In this episode of Voices of Leadership , we talk with Caroline Bergeron, an international painter known as Aro, a professional speaker, author, and former corporate executive. Caroline shares the transformative journey that led her from the corporate world to a life centred on creativity, personal growth, and inspiring others. We dive into the core themes of her book, The Sum of My Encounters . The book explores how our interactions influence our personal development. Caroline, influenced by fi...
Jul 09, 2025•40 min•Season 2Ep. 14
My guest today is Ginni Saraswati-Cook. A successful entrepreneur in the podcasting space. However, this story isn’t just about podcasting or entrepreneurship. It’s about airports, Knicks games and cats. My favourite parts of this episode are the stories Ginni tells about how the most meaningful moments often happen when you’re least expecting them. Ginni is the founder of Ginni Media , a global podcast production company that works with everyone from ambitious entrepreneurs to household-name br...
Jun 18, 2025•46 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dana Shortt , the visionary entrepreneur who built a beloved business from the ground up, transforming it into a true community staple. Dana shares the remarkable story of her journey, from her humble beginnings in catering to the emotional and strategic process of successfully exiting her business. This episode is packed with valuable lessons for anyone navigating the world of entrepreneurs hip, ownership transition , and planning an exit strategy . Jo...
Jun 04, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. What does it take to build a beverage company from scratch? Not just any beverage company—but one that is unapologetically female-founded, obsessively focused on ingredients, and determined to carve out space in an industry long dominated by men in boardrooms and barrooms alike? Melissa is already a leader and teacher in the drinks space. But like so many entrepr...
May 21, 2025•45 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. In this episode, I’m joined by Anna Radulovski, founder of WomenTech Network , a global community of over 150,000 members across 179 countries. Anna is also the powerhouse behind the Women in Tech Global Conference , a mentor at the Founder Institute , and the author of Chief in Tech. This isn...
May 01, 2025•41 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. Shop Hot or Just Me? and get 10% off using the code LEADERSHIP What kind of person builds a whiskey brand from scratch, launches it on Kickstarter, gets it on shelves everywhere… and then pivots to menopause wellness? Meet Carin Luna-Ostaseski. She’s not chasing ideas—ideas seem to chase her. ...
Apr 16, 2025•46 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. What makes a good impression? Can the right packaging—a perfectly folded, beautifully designed box—turn a simple donut into something special? Can the feel of a burger wrapper, or the weight of a coffee cup in your hand, shape not just the way we experience food, but the way we remember it? It...
Apr 03, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. Have you ever really thought about your kidneys? About what they do? About what happens when they fail? They are two small organs, quietly filtering waste, balancing fluids, and keeping you alive—until they don’t. There is no cure for kidney disease. Dialysis helps you wait, but it isn’t a sol...
Mar 19, 2025•42 min•Season 2Ep. 7
oin us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. Have you ever punched someone in the face? Not out of anger. Not in self-defence. But because, for one night, you chose to step into the ring? Most people would never willingly put themselves in that position. But Beth isn’t most people. As a leader in the mining industry, Founder and CEO of Fe...
Mar 12, 2025•48 min•Season 2Ep. 6
oin us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. We’ve been taught to recognize abuse. A black eye. A broken bone. The obvious signs. What if abuse isn’t just about what you can see? Today, my guest is Stefanie Peachey, Founder of Peachey Counselling, an organization dedicated to providing individuals, couples, and families with the tools, re...
Feb 26, 2025•46 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. When the headlines no longer dictate your day, how do you write your next chapter? Today I talk with Lisa Drew. For more than three decades, Lisa’s voice was the one that greeted Waterloo Region every morning, shaping the way thousands of people started their day. She was there when the bigges...
Feb 12, 2025•45 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. Money isn’t just about dollars and cents—it’s the story we tell ourselves about what’s possible. In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Wendy Brookhouse, founder of Black Star Wealth and host of The Real Bottom Line podcast, to uncover the emotional and subconscious influences mon...
Jan 29, 2025•41 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. Dinah Davis is no stranger to firsts. She’s built her career—and her life—on a series of them. As a mathematician and cryptographer, she stood out as one of the few women in a field dominated by men. She was the first to code Bluetooth technology. She holds a variety of patents, which means sh...
Jan 15, 2025•46 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. Leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about making a lasting impact. What happens when we blur the boundaries between art and science? What might that look like? Perhaps you could give students in Nigeria the opportunity to put their innovations on display through science fairs, or maybe it’s finding groundbreaking ways to screen for cancer and HPV—without need...
Jan 08, 2025•43 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Join us for leadership stories from female founders, trailblazers in women leadership and entrepreneurs sharing their success stories. What does it mean to lead? This season on Voices of Leadership, we’re stepping into the stories of women who are redefining success and thriving on the edge of change. Join us for candid conversations with trailblazers in women's leadership that will ignite your curiosity, provide inspiration for what comes next and remind us all that leadership isn’t just about ...
Jan 03, 2025•1 min
In this inspiring episode, we embark on a beautiful spiritual journey with the extraordinary Patricia Gagic. Patricia is a renowned contemporary artist celebrated for her beautiful work and contributions to the art world. But her story extends far beyond the canvas. She's a passionate drummer, humanitarian, author, and Certified Meditation Specialist who has dedicated her life to inspiring others and making a difference. What to Expect: Patricia shares the pivotal moments that shaped her journey...
Dec 11, 2024•44 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Today, we are joined by Sadiqa Reynolds, a remarkable civil rights leader, attorney, and former judge who has dedicated her career to championing mental health and advocating for access for all. As a pioneer in various leadership roles, she has consistently broken barriers, becoming the first woman to hold significant positions throughout her career. Our conversation explores her experiences of being first and how those moments have influenced her approach to leadership and advocacy. Her tenure ...
Oct 30, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 27
On today's episode, you'll hear a story of resilience, transformation, and groundbreaking change in women's health. Our guest, Ellyn Winters-Robinson, is a breast cancer survivor, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and an advocate for women's health. Before the book and advocacy, she was a woman diagnosed with breast cancer. Who felt alone and angry. Ellyn took her anger and turned it into advocacy. Then, she took her advocacy and turned it into action. Ellyn's book, Flat Please, Hold The Shame ...
Oct 16, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 26
On today’s episode, we talk with Cynthia Mickens Ross, a spiritual leader, author, executive coach, and keynote speaker whose mission is to help people unlock their potential and live with purpose. From facing the loss of loved ones to navigating major life transitions, Cynthia takes us through the highs and lows of her personal journey with a blend of humour and wisdom, revealing how she discovered her purpose. We talk about the inspiration behind her book and program, Pathway to Purpose, and e...
Oct 02, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Can your skin heal itself naturally? Join us as we talk with Dr. Erin Yuet Tjam, an entrepreneur, scientist, and co-author of Skin Sobering , who is on a mission to disseminate the truth about skin health and beauty. In this episode, Erin deconstructs the myths perpetuated by the beauty industry, explaining how reliance on chemical-laden skincare products may be contributing to a hidden skin epidemic. She introduces us to the concept of skin sobering, a revolutionary method that empowers people ...
Sep 18, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 24
On today's episode, we welcome Karen Coviello, a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience across multiple sectors. Karen is currently the Vice President of Affiliate Success at Habitat for Humanity Canada and also serves as the President & Chair of the Board at the YW Kitchener-Waterloo, advocating for women's issues and championing equity. We discuss the pivotal role of partnerships with families at Habitat for Humanity, addressing common misconceptions about their unique homeownership mo...
Sep 04, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 23
On today’s episode, we welcome Trish Barbato, the President and CEO of the Arthritis Society and the Co-Founder and Director of the Menopause Foundation of Canada. Trish is passionate about giving a voice to these often overlooked and underfunded causes and the people they impact. Trish shares her deeply personal journey, detailing the severe symptoms and inadequate medical responses that ignited her passion for menopause advocacy, especially in the workplace. Discover how billions of dollars ar...
Aug 20, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Ever wondered how navigating gender bias at sea could transform your leadership journey? On today's episode, we are joined by Toni Chaltas, CEO of Achēv. Tonie shares many inspiring stories and valuable insights, including her adventures aboard the Blue Nose II tall ship, where she confronted gender bias and learned the vital lesson of choosing her battles wisely. Setting the stage for her impactful work in fostering equity and inclusion. Throughout our conversation, Toni delves into the nuances...
Aug 07, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 21
On today's episode, we talk with Julie Ellis. Julie is an entrepreneur, speaker, coach, author and podcast host. Julie shares her remarkable journey, from her experience as a co-founder of Mabel's Labels to her authorship of Big Gorgeous Goals and to her new adventure as the host of the Figure 8 podcast. Join us as we explore how Julie's background in dance has uniquely shaped her entrepreneurial philosophy and what it means to get 'the seat cushion off your butt.' Additionally, Julie shares pra...
Jul 24, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 20
On today’s episode, we talk with Vivian Manasc, an architect and pioneer in the green building movement. She is the Founding Principal at Reimagine, an architectural firm dedicated to collaboration, joy, creativity, and sustainability. We explore Vivian's passion for sustainable design, her philosophy of optimism, and her unwavering dedication to fostering environments where community and creativity flourish. We also talk about how our Grandmothers were right. Connect with Vivian: LinkedIn Websi...
Jul 10, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 19
In today's episode, we talk with Camelia Nunez, a self-proclaimed "profpreneur" who blends her entrepreneurial spirit with a deep passion for education. We talk about why she believes building a culture of curiosity and continuous learning around education is important and how it will affect how we live, learn and work. Camelia shares her experiences growing up in Romania, witnessing life before and after the revolution, and moving to Canada as a teenager to complete her education. Starting her ...
Jun 26, 2024•44 min•Season 1Ep. 18
On today's episode, we talk with Mardi Witzel, CEO and co-founder of PolyML, an advanced AI and machine learning company. Mardi is also a leader in AI governance, serving on the Digital Governance Council’s AI Ethics Advisory Panel and contributing her expertise to the Province of Ontario’s AI Expert Working Group. Mardi explains PolyML's innovative intersection of data analytics and AI to improve manufacturing. Learn how this horizontal technology is revolutionizing the auto parts sector, enhan...
Jun 12, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 17
On today's episode, we talk with Jane Halford, founder of Halford Consulting. Jane is passionate about the power of storytelling and how it shapes leadership. She candidly shares her personal experience of overcoming workplace bullying as a CEO, and how she transformed her challenges into a powerful message. Jane also delves into her extensive expertise in leadership and transition, emphasizing the crucial role of preparedness in navigating change and driving success for businesses of all sizes....
May 29, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Melissa Durrell, the CEO and Chief Strategist of Durrell Communications, and a partner with Roseview Global Incubator. Melissa's diverse background includes successful careers in politics, award-winning Canadian broadcast journalism, and her current work with international entrepreneurs looking to establish and grow their companies in Canada. Join us as Melissa shares invaluable insights on the value of listening and the power of storytellin...
May 15, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 15
In today's episode, we talk with Rose Greensides, the Executive Director at Social Venture Partners (SVP). SVP is a unique partnership that brings together the time, talent, and funding from the community to support the nonprofit sector. Rose shares some inspiring stories about how SVP has helped several local organizations in the Waterloo Region. You'll be amazed at what SVP has been able to achieve through its community-driven approach. In addition to discussing SVP's work, we also delve into ...
May 01, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 14
