CGLCC is hosting a 2SLGBTQI+ Business Symposium in Halifax!

Veronica, an established EDI community leader, originally from England, moved to Cape Breton in 2016. Formally educated in electronic engineering, she has worked around the world in a number of markets both in engineering, sales, marketing, support, management and c-level.

Veronica identifies as transgender, intersex and neurodiverse. Drawing from her lived experiences, her EDI training/consultancy is in demand locally and further afield. She also does some engineering work in the music business and makes musical instruments, something of a 40 year passion.

She is board chair for the Every Woman’s Center, Cape Breton Center for Sexual Health and Marion Bridge SAC, is a member of the Status of Women Advisory Council, Cape Breton Pride, Pflag Canada, and is the founder of Cape Breton Transgender Network.

Veronica has two daughters and four grandchildren, plays bass guitar and keyboards, is a writer, photographer and partial to a decent cup of tea.

Rachele is a queer, Jewish, disabled, sexuality educator, and works with SGF Inclusion, offering strategic inclusion consulting, training and 2SLGBTQI+ outreach. Rachele’s work focuses on healthcare, sexuality and disability and they are also the education coordinator for Venus Envy; an education-based sex shop and bookstore located in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Nova Scotia.

Bradley Daye was born and raised in Halifax NS, he is a community leader, coach and member of the African Nova Scotian community with a deeply rooted history in NS. Those roots are what keep him grounded and provide the motivation behind the work he does now. As the Grandson of Delmore Buddy Daye, community development is always top of mind, he is an empathetic leader with a successful background in professional sports having played and coached football at both the university and professional level. He also has a proven track record of taking an idea from incubation to success, with the successful launch and scale of two social enterprise businesses and a non-profit organization. He continues to give back through youth football in the north end of Halifax where everything started for him.

Bradley Daye is a Co-Founder and Co-CEO of both Placemaking 4G, Cluster Employment and a founding member of ACCE non-profit. ACCE is a self-funded social enterprise based in Halifax with a mission to take back ownership of African Nova Scotian Arts Culture Community and Economics. Bradley was key in the groups formation as he was the one who originally brought the community leaders together. Knocking down silos and connecting communities through building trust is his purpose in life, which closely aligns with the businesses he manages. P4G is the new generation of recruitment based in Atlantic Canada, and Cluster Employment is the new generation of employment. Through his community and business involvement, he has established a strong network of community members and leaders, he has the knowledge and experience to evaluate and address community needs. Which is highlighted in his recent appointment as the newest member of the board of directors for the United Way Halifax. Bradley has also been involved in an effort to close the gap of unemployment for African Nova Scotian Youth.

Pascale Joëlle is a non-binary, gender fluid, transmasculine person. Their ongoing self-discovery journey led them to entrepreneurship. Founder and CEO of Hello Gender, they specialize in gender identity and expression. Through their work, they aim to educate parents and leaders on issues specifically related to the transgender community. More than their identity and their work, Pascale Joëlle is a multifaceted human with diverse interests. With their family and friends, they are creating a life worth living.

Chris Cochrane is a Trans Black activist and public speaker. She speaks and educates about her lived experience through her intersectionality. Chris works toward creating spaces for QTBIPOC people, as well as working with 2SLGBTIQIA+ youth to ensure those spaces will be upheld for years to come. Chris is the former Vice Chair of Halifax Pride (2020-2022) where she uses that platform to ensure equity for all of the community, while focusing on our marginalized and racialized communities. Chris is also the Recipient of The YMCA Peace Medal for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. Known for her drag persona Elle Noir, where she is as fierce on stage as she is her activism. Elle Noir is a 19 Year veteran of Drag. Known as a local legend and Winner of The Best Halifax Drag Performer for the last 6 years consecutively.

Voted most entertaining off-the-bench by his minor league baseball team, Sam tries his hardest to improve on that one drawing his mother saved from preschool. As the creative director, he brings a perspective from over 13 years of working with organizations large and small. Finding the strategic way for brands to grow themselves is a skill he sharpens through his interests in culture, art, technology, food, and travel.

Deva Station & her husband, Jake Rafuse (Dyna Might) are known as the powerhouse Elder couple in the community. With the success of their show “Apocalyptic Kitchen” on Bell FibeTV1 and now signing with OUTTV to launch the show globally, Dyna has been taking a back roll to help produce and direct and further the host of the show Deva.

As one of Canada’s beloved Drag Artists, Deva is a gloriously creative ad practically skilled person who deftly scrambles all the so called “gendered skill sets” with equal measure and offers them up to her audience in a 30-minute segment of love, humour and hope.

This year they were honoured to be presented with the HRM Volunteer award and the Provincial Volunteer award. Also receiving the TD Thanks You award that helped catapult this duo to stardom. Check it out at: https://youtu.be/BKwl5cvPe5c?si=XtDoeclnhBO4ALsM
Their success continues on their social media with some of their videos on TikTok (@stationdrg) reaching over 11 million views and over 171,000 followers and counting!!

Their YouTube channel: StationDRG will allow you to fall into their unique world.

Laura is a CERTFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and Chartered Investment Manager® professional with over a decade of experience in finance. Since founding Inclusive Financial Planning in 2022 she has worked to make high quality financial advice more welcoming and accessible for all of us. With experience in personal and business banking, wealth management, portfolio management, and financial planning she brings a breadth of experience to each of her clients while delivering her unique brand of personalized financial advice. Laura is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her work with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in rural Nova Scotia.

Timothy MacEachern is the Founder and Senior Planner at Worthy Financial. With over 15 years of experience in the banking industry, Timothy has helped Canadians from Coast to Coast plan and purchase their first home, eliminate debt, invest for their future, and succeed with their money. He is passionate about providing unbiased advice that puts his clients’ needs before anything else. Timothy has also been a financial expert on Global and CTV News, and he is a proud member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time at the beach, CrossFit, and playing crib.

David Eisnor is both an entrepreneur and he has been supporting entrepreneurship in Atlantic Canada for over 20 years!

He has over twenty years of experience supporting entrepreneurs with business start-up through his experience working with CEED, the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, and most recently in his role at Futurpreneur Canada. He has also experienced entrepreneurship firsthand by successfully running a number of ventures in Tourism, Farming, and Property Management & Development.

David holds a Business Degree from Acadia University and a Leadership Certificate from Dalhousie University.

Will Yang, the innovative President and CEO of Halitube Community Network and Differo Marketing, is a champion for diversity and inclusion. At Halitube, he promotes cultural diversity through various media and events, fostering unity across communities. In Differo Marketing, he specializes in inclusive marketing, helping businesses reach broader, more diverse audiences. Will’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) drives his mission to create more inclusive spaces in both business and culture. His leadership not only showcases the importance of representation but also actively contributes to a more connected and inclusive world.

Emma Stanley joined SGF Inclusion in 2022 where she works as Director of Programming and Lead Consultant providing EDIA strategy development, training and 2SLGBTQI+ outreach. She has ten years experience teaching English in different cultural environments, and as a queer trans woman from rural New Brunswick, Emma says, “living and transitioning across several countries and cultures has given me a broad experience of how different people interact with my community. I want to use that experience to help make a positive change in my home country.” In her free time she enjoys drawing, board games, and juggling.

Robert Seymour Wright is a queer, African Nova Scotian Social Worker and Sociologist whose 35-year career has spanned the fields of education, child welfare, forensic mental health, trauma, sexual violence, and cultural competence.

He recently completed serving as the founding Executive Director of both the Peoples’ Counselling Clinic (Nov. 2017 – March 2024) and the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute (Fall 2021 – March 2024) and currently continues at the Peoples’ Counselling Clinic as Director Emeritus, Consultant and Therapist.

Robert’s identity and work are grounded in his integrated and activist spirituality. His pioneering work with colleagues in cultural competence and conducting cultural assessments has received national attention. His extensive pro bono work gave birth to The Peoples’ Counselling Clinic, a non-profit mental health clinic in 2017.

In June of 2022 Robert was presented with the Leighann Wichman Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project “in honour of a long-term commitment to activism and leadership that has significantly impacted the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ people across Nova Scotia.