This view does not slow her down, as she is driven to action and outcomes. She employs a holistic practice when dealing with people, understanding that choices will affect outcomes; and that the person must make intentional choices when they are ready in order to avoid ricocheting through life.

Kate has been involved with MACD since her return to Canada in 2014, sitting as the inaugural Secretary, then as a Member-At-Large and the Co-Chair/Chair of four successful Let’s Get To Work (LGTW) Conferences (2018, 2019, 2022 & 2023). In the role as Chair she wants to increase the reach of MACD into rural Manitoba in order to expand the career development practices to many populations including rural entrepreneurs, Indigenous communities, and the agricultural industry. She wants to see greater communication and sharing of career and employment information between practitioners. Manitoba can be better with intentional career choices and development in order to maximize every individual’s potential within the borders of this great province.

For over 20 years she has provided timely, tangible and insightful information, strategies and coaching to 1000’s of individuals and numerous organizations across Canada, the US and beyond.

Tara is the founder of her own career coaching and business consultancy (Career-Coach Canada and formerly ‘The Training Edge”) and has worked with numerous partner organizations including Canadian HR Solutions, NextJob Inc, Typefocus Inc. and lead the coordination of Career programs at a top Canadian University.  She has been a featured writer for two business magazines (the “HR Insider” in Canada and Latin Business Today in the US). Tara offers coaching and training for individuals and organizations, including on career development, brand creation and management, organizational policy development, employee management, and social networking support and more.

Tara is a member of the Manitoba Association for Career Development, a Mentor with the Canadian Futurepreneur program and was previously a member of the Advisor Board for the Career Professionals of Canada.
Tara holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Psychology and is certified in numerous personality and psychology assessment tools. 

For Ruth, the path to resiliency/persistence is by helping students and clients to understand themselves as well as develop the tools and capacity to find the resources that build their personal health and well-being. She believes that as educators, families, communities and government we must help to engage citizens in experiencing activities that create “hope”. One technique for building hope is to help students to see purpose and opportunities and to help them acknowledge the skills they have, and want to develop, to set goals and to help empower them to move in the direction of their goals, dreams and aspirations. We must support people to help them to develop and identify the skills and tools to help them choose the life they want to live and to create the world they want to live in to build a healthy society.

Ruth’s piece of the puzzle is to help all learners throughout their lifespans to become more self aware, explore pathways and career options, plus other critical information such as financial literacy (can we really believe in a path if we don't know how we can access the resources we need to get there?)  If they identify an interest, the “village” around them can reach out to Manitoba Association for Career Development for valuable support including resources, professional learning and training opportunities as well as mentorship and a passionate learning community. ​

From there, she turned her love of student development to leadership roles with Career Trek, an experiential learning career development not-for-profit that creates opportunities to catapult young Manitobans to career and education success. In her return to post-secondary institutions, she has utilized her experience in community settings to make access a driving force in the systems and programs available to learning communities. 

Meghan Lavallee is the Director of Career and Student Engagement for the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology. This role includes leadership of MITT’s Adult Learning Centres, Career and Employment Services, and Domestic Recruitment. She believes that we all have a role within the educational ecosystem to create successful career pathways and equitable access to further education, training and/or employment for all.

Meghan loves volunteering in her community, practicing yoga, urban gardening, and hiking with her family and canine companion.

These include intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, EI recipients, social assistance recipients and individuals with mental health challenges.  In 2006, she commenced work on Manitoba’s career development portfolio. In this role, Gail managed the Government of Manitoba cross-departmental strategy through which horizontal partnerships were developed between departments and community groups to facilitate a seamless integrated career development system within Manitoba. She is the past Director of Career Services for the University of Manitoba and is the owner and founder of Gail Langlais Consulting.

Over her years working in career development, she has participated on a variety of committees and working groups including the Manitoba Association for Career Development, 3CD, National Certification Advisory Committee, LMIC National Stakeholder Advisory Panel and the Let’s Get to Work Conference.  She has also led numerous working groups related to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of career services through resource development, practitioner professional development and evaluation.

Gail has been fortunate to have had a variety of experiences at the provincial and pan-Canadian levels within the field of career development. ​

Having been with the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) since 2012, David has been central in the development and delivery of the Workskills Series, a collection of 4 mandatory, built-in workshops designed to develop industry-specific work skills and career development skills for students at MITT.

In addition to providing 1-on-1 career services to prospective students, current students and alumni, David has implemented regular employer engagement events at MITT, including guest speakers, employer panels and networking events, for students to connect with their industry. David is passionate to help others put themselves in the best position to succeed their goals.

David holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba, a Career Employment Coach Certificate and Facilitation Fundamentals from Winnipeg Transition Centre, and a Career Educator Certificate from the Canadian Association Of Career Educators And Employers.

Yvanne finds joy and purpose in empowering others through education, personal development, and community involvement so that they can rise to new levels and lead fulfilling and balanced lives.

Currently, Yvanne is a Cooperative Education Coordinator with the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba where she provides professional development advice, career coaching and facilitation to support co-op students while working in collaboration with business and community partners. As a committed lifelong learner, Yvanne holds memberships with Career Professionals of Canada (where she is pursuing certification as a Work-Life Strategist), CEWIL Canada and MACD. In 2012, Yvanne was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for her contributions in the areas of youth and community engagement, making her one of the youngest in Manitoba to have received this medal. Besides her work in career development, Yvanne is heavily involved in the performing arts as a vocal coach, singer and songwriter.

Credentialed career and leadership professional with the International Coach Federation, Louise has worked in industries such as social media, IT, biotech, manufacturing, payment card, non-profit, financial services and hospitality where the number one priority for business leaders and employees is to reengage with work. Louise runs her company Pivoting Point Career Solutions, is co-founder of Your Kickass Career Collective and podcast, speaker, and facilitator. Pivoting means it’s time to rediscover, reimagine, and relaunch your work life to make room for your life.

Volunteering career services to members of the Urban Indigenous Theater Company led to the creation of a work readiness program for Indigenous youth in the Performing Arts. Amber then completed her Employment Counselor certification (University of Winnipeg via Winnipeg Transition Centre) and opened a private practice. Currently, she is the RINT Project Coordinator at Reaching E- Quality Employment Services (REES) in Winnipeg where she helps clients with physical disabilities/health conditions and employers create sustainable and inclusive work environments together. She also serves on Manitoba Supported Employment Network’s Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) committee.

​Amber believes in lifelong learning (be it traditional education or experiential) and that all of life’s experiences are valuable in the workplace. Every journey is unique and a story to share! She welcomes this exciting opportunity with MACD to exchange knowledge with peers and further the career development of practitioners, workers, and jobseekers in Manitoba.

Professional and career development has always been a key focus for her whether in creating her own career development goals or through mentoring and coaching junior professionals within the industry. Samar is a great believer that we all grow at our own pace, and through our own experiences.

Empowered by “If you think Education is Expensive, Try Ignorance” Samar, is committed to long life learning, and this reflected through her bachelor’s degree in linguistics and translation, an additional MBA degree in Business Marketing, Certificate in Life Coaching, and another in Human Resources.

Samar has been involved with MACD since 2019 as a member in the professional development committee, and recently as board member at large. Currently. Currently, Samar focuses on supporting international students and newcomers to sharpen their skills to be ready for employability within the Canadian work environment.

 Kathleen was drawn to books about finding one’s purpose, personality assessments and which careers fit each personality type. In her home country, the Philippines, there were no career coaches or career advisors, so she never knew there was such a field until she moved to Canada in 2020.

As a newcomer, Kathleen went through free employment services offered by the local non-profit organizations – Manitoba Start, Immigrant Centre & Osborne Village Resource Centre (OVRC).  During the time at OVRC, Kathleen found herself becoming more interested and in awe of the field. She asked one of her career advisors, “How can I become like you and do what you do?” From this one question, Kathleen slowly took steps to network with other career development professionals and took up career coaching studies/training.

For Kathleen, career development is a field that guides a person to make conscious career decisions that match their passions, interests, unique talents, and gifts. Kathleen strongly believes that each person has something special they can offer the world. A career development professional’s job is so vital in making sure this happens. Once an individual discovers their own giftedness and finds the job they love to do, they will surely thrive and excel. 

She is excited to see a world where all professionals and workers find meaningful and fulfilling employment, so this world will be such a better and happier place. Kathleen wants to be part of this work as a member of Manitoba Association of Career Development. Kathleen holds a Career and Employment Coach Certificate from the University of Winnipeg PACE & Winnipeg Transition Centre as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Assumption College, Philippines.