Thriving at Work

August 20, 2026
8:30am – 4:30pm
Hyatt Regency, Vancouver

Sustainable success starts here.

Elevate your well being and performance at CPABC’s PD Nexus: Thriving at Work (and Beyond), the essential event for professionals seeking sustainable success. Explore proven strategies to reduce burnout, boost focus, and create meaningful balance through expert insights, practical tools, and interactive sessions. Connect with peers, gain fresh energy, and leave empowered to thrive both at work and beyond.

What you’ll experience

Reframe success without sacrificing your energy.
Discover how to thrive through turbulence by eliminating hidden drains and focusing your effort where it matters most.
Strengthen confidence in high-stakes moments.
Learn how to show up with clarity and conviction when your voice counts most.
Build habits that actually stick.
Unlock the power of small, consistent changes that compound into meaningful progress for performance and wellbeing.
Communicate with impact in a modern workplace.
Enhance trust, belonging, and psychological safety through intentional, human-centered communication.
Lead consciously amid constant disruption.
Develop the human skills that make leaders irreplaceable in an AI-driven world.

Join us at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver on August 20th and leave empowered to thrive.

Eligible CPD Hours: 7
Course Fee:
Members $475
Non-Members $525

PD Passport: 12 credits

Fulfilled: The 5 Drivers of Thriving in Turbulent Times

Presenter:
Andrea Jacques | CEO, Kyosei Consulting

The "work hard" mindset you think is driving your success is the hidden source of your depletion. This keynote introduces a proven framework designed to end the tug-of-war between peak performance and personal sanity.

Based on three decades of supporting people and organizations to thrive, you’ll discover the Five Factors of Fulfillment™ that minimize energy leaks and optimize impact without fuelling overwhelm. This mental "map" will help you organize and prioritize where to invest your energy for maximum fulfillment in all areas of your life and work.

Key Takeaways:

Pathological Productivity: Recognize why your current success strategies are eroding your results.
Life-Work Integrity®: Upgrade your "Success Operating System™" to align performance with wellbeing.
Kyosei Thrive Bicycle™: Use this diagnostic tool to assess which Five Factors of Fulfillment™ to dial in.
Integration Map: A practical tool to help you organize and apply your conference insights into one cohesive action plan.

Beyond Impostor Syndrome

Presenter:
Carrie Gallant | JD, Executive Leadership Coach, Negotiation Strategist and Impostor Syndrome Informed Coach

Even the most capable professionals can find themselves hesitating at the moments that matter most, holding back their perspective, softening their recommendations, or deferring when their voice is needed. Over time, these are not small moments. They are the decisions that shape how you are seen, how much influence you have, and whether you move forward or stall at the next level.

In this practical and thought-provoking session, Carrie Gallant introduces a clear, actionable framework to help you recognize where impostor syndrome is shaping your decisions and deepen your understanding of how you make decisions under pressure, so you can respond differently in real time. Participants will leave with practical tools to approach high-stakes decisions and conversations with greater clarity and confidence.

Key takeaways:

Get clear on your perspective and communicate it with greater authority in high-stakes situations
Recognize where self-doubt is shaping your decisions and what to do differently in real time
Contribute more effectively in key conversations by balancing inquiry and advocacy
Strengthen your follow-through so your contributions are recognized, acted on, and drive results

Atomic Habits

Presenter:
Debbie Pearmain, BSW, HR Management, ICF ACC Coach | President, One Stop HR

Success is not the result of single, life-changing moments and decisions, but incremental improvements. This session explores how small, consistent habits compound into significant personal and professional results. Drawing on the principles from “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, participants will learn a practical, science-backed framework for building good habits, breaking bad ones, and designing an environment that supports sustained behavior change.

Read more about Exhausted to Empowered

Dr. Bjorndal, ND will discuss how stress contributes to work life overload and how holistic strategies can support your body during high-pressure times. She will reveal the deep connection between your gut, hormones, and persistent fatigue, and show you how these links undermine your mental health capacity. Learn the simple, powerful techniques to navigate stress and build genuine, lasting calm, and emotional strength.

Key takeaways:

A holistic understanding of the factors that contribute to exhaustion
Proven techniques to manage stress and increase wellbeing
How work with emotions, reactions and behaviors to live a more empowered life

Communication for a Modern Workplace

Presenter:
Steven Mah, MSc, CFIOSH, CRSP, R.CT, RTC | Consultant

In today's interconnected world, effective communication is no longer a 'soft skill' but a critical driver of trust, innovation, and belonging. This session reveals how intentional communication shifts can transform workplace relationships and foster a truly human-centered culture.

Steven's session provides practical strategies to refine how we listen, respond, and ask questions, directly impacting team dynamics and conflict resolution. You'll gain actionable tools to cultivate stronger connections and build a psychologically safer environment, moving beyond buzzwords to everyday, impactful communication practices. Designed for professionals at all levels, this interactive session focuses on real-world application.

Key takeaways:

Understand how communication and trust fundamentally shape team relationships and performance.
Identify subtle communication habits that either strengthen or weaken team connection.
Explore effective approaches for navigating difficult conversations and providing constructive feedback.
Learn how everyday interactions can foster a more engaged and resilient workplace culture.

Conscious Leadership in an Age of Disruption - Finding Alignment When Everything Around You Is Changing

Presenter:
Chris Ho, BBA, COC | Executive Leadership Coach and Consultant

In today's rapidly evolving profession, the greatest challenge for CPAs isn't technical expertise — it's staying aligned with what matters most while leading others through constant change. As AI and automation reshape your role, the skills that make you truly irreplaceable are entirely human: trust, presence, judgment and the ability to build relationships no technology can replicate.

Drawing on 25 years of personal and professional transformation, Chris Ho will help you close the gap between the leader you intend to be and the one others actually experience.

Key takeaways:

A clear reframe for why burnout is an alignment problem — not a time management problem
Practical tools to strengthen the relationship layer that AI can never replace
A one-page Conscious Leadership Alignment Audit to identify where your values, leadership and life are out of sync — and what to do about it
One concrete commitment to lead more consciously — at work and in life

DR. CHRISTINA BJORNDAL, B. Comm, ND is a best-selling author and speaker who draws on her lived experience and biopsychospiritual training to provide integrative mental health solutions. In her corporate career, she was outwardly successful reporting to the CEO; however, inwardly she was hiding her mental health struggles.

Learn more about Dr. Christina Bjorndal

After surviving suicide, she made a career change reflecting on the question: If money didn’t matter, what would I be doing with my life? Her book “Beyond the Label: 10 steps to Improve your Mental Health with Naturopathic Medicine” is a comprehensive guide to mental health.

CARRIE GALLANT, JD is an executive leadership coach, negotiation strategist and coauthor of “Conversation Secrets for Tomorrow's Leaders: 21 Obvious Secrets Leaders Do Not Use Enough". As a former lawyer and executive, she truly understands the challenges many leaders navigate.

Learn more about Carrie Gallant

Carrie combines strategic acumen with Human Design insights to help her clients transform impostor syndrome, negotiate powerfully, and lead authentically. She is an Impostor Syndrome Informed Coach™, a certified Human Design Coach™, and certified in Conversational Intelligence® and Authentic Leadership for Teams®. Carrie and her work have been featured in Cosmo Magazine, goop.com, women.com, vice.com, The Globe and Mail, The Financial Post, and on Global News, News1130/680News and CBC Radio.

CHRIS HO, BBA, COC is a leadership and executive coach and consultant with over 25 years of experience spanning sales leadership, coaching and organizational development across tech, finance, media and financial services. Chris works with leaders at every level who are ready to close the gap between the leader they intend to be and the one the people around them experience.

Learn more about Chris Ho

His approach is grounded in equal parts hard-won personal experience and practical leadership tools — helping leaders build the self-awareness, communication and relationship skills that drive lasting performance. Chris believes that in a world of constant change, the most powerful competitive advantage any leader has is the ability to lead consciously — with intention, clarity and purpose.

ANDREA JACQUES, is the founder and CEO of Kyosei Consulting where she has spent more than three decades helping leaders drive performance and profits while creating workplaces that grow – rather than deplete – the energy, creativity, and wellbeing of their people.

Learn more about Andrea Jacques

Andrea began her career with academic, government, and health care institutions in Canada, but developed her innovative approach to sustainable leadership working with multinational executives in Japan at the Center for International Communication and Management. Andrea is an engaging speaker, facilitator, executive coach and author, and partners with organizations globally to grow the capacity of leaders to create workplaces – and a world – where everyone thrives.

STEVEN MAH, MSc, CFIOSH, CRSP, R.CT, RTC is an award-winning communication and organizational development consultant with over 18 years of experience in workplace psychology and leadership.

Learn more about Steven Mah

He holds a Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Educational Leadership, and is a Chartered Fellow (CFIOSH), Registered Counsellor, and Canadian Registered Safety Professional. Steven has delivered keynotes and workshops to diverse audiences on communication, psychological safety, and leadership effectiveness. Known for his engaging, accessible style, he transforms complex concepts into practical, actionable strategies. Steven also practices as a solution-focused counselling therapist.

SCOTT ORTH, MSc, CPCC is a mindfulness coach and trainer, who gives CPAs the tools they need to delete the overwhelm, focus on what matters most and drive their future.

Learn more about Scott Orth

He gives them strategies to respond to the challenges in their day more mindfully, allowing them to be more focused, productive and happier with the life they are living. Scott was previously the National Leader of HR for one of Canada’s largest employee-owned engineering and science consulting organizations and brings a grounded, practical, no-nonsense approach to his engaging presentations.

DEBBIE PEARMAIN, BSW, HR Management, ICF ACC Coach is a dynamic executive coach and leadership consultant who specializes in unlocking the potential of people, teams, and workplace cultures.

Learn more about Debbie Pearmain

With over 25 years of experience in leadership development, workplace culture, and employee engagement, she partners with organizations to drive higher performance, stronger collaboration, and resilient, values-based leadership. Debbie has worked as a consultant with Accenture, Global Knowledge, LHH Knightsbridge, DDI, Homewood Health, Gallagher, and TELUS Health. Her coaching style blends strategic insight with a practical, people-first lens—supporting leaders to navigate complexity, strengthen decision-making, and inspire sustainable change within their teams and organizations.

NICOLE PORTER is an award-winning Stress Coach, Nutritionist, and Wellness Educator, and owner of Nicole Porter Wellness, a health and wellness education company that has twice been recognized as one of the Top 10 Corporate Wellness Service Companies in Canada.

Learn more about Nicole Porter

Through seminars, speaking, coaching, and courses, Nicole brings over three decades of experience in health and wellness to help businesses and busy, stressed-out professionals across North America strategically conquer The Top 10 Unhealthy Habits that add Hidden Stress to the body, and secretly sabotage health, mindset, performance - and the bottom line. Nicole is known for The Hidden Stress Framework™️, and bringing an evidence-based, innovative, and realistic approach to stress, health, and habit change. Her first book, How to Kick A** in Chaos, was released in Spring 2025.