Nonprofits at 2:00 (formerly Nonprofits at Noon) brings nonprofit professionals and other community leaders together in conversation about relevant issues. These sessions provide you with timely information, meaningful discussions, and actionable insights.
Session Details
The nonprofit sector is at the forefront as it works closely with those affected by the pandemic and protects the stability and health of our communities. Consequences of a weakened nonprofit sector are serious and far-reaching, both economically and socially, and no single economic recovery plan will be enough – future prosperity will be built through strategies that involve government, the nonprofit sector, and the private sector.
In this session, moderator Todd Hirsch joined panelists in conversation as they addressed the effects of the pandemic on the nonprofit sector in Canada, as well as related impacts on the private sector. Speakers included:
Todd Hirsch | Vice President & Chief Economist | ATB Financial
Bernadette Johnson | Director, Mobilization & Engagement | Imagine Canada
Vinod Rajasekaran | Publisher & CEO | Future of Good
Melanie Thomas | Senior Director, Emerging Opportunities | Community Foundations of Canada
Pamela Uppal | Policy Advisor | Ontario Nonprofit Network
What does a vibrant, post-COVID-19 prosperous community look like, and what role does the nonprofit sector play in achieving that vision? This conversation examined #ABCommunityAdvantage and ways in which we can focus to build both economic and community prosperity going forward from recovery to opportunity.
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Ticket Information
CCVO Members: FREE* (using coupon code CCVOMEMBER at checkout)
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Non-CCVO Members: $17.00 (please note that refunds will not be issued)
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speaker biographies
Todd Hirsch
Moderator
Todd is the Vice President and Chief Economist for ATB Financial. He holds degrees in economics from the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. For over 25 years, he’s worked as an economist at numerous organizations including the Canada West Foundation and the Bank of Canada. He’s also the author of three books. His latest, “Spiders in Space: Successfully Adapting to Unwanted Change,” was released in 2017. Todd is a strong advocate in the arts and culture community. He is the board chair of the Calgary Arts Academy, and serves on the boards of the Glenbow Museum and the Alberta Ballet.
Bernadette Johnson
Panelist
Bernadette is currently the Director, Mobilization & Engagement at Imagine Canada. She has an MA in Conflict Studies and a Master’s in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. She’s worked in the sector in Rwanda, in Ottawa as an MP staffer, and as a senior research consultant for Indigenous Affairs, the Qikiqtani Truth Commission and more recently for Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Vinod Rajasekaran
Panelist
Vinod is Publisher & CEO of Future of Good, a fast-growing digital publication with a mission to cover stories, innovations, and trends shaping social impact in Canada. Future of Good covers topics such as tech for good, social finance, smart cities, giving and philanthropy, advancing the SDGs, and more. Vinod was Co-founder and Executive Director of Impact Hub Ottawa, the largest social impact coworking environment in Canada's capital. He recently oversaw strategy and business model development as the founding Managing Director of Rideau Hall Foundation, chaired by former Governor General David Johnston. Vinod also launched Canada's social R&D network as a Fellow with SiG working to strengthen embedded R&D capacity in Canada's non-profits. His ground-breaking work in social R&D is referenced around the world.
Melanie Thomas
Panelist
Melanie is the Senior Director of Emerging Opportunities at Community Foundations of Canada (CFC), the national network to 191 community foundations that collectively reaches over 90% of communities across the country. Melanie is responsible for exploring, developing and scaling new initiatives. Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Melanie moved to Ontario to pursue her education in law and business and has worked nationally at Bell Canada, Goodmans LLP and Scotiabank and internationally with non-profits in India, Cambodia, Moldova and Russia. In response to COVID-19, Melanie led CFC’s participation in the Emergency Community Support Fund, a $350M emergency funding program serving vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. CFC worked alongside the Canadian Red Cross and United Way Canada Centraide to deliver this Government of Canada program. Since the launch of ECSF in mid-May, community foundations received over $170M in requests and made over 2,600 grants to organizations in every province and territory across Canada.
Pamela Uppal
Panelist
Pamela is a Policy Advisor at Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN). She cares deeply about how women experience the world and so her work over the past 10 years has focused on creating gender equitable systems by bridging frontline work, research initiatives, and policy advocacy. Pamela led a nonprofit organization as a student volunteer, was a frontline worker at a multi-service agency, designed diversity trainings, and collaborated on multiple research projects exploring gender equity in the South Asian community. Currently, she is a policy advisor at the Ontario Nonprofit Network leading its future of work file with a nonprofit and gender-based intersectional lens, alongside the decent work for women project. Pamela also facilitates men’s therapy groups and is on the board of Laadliyan – celebrating and empowering daughters. She holds a master’s degree in Women Studies & Feminist Research from Western University.
