Speakers & Panelists
CMI Vancouver 2026 features a dynamic roster of moderators, panelists, workshop facilitators and speakers
Lystra is a serial entrepreneur; she's a community leader, and speaker whose work lives at the intersection of Justice, Healing, Equity, Decolonization, and intersectionality (JHEDI).
As the founder of Qmooniti Travel & Lifestyle (est. 2017), Lystra brings over a decade of international living and global exploration into building a new paradigm of consciousness to community building through travel. Qmooniti centers Black, Indigenous, people of color, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, people with disabilities, and solo femme-identifying travelers—those historically excluded from the mainstream travel narrative.
Lystra’s work is deeply informed by ongoing decolonizing education and trauma-informed training, including certifications in the Trauma of Money Method and Community Capacity Building at SFU. Her learning is lifelong and lived—she draws equally from academic frameworks and ancestral knowledge.
Steven Johnston
With extensive experience in senior leadership roles within the non-profit and social enterprise sectors, Steve has actively contributed to addressing community challenges in Toronto’s Regent Park and Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Additionally, contributing to policy work with the City of Vancouver focused on community economic development. At CIRES, Steve’s role involves comprehensive leadership, encompassing organizational management, strategic planning, growth initiatives, government relations, and community stewardship. His commitment to community-oriented work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. Steve advocates for inclusive, thriving communities that harness the untapped potential of their members. Social enterprises and employment programs empower individuals, allowing them to contribute their talents, participate in the broader economy, and secure a sustainable future for themselves and their families.
Marcia Nozick founded EMBERS (Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society) in 2001 to create economic and employment opportunities for low-income residents in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
Over the past 25 years, her leadership has helped thousands of people overcome barriers to employment through training, job placement, self-employment education, and ongoing support.
In 2008, Marcia launched EMBERS Staffing Solutions, a self-sustaining social enterprise that combines a successful staffing business with a mission-driven model. Rather than distributing profits, EMBERS reinvests them directly in workers’ success—funding training, employment supports, tools and equipment, and programs that help people build skills, achieve greater stability, and move forward in their careers. In 2025 alone, EMBERS Staffing paid more than $10 million in wages and benefits and employed approximately 1,500 people in flexible, short- and long-term positions.
Marcia’s innovative approach has earned national recognition. In 2025, Forbes recognized EMBERS as one of Canada’s top temporary staffing firms, highlighting its impact-driven approach to employment and staffing. Her work has also been recognized with the Governor General’s Innovation Award (2020), the BC CEO Lifetime Achievement Award (2021), and the YWCA Women of Distinction Award (2016).
Marcia holds a Master’s degree in City Planning and is the author of No Place Like Home: Building Sustainable Communities, which David Suzuki praised as “a must read.”
Matthew Smedley is the Executive Director and CEO of Mission Possible, a Vancouver-based community economic development agency that uses employment and social enterprise to create pathways out of poverty and exclusion.
Over nearly two decades with the organization, Matthew has helped build and scale Mission Possible’s social enterprises, MP Maintenance and MP Neighbours, demonstrating how market-based business models can generate both sustainable revenue and meaningful social outcomes.
Under his leadership, Mission Possible has expanded its reach, strengthened its earned-revenue model, and developed partnerships across the corporate, philanthropic, and public sectors. Today, its social enterprises provide paid transitional employment, skills development, and coaching for people who have historically faced significant barriers to the workforce.
Matthew holds a Graduate Certificate in Community Economic Development from Simon Fraser University, and is an ordained minister, certified leadership coach, and father of four. When he isn’t navigating social enterprise or parenting challenges, you can find him exploring the backroads of British Columbia on his motorcycle.
Lilian Chau
Lilian is an immigrant, single mother, women of colour, and the CEO of Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society, one of Canada’s first women-led community housing organizations that began 40 years ago by a small group of single mother's who wanted to improve their lives and other single mothers and their families.
Today, Lilian is leading the transformation of the Society to provide more affordable homes for women, single-parents, seniors, people with disabilities, and indigenous and other equity-deserving groups in the Metro Vancouver region. Under her leadership, the Society has doubled, with over 500 affordable rental homes under construction, and over 1100 affordable homes in development.
Lilian has extensive experience in urban and community planning, public engagement, affordable housing development, social finance, and social-purpose real estate development. She has experience working with communities, and municipalities and government agencies, First Nations, non-profit housing organizations, and financial and philanthropic sectors. She is a Board Director for the Hiyám ta Sḵwxwú7mesh Housing Society with the Squamish Nation, BC Non-Profit Housing Association, and The Law Foundation of BC. Recently, Lilian joined Weave Community Capital as a member of their Investment Committee. In 2026, Lilian was awarded the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for her leadership in the non-profit sector. She is a Registered Professional Planner and resides with her family on the beautiful traditional and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Sean Condon is the Director of Social and Economic Innovation with Vancity Community Foundation and has extensive experience in community economic development and nonprofit management. He oversees social impact and climate resilience programming with the Foundation.
Prior to his current role, he was the Managing Director of 312 Main, a VCF-led social and economic innovation centre in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Supporting more than 80 impact organizations, Sean helped ensure the space met its impact goals while being financially sustainable.
In addition, Sean was the founder of Megaphone, a magazine sold on the streets of Vancouver by people experiencing poverty. Sean helped build Megaphone into an award-winning social enterprise that worked with more than 300 community members every year and put more than $100,000 annually into the pockets of its vendors.
Co-owner of Recycling Alternative and Terraforma Systems, Louise brings 35+ years of experience delivering best practices waste reduction and recycling programs to Commercial Sector organizations such as Translink, BC Place, Cadillac Fairview, Recycle BC.
Committed to local, circular community collaborations and the inclusive, green jobs these collaborations support, Recycling Alternative has partnered with numerous inclusive employment organizations such as Eastside Works, Mission Possible, Canadian Mental Health, Neil Squire, Work BC, Native Education College to co-develop and deliver skills training, practicum job placements and inclusive employment opportunities at its processing facility, the greenHUB, in the FLATS.
Louise sits on National Zero Waste Council’s Management Board, Encorp’s Community Advisory Committee, Small Business Vancouver, and is currently working with local green innovators to create Vancouver’s first Green Industrial Innovation District (the GrIIDTM), focusing on circular economy and inclusive, green employment.
With 20 years of experience in working community economic development, Johanna is deeply committed to ensuring an inclusive economy for all.
She is passionate about creating meaningful employment opportunities, recognizing the profound value of work that extends far beyond income. Johanna began her career in the Downtown Eastside at the Potluck Café Society and further contributed to social enterprise development at the Vancity Community Foundation. Most recently, she served as the Director of EMBERS Eastside Works, a program she founded to champion equitable and inclusive employment services for individuals facing barriers to employment. She currently continues her work in community economic development as the Director of Exchange Inner City at Community Impact Real Estate Society where she focuses on social enterprise and social finance initiatives.
Dylan Goggs is the founder and Board Chair of CleanStart Property Services, a Vancouver social enterprise he has spent sixteen years building and operating. CleanStart provides property services in social housing, healthcare and other complex environments while creating employment for people who face barriers to work.
In 2026, CleanStart and Just Like Family Home Care Canada launched CleanStart Franchising Inc., a joint venture to take the model nationally through locally owned businesses.
Dylan’s work is focused on coaching franchisees and other entrepreneurs to build strong, profitable businesses that create good jobs and measurable social outcomes.
Sarah Bowder
With more than 20 years’ experience managing business operations, Sarah Bowder not only knows how to run a successful business, she knows how to run a successful business better.
Prior to joining Just Like Family, Sarah specialized in Project Management in the energy sector, ensuring the success of multi-million-dollar projects.
At Just Like Family, Sarah has been a part of it all—starting as a Franchise Partner, then as Chief Operating Officer, and now as a member of the Board of Directors.
Drawn to JLF because of her desire to use her skills and experience to make a difference in people’s lives, Sarah believes true success is a group dynamic—that a business thrives when everyone is successful and works together to achieve their goals.
“I would like every interaction people have with JLF to leave them feeling acknowledged, appreciated, and respected. I want to make a difference in the way a business is labelled as ‘successful’.
Success doesn’t come from stepping on others—it comes from lifting them up, and in that way, we become a win/win culture, honouring and respecting each person along the way.
On the Board of Directors, Sarah helps ensure the organization is well-managed financially, ethically, and strategically. While clients and caregivers may not meet Sarah face-to-face, she is working hard behind the scenes to ensure that everyone touched by Just Like Family thrives.
Nicole Bradbury
Nicole hails from St. John's, Newfoundland, and is now based in Vancouver, BC. Her entire career has been in the investment industry, after working for traditional large firms, Merrill Lynch and Alliance Capital, in London, Geneva and New York, she pivoted to sustainable VC in 2008 by joining Renewal Funds.
As a Renewal Partner, Nicole sourced and supported early and growth-stage sustainable food and consumer product businesses and was responsible for the organization’s operations and finance functions. After a hiatus to support her family, last year Nicole joined the Thrive Impact Fund to deploy flexible capital to BC impact-driven organizations.
Bob Prenovost is the Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Propellor Advisors, where he enables mission-driven organizations to translate strategy into measurable results.
He brings extensive expertise in project management, risk management, social purpose real estate, and social enterprise development. Over his career, Bob has held prominent leadership positions, including Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC (ANHBC), Executive Director of bc211, and Vice President roles at both Counterpoint Educational Ventures and Boston Pizza International. A certified professional holding PMP, CRM, and LEED® AP designations, Bob combines deep private sector experience with a passionate commitment to capacity-building and social impact across public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Leads fundraising and capital deployment for Weave, former Venture Partner and Investment Manager at NorthX Climate Tech, managed +$400 M in cumulative assets under management, and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford.
Kristi Riviat
Kristi Rivait (KR) brings 20 years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector, including 10+ years as an Executive Director.
Kristi is an expert at operational transformation, diversifying revenues, and partnerships that create systems-level change. Kristi co-founded Scale Collaborative to support the empowerment of the impact sector. She inspires leaders on how to find the right revenue for their missions, shifting their internal culture from a scarcity approach to abundance thinking. Inside the Scale family of organizations, KR is the Director of Partnerships and Programs and the Board President of Thrive Impact Fund.
Elizabeth Chick-Blount
Elizabeth is the Chief Executive Officer of Buy Social Canada. In this role Elizabeth coordinates and connects Buy Social Canada’s work with public, institutional, and private sector purchasers to design and implement Social Procurement and Community Benefit Agreement policies and practices.
Elizabeth has a degree in Law from the University of Cambridge and is a graduate of Year Here, a post-graduate program in Social Innovation and Social Enterprise. Elizabeth’s experience spans study in Law and legal research, frontline roles in communities, consulting for the public sector, and working with social enterprises in the UK and Canada. Elizabeth understands the importance of ensuring cross-sector collaboration and community co-creation in the work needed to build healthy, thriving and accessible communities.
Passionate about creating social change and supporting community-building, sustainability, equity, and reconciliation, Emma uses her skills as a journalist and communicator to foster dialogue and raise awareness about innovative solutions to today’s pressing issues.
As Partnerships and Strategic Communications Manager at Buy Social Canada, Emma highlights the possibilities of a social value marketplace both online and through community collaboration. She spearheads content creation, resource development, and event hosting, and manages consulting projects to promote community wealth building and assess market capacity.
Emily Mercy
Emily Mercy is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Goparity Canada, leading the organization's investor relations, strategic partnerships, and community growth.
She has over six years of experience in investor relations and impact storytelling. Emily also is a Steering Committee member of the Canadian Coalition for Community Capital and represents for-profit impact investment institutions in federal policy conversations.
Richard Muller
Richard Muller is the Founder and Chair of United Academy, an independent charitable organization in Canada
Richard Muller is the Founder and Chair of United Academy, an independent charitable organization in Canada focused on stewarding and supporting a broad-based national community of individual and institutional impact investors and asset owners who are committed to building knowledge, sharing resources, and advancing collaborative action. Our mission is to mobilize all forms of capital for systemic change and transformative impact by convening, educating, and empowering investors through peer learning, research, and thought leadership.
Since joining the Victoria Foundation in 2019, Jessica has drawn on over two decades of experience in philanthropy and impact strategy to champion a thriving, resilient charitable sector.
She has completed studies in fundraising management, leadership and business administration (marketing) at British Columbia institutions, and recently completed the Impact Management Program at Oxford University. As Director of Innovation and Impact, she develops bold strategies that help social purpose organizations collaborate, adapt and lead transformative change across our communities.
Kathleen Leahy
Kathleen Leahy has 30+ years of combined work, board and volunteer experience in the non-profit and public sector leading, advocating for, developing and delivering community-based services and initiatives.
As the Director of the UBC Learning Exchange for almost 20 years, which operates a unique, placed-based educational hub in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, she has been active in social and economic development for urban communities seeking more inclusive and equitable opportunities in education, employment, housing, and health and wellbeing. She is an active member of the St-Paul’s Impact Working Group that is advocating for more inclusive community benefits, including local hiring and meaningful employment, in the new hospital development.
Mary Clare Zak
Mary-Clare Zak has decades of work in public service, including public health, the City of Vancouver, as well as provincial and federal government experience.
Currently she is the interim Executive Director at Sole Food Farms which has given her a taste of the challenges and opportunities of cultivating relationships, growing quality produce, and attracting buyers to invest in SoleFood’s bountiful harvest.
Mark Bayley
Mark Bayley is Co-founder and VP of Risk & Finance at 7Gen, Canada's #1 Fleet Electrification Company.
He leads the credit analysis, financial modeling, and capital partnerships that let 7Gen bundle vehicles, charging infrastructure, and financing into a single offer for commercial fleet operators. Before 7Gen, Mark worked across the venture capital, blockchain, and natural resources sectors, and advised executive teams on strategy and fundraising through his own consulting practice. He holds an MBA from the Sauder School of Business at UBC.
Copyright © 2026 CMI | All Rights Reserved
We respectfully acknowledge that CMI Vancouver 2026 will take place on the unceded, traditional and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh).