TEDxStLaurentBlvd
2026  

A former lawyer, James Hughes has devoted his career to working within the social services sector and with non-profit organizations, playing a key role in promoting social inclusion, and helping to break the cycle of homelessness in Canada. As President and CEO of the Old Brewery Mission, first from 2004 to 2008, and again since the beginning
of the pandemic in 2020, he has led the organization to become a central player in services dedicated to the unhoused population in Montreal, with the Old Brewery Mission helping over a thousand distinct people every day through its prevention, emergency and rehousing services (missionoldbrewery.ca). Wanting to do even more for the cause, he created in 2021 the Québec Homelessness Prevention Policy Collaborative (cqpi.ca), a new entity committed to public policies for homelessness prevention. As a member of the ad hoc committee on the encampments in Montreal, he made a significant contribution to the report presenting recommendations on modernizing the metropolis’ approaches to unhoused people living in public spaces.

Mr. Hughes is currently co-chair of the Canadian Shelter Transformation Network (CSTN), a network of leaders in Canadian non-profit organizations for people experiencing homelessness who are committed to becoming housing-focused organizations, in addition to serving on the board of the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). He is also the inaugural Chairman of the board of directors of the Provincial Employment Round Table (PERT), and the founding President of YES Employment and Entrepreneurs (employment and entrepreneurship services Quebec’s English-speaking community).

From 2012 to 2015, James Hughes was the President of the Graham Boeckh Foundation, where he led several initiatives, including the TRAM project, the largest public-private mental health prototyping initiative for youth in Canadian history. He also co-founded the Montreal Movement to End Homelessness (MMFIM) and served on the boards of the Queen Elizabeth Health Complex in Montreal, the National Council of Welfare, the governance committee of the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, and the coordination
committee of the Collective of Quebec Foundations Against Inequalities. From 2015 to 2020, he has worked with the McConnell.

Foundation, a philanthropic leader in Canada.
As Deputy Minister within the New Brunswick Department of Social Development (2008-2011), Mr. Hughes oversaw the development and implementation of the province’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, a groundbreaking and warmly received proposal that has been renewed for the fourth time in February 2025. James Hughes also supervised the implementation of the New Directions approach to child protection and legislation aimed at protecting residents of long-term care facilities. James Hughes is a distinguished author in the field. In March 2024, his book Ending Homelessness in Canada: The Case for Homelessness Prevention (James Lorimer & Co.) was published, with the French version released in 2026. He is also the author of Beyond Shelters: Solutions to Homelessness in Canada from the Front Lines (James Lorimer & Co., 2018), as well as Early Intervention: How Canada’s Social Programs Can Work Better, Save Lives, and Often Save Money (James Lorimer & Co., 2015). Mr. Hughes holds degrees from McGill University (Bachelor of Civil Law), the University
of Cambridge (Bachelor of Law), and Queen’s University (Bachelor of Commerce).

He received the Goldbloom Award in 2014 for his service to Quebec’s English-speaking minority, as well as the John Stirling Medal from Queen’s University in 2019 for his contribution to Montreal’s most vulnerable citizens. In 2025, he had the honor of receiving the National Assembly Medal of Honor in recognition of his outstanding career dedicated to social engagement and supporting disadvantaged people.
James and his wife Jane Wheeler have three adult children, Nicholas, Jenna and
Frances.

Cindy Hovington, PhD, is a neuroscientist, mother of three, and founder of Curious Neuron, a science-based initiative helping parents build emotional regulation and reflective skills so they can parent with calm and confidence.

Her work challenges a dominant assumption in parenting: that parents need more advice. Instead, Cindy shows that most parents already know what to do but struggle to access those skills under stress. Through Curious Neuron, she focuses on strengthening parents’ internal capacity using neuroscience and psychology, shifting parenting from reactive survival mode to more intentional, regulated responses.

Cindy is also pioneering the integration of parental well-being into pediatric care, partnering with clinics across in Canada, USA, and Kenya to support parents as a foundational part of child health. She was also an invited expert at the World Early Childhood Development (WED) Forum in Abu Dhabi, where she led a masterclass on emotional development in the first five years of life.

She is the host of The Reflective Parenting Podcast, an award-winning, top-ranked parenting podcast, and shares science-based insights with a global community of more than 175,000 parents. Cindy is an international keynote speaker on emotion regulation skills, emotional development in the early years and parental well-being, helping redefine how we support families—by starting with the parent.

Natacha Fazal-Karim is an international creator and entrepreneur whose work centers on sensory design, emotional authenticity, and meaning. Born in Paris and raised across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, she brings a global perspective to every space she shapes.

Founder and CEO of Stardust Concept, Natacha leads projects that blend design, hospitality, and wellbeing, including Locanda Le Piazze, One Belvedere Tuscany, Tavola di Guido, QB Cucina, and Botanical Symphony. Her approach is rooted in subtle luxury—where touch, scent, light, and sound come together to restore and inspire.

A devoted mother to Jayan and Ivan, she draws strength and clarity from family, integrating warmth and purpose into her creative vision.

Natacha is also the founder of Her Me Now, an initiative that supports women through visibility, education, and opportunity, alongside her ongoing humanitarian work throughout the MENA region and Cambodia.

Guided by curiosity, integrity, and a deep commitment to giving back, she continues to craft spaces and experiences that connect, heal, and elevate.

What began as a summer job during his MBA turned into a decades-long journey of building joy, one pastry at a time. Pino was the brand’s first franchisee, first area developer, and now serves as CEO and co-owner of BeaverTails — one of Canada’s most iconic indulgent brands. Alongside his twin brother and wife, he’s grown the company from a beloved treat to a coast-to-coast (and global) experience.

Pino is proud to lead a team that turns everyday moments into sweet memories. He’s fueled by bold ideas, quirky storytelling, and a relentless love of bringing delight…  whether launching flavour drops, opening flagship shops, or testing new poutine pairings at home with Tina, Kai, Lucca, Max and their dog Milo.

“We make happy happier — and that’s a privilege I don’t take lightly.”

Blending decades of elite athletic training with on-set experience overcoming high-stakes fear, Andrea helps high-achieving women develop embodied leadership and reclaim the power of play.

When she’s not crashing through windows or choreographing fight scenes, Andrea can be found kiteboarding, mountain biking, skiing, and exploring the outdoors — with the many adventurous spirits who reside in her hometown of Squamish, BC

Laura François is an impact strategist, writer and the Director of Awe Exchange, a nonprofit laboratory based in Montreal and Ho Chi Minh City. Her work focuses on how awe and relational intelligence can reshape approaches to complex systems, particularly in climate adaptation and emerging technologies. 

For nearly a decade, Laura has worked across Southeast Asia and Canada with organizations addressing the polycrisis. Her book IMAGINE: Embracing Chaos and Possibility in a Planetary Emergency  brings together perspectives from both Global North and Majority World contributors, positioning imagination as essential intelligence for navigating planetary-scale challenges.

Through Awe Exchange, Laura is strengthening the concept of ‘systems feeling’, reconnecting changemakers to the relational, human dimensions of complex systems. This work draws on years of fieldwork with artisans, farmers, and community organizers, and builds on her previous work advocating for supply chain transparency in the garment industry as country director of Fashion Revolution Malaysia and Singapore. Laura previously founded Spaceship Academy, a learning community that equipped professionals with skills for climate leadership, and anewkind, a regenerative leadership agency supporting organizations across Asia to shift from extractive to regenerative practices.

Her collaborations span institutions from the World Bank, Greenpeace, and H&M to the University of Victoria, and next-generation impact communities like NEXUS. Previously, Laura worked extensively in Southeast Asia’s regenerative leadership and circular economy sector as an innovation mentor for Fashion for Good (Mumbai, Amsterdam), Bridge Fashion Incubator (Singapore) and most recently for the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellowship 2025. Laura was named to EcoBusiness’s A-List 2020 Asia, recognized as a Robb Report Thought Leader, and received the Concordia Global Citizenship Award.

Taylor Eaves is an enthusiastic Account Manager with a passion for people, sports, and creating great experiences. As former sports event manager and game host, Taylor led the USports Vanier Cup for two consecutive years, blending professionalism with an infectious love for the game. A Western University alum and devoted dog lover—especially to Dakota and Charlie—Taylor brings energy, connection, and dedication to everything she does, from managing clients to creating unforgettable moments.