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Claudia Hendry holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a degree as Swiss Certified Banking Professional. In 2003, after 18 years working in the Banking Industry, she founded CoachArt and supports people in challenging situations as Leadership- & Life Coach. She likes people, different cultures, languages (German, English, French, Spanish, Italian), sport, champagne, wine and cigars.
Claudia is Rotarian since 2002, founding member of the Rotary Club of Ufenau, D2000 – Switzerland/Liechtenstein, Zone 16 and served as Governor in 2013-14. In D2000, she was active as Membership chair and Moderator at RYLA for several years. She served RI as Vice Chair IC2023 Melbourne, was International Assembly Learning Facilitator (IA2019 & IA2020), Support Learning Facilitator (IA2021), president’s representative in Germany, Austria and Sweden. From July 2023-June 2026, Claudia is serving as Member of the RI Finance Committee.
At the International Assembly 2024, Claudia and her husband were members of the Leadership Team of President Stephanie Urchick and served as one of the two Seminar Trainers and Partner Coaches to train the Learning Facilitators and their partners. For the International Assembly 2025, they will support the Leadership Team of President elect Mario Cesar Martins de Camargo again in the same roles. REMARKS SLIDES

Dan Trommater is passionate about empowering others to be better so they can make society more just, equitable, and sustainable. As a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, he challenges participants to challenge their assumptions and find new perspectives. Dan’s presentation style is warm, funny and voluntarily vulnerable. Plus, he’s a world-class magician and he uses magic as a visual metaphor to explore empathy, leadership, and communication. This leads to interactive sessions that are engaging, mind-opening, and a whole lot of fun.
Dan is also an ICF-credentialed coach who works with a select group of coaching clients to help them move from where they are to where they want to be as leaders and team members. You can learn about Dan and his work at www.dantrommater.com. SLIDES

A widely acclaimed public speaker, and author of the smash best-selling book “OH CANADA! Our Home and Inventive Land!” now in its fourth printing with thousands of copies sold and in 65 stores and museums across the country!
A passionate, entertaining and gifted presenter with an ability to hold an audience and bring stories and anecdotes from across this land to life in a fun and engaging way. Mark retired as a professor and former program co-ordinator in 2019 and was well liked by many students and highly rated in written reviews by thousands of students for 19 years in college classrooms. He has published numerous technical articles, contributed to a nationally published textbook, and his first book published in Aug 2018 is already in its 4th printing!! See his website for locations to get your copy at a store near you or book a speaking gig!
A former 16-year veteran of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force, his experience was in a mission critical, public safety, land mobile radio environment where he was responsible for maintenance, installation, repair and system integration of several large scale 9-1-1 trunking and conventional voice and data radio systems from numerous manufacturers including Motorola, GE, Ericson, and MDI. Other experience included Public Safety training video production and classroom training of public safety personnel.
Having owned and operated a successful small business for 10 years in electronics consulting on custom home theaters and computers, a broad range of business skills in sales, management, consulting and business operations fills out Mark’s skill set.

Brigitte holds a Bachelor’s in Economics from the University of Waterloo and a Master’s of Management in Artificial Intelligence. With 15 years of professional experience, including a decade as a data analytics leader, she has spent the last five years at a leading Silicon Valley AI company, driving innovation in healthcare operations through AI. Her work focuses on assessing the effectiveness of AI models and helping clients leverage them to improve efficiency in healthcare systems. SLIDES

Colonel Melissa Ramessar joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2000. She graduated from the Royal Military College as an officer of the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) with an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. Colonel Ramessar served in command and staff appointments at every rank in units including 1 Service Battalion (Vehicle Platoon Commander, Assistant Adjutant, and Maintenance Officer), 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (Unit Maintenance Officer and Second in Command of Administration Company), and the RCEME School (Officer in charge (OIC) for Officer training and unit Adjutant). As Major, she worked in Director General Land Equipment Program Management (DGLEPM) as Land Equipment Management System Doctrine and RCEME Corps Senior Staff Officer, 5 Service Battalion (Administration Company Commander) and 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters (Brigade G4). Upon promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel, she was posted to the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) as CJOC J4 Ops, followed by command of the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School. Colonel Ramessar was posted to the US Army Command and General Staff College’s School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth Kansas, where she completed her DP4 and, upon promotion to Colonel in 2023, served as a Seminar Leader for the Advanced Military Studies Program.
Colonel Ramessar’s operational experience includes Operation ATHENA Battle Group Maintenance Officer in Kandahar, Afghanistan; Operation UNIFIER Logistics Modernization Team Lead Roto 0 in Ukraine, Operation IMPACT Team Lead for the Logistics Enhancement Project Roto 0 in Lebanon, and multiple domestic operations.
Colonel Ramessar graduated from the 43rd Joint Command and Staff Program at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto in 2017 and the Advanced Strategic Leadership Studies Program in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 2023. She holds a Master of Defence Studies and a Masters in Strategic Studies.
On 19 June 2024, Colonel Ramessar assumed command of CFB Borden and the Military Personnel Generation Training Group.

Known by his colleagues as an influential leader, strong consensus builder and exceptional communicator, Andrew is a visionary leader who continuously demonstrates his commitment to furthering social and human service integration.
Andrew has over 15 years experience in the successful and integrated delivery of municipal social services. Andrew brings breadth and depth in his experience, having began his career with the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board, before accepting a role with the County of Simcoe in 2018, where he currently serves as Director of Ontario Works. Having served in leadership roles in both the Northern and Central Regions, Andrew possesses a strong awareness of the many unique needs and challenges present within the suburban, rural and northern communities in Ontario.
Previous affiliations include the United Way, where Andrew spent numerous years as the campaign chair, along with spending several years on the admissions committee for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Currently Andrew currently serves as a Board of Director, for the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association, along with numerous committees at the local, regional, and provincial levels. SLIDES

Andrea Hryciw has worked in the social and community services sector for more than 25 years. She began her career in Children’s Services and spent 9 years with the YMCA of Simcoe Muskoka educating and supervising Child Care Centres in Barrie, Orillia and Alliston.
From there, Andrea continued her career in Children’s Services with the County of Simcoe as Program Supervisor. In that time, she provided oversight to the County of Simcoe’s Directly Operated Family Home Child Care Program, EarlyON Child and Family Centres, Special Needs Resourcing and Indigenous programs.
Most recently Andrea’s primary focus is within the Homeless Team. Contract compliance and oversight to Emergency Shelters, Outreach Providers and Warming Centres that support Simcoe County’s most vulnerable people with a housing first focus