Amy Tai – AI with a Heartbeat
Amy Tai is fresh out of the University of Waterloo and already making waves in medical imaging. Her AI research is helping doctors detect breast cancer faster and more accurately. Smart? Yes. Compassionate? Absolutely. She’s bringing empathy into machine learning, and we love to see it.
Kimberly Hebeisen – Queer, Brilliant, and Building the Future
Kimberly co-founded Mind Model AI, and she’s not just coding — she’s educating. Her platform ageai.io helps regular folks understand automation and AI without needing a PhD. She’s also making sure queer voices are part of the tech conversation, which is long overdue.
Dr. Charmaine Dean – Stats, Strategy, and Smashing Barriers
Dr. Dean is the VP of Research at the University of Waterloo, and she’s been doing this longer than most of us have been alive. She’s managed nearly a billion dollars in research funding and still finds time to push for equity in science. She’s proof that leadership and inclusion go hand in hand.
Geneviève Tanguay – Science Meets Social Justice
As Canada’s Vice-Chief Science Advisor, Geneviève is steering national science policy with a focus on ethics, Indigenous knowledge, and inclusive innovation. She’s not just thinking about the future—she’s making sure it works for everyone. It’s pronounced like “Jen” by the way 😉
Dr. Theresa Tam – Public Health with Pride
You probably know her from the pandemic, but Dr. Tam’s work goes way beyond COVID. She’s Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer and a master of science communication. She’s also a proud advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in health policy. Science with soul? That’s her brand.