Student Life Events at St. George

Mar 23, 2023 01:30 PM to 03:00 PM

Registration Deadline: Mar 23, 2023 04:30 PM

Disclosure & Accommodation in the Workplace: Employer Panel

About the Event
During this panel, you will hear from employers who will share their experiences with accessible recruitment and hiring processes. This session will help you:

Understand how accommodations are determined in the workplace
Prepare to have conversations about disclosure with employers

This event is co-hosted by Accessibility Services and Career Exploration & Education and is catered to students who self-identify as living with a disability. Students from U of T, UTSC, and UTM are welcomed!

What you need to know:
• Ensure you register! Registration will provide you with the link and instructions for accessing the online session.
• Prepare by reviewing the Tip Sheet for Joining Zoom meetings
• Arrive on time (or early). Events start on time and you may be denied entry after the start time.
• If you can no longer attend, please cancel your registration to allow others to participate.
• If there is additional capacity, waitlisted individuals will be notified via email prior to the start of the session.
• Only University of Toronto students and recent alumni (within the past two years) are eligible to attend.

If you require disability-related accommodations for an event or workshop, please e-mail us at careercentre@mail.careers.utoronto.ca

Our Panelists
We are excited to introduce you to our panelists from Microsoft, the City of Toronto, MaRS and .Public Health Agency of Canada.

Jean-Pierre Fernandes, Senior Specialist, Diversity & Inclusion | Workforce Equity, City of Toronto
Jean-Pierre currently works with the City of Toronto as a Sr. Specialist, Diversity and Inclusion, leading project work intended to engage the community and create more pathways for equity deserving groups to access employment and career development. In his previous role at the Toronto Metropolitan University Career and Co-op Centre, Jean-Pierre supported students and external partners as they progressed in their understanding of equity, diversity, inclusion and self. Through his work at the RCCC, Jean-Pierre created award-winning programming that supports individuals from equity-deserving groups through mentorship and career exploration. Jean-Pierre has worked in employment services supporting HR teams for more than 10 years. He sees his work through the lens of inclusion and justice and sees the positive impact this has on businesses and their bottom line. Offering diversity training and consulting Jean-Pierre's work experience has crossed multiple sectors including, tech, non-profit, and banking.

Phoebe Lam, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition, MaRS Discovery District
Phoebe Lam is an experienced Talent Acquisition professional, with years of experience in recruiting top talent for companies like Kraft Heinz Canada, Huawei Technologies, and IG Financial. Currently working at MaRS Discovery District, Phoebe leads talent acquisition, campus recruitment, and employee onboarding. Phoebe's expertise lies in her ability to understand the needs of both the organization and the candidates, by creating a safe and inclusive space for all. She has a unique ability to connect with people and identify their strengths, making her an excellent judge of character. Outside of work, Phoebe enjoys cooking, trying new foods and experience, and spending time with her dog, Peanut.

Andre Valiquette, Director, Surface Microsoft
Andre started his career at Toshiba as a Systems Engineer and Notebook Brand Manager. After joining Dell in 2000, Andre held various leadership positions in Marketing as part of various Hardware, and Software business groups. Andre then shifted to sales leadership within various customer, segment, Field and Inside organizations as Vice President of Sales, before transitioning to Channel Leader for Dell in 2018. In early 2021, Andre left to help a start-up reseller, Infostream Solutions with their go-to-market. He would later join Microsoft where he has been the leader of the Surface Business for the last year. On the personal front, he is the father of twin boys, who have a rare neuromuscular condition called Friedreich's Ataxia (FA) which gives him a unique perspective to the challenges faced in accessibility accommodations. As a result, in the last year he has joined Microsoft's Disability Employee Resource Group as Chief of Staff.

More details on our fourth panelist Alexandra Elves from the Public Health Agency of Canada is coming soon!

We look forward to seeing you at the event!