RANKIN MACSWEEN | President, New Dawn Enterprises
New Dawn is a non-profit enterprise that works with Cape Bretoners in rebuilding the Cape Breton community. Rankin began his association with the company in 1980 as a volunteer, becoming President in 1995. He has been instrumental in the development of the 12 New Dawn companies, using an approach to leadership rooted in the educational principles of Moses Coady and Jimmy Tompkins, the founders of the Antigonish Movement. He holds to their belief that respect for the individual, together with education, contributes to fostering willingness and a confidence to participate in becoming masters of one’s own destiny.

DR. CAROL MATUSICKY | Executive Director, BC Council for Families
Carol Matusicky’s work has taken her to every region of British Columbia meeting with people about their concerns for families  and communities they live in.  She chairs BC’s Early Childhood Development Advisory Committee for Success by 6 and the BC Parenting Vision Working Group, comprised of the Ministries of Health, Education, Children and Family Development and Attorney General as well as representatives from provincial and Aboriginal organizations. For the past two years she co-chaired WorkLife BC, an initiative promoting the importance of flexible workplaces. Carol has served on numerous ministry task forces, advisory committees and agency boards.  

THE HONORABLE MARGARET NORRIE MCCAIN
Former Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, and former Chancellor of Mount Allison University, Margaret McCain is an activist in organizations that promote the arts, education and the wellbeing of women and children. She is a founding member of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation, whose mission is the elimination of family violence. She served on Ontario’s Children’s Secretariat and co-chaired the Early Years Studies 1 and 2. Margaret sits on the boards of the Canadian Policy Research Network; The Canadian Women’s Foundation; the TVO Foundation; The Learning Partnership; the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development; and is vice chair of  the Council for Early Child Development. 

KELLY MCLEAN-HALEY | Transition to School Coordinator, District 14, New Brunswick
Kelly McLean-Haley co-chairs the Early Years Network group, a recently established committee in New Brunswick’s River Valley area. She participates on several committees and working groups supporting early child development.  A passion for Kelly is teaching movement education classes for preschool aged children using a sensory motor integration approach.   She has had over 20 years of experience in the New Brunswick education system at the elementary, secondary and district level.  

DR. FRASER MUSTARD | President Emeritus, Council for Early Child Development
Fraser Mustard is world leader on the socioeconomic determinants of human development and health. Founder of the Council for Early Child Development, he co-chaired the Early Years Studies 1 and 2. He is an advisor to governments in Canada and Australia, as well as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, UNICEF, and the Aga Khan University in Pakistan emphasizing the enormous importance to society of early childhood development. Fraser has a long and distinguished medical career, is the founding President and Institute Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and was recently inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

JIM MUSTARD | Community Activist
As Coordinator for the Roots of Empathy in NS and a Fellow with the Council for Early Child Development, Jim Mustard shares the research, science and stories about how critically important early human development is to life long health, learning and relationships.  He uses the messages as a catalyst to bring communities together to take action to ensure equity from the start for every child.