Dr. C. Lesley Biggs

Dr. C. Lesley Biggs is an award-winning interdisciplinary researcher in the history and sociology of healthcare, alternative medicine, professionalization, and feminist studies. As a young adult already committed to improving the position of women in society, she volunteered at the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre and with the Toronto Childbirth Education Association. She went on to become a highly effective feminist change-maker, a gifted and celebrated teacher, a skilled and generous administrator, and a community leader with regional, national, and international impacts.

Lesley helped establish Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Saskatchewan in 1988 and led a campus-wide consultation to regularize its graduate program in 2015. Having navigated obstacles to equity, inclusion, diversity, and decolonization with considerable creativity and reparative acumen, Lesley created more than 32 graduate and undergraduate courses. She has supervised, or served on the graduate committees of, or as external examiner for, 100 graduate students from Women’s and Gender Studies, Sociology, Geography, Nursing, Art and Art History, Community Health and Epidemiology, Psychology, and Education. Lesley’s research has supported marginalized communities, who often seek more equitable and engaged alternative healthcare practices, including culturally appropriate approaches to midwifery and reproductive justice.

She is internationally known for her work in regularizing Canadian and transnational chiropractic standards. In terms of academic influence, she co-edited a nationally respected textbook, ‘Gendered Intersections’, which has been utilized across the country, and whose proceeds support Canada Without Poverty.

Lesley has worked with both the Public and Catholic Boards of Education and SaskTel, securing funding for conferences encouraging girls to study informational technologies, and has served on numerous advisory boards in our city, province, nation, and across borders.

Betty Mutwiri

Betty Mutwiri is passionate about empowering women, drawn from her upbringing in Kenya, where she witnessed the transformative power of women’s empowerment in communities. Over two decades, Betty has been a change catalyst, leading impactful leadership development programs in the public and non-profit sectors. Motivated by her dedication to building bridges, she initiated the book project ‘Courage, Change and Faith: Inspiring Stories of Black Women Leaders’ and co-authored the ‘ROOTED’ mentoring curriculum for Sisterhood Ministries. Betty’s contributions have garnered recognition, including the Leadership Saskatoon Alumni Award, Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch, RBC Women of Influence, and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Award, among others. Congratulations Betty.

Laura Lawrence

Laura Lawrence is a mother, best-selling author, educator and mental health advocate. After a major life pivot that impacted her own mental health she became a voice and a trailblazer in developing and delivering programs, initiatives and events supporting mental wellness. Laura is a passionate visionary and founded the “StrongHER Together” women’s empowerment movement, inspiring and connecting thousands of women throughout the province. Laura received the Queens Platinum Jubilee Medal for her leadership as the founder and director of Youth Matter Canada, a non-profit organization that supports mental wellness for youth that has impacted thousands of youth across Saskatchewan.

 Jocelyn Peltier-Huntley

Jocelyn is a 2021 Vanier Scholar and professional mechanical engineer with nearly 20 years experience leading change. After working in mining for 13 years, she is now focused on leading and inspiring positive change through equity, diversity and inclusion research and consulting. Her PhD project, Activating Allies, focuses on creating better workplaces by engaging everyone. Through her business, Prairie Catalyst Consulting, Jocelyn creates awareness and removes roadblocks so individuals and organizations can realize the benefits of inclusion and achieve their full potential. Jocelyn is also a volunteer and currently the Vice-Chair of WIM/WiN-SK.