Lilly Singh is a leading force in pop culture and has pivoted her successful online career to the big and small screens. Her first feature film, DOIN’ IT, which she co-wrote, produced, and starred in, made its world premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival, and released nationwide in the U.S. on September 19.
Singh can also be seen as one of the human leads in Disney+ comedy series The Muppets Mayhem, which won an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s or Family Viewing Series, and DreamWorks Animation action-comedies The Bad Guys and The Bad Guys 2.
Singh was the 2023 recipient of The DVF Leadership Award and has been named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment list, Fast Company’s Most Creative People and as one TIME’s Most Influential People on the Internet. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, recognized for her work to expand opportunities for young girls. Her TED Talk, “’A seat at the table’ isn’t the solution for gender equity,” has received millions of views and was one of the five most popular TED Talks of 2022. Through her Unicorn Island Productions company, Singh continues to blaze new paths in storytelling, spotlighting underrepresented voices, and challenging social norms to transform the way the world sees, values and invests in girls and women.
Patricia Bovey is an art historian, curator, emerita museum director and former member of the Senate of Canada (2016-2024) representing Manitoba. She served as director of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and the Winnipeg Art Gallery, and founded St. Boniface Hospital’s Buhler Gallery in Winnipeg. Her books include Pat Martin Bates: Balancing on a Thread (2013), Don Proch: Masking and Mapping (2019), and Western Voices in Canadian Art (2023), and she has lectured and taught extensively on art history, curating, museum studies, and cultural policy. She has served on many arts and university boards, including the National Gallery of Canada and the Canada Council of the Arts, and chaired the boards of the University of Manitoba and Emily Carr University of Art and Design. She currently serves on the Confederation Centre for the Arts Board, the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and the Roberta Bondar Foundation.
The Honourable Maurizio Bevilacqua is a distinguished public servant, whose vocation has spanned over three decades in federal and municipal government. Born in Sulmona, Italy and immigrating to Canada in 1970, he rose to become a respected and inspiring national and local leader. Elected to Parliament in 1988, he represented Vaughan for 22 years, holding key cabinet and parliamentary positions, including Minister of State for Finance. In 2010, he was elected Mayor of the City of Vaughan, where he guided the city through a period of unprecedented growth, civic renewal, and infrastructure expansion. Under his leadership, Vaughan emerged as a thriving , modern urban community and a model of governance excellence. Widely admired for his integrity, vision and dedication to public service, Bevilacqua has received numerous honours. His legacy reflects a lifelong commitment to building stronger, inclusive and more compassionate communities. He is rooted in faith, hope and optimism and anchored to love of family, community and country.
Eva Lau is one of the few women leading a venture fund in Canada and the founding partner of Two Small Fish Ventures. An MBA graduate from the Schulich School of Business with a background in engineering, she combines business insight with deep expertise in AI and semiconductors to help startups scale exponentially.
Previously, Eva was a founding team member at Wattpad, where she played a pivotal role in growing the platform from tens of users to millions. This journey from operator to investor gives her a unique perspective on building enduring, global companies.
A respected and sought-after mentor, Eva is deeply committed to empowering deep tech early-stage founders. She actively leverages her networks, operational expertise, and strategic guidance to help entrepreneurs overcome challenges, accelerate growth, and shape the future innovation economy.