Aviva Rubin, Keynote Speaker

Aviva Rubin is a Toronto-based freelance writer, mom of two boys, patient advocate and health policy consultant as well as a member of Odette’s Patient and Family Advisory Council. Her writing on cancer has been published in The Globe and Mail, The New York Times and Chatelaine. She’s the author of the memoir Lost and Found in Lymphomaland, that documents her trip through cancer. One reviewer of the book says:

 I never thought anyone could make me laugh about cancer, but Aviva Rubin has managed to take a difficult topic, her own lymphoma diagnosis and subsequent treatment, and explore the ins and outs with compassion, insight and humor. Her story is one experienced of many, but her voice is singular. You will laugh, cry, share her fears, anxiety, hope and marvelous take on a frightening process. This is a book for everyone, not just those facing cancer, because at its core it illustrates the resilience of the human spirit.

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Nikole Goncalves

Nikole is the face behind one of the top leading healthy food and lifestyle YouTube channels in Canada called HealthNut Nutrition with a following of over 400K subscribers and over 26 million views. She's a passionate "health nut" who inspires her viewers to live an active, healthy and balanced lifestyle by showing how easy and delicious it can be. Her "healthified" versions of fresh and tasty dishes are guaranteed to make your taste buds dance and prove that healthy eating doesn’t have to be tasteless or boring!

Nikole’s philosophy is all about finding a balance that works for you. It’s about listening to your body, surrounding yourself with positive people, limiting stress, and enjoying the foods you love. She doesn’t believe in dieting, calorie counting, low fat, or sugar free labels. Instead Nikole promotes a holistic and intuitive approach to living a healthy lifestyle both inside and out.

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Jess Lemon

Jess Lemon has been teaching for 14 years. Passionate about learning and committed to continued education, Jess has over 2,000 training hours in a variety of movement styles and methods, including Moksha, Vinyasa, Restorative, and Yin Yoga + Pilates and resistance training. She also teaches Mindfulness and Meditation which she has studied extensively over the years.

Jess believes that true learning happens when a person is seen and met where they are, then nurtured and encouraged on their own journey of self-discovery. She is a creative and intuitive teacher, believing that when we are truly open and attuned to each moment, life is always offering wisdom.

She currently lives in Toronto but travels frequently for adventure and teaching opportunities. She has an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in French Language and Literature from the University of Toronto and though her last name is Lemon, she is actually pretty sweet. 

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