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Health & Wellbeing Series : The Stigma-Free Zone, Opening Up About Our Mental Health

The Network is pleased to present a webinar on November 24, 2021 11:45 am - 1:00 pm ADT. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused some major changes and added many challenges to our everyday lives. These issues incorporated with the fear of contracting the virus make it vital that we are not only focusing and looking after our physical health, but our mental health as well. With many employers, employees and recent graduates navigating new onboarding experience and new workplace environments, we need to learn how, and find way to discuss to destigmatize our different environments. To make it safe to talk about the state of our mental health. 

As a result of COVID, our inability to nurture ‘real connection’ can create many additional stresses and pressures. We need to be intentional about creating practical and healthy environments that allow opportunity for us to open up about our  mental health. This event will look how we can help guide informal conversations surrounding mental health as well as ways to build trust with our students, peers, employees, and employers while mitigating mental health stigma. A competency that each of us must take responsibility for, so that we can create safe space to attract and support the people in our networks .

The event will be moderated by Stephanie Howatt (MBA ‘21) and will feature Karn Nichols the Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association of Nova Scotia Division (MBA ‘11), Michael DeVenney, President of WorkInsights and Founder of The Mindset Project and Mandi Nicholson, Co-Founder of UR Enough and Life Coach. More information on our Speakers can be found below.

Please Register for the event Via the Link: Register for the Network’s Mental Health Event

Karn Nichols is one of the Networks Experts and her information can be found on our experts page.

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Michael DeVenney, CFA, ICD.D, President, WorkInsights, Founder, The Mindset Project

Micheal has recently completed the Disruptive Strategies diploma program through the Harvard Business School and a further certificate in Strategic Alignment and Alternative Strategies from Oxford University’s Said School of Business. He has also completed a certificate in Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from NorthWestern University and Behavioral Decision-Making from the London School of Economics. He attained is ICD.D designation from the Institute for Corporate Directors and Rotman School of Business as well as a Diploma in Applied Positive Psychology from Sir Wilfred Laurier University. He has earned diplomas in leadership, strategy and organizational performance from Michigan State University, Notre Dame University, Villanova University and the Center for Creative Leadership as well as program investment return analysis from Villanova University. With a career starting in the investment industry, he achieved his Chartered Financial Analyst designation along with a Fellowship from the Canadian Securities Industry after graduating from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

He has been working with entrepreneurs and leaders seeking growth since 2003. His continued research work enables him to provide current and timely insights into key business growth issues. In 2015 Micheal founded The Mindset Project to research and develop solutions centered on entrepreneurs, decision making, and overall wellness. More than eight published articles have highlighted the working environment for entrepreneurs and their teams to perform at their best. Following the development of outcomes from The Mindset Project, he founded WorkInsights in 2017 to develop custom business analytics to understand working environment and the capacity for innovation, growth, and wellness

Micheal’s unique ability is to synthesize and simplify complex concepts into practical and clear applications to take actions for business growth, providing insightful perspective and conceptualizing the big picture. Being not afraid to push boundaries to try make a positive impact has founded his desire to have a positive impact and make change happen for the better. Applying his curiosity to ask and listen to understand and learn. While caring about the wellbeing of others he works with honesty to provide the truth with respect.

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Mandi Nicholson

Mandi wears many different hats. She is an actor, a life coach at Straight Up Health; a mental health therapy practice in Toronto and is the co-found of UR Enough; a community initiative with a mission is to create conversation and change people’s attitudes towards mental health and other stigmatized states. But above all she is an enthusiast and lover of life. The power and strength she found in sharing her story of struggle through the UR Enough community brought a whole new meaning into her life. Which led her down the path to becoming a certified life coach. She is a graduate from The Center for Applied Neuroscience and is now building her client practice under the umbrella of Straight Up Health. 

“We are all enough, exactly the way we are at this very moment. However, for many of us it can be difficult to see this within ourselves. That’s why I am here! I am here to help shine the brightest light and for you to discover your ‘ENOUGHNESS’ within yourself.”  

Earlier Event: November 3
Don't Worry Be Hoppy | Managing Business Risk: Crisis Management and Planning for a Better Tomorrow
Later Event: January 11
From the Classroom to the Boardroom

Executive-In-Residence

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Ian D. Smith | Chief Executive Officer

Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership

Ian D. Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of Clearwater Seafoods.  Mr. Smith joined Clearwater in May 2010 and has over 33 years of international experience in the food and consumer products industry.  Prior to joining Clearwater, Mr. Smith held senior leadership positions at the Campbell Soup Company within Canada, the United States and China.  Prior to his time at Campbell’s, Mr. Smith held various marketing, sales and international business development positions with Allergan, Colgate-Palmolive and the Gillette Company.

Mr. Smith currently participates as a director on a number of boards and advisory councils focused on international trade and public policy including; The Business Council of Canada and the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council of the Asia Pacific Foundation.  He is a graduate of McGill University (BA Economics, MBA), a former Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and currently serves as Honorary Colonel of 36 Canadian Engineer Regiment located in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Alumni-In-Residence

Wendy Luther | President and Chief Executive Officer

Halifax Partnership

Wendy Luther Proud Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University. EMBA’08

Wendy Luther is a leader in economic and export development, with vast experience promoting Nova Scotia and its assets globally. Halifax Partnership is Halifax’s public-private economic development

organization. Wendy joined as President & CEO in 2019. In 2023, Halifax

Partnership was honoured with four Excellence in Economic Development

Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)

including Gold for Economic Development Organization of the Year. Prior to joining Halifax Partnership, Wendy was President & CEO of EduNova, a co-operative association of public and private-sector education providers committed to promoting Nova Scotia’s knowledge economy internationally. Under her leadership, EduNova was honoured with the prestigious international PIEoneer Association of the Year Award in 2017. Earlier in her career, Wendy worked in export development with the Atlantic Canada World Trade Centre and Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) where she led trade missions to over twenty countries and has mentored and advised hundreds of Nova Scotian exporters on how to be competitive in international markets. At NSBI, through her role as Nova Scotia’s first Private Sector Liaison Officer (PSLO), she was appointed by the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank to connect entrepreneurs and institutions to opportunities funded by International Financial Institutions. Wendy has served on and led numerous boards and committees including advisory boards for two private sector companies (Canada and U.S. based). Currently, Wendy serves on the Board of Directors and the Management Resources and Compensation Committee of Canadian-owned LED Roadway Lighting; the Board of Directors and as Vice Chair of the Governance Committee of Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization focused on increasing Canada’s innovation competitiveness; and is Membership Chair on the Executive Committee of the International Women's Forum (IWF) Atlantic Chapter. Born in Vancouver, Wendy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, and an MBA from Saint Mary’s University. She holds a Certified International Trade Professional designation (CITP) and is an alumna of the Caribbean Canada Emerging Leaders Dialogue and Royal Canadian Navy Canadian Leaders at Sea (CLaS) Program. In November 2023, she attained her ICD.D designation through the Institute of Corporate Directors, Director Education Program and is really geeking out on governance! In March 2023 Wendy was honoured with Atlantic Canada's 25 Most Powerful Women in Business award.