Tanya (Toni) De Mello

De Mello provides an extremely valuable interactive session on racism and how it is linked to current systems and institutions. Focusing on recent events, De Mello discusses anti-blackness, anti-indigeneity, islamophobia, anti-Semitism and anti-Chinese racism.

Imposter Syndrome is a widespread phenomenon that causes people to doubt their accomplishments and generates a persistent fear that one doesn’t belong or will be exposed as a fraud. Feelings of inadequacy and insecurity often persist in spite of success, which can have harmful psychological impacts and influence one’s self-perception and mental health and well-being. This session will provide an overview of the imposter syndrome and its psychological and sociological roots, tools for recognizing it and practical tips and solutions for overcoming it.  

This presentation is also available in French. For more information, please click here.

This presentation covers the basics and engages staff and leaders to think about how to engage in a practical way to advance equity, diversity and inclusion as a shared responsibility.

Key Takeaways:

• How to build an equitable and inclusive work space.
• What inclusion looks like within an organization.
• What diversity means to different people and perspectives that contribute to diversity.
• Ways to improve retention.
• Equality Vs. Equity.
• Understanding what micro aggression looks like.
• How being neutral isn’t neutral.

This program will explore concepts relating to equity for women, especially in terms of advancement.

Key Takeaways:

• The “Why”: overview of current trends and call to action
• Current stats on women’s compensation and the gender pay gap
• The issues and career impact from sexual violence and harassment
• Challenges that persist due to continued bias and discrimination facing women in business

How do we create a more inclusive community in our workplace? De Mello shares that diversity and equity have become buzzwords in business, NGO and government sectors but in reality, organizations, including universities have fallen short of reflecting and representing the broader population within which they work. This session/speech will examine some of the ways in which we consciously and unconsciously include/exclude others. The goal of this session is to have participants better understand some of the biases they may be holding that affects their decisions, their team choices and dynamic and who they select, ranging from recruitment to performance evaluations to who is mentored and for what positions. This will be an introspective and challenging session. You will not leave with a sheet of answers and ‘how-tos’.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding how we make choices & how we select.
• Actionable strategies for tackling unconscious bias.

This presentation is also available in French. For more information, please click here.

Conflict resolution and mediation. How do we tackle difficult conversations and conflict in the workplace or in our communities? Research shows that 70% of Canadians are conflict avoiders. De Mello uses over 20 years of work experience in the private, nonprofit and government sectors to explore the ways in which we can learn to deal with conflict and confront it. She examines the gaps of formal mechanisms like investigations and complaint processes and explores the ways in which alternative dispute resolution and mediation can provide opportunities for understanding, growing and healing. She talks about the power of active listening and the peril of positions over interests. She shows the ways in which we can tackle conflict, so it doesn’t build up, and find mutually-agreeable resolutions to move forward.

De Mello delivers a motivational and practical speech about the ways in which folks can make a small contribution in their communities today. Often, we lament that we cannot be the Mother Teresa’s of the world and leave everything behind to take care of the sick and feed the poor. So, instead, we do nothing. De Mello offers a challenge to the audience to start small, start local and start today. She gives numerous examples from humanitarian aid to local charities where a small one-time contribution can make an enormous impact. She tackles the notion that civic engagement begins with community engagement—knowing our neighbours is the first step.

De Mello also offers presentations in French. You can view a list of her French presentations here.