Speakers

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Robb Bassett has over twenty years of experience in the investment industry. He got his start as a financial advisor and has worked with several firms during the course of his career.

For the last ten years, Robb has been part of the compliance department at Raymond James, one of the largest financial services firms in North America. He currently serves as VP Compliance Raymond James Ltd.

Tashia Batstone is the President and CEO of FP Canada™, the leading certification and oversight body for the financial planning profession in Canada.

Since joining FP Canada, some of her biggest priorities have included promoting financial wellness for all Canadians; improving access to financial planning services; and increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the financial planning profession.

Before joining FP Canada, Tashia held senior executive positions at the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and also spent 5 years as CEO of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador. She played a significant role in the unification of the accounting profession in Canada and led the development of the CPA Certification Program.

Tashia has recently been appointed for a four-year term to the Board of Directors of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) and also serves on the Board of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

Her belief in giving back led Tashia to volunteer roles at organizations such as the CPA Canada Martin Family Initiative, the Anglican Foundation of Canada and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

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Ellen is a commercial litigator with over 25 years of practice at prominent Canadian firms, including her current firm, Babin Bessner Spry LLP. Her expertise is in representing securities dealers and advisors in regulatory (IIROC, MFDA, OSC, FSCO/FSRA and FP Canada) and employment and commercial litigation disputes for clients across Canada.

Ellen is the author of the bestselling book Advisor at Risk, a Roadmap to Protecting Your Business, and the sequel, Communication Risk, How to Bridge the Client-Advisor Gap to Protect and Grow Your Business for professionals in the financial services industry. She’s an expert speaker and is a regular contributor to national, business and industry press.

Ellen was appointed to the Ontario Securities Commission’s Expert Advisory Committee, co-authored a paper on risk profiling commissioned by the OSC’s Investor Advisory Panel, and is a panel member for enforcement proceedings for the Certified Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA).

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Beverly is a sought-after media spokesperson on mental health and workplace culture. For over twenty-five years, she’s helped organizations leverage her framework, the S-O-S Principle™, to control their reactions to stress, harness their energy, build resiliency, and create engaged workplace cultures.

Beverly is an author, consultant, and speaker who’s worked across industries such as healthcare, government, manufacturing, finance, and not-for-profit. She’s also one of less than seventy Canadians to have earned both the Certified Speaking Professional and Certified Virtual Presenter designations.

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Tamara Center has been the Director, Professional Conduct and Enforcement since joining FP Canada™ in 2019. Tamara oversees the FP Canada Standards Council’s enforcement process, including complaint intake and investigations, and she prosecutes alleged breaches of the Standards of Professional Responsibility. Tamara was previously Senior Litigation Counsel in the Enforcement Branch at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) from 2009 to 2015. She was also a prosecutor at the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario), where she acted as Professional Standards Counsel from 2016 to 2019.

Prior to transitioning into professional governance and regulation, Tamara was a lawyer in private practice with Fogler, Rubinoff LLP, where she practiced commercial litigation for 10 years. Tamara holds a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University.

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Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist and behavioral finance expert who helps organizations understand the intersection between minds and markets. Daniel's first book, Personal Benchmark: Integrating Behavioral Finance and Investment Management, was a New York Times bestseller. His second book, The Laws of Wealth, was named the best investment book of 2017 by the Axiom Business Book Awards and has been translated into 12 languages.

Daniel’s latest work, The Behavioral Investor, was Axiom's best investment book of 2019. It offers a comprehensive look at the neurology, physiology, and psychology of sound financial decision-making. When he's not decoding market psychology, Daniel is a father of three, a fanatical follower of the St. Louis Cardinals, an explorer of the American South, and an amateur hot sauce chef.

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Dr. Tom Deans is an intergenerational wealth expert who has delivered more than 2000 speeches to advisors and their clients in 27 countries. He began his full-time professional speaking career 15 years ago with the release of Every Family’s Business. The book was listed by the New York Times as one of the top ten books business owners should read and remains the best-selling family business book of all-time with over 1.5 million copies sold.

In 2019, Dr. Deans released his second book, Willing Wisdom, to critical acclaim. A Globe and Mail bestseller with more than 1 million copies sold, the book is being shared by advisors with their clients to help begin important estate planning conversations.

Prior to writing his books, Dr. Deans had a career in banking, acted as the president of a railway, and was CEO of his family’s multinational manufacturing business. Three generations of his family have successfully sold their businesses for a combined value exceeding $100 million. He continues to work with all the major wealth management, accounting and legal firms to bring client events to communities across the country.

A retired executive and former Senior Financial Advisor at Investment Planning Counsel (IPC), Ron’s financial planning career spanned more than 30 years.

An active member of both the professional accounting and financial planning communities, Ron was awarded the FP Canada™ Fellow distinction in 2011 and was named Vice-Chair in 2021. He is Past Chair of FP Canada’s Enforcement Policy Committee and a past member of FP Canada’s Certification Scheme Committee.

Ron is a Fellow of Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, Fellow of Certified General Accountants and a Chartered Director (C.Dir.) He is a Past Chair of Certified General Accountants of Ontario, and he also served on the Board of CPA Ontario Council. He is a current member of the National Advisory Board (NAB) with IPC.

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As a globally recognized innovation strategist, Shawn Kanungo works at the intersection of creativity, business, and technology. He spent 12 years at Deloitte, helping leaders better plan for the opportunities associated with disruptive innovation. Today, he’s a Partner with Queen & Rook, where he advises leading organizations and executives on disruptive trends and invests in early-stage ventures.

Shawn is the author of the bestselling debut book, The Bold Ones. He’s been recognized by Edify Magazine as one of their “Top 40 Under 40,” and a journalist at Forbes described him as the “best virtual keynote speaker I’ve ever seen.” Shawn’s work has been featured in the Globe and Mail, The Guardian, CBC, and CTV.

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Josh Koziebrocki is the principal lawyer and founder of Koziebrocki Law. He’s an experienced litigation lawyer and advocate who has appeared extensively before courts, tribunals, and regulatory bodies. His practice represents professionals in regulatory, disciplinary, criminal and civil proceedings. He has appeared as counsel at numerous regulatory hearings and at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Josh routinely represents corporations who employ and work with regulated professionals. He acts as independent legal counsel to several regulated colleges, and he’s been retained to act as amicus curiae in discipline proceedings at regulated colleges.

Prior to starting Koziebrocki Law, Josh was a partner at a leading Bay Street litigation firm. He’s also a former assistant crown attorney who has prosecuted all types of criminal cases. In addition, Josh has worked extensively with the Jays Care Foundation, serving as the founding chair of its Young Professionals Committee. He has also served on the Governing Council and Business Affairs Board of the University of Toronto.

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Damienne Lebrun-Reid is the Vice President of Standards, Certification and Enforcement at FP Canada. She is responsible for the development, maintenance, and enforcement of professional standards at FP Canada. Her role entails leading FP Canada’s certification program and requirements for QAFP^® professionals and CFP^® professionals and overseeing certification policies, certification examinations, and professional standards and competencies. She also leads the complaint and enforcement process.

Damienne began her career as a lawyer in private practice, gaining experience in civil fraud, securities litigation, health law, and corporate commercial litigation before transitioning into professional governance and regulation in 2009.

Damienne is a member of the Discipline and Fitness to Practice Hearing Panel Roster with the Ontario College of Teachers and serves as both a member and Chair of Discipline Hearing Panels for the OCT. She is the past Chair of the Review Committee Panel for the Human Resources Professional Association and the past Chair of the Advocates’ Society Regulatory and Administrative Law Practice Group. Damienne was also recognized as one of Wealth Professional’s 2017 Women of Influence.

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Mariska Loeppky is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). She works with clients on complex estate planning issues, business succession, and tax planning with a special focus on cross-border issues. Prior to joining IG in 2015, she spent 13 years working for a large accounting firm in Winnipeg.

As a CPA, Mariska completed the In-Depth Tax Program and the Advanced Tax Courses. She’s a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation, has her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation, and is a Trust & Estate Practitioner certified by the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Patricia Lovett-Reid is a respected Canadian financial guru. As the former Chief Financial Commentator for CTV News, she has coached viewers on how to save money, stretch their incomes, and get the best bang for their bucks.

Patricia provided weekday financial updates for CTV News Channel, CP24, and CTV Morning Live broadcasts, and she’s contributed her business analyses to stories on CTV National News. She hosted the Patricia Lovett-Reid Show on CTV News Channel and CTV, served as a weekly commentator on Canada AM, and acted as Senior Financial Commentator with CTV News in 2012. Prior to working at CTV, Patricia served as Senior Vice-President at TD Waterhouse Canada Inc.

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Dennis Moseley-Williams is an expert in customer experience, which is the predominant economic offering in the world today. He delivers captivating presentations that teach organizations how to create transformative experiences for clients, customers, and employees.

Dennis is the founder of Dennis Moseley-Williams Strategic Consulting and co-founder of the Serious Shift Community for financial advisors. He’s a pioneering member of The World Experience Organization and a contributor to several online experience design courses for advisors. Dennis is also the author of Serious Shift: How Experience Staging Can Save Your Practice, a guidebook on how the experience economy can be adapted specifically to the financial services industry.

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Tim Nash is an on expert on socially responsible investing, sustainability, and impact investing. As the founder of sustainable investing company Good Investing, he’s helped thousands of Canadians align their investment portfolios with their values.

Tim is regularly featured in publications such as CBC, BNN Bloomberg, and the Globe and Mail. He’s also the host of Responsible Investing for a Sustainable Economy, a weekly podcast from The Toronto Star. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Dalhousie University and his master’s in strategic leadership towards sustainability from the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden.

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Kendal Netmaker is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and gifted keynote speaker. He speaks professionally to thousands of people worldwide on resilience, leadership, and the power of telling your story.

Kendal is the founder of Neechie Gear^®, a lifestyle apparel brand that gives a percentage of its profits to funding underprivileged youth, empowering them to take part in sports. He’s also the author of Driven to Succeed and the recipient of over 25 business awards.

Jackie is an award-winning CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professional, best-selling author, and featured speaker who has helped thousands of clients grow their wealth, build fortresses around their finances, and keep more of their cash in their pockets. Her focus is on empowering women towards financial independence.

Jackie has been featured on The Star, CBC, the Agenda with Steve Paikin, BBN, and Global News. She’s also a regular contributor to Investment Executive, Wealth Professional, and the Globe and Mail. She was the Mackenzie Female Trailblazer of the Year for 2019 and 2021, and she recently won the Canadian Advisor of the Year Award at the 2023 Wealth Professional Awards.

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Brian Portnoy is an expert in the psychology of money. He’s the founder of Shaping Wealth, a coaching and content platform that inspires financial well-being globally. Brian’s bestselling books have been published into eight languages. One of those books, The Geometry of Wealth, inspired his current venture.

Brian previously worked for nearly 20 years in the hedge fund and mutual fund industries as an investor, researcher, and educator. He serves on the ambassador’s council of the Alliance for Decision Education. He’s also a CFA charterholder with a doctorate degree from the University of Chicago. Brian currently lives in Chicago with his wife, three kids, and a dog named Freddie.

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Terry Ritchie is a practicing financial planner with over 38 years of experience in financial, investment, tax, and estate planning. Through the Canadian/American wealth management firm Cardinal Point Capital Management, he provides financial, tax, investment and estate planning wealth management solutions for Canadian citizens and residents relocating to the U.S., and U.S. citizens and residents living in and relocating to Canada.

Terry is an author, speaker, and educator whose writing has appeared in professional journals and major media outlets. He’s been featured in Citywire Canada, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, Advisors Edge, Investment Executive, CBC Radio, CTV and The Business News Network. He’s also the coauthor of the best-selling books The Canadian in America, The Canadian Snowbird in America, and The American in Canada.

Shannon Lee Simmons has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professional since 2010. She is an award-winning financial planner, Chartered Investment Manager, speaker, author, and the founder of the New School of Finance. Shannon has written two books, Worry-Free Money and Living Debt-Free, both of which are best sellers. She is frequently called upon by major Canadian media outlets to provide personal finance insights. Shannon writes for the Globe and Mail, is a money columnist for CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, and acts as a financial expert on the Marilyn Dennis Show.

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Kate Smalley is a small business advisor, writer, and educator based in Toronto. She’s a QAFP professional and Certified Trauma of Money facilitator who’s currently completing programming in internal family systems. Her work draws on over a decade of experience in marketing communications and online education, primarily within the financial sector.

Currently, Kate works as an advisor to small business owners who are aligning their values to their business models, including financial planners. She’s also a consultant to organizations that are developing thoughtful, industry-leading financial education programs.

Kate uses her broad background in marketing, finance, systems thinking, and trauma recovery to apply an integrated lens to professional and business development. She’s interested in humanizing our relationship with money and applying creativity to business.

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Coreen Sol has been an award-winning portfolio manager for over 30 years. She’s also a former adjunct professor and a speaker who discusses behavioural finance and effective practice management integration. Her newest book, Unbiased Investor: Reduce Financial Stress & Keep More of Your Money, is featured in prominent publications, including the Globe & Mail, CPA Canada’s Pivot Magazine, and Advisor’s Edge. The book introduces her methodology for identifying and managing bias in practical applications.

As a portfolio manager, Coreen implements strategic habits to limit bias in financial choices in order to produce more reliable outcomes, limit risks, and develop and retain more clients. She also serves on the board of directors for CFA Societies Canada, an organization promoting national investment integrity.

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Iva Vranic is a senior compliance, risk management and regulatory professional with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. Her practice focuses on securities law, specifically regulatory compliance and risk management for registrants. Prior to joining AUM Law, Iva worked at Scotiabank, where she spent the last 14 years in legal and compliance roles. Most recently, she led a compliance transformation project aimed at optimizing several key conflict-management programs at Scotiabank.

Iva has provided advice on a variety of compliance issues, including registration reform, conflict management, insider reporting and obtaining discretionary relief from registration requirements. She has also been actively involved in drafting comment letters responding to policy initiatives that could impact various business groups. Prior to Scotiabank, Iva spent 17 years at the Ontario Securities Commission, including nine as a member of the corporate finance leadership team.

A critical thinker, Iva brings a proven ability to translate complex information into simple ideas that can be used to enable business strategies. Iva is a lawyer, with a degree from Queen’s Law School and is a member of the Law Society of Ontario.