Campus Events Speaker Ideas

samantha bitty | Sexual Health & Consent Educator

samantha bitty is a sexual health and consent educator, speaker and non-profit entrepreneur. She is the host of SEXY SEXUAL HEALTH TRIVIA and the founder of Inner Development Project. By facilitating creative educational spaces, samantha helps audiences to have better relationships with themselves and others. Laughter, empathy and liberation are central pillars of samantha’s work, as she unpacks systems of oppression and guides participants to their own values and definitions of being whole, rooted in love and abundance. She deploys games, technology and humour to cultivate fun and safe spaces to tackle challenging topics. View profile.

MOST REQUESTED PRESENTATIONS:

• Sexy Sexual Health Trivia
• Sex Ed Video Series

Sarain Fox | Activist & Host of Rise On Viceland

Sarain Fox is no stranger to breaking down boundaries and giving voice to those unheard. As an activist and Indigenous artist, Sarain takes pride in her Arctic roots and continues to educate youth on the importance of Indigenous history and culture. A storyteller at heart, she has been using dance platform to create meaningful dialogue between her indigenous community and settler communities. Sarain’s screen highlights include Rise (Viceland), Cut-Off (Viceland) and APTN’s Future History. Brands such as Canada Goose, Nike, Harley Davidson and more have engaged her network for influencer campaigns. View profile.

MOST REQUESTED PRESENTATIONS:

• Career Development // The Golden Thread
• Personal Development // The Power of Honest Introductions

Amie Archibald-Varley | Health Equity Advocate & Healthcare Professional

Amie Archibald-Varley is an anti-racism and health equity advocate that inspires others to speak their truths and brings communities together to engage in “courageous conversations”. As a Registered Nurse and Director of Multimedia at CanadiEM, Amie brings her real-life experience to conversations around healthcare, mental health, equity, leadership, and more. View profile.

MOST REQUESTED PRESENTATIONS:

• Mental Health // Mental Health is Health
• Personal Development // There is Power in your Voice & Your Story

Sandy Hudson | Grassroots Organizer & Founder, Black Lives Matter Toronto

Sandy Hudson is a fierce, effective, multitalented grassroots organizer, political strategist and communications powerhouse. Unapologetically committed to refreshingly honest, public discourse, she is also a compelling educator. She is the founder of the Black Lives Matter movement presence in Canada and Black Lives Matter – Toronto. Her efforts to publicly address anti-Black racism have resulted in concrete policy change, including the winding down of the program that places police officers in the largest school board in North America. Sandy is a refreshingly honest and engaging media communicator and passionate speaker. View profile.

MOST REQUESTED PRESENTATIONS:

• Allyship// Activating Anti-Racism

Anna Maria Tremonti | Renowned Canadian Journalist, Podcaster & 17 Season Host of ‘The Current’

For 17 years, Anna Maria Tremonti hosted CBC Radio One’s The Current, where her mix of hard-edged journalism and hard-won empathy helped build the show into Canada’s most listened-to radio program. She is currently the host of Welcome to Paradise on CBC Podcasts. Her recognizable voice, thoughtful questions, and her approach to finding the humanity in the people you meet, draws listeners in. View profile.

Farrah Khan | Consent Culture Educator & Activist

Through storytelling and pop culture examples, Farrah uses her research and sense of humour to help students understand how sex and relationships are a collaboration not a conquest. Prioritizing fun and pleasure over shame and fear, she shares principles that help students better understand how to communicate boundaries, be accountable to their peers, and handle rejection. As a nationally recognized counsellor, educator, and policy advisor, Farrah sits on the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council and is a regular contributor to major news media including CBC News, Toronto Star, and more. View profile.

MOST REQUESTED PRESENTATIONS:

• Consent // Pleasure Principles: Cultivating Consent on Campus
• Staff Training // Creating Campuses Where Consent Comes First
• Current Events // #MeToo, What Now?

Dr. Samantha Yammine, aka Science Sam | Neuroscientist, Science Communicator, and Digital Media Producer

Dr. Samantha Yammine, aka Science Sam, has built a strong community on social media who love her unique style of socially conscious science storytelling. She averages over 4 million views per month, making her an innovative leader in creating factual content that stands out online. She is passionate about empowering people to explore science by making it more familiar, accessible, and inclusive. In addition to her work online, she speaks to students about the science behind anxiety and stress – helping them get through the school year, exam weeks, and other overwhelming aspects of their lives. View profile.

MOST REQUESTED PRESENTATIONS:

• Mind Your Matter: The Neuroscience of Anxiety 
• Spotting Misinformation Online

Vivek Shraya | Artist, Educator & Performer

An acclaimed artist, Vivek uses video, spoken word, and musical performance to engage audiences on topics like mental health, queerness and inclusion. Inspiring audiences to celebrate who they are, she challenges the ways we are taught to think about gender and offers insights on how to create change. In each presentation, Vivek highlights her experience while creating space for students to reflect on and share their own. Her work has been featured on CBC’s Best Canadian Albums and The Globe and Mail’s Best Books. She is currently a director on the board of the Tegan & Sara Foundation. View profile.

MOST REQUESTED PRESENTATIONS:

• LGBTQ // What I Love About Being Queer
• Mental Health // Thinking About Suicide

Jesse Wente | Broadcaster, Indigenous Advocate & Pop Culture Philosopher

Jesse Wente encourages audiences to consider diversity and inclusion into the future view of their organization, industry and country. An outspoken advocate for Indigenous rights and First Nations, Metis and Inuit art, he has spoken at the International Forum of Indigenous Peoples, Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Canadian Arts Summit, the Cultural Summit of the Americas, and numerous Universities and Colleges. Jesse Wente has appeared on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning as a film and pop culture critic for 20 years and specializes in synthesizing the trends he sees happening across the country and shares a vision for what is possible. View profile.

Nova Nicole | Leadership Facilitator At Shopify & Wellness Expert On CTV’s The Social

Nova masterfully weaves life lessons she’s gathered from her career in Hollywood to deliver instantly relatable presentations. She helps to spark a renewed sense of confidence and empowerment over one’s own life. Audiences walk away with a fresh appreciation for their past, a bold affirmation of their power to transform their current experience, and effective tools to manifest dreams into future success. She has spent much of her career helping students to recognize and overcome the more challenging parts of student life such as coping with stress, life transitions, social pressures, depression, and lack of self-esteem. View profile.

MOST REQUESTED PRESENTATIONS:

• Mental Health // The Student Perspective
• Social Change // Sexual Assault Awareness
• Mental Health // Workplace Wellness