Emily Baillie

Emily Baillie is an AI and marketing professor, trainer, and speaker with over 15 years of experience in the digital marketing industry. A Top AI Voice on LinkedIn and a member of the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA), she helps organizations across Canada adapt to the rapidly evolving world of marketing and technology. Passionate about a human-first approach to AI, Emily teaches digital marketing at McMaster University and leads an AI micro-credential at Humber College.

Tina Bax

Tina Bax is an exit strategist, entrepreneur, and business coach who helps business owners navigate the transition of selling their business with confidence. After selling her own company for $9.3 million and purchasing others, she founded Just the Bax to guide entrepreneurs through the complexities of valuation, deal structuring, and buyer negotiations, ensuring they maximize their business’s worth and walk away on their terms.

As the Vice-Chair of the Huron County Economic Development Board, Tina is deeply committed to supporting local businesses and keeping small-town economies thriving. She has seen firsthand the costly mistakes that business owners make when selling—and how to avoid them.

Beyond her work in exits, Tina leads multiple ventures, including a landscaping company, a garden center transitioning into a local food hub, and a pioneering micro-equity project designed to make real estate investment accessible to women.

Pete Bombaci

Pete Bombaci is a social change leader and the founder/CEO of GenWell, Canada’s Human Connection Movement. Since 2016, he has led its mission to educate, empower, and catalyze Canadians around social health and its impact on well-being. Under his leadership, GenWell delivers social health education and six national campaigns, fostering connection in workplaces, schools, and communities.

Previously, Pete served as Country Director of Movember Canada, raising $142 million for men’s health. A sought-after speaker and thought leader, he inspires individuals, businesses, and policymakers to invest in social connection for a healthier, more connected Canada.

Dr. Leith Deacon

Dr. Leith Deacon is an Associate Professor in Rural Planning and Development at the University of Guelph and a Gateway CERH Research Chair of Rural Resiliency. He is a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) and a Registered Professional Planner (RPP). Leith is interested in supporting the long-term resilience and sustainability of rural communities and their residents. Within his capacity as a Research Chair at Gateway CERH, has guided research and knowledge translation of the Be Well, Work Well project including the presentation of the results in a virtual rural health lecture.

Gwen Devereaux

A native of Huron County and strong supporter of rural health initiatives, Gwen has been involved in healthcare in various capacities. As a nurse, she worked for many years in primary care in a clinical setting then enjoyed assisting communities in recruiting physicians to practice in their rural regions. She has assisted communities in developing Family Health Teams, developed a program called HealthKIck to increase our health human resources which enhanced our supply of practical nurse (PNs) and personal support worker (PSWs) in Huron County. This program was also created to encourage our local youth to consider healthcare as a career. For many years of Gwen’s career, she turned from clinic management to full time physician recruitment and has been responsible for many of the practicing doctors in this region. Gwen is a founding member and President of the Board of Directors of Gateway CERH.

Brock Dickinson, MA, Ec.D (F)

Brock is a leading economic development expert in North America. He began his career with the UN, working in 30+ countries before leading economic development and tourism agencies in Canada.

In 2007, he founded MDB Insight (now part of Deloitte), which became Canada’s largest specialist economic development consulting firm. He later joined the University of Waterloo as Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Director of its Economic Development Program.

Currently, he is Vice-Chair of Invest Ontario, an Executive-in-Residence with Innovate Niagara, and a partner in a U.S.-based investment group. A published writer and speaker, he holds degrees from UNC and Brock University, with additional studies at Queen’s, Waterloo, and Université Sainte-Anne.

Dr. Cranla Warren, Ph.D.

Dr. Cranla Warren, Ph.D., is an Organizational Psychologist specializing in leadership development. With 25 years of corporate leadership experience and a background in mental health, she translates research into practice to foster collaboration, resilience, and engagement in the workplace. Formerly VP of Leadership Development at the Institute for Health and Human Potential, she now facilitates sessions on inclusive leadership, workplace well-being, and psychological safety. A coach, consultant, and part-time instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University, Dr. Warren advises leaders and HR professionals on building strong, people-focused organizations.