Deanna has a B.A. (Hons) in Psychology and an M.A. in Cultural Studies from The University of Winnipeg; she works as an Academic and Career Advisor at The University of Winnipeg, and volunteers as the Chair of the provincial Career and Workforce Development Month Planning Committee. Previously, she has held roles as a Board Member (2017-2022) and Chair of the Advocacy committee (2021-2022) for MACD, as well as Co-Chair for Manitoba’s annual “Let’s Get to Work” Conference in 2018 & 2019. 

Deanna has delivered professional development sessions for MACD in 2023 & 2024 on the topics of Quality Career Service Delivery and an interrogation of the notion of “Following your Bliss”. She has also participated in national initiatives with the Canadian Career Development Foundation including participating on the Item-Review Team for the national certification exam and as a Reviewer/Validator for the pan-Canadian Competency Framework for CDPs.

As a senior HR leader with companies such as Hitachi, Chapters Online, Borderfree Ltd, and Robert Half Canada, Daniel brings valuable insights to his coaching practice. With a strong educational foundation in Cultural Anthropology, Daniel provides strategic guidance to executives and organizations seeking impactful HR solutions. With a passion for transformative coaching, Daniel now dedicates his expertise to helping individuals and organizations in Winnipeg and beyond discover and achieve their career aspirations.

Caryn is currently the executive director at Inclusion Winnipeg, which is working towards creating an inclusive Winnipeg by advocating for equal human rights and inclusion for all citizens of Winnipeg. 

For the last 14 years of her career, Gina was the Internship Coordinator at The University of Winnipeg, Professional Applied and Continuing Education (UWPACE), during this time, she modernized internship operations, built strong partnerships with employers, and supported hundreds of students in launching their careers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she placed 53 students in remote internships, trained new staff, launched a virtual Career Workshop series, and contributed an article to the Western Retail Lumber Association on the value of internships. In 2023 Gina served as a panelist at an event hosted by The Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce on International students and their success through work placements, in addition to this, Gina was interviewed for the publication issued to business in the Portage West area. 

In her earlier career, Gina’s role in recruitment, marketing, and training at Investors Group further shaped her ability to work collaboratively, coordinate events, and provide administrative support. 

A long-time volunteer, Gina has served on the AESES Activities Committee since 2017 and has contributed to organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society, the Arthritis Society, the Italian Canadian League of Manitoba, Red River College, and the University of Manitoba. 

Gina is committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive volunteer environment and to continue strengthening opportunities for job seekers. She graduated from the University of Winnipeg in 2004 with a Human Resource Management Diploma and in 2022, through Careers Professionals of Canada, has been a Certified Career Strategist.

that are often encountered when individuals from rural and remote communities attempt to access education and career development resources. I have been, and continue to be, actively involved in the access to, and normalization of, acquiring further education and skills for a rewarding and beneficial career.

My own career has been deeply involved with enabling access to education and higher learning for Northern Residents for over a decade. I began work with Career Trek in 2014, and have been directly involved with Career Development since. My current role at University College of the North, as Training Solutions Coordinator, allows me to work with our various outlying communities to identify training needs, available resources, and the logistics to providing continuous career development opportunities for community members. 

A firm believer in the power of lifelong learning, Kari is currently pursuing both the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) and the Certified Career Development Professional (CCDP) designations. These pursuits reflect a deep-seated desire to see society better itself through rigorous skill improvement, positive role-modeling, and customized educational development. 

Throughout her career, Kari has been a vocal advocate for the professionalization of the industry. Her leadership focuses on fostering a culture of mentorship and high ethical standards, ensuring that the vital role of career development is recognized by government stakeholders and educational institutions alike. By bridging the gap between non-profits, the private sector, and post-secondary institutions, she works to unify diverse sectors toward common goals and best practices. 

Beyond her administrative and strategic roles, Kari is a passionate mentor and speaker who finds their greatest reward in sparking professional curiosity in others. Whether leading a team or guiding an individual, her mission remains constant: to model excellence and empower the next generation of professionals to thrive in an ever-evolving economic landscape. 

She currently works with the Province of Manitoba, supporting individuals and employers through workforce planning, skills development, and employment pathways, with a strong focus on client‑centred, trauma‑informed, and strengths‑based practice.

Karen brings over ten years of professional experience across unionized industrial, healthcare, government, and community settings, including roles in human resources, employee wellness, and administrative leadership. She has contributed to recruitment, labour relations support, program coordination, and inter‑agency collaboration, and was appointed by the Deputy Minister to represent the Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation department on provincial mental health and wellness initiatives.

Karen is passionate about advancing inclusive career development practices, particularly for northern, rural, and Indigenous communities, and values collaboration, professional learning, and thoughtful governance within the career development sector.

After that chapter ended, Ryan pursued his passion for leadership and coaching, earning certificates in coaching and consulting and launching his own leadership coaching practice. His path then led him to inVision Edge, where he supported leaders and organizations across sectors as an Innovation and Strategy Coach, later serving as Director of Operations.

Today, as Principal and Business Director at the Winnipeg Transition Centre, Ryan draws on all these experiences to lead the strategic direction of the organization, delivering on their commitment to provide excellence in training while supporting the Facilitation and Operational teams.

With more than 15 years of experience in career development and employment services, she has supported newcomers, internationally educated professionals, international students, and individuals with disabilities through career coaching, employment readiness training, workshop facilitation, and individualized career planning.

Over the past five years, Sonya has held leadership roles within the employment services sector, collaborating with employers, community organizations, educational institutions, and industry partners to support workforce integration and inclusive employment opportunities across Manitoba. In her role at Manitoba Start, she has contributed to the development and growth of Career Services and Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) programming, helping internationally educated professionals navigate licensing pathways, career transitions, and labour market integration in Manitoba. 

Prior to her leadership role, Sonya worked extensively as a Career Coach and Facilitator, delivering workshops and one-on-one coaching focused on Canadian workplace culture, resume and cover letter development, interview preparation, work search strategies, networking, and career planning. She is recognized for her collaborative leadership style, commitment to innovation, and passion for empowering individuals to achieve their career goals and fullest potential.

Sonya holds a Career Development Practitioner Certification through the PACE program at the University of Winnipeg and remains committed to strengthening the career development profession, fostering community collaboration, and supporting meaningful career pathways and opportunities throughout Manitoba.

Sylvia Martin is the Divisional Principal of the R.B. Russell Career Lab. She is working with educational and industry partners to create new educational and training opportunities for the R.B. Russell community. 

Sylvia’s previous roles included being the divisional career education and technology education coordinator. She was also the coordinator of the post-high aerospace program AMMOP (Aerospace Maintenance and Manufacturing Orientation Program), that provided training and employment opportunities in the aerospace industry. As a career education teacher at Technical-Vocational High School, she enjoyed networking with other colleagues and learning from an amazing network of career educators. As a former guidance counsellor and teacher, she is passionate about programming that provide opportunities for people to gain new skills, take on new career pathways and change their lives.

she has mentored and taught both domestic and international students, guiding them in career development and equipping them with the tools to achieve their professional goals.

Vera’s expertise includes empowering career professionals to excel in their fields, organizing and facilitating conferences, and creating opportunities for professional growth. Vera currently teaches at Red River College, MITT, and other post-secondary institutions across Canada. In addition, she serves as the Director of Jooov VS Inc. - an organization that offers consulting services to corporate professionals, business owners, and non-profits.

Vera holds a PhD in Management and serves as an executive coach for the United Nations/ILA We Empower program. Having served on three international boards and published extensively, she is passionate about fostering collaboration, professional development, and mentorship among Career Development Professionals.

Kate views the world through a lens that looks at many sides of a situation in order to be able to understand consequences of action/non-action. 

Kate views the world through a lens of possibilities looking at many sides of a situation to create as full a picture as possible. This view does not slow her down, as she is driven to action and outcomes. Employing a holistic view when interacting with people, she understands that choices will affect outcomes; and that the person must make intentional choices when ready to avoid ricocheting through life.

Kate has been involved with MACD since her return to Canada in 2014, sitting as the inaugural Secretary, then Member-At-Large, Vice-Chair and Chair. She has also Co-Chair/Chaired four successful Let’s Get To Work (LGTW) Conferences (2018, 2019, 2022 & 2023), and the Communications & Marketing Committee. Continuing in the role as Chair of MACD, she wants to continue the work of reaching into rural Manitoba 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, locally and nationally. Manitoba can be better with intentional career choices and development to maximize every individual’s potential within the borders of this great province.

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