2025 Session Speakers

Dr. Lorneka Joseph

A native of The Bahamas, Dr. Lorneka is a pharmacist, speaker, and coach helping professionals merge wellness with work. She’s been hired by Citi Bank, The Florida Bar Association, Orange County Government, and Arkansas State University, delivering workshops on resilience, productivity, and mental health.

Founder of Brightly Awake, Dr. Lorneka empowers individuals to embrace holistic success. She believes success isn’t about doing more—it’s about working well. No stranger to media, she’s been featured in Forbes magazine and Comcast. She enjoys time...

Alison Steel

Founder, Show up with Steel

Ali is a leadership coach and team coach who uniquely combines her coaching expertise with her belief in the amplification of people’s natural talents and values, and her 20+ years working in talent development, communications, and chief of staff roles (most recently at Adobe), to help people realize their professional and personal goals.

Born and educated in the UK, Ali studied Education at post-graduate level, is a...

Liesel Mendoza

Liesel is passionate about helping people find meaningful work and become purpose-driven leaders. After 30 years in IT solving business challenges, she founded The Mentoring Club to connect aspiring and seasoned leaders worldwide. She believes meaningful work leads to success and happiness—and that mentors play a vital role in this journey. With a bold vision to provide mentorship for anyone, anywhere, The Mentoring Club now spans six continents, 50+ countries, and a thriving community of 500+ mentors and mentees, all dedicated to changing the world, one leader at a time.

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Chris Wilson

Chris Wilson is a rare blend of aviator, entrepreneur, and career thought leader.

He’s spent over 14 years as a Commercial Helicopter Pilot and an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer. He’s accustomed to working in high-stress and high-pressure environments in the most remote parts of Canada. Overcoming numerous layoffs and enduring turbulent times for nearly a decade.

While proud of his aviation success, Chris is passionate about entrepreneurship. He’s a mentor at e@UBC—Entrepreneurship at The University of British Columbia—and LOI —League of Innovators—Canada’s largest startup...

Catherine Burns (she/her)

Catherine Burns is the Senior Trainer & Content Developer on the Learning & Development team at UCOP. Her area of focus is supporting the development of emotional intelligence and people skills in leaders at every level to create organizations that are more cohesive, inclusive, and impactful. Prior to her work at UCOP, she trained and coached teams, managers, and CEOs throughout the Bay Area as a Leadership Trainer at LifeLabs Learning, and developed leadership curriculum for girl-identified youth and the adults who serve them as the National Training Director at Girls Leadership....