Future of Good Membership holders get more than 60% off the ticket price for single tickets and team tickets!! Non-members can purchase a single ticket, which comes with a trial Future of Good membership valid until the Summit.
The Changemaker Wellbeing Index offered the most comprehensive look at the wellbeing of non-profit workers in Canada, revealing two stories: one of hope and one of a sector at risk of losing its most valuable resource—its people. While 93% of workers feel their efforts make a meaningful impact and 78% are satisfied in their roles, only one in three are truly thriving. 36% report poor wellbeing and the intention to leave is high, concentrated in the arts, culture, recreation, and social services, where nearly half are thinking of leaving. Critically, when non-profit workers quit, more than 70% leave the sector entirely.
For a sector built on care, these findings are a call to action: to care for our communities, we must first care for our workers.
Building on insights from the Index, the 2026 Changemaker Wellbeing Summit, brought to you by GreenShield, will bring together staff, people leaders, funders, and partners to explore and begin action towards making wellbeing a practical, everyday part of social sector work and culture. Through expert conversations, case studies, and interactive sessions, participants will connect, learn, and gain tangible tools to foster healthier, joyful and more sustainable workplaces to sustain those who sustain change.
Learning Objectives
Future of Good Membership holders get more than 60% off the ticket price for single tickets and team tickets!! Non-members can purchase a single ticket, which comes with a trial Future of Good membership valid until the Summit.
Omar Yaqub ICD.D DSL MBA BSc (@somaryaqub X, LinkedIn), is the co-founder of flourishing.systems, a company using design, data justice and innovation to unlock the superpowers of frontline workers. He also serves the team at IslamicFamily, a social change organization that is disrupting systemic inequity through service, research & beauty.
During his time with IslamicFamily the organization has become a multi-award winning Imagine Canada & Great Places to Work accredited charity. He is a former Historian Co-Laureate for the City of Edmonton & past instructor in the MBA program at the University of Alberta. He has two decades of experience in the for-benefit sector. Omar has been awarded a Doctor of Sacred Letters from St Stephen’s College, EMCN’s RISE award for Community Leadership, and the University of Alberta’s Co-op Mentorship Award. He is a settler on Treaty 6.
Roz Kennery is a part-time comedian and a full-time trans woman.
She has performed comedy across Canada, finding joy in her lived experience as a trans person who came out well into adulthood (juggling two kids, a mortgage, and a second puberty all at the same time). By day, she is a Vice President with Emdash, a brand and campaigns agency that helps good people be heard. Roz is available to perform at nonprofit, charity, and foundation conferences and events. She also would like to be invited to your bridal shower, but will not attend.
Sarah Ryan (she/her) is a Senior Research Officer at the CUPE National Office in Ottawa with a focus on artificial intelligence, employment insurance and housing. She coordinates CUPE's Working Group on Artificial Intelligence and is keen to equip workers for this new wave of technological change.
WHAT I DO: I help nonprofit leaders build stronger governance structures, develop effective impact strategies, and enhance organizational capacity. My goal is to empower organizations to advance their core purpose, successfully and sustainably, even in challenging times.
WHY I DO IT: Nonprofit leaders are working hard to make an impact on the world — but they're up against time, resource and capacity constraints everyday. With years of experience working in the world of smaller nonprofits, I know what works and what doesn't. I believe that nonprofit organizations need a new model for success, and I'm here to help build it.
Ani Gurtsishvili is a Program Associate at the WES Mariam Assefa Fund in Canada. Ani partners with equity‑seeking organizations to strengthen wellbeing, capacity, and resilience through trust‑based philanthropy and peer‑to‑peer learning.
Mike Prosserman aka 'Bboy Piecez' is a bestselling author, professional B-Boy (breakdancer), and certified coach who helps leaders scale start-ups, strengthen team culture, and plan for succession. As Founder of Unity Charity, he grew a grassroots idea into a national organization that employed 80 staff, raised over $7 million, and reached 250,000 youth through Hip-Hop and mental health programs. His book Building Unity shares lessons on launching, leading, and leaving organizations with purpose. Today, through EPIC Leadership, Michael empowers over 80 Executive Directors of non-profits to build resilient, responsible, and sustainable organizations.
Kathleen Sawdo is an Anishinaabe Kwe from the Bear Clan and a proud member of Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation in Treaty 3 Territory. With over 20 years of experience in human resources and business administration, Kathleen brings not only deep professional expertise, but also a strong commitment to Indigenous knowledge systems, leadership, and talent development.
Her relationship with Indigenous Works (formerly AHRC) began in 2009 when she was selected to participate in the National Inclusion Works Recruitment Fair and Leadership Skill Build. Since then, she has remained connected through roles as a webinar trainer and HR expert for Luminary’s innovation and research projects. Today, Kathleen continues to support the growth of inclusive, values-based workplaces through her leadership and mentorship.
We will explore and identify the practices and opportunities for allyship that help everyone thrive.
Upskilling: Caring for the People Behind the Mission
*AM Sessions*
Choose from concurrent sessions exploring the varied experiences of wellbeing and gain practical skills and new approaches to make wellbeing more accessible to all.
*PM Sessions*
Break
Nourish & Recharge
Plenary: Paths to Collective Wellbeing Amidst a Shifting DEI Landscape
We will explore and identify the practices and opportunities for allyship that help everyone thrive.
Emerging Futures: Future-proofing Wellbeing
Choose from concurrent sessions that look beyond the Changemaker Wellbeing Index to explore emerging trends, pressures, and the opportunities and risks shaping wellbeing.
Break
Nourish & Recharge
Plenary: Building Resilient Wellbeing in a Time of Rapid Change
Drawing on lessons from across changing pressures, we will explore strategies and tools to protect wellbeing for the long term.
Gather to connect, reflect, and expand your networks
Plenary: Wellbeing in Conversation: Skills for Dialogue & Staying Connected
Workshops
Choose from concurrent sessions exploring ways to reduce isolation, foster connection, and strengthen workplace wellbeing.
Thriving in Executive Leadership: The Power of Peer Support
Rebuilding Connection: Strengthening Workplace Belonging Through Psychological Health & Safety
Break
Nourish & Recharge
Collaborating for Change: Carrying the Work Forward Together
Choose from concurrent sessions exploring ways non-profits, funders, and partners can deepen collaboration and adopt practices that drive sector-wide change.
Plenary: A Comedy Set with Roz Kennery – Finding Joy, Despite the Hard Parts
Plenary: Keynote – Radical ReImagining for Collective Wellbeing
