CERIC, CCDF and NCDA to to host free virtual advocacy event for North America Career Week 2024

Regional North American career development organizations CERIC (Canada), the Canadian Career Development Foundation (Canada) and the National Career Development Association (United States) are convening yet again in 2024 for a North America Career Week celebration called Advocacy in Action: Amplifying Career Development in a Changing World. The virtual event will take place on November 13, 2024 at 12:00pm Eastern Time.

The regional partners are hosting a free virtual event to celebrate the vital role of career development professionals in shaping the future of work. The collaboration brings together leading organizations from across North America and beyond to highlight current advocacy efforts and the importance of career development in today’s rapidly changing world.

The event aims to affirm and celebrate the contributions of career development professionals, offering hope and positivity amidst the challenges faced. Panellists will provide insights into emerging trends and issues such as AI, mental health, and the need for decent jobs, while empowering attendees with ideas and opportunities to advocate for the future of work.  This will include a focus on how you can become part of these initiatives.

Moderator:

• Dr. Candy Ho – Dr. Candy Ho is an international award-winning career development educator and scholar whose expertise is recognized globally through keynotes, consulting, and other engagements. Her insights have been featured in prestigious media outlets including BNN Bloomberg, The Globe and Mail, Financial Post, Canadian Business, National Post and CTV News. Originally from Hong Kong, she currently serves as Chancellor’s Research Chair at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), while also teaching in KPU’s Educational Studies department and in Douglas College’s Career Development Practitioner Program. Candy is Past Chair of CERIC, a Canadian charitable organization that advances education and research in career counselling and career development, in order to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians.

Panellists:

• Keka DasGupta – Keka believes in moving people from helpless to helpful through a powerful, free currency called: gratitude. As a 20-year award-winning PR/marketing veteran, Keka has dedicated her entire working life to studying the emotional undercurrents that connect people to people, and people to brands. This mom-of-two has worked with such globally recognized brands as: IKEA, Nike, Disney, American Express and many other Fortune 500s. Her clients have also included various schools and boards of education. Today, Keka heads up multiple entrepreneurial ventures. She has founded the platform called the “Art of Life-ing,” and she runs Gratitude workshops across North America for both students and corporate audiences. She is also the Vice Chair of CERIC’s Board of Directors, helping the national charity to advance career development in Canada through education, research and advocacy.
• Sareena Hopkins – Sareena Hopkins is the Executive Director of the Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF), Sareena works in Canada and internationally to strengthen the reach and impact of career development. With her team at CCDF, she moves from ideas to action in areas of public policy, research and development, capacity building and advocacy. Sareena has been instrumental in a wide range of strategic leadership initiatives in Canada and internationally, including the development of our field’s Competency Framework, Code of Ethics, and approach to national certification. She is Chair of the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy and is an active member of the Forum of Labour Market Ministers’ National Advisory Panel on Labour Market Information. In 2014, Sareena was awarded the International Gold Medal for Leadership in Career Development. Sareena lives, works and plays (most of the time!) in Ottawa with her partner and a poorly behaved, but extremely sweet cat.
• Marty Apodaca – Marty Apodaca is a Senior Counselor at the University of New Mexico’s (UNM) Student Health and Counseling where he assists his clients in exploring the intersections of career and mental health. Marty is the President of NCDA (Oct. 1) and is an active board member and former president of the NMCDA. He has publications in the Career Development Quarterly, Career Planning and Adult Development Network, Career Convergence and has been published in the Journal of Individual Psychology, Teaching and Supervision in Counseling and ACA’s VISTAS web magazine. Marty is a Professional Clinical Counselor, Certified Career Counselor and National Certified Counselor. At UNM, Marty has received the People Appreciate Wonderful Staff Award and was recognized as an American Indian Student Services Campus Partner.
• Bella Doswell – Bella Doswell is an award-winning, Certified (Ontario, Canada) and Registered (UK) Career Development Professional, Bella brings 18 years’ experience in helping clients confidently market their skills and talents to employers. With extensive training in psychology, mental health counselling, occupational testing, HR process and facilitation, she holds a subject-specific master’s degree in Career Development and Coaching Studies from the University of Warwick. She has international career coaching experience working in the UK, the UAE and since 2012, for clients in Canada. Currently based in the UK, she is working remotely for a Canadian HR consultancy in Toronto, providing outplacement services. Bella is the co-architect of the global #SoMuchMoreThanTalkingAboutJobs campaign, which reached 1.6 million hits in 2024. A passionate advocate for CDPs and vociferous global networker, you can also find her writing about CDP advocacy issues in CDP Thought For The Week, posted every Monday on LinkedIn.
• Katherine Jennick – Katherine Jennick is a UK-based Career Development Professional, Mentor and Educator, who is passionate about using a strength-based approach to help people realise how amazing they are. In 2019, she developed and founded What’s your strength?®  which started as a pack of cards to empower teenagers. It has evolved into a series of award-winning resources for young people, adults and individuals with additional needs. As well as the abundance of strength-based resources, Katherine also offers 1:1 career guidance for young people and runs collaborative creative workshops for a variety of different audiences. Her career is studded with accolades:  Co-architect of the #SoMuchMoreThanTalkingAboutJobs campaign celebrating the work of CDPs ; Finalist for Business and Product Innovation Award at FSB Small Business Awards 2023; Finalist for Sole Trader Award at The Small Awards 2022 ; Winner at the Start Up Awards National Series 2022 ; Developer of the interactive ‘Skills Suitcase’ for National Careers Week.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn and get involved. Free pre-registration is required on the NCDA website. You will be prompted to create an account on NCDA’s website in order to register for the event. This is a free account and you do not need to be an NCDA member to register.