NBR ELEVATE Experience 2024

NBR ELEVATE Experience 2024

Welcome to the NBR ELEVATE Experience 2024! Join us for a evening filled with inspiration, networking, and growth at the ATB Entrepreneur Centre. Get ready to elevate your skills, connect with like-minded individuals, and take your business to the next level. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from industry experts and gain valuable insights to propel your success. Mark your calendars and get ready for an unforgettable experience!

ELEVATE is not just an event, it's an experience! The NBR ELEVATE Experience was created for leaders, entrepreneurs, startups, business owners and investors who want to obtain the next level of success and fulfillment on a personal, professional and business level.

You will learn from some of the best in the industry, build connections and discover opportunities to connect with other like-minded individuals. You will enjoy delicious food, refreshing beverages and desserts while you network and listen to a live DJ. You will also have the opportunity to win fabulous door prizes, shop onsite from local vendors and more importantly, gain knowledge and insights to support you in achieving greater success.

There are five guest speakers who will share invaluable knowledge and expertise that will provide you with a fresh prospective on life and business. Additionally, you will hear from your host and keynote speaker, NBR, who promises to keep you engaged, motivated and inspired as you listen to one of her signature talks, created just for you.

About our fabulous line up of speakers:

Natasha B. Russell Darby aka NBR is on a mission to transform lives and businesses for the better, from the inside out, using effective communications, branding, and public relations strategies. Natasha is a certified motivational speaker, ICF certified business and life coach, facilitator and trainer. Natasha graduated from Mount Royal University with a Bachelor of Communications in Public Relations with honours. She has additional certifications in crisis and risk management and online reputation management from IABC. NBR has more than 20 years of communications experience working with reputable, large corporate organizations.

NBR is the Founder & CEO of NBR Global Solutions Inc. Her business offers coaching, speaking, training and consulting services to support purpose-driven entrepreneurs, business owners, startups, corporations and non-profit organizations with achieving their business goals through effective communications, branding and public relations strategies. Additionally, she is a Communications Strategist with the City of Calgary and manages several portfolios focused on affordability, poverty reduction, social wellbeing, gender, diversity, equity and inclusion, and more. NBR also volunteers with United Way's Women United Leadership team and the Kids Help Phone. She is passionate about making a positive impact in her community. NBR's motto is: Lead your life with purpose, confidence and clarity and you will achieve greater success! 

Vivek Warrier is a partner in the Corporate Group in the Calgary office of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. His practice focuses on the full spectrum of the energy value chain, encompassing energy transition, extraction and generation, and the transportation, transmission and marketing of energy products to end users. His practice also includes private M&A transactions, and he frequently advises clients in the structuring, ownership and operation of energy infrastructure projects. He has represented clients on many transformative projects, including the development of liquefied natural gas export facilities, equity participation transactions between energy industry project proponents and First Nations, renewables energy partnerships and the development of linear infrastructure projects throughout Canada.

Vivek is past-president of the Canadian Energy Law Foundation and has taught Oil and Gas Contracts at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law. Vivek is extensively involved in the Calgary community, including as Co-Chair of 2024 United Way Campaign and as a Director of the Centre for Newcomers. He is the extraordinarily fortunate husband of Christina Chase-Warrier and proud father of two exceptional young men, Kiran (20) and Rohan (17).

Patricia M. Koyich, is an innovative entrepreneur and esteemed educator with over 30 years of experience in the hospitality and business sectors. Currently an instructor at SAIT Polytechnic’s School of Hospitality and Tourism and School of Business, Patricia specializes in leadership, self-awareness, entrepreneurship, and design thinking. Her career highlights include running the award-winning Il Sogno restaurant and founding PMK Consulting Inc., where she excelled in leadership training and business optimization. As the Alberta Board Chair for the Women’s Health Coalition of Canada, she advocates for women’s health across all life stages.

Patricia holds a Master of Arts in Global Leadership from Royal Roads University.

In her upcoming talk, Patricia will delve into the 8 dimensions of wellness—emotional,

environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual—and

their critical role in effective leadership. She will share insights on how leaders can

integrate these dimensions into their personal and professional lives to foster holistic

well-being and drive high-performing teams. Patricia’s extensive experience and

innovative approach promise to provide valuable strategies for aspiring and current

leaders alike.

Dennis Agbegha currently works as Regional Manager Partnership for the Prairies at BDC. His career started with BDC in March 2021 when he joined as a Commercial Accounts Manager with BDC. Dennis joined BDC from ATB where he worked as a Business Banking Advisor and until most recently Senior Manager, Entrepreneurship. Prior to his banking career, Dennis was a Geoscientist with Exxonmobil, and before that he was a Production Geologist with Shell Upstream International in Nigeria.

As a community builder and connector, Dennis enjoys volunteering for different organizations and being part of his community. Dennis holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology and Mining from the University of Jos, Nigeria as well as a Master of Science in Petroleum Geoscience from Imperial College London, UK.

Bontu Galataa, is an Entrepreneur Ecosystem Strategist at ATB Financial, dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs in Alberta. Her role involves developing and nurturing strategic partnerships with small business support organizations to understand community needs, facilitating learning opportunities for entrepreneurs and creating connections within the ecosystem. Bontu holds a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and International Business and an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She's passionate about social enterprises that address social and environmental challenges. Originally from Oromia, Ethiopia, Bontu maintains a strong connection to her roots and integrates it into her daily life. She is a Social Entrepreneur who heads Sayyoo Consulting, a firm specializing in social business consulting, as well as Sayyoo Innovation, a startup dedicated to the development of rural African communities through engaging the diaspora.

Quan Ly, the Founder and CEO of McRally, is a Chartered Professional Accountant whose expertise in strategic financial advisory has been pivotal for organizations aiming to scale and enhance their profitability. With an impressive background encompassing 16 years of public accounting, Quan is proficient in audit, financial reporting, internal controls, and Canada/U.S. cross-border taxation, serving both public and private multinational companies as well as private equity sectors. Before establishing McRally in 2015, Quan honed his skills during an eight-year tenure at Deloitte. In addition to his role at McRally, Quan is a creative entrepreneur and the co-founder of Evil Corporation Brewing, where his innovative approach continues to drive success.

We look forward to connecting with you at ELEVATE!! It promises to be an unforgettable, inspiring and uplifting experience.