Our presenters

Adesuwa Ero is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Ohloree Inc., a Canadian-based management consulting company specializing in leadership and management training and coaching, organizational health assessments, and business writing services. With over 13+ years of cross-sector experience spanning organizational leadership, learning and development, higher education leadership, non-profit programs management, and grants administration, Adesuwa brings a rare blend of strategic insight, operational experience, and people-first leadership development expertise.

At Ohloree Inc., Adesuwa leads the design and delivery of practical, results-driven training programs that address a critical challenge many organizations face: promoting high-performing employees into leadership roles and equipping them to manage people effectively.

Adesuwa's approach is rooted in the belief that leadership is not innate, it's learned. Like a muscle, it requires intentional development, practice, and support. Her work centers on humanizing leadership while driving measurable results, empowering new and emerging leaders to lead with clarity, compassion, and confidence. Whether you're a growing startup or a mid-sized organization navigating leadership transitions, Adesuwa partners with you to build systems, strengthen teams, and develop leaders who can deliver outcomes without compromising on culture.

Andrew Kussy, CFRE is an experienced fundraising and communications professional based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Andrew has been working with organizations across Canada in the non-profit sector both as a fundraiser and consultant since 2013.

Andrew is currently working as the Executive Director of The Dream Factory, a Manitoba-based children's charity that created unforgettable experiences for children battling life-threatening illnesses and supports families throughout their medical journey. The Dream Factory has been making dreams come true for over 40 years, and in that time has made over 900 dreams come true here in our community.

As a volunteer, Andrew has served on the board of Junior Achievement Manitoba, the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Manitoba Chapter, and the University of Winnipeg's Faculty of Business and Economics Alumni Association. In addition, he regularly provides non-profit and fundraising-based training to community groups and local charities in partnership with both Volunteer Manitoba and AFP Manitoba.

Buffy Davey is a marketing strategy consultant who specializes in helping "little guys" clarify their message and market like the pros. She works with entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits throughout Winnipeg to transform marketing from an "off the side of someone's desk" job into a grounded and effective part of their overall strategy. With over fifteen years of experience spanning retail, agency, and non-profit sectors, Buffy focuses on teaching practical marketing skills that stick. She believes in the beauty of brevity, the power of sticky notes, and that every organization—no matter the size—deserves to connect with people who love what they do. When she's not helping clients unleash their inner marketer, you can find Buffy playing music, sipping a cider, or (on the best days) both.

Candace Synchyshyn is the founder of Launch HR Co., a consulting practice dedicated to empowering organizations to make informed people decisions through thoughtful, data-driven strategies. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the numbers, Candace skillfully leverages HR analytics to spot opportunities, enhance HR programs, and promote tangible improvements in employee engagement, productivity, and overall organizational effectiveness.

At Launch HR Co., we partner with businesses to transform complex data into clear, actionable insights, nurturing a culture of continuous improvement and sustainable growth.

Carissa Caruk-Ganczar is a Certified Leadership Coach who brings over 20 years of experience in community economic development, entrepreneurship support, and leadership development to the work that she does with non-profit organizations across Canada.

Through her business Flourish Leadership Development, Carissa offers coaching, training, and consulting services in the areas of leadership development, community engagement, and capacity building for non-profit organizations.

Carissa's presentation style is interactive, aimed at leaving participants with insights and tools that can be applied immediately to their work. She is passionate about supporting individuals and organizations in improving workplace communications and discovering better ways to work together.

Cate Friesen is the driving force of The Story Source. She's a story practitioner, facilitator, trainer and keynote presenter who brings together 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, award-winning CBC producer, documentary maker and performer. Cate, along with David McLeod, led the Power of Story training for The Winnipeg Foundation's highly successful professional development program, Fast Pitch 2018. Before she launched The Story Source, Cate worked at CBC and led the team that created CBC's multiple award-winning interactive Missing and Murdered: The Unsolved Cases of Indigenous Women and Girls. She also co-designed and implemented training in storytelling for radio, co-created a unique mentorship program based on collaborative learning, and was instrumental in the launch of CBC's game-changing Indigenous Digital Unit.

Chelsea Walker is a community fundraising professional with over 10 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Based in Winnipeg, she specializes in building strong relationships and empowering supporters to lead meaningful, community-driven fundraising initiatives.

As the Community Giving Manager at The Dream Factory, Chelsea leads the organization's third-party events program with a focus on collaboration, support, and long-term partnership development.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Winnipeg and is a graduate of the AFP Leadership Institute, an international program for emerging leaders in fundraising. Chelsea is passionate about helping non-profits build sustainable, community-based fundraising strategies that inspire lasting impact.

Denise Bukowski is a leader in the field of volunteer engagement with over 35 years of experience that spans health care, tourism, recreation, education, childcare, fitness and sport administration, She is a lifelong learner with a voracious appetite to learn and try new things. Never satisfied with maintaining the status quo, you will always find her curious and committed to continuous quality improvement.

Denise holds a Bachelor of Recreation Studies from the University of Manitoba; a diploma in Health Care Services Management and certificate in Human Resource Management from Red River College. In 2020 received her international certification designation in Volunteer Administration (CVA). She is currently consulting in the Volunteer Management Field and an instructor for Volunteer Manitoba. Denise's past experience includes 11 years at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights responsible for the volunteer engagement program, and two decades working in a Volunteer and Recreation Management capacity in acute and long-term health care facilities.

Denise is currently on the advisory council for the University of Manitoba Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management and has held various board and conference committee positions on the Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada (VMPC), Manitoba Association for Volunteer Administrators ( MAVA) and other volunteer boards. She is also a past recipient of the Manitoba Association for Volunteer Administrators (MAVA) Leadership award and was recently received a national award as an Exemplary Leader in Volunteer Management by her peers.