MEET OUR 2025 GALA SPEAKERS:

CATHERINE WREFORD

From Broadway to Brain Cancer to Breaking Free: A Story of Reclaiming My Voice & Power 
Catherine Wreford’s life has been a stage — from Broadway lights to nursing scrubs, from raising children to racing across Canada. But in 2013, just after the birth of her second child, everything stopped with the words terminal brain cancer. Given two to six years to live, Catherine could have given up, but instead, she chose to live louder, braver, and with an unstoppable presence. Along the way, she found the courage to leave an abusive marriage, proving that freedom and self-worth are worth fighting for, no matter the cost. Her journey led her back into the spotlight as a winner of The Amazing Race Canada, and as a fierce advocate raising awareness for brain cancer. Catherine’s talk is an invitation to run your own amazing race: to believe in yourself, live fully in the present, and discover the power to turn even life’s hardest battles into your greatest transformation.

JORDAN THOMAS

From Rock Bottom to Rising Strong: How Breaking Cycles Builds Lasting Legacy

Jordan knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom — weighed down by trauma, addiction, and the kind of self-rejection that convinces you you’ll never be enough. The thoughts on repeat in her mind were literally making her sick. It all came crashing down in a mental health crisis that landed her in the hospital, and a surrendering prayer to a higher power— “let this suffering mean something.” That moment became the spark. Choosing radical responsibility, Jordan faced her past head-on and discovered that healing wasn’t just about survival — it was the gateway to her purpose and tapping into spiritual and financial abundance. Through that healing, she found her medicine: helping others. What began with her own recovery grew into a seven-figure therapy practice and a community dedicated to breaking cycles of trauma. Today, Jordan’s story is a raw, empowering reminder that pain can be transformed into purpose, and that legacy is about WHO you become on your journey and the ripple effect in the world.

HARRIET BRATT

From “Be Quiet” to Paid Speaker: How Silence Became My Stage"

Harriet grew up always being told to be quiet. Between bullying at school, betrayal at home, and later being diagnosed with ADHD, she carried the belief that her real self was both too much — and not enough, all at once. That followed her into adulthood, where she found herself working nonstop, exhausted and unhappy, trying to squeeze into a life that didn’t fit her back. The turning point came when she realized that if she wanted a different life, she had to create her own path, which she found through personal development and public speaking. But along the way, she faced another hard lesson: working in partnership with someone whose values clashed with her own. Choosing to walk away taught her that true success only comes when you lead from integrity and align with what feels right. What once felt like her greatest pain point of not being able to be herself or speak her truth, became her greatest strength. Today, Harriet is a global speaker and trainer who helps others unleash their voices, proving that the very thing we’re told to hide can become the source of our greatest power.

WhiteEagle Stonefish is a deeply respected Indigenous Spiritual Healer, Elder and End of Life Doula. Born into a lineage marked by the trauma of the residential school system, her parents were survivors of this violent chapter in Canada’s history. At just one year old, WhiteEagle herself became a part of the "Sixties Scoop," being removed from her home and placed into Children’s Aid until she aged out of the system at 18. Despite the profound challenges of her past, WhiteEagle has embraced her journey toward healing, rooted in her sacred connection to her ancestral bloodline and spiritual practices.

A mother of three, WhiteEagle is devoted to creating a world of love, peace, and truth for her children. Through her work, she channels the strength of her ancestors, leading others toward healing by facilitating sacred ceremonies and sharing her wisdom. WhiteEagle invites others to participate in these ceremonies, helping communities reconnect with Indigenous truths and fostering a deeper understanding of the cultural and spiritual healing needed today.