Our presenters

Jane Helbrecht works with organizations, leaders, and HR professionals to develop stellar leaders, build strong engaged workplace cultures. She believes that leaders are the key to building stronger organizations, building high performance teams, and elevating workplace cultures.

Jane Helbrecht is a leadership development and people & culture expert with over 15 years of experience in training and HR roles. At Uplift, she focuses on building people and leadership development programs that shift team dynamics so that teams can focus, get stuff done and have fun while they do it.

Jane is a fantastic facilitator and dynamic communicator who delivers training and people and culture programs in an approach that focuses not only on knowledge and skills but also on shifting attitudes and building habits for long term meaningful change. Jane has her CPHR (Certified Professional Human Resources) and is a Certified Leadership Coach.

Josefina Bilotta, a senior consultant with over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector. Originally from Argentina and currently based in Winnipeg, Canada, I have had the privilege of working with a wide range of organizations, including international and national ones, both large and small. This includes Greenpeace Canada, the Swiss Red Cross, ICRC, UNICEF, BC Children's Hospital Foundation, and many others, helping them enhance their digital strategies and fundraising capabilities through CX journey mapping. I am deeply committed to helping non-profits maximize their impact.

My expertise lies in aligning organizational strategies with tailored digital strategies that address their unique needs and capacities. With a human-centered approach, I focus on helping organizations gain a deeper understanding of their supporters and stakeholders, enabling them to build more meaningful and effective relationships.

As a continuous learner, I stay at the forefront of industry trends and digital tools to ensure I provide the best possible guidance and solutions. I hold advanced certifications in marketing, communications, non-profit management, and fundraising.

My goal is to deliver actionable strategies that drive digital transformation and enable non-profits to achieve their missions with greater success.

Juanita DeSouza-Huletey, MA, PMP, ALEP, BRM, PROSCI, ITIL

Juanita DeSouza-Huletey is a seasoned leader with 25+ years of experience in IT, project management, and governance. She is the Founder and CEO of Dynamic Solutions International Inc. and formerly served as Divisional Head of IT at the Winnipeg Police Service, leading major cost-saving transformations.

Juanita is a board member and advisor for organizations including the University of Manitoba, Red River College Polytechnic, and WiCyS Western Canada. She also teaches at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College, delivering leadership and EDIB-focused workshops across sectors.

With degrees from the University of Ghana and the University of Manitoba, plus multiple professional certifications, Juanita is a respected educator, mentor, and speaker. Passionate about equity and inclusion, she empowers immigrant professionals and women in STEM while remaining active in community initiatives like Folklorama and Africa Fest.

Kahla Evans is a Public Speaking + Confidence Coach, TEDx Speaker Coach, Event Emcee, Podcast Host, and Founder of Hey Kahla Media. She's also the high-energy in-game host for the Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose, so yes, she’s comfortable on any stage.

With two decades of professional speaking experience, Kahla’s career spans broadcasting (CTV, CBC, Global), sports (Roughriders, Bombers, Jets), and education (University of Winnipeg). She's hosted stadiums, coached TEDx speakers, led sold-out workshops, and built a coaching brand that helps people show up boldly without losing themselves in the process.

Kahla’s signature approach blends mindset, skill-building, and a whole lot of fun. She helps people ditch perfection, speak with confidence, and feel like their favourite version of themselves on stage, in meetings, or anywhere they have something to say.

Kamillah El-Giadaa holds a degree in Recreation Management and Community Development from the University of Manitoba. As the Training and Development Manager at Volunteer Manitoba, she supports the sector by coordinating professional development opportunities for the non-profit sector. Kamillah has dedicated her career to working with volunteers at various organizations and, most recently, helped Actionmarguerite, a long-term care home, build their volunteer program. She is passionate about empowering volunteers through knowledge!

Kevin Freedman is a long-time leader in the non-profit sector and has written the book on non-profit governance in Canada. He is the founder and principal consultant at The Governance Guru where he helps boards do their jobs better through training, facilitation, and support.

Before starting his business, he spent several years teaching in the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Winnipeg, and specialized in teaching courses on non-profit management, corporate governance, and organization behaviour. A former executive director, he has more than 60 years of cumulative governance experience with public, non-profit, and private organizations locally and nationally, including sitting the boards of the largest credit union in Manitoba and the largest school division in Manitoba.

Kevin is also an award-winning volunteer and educator, having been recognized with a Governor General's Medal for service and the YMCA Peace Medal among others. Kevin holds a master's degree in non-profit management, is an Accredited Canadian Credit Union Director, and is an active member of the Canadian Association of Public Speakers.

He has been teaching with Volunteer Manitoba since 2016 and developed most of their governance courses.

Luke Jacob Thiessen is the Director of Starling Social, a boutique social media and digital marketing agency that has been serving clients in Winnipeg and across North America for more than a decade. At Starling, Luke leads a team of creatives who provide social media management, online advertising, copywriting, web development, and public relations services to a wide variety of clients.

 Before Starling Social, Luke got his start in radio, working as a journalist and radio host. After a few years, he transitioned into freelance publicity and digital marketing, working primarily with clients in the arts and nonprofit sectors.

In 2017, he became Communications Manager at Siloam Mission, where he was a part of numerous major fundraising campaigns that saw the organization grow considerably. He also managed the organization’s public relations and external communications through some difficult times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and some significant policy and leadership changes in response to public criticism.

In 2023, Luke left Siloam and returned to freelance work, and in late 2024, after the sudden passing of Starling Social’s founder Alyson Shane, Luke was tapped to lead the company.

When he’s not neck-deep in digital marketing, Luke enjoys craft beer and playing music. On a typical weekend, you might find him brewing a beer at home, enjoying one at a local brewery, or performing with his Taylor Swift cover band.

Marissa Naylor is a passionate community-builder with a diverse background across the non-profit, commercial, and public sectors. She’s currently the Marketing Coordinator at the Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship in the Asper School of Business, where she helps foster innovation and entrepreneurial thinking across Manitoba.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management and Community Development, Marissa brings over eight years of experience working with organizations such as University of Manitoba, Recreation Manitoba, and a range of community based initiatives. Her career has spanned multiple sectors, giving her a well-rounded understanding of how to effectively engage audiences, share impact, and build meaningful connections both online and off.

In addition to her work in marketing and community development, Marissa is the owner and lead photographer behind Marissa Naylor Photography, where she captures authentic, storytelling content for families, entrepreneurs, and brands. She is also a proud Team Canada tenpin bowler, bringing the same focus and discipline to her creative and professional pursuits.

Marissa is excited to share her expertise in this beginner friendly workshop and help non profits create a powerful digital presence through accessible and practical website tools.

Monica Schroeder brings over 15 years of experience working in community development, with a focus on social enterprise and food access programming. She has an Executive Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Trinity Western University, with ongoing studies in Change Management at the University of Manitoba.

Monica draws on a variety of grassroots programming experiences and is skilled in grant and report-writing, workforce training and marketing for non-profits. She has been involved with various boards and advisory councils and is the current Board Chair for SSCOPE Inc, a Winnipeg social enterprise.

In 2017, Monica started Night Sky Consulting, a venture focusing on communication and change management for small businesses and non-profit organizations. Whether it's developing communication tools or creating change management plans, Monica is a creative communicator with a passion for moving organizations forward.

Nicole Dubé, Media Trainer and Speaker

Nicole is the owner of DUBÉ MEDIA Inc., and is a familiar face in the Canadian media landscape.

The professional speaker and emcee is known for her 20 year career as a national reporter, network news anchor, and host of CTV Morning Live Winnipeg.

Now, Nicole's mission is to help people and organizations tell their story and engage their audience through media training, presentation coaching, and specialized communication services offered through her consulting work.

Please learn more about Nicole at: www.nicoledubemedia.com