TEDxCalgary

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Chad Lefevre

  Founder, CEO & Chief Visionary Officer, The Most Important Conversations

  Chad Lefevre is a visionary thought leader behind The Most Important Conversations (TMIC), as well as an international Design-Thinker, business philosopher and senior-level strategist, writer, and speaker with two decades of senior business experience, successfully designing business strategy, and leading cultural transformation and leadership development initiatives. Chad’s work centers around human potential, and is focused on designing transformative business strategies and solutions affecting the areas of business operations, leadership development, cultural transformation and team building, branding, PR and marketing communications. He founded NeuroBe Inc., a neuroscience-based design-thinking consulting firm, and Ncite Media Inc., a neuroscience based leadership development video game production company. He has served such companies/brands as: Coca-Cola, TELUS, Sony Music Latin, Music World, SimWin (sports metaverse), Kraken Studios, Lion Gaming Group, and many others.

• Dr. Chelsea Matisz

  Gut-Brain Scientist and Science Communicator

  Chelsea Matisz is an award-winning gut-brain scientist and science communicator. She earned her PhD from the University of Calgary, studying how parasites can change immune responses in inflammatory bowel disease. She then completed several fellowships where she explored how inflammation of the gut affects brain and behaviour. Some of her projects included looking at how cannabinoids and psilocybin might be able to reduce pain and anxiety/depression caused by inflammation. She is passionate about helping people understand how gut health affects brain health and mental health. Her diverse research background includes evolutionary biology, parasitology, gastrointestinal sciences, inflammatory bowel diseases, immunology, and behavioural neuroscience. Chelsea believes research is a public good, and should be accessible so that people, institutions, and governments can make evidence-based decisions.

• Dr. Kerry Black

  Kerry Black is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Her research focus is to engage in a cross-disciplinary approach incorporating technical civil and environmental engineering principles and research with policy and socio-economic components. This focuses on sustainable infrastructure for healthy and resilient communities. Over the past 15 years, she has worked extensively in the academic, public, private and non-profit sectors, employed in technical, scientific, policy, and management roles. Her experience has included working with and for Indigenous communities on urgent and pressing infrastructure issues across Canada and her cross-disciplinary research has been featured in both engineering and social science journals. Dr. Black is a strong advocate for increasing diversity in science and engineering, sustainability initiatives and programs, and community development, including her work with Indigenous communities. As a non-Indigenous settler, her research work is guided by Indigenous partners and Nations, and in full and meaningful partnership and collaboration.

• Dr. Laleh Behjat, PhD., PEng

  Dr. Laleh Behjat is a professor in Electrical and Software Engineering at the University of Calgary and the NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering – Prairies. She develops mathematical techniques and software tools that automate the design of next-generation digital circuits, helping push the boundaries of what technology can achieve. Beyond the lab, Dr. Behjat leads WISE Planet, a national change-leadership program dedicated to building a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive society. She is deeply engaged in shaping sustainable systems, from reimagining how we power and build our cities to creating engineering education models that address climate, energy, and equity challenges. A recipient of multiple national and international awards for research, mentorship, and outreach, she believes that in a world of specialists, we urgently need generalists and dreamers — people who connect ideas across disciplines and imagine futures that do not yet exist. Her work brings together technology, creativity, and community to turn those dreams into reality.

• Dr. Lina Kattan

  Dr. Lina Kattan is passionate about reimagining how we move through cities, not primarily for speed, but for greater social awareness. As a Professor of Transportation Engineering at the University of Calgary, she studies how automation, connectivity, electrification, and shared mobility can reshape urban life in ways that promote efficiency, equity, and resilience. She holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair and the Urban Alliance Chair with the City of Calgary, and directs a pan-Canadian training program that prepares the next generation to design sustainable, human-centred cities. Lina’s research focuses more on people than on technology. She works across scales — from micro-level driving rules to macro-level networks, focusing on autonomous vehicles, public transit, traffic flow, electrification, and demand modelling. At the heart of her work is a simple, guiding question: Who gains, and who is left behind? Her contributions have been recognized with honours such as the ASTech Award, the APEGA Research Excellence Award, and the Killam Annual Professorship Award. She is also a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

• Gayathri Shukla

  Gayathri Shukla is the founder of Campfire Kinship, a social enterprise that helps organizations build inclusive, trust-based cultures, by starting with one of the most powerful tools we all have: story. With a background in electrical engineering, an MBA, and now pursuing her PhD in Transdisciplinary Research at the University of Calgary, Gayathri brings a unique mix of rigor, empathy, and lived experience to her work. After 17 years leading teams in the energy and mining sector, she saw firsthand how innovation stalls when people don’t feel seen or heard. That realization led her to launch Campfire Kinship—where she now works with leaders across industries to move from check-the-box inclusion to real, human connection. She’s the bestselling author of Landed: Transformative Stories of Canadian Immigrant Women, host of the Hearth 2 Heart podcast, and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her community work.

• George Damian

  George Damian is a seasoned strategist and community builder working at the intersection of creative and technical fields to deliver sustainable impact. As Founder of the strategy and design studio press PLAY, he helps founders, teams, and organizations launch bold ideas with confidence. His work bridges the technical and the human - turning complex ideas into compelling strategies that move people to act. As Director of the National Bank Investor Hub at Platform Calgary, George connects driven founders with the investors who champion them. He also crafts opportunities for successful entrepreneurs from legacy industries to explore opportunities in technology. Through this work, he’s helping shape a more dynamic, inclusive, and resilient innovation ecosystem across Alberta. As an early-stage investor, he champions under-represented founders by providing the guidance and connections necessary to transform promising ideas into scalable businesses. A recognized philanthropist and systems thinker, George brings the same catalytic approach he deploys in his professional practice to the non-profit world. As Managing Trustee of The Damian Foundation, he deploys risk capital to help social innovators test cutting-edge pilot initiatives capable of driving sector-wide change, with a focus on men’s mental health. His long-standing service with The University of Calgary and The Calgary Foundation reflects his deep commitment to building communities that learn, adapt, and thrive.

• Kate Thompson

  President & CEO of Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC)

  Kate Thompson is an architect by training, holding a Master’s degree in Architecture and is a registered member of the Alberta Association of Architects (AAA). Kate is also a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (FRAIC)—a reflection of her lifelong passion for thoughtful design and urban development. Kate is the President & CEO of Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), where she is helping shape the future of the city in bold and meaningful ways. Before joining CMLC, she worked with private architecture and development firms in both Calgary and Europe. Kate's contributions extend beyond her day job. She currently serves on the board of Calgary Economic Development and chairs the RESAC Downtown Vibrancy Committee. She’s also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL), where she’s been sharing her experience and insight with the next generation of city builders since 2014.

• Leela Aheer

  The Honourable Leela Aheer's commitment to public service is unwavering, inspiring all who work with her. Hon. Leela Sharon Aheer was first elected as a Member of Alberta's Legislative Assembly for the Chestermere-Rocky View constituency on May 5, 2015. She was re-elected on April 16, 2019, as the MLA for the newly formed riding of Chestermere-Strathmore. In her early career, she was a professional singer, vocal coach, and music teacher, instructing singing in seven languages. Her passion for music led her to own and operate a successful music studio for twenty-four years in Chestermere and Calgary, where she was heavily involved in arts, volunteerism, and community service. As the Alberta Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women (2019 - 2021), Hon. Aheer made significant strides in promoting multiculturalism and women's status. Her proclamation of Women's Entrepreneurship Day in February 2019 was a historic moment for Canada. She was the first Minister of Multiculturalism in the last twenty-five years and the first Deputy Leader of the United Conservative Party. A key priority of the new government was to provide more protections for women through initiatives like Clare's Law. Leela has worked tirelessly to affirm her position as an ally within the Alberta Legislature for those seeking shelter from gender-based violence, racism, and female genital mutilation. In May of 2022, her work on this matter came to fruition when The Health Professions (Protecting Women and Girls) Amendment Act, 2022, a Bill she championed in the Legislature, earned Royal Assent. This significant achievement is a testament to her commitment to social justice. MLA Aheer is renowned in her community and among her peers for her strategic insights and ability to build meaningful partnerships. In 2024, Leela was appointed Senior Director of Strategy and Partnerships with BioAro Inc., a precision health and longevity medicine leader. She was also appointed the BioSport Chief Growth Officer. Her visionary approach and commitment to the public are invaluable in navigating the complexities of global health markets.