Another moving year of Forward Together

I have never been so moved by a professional event as I was by Forward Together’s 10th anniversary conference, hosted by Corus Entertainment.

The day was pure magic from start to finish – with an incredibly vulnerable keynote speech by Global News Anchor Farah Nasser perfectly setting the tone for the day.  The inspiring SheFighter Founder Lina Kalifeh – who has trained and empowered more than 25,000 women globally in self-defence – gifted us with her incredibly inspiring story of bravery, perseverance and purpose. And the day-closing spoken and musical performance by the great Jully Black was so deeply moving and emotionally charged that it brought the entire room to tears. Rounding out a perfect day was a live Women Who podcast and an engaging panel - both of which were packed with wisdom and actionable lessons on topics including mental health, mentorship, and navigating tough conversations.

The energy in the room was palpable – with every one of the 300+ attendees leaning in, sharing with vulnerability, and ultimately eliciting even more authenticity and ‘real talk’ from every speaker.  

Congratulations to the amazing co-chairs Melissa Capitao and Jessica Kassabian, the organizing committee and countless volunteers from across the partner organizations for designing a truly unforgettable day. And to Forward Together founders Irena Kahn and Jessica Leung – the impact you have created over the past 10 years for thousands and thousands of women is awe-inspiring.

Thank you for allowing me the immense honour of emceeing the conference for the 10th year in the row. Each event has been a true career highlight – and this one, in particular, I will always remember and treasure.