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Women Leading the Way FREE Virtual Event
June 17, 2021 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Join United Way of Saskatoon and Area for the 2021 Women Leading the Way FREE virtual event.
Our world is changing, and as a result, we have learned more about who we are as women, mothers, employees, mentors, entrepreneurs, friends, spouses, and philanthropists. As we navigate a new way forward, we will bring these lessons with us into the future and use them to learn from one another.
During our 2021 Women Leading the Way event we will again explore these “Lessons Learned” with the theme of, It Takes a Village to Persevere.
Keynote Speaker
The Honourable Dr. Lillian Dyck will share her personal story of leadership and perseverance throughout her career and time in the Senate.
Dr. Lillian Eva Quan Dyck is a member of the Gordon First Nation in Saskatchewan, and a first-generation Chinese Canadian. She is well-known for her extensive work while in the Senate on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. She is also known for pushing for equity in the education and employment of women and Indigenous Peoples.
Speaker Moderator Dr. Debra Pozega Osburn
Moderated by Dr. Debra Pozega Osburn, PhD, Vice-President of University Relations at the University of Saskatchewan, where she provides vision, leadership and direction for a team dedicated to ensuring strong, positive connections between the university, its stakeholders, and its many communities. She worked as a journalist early in her career before moving into the post-secondary sector and is motivated each day by seeing the way an education can change the lives of people, families, and communities. She held leadership positions at the University of Alberta and at Michigan State University – her alma mater – before joining the USask executive team.
Dr. Osburn is a committed community volunteer, having served on numerous volunteer boards and working groups. Most recently she was named chair of the national United Way Centraide Canada Board of Directors and will serve in the coming year as vice-chair of the board at the Remai Modern in Saskatoon.
As one of three children of two busy public school teachers, and the mother of three daughters herself, she has a keen appreciation of today’s topic; she has seen the impact when we are willing to learn from others, to be present for others, and to help others reach their goals.
Faith Bodnar and Louise Oelke will share their collective stories of leadership and perseverance from a community impact perspective on the #UNIGNORABLE issues of mental health and support for seniors.
Speaker Panelists Faith Bodnar and Louise Oelke
Faith Bodnar is the Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association Saskatoon Branch. She has worked in the non-profit sector for 30+ years and believes in full inclusion, equality, social and economic justice for all. She values Saskatoon’s close-knit culture and our shared commitment to building a city and province that includes everyone.
Louise Oelke, who is retired after a long career in the non-profit sector, is the current Chairperson of the Saskatoon Indian & Métis Friendship Centre’s Board of Directors. Louise, who was born in the northern Saskatchewan community of Ile-a-la-Crosse, has been volunteering for various organizations for 50 years, ever since she moved to Saskatoon.
Performance
Janelle “ecoaborijanelle” Pewapsconias will perform a spoken word piece to inspire us all.
Janelle “ecoaborijanelle” Pewapsconias is a nehīyaw spoken word poet, social entrepreneur and community-engaged researcher based in Little Pine First Nation, Treaty 6 Territory.
United Way would like to give a special thank you to the 2021 Women Leading the Way Steering Committee for your inspiration and planning of this year’s event.
Angela Giroux
Beth Bilson
CeCe Baptiste
Cornelia Laliberte
Darla Deguire
Joanne Paulson
Sarah Le
Tanya Hudson