Dr. Cathy Miyata
Whether collecting, mining, researching, writing, or telling, Dr. Cathy Miyata is passionate about story. As a master storyteller she has performed, conducted workshops, lectured, and delivered keynote presentations for educational, corporate, and student audiences in Germany, Sweden, Serbia, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, Portugal, Mexico, the United States, and all across Canada. Her presentation style is vibrant, emotionally charged, and deeply meaningful, transforming you from tears of laughter to tears of sadness and back again. She also maintains a wide repertoire of folklore (folktales, legends, myths, parables, sacred stories) from many cultures which she weaves into her presentations depending on the needs and requests of her audience.
As an award-winning author, Cathy has published in a variety of genres: novels, teacher education books, academic chapters, research studies, and journal articles. Her writing styles are eclectic, poignant, and powerful.
As a life-long learner, at the age of 52 she decided to pursue an educational dream by beginning her doctorate at U of T. Even before she defended, she was offered an Assistant Professorship in the Faculty of Education and Global Education Departments at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her uncanny ability to transform a dry lecture into a compelling story event made her extremely popular on campus in both the undergraduate and graduate programs.
She recently left her role at Laurier in order to write full-time. Her third novel, co-written with her husband Kaz, is awaiting publication. Cathy considers this work to be the most significant writing of her career so far. It captures the heart wrenching and desperate plight of a Japanese Canadian family incarcerated in a German prisoner of war camp in Northern Ontario after the second world war has ended. Sadly, there is almost no public knowledge of this camp and most of the events in the novel are true. The scenes were woven together from interviews with survivors who graciously shared their memories, recollections, and nightmares about this devastating time in Canada’s history. Cathy’s husband was imprisoned in this camp.
Speaking Topics
Dr. Cathy Miyata is a dynamic speaker whose expertise spans leadership, inspiration, and the art of masterful storytelling. With a deep commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), she empowers audiences to embrace diverse perspectives while cultivating authentic leadership. Renowned for her engaging public speaking, Dr. Miyata seamlessly blends insight, personal experience, and compelling narratives to inspire action and foster meaningful connections. Her presentations leave audiences motivated, enlightened, and equipped with practical tools to lead with impact.
Outsider on the Inside
As a white middle class woman, I had a lot to learn about raising BIPOC children, handling discriminatory snipes, and supporting my partner’s challenges. Hard lessons. Life-changing but worthwhile lessons. EDI are gifts worth fighting for.
Successful Leadership
If a leader wants to be authentic, make an impact, drive their team forward, embed a vision, transform an image, or rescue a failure, they need the right story, for the right audience, told the right way. And they need it now. In this interactive presentation we will explore several narrative structures and techniques that will help you achieve your leadership goals.
Community Building
Solidify your group by exploring the three C’s of Community Building: Collaboration, Connection, and Communication. In this interactive presentation, you will learn strategies and techniques that bring people together.
Speak and Be Heard!
If you want to be heard, really heard, then learn to tell well. This interactive presentation will provide you with the techniques you need to motivate, persuade or inspire your team, class, or audience.
YOUR Life, YOUR Story
In this interactive presentation explore techniques of mining and writing, empowering you to capture those crucial life moments that make thrilling and impactful stories for sharing.
Cathy will create presentations uniquely for your group upon request. She is also available for workshops and residencies. Presentations can be in person or virtual.
Testimonials
“Cathy is an exceptional speaker. She is captivating, insightful, and profoundly authentic. Her ability to blend academic knowledge with real-world experience brought the topic to life in a way that was both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. I was fully engaged throughout her presentation and the conversations she inspired continued long after our session had ended. What impacted me most was her call to move from awareness to meaningful action, a message that continues to shape my leadership today. Cathy doesn’t just talk about equity; she lives it, breathes it, and empowers others to do the same. She is articulate, genuine, and truly inspirational.”
– Josée Landriault: Directrice, École Secondaire Gaétan Gervais
“Cathy brings the perfect blend of humour, heart, and intellectual engagement in her professional speaking sessions, and I would highly recommend her to any organization or team looking to drive transformational change centered around an ethic of love.”
– Betsy Enriquez: Instructional Program Leader, Halton District School Board
“Cathy’s impact on our faculty was immediate and lasting. Whether speaking to a small group in a workshop or a packed auditorium, Cathy connected with her audience through a powerful blend of storytelling, research, visuals, and real classroom practice. Her sessions were both informative and inspiring.”
– Mr. Chuck Reid: Director and Ms. Suzanne Tsuchida: Associate Director of Academics: Dover International School, Cairo, Egypt
“Dr. Cathy Miyata is a brilliant storyteller. She reads a room with the sensitivity of a true artist- chooses stories that meet her audience exactly where they are- and then lifts them to someplace more expansive. She can make you laugh and cry in the same breath. More than that, she consistently moves her audience into a deeper sense of understanding themselves. Her keynote addresses are not only masterclasses in communication—they’re unforgettable experiences that leave people feeling seen, connected, and inspired.”
– Nicole Fougere: Executive Director, Rotary Arts Centre, Corner Brook, NL
“It’s obvious from the moment you meet Cathy that she has a passion for storytelling and is eager to share that passion with others. Cathy was part of our Inspiring Success Speaker Series, where she led us through the art of storytelling. Not only did she share her own stories, we learned to engage, persuade and motivate others through storytelling and the practical ways we can build collaboration, connection, and community.”
– Jill Reiner: Director, Talent – Human Resources, Wilfrid Laurier University
“Dr. Miyata is a dynamic speaker and master storyteller who draws on drama, literacy, and creativity to engage and inspire. Her warmth, energy, and deep understanding of learning combined with her practical and powerful use of storytelling strategies, leave a lasting impression on audiences.”
– Dr. Kari-Lynn Winters: Professor, Brock University
“Cathy has a unique talent for engaging diverse groups, ensuring that each presentation is memorable and that it resonates deeply with the audience. She manages to captivate everyone in the room and keep them engaged. Her presentations are experiences that stick with you long afterwards, and I have found the messages to be both enlightening and profoundly moving.”
– Laurie Reid: System Principal, HDSB
“Dr. Miyata’s gift for beautifully expressive and moving oratory stands out for her natural conveyance of personal insight, based on vast intercultural dialogue and the uncanny ability to peer into the hearts of others. Audiences respond to her deep empathy and quick mind.”
– Paulus Linnaeus: Graphic Artist
“During her keynote address, Dr. Miyata shared her insights on public speaking and the transformative potential of storytelling as a powerful creative tool for connection and inspirational impact. I left the keynote stimulated by the practical tips on how to better engage an audience and with a beautiful parable that I later shared while emceeing another event. Dr. Miyata inspired me to embrace the opportunity to share stories with others. Thank you, Cathy, for reminding us of the power of words and the importance on how we deliver them.”
– Suzanne Luke: University Art Curator, Robert Langen Art Gallery
Robin Stevenson
Robin Stevenson is an award-winning queer Canadian author of more than thirty books for young readers. She has written non-fiction about queer history, activism, and rights; novels for teens and children; and picture books for the youngest readers. Her recent titles include Queer History A-Z; Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle; Pride Puppy; and A Hug on the Wind. Robin has a master’s degree in social work, and worked as a counselor, group facilitator and social work instructor for ten years before beginning to write while on parental leave.
Robin’s books have won the Silver Birch Award, the Sheila A. Egoff award and a Stonewall Honor, and been finalists for the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the Lambda Literary Awards, four BC Book Prizes, and many reader’s choice awards. Her work has received numerous starred reviews, and been translated and published in more than ten countries. In 2023, she was awarded the BC Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence in recognition of her body of work and her contributions to the literary community.
Robin is a vocal advocate for reader’s rights and a strong voice in opposing censorship and book bans. She was named as the 2022 Champion of Free Expression by the Book and Periodical Council of Canada. She has faced challenges to many of her books, and in 2025, her picture book Pride Puppy was at the center of a US Supreme Court case, Mahmoud v. Taylor. She regularly speaks about books and writing, about 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion in schools and libraries, and about issues related to censorship and book bans.
SPEAKING TOPICS WITH DESCRIPTION AND AUDIENCE
Robin is available for keynotes, conference sessions, festivals, writing workshops and panels, professional development, and consulting.
For Educators & Librarians
- Who’s Afraid of Pride Puppy!? Books, Bans and Backlash
In the current landscape of anti-LGBTQ+ backlash and book challenges, both authors and educators who are committed to inclusion face new challenges — but despite the risks, many are refusing self-censorship, building networks of support, and advocate for diverse books and readers’ rights.
- Pride, Inclusion and Belonging: The Importance of LGBTQ+ Representation in Books
Inclusive books help students see themselves, understand others, and feel a sense of belonging. As anti-LGBTQ+ hate rises, representation is more important than ever. - Why Book Banners (and the US Supreme Court) Are So Afraid of Queer Joy
LGBGTQ+ children’s books show people being themselves and being loved and celebrated for who they are. Queer joy is powerful — and we need to keep celebrating it and sharing it. - Readers, Leaders, Disruptors
Knowing where we have come from helps light the way forward. Stories of resistance can be used to inspire reflection and action, to show students the power of words, and to empower young people to tell their own stories and make their voices heard. - Creating Inclusive Spaces
Practical strategies for supporting 2SLGBTQ+ students and creating safer and more welcoming spaces in classrooms and libraries. - Talking to Young People About Challenging Topics
How books can spark necessary conversations about identity, belonging, and social justice.
For Writing Conferences & Festivals
- My Book Was Banned: Now What?
Robin will share the story of what happened when her picture book Pride Puppy found itself at the US Supreme Court—and what she learned about book challenges, fighting back, staying safe, and protecting creativity and resilience. - Writing as Resistance
In an era marked by rising book bans, online hostility, and backlash against diverse stories, writing can be difficult for writers whose stories — and identities — are targeted. How do we resist the urge to self-censor? And how do we stay true to our voices, tell the stories we want to tell, and write the books our readers need? - Writing Queer Books for All Ages
Fiction or non-fiction, from toddlers to adults: all our readers need books that reflect their lives and the world they live in. So how can writers — regardless of their own identities — ensure their writing is inclusive of the diverse LGBTQ+ community? - Craft-Focused Workshops on a Range of Topics
Co-writing a novel; character development; trouble-shooting a manuscript; dealing with writer’s block; sparking new ideas; the magic of revision; writing children’s non-fiction about challenging topics, etc.
For Organizations, Employee Events, and Lunch-and-Learns
- Stories Can’t Be Silenced: Lessons from the Pride Puppy Case
What happened when a picture book about a lost puppy at a Pride parade became the target of the conservative legal movement in the United States—and ended up at the US Supreme Court. - Books Change — and Save — Lives
The social impact of diverse literature and why representation matters. - 2SLGBTQ+ Inclusion 101
Practical ways workplaces, schools, and libraries can foster belonging for 2SLGBTQ+ people. - Censorship and Free Expression
What rising book bans reveal about our culture, and how to respond with courage and integrity. - The Power of Stories
How sharing our stories builds empathy and connection and leads to social change.
ONLINE INTERVIEWS
- A Canadian Picture Book at the U.S. Supreme Court | The Agenda with Steve Paikin on TVO
- Velshi Banned Book Club on MSNBC
- Pride Puppy Author Talks LGBTQ+ Book Bans and SCOTUS case, on Boom! Lawyered podcast:
- As It Happens on CBC
PRINT INTERVIEWS AND ARTICLES
- First person article in Macleans Magazine: How My LGBGQ+ Kids’ Book Ended up at the US Supreme Court
- ‘All kids deserve to see families like their own in the books they read’: Robin Stevenson writes books she wishes she had read growing up, from PEN America
- You Can’t Read That: Banning kids’ books in Canada and the United States, from PEN Canada
- Author Robin Stevenson Resists Organized Challenges to Books About Sexual Minorities, from Freedom to Read
- Interview in Vancouver Sun about Pride: The Celebration and The Struggle
PULL QUOTES FROM REVIEWS, WITH LINKS
Reviews for Queer History A to Z: 100 Years of LGBTQ+ Activism:
“Perfect for middle school and public libraries; an essential collection of LGBTQIA+ history.” – School Library Journal
“Queer History A to Z is a must-buy title from an accomplished veteran of LGBTQ+ children’s and YA literature. Highly Recommended.” – Canadian Materials
Reviews for Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle
“Stevenson’s joyful celebration of self, community, existence, and activism examines Pride parades, how they came to be, and what they celebrate… An indispensable and celebratory primer on the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights. An excellent resource that is as thorough as it is visually appealing.” – Starred review, School Library Journal
Reviews for Pride Puppy
“Highly—and proudly—recommended… The book is sheer delight and will be a welcome addition to shelves everywhere.” – Starred review, Kirkus
“This engaging introduction to Pride parades for the youngest readers successfully testifies to the warmth and power of queer community.” – Starred review, Publisher’s Weekly
TESTIMONIALS
“Robin was the keynote speaker at the Children and Teen Services conference for library staff. She presented on the topic of young people’s right to read and the challenges to this right. The presentation was factual, educational and powerful. In addition to presenting, Robin facilitated a group exercise for staff on how to better support 2SLGBTQ+ youth and families in our communities. Participants were able to openly share and learn from each other because Robin created a positive learning space. I definitely recommend Robin as a speaker and facilitator.”
– ASHLEY MACHUM, Head of Youth Services, Okanagan Regional Library, Kelowna, BC
“Robin was a dynamic and engaging speaker and presenter who connected so well with audiences of all ages. From a host perspective, Robin was also an absolute dream to work with – responsive, flexible and generous with her time and so much fun to be around. She is easy to recommend as an author, as a presenter and as a workshop leader!”
– DEB ISBISTER, Red Deer Library
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Robin as a keynote speaker and a program facilitator, and appreciate her understanding of our roles as educators, and navigating systems to ensure that all students see themselves and their peers reflected through literature. Robin is extremely knowledgeable about the experiences, rights, and histories of Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ humans, and always works to center lived experiences of intersectional identities in all of her work. I highly recommend her as a speaker and facilitator for both students and educators.”
– ELIZA HYNES, Resource Teacher – Indigenous Education, Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression and Community Partnership, Peel District School Board
“Robin is a dynamic and thoughtful speaker who was part of author events at my university that were engaging and deeply relevant. The events sparked meaningful conversations about writing for young adults and children, censorship issues we face today, queer representation in literature, and the power of inclusive storytelling. She brought warmth, insight, and a strong sense of purpose to our library’s events—an invaluable voice in today’s cultural landscape.”
– Joseph Hafner, Dean of Libraries, York University
“Hosting Robin at the library for an evening discussion about the censorship of LGBTQA2S+ materials was eye-opening for everyone involved. She was knowledgeable, personable, and presented her information in a manner accessible and relatable to everyone in the audience, from teens to seniors.”
– Wendy Wright, Director of Smithers Public Library, BC, senior fellow at the Canadian Center for Free Expression
Danny Ramadan
Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ+ refugees’ advocate. His memoir Crooked Teeth received raving reviews and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. His latest novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and was nominated for both the BC & Yukon Book Prizes and the City of Vancouver Book Award. His debut novel, The Clothesline Swing, won the Independent Publisher Book Award, was longlisted for Canada Reads, and has been translated into multiple languages.
Ramadan is also the author of the award-winning Salma children’s series, which has received the Nautilus Book Award, the Publishing Triangle Award, the Middle East Book Award, and numerous other accolades.
Since arriving in Canada, he has raised over $300,000 to support LGBTQ+ refugees, securing safe passage for more than two dozen queer and trans individuals. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Adler University.
He lives in Vancouver with his husband and two dogs — and when he’s not writing, he’s probably playing video games.
Speaking Topics
Exploring Identity, Storytelling, and Social Justice through Lived Experience
The Immigration Journey
Ramadan speaks thoughtfully and with lived experience about the journey of immigration — from the personal realities of leaving Syria and building a new life in Canada, to the broader challenges faced by refugees and newcomers. Blending memoir-style storytelling with current research, he explores the emotional, political, and cultural impact of migration. His tone is candid, compassionate, and often humorous, offering space for honest conversations about belonging, identity, and resilience.
Intersectionality in Activism and the Writing Life
With a deep understanding of layered identities, Ramadan offers insights into how intersectionality can shape both creative work and community advocacy. Whether he’s discussing the role of intersectionality in building inclusive movements or developing fully realized characters on the page, his approach is clear, grounded, and inviting. Ramadan’s background as a writer, activist, and union leader allows him to navigate this topic with nuance, making complex ideas accessible and engaging for a wide range of audiences.
Writing Across Genres: Craft, Editing, and Storytelling Tools
As a writer of novels, memoir, and children’s literature, Ramadan brings a multi-genre perspective to conversations about writing craft. He speaks about narrative structure, editing strategies, voice, and revision, offering practical tools for writers at any stage of their career. His sessions are accessible, flexible, and often shaped by the needs of the audience — whether they’re new writers in classrooms or professionals in literary spaces. Ramadan’s style is friendly, generous, and focused on growth rather than perfection.
Queerness and Identity
Ramadan brings warmth, openness, and clarity to conversations around queerness — both as a lived experience and as a lens through which to view art, culture, and personal growth. He reflects on his own journey as a queer man from the Middle East and how it has shaped his voice, community, and storytelling. His talks offer space for vulnerability, joy, and honest reflection, making them especially resonant in educational and community-focused settings.
Karen van Kampen
Karen van Kampen is an author, creative writing instructor and award-winning journalist who has built a career on writing, sharing and listening to stories. She focuses on the art and science of storytelling to educate, inspire and connect to gain new perspectives and boost well-being.
In The Brain Never Sleeps: Why We Dream and What it Means for our Health (Simon & Schuster Canada, 2026), Karen guides readers on a journey through dreamland to discover why dreams matter and how we can reclaim this alternate realm of experience. Her interest in dreams began at the age of nine when her dad opened one of the first independent sleep laboratories in Canada and she was his first lab assistant, practising electrode hook up and testing. She went on to work on the business side of sleep for more than 15 years.
Karen offers insightful and engaging talks on the power of human story in the age of AI. Karen leads interactive workshops for individuals and companies to learn the essential elements of a compelling story that connects and inspires audiences, taking their ideas from concept to podium. Karen explores how we can harness our natural superpower of sleep to improve our well-being and shares how we can use dreams as a creative brainstorming tool in business and in life. Karen has audiences create their own dreamer toolkit to reveal their concerns, reduce nightmares and benefit from the insights and self-awareness of dreams.
She is the author of The Golden Cell: The Quest for the Next Great Medical Breakthrough (HarperCollins), which garnered extensive media coverage. Her writing has appeared in various publications including The Globe and Mail, National Post, Flare magazine, FASHION magazine and Reader’s Digest. She has worked as a writer and editor at several magazines and newspapers. Karen teaches creative non-fiction and science and public health writing at the University of Toronto.
Speaking Topics
Storytelling
The Power of Human Story in the Digital Age
Discover why human stories have the power to strengthen learning, empathy and well-being. Learn how we are wired to communicate and connect through story, empathizing with characters and gaining personal insights. Discover how storytellers and listeners share similar brain activity as a story unfolds and the “narrative transport” of storytelling that connects people emotionally. Learn the art of strategic storytelling, the essential elements of a compelling story and how to package your story to make it your own. Practical tips on effective communication to build a digital presence, make big ideas resonate and find your voice to influence, inspire and make a meaningful impact.
Storytelling as a Business Tool
Learn the importance and impact of compelling stories to build brands, become a trusted voice and drive change. Hands-on instruction to develop your voice as a leader and communicator, craft your message and shape your story to connect with your target audience and achieve your strategic goals. Learn how meaningful, authentic stories create a dynamic and engaged work culture and build a loyal audience that lives your brand. Tips on creating valuable content that meets customer wants, needs and challenges. Explore the power of story-based advocacy to drive social change.
Sleep, Dreams and Well-being
Build a Work Culture that Prioritizes Sleep and Well-being
Sleep fuels the body and the mind, just like food. Learn how sleep and dreams can improve workplace productivity, job satisfaction and employee retention. Adopt healthy sleep habits and create your own sleep system to gain health and wellness benefits in your personal and professional lives.
The Dream Dimension: Why we Dream and How to Use Dreams to Improve our Waking Lives
Explore the connection between dreams and waking life to reveal your preoccupations, concerns and state of mind. Uncover possible functions and many benefits of dreaming. Investigate dream engineering to guide your dreams, reduce nightmares and harness their creative power to solve problems and gain new insights.
Night Shift: What Our Work Dreams are Trying to Tell Us
Explore common work dreams, their impact on productivity and happiness, and what happens to our sleep and dreams if we try to suppress work anxieties. Gain strategies on how to combat and manage work stress dreams. Create your own dreamer’s toolkit of high-tech and low-tech dream tools to harness the benefits of your dreams for your health and well-being.
To learn more about Karen’s business storytelling and consulting work, visit her consulting website. Through Daring and Kind, Karen partners with organizations and individuals to craft authentic narratives that connect, influence and drive meaningful change. The site offers insight into her consulting approach, client collaborations, and how story can be used as a powerful tool for leadership, innovation and impact.
Jen Sookfong Lee
Jen Sookfong Lee writes, edits, and sometimes sings badly on a podcast.
Her books include The Conjoined, nominated for International Dublin Literary Award and a finalist for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, The Better Mother, a finalist for the City of Vancouver Book Award, The End of East, The Shadow List, and Finding Home. Her memoir, Superfan, explores her lifetime obsession with pop culture, and was an instant bestseller before being a named a Best Book of 2023 by both the Globe & Mail and Apple Books. Called “a dazzling, kaleidoscopic memoir” by the Toronto Star, Superfan was also featured on the Today Show, The Social, and eTalk.
A familiar voice on radio and podcasts, Jen was a columnist for CBC Radio One’s On the Coast, All Points West, and The Next Chapter for many years and was also a frequent co-host of the Studio One Book Club. She also taught fiction at The Writers’ Studio Online at Simon Fraser University for six years. Currently, she co-hosts the literary podcast, Can’t Lit, with Dina Del Bucchia and acquires and edits for ECW Press.
Born and raised in East Vancouver, Jen now lives in North Burnaby with her son and very emotional rescue dog.
Jen’s Speaking topics
- The Intimate and the Universal: How Memoir Builds Connections and Community
Jen explores how writing about the self can forge deep connections between the author and the reader, but also between seemingly disparate communities. Each story—and each life—is unique and idiosyncratic, but at the heart of great memoir writing is the possibility of kinship and reciprocity, a relationship where humanity’s greatest emotions are shared, acknowledged, and understood.
- Talking to Kids About Tough Topics in the News
In an increasingly divided world where disturbing and traumatic news stories are broadcast every day, children are experiencing anxiety and confusion. In this talk, Jen, an experienced non-fiction children’s author and mother, guides educators and caregivers with tips on how to discuss issues such as war, homelessness, racism, and colonization with children, and how to answer their questions with compassion and clarity.
- Pop Culture, Representation, and Identity
Even though we think of pop culture as fun entertainment, the reality is that it holds a mirror up to each of us and our preoccupations, while also shaping the ways in which we perceive others and ourselves. In this talk, Jen discusses the impacts of representation (or the lack thereof) on marginalized communities, the harm that aspirational celebrity branding can enact, how increased visibility has and can change the creative industries and their fans, and the joy and connectedness we feel when a media asset truly reflects who we are.
- Writing, Inclusion, and Diversity
After twenty years working in publishing in every role one can imagine, Jen has a few things to say about the role of inclusion in the book industry. How can authors and publishing professionals navigate an industry that has struggled to enact systemic change? Here, Jen chats about why diversity, particularly at the management and executive levels, seems so hard to integrate, and why inclusion from the top down only means a greater variety of stories and voices, and a more compassionate and nimble industry as a whole.
Eliza Reid
Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Eliza’s first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick, and translated into numerous languages. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death of a Diplomat (Death on the Island in the U.S.), will be published in spring 2025.
From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she acted as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. A memoir of her time in the role is set for publication in 2026.
Passionate about inclusion, belonging, and equality, she wielded her influence through poignant op-eds, a compelling TEDx talk, and dozens of keynote addresses to audiences of hundreds around the world, including presidents and royalty. In addition to public speaking, Eliza Reid is an experienced moderator and has interviewed celebrities, including politicians and other world leaders such as Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ashley Judd and internationally-acclaimed authors Louise Penny and Anthony Horowitz. Her advocacy in the field of gender equality has been praised by U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Governor General Mary Simon, and numerous others. She has also received awards from the Better World Fund, Meet in Reykjavík, and the Institute for South Asian Women.
Eliza has degrees from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Oxford University (St. Antony’s College). She lives in the outskirts of Reykjavík with her husband and four children.
Eliza’s Speaking topics
- Secrets of the Sprakkar: How to Bring Gender Equality Within Reach, and Why That’s Important for Everyone
What do a fishing captain who dabbles as a standup comedian, a group of middle-aged women who swam across the English Channel, and a small-town Canadian who unexpectedly became First Lady all have in common? They are all women in the tiny Nordic country of Iceland, the country closest in the world to closing the gender gap. Iceland has a word – *sprakkar –* that means “extraordinary women” and this informative and funny talk, which is based on Eliza’s bestselling book *Secrets of the Sprakkar <https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Secrets-of-the-Sprakkar/Eliza-Reid/9781982174064>*,
shares their stories and those of many others who are making a difference in their communities by being positive role models. Be reminded how building greater equality will benefit everyone in society, and be inspired to continue your vital work making a positive difference in the world by nudging things in the right direction. (Spoiler alert: Eliza herself is the unexpected first lady of this description)
- The Bend in the Road: How to Make the Most of Unexpected Opportunity
Eliza’s memoir of her time as first lady is set for publication in 2026 and this talk is based on much of that content.
Eliza Reid grew up in small-town Canada and met her Icelandic husband, Guðni Jóhannesson, at graduate school in England. When she gave fate a push by contriving to win a date with him in a raffle, she never imagined that spontaneous decision would lead her to becoming First Lady of Iceland almost two decades later, after a whirlwind seven-week campaign on her husband’s first foray into public office.
Incorporating insightful behind-the-scenes moments from life in the world of global leaders; from having tea at the White House with the Bidens, to poignant moments such as attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, navigating volcanic eruptions and living through a global pandemic, this talk examines how Eliza navigated her public but undefined role, and used it to upend expectations about first ladies.
Although it’s entertaining and provides a glimpse into an unusual world, this talk is really about inspiring people to make the most of unexpected opportunities, to be forces for positive change in the world. It’s for everyone who strives to write their own fairytale, and subvert the expectations others might impose on us.
- Storytelling for leadership and change
Everyone has a unique story. Paying attention and harnessing the wisdom of your journey can enhance how you move through the world—the type of organization you run, the children you raise, the people whose lives you’ll impact.
This workshop is designed to help you make sense of your story and sharpen your observation skills to better understand the stories that continue to unfold around you. It will help you to tease out the special details of a life and how to use those details to inspire, inform, and connect with others, putting your story to work to bring out the kind of change you want to create in your company or community.
- General talks in the sphere of travel & sustainability
I have delivered numerous keynote speeches on travel and sustainability at industry events and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals in 2017. I can adapt speeches to suit a broad range of audiences and explore a variety of topics. Often using Iceland as a case study, I can speak to how travel and tourism are economic drivers in a country; the challenges and opportunities that tourism brings, and how Iceland is a leader in sustainable tourism and has (unusually) a generally positive view of tourism among its local population.
More broadly speaking, travelling and discovering new places and meeting new people has the potential to bridge divides and bring us closer together. I have travelled extensively, much of it solo, and can share some of the stories I have heard and adventures I’ve had on the road, and what that has taught me about communication and cooperation in other facets of life.
Testimonials
“She shared many heartfelt messages, leaving an indelible impression as one of the most empowered, driven, and inspiring women I have ever met.”
—Lilian Atho, CEO and Founder Real Time Global
“I had the great privilege of recently attending a speech by Iceland’s former First Lady, Eliza Reid. She was funny, smart, insightful, and entertaining. She didn’t hit a homerun; she hit a grand slam.”
—Jean Becker, Former Chief of Staff to George H.W. Bush
“Her energy, intelligence and integrity are so inspiring and most of all, I love how real she is. When you think of a First Lady you don’t expect someone to be so warm, unpretentious and personable.”
—Amy Skelding, Managing Partner at Finn Partners Travel
“Ms. Eliza Reid captivated our group of over 100 lawyers and their spouses with her stories of life in Iceland and extraordinary women in Icelandic history, but the best aspect of her presentation was the message that equality in authority and parity in opportunity are possible and within reach. Eliza’s approachable style and comfortable delivery, sprinkled with humor and playful wit, capture and sustain the attention of the audience. She is a delightful, entertaining and empowering keynote speaker for any meeting or conference.”
Steve Quattlebaum, 2023 National President of The American Board of Trial Advocates
Rukhsana Khan
Rukhsana Khan is an award-winning author and storyteller. She was born in Lahore, Pakistan and immigrated to Canada at the age of three. She grew up bullied in a small town and read books to survive. Rukhsana has eighteen award-winning books published, and more on the way. In 2013, her book BIG RED LOLLIPOP was chosen by the New York Public Library as one of the 100 greatest children’s books in the last 100 years.
She has appeared on television, radio and been featured at festivals around the world.
She lives in Toronto with her husband and family.
Awards
In addition to the awards her books have won, Rukhsana has been recognized with the following:
- Artist in Library at Fairview Public Library, Toronto Arts Council, 2014
- Writer in Residence, Toronto District School Board 2013
- The Award of Excellence from the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals (CAMP) Toronto chapter, 2008
- The Communication & Leadership Award from the District 60 branch of Toastmasters, 2004
- The Literature Award from the Canadian Islamic Congress, 2004
Rukhsana Khan Speaking Topics
Rukhsana has been a public speaker for more than twenty years and has done several workshops on public speaking. She has an incredible ability to project not only her voice, but her personality. Even when she speaks softly, audiences hang onto every word.
Engaging the Reluctant Student—The Art of Storytelling (is not dead)
Colonization in Western Literature
Developing Strength and Resiliency in our Children
Forget About Projecting Your Voice—Project Your Personality
The Key to Diversity, Inclusion and Equity is to Get Past It
Elisabeth Burks
Elisabeth Burks (she/her) brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of culture and commerce, driving revenue and relevance for cultural icons like John Legend, global brands like Samsung, and entertainment giants like Sony Music and TIFF. As a visionary strategist, she guides organizations and leaders through the challenges of boardrooms and the marketplace—delivering transformational insights and strategies for leadership, business growth and cultural relevance. As founder and CEO of Known Entity, Elisabeth specializes in creating cultural and commercial strategies that move markets and mindsets. Elisabeth holds an EMBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and the Schulich School of Business, and a B.A. in Media and Cultural Studies from The New School in New York City. A proud mother and wife, she is a sought-after public speaker and moderator and a passionate advocate for youth and social impact.
“Elisabeth’s extensive experience is distinguished as a unique and trusted advisor for top-tier businesses. Her specialized expertise provides a compelling strategic vision on how to harness cultural trends to drive commerce in today’s fragmented market. Her approach, equally strategic and sincere, is both refreshing and inspiring.” —Veronica Gaik, Executive Director, Brand Sales & Partnerships at TikTok Canada
Elisabeth Burks Speaking Topics
As a sought-after speaker and moderator, Elisabeth is equal parts advisor, strategist and motivator. Elisabeth delivers more than just inspiring keynotes—she develops workshops and seminars tailored to help organizations impact culture and the bottom line.
Leveraging Culture as a Competitive Advantage
Learn how to build and sustain cultural capital, transforming relevance into long-term commercial success.
Strategic Workshops on Aligning Purpose with Profit
Interactive sessions that equip teams with strategies for meeting consumer expectations while driving ROI.
Tailored Training on Navigating Emerging Trends
Seminars designed to decode and apply cultural shifts to leadership, branding, and marketing strategies.
Designing Commerce Around Culture
Learn the step-by-step process of connecting cultural movements to product innovation and market leadership.
Building Teams for a Culture-Driven Future
Unpacks how cultural movements and consumer trends are reshaping organizationz and how businesses can stay ahead by aligning their leadership strategies with cultural shifts.
Sharon and Randi
Since the 1970s, Sharon, Lois & Bram have been family-entertainment superstars across North America and beyond. Over the course of their 45-year musical journey, Sharon, Lois & Bram produced dozens of recordings and compilations, as well as three award-winning, best-selling children’s books. Together, the threesome appeared in many of the most prominent venues in the United States, as well as every major concert hall in Canada. They were Goodwill ambassadors, received countless awards, sold millions of albums worldwide and starred in two critically acclaimed television series (The Elephant Show and Skinnamarink TV). They are widely recognized as the most beloved children’s entertainers of all time.
Sharon Hampson and Bram Morrison performed as a duo for more than 20 years after Lois Lilienstein stepped away from live performing. The Sharon, Lois & Bram tiktok has made them social media darlings with over 37M+ views and 188,000+ followers.
When Bram retired from touring at the end of 2019, Sharon’s daughter, Randi, joined Sharon as a live performer, and recently produced and sang on the JUNO-nominated album, Sharon & Bram and Friends, as well as writing three picture books for Penguin Random House, Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Skinnamarink, One Elephant Went out to Play, and Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Now Sharon and Randi are continuing to share the music of Sharon, Lois & Bram, performing in both live and virtual settings as A Sharon, Lois & Bram Singalong with Sharon & Randi. Just as Sharon, Lois & Bram brought happiness to four generations of children and their grown-ups, Randi and Sharon are now bringing their own live performances, featuring stories, music, memories, and life lessons, to a new generation of adults and children.
Speaking topics and performances
A Sharon, Lois & Bram Sing Along with Sharon & Randi
This singalong gathering is a real family affair featuring Sharon & Randi, Randi’s son Ethan and her beau, Jim. Singalong highlights include such beloved Sharon, Lois & Bram favorites as “Tingalayo,” “Hey Dum Diddeley Dum,” “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain,” and, of course, “Skinnamarink. Guaranteed to be a fun, interactive time for children, their families and the young at heart.
Randi and Sharon in the classroom
Randi and Sharon play games, sing songs, teach finger play and make music with classes and children from JK-grade 4.
Behind the Scenes and Life Lessons with Sharon & Randi
Listen in on captivating conversation and stories of tours, TV, parties, and behind-the-scenes peeks. Sharon also shares her personal journey dealing with breast cancer, the loss of her husband, Joe, then partner and friend, Lois. This will be poignant, fun, infused with laughter, inside stories and of course, always singing. This can be an intimate event with a Q&A or a keynote address.
Finding your Child Spirit Workshops for Teachers
Sharon & Randi will delight educators by singing and reading from their three best-selling children’s books, and teaching songs and gameplay to their educator audience. Participants will reconnect with their child spirit by engaging in literary and musical activities they will take back to their classrooms. This will be a fun hour of singing, dancing and laughing, that consequently teaches about memory, food, rhyme, counting, patience, coordination, cooperation and so much more.
Kai Thomas
Kai Thomas is an author and educator. His background and body of work span from land stewardship, carpentry, and small-scale farming to historical research and scholarship.
His debut novel, In the Upper Country, was awarded the 2023 Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust prize for fiction and was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction and the Amazon Canada First Novel Award. The work has been featured in news outlets such as NPR, CBC, The New York Times, and the Globe and Mail.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Writing from the Land
How can writing cultivate connection with nature? In this workshop, Kai facilitates exercises of storytelling from the land, offers reflections on how land-based work and play can invigorate and inform writing practice, and opens discussions on the role of storytellers in an era of environmental crisis.
Approaching the Novel
Novel writing can be a daunting task. In this presentation, Kai makes it less so by speaking candidly about strategies for managing some of the challenges of the process. From topic-selection and drafting techniques to research approaches, participants will learn and engage with valuable perspectives in the craft of prose fiction.
Story-ing the Past
Stories of our past are a powerful way to understand the present. Through personal storytelling and guided reflection Kai holds space to immerse in and meditate on the narratives that have shaped us.
Other topics or types of workshops, consultations, lectures, readings, or interviews may be developed for a particular group or event.
To book Kai Thomas, contact Rob Firing at rob@transatlanticagency.com