Centered around the four pillars of the Rainbow Registered accreditation program, the Crossing the Finish Line Conference will work to empower attendees with the tools they will need to reach the national standards of the Rainbow Registered accreditation.
The Rainbow Registered accreditation program sets a rigorous set of standards that companies must meet before earning the Rainbow Registered mark and the benefits that go along with it. The conference will focus on the four key areas of the accreditation; policies and practices, training, commitment to inclusive leadership, and a culture of inclusivity.
For more information, please email connor@cglcc.ca.
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 2S2SLGBTQI+IQIA+ youth to ensure those spaces will be upheld for years to come. Currently, she is the Support Service Educator for The Youth Project. Chris is the former Vice Chair of Halifax Pride (2020-2022) where she used that platform to ensure equity for all of the community, while focusing on our marginalized and racialized communities. Chris also has a member of ACTRA. She is also known as her drag persona Elle Noir where she is as fierce on stage as she is in her activism. Elle Noir is an 18 Year veteran of Drag, known as a local legend and Winner of The Best Halifax Drag Performer for the last 5 years consecutively.
With his business Full Picture Management, Tj supports organizations in expanding their capacity to meaningfully include and serve 2S2SLGBTQI+QIA+ folks. His work is informed by filtering his business & HR education through 20+ years of lived experience and almost a decade of 2S2SLGBTQI+QIA+ community advocacy. Driven to help improve the workplace and consumer experiences of his fellow queer and trans humans, Tj loves holding space that empowers people to investigate their biases and consider the perspectives of others.
Rainbow Registered Certification Consultant
Paula Dodick is an educational consultant that is currently working with an independent school and supporting families looking for external academic supports and school placements. With a strong background in education for exceptional students, she continues to champion students with diverse learning profiles. Prior to her retirement from the Toronto District School Board, Paula was an elementary school principal. With many years of classroom experience in diverse communities, Paula is able to apply her understanding of diversity and equity outside the realm of education. In her last school, she supported a Gay/Straight Alliance that initiated school wide learning opportunities around 2S2SLGBTQI+QIA+ issues that culminated in a month long Pride event. During her tenure at this school, she worked with two middle school students who were transitioning, which led to the creation of practices for other middle schools to adopt as best practices when developing inclusionary practices in their schools.
Paula has worked with CGLCC since the pilot project for Rainbow Registered. Having met with dozens of businesses and organizations who have developed inclusion within their workplaces, she continues to learn and reflect on the value and importance of inclusion everywhere.