MASTER CLASS DESCRIPTION
Plain language techniques make your written communications clear — and they help the audience easily understand your intended message. The Government of Canada’s communications policy states, “An institution’s duty to inform the public includes the obligation to communicate effectively….To ensure clarity and consistency of information, plain language and proper grammar must be used in all communication with the public.”

This workshop will provide you with skills needed to communicate clearly, concisely, coherently, and correctly. You will learn how to gear each piece of communication to its intended audience, always keeping the needs of the audience in mind.

INSTRUCTORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Molly Desson, Facilitator, PMC Training
Molly possesses a wide breadth of grammar and writing knowledge gained through both academic and professional means. She has completed an Honours B.A. in Classics with an emphasis on ancient language translation and gained a thorough understanding of grammar and language. She then refined these skills through a College Diploma in Professional Writing and a post-graduate certificate in Technical Writing.

In the professional realm, Molly has applied her knowledge of writing and document design to provide individualized guidance to graduate students on the business aspects of academia, assisting with refining conference and grant proposals, creating abstracts, and choosing contextually appropriate language. Additionally, she holds a Vice Chair position on the Board of Directors of a local publishing house, where she also works as a developmental editor, proofreader, and typesetter.

Sophie Gouédard, Client Services Manager, PMC Training
Sophie has led client services at PMC since 2010. She makes every workshop, from first inquiry to follow-through, run smoothly and feel effortless for clients. Trilingual in French, English, and Spanish, she keeps communication clear and timelines on track across teams and locations. Clients know Sophie for her rapid responses, calm problem-solving, and genuine kindness. She holds a Master’s in International Business from the Université de Savoie (France).

MASTER CLASS DESCRIPTION
This session focuses on strengthening participants’ ability to collaborate effectively within complex organizational environments. Participants will explore strategies for building productive working relationships, communicating with influence, and navigating organizational dynamics when working with supervisors, peers, and stakeholders. The session emphasizes practical approaches to managing expectations, aligning priorities, and supporting effective collaboration across functions.

INSTRUCTORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
François Gagnon, Associate, Institute on Governance (IOG)
Formerly the Vice-President of Learning at IOG, Francois Gagnon is now an IOG Associate where he brings rich experience in public sector learning and leadership. Mr. Gagnon worked in the Public Service of Canada for 25 years, including 13 years as executive. He had the privilege to organize national ministerial consultations, to negotiate international and federal-provincial agreements and to lead national Grants and Contribution programs. At the Canada School of Public Service, he developed a change management and coaching practice. As Senior Director of Leadership Development, he led and oversaw the review of the entire suite of the School’s Leadership Development products for the Government of Canada.

In 2014, Mr. Gagnon founded Lead-Action, a firm specialized in Leadership Development. He joined the Institute on Governance in 2019 where he had used his knowledge and expertise to build on the IOG’s strong reputation in this area. Mr. Gagnon has a Degree in Computer Science and a Masters in Project Management during which he specialized in Leadership and Change Management. Over the last 20 years, he was lecturing in Leadership and Change at the University of Ottawa and Université du Québec en Outaouais. He completed required certifications to teach and administer a large range of psychometric instruments including products from the Center for Creative Leadership, Insights Discovery and two emotional intelligence instruments. He has facilitated and has managed the delivery of many Leadership Development products and courses, including organizational 360-degree feedback processes and executive coaching in many organizations in Canada and abroad.

Mr. Gagnon was also invited to teach Leadership and Change Management at the University of Moscow and at the Russian Academy of Public Administration and has led the development of a Leadership Development program for Deputy Ministers of the Government of Ukraine. Through his work at Lead Action, he also contributed to leadership development projects in Indonesia, Belize and Mexico.

In addition to his professional activities, Mr. Gagnon holds a Private Pilot license and is a classically trained pianist who performs regularly in the region.

MASTER CLASS DESCRIPTION
The most influential leaders think before they speak and communicate with Clarity, Brevity, and Impact®. This session introduces core communication techniques from the Think on Your Feet® system focused on speaking quickly and confidently. You will learn and practice tools to inform, persuade, and manage tough questions – even with no time to prepare.

In this session, you will learn how to:

• Use structured thinking to help you organize and visualize your ideas quickly 
• Become more persuasive, increase confidence and overcome nerves.
• Drive action and influence decisions to get the results you want.

INSTRUCTORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Kathryn Peterson, Adm. A, Senior Facilitator, McLuhan & Davies Communications, Inc. 
Kathyn Peterson holds a degree in psycho education and spent 14 years as an addictions counsellor before transitioning to the Training and Development field. Today, she has led over 1,000 workshops around Europe and North America. She lectures at Concordia University and is a published author, with books on topics like understanding and finding strategies to deal with difficult personalities. As an Associate of McLuhan & Davies Communications, Inc., she teaches Think on Your Feet® and The Skilled Presenter™ across the Americas.

MASTER CLASS DESCRIPTION
In today’s complex organizational environments, technical expertise will only get you so far. True leadership requires high emotional intelligence.

Led by an ICF certified coach, this dynamic masterclass is designed to help professionals and aspiring executives bridge the gap between operational management and strategic leadership by mastering their emotional capabilities.

Emotional intelligence is built on four critical pillars: understanding your own emotions, recognizing the emotions of others, regulating your responses, and harnessing them to drive personal and team performance. Moving beyond theory, this highly interactive session equips you with the practical tools to navigate uncertainty, manage diverse teams, and facilitate better decision-making.

To support your continuous growth, all participants will receive a comprehensive Emotional Intelligence Workbook—packed with practical exercises, self-assessments, and guided reflections to ensure the transfer of learning long after the session ends.

Key Learning Outcomes:
Upon completing this masterclass, participants will be able to:

• Expand Emotional Vocabulary: Utilize frameworks like the Feeling Wheel and the Emotion Meter to accurately label complex emotional states, enhancing both self-awareness and team communication.
• Read and Understand Others: Improve interpersonal dynamics by mastering the vital skill of deciphering universal facial expressions and nonverbal cues.
• Cultivate Emotional Acceptance: Move away from harmful avoidance and suppression strategies. Instead, practice targeted mindfulness techniques to process difficult emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them.
• Regulate Impulsive Reactions: Uncover implicit false beliefs about emotions and apply the Acting Opposite to Urges technique to replace habitual reactions with deliberate, value-aligned leadership behaviors.

Join us to develop the relational tools necessary to lead with empathy, build trust, and drive sustainable results!

INSTRUCTORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Paul Gagnon, Certified Business, Executive and Leadership Coach, Portage Personnel Inc.
Paul Gagnon, ICF ACC, is a certified business, executive and leadership coach dedicated to helping professionals and emerging executives lead with resilience, clarity, and high emotional intelligence.

With a deep understanding of high-stakes organizational environments, Paul specializes in bridging the gap between technical expertise and strategic leadership. Through highly interactive and practical coaching masterclasses, he equips leaders with evidence-based tools to regulate emotional responses, navigate complex team dynamics, and make value-aligned decisions under pressure.

Paul’s approach empowers individuals to move beyond reactive habits and cultivate the relational skills necessary to drive sustainable results and build high-trust teams.

MASTER CLASS DESCRIPTION
Three-Part Webinar Series:
Webinar 1: How to Be Crystal Clear – and Concise! 
Webinar 2: How to Manage Tone 
Webinar 3: How to Structure for Results 

What to Expect 

1. How to Be Crystal Clear – and Concise!

• Convey key messages early 
• Edit for focus and retention 
• Use formatting effectively 

2. How to Manage Tone 

• Separate from emotion 
• Follow a proactive plan 
• Check your language

3. How to Structure for Results

• Set the stage for desired action 
• Control the reader’s experience 
• Maximize all email components

INSTRUCTORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Christie Day, Master Facilitator, McLuhan & Davies Communications, Inc.
Christie Day is a writer, editor and executive coach with an extensive background in publishing, marketing and multimedia communications. Her career has taken her to live and work across the US in key cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Houston and then to Singapore for two years, where she wrote and produced a travel supplement for Time Magazine. Since her return to Canada, Christie continues to provide freelance writing services for many kinds of consumer and B2B marketing. For McLuhan and Davies Communications, Inc., Christie is a Master Trainer for Smarter, Better Emails™, Writing Dynamics™ and a certified instructor for Grammar on the Rocks™.

MASTER CLASS DESCRIPTION
Part 1: How to be a Better Listener 
Part 2: How to Shift from Judgement to Connection 
Part 3: How to Communicate with Empathy 

1: How to Communicate with Empathy

• What is empathy? 
• Empathy’s conduit: validation (Acknowledgement) – and how to do it well 
• The language of empathy, dos and don’ts

2: How to Shift from Judgement to Connection 

• What is judgment? 
• Techniques for shifting from judgment to connection 

3: How to be a Better Listener 

• What is listening, why is it important, and yet so difficult?
• Techniques for improving your listening 
• Specific things you can do to be a better listener right away

INSTRUCTORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Heather Haigh, Senior Facilitator, McLuhan & Davies Communications, Inc.
As an Associate of McLuhan & Davies Communications, Heather facilitates Think on Your Feet® and The Skilled Presenter in addition to delivering Building Trust to Strengthen Relationships. Heather is an accomplished speaker, delivering hundreds of presentations, keynotes, and workshops to diverse audiences. During an 18-year career with RBC Wealth Management, Heather held various leadership roles, including product management, training & sales enablement, and diversity. As a lifelong learner, Heather passionately pursues courses and certifications. She holds the ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) designation, as well as the Living Systems Approach to Team Coaching, TAIS Assessment, and Pro-Sci’s Organization Change Management certificates.

Keynote Topic
Managing Risks: Lessons from the Edge

DAVE WILLIAMS, ASTRONAUT, AQUANAUT & BIOTECH / HEALTHCARE LEADER
From the weightlessness of orbit to the crushing depths of the ocean floor, Dr. Dave Williams has explored the extremes of our world — and led others through them. A two-mission Canadian Space Agency astronaut who logged over 17 hours walking in space, a commander of undersea research missions on the ocean floor off the Florida Keys, and a healthcare CEO who transformed a regional hospital into a nationally recognized centre of excellence, Dr. Williams brings a rare combination of courage, scientific rigour, and visionary leadership to everything he does. Whether orbiting Earth at 28,000 kilometres per hour, guiding a surgical team in a simulated deep-space habitat, or steering an organization through complex change, he has made a career of turning impossible challenges into defining achievements.

Keynote Topic
Be Future Ready: Ignite Transformative Change

All levels of government are being asked to deliver more – faster – amid rising complexity, uncertainty, and constant change. New technology, policy shifts and pivots, and evolving expectations mean that meeting these moments of change isn’t just about new tools or structures; it starts with how we think, adapt, and lead ourselves through change.

Rather than trying to predict what the future of work will look like, this keynote focuses on becoming future-ready – personally and collectively. Future-ready professionals are equipped to absorb change, make sense of uncertainty, and ignite meaningful transformation when new ideas or innovations emerge.

In this keynote, participants will:

• Develop a discovery mindset that supports curiosity, growth, and personal adaptability;
• Learn how to make the brain work for change instead of resisting it;
• Learn how personal readiness influences how teams receive and act on new ideas;
• Identify ways to take bold, grounded action when outcomes aren’t fully known;
• Build future-ready skills that enable confidence, resilience, and momentum in times of change.

GREGG BROWN, CHANGE STRATEGIST ON BUILDING FUTURE READY CULTURES, LEADERSHIP AND THE FUTURE OF WORK
Gregg Brown is an internationally recognized change expert, best selling author and keynote speaker who combines storytelling, audience engagement and research-based insights to empower teams to be future ready and thrive in the future of work. 

Gregg was just named one of the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on Change Management.  His ideas are in publications such as Forbes, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and Entrepreneur, amongst others. 

His core message is simple, yet powerful. Instead of solely focusing on the future  of work,  let’s focus on making your leaders and teams even more future-ready, to not only implement new ideas, but to strategically respond to whatever comes up. Gregg works with you to determine how to position and frame this message for your audience so they leave with practical strategies they can immediately use.

Gregg’s high energy keynotes have engaged thousands of individuals on hundreds of stages in some of the world’s leading organizations that tackle some of the biggest issues on the planet ranging from energy, health, to education and housing. 

These audiences include Fortune 500 companies such as Johnson & Johnson, TD Bank, KMPG through to governments, associations and humanitarian organizations worldwide, including the UN, Habitat for Humanity and the CDC – equipping them with the courage and practical tools to dive fearlessly into the never-ending waves of change. 

Gregg’s new book, Spark Action: How to Lead Change That Matters is recommended as one of the top thought-leader books to read in 2024 by Thinkers360 and is an Amazon #1 Bestseller.

With a Master’s of Social Science degree from the University of Leicester in the UK, his Project Management Professional Designation (PMP) and as an associate member of the American Psychological Association, Gregg brings a unique blend of a practical insights and engaging storytelling to his presentations that create actionable takeaways audiences can immediately use. He is currently pursuing a PhD where he researches how AI is reshaping leadership in organizations.