Senior Director, Fraud and Security Risk Management
RBC

A leader and advocate for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and gender equity, Caroline Tutakiewicz has worked hard to challenge the status quo and improve the quality of life, access to healthcare, and economic opportunities for members of our community.

Holding leadership roles within the RBC Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG), Caroline has initiated many of the company’s firsts. In Canada, Caroline facilitated the adoption of the Pride progress flag and implemented the use of the 2SLGBTQ+ acronym as an act of reconciliation with Indigenous communities, further working with the RBC brand team to feature the work of a Two-Spirit artist on RBC’s Pride merchandise.

In her leadership role with the ERG, Caroline highlighted the need for a 2SLGBTQIA+ lens to enable more inclusive corporate health benefits. She also created the ‘Speak Up Series,’ which amplifies unheard voices in corporate Canada. Involved in the planning and execution of RBC’s Pride Month efforts in Toronto, Caroline also steers the company’s year-round PRIDE365 activities, and through her team has created and executed over 60 digital and in-person events and engagements, spanning National Coming Out Day, the Inside Out Film Festival, Pink Shirt Day and many more. Caroline has consistently pushed to ensure the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is financially supported through RBC Employee Resources Group events and her efforts have successfully raised funds for local 2SLGBTQIA+ focused non-profits like The 519, Sherbourne Health, Egale Canada, Rainbow Railroad, Friends of Ruby, and countless others.

Caroline has also dedicated herself to paying it forward to future generations by serving on the Board of Directors of Start Proud, which connects 2SLGBTQIA+ students with employers while promoting the development of 2SLGBTQIA+ professionals. She currently serves as the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for Sherbourne Health, a local health care centre that provides integrated health services, community programs and capacity-building initiatives that enable people and diverse communities to achieve wellness. Caroline’s long-standing commitments to the community inside and outside her organization have been formally recognized by Yahoo Finance, as she is a four-time Top 50 Global LGBT+ Role Model recipient and a two-time WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Woman award-winner.

You can connect with Caroline via LinkedIn.

Jurist and Founder
Juritrans

Transfeminine jurist and activist Céleste Trianon has dedicated her life to dismantling the administrative and juridical barriers trans people consistently face in the day-to-day, while also facilitating trans joy and the celebration of queerness in its various forms.

Céleste has helped to build a more equitable world by advocating and fighting for the rights of trans and non-binary people in Quebec and Canada. She was one of the activists who helped to pressure the government to put the “X” marker on government documents in Quebec, a win that has been years in the making.

Céleste is perhaps best known for her work with Juritrans, the organization she founded, and her Trans ID Clinic—a year-long, all-in-one virtual and in-person drop-in service for individuals wishing to change their legal name and gender marker. Although primarily based in Montréal, she also runs a permanent branch in Québec City, and has also implemented such services in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, through partnerships with local organizations. The legal clinic also operates a trans legal defense fund, which raises funds in a bid to support criminalized and marginalized trans people offset court fees, whilst also helping make name changes more accessible to people who can’t otherwise afford it.

A firm believer in proactive action, Céleste is one of the lead organizers of Montreal’s Trans March and Dyke March, and has also led several protests against discriminatory attacks on gender variance, arguing for education, inclusion, and equity when it comes to trans rights. A passionate public speaker, she has also written several op-eds addressing attacks on gender variance and anti-trans legislation.

You can learn more about Céleste at https://celeste.lgbt or connect with her via LinkedIn or at mail@celeste.lgbt.

Executive Director
Quadrangle NL

With over a decade of experience advocating for Newfoundland (Ktaqamkuk) and Labrador’s 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, Charles Murphy has worked tirelessly to enact real change in the province through peer support, fundraising, and awareness initiatives.

One of the founders of Quadrangle NL, a 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy group that works to improve the quality of lives and experiences of queer and trans people in Newfoundland and Labrador. Charles led an eight-year mission to have the provincial government financially support the creation of a physical community centre mandated to support queer and trans communities in the province. Last year, they played an instrumental role in helping to secure $890,000 from the provincial and federal government to make this dream a reality.

In their role as Executive Director at Quadrangle NL, Charles has worked to support marginalized groups within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, developing policies and strategies for the organization around inclusion, diversity and committing to accessibility for community members and staff. They have also been continuously called upon to advocate for the rights and freedoms of 2SLGBTQIA+ people at the federal and provincial levels, and worked with organizations such as Community-Based Research Centre to champion advocacy on sexual health for queer and trans people in the province.

In addition to all this, Charles also facilitated the St. John’s chapter of PFLAG, supporting youth to live as their authentic selves and parents to be strong allies. They also helped found RaiseUp Fundraising NL, which has raised tens of thousands of dollars for community groups supporting marginalized people, including those in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

You can connect with Charles via LinkedIn.

Writer, advocate, community leader, and performer

2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusion Coordinator
Yukon Government

Centering relationships, connection, decolonization, and radical love, activist and journalist Danielle d’Entremont uses art and platforms to connect people, empower trans and queer youth, create community, and drive positive change.

For six years, Danielle worked as a national and regional reporter for the CBC Radio in Halifax, Toronto, Yellowknife, and Whitehorse, covering the 2SLGBTQIA+ beat. In this position, Danielle brought national attention to crucial issues in the North, such as the banning of conversion therapy and the Yukon’s gender-affirming care policies. Since May 2023, Danielle has been the Yukon government’s first-ever dedicated 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusion Coordinator, helping to train service providers, organizations, and government workers across the territory on gender equity and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. Danielle’s work has been instrumental in driving the government to meet commitments in its 2SLGBTQIA+ Action Plan.

As a community builder fiercely centering those who are most vulnerable in their work, Danielle has amplified voices and fostered inclusivity at the grassroots level in Yukon’s communities. In the Fall of 2023, during nationwide anti-SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification) policy protests, Danielle helped strengthen the Yukon’s SOGI policy to better protect the rights of queer and trans youth. And in March 2024, Danielle supported the creation of Two-Spirit Celebration Day in the Yukon, making it the second provincial or territorial government to do so.

An active member of the Yukon’s 2SLGBTQIA+ arts community, Danielle is also a respected drag performer and DJ who curates inclusive spaces for queer folks to express themselves authentically. In June 2024, Danielle will be working with Jenni House Artist Residency on a letter writing project for trans youth in the territory to connect them with trans joy, trans love, their elders, and their greater community.

You can learn more about Danielle at https://www.dentremontdanielle.com/about or connect via LinkedIn, or Instagram (@ddentremo).

Executive Director
Wisdom2Action &
Society of Queer Momentum

For more than a decade, Fae Johnstone has been an outspoken defender of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, advocating for the advancement of equity and rights for queer and trans people and calling more broadly for a free, equal and socially just future for everyone in Canada.

A proud trans woman, she started her own business in 2015 as a 2SLGBTQIA+ consultant and educator, designing and delivering queer and trans inclusion training to thousands of health and social service providers and educators. In 2018, she became Executive Director of Wisdom2Action, a consulting firm she now co-owns that specializes in organizational development, community engagement and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. Over its history, Wisdom2Action has supported thousands of employees and hundreds of organizations to grow their capacity for 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion within corporate, public, and non-profit sectors. Under her leadership, the organization tripled its operating budget and staff within three years through expanded partnerships and collaborations with feminist, 2SLGBTQIA+ and mental health organizations across Canada.

Earlier this year, Fae was named Executive Director of the Society of Queer Momentum, a national queer and trans advocacy organization that works to challenge governments, policy makers and institutions to do more to advance the rights, freedom, and acceptance of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. In her short time in the role, Fae has helped build coalitions, launch campaigns to galvanize government action, and hold elected officials accountable in provinces where regression on queer inclusion is underway.

You can connect with Fae via LinkedIn, X/Twitter (@Faejohnstone), Instagram (@Faedingaway) or at Fae@wisdom2action.org.

Equity Board Director
Canadian Apprenticeship Forum

Facilities Maintenance Worker
Beacon Community Services

A multifaceted producer, filmmaker, performer, artist, skilled trades worker and advocate, Jove Nazatul has been a vocal advocate for change within British Columbia’s skilled trades industry for years, in particular around Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

A trans, non-binary, queer person of colour and immigrant of mixed Asian heritage, Jove works full-time in the trades—a collection of fields that relies on the work of skilled craftspeople, which includes construction workers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and mechanics. In an industry largely dominated by cisgender heterosexual males, Jove has always been out and proud about their identity. This unwavering advocacy has made Jove a leader in the community, and they are often called upon to speak at events, as well as create and facilitate workshops on intersectionality and privilege.

After participating in the Leaders in Trades program put on by the BC Centre for Women in the Trades, Jove became the first trans and non-binary person to be elected to the Board of Directors for the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF-FCA), a non-profit that supports innovative apprenticeship systems and policies. Their openness and interactions with CAF-FCA have resulted in a significant increase in 2SLGBTQIA+ people being elected to the Board of Directors.

As an intersectional person, Jove understands the need for representation, which is why, in addition to their work in the trades, they are also a filmmaker and producer. As drag artist Noah Lott, Jove began producing ColourVision, Victoria’s only all-QTPOC multimedia drag show in 2020. The event provides a safe platform for queer, trans performers of colour in a city and community where they are often outnumbered. They are also the co-editor of an upcoming anthology featuring gender-diverse performance artists from across Canada.

You can connect with Jove via LinkedIn or at jovezafir@outlook.com.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Specialist, HR
Egale Canada

Combining their lived experience with degrees in journalism and public history, Kyle Weitz has created a career for themself in education and advocacy.

Kyle began their career in queer advocacy working frontline with Two-Spirit & LGBTQIA+ folks at Compass Community Health Centre in Hamilton, ON. They also worked with the City of Hamilton and The Get REAL Movement, facilitating workshops on trans and queer inclusion. Over the course of their career, they’ve taught the importance of allyship and queer inclusion to students, non-profits, governments, and corporations across Canada, and have created resources, policies, and learnings on recommended practices for organizations to turn their workplaces into safer spaces for queer, trans, and gender diverse employees.

In 2022, they started at Egale Canada as an EDI specialist and applied their passion for systemic change to their new workplace. In the two years they’ve been there, Kyle has shifted the organization’s internal systems. With equity at the forefront, Kyle led the charge to standardize Egale’s recruitment process, from the point of creating a job posting, all the way to onboarding and completing performance reviews. One of Kyle’s goals is to cultivate a sense of belonging among Egale’s staff, many of whom work remotely. They did this by advocating for staff socials and monthly all-staff learnings, focusing on different topics such as Two-Spirit & LGBTQIA+ history, vicarious trauma, residential schools, and disability justice. Kyle’s commitment to change through open dialogue and creating brave spaces of learning is evidenced throughout their career.

You can connect with Kyle via LinkedIn.

Director, Programs and Community Services
The 519

A living definition of a changemaker, Lisa Duplessis has brought her dedication, expertise and creativity to The 519, creating a world of difference for tens of thousands of people across the country.

After arriving in Canada in 2009, Lisa got her start at The 519 as Coordinator, Newcomer and Refugee Services. She brought with her lived experience of what the migration experience looks and feels like for LGBTQ+ refugees. That experience, matched with unrivaled skill and boundless energy, transformed The 519’s New to Canada programs, growing and enhancing them to meet the ever-changing and nuanced needs of service users from diverse backgrounds, especially during times of crisis.

Today, she manages the daily operations of multiple program teams as the organization’s Director, Programs and Community Services. A whirlwind of ideas and passion, Lisa leads many of the vital initiatives The 519 is known for, bringing innovation, insight, and ingenuity to everything she touches. She is also an active member of The 519 Black Collective, a staff-led group that informs the everyday work of the organization from a lens of confronting and advocating against anti-Black racism, promoting equity for all Black people, specifically Black 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

Lisa is a source of inspiration and guidance to colleagues and community members alike, serving as a ready reminder of the unparalleled power of kindness and courage.

You can contact Lisa at lduplessis@the519.org.

Career Specialist
Achēv

A career development professional who has dedicated more than 30 years to advancing the rights, inclusion, and success of 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, Lisa Trudel has been a Career Specialist with Achēv, an Employment Ontario non-profit that supports career readiness and employment preparation, since 2011.

Lisa’s career and support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community began in the 1980s at George Brown College in Toronto where she worked for many years with the Career Services Department and as a Continuing Education Teacher. Today, as a proud lesbian, senior citizen, person with a disability, and cancer survivor, Lisa uses her life experience and skills to build trust to champion the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, particularly by supporting queer and trans refugees fleeing persecution in their home countries to discover new career pathways and resettle in Canada.

In March of 2020, when the COVID pandemic and lockdown started, Lisa was asked by the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto to write for their 2SLGBTQIA+ refugee program newsletter and to be a webinar guest speaker. Gradually, and single-handedly, Lisa created a pipeline between Achēv and Toronto’s 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomer community and is proud to have created the first Canadian-style resume for hundreds of newcomers. She also provides educational advice, LinkedIn content ideas and navigates many newcomers to volunteer work to gain local references and experience. Lisa continually refers qualified 2SLGBTQIA+ candidates to the Proud Partners connected with Pride at Work Canada and several of her former job seekers are now employed with TD Bank, RBC, and the City of Toronto.

In addition to Career Coaching, Lisa is a skilled writer and her articles on career planning and job search topics have been published in various print and online publications. She is often asked to create content for webinars and workshops for many organizations, including Rainbow Connect, a 2SLGBTQIA+ Refugee and Newcomer program supported by TNG Community Services. Lisa is also a proud Ambassador of the Achēv DEIA Staff Committee.

You can contact Lisa via LinkedIn.

Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and HR Governance Specialist
Maple Leaf Foods

A leading advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights in corporate Canada for over a decade, Marcos A. Persaud has championed inclusivity through his daily actions and the establishment of employee resource groups (ERGs), fostering workplaces that celebrate and protect the community.

With an enviable career at firms like Deloitte, PwC, and George Weston, it is Marcos’ consistent engagement in ERGs that highlights not only his leadership capabilities but also his enduring commitment to championing diversity and inclusion within corporate settings. In his current role as Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and HR Governance Specialist at Maple Leaf Foods (MLF), Marcos has been an instrumental force in transforming the company’s approach to 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. Under his guidance, the Maple Leaf Pride and Allies ERG has undergone a remarkable evolution, with reverberations felt throughout the company.

Through coaching and guidance, Marcos took charge of the established 2SLGBTQIA+ ERG and facilitated its transformation from an ad hoc committee centered on Pride Month to a structured team providing year-round resources. He also grew the team and expanded leadership opportunities, paving the way for the creation of sub-committees, including those focused on trans awareness and caregivers. He also led a comprehensive review of all Maple Leaf Foods’ company policies to ensure they accurately reflected inclusivity. This advocacy led to the inclusion of gender affirmation coverage and expanded family-building benefits in 2023.

During the pandemic, Marcos ensured that efforts to foster inclusivity continued, and he collaborated with Pride at Work Canada staff to develop and deliver ally training virtually. The impact of his counsel and initiatives is evident in the positive outcomes reported by Maple Leaf Pride and Allies ERG. There has been a notable increase in team members self-identifying as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, indicating a growing sense of visibility and inclusion at the company.

You can connect with Marcos via LinkedIn.

Regional Director for 2SLGBTQ+ Business Development in Québec & Eastern Canada
TD Bank

Chair
LGBT Purge Fund

A militant advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity in Canada’s 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, Martine Roy is an inspiring leader and role model who has distinguished herself, particularly within the corporate world and the federal government.

For 20 years, Martine worked at IBM, where she established resource groups to support 2SLGBTQIA+ employees and was deeply involved in raising awareness among staff and management about 2SLGBTQIA+ realities and in promoting a healthy workplace. Since 2020, she has taken on the same challenges, but this time at TD Bank as its Regional Director for 2SLGBTQ+ Business Development in Québec & Eastern Canada.

One of the seven co-founders of Pride at Work Canada in 2008, Martine sought to put 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion on the agenda of Canada’s largest employers, serving on its board of directors for 10 years. She also served as the President of the Quebec-based Fondation Émergence until 2015, working to raise the population’s awareness of the lived experiences of people within a broad range of sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Famously, Martine was also one of three plaintiffs who led a class action lawsuit against the federal government in 2016 after being unjustly dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces during the “LGBT Purge” that happened between the 1950s and mid-1990s. The case ended with an apology from the federal government and a global settlement, which saw $110 million set aside for the payment of damages to purge victims.

You can learn more about Martine at www.martine-roy.com/home or connect her via LinkedIn.

Assistant Manager of Education Program Delivery
Canadian Museum for Human Rights

A lifelong advocate with a passion for youth leadership and education, Micaela Crighton has worked to co-create a supportive community space at their workplace by challenging discrimination and promoting equity and justice.

In 2020, when the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) came under public scrutiny for alleged racism, homophobia, transphobia, and a toxic work environment, Micaela was a core part of the team of employees that engaged in spontaneous dialogue and brainstorming that coalesced around the establishment of the Rainbow Equity Council (REC), a formal 2LGBTQIA+ staff group that would support the museum’s queer and trans staff and create change at the organization

As a co-founder and current co-chair of the REC, Micaela worked to draft documents that identified the key issues the REC saw as necessary to build a safe and inclusive workplace and set about beginning the groundwork needed to enact the demands and advance certain policies. In their role, they successfully advised on the advancement of a Washrooms for All plan, facilitated a sharing space for 2SLGBTQIA+ staff, and advocated for the inclusion of 2LGBTQIA+ individuals as equity-seeking groups in HR processes.

Micaela has also worked to organize and host community events for REC members, such as a yearly BBQ, paddle nights, Pride activities, and community gatherings at local community spaces. As the first equity council at the CMHR, REC is proud to now be counted among the four established councils at the CMHR.

You can connect with Micaela via LinkedIn.

Founder and Co-director
LGBT+ Family Coalition

For over 25 years, Mona Greenbaum has been at the forefront of 2SLGBTQIA+ rights issues in Québec, dedicating her life to improving the rights of queer parents across the province.

In the 1990s, when Mona and her partner decided to start their family, they found themselves confronted with multiple barriers and a lack of parenting resources for queer women. The couple had access to no fertility clinics, nor was her partner legally recognized in any way as a parent once their children were born. So while raising her children, Mona embarked on a five-year legal and political battle in family court that changed the way that the Québec Civil Code defined family.

This experience led Mona to found the Québec-based LGBT+ Family Coalition (originally the Lesbian Mothers’ Association) in 1998, an organization she still co-directs. Under her guidance, the Coalition’s original mission has expanded to include all 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Québec and moved strongly into awareness training. One of the main focuses of the organization today is to train staff in schools, health and social services, and community organizations on issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity. To date, the Coalition has trained nearly 60,000 people, many of whom Mona has trained herself.

A community trailblazer, Mona has presented briefs on family law reform, assisted procreation, adoption, change in law for trans people, poverty and social exclusion issues touching 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, intimidation and violence in the schools directed at LGBTQ+ youth. Her personal involvement has changed the lives of thousands of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, couples and throuples in Québec, who have benefitted from her advice in navigating the creation of their families, administrative hurdles, legal questions and social acceptability issues.

You can learn more about Mona at https://familleslgbt.org or connect with her at info@famillesLGBT.org.

Manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Capilano University

Through strategic planning, personal support, and recognized leadership, TJ Delegencia has played a pivotal role in developing inclusive strategies and communications focused on humanistic design, storytelling, data-driven EDI, and relationship building. He is a former Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Coordinator at Coast Capital.

A queer Chinese-Filipino (2nd generation Asian Canadian) and brain tumour survivor, TJ has used his life experience to develop the emotional intelligence and skills that allow him to excel in his EDI role. A lover of culture with a passion for racial equity, TJ was instrumental in launching Coast Capital’s Inclusion Code, a code of conduct to reinforce inclusivity, respect, and best practices for the credit union’s many members and employees. For this initiative, he implemented employee communications strategies and translated the Inclusion Code into an interactive voice response system that addresses customer inquiries, in compliance with human rights standards.

TJ has also worked to foster an inclusive and safe workplace environment at Coast Capital Savings. In 2023, he spearheaded the 2SLGBTQIA+ Workplace Audit with Pride at Work Canada. This foundational work underpins the development of Coast Capital’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusion Strategy, demonstrating TJ’s forward-thinking and committed approach to embedding equality and respect into the fabric of the organization.

Further to this, TJ went out of his way to identify key areas for Coast Capital Savings to improve, such as how to increase self-identification rates for 2SLGBTQIA+ staff and break down barriers that prevent queer and trans employees from thriving. He also developed a comprehensive 2SLGBTQIA+ terminology glossary for the company, as well as an employee guide on the expansion of gender selection options in banking systems. TJ also works as a mentor and coach, and has established affirming spaces that have spurred transformative changes at the organization.

You can connect with TJ via LinkedIn.

Executive Director
The Enchanté Network

Public policy professional and human rights activist Tyler Boyce is committed to bridging the worlds of research, policy, and social justice, while also combating the erasure of Black queer people from decision making spaces.

A Black, queer man from an immigrant household, Tyler has used his life experience to drive a career focused on movement building and dismantling the beliefs and systems that lead to discrimination and inequity in the first place–including colonialism, capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchal structures. In the three years he has been Executive Director of the Enchanté Network, Tyler has grown the organization to become Canada’s largest 2SLGBTQIA+ association, increasing membership by more than 50% and securing it a seven-figure budget.

In 2022, he began laying the foundation for Canada’s first national Black 2SLGBTQI+ organization with the Back to our Roots project, designing and leading the largest national study into the experiences of Black 2SLGBTQI+ folks in Canadian history, and engaging more than 500 Black queer and trans people through a survey, regional focus groups and an in-person summit. The Back to Our Roots project culminated in a final report that equips decision makers across the country with the data necessary to meaningfully include Black queer and trans people in their work.

An Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa, Tyler also created the Rainbow Resilience Fund in 2024, which provides 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations with grants to build resilience against hate at their centers and in their communities.

You can connect with Tyler via LinkedIn or at tyler@enchantenetwork.ca.