CEO of Namaste Data and Data Is For Everyone

Meena Das (she/her) is the CEO, consultant, and facilitator behind Namaste Data and Data Is For Everyone. Through Namaste Data, she advances data equity and human-centered AI practices with nonprofits, foundations, and social impact organizations. Through Data Is For Everyone, she creates tools and learning spaces that help social sector build confidence in navigating the world of data.

Meena specializes in equitable research design, community-centered data collection, survey strategy, data storytelling, and human-centric approaches to AI.

You can learn more about Meena’s work through her community letters, Data Uncollected, or connect with her on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meenadas.

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Director of Strategic Engagement for Catholic Catholic Immigration Society

Amanda Koyama is the Director of Strategic Engagement for CCIS - Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, a non-profit organization that offers settlement and integration support and services to all immigrants and refugees in Calgary and Southern Alberta. As a strategic leader with over 20 years of experience in Public Sector Engagement, Amanda has spent most of her professional career with a focus on access, engagement, and building and maintaining strategic partnerships.

Amanda is often solicited for as a formal speaker, and to provide Board and Committee leadership in varying networks.  

Executive Director of ALIGN Association of Community Services

Sonja Polz is the Executive Director of ALIGN Association of Community Services, a provincial membership association representing more than 100 community-based organizations across Alberta. In this role, she works closely with service providers, government, researchers, and sector partners to strengthen collaboration, inform policy, and advance evidence-based solutions that improve outcomes for children, youth, families, and communities.

With more than 25 years of leadership experience across the nonprofit, government, and post-secondary sectors, Sonja has held senior leadership roles in community services, served as an Implementation Consultant with Triple P Canada, and is a casual instructor in Bow Valley College's School of Community Studies. Her experience spans program design, evaluation, strategic planning, government relations, and systems change.

Through ALIGN, Sonja champions the use of data, collaboration, and shared learning to strengthen the community services sector. She believes meaningful data is most powerful when organizations work together to turn information into insight, evidence into action, and individual experiences into a collective voice that influences policy and improves services for Albertans.

Consultant

George has more than 20 years of experience in data privacy and governance. He was responsible for implementation of an Information Sharing Strategy within the Government of Alberta and its stakeholders and partners. As a consultant, he supports the development of information and data sharing frameworks, including governance, involving multiple organizations subject to different privacy legislation.

Evaluation and Insights Coordinator, United Way of Calgary and Area.

Melissa is an Evaluation and Insights Coordinator at United Way of Calgary and Area. In addition to her background in research and evaluation, Melissa’s career has also focused on mental health promotion.

Director of Evaluation and Insights, United Way of Calgary and Area

Bethany is the Director of Evaluation and Insights at United Way of Calgary and Area. She brings two decades of experience in policy, research, evaluation, and data-driven leadership to her role.

Akak'stiman Implementation Lead (Lodge Keeper)

Meghan is the Akak’stiman Lodge Keeper (Implementation Lead) at United Way of Calgary and Area. She has been working in the nonprofit sector since 1998 with a deep focus on supporting youth.

Director of Akak’stiman, United Way of Calgary and Area

Joanne (Eeikachkimaki – Trying Hard Woman) is the Director of United Way of Calgary and Area’s (United Way’s) Akak’stiman initiative and is an international leader in creating pathways for Indigenous parallels and learnings through Planet Youth Calgary.

Director of Communications, Vibrant Communities Calgary (Stewards of Enough for All)

Alka is a strategic communications leader with over 13 years of progressive experience, including five years as a senior advisor to executives. She specializes in organizational positioning, strategic planning, and executive communications, with a track record of translating complex priorities into clear, compelling narratives that support decision-making and strategic execution.

Director of Program, Carya

President and CEO of The Nonprofit Chamber

Angie is President and CEO of The Nonprofit Chamber. Over 30 years she has led arts organizations across the country, served as Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Recreation in Saskatchewan, and ran an independent consulting practice focused on strategy, governance, and organizational development in the nonprofit and public sectors.

Director of Community Information and Data Systems, Distress Centre of Calgary

Richard is the Director of Community Information and Data Systems at the Distress Centre of Calgary and leads the implementation of the Community Information Exchange - a new way for services to work together by using shared tools, a common resource database, and secure technology.  Richard has been building and managing community programs since 2007.

Director of Organizational Impact, YWCA Calgary

Randy Thornhill is currently the Director of Organizational Impact at YWCA Calgary. He has over 30 years of experience in the non-profit sector ranging from front line youth and family work to program and organizational leadership. For the last 20 years Randy has focused his work on the intersection of technology, innovation and human services impact. He has been a technology and data management consultant for both non-profit and for-profit organizations and holds a Master of Technology Management graduate degree; as well as a graduate certificate in Business Intelligence and a Bachelor’s degree in Science. Currently, he is responsible for ensuring that the impact of YWCA Calgary is clearly documented, relevant and inspirational both to participants and others in the sector. He is particularly interested in how AI can be responsibly used to advance the mission of organizations both locally and nationally. www.linkedin.com/in/randythornhillyyc

Associate, Data Strategy & Solutions, Blueprint

Jamie combines his passion for user research and social justice to help organizations strengthen their data practices. Drawing on his background in librarianship and information management, he develops strategies and systems to better collect, store, and use data effectively.