Previous Program for 2019 - 2020
September 4 2019 - Becoming Your Own Hero

LOCATION:
Holiday Inn, 150 George St N, Peterborough, ON K9J 3G5
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Parmida Barez is an author, award-winning motivational speaker, educator, personal empowerment & public speaking coach, who has worked with numerous individuals, corporations and non-profit organizations in Canada and internationally. Parmida uses life-changing tools, lessons, and perspectives learned from her own experience of overcoming anxiety disorder, depression, panic attacks, and agoraphobia to empower others to become the heroes of their own lives and set themselves up for real, sustainable success. Her unique delivery, creativity, and passion on stage captures individuals from all walks of life. Parmida’s educational background is vast, ranging from degrees in political science, business, and education, as well as professional training in etiquette and hypnotherapy. Visit her web site at: www.parmidabarez.com.
ABOUT THE TALK:
All of our lives we’ve been told that superheroes are these “fictional” characters with extraordinary powers, yet every day, millions of us put on our capes, and continue to face and overcome the obstacles, adversities, and hurdles in our lives. But are we using our inner-heroes correctly? “Becoming Your Own Hero,” is a presentation that dives into the journey of becoming your life's "truest" Hero. A journey that leads to you not only putting on your cape but truly owning and earning it, perhaps for the first time. It can be applied by anyone, in any area of life, to not only decipher where they may be sitting on that spectrum, but how they can unlock their next level of purposeful, self-aware, and empowered living.
October 2 2019 - Mentorship: 5 Steps to Successful Relationships

LOCATION:
Personal Touch Banquet Hall, 1135 Lansdowne Street West, Suite 200, Peterborough ON K9J 7M2
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Trish Tonaj believes in Mentorship and the power of storytelling. With a passion for speaking, she will share stories that inspire great ideas with anecdotes on finding “The Mentor” who will help you create your own brand of magic!
As an author she has written two books, one on mentorship Breaking Barriers and co-authored a complimentary magazine on Wealth and Wellbeing which we will share with us today.
Celebrating over 25 years as an entrepreneur, Trish is a Master Coach Practitioner, working with Entrepreneurs and Enterprise Leaders who build a culture of success while mentoring their team. She has a certificate from Harvard Law School Negotiation Institute in Mediation and Dispute Resolution, Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor and Nutrition & Wellness specialist.
As Managing Partner in an on-line eduction program called the Mechanics of FLOW2 she is also a contributor to the Thrive Global Network, canfitpro magazine and is the blog host for Share Your Story “Love, laughter and adventure” is Trish’s personal mantra and focus for achieving life’s balance between wealth and wellbeing.
ABOUT THE TALK:
Mentorship is by definition an exchange of information between two people or groups of people. It starts a new conversation and creates a foundation for both collaboration and business innovation while encouraging change and transformation.
When I started my first company over 25 years ago, there were no mentors for women by women. It was all blue suits and red ties. Inspiration was gained through a willingness to learn, fuelled by a passion to succeed while making a positive contribution to our communities.
Thankfully, times are changing! Today, we will discuss not only three different types of mentors but how each and every one of us at one time or another is someone’s “Mentor.” Review the 5 steps to successful mentor/mentee relationships as we Define Goals, Navigate Change and Achieve Results! Let’s share a little theory, review the 5 steps and leave with a little food for thought as we create our own formula for success. Mentorship…sharing stories to inspire great ideas!
November 6 2019 - Sustainable Development - Empowering Future Generations as Change-Makers

LOCATION:
Holiday Inn, 150 George St N, Peterborough, ON K9J 3G5
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Iconic youth leader, global influencer, environmentalist, champion of children’s rights, peace and sustainability campaigner, and passionate advocate of women’s rights, 19 year-old Kehkashan Basu is a trailblazer who has been challenging the status quo and social strictures which impede the progress of future generations. Winner of the 2016 International Children’s Peace Prize, Kehkashan is a tireless advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals. She is a United Nations Human Rights Champion, the youngest ever Global Coordinator for the UN Environment Program’s Major Group for Children & Youth, a Climate Reality Leader, TEDx speaker and the Founder President of social innovation enterprise Green Hope Foundation, which provides young people in 12 countries a networking platform to engage in the sustainable development process. Kehkashan is the recipient of the 2019 Innovator of the Year Award, the John Muir Conservation Award for Habitat Restoration, the Energy Globe Award and the Turner Prize for Social Change. A powerful voice for future generations, she has spoken at over 75 United Nations and other global fora across 25 countries and was Canada's Top25 Women of Influence in 2018.
ABOUT THE TALK:
Young people constitute the largest section of civil society today . However, they continue to be on the fringes of decision making and are yet to make a substantive impact on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals as stated in Agenda 2030 of the United Nations. Sharing the path breaking work of her global social innovative enterprise , Green Hope Foundation , Kehkashan Basu will highlight the need to empower future generations as change-makers , using Education for Sustainable Development as a transformative tool of engagement.
December 4 2019 - WBN Holiday Gala and Fundraiser

LOCATION:
The Mount Community Centre- Austin Doran Hall, 1545 Monaghan Road, Peterborough K9J5N3
Save the Date!
We are so excited to get back to a real "Gala" feel this year!
Location: The Mount Community Centre - Austin Doran Hall, 1545 Monaghan Road, Peterborough K9J5N3
Time: 6:30-9:30 *Please note the time change*
There will NOT be a seated dinner this year, but there will be loads of delicious food to snack on throughout the night.
Put your gala clothes on and come join the WBN to have a fun, festive night out while we focus on the magic of the holidays.
With this change, it means there will not be any tables to sponsor, so instead you may sponsor a small Holiday tree! Details about the trees are TBD, so if you are interesed in sponsoring, please contact the Program Team program@womensbusinessnetwork.net
January 8 2020 - Finding Your Community

LOCATION:
Holiday Inn, 150 George St N, Peterborough, ON K9J 3G5
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Originally from Syria, Abeer moved to the United Arab Emirates with her husband in search of better employment and life opportunities. Trained as an engineer in Syria, Abeer worked in UAE as an Engineering Assistant after a few months struggling to find work. She taught herself English at home, eventually becoming a teacher and receiving her teaching license. After the war broke out in Syria and she lost her family home, Abeer and her family travelled to Canada where they sought asylum. Following three months in Toronto, they settled in Cobourg, building a new life for their family of four. She is motivated to help others find their community and says, "Anytime or any moment I found an opportunity to help any newcomer, I would run and participate."
In 2017, Abeer was one of 21 recipients of the Canada 150 Constituency Awards in Cobourg for her volunteer work in resettling Syrian refugees, and in 2018 was awarded the Excellence in Public Education Award by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation Union - District 14.
ABOUT THE TALK:
Finding Your Community: Abeer will share her family’s story of living as immigrants in UAE, her final visit to Syria, her new life in Canada, and her job at the New Canadians Centre as a Youth Worker supporting newcomer youth. She will share the importance of what a difference a strong community of supporters can make on an individual or family.
February 5 2020 - Stand Up, Speak Out: Communicate Your Confidence & Magnify Your Presence

LOCATION:
Holiday Inn, 150 George St N, Peterborough, ON K9J 3G5
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Professional speaker, trainer and certified coach, Carol Schulte has been engaging and entertaining international audiences for almost a decade. She holds a BFA in Theatre Performance, an MA in Communication, and two postgraduate certificates in coaching and mentoring.
As the creator of ‘Women Living BIG’ and ‘Spark your G.E.N.I.U.S.’ she is committed to helping leaders step out of their comfort zones, initiate action and inspired change, and ultimately achieve what they never thought possible (and as someone who has lived in Ashrams in India and vans in New Zealand, volunteered in orphanages in Chiang Mai and Mother Teresa’s Missions in Calcutta, shaved her head for breast cancer and even bungee jumped in her birthday suit, she certainly walks her talk!)
She is a contributing author to 3 best-selling published books, and has been featured in numerous magazines, podcasts, and appeared as a returning guest expert on Rogers TV. She has lived and worked in 16 countries, traveled through an additional 25, and brings her global expertise on people and empowerment to all she does. When she’s not helping women learn to surf In South America or climb Kilimanjaro in Africa, you can find her volunteering as a bereavement facilitator, training for her next triathlon, or practicing her serious carpool karaoke game.
ABOUT THE TALK:
They say confidence is the most attractive thing a woman can wear. It is also what will take you to the next level both in your professional as well as in your personal life. It's time for female entrepreneurs and women business owners to bring all of themselves to the table.
When you are fully comfortable in your own skin, you exude poise and power. You demand attention and respect. And you attract whatever it is you want into your life.
In this session you will learn simple strategies and tangible techniques to boost your confidence, magnify your professional presence, and claim your seat at the table.
KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
• Learn practical, tangible tools to boost your confidence and magnify your presence
• Discover what it means to speak up for yourself – being authentically assertive versus haughtily aggressive
• Uncover 7 simple strategies that will ensure you stand out in any crowd
• Find out what it means to show up consistently in the workplace as a 10
• Understand why being YOU will always give the winning advantage
March 4 2020 - Annual Member Trade Show & Workshops
LOCATION:
Highland Park Funeral Centre, 2510 Bensfort Rd, Peterborough, ON K9J 1C5
In the WBN's annual tradeshow, we provide 3 members the opportunity to speak to the membership about their areas of expertise. You will be sent an email before the event date, asking you to select ONE talk you would prefer to attend. Please note: This is to understand attendance for each talk and does not guarentee a spot, as we do not collect names.
Option #1: "What Does Your Website Need?" by Carrie Wakeford
Join Carrie Wakeford of Black Cap Design to learn how to create a website that will appeal to both your human and robot visitors. In this workshop we will talk about visual appeal, content and structure, with the odd technical tip thrown in for good measure. You will also have a chance to practice assessing a website and sharing your opinion about what works and doesn’t work for you. We will make sure to leave time for your questions too. At the end of this workshop, you will receive a checklist that will help you evaluate your own site when you get back to your office.
Option #2: "The 10 Healthy Habits of Highly Successful People" by Theresa Moloney
Join Theresa in finding out how to improve your health to help your business! By the end of the workshop, you will have a personalized strategy that you can take home and use to support your healthy habit plan moving forward.
What are the 10 healthy habits?
1. Exercise and Being active are a part of their life
2. Mindful Eating
3. Healthy Sleep Routines are a must
4. Health is as much of a priority as their business
5. They meditate, journal and spend quite time alone
6. They seek support of others (WBN)
7. They commit and stay strict
8. They disconnect
9. Create habits that suit you and ONLY you
10. They know when they need a break
Option #3: "How To Create A Causing Marketing Event" by Janet McLeod
Join Janet in this facinating workshop on Cause Marketing! A Cause Marketing event creates a synergy between the hosting organization and a charity. Janet will walk you through the steps to make a connection between your business and a not-for-profit to create a dynamic and beneficial event for both parties! She will show you why these partnerships can work so well together and what you need to do to create a successful event.
April 1 2020 - [CANCELED] Innovation and Design Thinking

LOCATION:
Holiday Inn, 150 George St N, Peterborough, ON K9J 3G5
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Shelli Baltman is the President and Founding Partner of The Idea Suite, a Toronto-based boutique Innovation Agency. She started her career as a management consultant with Mercer Management Consulting in Toronto and then joined McKinsey & Co. in London, UK after completing her MBA at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France.
In 2002, she joined ?What If!, the world’s largest independent Innovation Agency, based in London. She then started and built their Customer Experience Innovation practice into a $4 million business before being promoted to Managing Director in 2007. Moving home to Toronto in 2010, she founded & built the Innovation division at market research agency Hotspex and turned it into a multi-million dollar business.
Since founding The Idea Suite, Shelli has worked building global brands and launching new products with clients including Starbucks, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Verizon, Mondelez and Hain Celestial. She’s a prolific speaker on the topics of insights and innovation, and you can frequently find her thought leadership alongside Fiona Stevenson in Strategy magazine Shelli and her business partner Fiona are passionate about supporting women in business and entrepreneurship through mentoring and speaking and training engagements. Shelli is devoted to her family. She has a 3-year-old son, a Labradoodle named Doctor and is also a passionate downhill skier.
ABOUT THE TALK:
In this presentation, you’ll be introduced to the principles and techniques behind human-centered design. Using these techniques will help you to understand your customers better and then to design products or services that meet those needs. Shelli will cover...
• what is innovation
• behaviors to foster creativity and innovation
• the 6 i’s of the innovation process
• basic tools and techniques for each of the 6 i’s
• case studies and examples to inspire fresh thinking
• a question and answer session to help with specific business issues of those attending
May 6 2020 - True-To-You Leadership

This talk has been moved to an online webinar event.
Please stayed tuned for registration details.
June 3 2020 - Live Webinar Event | Stories of Resiliency | WBN Member Showcase
| MEMBER MEETING MOVED TO ONLINE WEBINAR |
Join us June 3rd at 7:00pm to hear from 4 WBN members about how they have adapted and changed their businesses in light of the current global situation we are all facing. Hear about how their businesses have been effected and what they have done to keep up with the rapidly changing times we find ourselves in!
Speakers:
Lori McKee
Susan Watkins
Catherine Hanrahan
Gail Moorhouse
Please register below:
Click here to see events from 2020-2021