The Social Justice Toolkit: Lessons from Women Leading on the Frontlines
Professional Development Workshop
Date: Wednesday 28 October
Time:12:30 p.m – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75
Location: The Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto, Room TBD
This event is sponsored by ILA’s Women and Leadership member community.
Ticket prices do not include food or beverage. Bring along your favorite beverage and snack to keep you energized throughout the afternoon!
Description
True leadership often emerges where it is least expected. From war zones to civil unrest and protests in the streets, women without formal titles or leadership authority are stepping up to demand justice. But how do everyday women navigate complex political and social landscapes to combat injustices such as MMIW, food insecurity, access to health care, housing, education, and immigration? In this interactive, flipped-classroom workshop sponsored by the Women and Leadership community, we move beyond theory to co-create a tangible “Social Justice Leadership Toolkit.”
Prior to the session, participants will engage with exclusive case studies (e.g., video and audio recordings, written stories, etc.) of women spearheading grassroots movements around the world. During the workshop, we will dissect these narratives, mapping the specific behaviors, risks, and strategies these women use and integrating expert perspectives to identify scalable strategies. Join us to transform local and national stories of resilience into a practical framework for advocacy and leading change in your own community and leave with a co-developed roadmap for “leading without authority” in the face of social injustice.
Design
- Welcome, land acknowledgement, grounding activity, introductions
- Framework for discussion and preparation for group work
- Short Break
- Small group work dissecting leadership narratives (worksheet provided)
- Small group report out & large-group discussion
- Short Break
- Action planning/Toolkit building (facilitated)
- Next Steps – Collaborative continuation of group work, ideation on publication/dissemination, etc.
- Reflection & wrap up
Facilitators
Marlene Janzen Le Ber, Professor, Critical Policy, Equity & Leadership, Western University
Marlene Janzen Le Ber is Professor, Critical Policy, Equity, & Leadership, Faculty of Education, Western University in Canada and Faculty with the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership, Ivey School of Business. A multiple research grant holder in complex processes of leadership, her current research spans core topics in leadership, i.e. from equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonizing organizational practices in leadership; leader character; leader aspirations; and leader identity development in women to policy and social change.
As an accomplished and well-respected scholar in the field of Leadership Studies, Marlene has presented over 100 peer-reviewed conference papers and keynote addresses; published numerous peer-reviewed papers, books, book chapters, and reports; and granted over 1.2 million in research funding in the past 10 years. She was awarded the 2022 “Outstanding Scholarship for Established Scholars” by the International Leadership Association and the 2020-2021 “Award for Excellence in Research” from Brescia University College. Her publications include a recent co-authored article “Board Leader Character and Effective Governance” and an edited volume “More Women on Boards: An International Perspective.”
Prior to her doctoral studies, Marlene was a health care executive within academic health sciences centers, known as a strategic leader who spearheaded numerous health system innovations. Marlene has a PhD (Strategy) from Ivey Business School, MScN (Admin) and BScN from Western University.
Heidi Rivers, Manager, Enterprise Learning & Governance
Dr. Heidi Rivers is a seasoned leadership and development professional with a diverse background in program design, adult learning, and organizational leadership. Dr. Rivers’ research focuses on functional leadership of blended professionals in organizational third spaces, and she has held several such roles in higher education, including as the Associate Director of The National Center for Teaching and Learning and Coordinator of the Office of Student Writing and Learning at The Chicago School, Program Lead and Core Faculty at Walden University, Director of the Learning Center at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and Associate Director of the Walden University Academic Skills Center. In her current role as the Manager of Enterprise Learning and Governance for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Dr. Rivers oversees onboarding improvement, technical and compliance training, learning management, and learning governance. In addition, Dr. Rivers serves on the Executive Leadership Team for the International Leadership Association’s Women and Leadership community, is a member of the Professional Development committee for TeamWomen in the Twin Cities, hosts a podcast, Knowledge Is Power Hour, and is a busy mom of two human teenagers and four dogs.
Joanna Sztandur, Leadership Coach & Leader Development Consultant, All Things Leadership
Dr. Joanna Sztandur is a psychologist, leadership coach, scholarly researcher, and leader development consultant with nearly three decades of experience in professional services firms across 14 countries and three continents. She has spent her entire career serving and supporting the legal industry in her leadership and consulting roles, and most recently as an academic. Dr. Sztandur is passionate about leadership research and continues to collaborate and publish with fellow academics in Africa, Europe, and the United States contributing to the advancement of the field. She is particularly committed to the leadership development of women lawyers through coaching and mentoring.
Chanda Elbert, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University
Dr. Chanda D. Elbert received her Ph.D. in Agricultural and Extension Education from The Pennsylvania State University in 2000 and joined the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications at Texas A&M University in 2000. Dr. Elbert has developed and taught university courses in leadership theory, women’s leadership, multicultural leadership, qualitative research methods, and program evaluation. Currently, her research is on faculty of color in higher education, women in leadership, African Americans in leadership in the United States and migration patterns in Africa. She is the past faculty advisor to the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapter at TAMU. She has received the Women’s Progress Awards-Faculty from the Women Leadership Forum at Texas A&M University. She was also the recipient of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Climate and Diversity award in 2015 & 2017. In addition, she graciously accepted the North America College Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) award in 2018. In 2020, Dr. Elbert was awarded the Aggie Greek Unsung Hero Award for continuous dedication and commitment while working with the students from the Texas A&M Aggie Greek Community. Dr. Elbert is the 2025 past president of the International Leadership Association, Women and Leadership Member Community and serves on the Executive Leadership Team.