From Hiding to Headlining with Ava Val

Welcome back to Coffee With Convery.Today’s conversation is for anyone who has ever askedthemselves:· Am I on the right career path?· What happens when my career doesn’t go according to plan?· How do I turn my interests and experiences into something uniquely my own?I’m excited to welcome Tyler Leach.Tyler is a B2B technology marketer, creative strategist,and coffee enthusiast whose career has taken him across industries, from roofing and electric vehicles to media and technology.Today, he works as a Senior Marketing Manager atThreatCaptain while also building his own voice through coffee content and his brand, tylerwantscoffee.With experience spanning marketing leadership,entrepreneurship, business development, and content creation, Tyler brings a unique perspective on human behaviour, creativity, and what it takes to connectwith people in an increasingly digital world.He believes businesses often get stuck applying logicalmethods to an illogical world, and that understanding human behaviour could be the key to the next wave of innovation.

Welcome back to Coffee With Convery.Today’s conversation is for anyone who has ever askedthemselves:Am I on the right path?What if I want to pivot?How do I connect what I’m studying to the real world?Because here’s the truth.Careers today are no longer linear.They are dynamic, evolving, and often unpredictable.I’m excited to welcome Jake Okechukwu Effoduh.Jake is an Assistant Professor at the Lincoln AlexanderSchool of Law, where his work focuses on artificial intelligence, technology law, and international human rights.His journey spans global institutions, including theWorld Economic Forum, Carnegie Mellon University, and leadership roles in AI policy and human rights across Africa and Canada.From practicing law to shaping conversations on AIgovernance and equity, Jake represents what it means to build a career with purpose and perspective.

Welcome back to Coffee With Convery, today’s conversationasks us to slow down, lean in, and really listen.Because sometimes, the most important work happening inthe world isn’t loud, it’s deep. It’s thoughtful. And it’s rooted in truth.In a time where we talk a lot about innovation,disruption, and the future of work…We don’t always talk enough about the human stories thatshape who we are and who we become.Today’s guest lives at that intersection where researchmeets lived experience, where storytelling meets impact, and where truth meetscourage.Lucas Wilson is a PhD, a writer, and a SSHRC PostdoctoralFellow at the University of Toronto Mississauga.He’s also the editor of SHAME-SEX ATTRACTION:Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy — a powerful collection that brings forward voices and experiences that have historically been silenced.In addition, Lucas serves as a board member with TheArQuives — Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Archives, helping to preserve and elevate stories that matter.

Welcome to Coffee With Convery, the podcast that’s yourlaunchpad for career inspiration.Today’s guest is someone who understands that in today’seconomy, attention is earned — but trust is built.Giulio Becatti is a filmmaker and video strategist basedin Canada, founder of GHMedia, and someone who helps construction brands turncredibility into clients through the power of visual storytelling.But what fascinates me about Giulio isn’t just that heshoots great video.It’s that he understands positioning.He understands trust.He understands how creativity becomes strategy.And he recently filmed a documentary in South Sudan.We’re going to unpack all of it.

Most organizations do not fail because they lack technology.They fail because they misunderstand trust.In an AI driven, hyper connected world, the real risk is not speed. It is vulnerability.Today’s conversation is about what leaders miss before something breaks.Rob Chaykoski is a cybersecurity and information technology expert with more than twenty five years of experience. He is a Zero Trust architect, AI researcher, educator, and public sector security leader working across healthcare, government, education, and enterprise systems.But this is not a conversation about firewalls.It is about responsibility.It is about digital trust.It is about why cybersecurity is now a leadership decision.If you lead people, manage data, or work in tech, this one matters.

Most institutions do not struggle because of funding.They struggle because creativity and strategy stop talking to each other.And when that happens, innovation stalls before anyone notices.If you are leading a team, building a program, or navigating your own career, today’s conversation is about how to build bridges before silos harden.My guest is Dr. Glen Lowry, senior academic leader, former Associate Vice President at Centennial College, Executive Director of Partnerships and Research at OCAD University, and long serving academic leader at Emily Carr University of Art and Design.But here is why this matters.Glen has built institutions at the intersection of creativity, research, industry, and community without losing the storyteller inside him.Today we are breaking down:Why partnerships fail before they even startWhat colleges must change right now to stay relevantand The leadership signal most people miss under pressure

Coffee With Convery – Special Edition | Live with Northeastern University Toronto StudentsToday’s Special Edition features four exceptional graduate students from Northeastern University Toronto who are navigating the Canadian job market as innovators, newcomers, and future leaders.Meet the GuestsJohn Justice AbbanJohn is a biotechnology graduate student with experience spanning GMP manufacturing in Canada and regulatory operations in Ghana. From placing 2nd in an AI in Life Sciences Hackathon to researching HER2-targeted biologics, he’s building a career at the intersection of biotech manufacturing, compliance, and data science.Rita AladiRita is a Project Management graduate student and ONYX Scholar who specializes in stakeholder coordination and operational efficiency. With experience leading teams across Nigeria and North America, she brings a data-driven, customer-centric mindset to every project she touches.Victor AdekunleVictor is a Project Management professional with a foundation in architecture and systems thinking. Skilled in governance, Agile and Waterfall methodologies, and cross-functional collaboration, he is positioning himself as a high-impact co-op candidate ready to drive measurable results.Alexis HerculesAlexis is a biotechnology graduate student passionate about translating molecular research into therapeutic impact, particularly in women’s health. With hands-on experience in antibody research, GMP/GCP/GLP principles, and student leadership as President of BioNeXt, she is committed to advancing equitable innovation in drug development.

Most people are not stuck because they lack talent.They are stuck because they are hiding.Hiding their voice.Hiding their truth.Hiding who they really are.Today’s conversation is about what happens when you stop editing yourself and start owning the stage.My guest is Ava Val. She is a John Candy Award winning comedian, musician, and actress. She has written for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, appeared on Roast Battle Canada, and stunned audiences on Canada's Got Talent with a full sweep of yeses.She is also the first trans performer to break multiple barriers across Canadian comedy and television.But this episode is not about credits.It is about courage.It is about identity.It is about leading with truth.

Welcome to Coffee With Convery, the podcast that’s your launchpad for career inspiration.Today’s guest is someone who proves that passion isn’t just something you love, it’s something you build with.Vasili Palantzas is a musician, educator, and leader whose career has been shaped not by shortcuts, but by discipline, curiosity, and a deep respect for craft.From early practice rooms to leading ensembles, mentoring young musicians, and shaping the next generation of creative talent, Vasili’s story is about what happens when commitment meets creativity.This episode is for anyone navigating a non-linear path, building mastery over time, or wondering if what they love can truly become a life’s work.

Welcome to Coffee With Convery, the podcast that’s your launchpad for career inspiration.Today’s guest, Barry Moline has spent nearly four decades leading in some of the most complex, high-stakes environments imaginable energy, water, infrastructure, public service, disaster response, and now ethical influence and leadership development.He’s been a CEO for 29 years.He’s led statewide and national associations.He’s worked in government, utilities, nonprofits, global organizations and today, he helps leaders learn how to connect, persuade ethically, and build teams that actually work.Barry is also the author of CONNECT! How to Quickly Collaborate for Success in Business and Life, a book that challenges how most of us think leadership is supposed to look.