KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dave Nerada
David is a visionary leader with a passion for transforming the world of retail. As the President and CEO of Ricki’s and Cleo Fashion, a prominent brand with a vast footprint of over 180 locations and a dedicated team of 2,000 members across Canada, David has left an indelible mark on the industry.
30 Years of Fashion Mastery
With an impressive 30 years of experience in the fashion industry, David brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. His journey has been defined by a keen understanding of the ever-evolving needs and desires of fashion-savvy customers. His relentless commitment to customer-centric strategies and transformative brand change sets him apart as an industry leader.
Innovation Through Data-Driven Insights
David’s approach is as innovative as it is effective. He firmly believes that data-driven insights and seamless technology integration are the cornerstones of success in the modern retail landscape. Through these strategies, he has not only reshaped the mindsets of his teams but also empowered them to thrive in an ever-competitive market.
The Secret Sauce: Customer and Team Satisfaction
At the heart of David’s success is a simple yet profound philosophy: an unwavering focus on delivering exceptional experiences for both customers and teams. He understands that true satisfaction lies at the forefront of every successful strategy, and he ensures that this principle guides every decision made under his leadership.
Industry Involvement
David’s influence extends beyond his role as CEO. He serves as a board member for other organizations such as Comark Holdings, Parian Logistics, Bootlegger, Warehouse One, and Mile 1 Delivery, showcasing his extensive involvement and presence in the industry.
SPEAKER OVERVIEW
Dayna Spiring
Dayna is the former President and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. (EDW) and led all the corporation’s activities including overseeing the business development team, YES! Winnipeg, and Tourism Winnipeg. She was responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction, collaborating with key stakeholders and has been a driving force behind making Winnipeg a compelling choice for business and tourism.
Dayna is a passionate Winnipegger with a drive to volunteer. She sits on the board of CancerCare Manitoba Foundation, she is Honourary Colonel for 2 Canadian Air Division and she was the Chair of the United Way Winnipeg 2022 campaign. She also sits on the board of directors for packaging pioneer, Winpak Ltd. She was the Chair of the Winnipeg Football Club’s board of directors and is the first woman to have her name engraved on the coveted Grey Cup, after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ historic win in 2019 and again in 2021. She is only the second woman to serve on the Canadian Football League’s board of governors.
Dayna earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Manitoba where she also completed a Bachelor of Arts degree (honours), majoring in political science. In 2015, Dayna participated in the Directors Education Program within the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, obtaining the ICD.D designation.
WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
Managing Conflict
Lukas Neville
Dr. Lukas Neville is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Acting Academic Lead for the President’s Student Leadership Program. He researches and teaches in the areas of conflict management, trust, and negotiation. Prior to joining Asper, Lukas completed his Ph.D. at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. Lukas teaches in the B.Comm, MBA, and Executive Education programs, and has delivered training and facilitated workshops for audiences in a range of industries, including financial services, health care, logistics, and consumer retail. Lukas’ research has been published in a range of top management and organizational psychology journals, and his teaching has been recognized with awards including the Reg Litz MBA Luminary Teaching Award and the CSA Golden Shovel.
Lukas’ session will focus on conflict resolution. He will aim to bridge theory and practice, showing you how insights from conflict management can guide your practice as a leader. In order to take the most away from this session, come prepared with questions and problems you have regarding how to navigate conflict and disagreements among your internal and external stakeholders and other partners.
PANEL HIGHLIGHT
EDI Panel
Equity Diversity and Inclusion are essential principles within any organization. From student unions to larger companies, making sure members are given fair opportunities, a sense of inclusion within the community and having a diverse range of backgrounds and experience are essential to maintaining a healthy environment that values the wellbeing and progress of their members. Bring your questions and pick the minds of these panelists who are dedicated to the success and implementation of EDI initiatives within their own professional fields.
Robel Berhane
Communications Coordinator, Economic Development Winnipeg
Robel Berhane is a graduate of RRC Polytech’s CreComm program, specializing in public relations and communications management. With a keen interest in storytelling, Robel hopes to bring fresh perspectives and a passion for strategy to organizations throughout his career. He has had various roles related to the city, including marketing and communications for the World Police and Fire Games, MTEC Board member, and is currently a communications coordinator at EDW.
In addition to his professional experience, Robel enjoys discussing sports, the TV show Young Sheldon, and all types of food – especially potatoes. Despite his name being spelled like “rebel,” please don’t let that fool you – he’s a friendly and approachable person who loves to laugh and connect with others. It’s also worth noting he’s probably not laughing at you but rather with you. So please don’t take it personally.
Rohan Shanker, MBA
Communications Specialist, Asper School of Business
Rohan Shanker [MBA/23] works as a Communications Specialist at the Asper School of Business promoting its diverse activities with a focus on highlighting student success, experiential education, research achievements, international exchange programs and internal projects. He’s currently a board member for Neon Venus, an immersive entertainment company, and a member of Asper’s EDI Task Force.
A marketing and communications professional with more than 10 years of corporate experience, Rohan has worked for companies based out of the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Passionate about knowledge transfer, he frequently lectures at the school, teaching undergraduate courses: MKT4210 Marketing Management, MKT3390 Integrated Marketing Communications and MKT2210 Fundamentals of Marketing.
Rohan is an Asper School of Business alum, having completed his MBA in early 2023 with a specialization in marketing and sustainability, and has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Jackie Wild
Founder & General Manager, Tito Boy Restaurant Founder & Creative Director, Delight Digital
Jackie Wild is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with over a decade of experience managing successful community-focused initiatives within the public, private and non-profit sectors. As a racialized woman in business, she understands the critical role anti-racism advocacy plays in advancing equitable outcomes for her kababayan (fellow country people) and the broader business community.
In 2022, Jackie launched Tito Boy Restaurant, Winnipeg’s first south-end Philippine eatery offering traditional and fusion culinary creations. The business, named after her father Agustin “Tito Boy” Doming, represents the intersectionality of different generations and what it means to be a Philippine-Canadian in the modern era.
A champion of community building, Jackie serves as president of the Manitoba Filipino Business Council, leading their vision to serve as the prime community resource hub for Philippine business people and professionals. Jackie also volunteers as board secretary with the Manitoba Museum, small business advisory council co-chair with The Winnipeg Chamber, and board member with the Health Sciences Centre Foundation.
In 2020, Jackie was named one of CBC Manitoba’s Future 40 recipients and featured in the Filipino Journal’s 20 Filipinos to Watch list.
INDUSTRY SESSIONS
Marketing
Kendall Dufort (Bishop)
Founder & CEO, Badass Growth Co.
After graduating with majors in Marketing and International Business from the Asper School of Business, Kendall started her career in experiential marketing, where she managed programs for Fortune 500 clients such as Disney, Coca Cola, Labatt, and Microsoft. In 2014 she made the move into tech and joined Yelp in a business development role, after which she moved on to join the early Uber team as the Marketing Manager for Western Canada.
Nearly 7 years ago, Kendall left Uber to join what was a small Winnipeg startup, SkipTheDishes. There, she founded their recruitment, restaurant onboarding, and marketing teams, and most recently held the role of Director of Marketing Strategy, Growth Verticals, and SKIPRewards. After a wild 6 year ride at Skip, she launched her own Growth and Marketing Advisory practice – aptly named Badass Growth Co.
In her new endeavour, Kendall works with Seed to Series A stage marketplace startups and scaleups to deliver strategic growth and marketing plans, followed by supporting businesses through their implementation, and often acts as an interim marketing leader for their teams.
Natasha Lao
Founding Director, Head of Brand, Marketing, Creative Communications, Plannin
Natasha is a creative brand marketer with a unique talent in uniting brand and performance marketing. Her expertise lies in blending data, creative content, and customer insights to propel essential metrics forward. Natasha has a strong passion in building meaningful consumer connections, ensuring long-term brand success. Currently, Natasha serves as the Founding Marketing Director for an innovative travel startup that’s revolutionizing the way people book travel through creator commerce. Her previous role was as the North American Director of Brand at EQ3, where she led the company’s rebranding initiative and drove its expansion in the US market.
Michela Troia
Affiliate Manager, Gen3 Marketing
Michela Troia is an enthusiastic results-driven marketing professional from Winnipeg Manitoba with over three years’ experience across various industries. She graduated from the Asper School of Business in 2022 as the class Valedictorian, completing her Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.) Co-op with a double major in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Michela is very passionate about all-things affiliate marketing, and currently works as an Affiliate Manager at Gen3 Marketing, the largest affiliate marketing agency in the world. Her areas of marketing expertise lie in the beauty/home verticals, with a strong background in consulting, influencer management, and social media marketing. As an Asper alumna she is very excited to support the NBSC and is looking forward to connecting with students!
Finance
Shreeraj Patel
Vice President Commercial Financial Services, Royal Bank of Canada
Mr. Shreeraj Patel has had an extensive background and involvement in the financial industry, both in Commercial and Corporate banking, for the last 19 years. Mr. Patel joined RBC in 2014 and was appointed Vice President of Commercial Financial Services in 2017. He is responsible for a diversified team that covers the industry sectors of Real Estate Development/Private and Public REITS, Construction Services and Supply Chain.
Outside of RBC, Raj invests his passion for community and inclusion in many key areas. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and is the past Chamber Chair for the 2020/21 operating year. He is also a member of the United Way Winnipeg Board of Trustees. He is a passionate member of the Asper School of Business Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Taskforce and the James W. Burns Leadership Institute Advisory Board. He is also a community member of the University of Manitoba Finance and Infrastructure Committee. Raj also is a member of the TELUS Manitoba & Saskatchewan Community Board. He also is a board member of CentrePort Canada. Raj earned his Bachelor of Commerce (Honors) degree from the Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba and his MBA from the University of Phoenix (Vancouver campus).
Sid Dewan, CFA
Associate Director, Royal Bank of Canada
Sid is a proud RBCer, currently working as an Associate Director specializing in Real Estate and Construction Services. He is viewed as a trusted strategic advisor by his clients and has a natural passion for market activation within the external business environment. He thrives in navigating through complex credit transactions and routinely brings in partners at RBC to support client needs. A firm believer in community engagement, Sid currently serves on the Board of Directors for Learning Disabilities Association of Manitoba (LDAM) and CFA Society Winnipeg. He also mentors students that are enrolled in the Asper Master of Finance program at the University of Manitoba and serves on the Organizational Performance Committee for Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (RMTC). Sid graduated from Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business with a concentration in Accounting (Honors) and is a CFA Charterholder.
Human Resources
Ashley Smith
HR Manager, Ubisoft Winnipeg
Ashley Smith is HR leader at Ubisoft Winnipeg, a role she’s held since the global AAA video game publisher Ubisoft planted its Winnipeg roots in 2018. She is passionate about her career bringing together local and global tech talent in Winnipeg’s techno-creative district and supporting women in STEM industries.
A proud wife and mother Ashley strives to embrace experience, inspiration and community connection as the foundations for her personal and professional evolution.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology, Honours) from the University of Manitoba, a degree she completed after changing her major three times – from Science to Arts, to Psychology to Sociology – and switching Universities another three times – from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, to the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba, graduating in 2009.
She previously held HR positions at Bold Commerce and Masterbrand as well as at CN Rail – an opportunity she received the day she was to commence a new job as a social worker with Child and Family Services. While obtaining her degree at the University of Manitoba, Ashley worked at an inner city child care facility, primarily with newcomer families and moved into a role as an Immigrant Settlement worker where she built incredible, life-long relationships with clients.