Women’s Entrepreneurship Conference

Comeback Snacks Founder, Emily O’Brien

Emily O’Brien’s journey from federal prison to successful entrepreneur proves that a setback doesn’t have to define your story. While serving time, Emily channeled her entrepreneurial spirit into founding Comeback Snacks (originally Cons & Kernels), inspired by the creative seasonings her fellow inmates used on popcorn. Relying on hand-written letters to coordinate market research, branding, and business strategy, she laid the foundation for a booming social enterprise from inside a cell.

Upon her release, Emily scaled Comeback Snacks into a major brand now available in grocery stores and online retailers across North America. Beyond business success, she uses her platform to advocate for prison reform, eliminate stigma, and provide employment and mentorship to formerly incarcerated individuals. Her impactful work has earned her the YWCA Women of Distinction Award, the Women Empowerment Award, and widespread media coverage from outlets like CBC, Vice, and The Globe and Mail.

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Leisse Wilcox

Leisse Wilcox helps speakers, authors, and experts turn lived experience and hard-won expertise into stories that matter. Through keynote and book development, writing coaching, and her publishing company Same Page Press, she helps people clarify what they want to say, shape it into a powerful message, and bring that message to the stages and pages where it can make an impact.

Leisse Wilcox is an award-winning speaker, three-time bestselling author, and writing coach for speakers and authors who has spent more than 15 years helping people turn lived experience and expertise into meaningful work. Leisse’s work has been featured by CNN, Entrepreneur, the Financial Post, Global News, CBC, the Toronto Star, Refinery29, and more.

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Sherry Heenan, Founder of Sherry Heenan Physiotherapy & Women’s Health

Sherry Heenan is a Women’s Health Physiotherapist, Breathwork Facilitator, and founder of Sherry Heenan Physiotherapy in Cobourg, Ontario. Practising since 2009, she was inspired by her own postpartum experience to build a practice dedicated to helping women feel stronger, more connected, and more confident in their bodies.

Sherry provides personalized care for concerns including bladder leakage, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, and painful intimacy, supporting women from pregnancy and postpartum through perimenopause and beyond. Her approach combines evidence-informed physiotherapy with education, breathwork, movement, and hands-on care, while looking beyond symptoms to understand each woman’s unique experience. Committed to lifelong learning, Sherry continues to expand her knowledge and skills to provide thoughtful, current, and meaningful care.

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Chantelle Watt, Lifestyle Photographer and Creative Entrepreneur

Chantelle is a lifestyle photographer and creative entrepreneur whose work is rooted in honest storytelling and connection. After navigating profound loss and seasons of significant change, she brings a candid perspective on resilience, reinvention, wellbeing and the choices that shape our lives.

Through her work and personal journey, Chantelle encourages women to fearlessly embrace change and consciously shape who they truly want to become.

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Hannah MacDonald, Owner & Founder of Frosted Flour Co.

Hannah MacDonald is the owner and founder of Frosted Flour Co., an award-winning, family-run bakery in Port Hope, Ontario. With a background in classical voice, her path to entrepreneurship was an unexpected one, beginning with a love of baking and growing into a business she has spent over a decade building alongside her family and team. As a mom and entrepreneur, Hannah is passionate about creativity, community, connection, and sharing the real, beautiful and sometimes chaotic side of entrepreneurship, family and everyday life.

Frosted Flour Co. is a family-run bakery in Port Hope, Ontario, known for creating beautiful, delicious treats and memorable experiences. What started as a small local bakery has grown into an award-winning business and online community, combining baking, creativity, community connection and social media.

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Tracy Ioannidis, Co-owner of K Okay Cafe & Roasters

Tracy Ioannidis is co-owner of K Okay Café & Roasters in Warkworth, Ontario, where she works alongside her partner, Jimmy, and their team. Before trading advertising campaigns for coffee, Tracy spent more than 25 years in the advertising industry, working with major Canadian and international brands before running her own freelance creative business. After moving to Warkworth in 2021, Tracy and Jimmy took another leap and became café owners in December 2022. Today, she brings that experience to K Okay through branding, marketing and social media while also juggling everything else, from staffing and events to making soup and washing dishes.

K Okay received the Customer Experience (Hospitality) Award in Trent Hills in 2025 and the Excellence in Social Media Engagement Award in 2026. Tracy believes you can take your business seriously without always taking yourself too seriously.

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Starfish Synergies Founder & CEO, Theresa Bailey

Theresa Bailey has spent more than 25 years helping people and organizations change, connect and work better together. Her work has reached thousands of people across more than 200 organizations, with a focus on creating experiences that don’t just feel good in the room, but change what happens afterwards.

As Founder and CEO of Starfish Synergies Inc., Theresa brings expertise in adaptability, communication, leadership and team effectiveness to organizations across North America. She holds the exclusive North American license with Hasbro to deliver Play-Doh Power Solutions, combining research, conversation and play in ways people remember.

Theresa is also the bestselling author of Hockey Moms: The Heart of the Game, published by HarperCollins, and recipient of the 2025 Best Export Plan from the World Trade Centre Toronto.

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Brand Ambition Owner & Marketing Director, Katie Dempsey

Katie Dempsey is the founder and owner of Brand Ambition Inc., a full-service marketing and social media agency serving Durham Region for more than 10 years. Based in Bowmanville, Ontario, her team of professionals delivers branding, web design, social strategy, photography, and video production for clients across Canada. Katie is a mother and grand-mother, a cat person, a tech enthusiast, and a fantasy reader. 

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