Who We Are

Summit Schedule


7:30am - 8:30amSummit Begins! (Hall C)

Check-in, smudge, coffee & light breakfast, exhibitors and networking


8:30am - 10:30amSummit Opening & Keynote Speaker

Summit Opening & Keynote Presentation with Juno Award Winning Powerhouse, Crystal Shawanda
Opening Panel 'Why We Are Here' to immediately follow keynote


10:45am - NoonBreakout Sessions (Salon Level)

Discussions on key themes: transforming governance systems, how we support our people, how we tell community stories and how we organize for impact.


Noon - 1:30pmLunch Break

Buffet lunch served in Hall C, exhibitor booths open, announcements from EMCEE and special video presentation and fireside chat


1:45pm - 2:45pmBreakout Sessions (Salon Level)

Discussions on key themes: transforming governance systems, how we support our people, how we tell community stories and how we organize for impact.


3:00pm - 4:00pmBreakout Sessions (Salon Level)

Discussions on key themes: transforming governance systems, how we support our people, how we tell community stories and how we organize for impact.


4:00pm - 6:30pmClosing Ceremony & Reception

Summit closing ceremony and performance followed by networking reception, light food and cash bar.


Summit Venue

Edmonton Convention Centre (ECC)

The ECC downtown (9797 Jasper Avenue) will be our host for the Beyond The Status Quo Summit on Wednesday, April 9th, 2025.

PARKING: Day parking is available in the Canada Place parkade, surface lots, Grierson Hill lot and meter parking along Jasper Avenue

LRT: Take the train to the Summit! Central or Churchill station are only 1.5 blocks away from the ECC

Summit runs from 7:30am - 6:30pm in Hall C (2 levels down from Jasper Avenue) with breakout sessions on the Salon level


Meet The Opening Keynote Speaker

Crystal Shawanda Juno Award Winning Powerhouse and Storyteller

Crystal is a celebrated Canadian blues and country music artist, known for her powerful storytelling and engaging speaking style. Like most people who enter into the non-profit sector, Crystal feels a deep sense of purpose in her work. Through her music and the art of personal storytelling, Crystal inspires others to challenge the status quo, create your own path to success and embrace new experiences, all while staying true to yourself.

Crystal’s keynote address will explore the strength required to take risks, drawing on her Indigenous culture, personal story and voice to inspire individual and collective action. As a musician and speaker, she weaves together song alongside spoken word into her keynotes, making her presentations both inspiring and memorable.

Born in Wiikwemkoong First Nation, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Crystal began performing at the age of six and her rise to fame has been documented by CMT in a six-part series 'Crystal: Living the Dream in 2008'. She was the first Indigenous woman to win the CCMA for Female Artist of the Year in 2009, a Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year in 2020, and to appear in the Top 10 of the American Billboard Blues chart in 2022.


Meet Our Panelists!

Mark Cabaj President, From Here to There

Mark is President of From Here to There and a Thought Leader with the Tamarack Institute. A past Fellow of the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, he has worked internationally and in Canada on economic development and poverty reduction.

He played key roles in Poland’s post-communist transition and led award-winning initiatives in Canada, including Vibrant Communities Canada. His focus is on tackling complex social issues through developmental evaluation and real-time learning. Mark lives in Edmonton, Alberta, with his wife and two children.


Karen McDonald Executive Director at SAGE

Karen McDonald has devoted her career to gerontology, including 10 years in seniors’ supportive housing and 15 years at Sage Seniors Association, where she has served as Executive Director for half her tenure. Sage, a community-based seniors-serving organization, offers social services, community development, and life-enrichment programming for and with under-resourced older adults.

Karen chairs the Community Leadership Council and is Provincial Director of Healthy Aging Alberta, supporting sector development, non-medical services, and community initiatives for seniors. She also co-chairs the National Community-Based Seniors Services Sector Interim Community Leadership Council, guiding national sector growth.

Contributing to health system transformation, Karen served on the Modernizing Alberta Primary Care System (MAPS) Strategic Advisory Panel and the Assisted Living Alberta Transition Committee. She holds an MBA and a BA from the University of Alberta and volunteers as Treasurer of the Muttart Foundation Board.


Jared Wesley Associate Dean (Graduate Studies), Black Faculty Collective at the University of Alberta

Jared Wesley is Associate Dean (Graduate Studies), a professor of political science and member of the Black Faculty Collective at the University of Alberta. He studies the links between public opinion, public policy, and political culture. His career path has included several senior management positions with the Government of Alberta. Based in Edmonton, Alberta, he is a lucky husband and proud father of two daughters.


Cheryl Whiskeyjack Executive Director, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society

Cheryl is the Executive Director of the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, where she has played a key role for nearly 30 years. She oversees 22 programs that connect Indigenous clients to their community, building skills and resilience.

She serves on the boards of the Canadian Accreditation Council, Align Association, and PolicyWise for Children & Families. Cheryl mentors through the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations and represents Bent Arrow in C5, a nonprofit collaboration. She values strong cross-sector partnerships in her work.


Gemma Dunn (Panel Moderator) Executive Director at Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO)

Gemma Dunn is the Executive Director of ECVO, a leading resource and advocate for Alberta’s charities and nonprofit organizations. She is a seasoned nonprofit thought leader with over 20 years of experience in the sector, including 15 years in capacity building where she is recognized for her ability to tackle complex issues. Gemma’s passion has driven her to work very closely with communities and non-profit organisations to create innovative solutions and develop systems that support a thriving non-profit sector. Her work focuses on sector transformation, leadership development and strengthening the evidence base for voluntary action. She believes that building authentic relationships and deepening connection within the sector will ultimately lead to better outcomes for all.


Connection, Curiosity, and Action:

A Panel on Systems and Social Change in Edmonton’s Human Services Ecosystem

Join us for an insightful panel discussion that bridges theory and practice in systems change and social transformation. Through thought-provoking dialogue, we will explore how ideas evolve moving from head to heart to action, whilst unpacking key themes that drive meaningful change. 

    What is systems change?  

    What are our roles in systems change? 

    How do we develop and nurture our connection to each other?  

    How might we leverage a sense of urgency? 

    How do we stay curious? 

    How might we integrate curiosity, connection and action to drive social change? 

This panel will inspire participants to take individual and collective action, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness and kinship between people, communities and the human services ecosystem.

Beyond The Status Quo Summit Counter:

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Non-Profit Sponsorship Opportunities 

By sponsoring Beyond the Status Quo Summit, you will be a driving force for change in Edmonton. As an active partner, your sponsorship will reshape how the human services sector collaborates and moves our shared vision into action. To become a Summit sponsor, simply select the level you'd like to participate in under the registration options on the next page OR contact the ECVO office directly at 780-428-5487 or [email protected] 

Thank you to our confirmed sponsors to date:

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