Alan Faigal is an educator, dancer and community animator with a proud professional scope rooted in early childhood education. Alan has also worked in academia as a lecturer and learning strategist for both University and College spaces (Early Childhood Studies and Theatre Drama Studies). Proudly born and raised in Scarborough ON to immigrant newcomer parents who started a new life in Canada upon leaving The Philippines in the 1970s.
He has designed and delivered keynotes and professional development sessions for early childhood educators as well as drama/dance educators in the areas of authentic leadership, conflict resolution, equity/inclusion, public speaking and wellness.
Alan has been a movement specialist in the fitness/wellness industry for over 25 years. As a former canfitpro PRO trainer, he trained and certified group fitness instructors in various disciplines.
He is also an Outreach Coordinator for Dance Ontario and Community Animator for Culture Shock Canada. Alan’s dance education has been in Hip Hop, club inspired genres and Bollywood. He has performed and studied Indian and Bollywood Dance with Lopa Sarkar and Divine Heritage Artistry. Dance floors and academic lecture halls are avenues for his dynamic teaching methods.
Jacquie Gill is a Registered Early Childhood Educator and an Inclusion Practitioner. She graduated from Centennial College, with honours, in 2002 and has worked as an Early Childhood Educator for the past 23 years. She began her career in a school age program and returned to school when she recognized the challenges of working with children with disabilities. She completed Seneca College’s Certificate program in Inclusion Practices in March 2010. This program allowed her to support the children and families she worked with in and outside of the classroom. In 2012, she was hired at Kinark Child and Family Services as an ECE on the 0-6 services team and she continues to work in this role today. This position entails consulting to local childcare centers to increase the capacity and knowledge of the educators working with children with disabilities; as well as providing parenting education (Triple P Parenting Program) for families within York Region. Jacquie is now accredited in 5 levels of Triple P Parenting and offers seminars in the community, up to intensive group/individual services to families. Working on a multidisciplinary team at Kinark has offered Jacquie the opportunity to learn more about children and families of children struggling with their mental health. She has been able to participate in many professional development opportunities to build her knowledge around evidence-based treatments for children with mental health challenges. In May of 2024 Jacquie was invited to teach part time at Seneca College in the Early Childhood Education program. She teaches students in their 4th semester Critical Perspectives of Childhood Disablement. Jacquie has a personal connection to the disability community, as a woman with a disability, working full time in the childcare field. This course increases ECE’s knowledge around disability as well as how to assess the classroom environment, identify barriers to participation and create an inclusive space where all children can thrive. She now combines her child development, mental health, and disability knowledge to support children and families, as well as the local childcare educators.
I have been an Early Childhood Educator for 25 years, having received my Diploma in Early Childhood Education from Douglas College. Since then, I have gained experience in a variety of areas within the field of Early Childhood Education: Director of a preschool, supervisor of after-school care as well as 3-5 and Infant Toddler programs and centre management. My primary focus has evolved to encompass team leadership, management training and program development. I have had articles published in provincial and national ECE journals on the topic of emergent curriculum and leadership. My goal as an Early Childhood Educator and facilitator is to support fellow educators and early years professionals in providing high-quality early learning experiences for children and families.
Farrah Rahim thinks with her heart. This has catapulted her to a successful career in pediatric and adult speech language pathology. Farrah was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario. She has 2 young children and a husband with whom she loves to spend time. Farrah completed her B.Sc. in Biopsychology at Western University and her M.Sc. in Speech Language Pathology at Dalhousie University. She started her career working in an outpatient program for people with Traumatic Brain Injuries as well as across various inpatient areas of a local hospital, dealing with both swallowing and communication disorders. She also worked for several years in private practice primarily with the pediatric population. Since 2009, Farrah has been working in the school board setting, supporting students with language and communication difficulties and their teaching staff to ensure that students can be as successful as possible in their academic setting. Farrah also has a passion for giving back to the world and she feels that this is the way to true happiness. She does this through connecting people with resources and helping people see their potential so that they can be changemakers in their own lives. She has mentored many young girls and new immigrants both informally and through a girl’s mentorship program. In the near future Farrah would like to pursue playing the piano and writing a children’s book.
Andrea Rizzuto is a woman of energy and action! She is a mom of two young boys and has a passion for all things speech-language pathology. Andrea was born and raised in the GTA and completed her Master of Health Sciences in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Toronto. Andrea has worked in multi-disciplinary clinics and a Toronto-based school board giving her a wide variety of experience in all areas of pediatric speech language pathology. She has hosted a variety of teacher and parent training workshops on a range of topics related to speech and language issues. Andrea has also served as a Health Guest Editor in CityLife Magazine. Andrea takes great pleasure in working collaboratively with children and their families, and in working towards helping children become effective communicators. She believes that early intervention is effective intervention. When Andrea is not at work, she can be found enjoying her time with her husband and two young boys, watching movies, baking up a storm in the kitchen, and playing on the playground.
Lisa is an experienced coach, leader, facilitator and consultant with over 25 years of experience navigating workplace change, leadership development, employee engagement and empowering women to write their next chapter. Lisa has led transformational and organizational change in transportation, telecommunications, finance and insurance, food and beverage, and healthcare.
Lisa's passion lies in supporting clients in establishing a people-centric approach to creating space for change, building resilience and developing the confidence and competency to lead organizational and personal change. Her dedication and commitment to this approach is evident in her work.
Lisa is known for her intuitive ability to connect concepts, people and new ideas while holding space for her clients as they transition through personal and professional change.
Terry Kelly (she/her) is an RECE and a professor in the School of Early Childhood Education at Seneca Polytechnic. She has had a long and varied career which includes licensed child care, EarlyON, community and family support, international work in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. She is an ongoing participant in Indigenous learning through Odeyto at Seneca. Terry has been bringing family yoga to The 519 EarlyON special events supporting 2SLGBTQ+ families, adding to her learning on how to create welcoming and safe spaces for all. Terry brings a holistic lens based on her qualifications as a registered yoga teacher, a Forest School Practitioner student, and as mother and grandmother. Her passion for empowering educators has also led to her membership in the nascent Ontario Mentorship Collaborative.
Veronica Johnny is a multi-disciplinary artist, Indigi-Queer, Cree/Dene, 2Spirit woman. She’s an arts educator, producer, and female entrepreneur. Ms. Johnny is a member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and presently lives in Ontario.
She’s a performer, workshop facilitator, musician, hand-drummer, speaker and visual artist and the frontwoman, co-producer, and manager of The Johnnys. Known for their high-energy performances, The Johnnys are an Indigenous-fronted rock’n’roll band featuring music with cheeky lyrics & anthemic choruses on fun, environment, social & political change.
As a music producer and audio engineer, Veronica has worked with youth, women, and her own music projects.
As an arts entrepreneur, Veronica’s the founder of IndigenEd which focuses on lifting female Indigenous voices & stories through music, film & workshops. IndigenEd strives to create understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people through interactive artseducation and performance events, both in-person & virtual, for all ages.
Jill Javelosa Alvarez is a reflective practitioner with over 15 years of experience in Family Support, Early Learning, and Community Engagement. As an Author, Speaker, and Consultant, she specializes in pedagogical leadership, program and curriculum development, community engagement, and capacity building.
She has served as a College Faculty Instructor, Early Literacy Specialist, and Centre Supervisor at EarlyON Child and Family Centres, where she led impactful initiatives to strengthen families and communities. In her role as a Family Resource Worker, she provided direct support to families, fostering meaningful connections and improving access to community resources.
As a Community Development Program Specialist, Jill has worked alongside residents and stakeholders to address systemic challenges, foster collaboration, and develop sustainable, community-driven solutions. She thrives on building partnerships that create lasting impact and drive positive change.
A lifelong learner and collaborator, Jill cultivates meaningful relationships and empowers families and communities through intentional and innovative approaches. She remains unwavering in her mission to teach minds, touch hearts, and transform lives.
With over 25 years of diverse professional experience, I’ve had the privilege of serving in various roles, including educator, supervisor, director, and now, corporate training and development specialist. Each role has played a pivotal part in shaping my journey, providing valuable insights and fresh perspectives that have contributed to my personal and professional growth. I am also deeply passionate about employee engagement and leadership, striving to create meaningful opportunities that empower individuals and teams to thrive. These experiences have ultimately led me to the fulfilling opportunity of working alongside all of you.
As a Corporate Training and Development Specialist, I strongly believe in the power of shared knowledge—that we all have something to learn from one another—and that our greatest success comes when we grow together.
I chose to work in the field of childcare initially because I was fascinated by the growing field of neuroscience, and its relevance to early childhood development. Once I began my career and subsequently had my own children, I grasped the importance of accessible, high-quality childcare; to participate in the workforce, families need reliable care they can trust.
I have long understood how important the early years are for an individual to become a whole member of society; there is a critical link between access to high-quality care and the wellbeing of children, families, and communities. I believe the foundation starts with engaged and empowered educators.
Learning about what makes high quality childcare is one of my passions. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to observe and learn about best practices in childcare, both in Canada and around the world. I have been inspired by some of the amazing things that are happening, such as the Reggio Emilio Approach in Italy, and nature-based programs in Scandinavian countries. My drive is to find ways to bring these pedagogical philosophies into our programs.
For over 31 years, I have been privileged to be a part of Upper Canada Child Care and to now have the opportunity to lead my team in supporting success for all our employees. My number one goal is to ensure that our leaders and educators have the tools they need to thrive, and to succeed in creating environments where children and families in turn will thrive.
Robert Wallis has a PhD. in Genetics from Oxford University, and a B.Ed. from OISE, Toronto. After spending 13 years instructing and advocating for access to outdoor education as Principal of Outward Bound Canada, Robert now supervises 4 ‘Nature Schools’ across Toronto with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
Jordan Daniow is all about helping people grow and thrive in the places that they work. As the Manager of Leadership Development at BDO Canada, a leading professional services consulting firm, he is dedicated to coaching and developing leaders to reach their full potential. Before stepping into this role, Jordan spent over 15 years as a trainer, coach, and organizational consultant, working hands-on with professionals to build confidence, strengthen leadership skills, and create high-performing teams.
With a Masters in Organizational Development & Change and a designation from the International Coaching Federation, Jordan brings both expertise and energy to leadership development. His experiences in higher education, engineering, and healthcare provide him with a unique perspective across many industries. Whether working one-on-one with executives or leading group workshops, Jordan focuses on conversations that bring people and teams together to create practical, lasting impact in their work.
I started at Upper Canada Child Care when there were just three centres. From delivering lunches, tying skates, and driving the company bus, to running payroll and designing summer camp programs, I loved being involved in every part of the organization. I went on to own and operate several businesses, including Ty Canada Inc. Throughout my working life, my focus has always been people and wellness.
As CEO of UCCC, my top priority is the well-being of our employees and the children and families we serve. There is nothing more rewarding than a smile on a child’s face. I believe that if you have happy educators, you will have happy children, and if you have happy children, you will have happy families. It is that simple.
Sarah is a recognition expert, professional speaker, coach, author, recovering perfectionist, and movement maker. She created F.R.O.G. Forever Recognize Others' Greatness to invigorate companies so they can see their people as exceptional and, together, create a scrumptious, thriving culture where everyone belongs.
Sarah has 25+ years of experience training, coaching, and leading teams. From her senior leadership role, she founded her boutique firm Greatness Magnified. Proclaimed as the “Frog Lady," she can be found freaking out perfect strangers (in a good way) by handing out squishy frogs and asking them, “Have you been frogged lately?” and then acknowledging their greatness.
She's a Certified Senior Organizational Development Professional (CSODP), Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL). She is one of 700 Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) worldwide.
She has a BA in Psychology, MSc in Family Relations, and Diplomas in Human Resources and Healthcare Administration. You can catch her kayaking in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter with her husband Mark, or cooking a feast (while listening to an audiobook on double speed). She’s a die-hard carb-ivour, amateur hip-hopper, and TikTok embarrasser to her two kids Justin and Simonne.