Elevate Your Career: Navigating Work as a BIPOC Professional

Michael is a career coach with Bow Valley College who has a passion for helping people achieve their goals and realize their career calling.  

Shawnnette Fraser is currently a district vice-president (Calgary North) and a national media spokesperson with TD Bank. She is also the co-chair of the Canadian Personal Banking Black Experience Inclusion & Diversity Council and the prairie region lead for the Black Employee Network (BEN). This work focuses on increasing sponsorship and engagement in Black communities; advancing employee engagement, mentorship and career opportunities for Black colleagues; and increasing recruitment of Black talent to TD. Shawnnette is also an active volunteer in the community through involvement with Junior Achievement, Habitat for Humanity, the Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council and the Centre for Newcomers.    

Norman Poon is an immigrant, entrepreneur and community leader. Norman is currently the co-chair of Diversecities, a community service agency that focuses on working with visible minorities and marginalized groups to make social mobility accessible. He is also the chief customer officer for BitWide, a sales solution provider to companies around the world. As well, Norman volunteers his time with the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association. He is passionate about advocating for diversity and inclusion and fighting against racism and systematic discrimination. Throughout Norman’s career, he has made it a priority to advocate and provide employment opportunities for immigrants, minorities and women.  

Djaka Blais-Amare is a social-sector leader with experience in philanthropy, government and community-mobilizing. Djaka is a change agent working to shift power dynamics and remove oppressive structures within philanthropic organizations. She is the director of Grants and Racial Equity Strategy with the Calgary Foundation where she guides the Foundation through its ongoing goal to develop a racial equity culture, which closely intersects and builds on the Foundation’s reconciliation journey. Djaka is also a founding member of the Foundation for Black Communities, a board member with Philanthropic Foundations Canada, a Justice Funders Harmony Initiative Fellow, and was recently selected as an SFU Wosk Centre for Dialogue Fellow.  

Harold Horsefall is an emerging leader in truth and reconciliation. Harold is an issue strategist with the City of Calgary’s Indigenous Relations Office. His work is incredibly varied: he will go from leading the City’s Orange Shirt Day Ceremony on the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation and taking Zoom meetings with community associations on this issue, to overseeing the development of the Indian Residential School Memorial. Harold’s work will impact the community for years to come.