Theme: On The Verge

What if we were to consider that ambiguous space between an idea and action? The “in
between” can include excitement, fear, frustration, and infinite potential. It is a space where
everything and nothing seem possible. TEDxCentennialCollegeToronto will take a leap from the
unknown and explore what it means to be… on the verge .

We are at a critical moment in time where the ideas we nurture and the decisions we make can
have profound impacts on the world. On the verge invites you to explore the evolving middle
ground, which demands the courage to consider ourselves, our relationships, and the places we
inhabit as fluid and uncertain.

We are in the midst of complex challenges and opportunities. To be on the verge captures the
possibility that anything can happen. How we react to these possibilities depends on
recognizing them first.

At TEDxCentennialCollegeToronto, we will do exactly that.

Centennial College, Progress Campus
941 Progress Ave
Toronto, Ontario, M1G 3T8
Canada

Alexandra Gater

Before starting her Youtube Channel, Alexandra was the Home Editor for Canada’s iconic women’s lifestyle magazine Chatelaine, where she created the successful YouTube series The Home Primp. Alexandra is passionate about showing millennials it’s possible to live in a home that feels stylish and beautiful (even if you rent!) without spending a lot of time or money. Her Youtube channel is a collection of service-driven home decor content including budget room makeovers and decor hauls. In just a year, she’s gained over 165k viewers who tune in every Friday to receive easy decor tips and fun, budget DIY inspiration. When she isn’t producing content for her own channel, she is a host for the HGTV digital series Buy or DIY and hosts and produces Shopify’s Make It Work. She is also a regular guest expert on Cityline and The Global Morning Show. Alexandra graduated on the Dean’s List with High Distinction for an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree specializing in Journalism and minoring in Studio Arts at The University of Toronto.

Anita Agrawal

Anita Agrawal has ran for every level of elected office in the last decade: Municipal, Federal and Provincial, both as an independent and as a member of a party. She is also the CEO of the multi-award winning Canadian jewellery manufacturing company, Best Bargains, the recent recipient of the Organization of Women in International Trade’s 2012 Ontario Woman Exporter of the Year award. As an industry expert, Anita has been featured in leading Canadian and international magazines, newspapers and TV, including the Globe and Mail, Profit Magazine, Canadian Jeweller, and BNN. She has also spoken at numerous conferences, seminars and events. In addition to her work at Best Bargains, Anita is a part time professor at the School of Business, Centennial College in Toronto, Ontario. She has extensive experience in leadership positions as the president and vice president of eight Not for Profit organizations, including being the president of the Organization of Women in International Trade, Toronto Chapter for 4 years.

Dr. Marilyn Herie

With over two decades as a leading educator, Marilyn brings a passionate focus to inspiring transformational, experiential, inclusive, and student-centered leadership and learning. As Centennial’s Vice President Academic and Chief Learning Officer, she has championed student success through teaching and learning excellence, academic quality, and reflective leadership practice. She has an academic cross appointment with the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, and is a member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). She has published widely on evidence-based practice approaches, including motivation and positive behaviour change. Marilyn leads with her values: inclusion, compassion, integrity and joy.

Izzy Camilleri

As one of Canada’s leading innovative and celebrated fashion designers, Izzy Camilleri has made a name for herself designing clothing for national and international clients for over 36 years. Izzy has built a reputation by creating pieces that are provocative yet refined, sophisticated and always wearable. Her designs have been featured in publications from Vogue, InStyle, Harper’s Bazaar and Forbes. Top celebrities from all genres have worn many of Izzy’s pieces including David Bowie, Angelina Jolie, Jason Momoa, Daniel Radcliffe and Meryl Streep, to name a few. Izzy recently had the honour of designing the iconic metallic leather wardrobe worn by Gord Downie on the historic 2016 Man Machine Poem Tour. In 2006 Izzy’s eponymous fashion line, Izzy Camilleri, which combined sleek leathers, furs and lavish textiles, earned her CAFA’s coveted Womenswear Designer of the Year Award. In 2009 Izzy created IZ Adaptive, a revolutionary line of clothing for wheelchair users and people with physical limitations. The Royal Ontario Museum featured a 6-month exhibit in 2014, entitled Fashion Follows Form: Designs For Sitting which highlighted IZ Adaptive and her other fashion design work. Izzy is based in Toronto and continues to create pieces that provoke thought and push boundaries.

Mark Strong

In the early 90s, Strong joined the cornerstone of the urban talent pool in Toronto, Fresh Arts, an organization that helped build the foundation of such talent like Kardinal Offishall, Saukrates, July Black and video director Little X. His writing skills and connection with those around him helped him branch out into acting, writing and producing theater plays, which strengthened his grounding in communities across the GTA. By 2001, Strong moved to commercial radio and became the lead on-air personality and producer of The Morning Rush; a position he held for a 4 years. He then transitioned to television as host of NBAXL until 2013, where he interviewed players across the country from a basketball culture perspective. For the last 17 years he has been the live voice of The Juno Awards, Canada’s premiere music awards program. In addition to lending his voice to national award shows, he has also voiced Canada’s Walk of Fame and the Canadian Screen Actors Awards. Mark is currently the host of the Morning Show on G98.7, and in-stadium host for the NBA's Toronto Raptors.

Matt Rubinoff

Matt is the founder and visionary behind STACKT. Prior to this project he came from an extensive background in marketing, strategic partnerships and event production. He is an avid world traveler and has been involved in international real estate transactions for 20+ years. The combination of proven expertise in real estate and marketing drove him to envision the stackt concept and bring it to life. Comprised of over 120 shipping containers, stackt is a modular development, which can be easily erected, changed and moved as needed. Following stackt's first location in Toronto, Matt envisions this concept popping up in other locations. This will be done by reimagining under utilized land and continuing to foster community connection through culture and innovation.

Stephanie Pangowish

Stephanie is a hilarious Anishinaabekwe from Wiikwemkoong on Manitoulin Island, Stephanie is an active community member, comedian, Northern Style Women's Traditional dancer, educator, back up singer & an avid beader. Her education includes a B.A. in Indigenous studies from Trent University and she continues to learn from her children, family and community.

Terri Budek

Terri Budek is a student affairs professional with more than a decade of program and curriculum development experience within post-secondary education. She created an award-winning diversity training program and is certified as a Safe Zone Trainer as well as a Nonviolence and Conflict Reconciliation Trainer. Her passion for enhancing the student experience started at the University of Guelph where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and held numerous student leadership positions. After graduating with a Master of Science degree in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University, Terri spent almost 12 years at the University at Buffalo working in community engagement, leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and student employment functional areas before starting her career at Centennial College in Toronto in February 2019. Terri is an experienced conference presenter, course instructor, and an inspiring storyteller. Her unique perspective comes from learning to appreciate life while navigating the complexity of grief. At a young age and with two small children, Terri became a widow and has since been determined to honor her late husband’s memory by finding her own voice on a different and unexpected path in life, helping others along the way.

Tyrone Edwards

Tyrone Edwards is a reporter for nightly entertainment show Etalk and the host of DNA Dinners, which was nominated for a 2019 Content Innovation Award (Cannes, France). Tyrone also weighs in as a fashion expert on Celebrity Style Story. In high school, Tyrone travelled to the U.S. to play basketball at Randallstown High School in Baltimore, MD. From there, a scholarship presented him with the opportunity to attend Hillsdale College in Michigan, where he played NCAA basketball while studying Business. In 2007 he moved back to his home city helped create the love letter to Toronto that is the 1LoveTO blog, a project that ultimately led him to join Much Music in 2011. Joining the Much team led him to host shows and events such as RapCity, the iheartRadio MMVAs, Golden Globes, MTV Movie Awards, and TSN 6ix Degrees. Off screen, Tyrone is involved in his community, acting as a mentor and voice for underprivileged youth. He currently partners with the Yorktown Family Services Mental Health Walk-In Clinic. Tyrone’s previous community initiatives include co-founding the not-for-profit basketball camp Concrete Hoops, and leading the Business Program at Toronto’s Remix Project, an organization helping underserved youth learn the fundamentals of the arts and entertainment business, and assists them in their educational and entrepreneurial aspirations. Tyrone is the recipient of the 2016 Mandela Legacy Hope, Success, and Empowerment Award, alongside Naomi Campbell, and Reverend Al Sharpton.