FEMTalks
We have a Podcast!
Stream all our FEMTalks on your way to work, school, during your morning routines, or at any moment in your free time!
NEW FEMTalk!
FEMTalks | Muskan Agrawal
Muskan is a first-year law student at Osgoode Hall Law School. Prior to this, she was a student at Western University where she completed her honours business administration degree at Ivey Business School. She has completed a few internships in the past, her most recent one being a national sales office intern at Deloitte. Muskan is interested in pursuing corporate law in the future, however, she is also interested in environmental law.
Recent FEMTalks
FEMTalks | Fotini Iconomopoulos | Forward Focusing
After a decade of owning and managing small businesses in the retail sector, Iconomopoulos refined her negotiation skills in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry before moving into consulting. Through her company, Forward Focusing, she helps clients across the globe achieve their commercial objectives through strategic forward-thinking. She has worked with CPG, retail, professional services, energy, telecommunications, tech, and finance industries. Fotini is also an instructor of MBA Negotiations at the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto and guest lectures at other leading universities.
FEMTalks | Dana Buxcey | TBK Creative
Dana holds a degree in economics with a minor in professional writing, journalism and publishing from the University of Victoria, is a Certified Product Manager, and PMP Candidate. She brings 10 years of professional experience between corporate and agency environments, and is currently steering Strategy & Operations for a branding, web design, and marketing firm. In her spare time, she's advises small companies on GTM and marketing strategies, is a part time "ranch hand" and is the proud mom of an old english bulldog - she also loves chocolate.
FEMTalks | Caroline Dai | Deloitte
Caroline Dai is an analyst in the M&A Analytics Group at Deloitte. Prior to joining Deloitte, Caroline graduated from UBC Sauder School of Business and was a summer analyst at JPMorgan. Caroline’s primary coverage includes financial institution and technology clients. She is particularly interested in the intersection of business and technology. At Deloitte, Caroline is a part of WIN (Women’s network) and Technology Fast 50 initiative. Caroline is an avid sailor and tennis player.
Professional FEMTalks
Startup Series: Marlow + Nudestix with Kayleigh Gray
Kayleigh Gray is currently the E-commerce and Digital Marketing Coordinator at Nudestix, a Canadian-based cosmetics start-up. In the spring of 2021, she graduated from a 5-year program at Western University where she earned a BSc and HBA dual-degree from Ivey Business School. In the past, she interned in buying at Hudson’s Bay where she first became interested in marketing and the retail industry. In her fifth year she began working with Marlow, a DTC Menstrual health start-up, where she could explore these interests, and after graduation, became the Community and Marketing Lead.
FEMTalks STEM Series: Engineering | Annabelle Pundaky
Annabelle Pundaky is a third-year student at the University of Western Ontario and Ivey Business School pursuing a dual degree in Mechatronic Systems Engineering Honors Business Administration. Some of her awards include the Linamar Scholarship, NSERC Undergraduate Research Award, and more. She is a very curious person, who strives to learn and do new things in revolutionary industries; whether it be in medTech, carbon markets, crypto, cybersecurity, autonomous robots, or AI - she is excited to see where my intellectual curiosity takes me next!
Finding Your Voice - Manasi Parikh
Dr. Parikh received her Bachelor in Health Sciences (Honours) with a Global Health Specialization and her MD from @mcmasteru as well. Over the past years, she has held numerous leadership positions such as the Student Director for the Canadian Public Health Association, Co-Director for the Students and Young Professionals (SYP) network for the Ontario Public Health Association and she founded the McMaster Public Health Association.
Breaking into the Start-Up Space - Lillie Sun
Lillie graduated from the Ivey HBA Program in 2020 and is now the Head of Growth and E-commerce at skincare startup, Three Ships Beauty. As one of the first hires, she helped to market new products, develop growth channels and launch Three Ships in the United States. Prior to joining them, Lillie completed internships at Accenture, Wealthsimple and Drop. Her passions now are in building consumer brands and exploring the intersection of technology and creativity. Outside of work, you can find Lillie playing competitive sports, making Spotify playlists or cooking up a storm for her friends.
Navigating Work Life Balance - Jess Mann
After completing undergraduate studies in Business at the University of Toronto and while completing graduate studies in Adult Education at Central Michigan University, Jess began her career in financial services, holding several senior management positions in a number of divisions with one of Canada’s largest banks. There she was one of the pioneers of a program aimed at providing emerging leaders with cross-divisional and leadership competency development opportunities.
Corporate Responsibility - Haritha Murthy
Haritha works at the Royal Bank of Canada as a Senior Manager of Merchant Partnerships. In her role, she supports new partnership development and existing partnership management to deliver value to clients across the Cards, Payments & Banking lines of business. Before this, she has held Financial Control, Audit and Assurance roles providing advisory guidance around financial impact, reporting, SOX, IFRS, risk, governance, and controls.
Entrepreneurship - Megan MacKay
Megan is passionate about connecting others and a strong believer in the positive power of business. She builds strategic marketing partnerships as part of the Global Partnerships team at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment with a focus on partnership development and innovation. In addition to working for MLSE, Megan is the Founder of RollUP Solutions - a social enterprise focused on providing mobility devices for individuals in financial need. She is a graduate of the Ivey Business School at Western University, and HSBC’s Women Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year for 2019.
Finance - Colleen Johnston
To launch the FEMTalks Series, the BoostHER Team interviewed the accomplished Colleen Johnston. We hope that the aspiring finance professionals in the BoostHER network can take advantage of her experience and insights into the finance industry.
Student FEMTalks
Start-up Series: Iris Chen | Monest
Iris is an HBA ‘22 candidate and the Founder & Head of Product at Monest!
“Monest provides consumers with the information they need to make responsible purchasing decisions.
The platform analyzes the social and environmental impacts of brands benchmarked to industry standards.”
Advice to my Younger Self - Jessica Sun
Jessica Sun is a fourth-year Consumer Behaviour student at Western University. Most recently, Jessica interned at TikTok in Sales but has previously worked at RBC, Parks Canada, and with several start-ups. Currently, she's involved with Christian Students at Western (CSW) and works with a fin-tech start-up to scale user adoption. She loves to hike, travel, read, and try new vegetarian/ ice cream places!
Crafting Your Own Narrative - Hayley Lee
Hayley (they/she) is a fourth-year Media and the Public Interest (MPI) student in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS). Hayley has worked in a myriad of different industries, ranging from pharmaceuticals to non-for-profit; she is passionate about working at the intersection of communications, technology, and advocacy. Currently, Hayley is the President of the FIMS Students' Council and the Communications Associate for PrideWestern. She is a fan of making curated Spotify playlists, film photography, and queer Asian representation and intersectional sustainability advocacy work.
Networking - Shairi Islam
Shairi Islam is currently an HBA2 student at the Ivey Business School at Western University. Within the Western Community, Shairi is the Co-President of the Ivey Marketing Club, an Executive Member of EthnoCultural Support Services USC, and acts as a mentor for several student organizations such as PBSN, Western Marketing Association, and Ivey's Career Peer Program. She has past internship experience at PepsiCo in Sales, General Mills in Brand Management, and will be joining Canadian Tire full-time in the fall as a Marketing Consultant. During her free time, Shairi loves to watch movies, paint, and hike.