Speakers

Bill Stainton is an expert on innovation, creativity, and breakthrough thinking; a 29-time Emmy Award winner; and a Hall of Fame keynote speaker who takes the mystery out of innovation for leaders and their teams worldwide.

For 15 years, Bill produced the longest-running, highest-rated, and most award- winning regional comedyTV show in the United States, where his job was to be innovative...on-demand. During that time, he led his highly innovative team to over 100 Emmy Awards of their own, and worked with people like Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, and Dave Grohl.

He is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), and in 2019 was inducted into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame®, a lifetime award that honors professional speakers who have reached the top echelon of speaking excellence.

Bill is the author of The Innovation Blueprint, The Executive Producer, and Lead Like the Beatles; has been cited in Forbes and The Wall StreetJournal; and has been a regular columnist for Seattle Business magazine. He has also written for HBO, Comedy Central, and The Tonight Show, and is the creator of the Elite Innovation Roundtable, a think tank for innovative leaders.

Bill has helped thousands of people in hundreds of organizations like Microsoft, Boeing, Harley-Davidson, Amazon, Whirlpool, Nike, and Costco to ignite their innovation and make the connections that can lead to breakthrough results.

On a personal note, he is also a pilot and a musician, although rarely at the same time.

Learn more at www.BillStainton.com.

Former Mayor, Former President of Alberta Municipalities, Regional Strategist, Project Leader Barry brings over 25 years of experience in municipal governance and regional development. As the former Mayor of Brooks and President of Alberta Municipalities, Barry has led successful revitalization, planning, and collaboration and advocacy projects across Alberta and Saskatchewan.

In addition to leading Municipal Empowerment Strategies, he currently serves as Executive Director of the Mid-Sask Municipal Alliance, supporting regional collaboration and development in seven unique communities. Barry is known for his integrity, strategic clarity, and results- oriented leadership. He has a unique ability to connect political vision with administrative action and has supported councils and CAOs in building plans that are both visionary and grounded. His work in rural revitalization is particularly relevant to the Vermilion Regional Alliance’s goals, bringing examples, lessons, and innovations from similarly situated communities.

Barry has completed several professional programs, including the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme at the University of Oxford, the Indigenous Canada Program at the University of Alberta, Mediation and Conflict Resolution at ESSEC Business School, and Principles of Management at Johns Hopkins University.

David Hughes has been President and CEO of Generate Canada since 2016, leading major national initiatives like the Canada Plastics Pact and Energy Futures Lab that drive climate-smart, nature-positive systems change. He previously led Habitat for Humanity Canada and Pathways to Education through periods of significant growth, and held senior global roles with SOS Children’s Villages. David is a Senior Fellow at the Smart Prosperity Institute and a Clean50 Honouree. He holds degrees from Western, LSE, and Harvard.

Brenda Herchmer is a community builder, systems catalyst, and innovator who has spent her career helping communities and organizations move from silos to systems and toward a more whole-community, or ecosystem, approach.

As Founder and Principal Collaborator of Campus for Communities of the Future, the Lead Catalyst behind RESET Communities, and Co-Chair of the Canada Chapter of Catalyst Now, she works primarily with communities and neighbourhoods to strengthen leadership, organization, and community capacity for local economic, social, cultural, and environmental well-being. These are typically framed by global priorities, such as the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

A sought-after facilitator, educator, and author, she is known for translating systems thinking and practice into clear language, practical tools, and hopeful, future-focused strategies that help leaders connect the dots between local insight and broader systemic change. A speaker, trainer, and coach-consultant across Canada and now globally, she is a former professor and director at Niagara College, the Director of Alberta's ACE Communities initiative, and has worked for local government and for several social-purpose organizations and businesses. This eclectic background provided a practical, cross-sector lens and understanding of what it takes to tackle "broken systems" and complex challenges and opportunities. 

Brenda has been honoured as a YWCA Woman of Distinction and a Brock University Distinguished Graduate. She and her family live in Welland, Ontario, Canada, where they also own a Board Game Café and an online kite store.

Gwen Machnee holds a Ph.D. and undergraduate degree in Microbiology, along with a master’s degree in Adult Education. Since 2012, she has been instrumental in establishing and growing the Applied Research program at Suncrest College (formerly Parkland College). In 2021, Gwen transitioned into a full-time role dedicated to Applied Research, leading to significant expansion of the program.

Today, the Applied Research team supports over 32 positions annually, including four full-time research coordinators, three part-time coordinators, and numerous student researchers. The program focuses on diverse and impactful areas such as agriculture, Indigenous agriculture and education, social sciences, and business—particularly economic development within the Suncrest College region.

Beyond her professional work, Gwen is actively engaged in her community, serving on several local and provincial boards. She also maintains a small flock of sheep and enjoys spinning and knitting their wool in her spare time.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.

Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.

As CEO and Owner of WJ Agency, Ryan Townend leads a full-service marketing and branding firm that serves clients locally, nationally, and globally. With over three decades of experience, Ryan is known for blending bold strategy with creative execution to drive meaningful business growth for clients in vast number of industries. He is a trusted voice in the Canadian marketing landscape, having been a marketing expert on Global TV for over 10 years where he offers insight into branding, advertising, and consumer trends. Ryan is also a sought-after keynote speaker, regularly presenting at national conferences, industry panels, and business growth summits. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Ryan is a passionate community builder. He hosts Ryan’s Roundup, a monthly corporate social that brings together business leaders, entrepreneurs, and the broader public to spark connection and collaboration. He actively supports numerous charities and nonprofit initiatives, helping them elevate their profile and impact. Ryan also lends his expertise as a board member and advisor to a range of organizations across sectors. Ryan’s leadership at WJ is defined by a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and elevating brands that are ready to grow. His work continues to shape how businesses across the globe communicate, compete, and connect.

Zsuzsa Papp, PhD is the Senior Advisor (Saskatchewan) at Mitacs where she works at the intersection of academia, industry, and government to advance innovation across Canada. She has led strategic engagement with universities, colleges, polytechnics and industry and community partners, significantly expanding participation in applied research and talent development programs in Saskatchewan. With a strong commitment to evidence-based decision-making, science and sustainable development, Zsuzsa brings both strategic insight and on-the-ground experience in strengthening regional innovation ecosystems. At the SEDA Summit, she will share how Mitacs programs can support economic development and innovation across the province.

Steph Pocha is CEO of Discover Saskatoon, where she leads the strategic direction of the city’s destination marketing and development efforts to grow visitation, strengthen the visitor economy, and enhance community wellbeing. In her role, Steph guides destination-wide strategy and fosters the partnerships that make regional tourism growth possible. Under her leadership, Discover Saskatoon is advancing collaboration between urban and rural communities by supporting the development of connected experiences and itineraries that extend Saskatoon’s reach and create shared value across the province. Steph works closely with industry, government, and community partners, including the City of Saskatoon, Tourism Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Hotel & Hospitality Association, to align efforts and amplify impact. She also represents Saskatoon on the national stage through her role on the executive of the Canadian Destination Leadership Council. A key focus of her leadership is strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities, grounded in authentic partnership, truth-telling, and a commitment to economic reconciliation.

Jada Yee is a nationally recognized Indigenous leader, strategic advisor, and champion of economic reconciliation. A proud member of Wood Mountain Lakota First Nation, he brings over two decades of leadership experience across government, industry, and community, working to bridge relationships between Indigenous Nations and non-Indigenous partners. As Co-Founder of 7 Arrows Indigenous Consulting Group and a trusted advisor to organizations across Canada, Jada has led transformative initiatives in sectors ranging from defence and healthcare to economic development and education. He is known for his ability to guide complex partnerships, advance Indigenous participation, and create meaningful, lasting impact through collaboration and trust-building. Jada also serves as Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship at the University of Regina, where he mentors emerging leaders and supports the next generation of changemakers. A passionate advocate for inclusive growth and community well-being, he is widely respected for his ability to connect people, inspire action, and turn vision into results.

Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance’s Jackie Wall is the Manager of Special Programs and leads the rollout of the Saskatchewan Investment Readiness Initiative (SIRI), a multi-year project focused on assessing, planning, and strengthening investment readiness in rural and remote communities across the province. Jackie has also facilitated Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) planning processes for communities across Saskatchewan, supporting collaborative approaches to addressing complex socio-economic challenges. Through consultation with more than 300 communities, SEDA has developed valuable insights into Saskatchewan’s socio-economic landscape, informing the creation of the Paths to Prosperity suite of leadership briefs, videos, and podcasts, as well as the upcoming Paths to Prosperity Playbook, which Jackie will introduce at the 2026 Paths to Prosperity Summit. Jackie is also a rural artist, creative entrepreneur, and community leader who holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Marketing and General Business. In 2022, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her contributions to economic development and was recognized by the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada (CCES) as the Executive of the Year for a chamber with fewer than 500 members.

Terry Bird is a proud Saulteaux member of George Gordon First Nation and has a Business Administration Diploma from the Saskatchewan Polytech where he specialized as a Certified Buyer with the Canadian Supply Chain Professionals. In 2016, Terry was awarded the Individual of the Year for Economic Development by the Saskatchewan First Nations Economic Development Network. Throughout Terry’s 30-year tenured business career, Terry has had the good fortune to serve in several leadership roles as the Indigenous Relations Lead for two new Saskatchewan Potash Mines, three Crown Corporations and three First Nation owned businesses. Presently as the Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Human Resources for George Gordon First Nation Developments. Terry is responsible for the George Gordon Developments LP, Corporate Affairs, Government Relations, Economic development, & Indigenous labour force development. Lastly , Terry Bird is board member for the Indigenous Manufacturing and Contracting Network as well as member for the Saskatchewan Research Council Indigenous Advisory Committee.

Gordon More is the Executive Director of the Southeast Techhub (SETH), Canada’s only truly rural tech incubator focused on energy innovation, startup incubation, and economic development. He is also Past-President and Director of IDS Internet Dispatch Services Ltd., a company he co-founded and grew from a small North Vancouver office into an international logistics software provider with operations in Canada, the US and Australia. After moving to Estevan, Saskatchewan, Gordon came out of early retirement to lead SETH, where he is building an innovation ecosystem around clean energy, critical minerals, and advanced technology. He helped to spearheaded the Innovation Centre for Energy Development (ICED) in partnership with Southeast College and the University of Regina, establishing a platform for applied research, commercialization, and investment attraction in areas such as hydrogen, small modular reactors (SMRs), coal-to-graphite, and battery supply chains. In 2024, Gordon completed the MIT Technology and Innovation Acceleration Program, and today he applies those insights to help build rural innovation ecosystems that strengthen communities, economies, and Canada’s position in the global energy transition. He is also pursuing a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies at Royal Roads University, where his thesis explores rural innovation ecosystems and their role in national energy transitions. His current work extends to nuclear technology, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and data centre strategy—exploring how nuclear energy can power the AI platform shift, how quantum chips could drastically reduce that power demand, and how rural Canada can benefit economically while building new, innovative ecosystems. A passionate advocate for rural resilience and innovation, Gordon continues to show how Southeast Saskatchewan, and rural Canada can lead globally in clean energy, technology, and entrepreneurship.

D. James Leier is a seasoned economic development strategist with over 30 years of experience helping communities and organizations advance growth initiatives. As a partner at Preferred Choice Development Strategists, he specializes in market analysis, investment readiness, and strategic planning, and has led numerous projects across Saskatchewan focused on regional collaboration, industry clustering, and community development.