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Reconciliation Series: In conversation with Jenn Harper
Join us for a special edition of Sheridan’s new Reconciliation Series discussing Economic Reconciliation, Moving into Action, hosted by Sheridan’s Office of Indigenous Engagement and Education.
We’re pleased to welcome Jenn Harper, the trailblazing founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics – a brand that has gracefully painted the ideals of sustainability and inclusion onto a global canvas. During the session, hosted by Audrey Rochette, AVP, Indigenous Engagement and Education External, Harper will speak about the significance of economic reconciliation, and the importance of supporting and growing Indigenous businesses and economy.
Learn more about Sheridan’s Reconciliation Series
Developed by Sheridan’s Office of Indigenous Engagement and Education, the Reconciliation Series has been created to support and guide participants on their journey toward reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. This series features esteemed individuals who are leading the way in fostering meaningful engagement and allyship with Indigenous communities. An accessible program open to the public that offers an opportunity to deepen your understanding of reconciliation and encourage active participation.
April 5, 2023 10:00
amFaculty from the Community of Applied Health and Community Studies will welcome all the attendees and provide an overview of the event.
Lisa
Sokoloff
Director
of Clinical and
Experiential
Learning,
Sheridan
College
Susan Letarnec
Field
Placement
Coordinator,
Sheridan
College
Deborah Bright
Field
Placement
Coordinator,
Sheridan
College
Rachel
Rowlands
Field Placement
Coordinator,
Sheridan
College
April 5, 2023 10:15
amConnect with leading employers in Early Childhood Education and explore their dynamic exhibitor booths to discover exciting job opportunities. Employers will have the opportunity to showcase their organization and connect with students to discuss potential career paths and networking opportunities.
April 5, 2023 12:00
pmGet ready to be inspired by our accomplished alumni, as they share their valuable experiences and insights during the panel discussion. The discussion will encompass a range of topics, such as their academic journeys, career paths, and tips for success. As an attendee, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions, network with fellow students and alumni, and gain valuable knowledge from their experiences. Don't miss out on this chance to connect with our alumni and gain insights that will benefit your own career journey.
Sarah Frost, Early
Childhood
Education
’15
EarlyON
Facilitator,
District School
Board of
Niagara
My name is Sarah Frost, I am an alumna of Sheridan College with a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and an Hon. Bachelors in Early Childhood Leadership. I have been a RECE working in the field for the past seven years gaining experience as a Program Director, Site Supervisor and now EarlyON Program Facilitator for DSBN.
My goal working in the field of Early Childhood Education is to support families and children through developing high quality early learning experiences and building trusting relationships. I am eager to bring positive change to the sector by supporting new Early Childhood Educators interested in learning about the types of careers they can pursue with their ECE diploma.
I look forward to bringing my learning experiences to this panel and hope to help students to gain a wider perspective on all the opportunities there are for them once they have graduated.
Kyle Meikle, Early
Childhood
Education
'18
RECE,
Sheridan College
Childcare Centre
Kyle Meikle is a registered early childcare educator at Sheridan College Childcare Centre in Oakville, Ontario. He graduated from the Early Childhood Education program at Sheridan college in 2018 with high honors and has been working alongside an amazing team at Sheridan College ever since. He is a student mentor to those in the early childhood education program and has been instrumental in several large centre initiatives such as the children’s art show that went on display inside of Sheridan College. Kyle continues to practice the values of “How Does Learning Happen” by creating a space of belonging and well-being along side the children and their families to bring that connection between centre and home into the classroom.
Carmela Roper, Early
Childhood
Education
‘96
Early
Childhood
Educator
Hello! My name is Carmela Roper. I graduated from Sheridan College with a diploma in Early Childhood Education in 1996. I have been in the education field for 27 years and have taught infancy through kindergarten. I am currently working with the toddler age group. I was raised in Oakville and reside in Milton with my husband, James. Most of my free time is spent with family and friends, cooking, drawing, and going for walks with my brother’s dog, Cooper. My favourite part of working in this field is seeing the wonder in young children and knowing that my efforts in creating a nurturing and stimulating educational environment will help children navigate this world more confidently.
Shannon Speer, Early
Childhood
Education
‘96
Milton
Community
Resource
Centre
I am an RECE, artist, materials and natural spaces specialist whose work has taken many twists and turns on the early learning path. I have actively and happily worked in the field in a variety of roles along these 28, braiding my arts, nature and ECE lens together in ways that extend early learning environments, educator thinking about who children are and who educators are as well as exploring the curious nature of being human in an early learning world.
April 5, 2023 01:00
pmAfter the alumni panel, the virtual exhibitor booths will reopen. Take this opportunity to return to the exhibitor hall and engage with leading employers, ask questions, and network with professionals in the industry.
April 5, 2023 03:50
pmWe will conclude the event with closing remarks, thanking all attendees, exhibitors, and alumni for joining us at our Professional Early Childhood Education Career Expo and Networking event.
Cameile
Henry
Program
Coordinator,
Sheridan
College
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Jenn Harper: A Beacon of Innovation in Beauty and Philanthropy
Jenn Harper is not just a name in the beauty industry; she's a revolution. An award-winning social entrepreneur and international speaker, Jenn is the trailblazing founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics—a brand that has gracefully painted the ideals of sustainability and inclusion onto a global canvas. From its inception in 2015, Jenn has nurtured Cheekbone Beauty into a B. Corp Certified force, now gracing the shelves of Sephora Canada and 550 JC Penney locations across the USA.
Jenn's journey with Cheekbone began as a digitally native, direct-to-consumer brand that took pride in its commitment to reducing environmental impact and supporting Indigenous communities. Her formidable leadership made sure Cheekbone stood out not only for its stunning products but also for its ethical backbone—it became a symphony of transparency, philanthropy, and support for women and youth. To date, over $250,000 have been donated to philanthropic causes, testament to Cheekbone's core values.
Cheekbone's prestige has been hard-earned. In 2019, Jenn Harper made a confident appearance on Canada's Dragon's Den, the nation's equivalency of Shark Tank. While she turned down offers, her unwavering resolution steered Cheekbone towards exponential growth. Jenn's tactical negotiations led to expansive contracts with major retailers in North America, shining a beacon of inspiration for Indigenous women by placing an Indigenous CEO-led brand on equal footing with global industry giants.
Jenn Harper stands as more than a CEO; she is a voice for entrepreneurship, exerting influence on topics that are reshaping the business landscape: social entrepreneurship, empathy, representation, inclusivity, and sustainability. Regularly sought after for her insights, Jenn weaves her narrative as both a woman and a representative of North America's Indigenous peoples, substantiating the importance of these values in today's business ecosystem.
The accolades accruing to Jenn's name bear the weight of her achievements. In 2022, she was listed among the 100 Women of Influence by Entrepreneur Magazine—a list graced by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. And importantly, in 2023, Jenn was conferred an Honorary Doctorate degree from the Goodman School of Business at Brock University. This honorary degree recognized her unwavering dedication to community betterment and adamant endeavors in championing sustainability.
Jenn Harper, with Cheekbone Beauty, brings forth a narrative of passion, resilience, and authenticity. Her biography is not just about the ascent of a brand; it's the story of a vision brought to life, of barriers broken, and of a future envisioned where commerce and charity coalesce seamlessly, all painted with the strokes of an eco-friendly brush.
Audrey Rochette is Anishinaabe from Waabadowgang-Whitesand First Nation. As part of Sheridan’s leadership team, Audreys focus is to strengthen the works of centring Indigenous needs, voices, practices and protocols.
In her previous role as Director, Indigenous Initiatives, she led George Brown College’s efforts to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action and oversaw Indigenization measures as part of the college’s Vision 2030/Strategy 2022 initiative. In 2019 and 2020, she worked with the college to develop recommendations and a reconciliation framework in response to the TRC Calls to Action, as well as frameworks for anti-racism initiatives.
Prior to her role at George Brown, Rochette worked with the City of Toronto as a Business Analyst where she provided critical evaluations to inform programming and measure success and secured Indigenous partnerships to advance the city’s commitment to reconciliation.
Rochette's passion for Indigenous relations was cultivated through her roles in the Indigenous community as the Senior Development Officer with Indspire, an Indigenous-led registered charity that invests in the education of Indigenous people, and with imagineNATIVE, the largest Indigenous film festival in the world.
She currently sits on several committees in different sectors committed to reconciliation work. She is the daughter of a residential school survivor.
Rochette holds of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science, Aboriginal Studies and Religion, and a Master of Arts with research focused on decolonizing museums, as well as Indigenous voices, language and ceremonies in museums, both from the University of Toronto.
Lisa Zangerl (she/her) is Métis, with ancestral ties to the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, and was raised in a small community in the Ottawa Valley. She currently serves as the Operations Manager at the Anishnawbe Health Foundation, collaborating with generous donors and partners to enhance the health and well-being of the Indigenous community in Toronto.
A proud alumna of the University of Guelph, Lisa earned her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Criminal Justice & Public Policy. Her professional journey includes years of dedicated service to Indigenous communities in both post-secondary education and the federal sector, alongside extensive experience working within various social service agencies and organizations. Lisa is also an active member of Sheridan College’s Indigenous Education Council.
Both professionally and personally, Lisa is dedicated to the work of Indigenization, decolonization, and celebrating diversity, with a passion for fostering and strengthening meaningful partnerships.
Experienced educator/ advocate for Indigenous Lives; Randi is a two spirit Mi’kmaq mother. She studied at both Guelph and Brock University. She received the Aboriginal Achievement Award and the Pepsi Canada Student Award during her studies. Randi’s grandfather, Cecil Condo, attended residential school and travelled as part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as a survivor. Randi recently joins the Sheridan community as the Indigenous Engagement and Education Specialist.
Dr. Muthana Zouri is a distinguished academic leader with over 20 years of experience in higher education. As Dean of the Pilon School of Business, he brings a wealth of expertise in fostering student-centered learning environments and promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration. Throughout his career, Dr. Zouri has held key teaching and leadership positions at a range of esteemed academic institutions, where he has been recognized for his ability to integrate global perspectives into curriculum development and institutional strategy.
Dr. Zouri’s leadership spans a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, including business, communications, design, engineering, and technology. This interdisciplinary background has equipped him to cultivate innovative, creative learning environments that encourage critical thinking and holistic problem-solving. His approach to strategic planning and operational management has consistently delivered sustainable academic excellence, with a particular focus on equity, integrity, and community values.
A passionate advocate for transformative learning, Dr. Zouri is committed to advancing educational practices that emphasize both academic rigor and social responsibility. He holds an MSc in Statistics from the University of Baghdad and a PhD in Computer Science from Toronto Metropolitan University.
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