WXN honours 15 bold equity, diversity and inclusion changemakers with coveted CEDI Awards

TORONTO, April 22, 2024 /CNW/ - WXN (Women's Executive Network) today unveiled the names of 15 groundbreaking impact-makers who champion equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as recipients of the 2024 Canadian Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI) Awards, recognizing bold role models among EDI leaders, practitioners and allies.

Each winner will be recognized for their accomplishments on May 22, 2024, at the fourth annual Canadian Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Summit and Awards program at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

"The inspiring recipients of WXN's iconic CEDI Awards stand as a testament to the remarkable strides made by leaders dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion not only within their organizations but across North America and within the field itself. We honour and celebrate those whose dedication and bold vision pave the way for a more inclusive future for all women. Together, we take tangible action that creates lasting impact," said Sherri Stevens, Owner and CEO of WXN.

The winners of WXN's 2024 CEDI Awards include:

• Chair of the Board Award, presented by Diversity Institute, 50-30 Challenge:
  • Suromitra Sanatani
• Corporate Board Directors Awards:
  • Geneviève Bonin
  • Cherie Brant
  • Carolyn Levy
  • Clio Straram
• EDI Leaders Awards:
  • Dr. Ananya Banerjee
  • Lynnette Espy-Williams
  • Brooke Graham
  • Colleen Healey
  • Sarah Kheir
  • Dr. Tehseen Ladha
  • Janine Tamboli
  • Tammy Webster
• Ally of Excellence Award:
  • Phil Verster
• Inclusion Vanguard Award:
  • Dr. Deepy Sur

The awards are part of a one-day event dedicated to professional development and networking, featuring a workshop and panels from leading EDI experts and practitioners on top-of-mind topics that drive sustainable progress in today's organizations:

• Inclusive Leadership: From Diversity to Inclusion and Belonging
• Bridging Generations: Navigating a Multigenerational Workforce
• Cultural Catalysts: Transforming Organizations for Lasting Change
• Inclusive Human Resources Practices

It also features captivating keynote speaker Trecia McLennan, who brings her extensive experience as an award-winning educator, leader, innovator, and changemaker to the CEDI stage. McLennan is the Founder of Culturiousity; Executive Director, EDI at Loyalist College; Board of Directors at the Niagara District Airport Commission; and WXN CEDI Award Winner 2023 - Corporate Board Directors Award.

About her talk, Intercultural Effectiveness: Recognizing the Differences that Make a Difference, McLennan shared: "Intercultural effectiveness is about our ability to work well across the range of differences in our increasingly diverse workplaces and in the world. It charts a path for us to be constructive with our conflicts, understand our cultural self and others, and make decisions more humanely through multiple ways of seeing by leading with respectful curiosity instead of judgment. Organizations and leaders will find helpful tools and approaches to uplevel and rejuvenate efforts to have the equitable, diverse and inclusive outcomes that we all want and need more than ever." 

The annual CEDI Summit launched in 2021 as an opportunity to openly and honestly explore the latest research, barriers to success, trends and conversations that impact the representation of women within Canadian organizations, including Black, Indigenous, Women of Colour, Women living with Disabilities and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Winner biographies, event information and tickets for WXN's CEDI Summit and Awards are available at https://wxnetwork.com/page/CEDISummitAwards2024.

ABOUT WXN

WXN (Women's Executive Network) is a one-of-a-kind community shaping the future of leadership across North America. We bring together thousands of bold women, allies, and corporate members in a rich and diverse ecosystem of professional development, networking, thought leadership, belonging, and celebration that propels professional women to rise and lead.

Guided by our Owner and CEO, Sherri Stevens, and WXN's Global Alliance of Inclusive Leadership (GAIL), we lead North America's most prestigious events for women in business, create professional development programming, and champion thought leadership for professional women. This includes the Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100tm Awards, the Canadian Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Summit and Awards, the Bold Convos summit, and programs such as Master Coach Xcelerator and the Leadership Learning Series.

For more information, visit https://wxnetwork.com/

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SOURCE WXN (Women's Executive Network