2025 “Ripples” Conference Speakers
Erica Mandato
Erica is from Montreal pursuing her graduate studies at McGill University.
She is a 25-year-old student who has been part of the McGill community since 2018. She completed her B.Sc. in Honours Microbiology and Immunology in 2021, followed by a Graduate Diploma in Oncology in 2022. Currently in the final year of her Master of Pathology, Erica was awarded the Canadian Cancer Society Research Training Award in 2023 for her contributions to promoting equity and diversity in cancer research. Beyond her academic pursuits, Erica is passionate about travel, dance, and music. Over the past year, she has explored Asia and Europe, while also immersing herself in salsa lessons and learning the piano. She believes that learning has no age limit and values the courage to embrace new challenges.
At the 2025 TEDxMcGill conference, Erica will share how her experiences as a clinical researcher have deepened her understanding of life, loss, and the transformative power of human connection.
Currently, she is working towards her Master of Pathology Thesis.
Raymond Jordan Johnson-Brown
Raymond Johnson-Brown is currently in their last year at McGill University and an Indigenous Network Manager at Community Food Centres Canada.
From Raymond... "Born into an Afro-Mi'kmaq home, I was raised in Calgary, Alberta, before entering the foster care system at age 10. Witnessing intergenerational trauma firsthand-my mother a survivor of Nova Scotia's Home for Colored Children-shaped my purpose. By 18, I committed to ensuring no child would endure what my family faced, leading to a 15-year journey consulting and building programs for Indigenous peoples across Canada. Today, I am a creative storyteller and community advocate, blending my lived experience with a passion for systemic change. As a Two-Spirit person, I explore identity, healing, and collective responsibility in my work, from grassroots advocacy to academic research. Whether through public speaking, directing a documentary, or producing a podcast, I aim to interrogate spaces and reimagine futures, believing that healing intergenerational fractures begins with vulnerability, connection, and an unwavering commitment to truth."
Their TED Talk will explore how embracing the fractures in our lives-whether they stem from intergenerational trauma, personal identity, or societal discomfort-can become a pathway to healing and transformation. Drawing from their experiences as a foster care survivor, the child of a Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children survivor, and a Two-Spirit Afro-Mi'kmaq person, they will share how living as an "ethnic anomaly" has shaped their understanding of the world.
They currently are leading a national network of Indigenous programs at Community Food Centres Canada, working to support culturally grounded initiatives that address food insecurity and foster connection, dignity, and healing. As they prepare to graduate and pursue a Master of Social Work, they look forward to deepening their capacity to support systemic change and community-led solutions.
Charlotte Spruzen
Charlotte Spruzen is a PhD candidate at McGill University. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Cambridge, and stayed for a master's degree specializing in the oceanic sulfur cycle. Now, she research sedimentary rock predating the dawn of animal life, aiming to improve the understanding of how microbially-constructed reefs altered ancient climate. She is passionate about teaching others about geology, because an understanding of Earth history and deep time directly lends itself to an appreciation for the natural world. As a result, she does science outreach on social media under the username @charbonate, through which she creates informative videos about the Earth's past, and advocate for the importance of geoscience education.
On her TEDx talk... "In this talk, I will present the geological principle of uniformitarianism: the idea that the Earth's surface is subject to the same physical processes today as it was billions of years ago. When we see the same feature in modern sediment and in rock, we can be confident that they formed by the same process. In this way, the present is the key to the past, and the past is the key to the present.
However, when climate change deniers use geological analogues, they oversimplify and cherry-pick their examples. In fact, the Earth's past is full of significant upheavals in evolution and climate that break the law of uniformitarianism, and many geologists have suggested humans may be altering the planet so much that we've caused a fundamental shift in the geological record. An understanding of geology accentuates, rather than disproves, the threat of the climate crisis, while giving us a sliver of hope: we still have time to take action."
For her research, she is currently writing a manuscript on geochemical changes to the Earth's oceans 750 million years ago. Outside of research, she is working on refining a workshop she created on 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion in science.
Yasmine Elmi
Yasmine Elmi! Currently pursuing her MD-PhD at McGill University.
She is dedicated to pursuing a dual career as a clinician and researcher. Her work focuses on addressing health inequities, particularly in maternal and child health and racial health disparities. Her research has been featured in leading academic journals such as The Lancet and highlighted by major media outlets including CBC, CTV, and Radio-Canada.
Passionate about creating lasting ripples in healthcare and education, Yasmine is an advocate for mentorship and diversity in STEMM. She actively contributes to the National Youth Mentorship Advisory Council of Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Federation of Black Canadians, and Let's Talk Science's Black Volunteer Collective. Her efforts to foster equity and inclusion have earned her prestigious accolades like the McCall MacBain Scholarship, the 21 Under 21 Awards, and recognition as one of Canada's Top 100 Black Women to Watch.
Yasmine on her TEDx talk... "I want to share a personal experience that led me to question a lifelong goal. When I turned down an accepted offer to medical school, it surprised many. But the decision came from a growing realization: the healthcare system, while designed to help, can sometimes do harm-especially to Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities. What Joyce Echaquan endured in her last moment of living, the racism, neglect, and mistreatment at the hands of healthcare professionals, made me reflect on whether I would be part of the solution or unintentionally contribute to a system that is harming us.
This isn't a feeling unique to me. Many healthcare workers wonder if they're perpetuating the same issues they aim to fix. The healthcare system's actions, shaped by its history and current practices, continue to impact people's lives in significant ways creating ripples."
Michael Zegarelli
Currently the Vice-President of Project Management at Colliers Project Leaders. His passions include public speaking, tennis, and being a proud father! He is in the process of training for his first Spartan Obstacle Course Race taking place in June 2025.
Michael is an educational keynote speaker who inspires audiences with his insights on mindset, productivity and leadership. Drawing on his extensive experience leading teams and managing complex projects, he focuses on creating frameworks for process optimization. With a background in Mechanical Engineering, Michael has over 15 years of experience in infrastructure advisory and project management, contributing to transformative projects that have shaped cityscapes across Canada. As Vice President, Quebec at Colliers Project Leaders, he continues to explore his passion for building modern cities and is an advocate of forward-thinking approaches to urban development. Michael is currently dedicated to exploring innovative strategies to build and sustain high-performance teams, focusing on collaboration, adaptability, and shared purpose. His commitment to personal growth mirrors his professional ethos, making him a compelling voice for innovation, resilience, and the future of city planning.
Picture a single street corner transformed—a park replaces a vacant lot, a bike lane appears, or a new café opens its doors. These seemingly minor changes can sometimes ignite a cascade of unintended consequences and reshape how people connect, interact and thrive within a city - even shifting cultural norms. But what happens when we design cities based not on rigid master plans but on how people actually live, work, and dream? In this talk, Michael reveals surprising insights from chaos theory and shows why understanding these ripple effects is the key to building the adaptive cities of the future. It's a call to rethink how we shape our environments and unravel the intricate interplay between urban landscapes and their profound, unpredictable impacts. Because even the smallest change can have transformative results.
Asmaa Housni
Currently, she is a PhD student at McGill University and a registered dietician.
She is passionate about advancing healthcare through research, innovation, and leadership. Her work focuses on developing technology to enhance self-efficacy in diabetes management while addressing barriers to equitable care. Supported by prestigious research excellence awards, including the CANTRAIN-CIHR doctoral scholarship, she has built a strong academic profile with over 15 scientific publications and 30+ conference presentations. Recognized for her ability to engage diverse audiences, she has received multiple awards for oral presentations and placed third in McGill's Macdonald Campus "My Thesis in 3 Minutes" competition. She is also the recipient of the Tomlinson Engagement Award for Mentoring. Beyond academia, Asmaa co-founded a Roots & Shoots chapter to promote sustainability and co-chaired an interprofessional student initiative, earning the Lauréat Avenir Santé award. Her interview with Radio-Canada highlighted her mission to bridge healthcare gaps for asylum seekers. Driven by curiosity, she diversified her endeavors and took ownership of her learning journey to create new possibilities. Her talk delves into the paradox of knowledge-its immense power and the responsibility required to harness it effectively.
In an age where knowledge is at our fingertips, it's tempting to believe that knowing more is always better. But what happens when knowledge creates as much confusion as it resolves? This talk dives into the paradox of knowledge, exploring how the same information can empower some while overwhelming others.
Charlie Scholey
Currently, Charlie is a student at McGill University.
A bit from Charlie! "I'm a U3 student at McGill University, and I study Software Engineering and World Cinemas. I'm also the president of McGill Improv, Editor-In-Chief of The Plumber's Faucet, and VP External of the McGill Students' Comedy Club. Whenever I call home to give my parents an update, they always have to ask if I even go to class, which I do. Mostly. Over the last few years, l've been lucky enough to get to perform around campus with a variety of different groups, occasionally even getting a laugh from the audience. I came to McGill almost four years ago from my hometown of Toronto, and whenever I go back I make sure to cuddle up to my adorable dog, Sloan."
His talk will be about the joys of learning comedy. Lots of people understand the benefits of seeing something funny in front of them - smiles and laughter are universal - but many people are afraid of trying to make others laugh. As someone who regularly teaches comedy to students of various skill levels, he believes that learning how to be funny is a valuable tool that can improve your life while making it more enjoyable. In his talk, he will discuss how people interpret the art of comedy today, the goal of teaching everyone to be funny, and the myriad of benefits that learning how to get a laugh provides to anyone and everyone. By the end of his talk, he hopes that everyone in the audience wants to get up on stage - although not until TEDxMcGill has ended for the day, please!
Charlie currently works weekly on McGill Improv open workshops! They have just finished their biggest show of the semester and looking forward to more in the winter. He is also working to get the "The Plumber's Faucet" - McGill's only satirical publication, up and running.
Iyngaran Panchacharam
lyngaran is currently Senior Manager with a passion for Al and analytics & attends McGill University!
He is an engineer by training, a technologist through experience, and a sustainable humanitarian at heart. Since graduating from McGill seven years ago, he has worked as a consultant, mainly in Al and data strategy, and more recently sustainability. These roles have provided him with unique insights into our interconnected world: where engineers and scientists shape our environment, technologists drive Al innovation, corporate leaders redefine business landscapes, and communities shape our collective values. They've also shown him the value of community-based thinking. This has ignited his fascination with how people come together to achieve common goals and propel society into the future. Driven by this passion, he has returned to McGill to deepen his expertise in sustainability in engineering.
During his talk, he will discuss how we, as communities, need to become active participants in the discussion around Al. He aims to explore how individuals and communities can own their Al journeys and the lasting impacts they can have. This includes not only those who have contributed to or adapted Al but also those who have opposed it and shaped it for the better. This talk is not designed to be academic or technical in nature, but rather focus on simple and pragmatic, actions people can take to have an impact.