TEDxOshawa

Speakers

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

• Anne Hussain

  Anne Hussain is a naturopathic doctor, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and the author of The Period Literacy Handbook. Her passion for empowering and educating menstruators stems from her personal journey with PCOS and a lack of reproductive health education while growing up in Karachi, Pakistan. In her work and on her podcast, Phase to Phase: The Hormone Health Show, Anne advocates for body literacy and addresses the widespread health misinformation that plagues the online world. A sought-after speaker for public, corporate, non-profit, and clinical audiences, her expertise in hormonal health has been featured on CTV News and Global News. Anne believes that understanding the multifaceted nature of your health is a powerful tool for demanding better care and shaping a healthier world.

• Brendan MacDonald

  Brendan MacDonald is the Chief Executive Officer of Ekstera and an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Ontario Tech University. He is driven by a passion for creating a more sustainable future. He believes that the vast amount of heat wasted every day holds enormous potential to transform global energy use. By redefining waste as opportunity, Brendan explores ways to turn lost energy into clean electricity and inspire people to see possibility where others see discard, sparking a global shift toward smarter, more sustainable energy use.

• David Lahey

  David Lahey is President & CEO of Predictive Success Corporation and a leading authority on talent optimization and predictive leadership. Featured in The Globe and Mail, The Financial Post, CBC Radio, and TSN, he has advised two NHL teams and delivered pro bono leadership training to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. A former Global Leader of Financial Services at Microsoft, David has trained 3,000+ leaders in The Predictive Index®, guest lectures at Queen’s University, and is the best-selling author of Predictive Success and From Hire to Inspire. He holds an MBA from Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business.

• Jawaid Danish

  Jawiad Danish is the Artistic Director RangManch Canada, a not for profit theatre group. He is a playwright, poet, and dastango (storyteller) and theatre activist is the author of 20 books Revived the lost art of 15th century Urdu storytelling in the west, "DASTAN HURATON KI, the only Dastango in North America and Europe. He is the recipient of The Civic Arts Award Canada, Ghalib Award - Delhi, Siramony Sahitya Award Lucknow to name a few. His monologue “Yes, my son Razi is autistic," for the awareness of Autism, has been translated to 19 languages.

• Jessica Fung

  Jessica Fung is the founder and lead copywriter of Sushi and Doodle Co., a creative agency built on the belief that words have the power to transform and inspire. Her entrepreneurial journey is fueled by curiosity, creativity, and a deep passion for storytelling. Through compelling narratives, she helps individuals and brands reshape their identities and influence how they are perceived. In addition, Jessica is a cannabis lifestyle influencer and advocate. She utilizes her platform to challenge outdated stereotypes, celebrate cultural diversity, and encourage open and informed conversations about cannabis. Her advocacy centers on redefining public perceptions of healthcare, with a focus on inclusivity and cultural relevance. Jessica is committed to empowering others and inspiring meaningful dialogue, from crafting stories to championing social change. Her work bridges creativity and advocacy, inviting audiences to rethink how language, culture and wellness intersect.

• Jonathan Carrigan

  Jonathan Carrigan is an educator, strategist, and speaker who helps people navigate technology transformation with clarity and confidence. His current focus is human-centered AI, guiding people and organizations to turn anxiety into agency. As Program Coordinator for Marketing at Durham College in Ontario, Canada, Jonathan designs new learning models where AI works alongside human mentorship, shaped by creativity, ethics, and intention. He also advises organizations and educators across Canada on building AI literacy with confidence and care. With over 20 years in leadership roles at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Jonathan has led digital strategy, product innovation, and organizational change. A frequent speaker and trainer, his work ensures technology amplifies what makes us human.

• Joyce Perrin

  Joyce E. Perrin is an author, speaker, and traveler who has journeyed to 187 countries across seven continents. What she values most are people: a smile is a smile in any language, and with a twinkle in the eye, it can turn strangers into lifelong friends. Her memoir, Ants in My Pants – One Woman’s Unexpected Adventures Across Seven Continents, is filled with stories of courage and connection. She shares climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at 64, tracking gorillas in Uganda, and being circled by a tiger shark while scuba diving. Joyce has also touched lives as a hospital CEO, health care consultant with the World Health Organization, and co-founder of the Panama Hospice and Respite Foundation.

• Kinza Mahoon

  Kinza is an engineering manager at Uptime Crew, where she designs and leads training programs that prepare consultants for high-stakes deployments. With a background spanning hardware, software, and data teams, she has trained over two hundred early-career technologists and managed up to eighty engineers at a time, building systems that turn potential into performance. Beyond work, Kinza serves her community as a volunteer with the Board of the Charles Best Centre, advancing equitable diabetes education, and as a stage manager in community theatre. A longtime contributor to the TEDx ecosystem, she previously helped organize and curate TEDx Oshawa and has stepped back from volunteer roles this year to focus on sharing her own ideas on stage. She lives in the Toronto area with Sitka, her cat, and believes leadership is the quiet practice of making others braver.Kinza Mahoon has a Master's Degree in Linguistics from the University of Toronto.

• Liana & Sona Sargisjanyan

  Liana & Sona Sargisjanyan's are visionary creators who use fashion as a bridge between the past and the present. By reimagining ancient symbols through modern design and movement, they create space for every culture to see itself reflected and connected. Their work is rooted in a deeper intention—to inspire unity, belonging, and peace through shared meaning. Today, they invite you into an experience where art becomes a language that brings people together.

• Liz (Elizabeth) Jakoi

  Liz Jakoi is a Mindset Transformation Coach and speaker who guides leaders and teams to unlock the hidden potential of neurodiverse minds. Drawing from her own late ADHD diagnosis and journey through anxiety, trauma, and resilience, Liz brings a powerful blend of lived experience and professional expertise to her work. She guides executives and organizations to shift from managing differences to understanding it—creating cultures where innovation and well-being thrive. Liz brings her over 20 year corporate background in HR, training, and development into her own Coaching Business and has been nominated for 2 business awards. She has trained and guided over 1000's of people with her mission and passion to redefine leadership for a future where every brain belongs and every voice has the power to lead.

• Maleeha Shahid

  Maleeha Shahid is a leadership coach, realtor, and author. In 2018, she became the first woman of an ethnic background elected to Whitby Town Council. Re-elected as Regional Councilor in 2022 and appointed Deputy Mayor in 2023, Maleeha continues to champion inclusive growth, advocating for hospitals, sports facilities, youth leadership, and space for diverse voices in decision-making. A Harvard-certified executive coach and graduate of Western University’s Local Government Program, she blends academic expertise with lived experience. Her advocacy extends beyond council, leading initiatives on mental health, domestic violence, human trafficking, and senior safety. She currently serves on several committees, including the Durham Anti-Racism Taskforce, the Durham Regional Community Growth and Economic Development Committee, and the Durham Transit Commission. A mother of three, Maleeha’s leadership is rooted in authenticity, compassion, and resilience.

• Manny Fraser

  Manny Fraser is a fitness industry executive, speaker, and author with over 15 years of experience in personal training, team leadership, and business development. He is the founder of Gym Sales Coach and an executive at Canada’s largest gym chain, where he develops high-performing teams and mentors the next generation of trainers. Manny is the author of The Trainer’s Playbook and has dedicated his career to helping fitness professionals and entrepreneurs grow their businesses while building resilience, adaptability, and leadership skills. His TEDx talk will focus on The Excellence Equation, a framework designed to help individuals transform setbacks into systems for personal and professional success.

• Michael Schoenfeld

  Michael Schoenfeld is an elementary school teacher (K-6) with an extensive background in early childhood education. He is an outdoor educator, private tutor, and children’s ski and snowboard instructor. He has volunteered and built homes on the Navajo reservation in Arizona, in Oaxaca, Mexico and Kenya. Michael is a lifelong student of landscape architecture, botany, and wildlife biology. With a love for wildlife and birds, Michael has traveled to over 30 countries around the world. He has visited national parks in ten African countries with a focus on elephants and migration corridors. Michael climbed the highest mountain in Mexico (Pico Orizaba 5636 m), Africa (Mt. Kilimanjaro 5995 m) and Bolivia (Nevado Sajama 6542 m) and kayaked 228 miles through Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park. Michael lives with his wife, and their rescue dog Blue, in southwest Colorado near Telluride. He writes the bird watching and bird conservation column for the local newspaper.

• Solly Solaiman

  Solly Solaiman, M.Eng., PMP is a Senior Training Technologist in the nuclear power industry with 27 years of experience in engineering, project management, and training. From designing a patented helicopter propeller to supporting nuclear operations, and leading high-impact training for thousands in Canada’s energy sector, Solly knows how to make complex systems click. He’s an award-winning educator in his company, and a master at turning technical content into compelling stories. He is a subject matter expert in performance consulting, where he helps his organization answer, “Why are people not doing it [right]?” In his upcoming TEDx Oshawa Talk, “Selling Nuclear,” Solly explores how empathy, clarity, and creativity can shift public perception and build trust in one of the world’s most misunderstood energy sources.

• STORRY M

  STORRY is a fearless voice proving that true influence comes from vulnerability, courage, and radical honesty. An internationally acclaimed, JUNO-nominated singer, songwriter, sex-trafficking survivor, and speaker, she transforms personal experience into lessons on power, resilience, and cultural change. A finalist on The Voice UK, she has collaborated with Stormzy and shared stages with icons like Tom Jones and Sting. Her signature talks - including The 5 Laws of Real Power - fuse storytelling, music, and artistry to help audiences rewrite narratives, strengthen focus, and step into their true power. By linking personal well-being to resilience and productivity, she shows leaders and communities how investing in humanity creates healthier cultures and stronger results. Beyond the stage, she is developing a book, a groundbreaking VR experience, and a short film - all dedicated to turning pain into purpose and inspiring lasting cultural change.