International Women’s Day is both a time to remind ourselves of the work to be done to achieve gender equity and to celebrate the progress made by the extraordinary women who choose to challenge. Through the work of the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership, Ivey has had the privilege of hosting some amazing women with remarkable achievements – activists, politicians, and athletes – who shared their inspirational stories and advice. Here’s a look back at the conversations we’ve had with some trailblazing women during our 2020-21 events.
Tracy Edwards
Tracy Edwards was skipper of the first all-women crew to sail the world via the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Race. Her latest initiative, The Maiden Factor Foundation, empowers women and girls to reach their potential through education and bringing awareness of gender inequality. At the 8th annual Leader Character and Candour Conference for HBA1 students on February 9, 2021, Edwards discussed how she built and led the winning team that broke gender barriers and made her a history-making woman athlete and role model.
Memorable message
Don’t be afraid to take risks or follow your dreams.
Rona Ambrose
Rona Ambrose is deputy chair of TD Securities and the former interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. In 2006, when she was appointed Minister of the Environment, she was the youngest woman to be appointed to cabinet in Canadian history. In 2011, she led the charge for the United Nations to create the International Day of the Girl, and she is the co-author of International Day of the Girl: Celebrating Girls Around the World. On October 26, 2020, Ambrose gave the address at Ivey’s Thomas d’Aquino Lecture on Leadership. She spoke about developing confident and resilient leaders.
Memorable message
You need to be brave. And when you feel that self-doubt creeping in, just ask yourself, ‘what’s the worst thing that can happen.’
Chrystia Freeland
Chrystia Freeland is a Rhodes Scholar, an international journalist, bestselling author, and Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and Minister of Finance. She is the first woman to serve as federal finance minister in Canada, and the second woman to serve in that job in any G7 country. On September 18, 2020, Freeland participated in a virtual fireside chat with Ivey Dean Sharon Hodgson where they discussed leadership and leader character amid these extraordinary times.
Memorable message
Not acting can be as dangerous as acting. It's very easy when you're in a tough situation to think that the safest thing to do is nothing.
Watch a highlights video
Tarana Burke
Tarana Burke is a civil rights activist and founder of the Me Too movement (also known as #MeToo movement) against sexual violence and MeToo.org. She also recently unveiled the We, As Ourselves movement, a collaboration to reshape the narrative about sexual violence and its impact on Black survivors. On February 11, 2020, Burke was a keynote speaker at Ivey’s Leader Character and Candour Conference. She discussed the importance of candour and courage in leadership roles, particularly the kind of courage it will take to move the needle in the movement to end sexual violence. Bonus: the event also included an address from Jane Philpott, a physician, academic administrator, and former Canadian politician who resigned from her cabinet position to protest what she viewed as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s unethical handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair.
Memorable message
Courage moves us wider and farther than fear.
Watch a highlights video