Fighting for our Children's Minds: Breakthrough Social Entrepreneurs Redefining Education and Learning - Creating Urgently Needed Disruption Inside and Outside of our Legacy School Systems

Bradford Turner July 13, 2022

Spend a fireside chat with globally disruptive social entrepreneurs whom are challenging a status quo wherein the way we deliver education today exhausts talented educators, and makes kids hate learning. Despite herculean efforts from educators, the tools in our classrooms are outdated and make both teaching, and learning, feel like work and these changemakers refuse to accept it!

Hear perspectives from Dr. John Mighton founder of JUMP Math, who started as a financially struggling playwright and is now internationally recognized for fostering numeracy and children’s self-confidence and abilities in math globally. He has been named a Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year, an Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year for Canada, an Ashoka Fellow, and an Officer of the Order of Canada for his achievements.

Julia Rivard Dexter, whom is an innovative tech entrepreneur focused on impact! One of the top 50 Canadian women in STEM, former Olympian and mother of 4. Julia has founded and led several successful technology ventures, including as CEO of Google’s first North American premier GoogleApps partner. Currently the Co-Founder and CEO of Shoelace Learning, she leads one of the most innovative and high-growth education technology companies in North America, which delivers the best education for millions of players through video games they love. Julia has been honoured with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and BMO’s Global Growth and Innovation Award and is a member of the Board of Nova Scotia Power.

Bradford Turner, the current Managing Director at The Sector. An expert in sustainable finance, whom has held executive leadership positions such as Executive Director, Toronto Workforce Innovation Group, Director of Impact Investments, Engineers Without Borders Canada and has led teams to win & implement over $200 million in institutional & private funding and investment.

Beena Tharakan, Partner and Principal Consultant of The Sector, whom will be applying her extensive public sector consulting experience having lead teams within the practices of IBM, Deloitte and Ernst & Young (EY).

And lastly, Jordana Armstong, Director of Social Innovation at Innovate Calgary. As the Director of the Social Innovation Hub, Jordana leads Innovate Calgary’s social innovation portfolio. She helps provide strategic direction for researchers and entrepreneurs who seek to use market approaches to achieve impact within the communities they serve. Jordana also leads Innovate Calgary’s social entrepreneur programming and spearheads the UCeed Social Impact Fund. She is committed to seeing capital work differently and embraces the principles of radical generosity (SheEO) and is a member of Local Investing YYC, SheEO activator.

Format

Fireside Chat (3 speakers maximum)

Meta Themes

  • Reimagine Systems

  • Power and Capital

Themes

Education, Digital Transformation, Social Enterprise, Impact Investing

Purpose and Desired Outcome

The purpose of this talk is to convene the strategic stakeholder groups whom posse the agency to initiate systems-change in legacy education systems, rapidly becoming irrelevant to our children's future success. It is a call to action to policy makers, impact investors, educators and administrators, donors, etc., to support these disruptive education-focused social entrepreneurs to change the paradigm to match to the personalities of our children, so they are equipped to navigate this rapidly changing world and the future of work that is waiting for them.

Audiences

  • Allocators (Family Offices, HNW Individuals, Foundations)

  • Asset Managers

  • Entrepreneurs

  • Government

  • Academia

  • Service Providers

  • Accelerators & Incubators

Speakers

  • NameDr. John Mighton
  • TitleFounder
  • OrganizationJUMP Math
  • StatusConfirmed
  • NameJulia Rivard Dexter
  • TitleChief Executive Officer
  • OrganizationShoelace Learning
  • StatusConfirmed
  • NameBradford Turner
  • TitleManaging Director
  • OrganizationThe Sector
  • StatusConfirmed
  • NameBeena Tharakan
  • TitlePrincipal Consultant
  • OrganizationThe Sector
  • StatusConfirmed
  • NameJordana Armstrong
  • Title Innovate Calgary
  • OrganizationDirector, Social Innovation
  • StatusInvited
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