2026 Conference Speakers

Tools for the Trades

Thursday, September 17
2:00 p.m.
This session introduces a fresh, practical approach to leadership through the lens of “challenging the process,” inspired by The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner. Participants receive a symbolic leadership toolbelt filled with familiar tools of the trades, each paired with equity, diversity, and inclusion concepts. In small groups, they’ll use these tools to navigate real-world scenarios, sparking dialogue, reflection, and confidence to act when something feels off. Participants leave with tangible leadership resources, new perspectives, and a reminder that sometimes effective leadership means pausing to “measure twice—even if you still cut three or four times.”

Jamie Thiessen (they/them) and Jacquie Dymianiw (she/her) work at the intersection of skilled trades and inclusive systems change. Through the Women Leading and Building Canada’s Future initiative, they collaborate with employers, instructors, and tradespeople to strengthen recruitment, retention, and long-term success in the trades. Drawing on lived experiences, they bring a practical, solutions-focused approach to building psychologically safe environments where everyone can thrive.