[Speakers]

Dr. James Orbinski

Dr. James Orbinski is a globally recognized human practitioner and advocate, as well as one of the world’s leading scholars and scientists in global health. Through his numerous roles with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF), including that of president, and as co-founder of Dignitas International, he has improved health care delivery and made medicine more accessible for some of the most vulnerable people in the world. In 1999, he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to MSF for its pioneering approach to medical humanitarianism, and most especially for its approach to witnessing.

Through his extensive work in the field, an award-winning documentary called “Triage”, and his best-selling book “An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarianism in the 21st Century,” Dr. Orbinski has raised awareness of global humanitarian crises, and has been a witness for those who have been silenced by war, genocide and starvation. He remains a compassionate, committed believer in humanitarianism, in citizenship and in actively engaging and shaping the world in which we live, so that it is more humane, fair and just.

Dr. Linda Duxbury

Dr. Linda Duxbury, Canada’s highly accomplished researcher, writer and speaker on work-life balance, has influenced policy and attitudes to help create supportive work environments in both the private and public sectors. A professor at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, Dr. Duxbury co-wrote numerous comprehensive national studies on work-life balance and their effect on business bottom-line. Always an enlightening and popular speaker, Dr. Duxbury’s ideas and research are highly valued by major corporations and government agencies.

Dr. Todd Conklin

Dr. Todd Conklin, has spent 27 years as a Senior Advisor for Organizational and Safety Culture at Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of the world’s foremost research and development laboratories. He speaks all over the world to executives, groups and work teams who are interested in better understanding the relationship between the workers in the field and the organization’s systems, processes, and programs. Dr. Conklin holds a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of New Mexico, and has authored several books, including Pre-Accident Investigations.

other leading experts

Troy Winters, is the Senior Officer for Health and Safety for the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Representing approximately 630,000 members, he Chairs or participates on many national and provincial committees, working groups, and boards related to occupational health and safety. Prior to his role with the union, Mr. Winters spent 10 years teaching and researching at Dalhousie University in the fields of industrial ergonomics, biomechanics and work design. He holds several degrees, including a Master of Applied Science in Industrial Engineering, and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology both of which he earned at Dalhousie University.

Dr. Lynda Robson is a scientist at the Institute for Work & Health, where she has worked since 1997. She obtained her PhD in biochemistry from the University of Toronto, but later changed fields through additional education at the university's Department of Public Health Sciences. Dr. Robson previously taught OHS system management at Ryerson University and was a member of the technical committee developing the second edition of the Canadian Standards Association OHS management standard, CSA Z1000. Dr. Robson’s research interests include occupational health and safety (OHS) management, organizational change in OHS and the evaluation of prevention programs.

Xabier Irastorza has been at the Prevention and Research Unit of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) since 2007, where his projects have focused on migrant worker health and safety, the economic impacts of accidents and ill-health at work, and most recently, the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER). Carried out in two waves (2009 and 2014), ESENER is an extensive survey looking at how new and emerging safety and health risks are managed in European workplaces, shedding light on underexplored and increasingly important areas such as psychosocial risks.

Dr. Carla Lipsig-Mummé is Principal Investigator of the Tri-Agency research project What do we know? What do we need to know? and Principal Investigator of the CURA research programme, Work in a Warming World. Author of more than 200 academic works in English and French, her work has appeared in the EU, South Africa, Australia, Canada, the US, New Zealand, France and Russia. Her current research focuses on factoring work and employment into the struggle to respond to climate change, the future of work in developed societies, trade unions in a globalising era, regulating professions and emerging labour relations regimes. A social scientist who began her working life as a trade union organiser, Professor Lipsig-Mummé was Founding Director of York University’s Centre for Research on Work and Society and Monash University’s WAGE.

Krystle van Hoof is the Assistant Director for the Institute of Gender and Health (IGH), one of 13 institutes that make up the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada’s health research investment agency. Krystle’s 15 years of professional experience span marketing and branding, non-profit communications, advocacy, policy and knowledge translation. She has previously headed-up communications departments for two Canadian associations—work that has been recognized with three national awards. Prior to joining IGH, Krystle was responsible for communications at the UN’s World Food Programme in Mali, West Africa. In her current role, Krystle works to ensure research findings get into the hands of those who can use them to address pressing health challenges facing women, men, boys, girls and gender-diverse people.

Theresa Shaw graduated from Acadia University with a BA in Recreation and Phys Ed and with over 20 years’ experience in the corporate health and fitness field, she brings with her a wealth of knowledge. Theresa is a Project Lead for the Road to Mental Readiness program (R2MR) and trainer for the fatigue management program at Calgary Police Service (CPS). Theresa works to develop and implement the vast array of wellness programs with her goal being to provide guidance, support and encouragement to all CPS employees to lead healthier lives.

Sue Freeman is a Senior Marketing Specialist at CCOHS, where she develops educational and marketing materials, administers the speaker bureau and conference program, and speaks on workplace mental health as part of CCOHS’ Mental Health @ Work group. Certified as both an experiential psychotherapist and emotional intelligence coach, she brings a unique perspective to promoting social causes that benefit the health, safety and well-being of workers in Canada. Sue holds a Master’s degree in Science-Marketing from the London School of Business and Finance and the University of Wales, Cardiff.