SPEAKERS
elite hockey player and survivor of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy with severe injuries, he has
transformed adversity into purpose, inspiring individuals and organizations worldwide. Diagnosed
with type 1 diabetes at age four, Kaleb refused to let it define him, fueling a successful hockey
career and a lifelong commitment to advocacy.
As the founder of Dahlgren’s Diabeauties, he empowers young athletes with type 1 diabetes while
serving as a National Ambassador for two diabetes non-profits. His impact extends beyond the
diabetes community—his insights on resilience, mindset, and health have reached millions through
global media, including CNN, BBC, CBC, TSN, Maclean’s, and The Players’ Tribune.
Kaleb’s memoir, Crossroads, became a #1 National Bestseller, earning praise from hockey legend
Wayne Gretzky as a book that “will change your life for the better.” As an International Keynote
Speaker, he has worked with industry leaders such as Google, Rogers, TD, Nestle, the NHL, and the
Government of Canada, using his powerful story to inspire transformation.
Earning his Doctor of Chiropractic degree in June of 2025, Kaleb will be completing his residency
specializing in sports with a focus on nutrition, neurology, and concussion management to help
elevate and optimize high-performing individuals.
His journey is a testament to grit, passion, and purpose, which most recently earned him the
prestigious King Charles III’s Coronation Medal (2025). Whether mentoring, speaking, in the
community, or providing care, he continues to drive positive change in the lives of others.
With over a decade of experience, starting on construction sites across Canada and working up to safety leadership on billion-dollar infrastructure projects, throughout his career, Iqbal has influenced safety culture at every level of an organization, from frontline crews to the C-Suite. Before founding IQ Safety Solutions, he served as Regional Health and Safety Manager for one of Canada's largest powerline utility contractors.
As President of IQ Safety Solutions, Iqbal works with companies of all sizes across construction, manufacturing, and beyond, acting as an outsourced safety department, providing fractional safety leadership, and coaching internal safety teams. The firm's approach is hands-on and built around what works in the field.
Iqbal also instructs in Red River College's Occupational Health and Safety Program.
Vicki Choy Bio:
Vicki Choy is the Head of Process Excellence at Sanofi, where she brings over eight years of progressive leadership experience in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) to drive operational excellence across the organization. In her current role, Vicki leads strategic initiatives that optimize processes and strengthen safety management frameworks.
Throughout her career, Vicki has built a distinguished track record of implementing transformational change that enhances organizational performance. A passionate change agent for safety culture, she believes that true safety excellence begins with openness and trust — championing near-miss reporting as a cornerstone of proactive safety management. By fostering an environment where employees feel empowered to surface and share near-miss events without fear, Vicki has helped shift organizational mindsets from reactive to preventive, turning everyday observations into powerful drivers of systemic improvement. Her expertise spans process optimization, compliance management, and continuous improvement, enabling her to translate complex operational challenges into scalable, sustainable solutions.
With over 24 years of experience across multiple sectors and international environments, Kirwin Lalla is a strategic, people-first leader who partners with organizations to deliver sustainable performance and long-term stakeholder value. His approach is grounded in systems thinking, enabling organizations to align mission, vision, and operations with evolving customer and stakeholder needs. By designing integrated strategies and scalable support systems, he helps organizations optimize performance today while building capability for tomorrow.
Kirwin has worked extensively with C-suite executives, senior leadership teams, and frontline employees, creating alignment across all levels of organizations. His leadership philosophy is clear and unwavering:
“People first in everything you do, and the best will follow.”
He believes that individuals drive behaviour, behaviour shapes culture, and culture ultimately determines organizational success. Through this lens, he has consistently enabled high-performing, resilient cultures that support innovation, growth, and operational excellence.
With over 17 years of experience leading Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) across diverse industries and geographies, Kirwin brings a multi-disciplinary, business-integrated perspective to safety leadership. He holds the globally recognized designations of Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and Certified Safety Professional (CSP), underscoring his expertise and commitment to advancing the profession.
Kirwin is a strong advocate for reframing safety as a value-generating function, rather than a compliance-driven obligation. He emphasizes that safety cannot be a zero-sum outcome—organizations must not compromise one stakeholder group to satisfy another. By embedding safety into the broader value proposition, he has enabled organizations to achieve financial performance, environmental stewardship, and positive societal impact simultaneously.
Emily’s accountabilities include oversight of the Legal and Policy groups, Data and Safety, Engineering and Technical Services and Licensing. As a member of the organization’s executive leadership team, she works with her peers on integrated business planning, strategy development and culture.
Prior to joining ESA, Emily practised civil litigation and regulatory law, specializing in the life sciences and energy sectors.
Emily is a member of the Research Ethics Board of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
Shilo’s career has spanned from the worksite, to the courtroom, to the boardroom. Having received his Environmental Degree, Shilo started his career in Toronto working for PCL Construction Ltd. as a Loss Prevention Supervisor. While at PCL, Shilo oversaw HSE operations on projects ranging from $1 Million to over $1 Billion dollars throughout Canada. Following his time at PCL, Shilo obtained his Law Degree and passed the Alberta bar exams. As a lawyer, Shilo worked for a number of prestigious law firms in Alberta and had a legal practice primarily focused on Occupational Health and Safety.
Shilo also teaches and develops programs for the University of Alberta OHS diploma program. Shilo likes to give back to the community – he is on the CRSP regional screening committee and is a frequent presenter for non-profit organizations across Canada. In addition, Shilo has also achieved his CRSP and CUSP designation.
experience in occupational health and safety, construction operations,
and workforce training. As the Director of Health & Safety at Empire
Homes, she oversees health and safety programs across residential
low-rise and high-rise construction projects.
Since joining Empire Homes in 2007, Maria has led the development
and implementation of comprehensive corporate health and safety
programs, including auditing and inspection systems, return-to-work
initiatives, and regulatory compliance strategies aligned with Ontario's
Occupational Health and Safety Act and Construction Regulation
213/91. She has also contributed to numerous industry committees
and working groups, championing continuous improvement and best
practices across the construction sector.
Maria holds both a Gold Seal Certification and National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO) designation.
Recognized for her collaborative leadership style and practical approach to risk management, she is
committed to building strong safety cultures, improving organizational performance, and ensuring every
worker returns home safely each day.
His leadership roles include:
- Chair CSA Z1005 Incident Investigation Standard
- Past President, Canadian Society of Safety Engineering,
- Director & Executive Team member of Minerva Canada,
- Past Board Governor of the Canadian Registered Safety Professionals Board
- Executive Board member of the Centre for Safety & Health Sustainability
He holds the designations of Canadian Registered Safety Professional, Professional Member (CSSE) & Certified Health & Safety Consultant as well as an Executive MBA in Global Leadership,
He was awarded the CSSE Safety Professional of the Year in 2015, & Outstanding Service to CSSE/Volunteer of the Year in 2019.
Jeremy is a co-author of the Annotated Occupational Health and Safety Act, a leading text used by lawyers and human resources and health and health and safety professionals. He is also a frequent writer, speaker and lecturer on health and safety law and issues. As well, Jeremy is a past Chair of the Occupational Health and Safety Subcommittee of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE).
Shortly after entering private practice, and for more than a decade, Jeremy has been recognized as a leading occupational health and safety lawyer. He has the highest ranking, as “most frequently recommended”, in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and is also listed in the Best Lawyers in Canada.

