Facilitators

Denise Moffatt (she/her)
BC Federation of Labour — Director, Political Action and Government Relations

Kassandra Cordero (she/her)
BC Federation of Labour — Director, Equity and Human Rights  ▶ More

Kassandra Cordero is a settler of South Asian and Indigenous Andean ancestry born to a family of Chilean refugees on unceded Kwakiutl territory in Port Hardy. She currently lives and works from home on unceded Kwantlen, Katzie and Semiahmoo territory in Surrey, and has a passion for social issues of race, class, human rights, Indigenous rights and large group transformation. As the Director of Equity and Human Rights at the BCFED, her areas of responsibility include Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation, women's and gender rights, human rights, Anti-Racism and Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, Disability rights and migrant rights. Kassandra serves her constituency association for the BCNDP in Surrey-Newton, and is a co-chair of the party's Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour Committee. She is currently focusing her time outside of work on finishing her masters degree in Global Leadership at RRU, paddle boarding, curling up with good books, and practicing Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy.

Neal Adolph (he/they)
United Way BC — Provincial Director, Labour Participation  ▶ More

Neal Adolph (he/they) is the Political Action Coordinator for CUPE National in the BC Region. Prior to joining CUPE, he was the Provincial Director of Labour Participation at United Way British Columbia. In this role he developed a strong understanding of unions and labour organizations across the province, with a particular focus on their political and community-focused priorities. He holds a Masters in History from Simon Fraser University, where he studied working class responses to union organizing in the federal government’s network of relief camps in 1930s British Columbia.

Rob Cottingham (he/him)
BC Federation of Labour — Director, Communications  ▶ More

For more than 30 years, Rob has helped progressive leaders and organizations move minds and persuade audiences. He has delivered media training, speaker coaching and speechwriting for everyone from premiers and cabinet ministers to labour union presidents and activists. He co-founded the digital practice at The NOW Group and launched the world's first social media agency with his wife, Alexandra Samuel. The host of the Leadership Communications Podcast, Rob is also a cartoonist and stand-up comic.

JR LaRose (he/him)
2011 Grey Cup Champion  ▶ More

JR LaRose is a 2011 Grey Cup champion. A proud member of One Arrow First Nation, he is an ambassador for Aboriginal peoples. He is an accomplished speaker speaking and facilitating over 400 presentations throughout Canada and the United States since 2008. A proud family man, JR’s path to success has been a long and hard-fought journey. Growing up in low-income housing in Edmonton’s inner city didn’t exactly set JR up for success, but it did give him the drive to succeed. JR grew up without a father. His father, of Nigerian heritage, was deported back to his native country before JR was born. JR never met his Dad.