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Women’s Grain Symposium

Making Connections

Grain Farmers of Ontario’s Women’s Grain Symposium is an opportunity for networking, professional development, and leadership development.

The Women’s Grain Symposium is open to women who are grain farmers, active members of their family grain operation, or working within the grain sector or agriculture business with a direct connection to farmers.

Cost: $125, includes one night hotel accommodation at the Delta.

Registration is now open.

Join us at the 2024 Women’s Grain Symposium

November 25 – 26, 2024

Delta Hotel

50 Stone Rd W, Guelph, ON N1G 0A9


Speakers

Kendra Dauer

Risk Management Consultant
StoneX

Kendra joined the Bowling Green, OH StoneX team in August 2019. As a Risk Management Consultant, she works primarily with commercial grain elevator and farmer customers to help manage their price exposure in the grain futures market. Prior to joining StoneX, Kendra worked in the grain division at a farmer cooperative in Bowling Green, OH. Her cash grain experience, coupled with her background in education make her position at StoneX a great fit as she enjoys the opportunity to educate new and existing customers on hedging and the futures markets.

Bethany Parkinson

Manager, Psychological Support and Education
Agriculture Wellness Ontario, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario

Bethany is the Manager, Psychological Support and Education with Agriculture Wellness Ontario (AgWO) at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Ontario Division. Bethany is a Registered Social Worker and has worked in clinical and healthcare settings, and social services. During her Master of Social Work she completed research on mental health among Canadian farmers; she is passionate about AgWO programs and wellbeing among agriculture communities. Bethany operates her family’s beef and purebred sheep farm outside of Elora, Ontario.

Baram and Snieckus

A power couple of Canadian comedy, Second City Alums Matt Baram (Painkiller, Umbrella Academy, The Trades) and Naomi Snieckus (The Social, Mr. D, Zombies) are a six-time Canadian Comedy Award winning troupe offering unique appearances and interactive workshops to help people “learn with laughter.” Whether hosting a morning conference or an evening gala, or leading training sessions that incorporate the invaluable lessons of improv, the duo is guaranteed to give your team an unforgettable, rewarding–and hilarious–experience to remember.

Offerings from Baram and Snieckus include participatory improv, improv that is accompanied with a talk about the importance of saying “yes” to opportunity, song and dance entertainment, as well as a “talk show themed” segment, with Naomi and Matt offering fun commentary on your company’s conference or event…and much more!

Amber Mac

President
Amber Mac Media

Amber Mac is President of AmberMac Media, Inc., an award-winning content development agency, an award-winning podcaster (This Is Mining and The AI Effect), and a bestselling author. She is also the co-host of the award-winning emerging technology radio show and podcast #TheFeed on SiriusXM.

In 2024, Amber was named as one of DMZ’s Women of the Year for her work driving innovation and progress in the tech industry. In 2021, Amber was named one of the Bay Street Bull Women of the Year for her leadership in the technology sector. In 2016, she co-wrote the Amazon bestseller, Outsmarting Your Kids Online, just a few years after she wrote the Globe & Mail business bestseller, Power Friending.

Amber has keynoted more than 500 events around the world and has moderated sessions with: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, former FBI Director James Comey; business coach Tony Robbins; literary icon Margaret Atwood; and many other notable leaders.

Panel discussion:

Victoria Berry, Director of Communications for Grain Farmers of Ontario, will lead a discussion with ag business leaders to highlight success stories, challenges, and the future potential of the grain sector.

Darlene McBain

Director, Industry Relations
Farm Credit Canada

Darlene McBain is Director of Industry Relations at FCC. She works closely with partners, industry stakeholders and key decision makers in agriculture and food across Canada.

Darlene was raised on a poultry farm outside of Quebec City. With farming in her heart and passion for the food industry, Darlene earned a degree in agricultural science at Laval University. She began her career in the banking industry as an account manager helping ag and food business owners to grow and achieve their goals.

With more than 25 years in the agri-food sector, Darlene has an in-depth understanding of industry trends, risks and opportunities, and shares her strategic insights to drive growth and build connections with stakeholders. She volunteers in several community organizations, is a member of the Order of Professional Agrologists of Quebec and on the board for the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity. She also sits on the governance committee of the Canadian Agri-Food Sustainability Initiative.


Agenda

Monday

NoonLunch
1:00 p.m.Welcome remarks / introduction to GFO
1:45 p.m.Speaker session 1:
Kendra Dauer: Grain markets
2:45 p.m.Break
3:00 p.m.Speaker session 2:
Bethany Parkinson: Stress management workshop
4:00 p.m.Break
5:00 p.m.Reception and networking event
6:00 p.m.Dinner
8:00 p.m.Keynote speaker:
Baram and Snieckus: The importance of saying “yes” in life and in business
9:00 p.m.Hospitality suite

Tuesday

7:00 a.m.Breakfast
8:00 a.m.Speaker session 3:
Darlene McBain: Industry trends and disrupters
9:30 a.m.Break
10:00 a.m.Panel discussion:
Ag Business Leaders – moderated by Victoria Berry
NoonLunch
1:00 p.m.Speaker session 4:
Amber Mac: 4 Lessons to Thrive in Our AI Future
2:30 p.m.Closing remarks
3:00 p.m.Symposium ends

Thank you to the Women’s Grain Symposium sponsors!

Banquet & keynote speaker sponsor

Tuesday lunch & panel discussion sponsor

Breakfast sponsor

Monday lunch sponsor

SWAG bag sponsor

Speaker sponsors

Nutrition break sponsors

Supporters