Omar Allison is a community leader, mental health advocate, owner and founder of a trifecta of companies that work together to service and provide opportunities in various parts of the community. A Creator’s World, a printing, embroidery and marketing company, not only provides services to large corporations, but partners with schools to help students discover a sense of belonging and purpose in their school community through designing, content creation, marketing and much more.

Mental Balance, is a mental health organization that shines a spotlight on men’s mental health and most recently celebrated its 2nd annual Mental Wellness Gala, raising funds for various community initiatives. Hybrid Garbs, the Toronto based clothing brand represents mental balance and completes the trifecta as Omar’s late brother’s gift to the world. The brand’s slogan, “There is No Good Without the Bad” reminds us all that balance is important.

In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Omar has a distinguished career in the Canadian Armed Forces, where he imparts crucial life skills such as punctuality, respect, and confidence to, drawing on his extensive experience in leadership and discipline. His work reflects a deep commitment to uplifting others and building a more supportive, inclusive community.

Born in South Africa to Congolese parents, David Boroto is a third culture kid Canadian with a global outlook. He resides in Toronto, Ontario where he works as an Infrastructure Advisory Consultant with Mott MacDonald Canada and serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors at Engineers Without Borders Canada. David holds a BASc. in Engineering Science, specializing in Infrastructure Engineering, from the University of Toronto and an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge.

Mark Harrison is the founder of the MH3 Collective, a group of ventures whose purpose is to connect people & ideas to create social impact. The Collective includes:

• Humanity, specializing in brand revitalization.
• Sidekick, purpose-driven strategists.
• T1, a full stack sponsorship agency.
• SponsorshipX, an advocacy platform for partnership marketers.

In addition, he co-founded the Black Talent Initiative to support the Black community in professional workplaces and Park Street Education, a charity to remove all barriers to children’s education.

His community involvement also includes being Board Chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto, a Board Member of the CAMH Foundation and the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/The JUNO Awards, as well as on the NFL Canada Youth Advisory Committee.

Mark received the Harry Jerome Award (Business Category), annually presented by the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA). In addition, his success in marketing over the last thirty years has led him to be the Association of Canadian Advertisers’ 2022 Gold Medal Award winner.

Mark is also CBC Metro Morning’s business columnist, where you can hear his regular takes on corporate and societal matters.

Ryan has built multiple businesses over the last 10 years and spends a great deal of his time leading and mentoring young entrepreneurs. After starting Detailing Knights, a mobile waterless car cleaning company, Ryan was able to launch his first youth entrepreneurship program called Knighthood Academy.

Knighthood Academy was designed to help underestimated youth in the community develop their leadership skills through an entrepreneurship bootcamp. Various youth with multiple barriers have accessed the program ranging from high school drop outs, past gang members, and those recently released from detention.

Ryan has been named one of Brampton’s top 40 under 40 and twice nominated for a Business Excellence Award in both Toronto and Brampton. Ryan was also named to the Sheridan Pilon School of Business Hall of Fame.

Ryan has a deep passion for his community and is one of the cofounders of the Afro Caribbean Business Network. A non profit organization created to help entrepreneurs of African and Caribbean heritage (ACh) to not only start businesses but help their companies grow and become assets for future generations.

Henoc Muamba is a former linebacker with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts. Across an impressive 12-year career, Muamba has carved a distinguished path as a true force on the field. His unwavering determination and remarkable leadership earned him the reputation of being one of the CFL’s most dynamic players. His journey with the game has garnered
numerous accolades and accomplishments.

Football was just the beginning for Muamba as through his experiences he has become a passionate leader and inspiration to many. His success on and off the field has allowed him to create a platform where he is able to champion positivity and share tools that lead to long term success.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, growing up in Mississauga, and living across North America, Henoc was recognized in 2023 as a Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards recipient for his outstanding work in the community. In his new role as CFL sports analyst for TSN, Henoc continues an equally successful career off the field and remains dedicated sharing his journey to inspire those around him through community engagement and giving back.

After graduating from Toronto Metropolitan University with a degree in Applied Computer Science, he continued his education in Artificial Intelligence and Economics at the University of British Columbia and York University. He started Softec Software Services while he was in his second year of university, and went on to sign contracts with a number of large corporations including XEROX, Citibank, Apple and IBM.

In 1990, he founded Black Board International (www.ashaware.com), the first blackfocused online platform in Canada, in order to provide educational resources with culturally inclusive content. Black Board currently offers programs that are used by thousands of children and adults in educational institutes and homes around the world.

In 1994, he started First Fridays in Toronto, a monthly business and community-networking event. The event promotes networking, career and business opportunities and features a variety of businesses, organizations, professionals and artists. In 2020 he cofounded Virtual First Fridays North America to help facilitate networking for entrepreneurs, professionals and community members of African descent from across the US and Canada.

In 2013, he become the founding Chair of the Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators (ONABSE), a non-profit organization devoted to furthering the academic success for the province’s children – particularly children of African descent. In 2015, he was elected as the President of ONABSE and as the International Representative on the Board of Washington, DC based NABSE (National Alliance of Black School Educators).

Honours:

‘Men of Excellence Award’ for Business; 1996, XCLUSV Entertainment Group

‘Bob Marley Day Award’ for Business: 2003, Bob Marley Day Committee

Visions of Science, ‘Keepers of the Knowledge Flame Award’; 2006, Visions of Science

Seed of Life’s ‘Community Award of Excellence’; 2007, Seed of Life Philanthropic Organization

Harry Jerome Award for Technology and Innovation; 2008, Black Business and Professional Association

African-Canadian Achievement Award for Excellence in Business, 2011, PRIDE Newspaper

Jackie Robinson Fortitude Award, 2014, The Toronto Community Advisory Board

Honorary Doctor of Philosophy, Humane Letters, 2016, Global Oved Dei University

Inspirational King Award, 2019, Soulful Image Magazine

Excellence in Leadership & Inspiration Award, 2019, JunCtian Community Initiatives

Excellence Leadership Award, 2022, Journalists International Forum For Migration

Ricardo Stanford is currently, VP, Strategy, Planning and Support at TD Bank Group where he leads a best-in-class CoE accountable for the development and ongoing management of strategy for one of TD Bank Groups divisions. He previously led Operational Excellence with a focus on solidifying Operations as a competitive advantage for the Bank. He has been recognized for building transformational capabilities and accelerating efforts to increase diversity of talent and building inclusive cultures.

Outside of work, Ricardo is a member of The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto Board of Directors, as well as a National Advisory Board member for the Salvation Army of Canada and Bermuda.

In his personal time, he has a deep passion for physical fitness and leads an active lifestyle, whether that be in the gym, on a bike or running; he enjoys watching European Football; and traveling the world.

Stefan Thomas is a sought-after International Youth Keynote Speaker, Founder, Author and Student Affairs professional, dedicated to empowering individuals to thrive in both academic and professional spaces. His personal journey, from dropping out of a top business school to becoming one of the first Black male Academic Advisors at Canada’s #1 ranked university by age 25, serves as a powerful testament to the power of resilience.

With over 6 years of experience in the Higher Education sector, Stefan has had the honour of supporting student success and development. Currently, he serves as an Academic Advisor – EDI at the University of Toronto Scarborough, advising students on academic and personal concerns and delivering programming and specialized support for Black students.

As the Founder of Success Waves, Stefan travels internationally, speaking and working with schools and organizations to help students navigate barriers to achieving academic success and career alignment through developing resilience and intrapersonal intelligence. Stefan is also the Founder of Black Aces, an initiative focused on closing the student achievement gap by amplifying stories of success and creating pathways for Black young males to persist through school and transition into the workplace. 

Stefan is the author of “Keep Riding the Wave,” a children’s book designed to inspire young readers to persevere through challenges and chase their dreams. He also holds a Master of Education in Higher Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, further reinforcing his dedication to student success and personal growth.

Mark Williams is a seasoned arts professional who infuses a fresh and forward-thinking perspective into every facet of his work. Appointed Beck Family Chief Executive Officer of the internationally renowned Toronto Symphony Orchestra in April 2022 to lead the organization through its milestone Centennial season and beyond, Williams is setting a visionary course for the future of symphonic music in Canada’s largest city.

Williams’s strategic acuity and pursuit of excellence have allowed him to flourish and deliver as an orchestra executive, with a resume that includes a nine-year tenure at The Cleveland Orchestra and serving as Artistic Administrator of the San Francisco Symphony.

As Chief Artistic & Operations Officer at The Cleveland Orchestra, Williams executive produced a flagship digital streaming concert series, In Focus, and oversaw all artist programming across diverse platforms including subscription series in Cleveland and Miami, global touring, and media. He was further responsible for management of the orchestra, music library, and choruses. He began his career in artist management, holding posts at Columbia Artists Management and IMG Artists.

As a Black executive and CEO, Williams has been active in reshaping the arts landscape—he is committed to empowering the next generation of Black and Latinx executive arts leaders, having served as a mentor for Sphinx LEAD (Leaders in Excellence, Arts & Diversity), and was a Trustee of College Now Greater Cleveland, supporting access to higher education for young people. He was also a Jury Member of the 2022 Nielsen Violin Competition.

A Cincinnati native, Williams began his career as a horn player and holds a Bachelor of Music degree in horn performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University, where he was honoured with the Alumni Achievement Award in 2017.