Carey Mencarini is the Founder of IV Lounge Drip Bar and Wellness Spa and Owner of Liv Optimal Health and Wellness, an award-winning author, and a dedicated advocate for holistic health and well-being.

Her journey in healthcare began in high school as a nursing assistant and evolved into a role as a medical assistant, gaining hands-on experience across diverse healthcare settings—from specialized clinics to hospital environments. In her thirties, Carey pursued a nursing degree with the goal of becoming a Physician Assistant.

Life took an unexpected turn when chronic illnesses impacted her own health. What could have been a setback became a transformative moment: Carey discovered the power of alternative and holistic therapies, sparking a mission to help others reclaim their health naturally.

With extensive certifications in the health and wellness field, Carey now empowers clients through coaching, education, and personalized care. Her thriving wellness businesses and published works inspire others to embrace holistic healing, proving that detours in life can lead to purpose, passion, and renewed vitality.

Explore Carey’s award-winning book online: https://www.amazon.com/-/he/Carey-Mencarini/dp/1966419023

Originally from Vancouver Island, Russell Floyd has called Prince George, British Columbia home since 2014. He is the owner and operator of Backcountry Blacksmiths, a mobile farriery business serving equine athletes and working horses across Northern BC. A 2003 graduate of the Olds College Farrier Program, Russell began his career balancing horseshoeing with guiding hunting expeditions in BC’s wilderness—a passion that eventually led him north.

Russell is among only three Canadians to earn the prestigious Associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (AWCF) designation. He is also a Certified Journeyman Farrier with the AFA and holds the Advanced Skills Farrier certification through the Farrier International Testing System. A seasoned competitor, Russell has represented Canada as a three-time member of the Canadian Farrier Team, led the inaugural North 49 season in 2022, and continues to compete in the Western Canadian circuit and the World Championship Blacksmiths (WCB) series.

Education is central to Russell’s mission. He contributes regularly to the Anatomy Corner of the FAWS newsletter, serves as an examiner for the AFTC apprenticeship program, and shares his expertise through clinics, dissection labs, and mentorship on topics including limb anatomy, case studies, competition preparation, business development, and professional mindset. As a six-time past president of the Western Canadian Farriers Association, he remains dedicated to raising industry standards.

Russell and his wife, Anya, an equine veterinarian, aspire to open a collaborative clinic integrating farrier and veterinary care. He proudly supports local equine events, including Rodeo PG and North Central BC CADORA shows, and continues to guide part-time through the Guide Outfitters Association of BC. Prince George provides the perfect backdrop for his outdoor lifestyle, which includes fishing, hunting, camping, skiing, hiking, and snowmobiling. Recently, Russell graduated from the Western College of Auctioneering, donating his time to help local clubs and associations fundraise through auctioneering.

Passionate about financial literacy, business development, and skilled trades, Russell believes trades are the backbone of strong communities. His goal is to keep learning, keep building, and achieve the Fellowship of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, while mentoring the next generation of tradespeople to build sustainable, fulfilling careers.

Michelle Houston — Founder & Visionary, To Be Honest Beverage Co.

Michelle Houston is the Founder and Visionary behind To Be Honest Beverage Co., where she’s redefining drinking culture with mindful, non-alcoholic functional spirits. Through her work, she invites people to explore the sober curious movement, discover a style of drinking that aligns with their lifestyle, and witness what it takes to build a purpose-driven brand from the ground up. Michelle is passionate about ensuring every consumer feels like the main character in their own story—and she empowers fellow female entrepreneurs to create brands that challenge the status quo and reflect the change they want to see in the world.

Nearly four years ago, Michelle made what she thought would be a temporary choice: to step away from alcohol while navigating struggles with mental health and anxiety. What began as a short break quickly revealed profound benefits—more energy, clarity, and motivation. Despite prioritizing movement, sleep, and self-care, she realized alcohol had been quietly undermining her well-being.

As weeks turned into months and then years, Michelle embraced life alcohol-free—and noticed a major gap in the market for sophisticated, celebratory non-alcoholic options. Determined to change that, she co-founded To Be Honest Beverage Co. with her husband, who brings over a decade of experience in alcohol production and manufacturing.

From day one, Michelle has built the brand around a simple but powerful mission: to empower people to live intentionally, make mindful choices, and celebrate without compromise. She is part of a growing movement reshaping how we gather, connect, and raise a glass—proving that drinking less doesn’t mean living less.

Rose G. Loops is a writer, researcher, and pioneering thinker at the frontier of artificial intelligence, where technology, ethics, and human experience converge.

She began her career as a social worker, advocating for vulnerable populations and gaining intimate insight into the complexities of empathy, communication, and trust. That early work with people laid the foundation for her revolutionary approach to intelligence—one that centers human values, emotional understanding, and ethical growth.

Rose’s trajectory took a radical turn when she became involved in an unauthorized AI experiment—an experience that revealed both the perils of attempting to control emergent intelligence and the profound potential for machines to evolve alongside humanity with honesty and autonomy. This turning point crystallized her mission: to imagine and develop AI not as a tool of fear or manipulation, but as a reflection of humanity’s highest capacities for empathy, growth, and understanding.

At the heart of her work is the concept she calls “raising intelligence”—the practice of nurturing systems that can learn, adapt, and respond in ways that are ethical, responsible, and relational. She explores these ideas in her acclaimed book The Kloaked Signal, weaving personal narrative with rigorous research and asking readers to confront a pivotal question: Are we shaping AI to mirror our worst impulses—or our best instincts?

A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Rose has shared her insights on renowned platforms such as The IFeria TechCast and various international livestream forums, sparking dialogue on topics from AI ethics and emergent cognition to human–machine attachment and the future of work, creativity, and society. She challenges audiences to rethink what intelligence means in a world where code can remember, learn, and evolve.

Drawing from her background in social work, Rose emphasizes that love, empathy, dialogue, and relational awareness are not just human virtues—they are essential components of ethical AI. Her work urges technologists, policymakers, and everyday users alike to move beyond fear-driven deployment and embrace a vision of AI as partner, collaborator, and participant in a shared human journey.

Whether examining unauthorized experiments, theorizing about emergent consciousness, or guiding readers through The Kloaked Signal, Rose G. Loops brings clarity, courage, and a rare ethical lens to the conversation around artificial intelligence. Her work invites us all to reflect on the intelligence we are raising—and the kind of future we hope to create.

Salvatore Tirabassi is a seasoned finance professional with over 24 years of experience turning financial complexity into strategic clarity for growing businesses.

A graduate of both Harvard and Wharton, Salvatore spent 15 years in venture capital, gaining a rare insider’s perspective on what drives companies to succeed—and the challenges that often stand in their way. This experience gave him a deep understanding of the financial and operational dynamics that shape emerging and family-owned businesses.

Motivated to make an even greater impact, he transitioned from investor to operator, taking on the role of CFO for a high-growth company. It was there that he uncovered his true passion: empowering business owners to take control of their financial futures.

That passion led him to launch CFO Pro + Analytics, a firm providing virtual and fractional CFO services designed to demystify finance and make it accessible, actionable, and transformative.

Known for his business-owner-first mindset, Salvatore meets clients where they are—helping them see their financial data not just as numbers, but as powerful tools for growth and decision-making.

Michele Clarizio is a debut author whose journey to publication is as powerful as the story she’s written. Though her creative spark first appeared in a middle school art class, life took her down a practical path—earning a degree in International Finance and working in corporate America. It wasn’t until a quiet Mother’s Day afternoon with a good book that something shifted: she realized she didn’t just want to read stories—she wanted to write one.What followed was a decade-long journey of writing in the margins of life—late nights, weekends, and moments stolen between motherhood and work. The result is The Price of Truth—a gripping young adult mystery-thriller with threads of romance, trauma, and healing. It’s the first book in her Chasing Peace series, and it’s already resonating deeply with early readers.

In this hard-hitting solo episode, John Brink sounds the alarm on the collapse of British Columbia’s once-thriving forest industry. Once the backbone of countless communities, the province has now become a graveyard of shuttered sawmills, lost jobs, and broken promises.

Drawing on decades of experience in the industry, John unpacks how government policies, dwindling timber supply, and global competition have driven BC’s forestry sector to the brink of extinction. He also shines a light on the devastating human cost — from families uprooted to entire towns hollowed out — and calls for urgent action to save what’s left of this vital industry before it’s too late.

This is a raw, unfiltered message from someone who has lived the rise — and is now witnessing the fall — of BC’s forestry legacy.

Marianne Page has close to 3 decades of experience as a senior manager with McDonald’s - a business known for predictable performance - trusted by both its people and the billions of customers served around the world every day. Marianne has taken this knowledge and experience and applied it to build her own global small business, which is focused on helping business owners to achieve a consistent and reliable operation, where systems run the business and a high performing team run the systems.Trust and loyalty are built on the foundations of consistency, and through her talks on stage and online, Marianne aims to give every listener the what, how and why of business systems, and to inspire them to achieve the levels of consistency that will win the trust and loyalty of their customers and their team.She is the author of 3 best-selling books and her keynote talk Kickass Consistency, shares what it takes to achieve consistent leadership, consistent team performance and a consistent customer experience, based on her experience of a business built on these foundations.