Women in Tech Regatta Vancouver 2025: Full Schedule

10:00am PST

Women at the Helm: Stories of Leadership Few Spots Left

Thursday February 27, 2025 10:00am - 11:30am PST

Kick off #Regatta2025 with an empowering session spotlighting the journeys of women leading in tech and business. From breaking barriers to driving innovation and fostering inclusivity, our panelists will share their strategies, lessons, and advice for advancing careers, shifting industries, and redefining leadership. Whether you’re aspiring to lead or passionate about championing women in tech, this event offers inspiration and actionable insights for all.

Moderators

Sara Dean

Keynote Speaker/Facilitator/Executive Coach, Shameless Leadership

Sara Dean is a Keynote Speaker, Certified Facilitator, and Executive Coach. A coach for over 20 years, Sara helps women leaders and their teams advance their leadership resiliency, thought leadership, and communication confidence. She has spoken for and coached leaders at Google... Read More →

Speakers

Shelly Badhesha

Director, Banking, RBCx

Shelly is a visionary Business Executive with a 15-year tenure in the tech and consulting spheres. As the Director of Banking at RBCx, she is dedicated to financial empowerment for the innovators of today and leaders of tomorrow. Guiding a team of relationship managers, her mission... Read More →

Sara Aghvami

Director, Inclusion and Belonging, Best Buy Canada

As Director of Inclusion & Belonging at Best Buy Canada my mission is to ensure Best Buy continues to offer a workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to be their authentic selves. I have one of the best jobs – I get to be of service to our people, our... Read More →

Thursday February 27, 2025 10:00am - 11:30am PST
Amazon YVR26, aka The Post

Leadership

2:00pm PST

Lead From Every Chair: You ARE The Leader The World Needs Few Spots Left

Thursday February 27, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm PST

Amazon YVR26, aka The Post

Join this session to hear from conventional and unconventional leaders with vastly different leadership styles. Learn how they navigate rough waters, let out the sails to capture momentum and drop anchor when necessary. Bonus: Learn why you are already a leader, even if you don’t currently recognize it.

Moderators

elan Bailey

Managing Director, UpLevel People Partners

Elan's passion is developing people, teams and organizations that thrive. As a small business growth advisor with Cultivate Advisors, she works with entrepreneurs who are mission-driven, women-owned and people-focused to help take your business to the next level.She has 10 years experience... Read More →

Speakers

Dan Burgar

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Collective

Dan Burgar is an innovator with a bold vision within this technological revolution in Frontier Tech. He firmly believes in the transformative power of collaboration, inclusivity, and diversity as essential ingredients for a sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world. Dan's dedication... Read More →

Samantha Keating

SR. Director SMB Sales, Sophos

Samantha works for Sophos and is responsible for SMB sales across the Americas. Samantha started her career as a junior sales rep, and worked her way through numerous roles, eventually landing in leadership. Throughout her career, she’s developed a deep passion for empowering people... Read More →

Darya Abdollahzadeh

Director, Platform and Infrastructure, Hootsuite

Darya is a passionate problem-solver and collaborative leader with extensive experience overseeing all aspects of DevOps, including CI/CD tools and services, SRE, DevEx, and infrastructure. As a DEI advocate, Darya champions the development of empathy across the broader workplace... Read More →

Thursday February 27, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm PST
Amazon YVR26, aka The Post

Leadership