Senior Director of Equity, Respect and Belonging at Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, Shereen Samuels has over 23 years of experience in equity and inclusion change work, curriculum development, and group process facilitation. She brings more than 20 years of experience in leadership, policy development, strategic planning, communications, board governance, and risk management, as well as with academic research. Prior to joining Gowling WLG, Shereen gained over 17 years of progressive leadership experience, working collaboratively to build inclusive community resources, spaces and programs in a post-secondary campus environment. As a freelance consultant, she designed and facilitated equity and inclusion learning sessions for a wide variety of clients. She is also the creator of The Meaningful Inclusion Matrix, a framework to guide organizations in becoming more inclusive. Shereen identifies as a Black, queer, first-generation-immigrant ciswoman of South African heritage. She is grateful to live and work in Moh'kinstsis (also known as Calgary), in the traditional territories of the Piikani, Siksika and Kainai nations of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Treaty 7 territory that is also
home to the Tsuu T'ina and Iyarhe Nakoda nations, and the Metis nation, Region 3.