and include the diverse audiences they serve. 

Sheryl has augmented her University of Waterloo Sociology education with Diversity & Inclusion and Psychology of Leadership Certifications from Cornell University in 2022. She is also a Board Member of the Textile Museum, a Therapy Dog Volunteer with St John Ambulance, and a Mentor with York University Yspace.

Oma Sharma

PARTNER & CLIENT MANAGER

Mercer Canada Ltd.

Over her 30+ year consulting career with Mercer in the retirement and investment fields, she held various leadership roles and built a reputation for excellence in innovation and thought leadership, as well as talent management and mentorship. She currently manages several of Mercer Canada’s largest clients and participates in many internal initiatives, which currently include Mercer Canada’s PRIDE Business Resource Group and Talent of the Future strategy initiatives.

Oma holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Finance (B. Com) degree from the University of Toronto and is both a CFA Charter holder and a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI) 

Behnaz Saboonchi, Ph.D.

Partner, sTRATEGY & TRANSACTIONS

EY-Parthenon

Behnaz is an artificial intelligence strategist and leader, with more than a decade of technology, strategy consulting at McKinsey, academic research, and teaching experience.

 

Romina Morandini

STRATEGIC TALENT LEADER

VPHR Earth & Environment Canada, Wsp

Romina Morandini started her career in the Oil and Gas industry at Shell, where she consolidated her global career working in Argentina, the UK, Brazil, and the Netherlands. Since then, she has increased her impact working in the Agriculture & Manufacturing Food Industries in companies like Cargill and Bunge, FMCG with global and regional roles based in Switzerland, and most recently in Mining with BHP, as VP HR Business Partnership Americas based in Santiago de Chile. She is now Strategic Talent Leader, VP HR Earth & Environment Canada at WSP. Romina has led significant cross-border transformations, operating model deployment, M&A planning, and integrations, and has led teams of professionals across countries.

Working across boundaries and cultures is a trademark of Romina’s career as well as her passion for building more balanced and inclusive workplaces. Romina is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, speaks French, and lives in a multicultural household with strong Latin roots.

Konwatsitsa:wi M. Meloche

FOUNDER

Vista Seminars

A passionate presenter who resides between the Kahnawa:ke reservation in Quebec and New Mexico and was born for the Bear Clan. She is a high school teacher by trade who has a BA and an MA in Educational Studies from Concordia University. As well as conducting V.I.S.T.A. seminars, she also presents on First Nation’s History including educational issues.

Mariama S. Keita

GENERAL MANAGER, FINANCE

Riotinto Aluminium

Chief of Staff for Rio Tinto Aluminium CEO. Senior Executive with over 17 years of global experience in Europe, US, Canada, Middle East and Africa for Fortune 300 companies in extractive industries. Adept at combining her technical/operational background and engineering degree with finance & business knowledge in senior cross-functional management teams for optimum resource deployment across multiple business units.

Camille Isaacs-Morell

Originally from Jamaica and now a Canadian citizen, Camille Isaacs-Morell has a Bachelor’s degree in Modern Languages from the University of the West Indies, and a Master’s in Business Administration in Marketing and International Business from the University of Miami.

She has served in senior leadership positions in major global organizations in the healthcare, financial services, and non-profit sectors in a career spanning more than 20 years in the Caribbean and North America.

Motivated by a vision of a better world where everyone has the opportunity to be better and do better, Ms. Isaacs-Morell serves as a volunteer, board member, mentor, and donor in organizations that support better health, for women and girls, and marginalized persons. 

Gayle Edwards

FOUNDER

Brand You Consultancy Ltd.

Gayle Edwards is an International, award-winning Global Impact & Brand Strategist, Author and Speaker who empowers and educates conscious and purpose driven entrepreneurs and organisations to build impactful businesses through leveraging their brands and building their identity and authority within their marketplace. Gayle is also an Advocate for the UN Global Goals, in particular Goal No. 5 which is Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women & Girls and centres much of her work around this goal.

Gayle is also a Co-Author of the International No. 1 Bestseller, The Law of Brand Attraction which was published in May 2020 to provide entrepreneurs and business owners with success strategies and hope during the recent global pandemic.

Lynne Coles

Revenue Growth Executive

Sales Readiness, Field Engagement at Fortinet

Lynne’s maternal line connects her to generations of resilient African women of colour. Women whose journeys brought them from Africa to the British West Indies; then to Scotland and finally Canada. Lynne contributes 20+ years’ experience as a business leader and growth strategist as well as her commitment to making the journey more successful for the next generation.

Christopher A. Chen

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Compensation Governance Partners

Christopher Chen advises clients on supporting stakeholder value through effectively aligning organizational strategy to executive pay and governance. As a lawyer and in-house advisor, he provides deep technical and industry expertise in all aspects of executive compensation and governance. He has extensive experience as an advisor to the board and/or management.

Caroline Codsi, ICD.D.

CO-FOUNDER

A passionate and strategic leader, Caroline Codsi has had a stellar career in the corporate world including VP and SVP roles within major organizations.

Caroline is the Co-Founder of Synclusiv and has been passionate about equity ever since her childhood, growing up in the Lebanese civil war. This is why she founded Women in Governance in 2010, leveraging decades of executive experience in the corporate world, she relentlessly worked with her team to propel women through the glass ceiling and help progressive organizations concretely and sustainably close the gender gap in the workplace.

Her passion for equity is also why she has decided to widen the scope of her mission in order to include all under-represented groups, by co-founding Synclusiv with her long-time partner and friend, Nicole Piggott. Caroline’s mission is to help create an inclusive workplace where all employees feel in sync and valued, and where diverse perspectives are encouraged as this is the best way to drive individual and team performance and achieve organizational excellence.

A Citizen of the world, fluent in four languages and having lived on three continents, Caroline was born in Beirut and grew up through the civil war. A graduate in Human Resources from HEC Montréal as well as in languages and foreign civilizations from l’Université de Paris VII (Diderot), Caroline earned a scholarship and was valedictorian, ambassador, and examiner for the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD)’s Program at McGill University.

She sits on the boards of the Quebec Labour Council, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Alexa Translations.

A highly sought-after speaker, Caroline has addressed audiences across the globe, including two TEDx (100K views). Widely quoted in national and international media, she is the recipient of numerous awards from prestigious organizations such as the United Nations’ Women’s Committee, the Quebec Business Women Network, The Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Femmessor or the New Delhi Women’s Economic Forum, to name a few.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominated Caroline on Canada’s National Gender Equality Committee and Mayor Valérie Plante on the City of Montreal’s Business Committee. She was also recognized as a Top 20 Diversity Leading Figure in Quebec, Top 75 Canadian Immigrant, Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, and Top 100 Entrepreneurs changing the world.

Nicole Piggott

CO-FOUNDER

Nicole Piggott, a Jamaican Canadian, has spent her career championing inclusive workplaces. Currently the co-founder of Synclusiv and Chief Operations Officer at Women in Governance, Nicole held leadership positions at Bombardier Aerospace, RioTinto, Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOCC), and FedEx Canada. Nicole has implemented and overseen all aspects of Human Resources, from policies, programs and practices aimed at fostering more inclusive and motivating work environments. She had the privilege of negotiating the first partnership agreements between IOCC and various Indigenous communities in Labrador.

In 2017, Nicole co-led the development of the Gender Parity Certification at WiG; she has since led the expansion into the United States. This innovative certification assesses parity at the decision-making level of organizations, as well as the organization’s commitment to putting in place mechanisms that allow women at all levels of its hierarchy to obtain career progression, thus creating a pipeline of female talent.

Nicole is Board Chair of Impact (formerly Partnership Africa Canada), the Vice -Chair of Black Academic Scholarship Fund and member of the Board of the National Safety Council . She is co-lead for the McGill University Goodman Cancer Research Center Public Lecture Series . Nicole is also an advisor to Global Aairs Canada and the CN-Paul Tellier chair of the University of Ottawa on gender issues