Behind every great initiative are the people who bring it to life. The CEO Magazine’s Top 50 Women Over 50 wouldn’t be possible without the support of the initiative’s National Advisory Board, composed of respected Canadian leaders, innovators and changemakers.
These influential voices have generously volunteered their time and expertise to carefully review applications and select the most inspiring candidates, ensuring the achievements of extraordinary Canadian women over 50 are celebrated and recognized.
Get to know the National Advisory Board members below.
David Jepson
CEO, The CEO Magazine
David Jepson brings a wealth of experience in leading fast-growing international organizations, with a strong emphasis on sales, high performance and innovation. Having established and managed businesses across four continents, Jepson has played a pivotal role in building one of the world’s most high-profile and respected media brands.
Throughout his tenure at The CEO Magazine, Jepson has held various management roles, starting from an entry-level sales position and, ultimately, becoming CEO during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Beyond his role at The CEO Magazine, Jepson is also an investor, mentor and board member, leveraging his extensive expertise to drive success and growth.
Debby Carreau
Founder & CEO, Inspired HR
Debby Carreau is a serial entrepreneur, author and business leader committed to transforming organizations into inspired workplaces. As a globally recognized expert in human capital and workplace strategy, she founded Inspired HR in 2007. Under her leadership, the firm has grown into one of Canada’s top HR companies and has been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Places to Work for four consecutive years.
A trusted voice on the future of work, Carreau is a frequent contributor to CNBC, CityNews, CTV, Global TV and Entrepreneur Magazine, where she shares practical insights on the leadership, talent and workplace effectiveness. She holds an MBA, multiple human resources designations and is continuing her post-graduate studies through the President’s Program at Harvard Business School.
Carreau has been named one of Canada’s Top 25 HR Leaders and honored as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women for four consecutive years – earning her a place in the Canada’s Top 100 Hall of Fame as the youngest inductee.
She serves on numerous boards, including as Global Chairman Elect of YPO, Chair of the Board at Collingwood School and board member for several private equity and family offices, including Fulmer & Co and Palix Foundation. She is a former member of the University of Calgary Board of Governors.
Karl Moore
Associate Professor, McGill University
Prior to his academic career, Karl Moore worked in sales and product management for a decade for IBM/Hitachi. He has taught on MBA and executive programs at leading schools including: Stanford, the Harvard Business School, Cambridge, Oxford, Duke, USC, IIM Bangalore and IMD. His research on ambiverts has been highlighted in The Economist, The Financial Times, The Independent and on the BBC and many other leading media outlets.
Moore hosts a weekly national radio program, The CEO Series, an hour-long one-on-one. For nine years, he wrote a weekly column for Canada’s national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, and has written weekly article for Forbes.com for more than 14 years. His next book, We are All Ambiverts Now, is based on 550-plus CEO interviews and will be released in 2025.
Carolyn Lawrence
Founder & Principal, CLEAR PATH
Carolyn Lawrence is an award-winning expert and thought leader with 25 years of experience breaking barriers to diversity, equity and inclusion for all. A passionate and purpose-driven collaborator, she has a proven track record for developing solutions and delivering results.
Her career journey – from building an equity-focused social enterprise (Women of Influence) to establishing Deloitte Canada’s National DEI consulting practice and driving culture change as the first Global DEI Leader at Deloitte – has given her a deep understanding of human-centered transformation. She launched CLEAR PATH to help companies build better businesses inside and out.
Zoe Kinias
Associate Professor, Ivey Business School at Western University
Zoe Kinias is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior and Sustainability and the John F. Wood Chair in Innovation in Business Learning at Ivey Business School. She examines social cognitive processes including biases and how to attenuate them. These often involve equity, diversity and inclusion topics, and interventions to enable everyone’s learning and success. Kinias’ research also highlights factors that facilitate people’s openness and contributions to prosocial initiatives including diversity programs, environmental sustainability and advocating on behalf of women and people of color in organizations.
Her work has been featured in a variety of outlets, including Bloomberg Businessweek, The Case Centre, Forbes, Harvard Business Publishing, Harvard Business Review, INSEAD Knowledge, Ivey Business Journal, The New York Times and Programme Eve.
Kinias presents and engages with diverse groups including academics, students and alumni and multinational organizations.
Ian C Miller
Vice President, Mansha Plan
With over 28 years of experience in finance and wealth management, Ian Miller is a dedicated professional passionate about helping clients achieve their financial goals. He specializes in providing tailored solutions and education to meet both short-term and long-term needs, with a focus on building trusted and lasting relationships. Miller’s loyalty and commitment to his clients are at the heart of his work.
Miller has held senior roles at some of Canada’s top investment management firms, including 16 years as Vice President of the Canadian Retail Division at Manulife Investment Management. He currently serves as Vice President at Mansha Plan, a leading multi-family advisory firm that assists high-net-worth families and professionals with wealth and estate planning strategies.
A graduate of Huron College at the University of Western Ontario, Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics. He is deeply committed to giving back to his community, serving on the board of Square Circle in Toronto and playing an active role in financial literacy education for underserved students through the Mansha Plan Foundation. He is also a member of the scholarship selection committee at State of Kindness Foundation.
Outside of work, Miller enjoys traveling, backcountry skiing and golfing. He’s also a former marathon runner, participating in the Marine Corps Marathon and the Boston Marathon. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Shireen.
Kimberly Cohen
CEO, Brown & Cohen Communications & Public Affairs
Kimberly Cohen is the CEO of Brown & Cohen Communications & Public Affairs, bringing decades of leadership in strategic communications, public relations and corporate counsel. With a career defined by community engagement and executive excellence, Cohen has lectured at leading post-secondary institutions and served on the boards of the Toronto Humane Society, the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management Alumni Association and Big Sisters of Toronto.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from George Washington University, which included a year at New York University’s Stern School of Business, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Cohen’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to impactful storytelling, public service and empowering the next generation of leaders.
