HRPA Meeting Details

Yvette’s 28-year journey within the fitness, boxing and speaking industries has been as diverse and exciting as a boxing match itself! A former Ontario boxing champion and award-winning speaker, Yvette has shifted roles over time from inside the gym, in front of boardrooms and classrooms, to standing center ring in sporting arenas in front of thousands. In 2018, Yvette became the first professional female boxing ring announcer in Canada, officially marking her as a trailblazer in her sport for stepping into a position traditionally held by men. Recently, Yvette won the 2023 Women's Empowerment Award for the work she is doing at the University of Toronto to implement the first of its kind boxing movement and mindset program, now heading into its' 14th semester! Whether she is delivering a keynote speech, leading her popular retreat “find your fighter within,” or facilitating a corporate team-building session: Yvette’s message remains consistent: “think like a fighter to live as a Champion”.

Dr. Ted Vokes has 30 years of experience consulting with a diverse range of corporate, government, and public sector organizations. He specializes in leadership development, dispute resolution, prevention of workplace violence, identifying and counteracting individual and systemic abuses of power, and culture transformations. He has his Ph.D. in Applied Social Psychology (specialization in Industrial-Organizational Psychology) from the University of Windsor. His practical leadership experience includes serving as Second-in-Command of an Air Force officer candidate training school, as Executive Director for a mental health centre, and as Executive Partner of Vokes Leadership Group. Ted has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Psychology Department and the Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor. In addition, he is lead trainer for St. Clair College's Micro-Credential in Leadership and Culture Management. He is currently writing a book entitled "It's ALL about Power".

Adrian is a trusted lawyer and navigates sensitive and wide-ranging issues through the employment lifecycle, labour and employment litigation, workforce restructuring activities, mergers and acquisitions, and related matters. His advice focuses on strategies and approaches to employment-related policies, guidelines, and processes that balance pragmatism, risk, and compliance. He currently sits on the boards of Pro Bono Ontario, Casey House, and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO), as well as on the Literary Circle committee of the board of the Toronto Public Library Foundation. Previous board engagements include Eva’s Initiatives, FrancoQueer, and the Ontario Bar Association. Adrian's commitment to volunteerism extends to longstanding engagements with the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, Pro Bono Ontario Legal Helpline, Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers Human Rights Subcommittee, Young Leadership Council of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Legal Advice & Referral Clinic of The 519 Church Street Community Centre.