About Commonwealth Leaders Dialogue Canada
Who We Are
Now more than ever, Canada and Commonwealth regions have a responsibility to cultivate ethical, analytical, and responsible leaders.
As a registered Canadian charity, we bring together diverse leaders from arts, education, environment, indigenous communities, unions, private and public sectors, public health, and civil society organizations.
Since 1962, Canada has hosted 10 conferences, establishing the template and cadence for other Commonwealth countries to follow. Led by a Board of Canadian and Caribbean Directors which resurrected the global study tour format after a 17-year hiatus, The Duke of Edinburgh Commonwealth Study Conferences Canada Inc. helps enable leaders to make positive change within local and global communities.
Guided by Commonwealth values, a community of peers
- Gain in-field experience working with diverse entrepreneurs and executives, learning about leadership strategies and management of major organizational issues
- Collaborate in group challenges to test skills, assumptions and gain insights; and
- Join a growing network of alumni members who act as mentors and funders
“I am enlivened to work toward advancing my community culturally, environmentally and economically. I feel emboldened to navigate the waters of the unknown because of my participation.”
Adonis Trujillo
2017 Alumnus
Board of Directors
Agnes Di Leonardi, CM
Founder & President
Agnes is President of Commonwealth Leaders Dialogue Canada and an alumna of the 1998 Canadian Duke of Edinburgh Commonwealth Study Conferences. A distinguished General Counsel and senior executive, she brings over 25 years of experience advising multinational corporations, financial institutions, and public companies on legal strategy, governance, and business growth. Known for her strategic insight and ability to translate complex regulatory issues into practical solutions, she has held senior leadership roles at Sym‑Tech Dealer Services, Mazda Canada, Coventree, and Ford Motor Company of Canada.
Her governance experience includes board roles with Global Automakers of Canada, the International Women’s Forum of Canada, YWCA Toronto, and the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation. Agnes’ contributions have earned national recognition, including appointment as a Member of the Order of Canada, an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Windsor, and honours such as Canadian Black Book Automotive Icon and Automotive News Canada Champion of Diversity.
She holds a business degree from the Schulich School of Business and a law degree from Windsor Law.
Robert Taylor, LVO
Founder & Treasurer
Robert enjoyed a 30-year career with Shell Canada Limited. In 1990 he became a Director of the Company and Executive Vice President Shell Canada Resources and later President Shell Canada Products Ltd. He was Area Manager for Shell International Petroleum Company in London for three years where he was responsible for Shell operating companies in East and West Africa.
He was a Governor of the Glenbow Museum in Calgary and a Director of Alberta Theatre Projects located in the Calgary Centre for the Performing Arts.
Bob served as a Director of Pembina Pipeline Corporation for 15 years, was a Director of Turbodyne Technologies Inc. and continues as a Director of McTAY Holdings Ltd.
He was a member in 1980 of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference. In 1983 he participated in founding the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conferences and in 2009 he co-founded The Duke of Edinburgh’s Emerging Leaders’ Dialogues Canada, now known as Commonwealth Leaders Dialogue, where he continues to serve as a Director and Treasurer.
In 1999, Bob was recognized by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with the award of a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO).
Lisa Bell, MBA
Secretary
Lisa is a senior executive with more than thirty years of experience in financial services, export development, and public‑sector leadership. She has held key management roles across Jamaica’s financial sector and served as Managing Director of the National Export‑Import Bank of Jamaica, where she advanced national competitiveness and SME export growth.
Before joining EXIM Bank, Lisa was Deputy President of Jamaica Trade and Invest (JAMPRO), contributing eight years to strengthening Jamaica’s investment and export promotion agenda. Her career also includes leadership roles at Alpha Financial Services Limited, Victoria Mutual Investments Limited, and Citizensbank, along with international experience at Andersen Consulting and the City of Miami’s Department of Management & Budget.
An experienced board director, Lisa is known for her strategic insight, strong stakeholder relationships, and commitment to national development. She holds an MBA in Finance and a BBA from the University of Miami and is a 2011 alumna of the Caribbean‑Canada Emerging Leaders Dialogue (CCELD).
Kevin Howlett, ICD.D
Vice President
Kevin is a retired executive from Air Canada, having held the position of Senior Vice President Regional Markets and Government Relations. During his 45-year career with the company, Kevin was the accountable executive for various departments including Human Resources, Government Affairs and Regional Operations, operating under the Air Canada Express brand.
Educated at the University of Prince Edward Island and Dalhousie, Kevin holds the CPHR (Chartered Professionals in Human Resources) designation.
He is the Chair of the CPHR BC & Yukon Association and is as well on the Board of Directors for the Vancouver Airport Authority and the NavCanada Board. Kevin holds the Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D) from the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University.
Lt. Col. J W David Clarke G.A., CVO, CCM, ADC
Director
David serves as the Medical Liaison Officer of the Barbados Defence Force and Honorary Aide-de-Camp to the President of Barbados. He represents Barbados on the WHO Emergency Medical Team Strategic Advisory Group and leads the Board of the Americas Regional EMTs. During the COVID‑19 pandemic, he coordinated the national vaccine programme and later commanded the BDF Emergency Medical Team’s deployment to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
Before his military service, Clarke spent more than three decades with The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, retiring as Director (Americas) and continuing to advise and serve on regional boards. A Gold Award holder himself, he has been recognised with multiple imperial and national honours, including appointment as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and the Government of Barbados’ Gold Award of Achievement.
Spencer Dane, MBA, CPA, FRSA
Director
Spencer is a senior academic leader with more than three decades of cross‑sector experience spanning post‑secondary education, aviation, financial services, and entrepreneurship. He currently serves as Division Chair for Langara College’s Creative Arts & Industries Division in Vancouver, where he is recognized for advancing inclusive leadership, strategic innovation, and academic excellence. His earlier tenure as Chair of the Langara School of Management was marked by significant program expansion, strengthened international engagement, and transformative institutional growth.
Before entering academia, Spencer held senior leadership roles with Air Canada and Canadian Airlines, specializing in strategic planning, financial management, and operational integration across complex national systems. His work in the aviation sector established a strong foundation in organizational strategy and large‑scale operational leadership.
Spencer has been actively involved with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference community since 1998 and has contributed to the organizing committees for multiple Caribbean–Canada Leaders Dialogues, supporting leadership development and cross‑cultural exchange across the Commonwealth.
Nickolas Steele
Director
Nickolas is a former Grenadian Cabinet Minister and a 2013 alumnus of the Commonwealth Study Conference Caribbean cohort. A two‑time Island Scholar, he studied International Business and Political Science at Northeastern University before returning to Grenada to lead several private‑sector ventures, including Steele’s Auto.
He entered politics in 2011 under the New National Party and was elected Parliamentary Representative for the Town of St. George in 2013, serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Business. In 2014, he assumed the portfolio of Minister for Health, Social Security and International Business, a role he continued after winning the South St. George seat in 2018. Steele guided Grenada’s health response throughout the COVID‑19 pandemic and strengthened the country’s presence in global health governance, including election to the WHO Executive Council in 2019 and two terms on the Board of the Global Fund.
After leaving elected office in 2022, Steele returned to the private sector, leading ventures in import, export, tourism, and regional investment. Through his consultancy firm, Alegria Inc., he supports government‑to‑government initiatives and business‑to‑business investments across the Caribbean, including participation in the 2024 joint acquisition of Juice Box, Enel X Way North America holdings.
Kerry Harris
Director
Kerry is a returning director with more than two decades of global experience in strategic communications, brand strategy, and executive advisory work. After serving as President of Weber Shandwick’s Canadian business unit, she founded Reboot Consulting, where she integrates communications management, brand strategy, and issues response for governments, major brands, not‑for‑profits, and private‑sector clients. Her international portfolio includes work with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CANFAR, and multiple national governments across sectors such as CSR, tourism, financial services, economic development, education, and health.
Kerry has advised C‑suite and board leaders for over a decade, with deep expertise in crisis and issues management and reputation strategy. In 2025, she expanded Reboot with a new division focused on business and growth strategy. She currently serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Ivey Business School, counselling MBA students and lecturing on innovation, brand strategy, and growth. A frequent speaker on crisis communications and digital‑age reputation management, she previously taught in the Radio and Television Arts program at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Royann Dean
Director
Royann is a CCELD 2015 alumna and senior strategic marketing and communications leader with more than two decades of experience shaping marketing, digital, and creative initiatives across The Bahamas and the Caribbean.
She is the managing director of ONWRD Advisors, a marketing agency specializing in communications, design, and digital solutions in Nassau, Bahamas. Her corporate experience includes work with renowned global and regional brands such as Rosewood, Aman, Grand Hyatt, Heineken, FIFA, the Inter–American Development Bank, and Baha Mar Resorts, where she has led high–impact marketing communication strategies, national campaigns, and projects at the intersection of business strategy, creativity, and cultural insight.
Alongside her corporate leadership, Royann serves on the board of directors of the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, is a vice president of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, and a former 2-term director of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation. She is the creator of inspired/by, The Bahamas’ only conversation series on business, design, and creativity, and is widely recognized for her skill as a panel developer, moderator, and facilitator of cross-disciplinary dialogue.
Christopher Nabeta
Director
Christopher is a senior automotive‑industry leader with extensive experience across OEM strategy, dealership operations, and national‑level industry transformation. He currently serves as Director of OEM Sales and Strategy for TD Auto Finance, where he leads manufacturer partnerships and strengthens TD’s strategic presence in Canada’s rapidly evolving automotive sector.
A 2025 alum of the Caribbean‑Canada Leaders Dialogue (CCLD), he is also the Founder and Executive Chair of Accelerate Auto, a national nonprofit advancing Black representation and economic empowerment across all verticals of the automotive industry. Through scalable programming, mentorship, and industry partnerships, Christopher has become a leading voice for equity, workforce development, and inclusive mobility innovation.
Known for his servant‑leadership approach and commitment to building sustainable pathways for underrepresented professionals, Christopher brings a strategic, future‑focused lens to his work and continues to champion initiatives that foster collaboration, support emerging leaders, and drive long‑term transformation across the automotive ecosystem.
Rita Rahmati
Director
Rita is a CSC 2023 alumna, and brings strong labour and union expertise through her previous leadership role at Canada’s Building Trades Unions and currently as the Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction.
Rita is a seasoned communications and government/ labour relations leader with deep experience navigating decision‑making at the highest levels of the federal government. Her early career included work with the Prime Minister’s Communications team, where she advised senior officials.
At Impact Public Affairs, Rita led national earned‑ media and digital campaigns that significantly expanded audience reach and strengthened client positioning.
She has leveraged her expertise in communications and government relations to advance Canada’s construction sector, championing policies and legislation that strengthen the industry, support its workforce, and drive long-term growth. A commitment to equity, inclusion, and public‑policy impact is essential to her leadership and governance work.
Michelle Snow, ICD.D
Director
Michelle is a senior governance leader with more than three decades of public‑sector, voluntary, and non‑profit experience. She is the founder and CEO of Elevate Governance Consulting Inc., providing customized governance advisory, board training, and strategic facilitation services. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of the University Governance Secretariat and Interim Secretary of Senate at Memorial University, advising the President and Board Chair on institutional governance.
She is a former Assistant Deputy Minister with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and has held numerous leadership positions at local, provincial and national levels. Michelle has a reputation for strengthening decision-making frameworks, advancing transparent public engagement, and supporting boards through organizational change.
A skilled facilitator with IAP2 Canada training, she has contributed to governance capacity‑building across multiple sectors. Michelle holds the Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D) from the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Michelle is an alumna of the 2015 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference and served as Newfoundland and Labrador Tour Chair for the 2023 Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference.
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