Our 2024 Speakers

Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler

MD, CCFP(AM), MRO (AAMRO), DABAM, FASAM, Chief Medical Review Officer, DriverCheck Inc. Physician, Addiction Medicine

Dr. Snider-Adler is the Chief Medical Review Officer for DriverCheck and practices as an Addiction Medicine Physician. She is certified by The American Board of Addiction Medicine and has a Certificate of Added Competence in Addiction Medicine by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Dr. Snider-Adler currently practices addiction medicine in Ontario and is an Assistant Professor at Queen's University Department of Family Medicine. Dr. Snider-Adler is considered an expert in the field of substance use in the workplace as well as alcohol and drug testing for safety-sensitive workplaces. As such, she is often asked to provide expert opinions, reports and testimony for arbitrations, hearings and court cases across Canada. Dr. Snider-Adler speaks to workplaces and at various conferences in Canada and the US regarding the impact of recreational cannabis, cannabis for medical purposes, workplace substance and medication use, and addiction prevention and treatment.

P-J Barclay

President & CEO, Impirica

At Impirica, we are focused on commercializing sustainable and effective impairment testing technologies.

A company that has its origins from the University of Alberta, Impirica has established itself as a global leader in cognitive based impairment measurement. Serving the transportation, workplace safety and medical markets, Impirica’s suite of solutions is designed to give decision makers proactive insight into a person’s level of impairment risk.

Career Highlights:

Registered Charted Accountant
2007- 2011: Deloitte & Touche Consultant (South Africa)
2012-2016: Deloitte LLP Consultant (Canada)
2016 – Present: President and CEO Impirica Inc.
Founder of the Edmonton CFO Forum
In 2016, participated in a working group created by the Canadian Federal task team for the legalization of Cannabis

Jody Urquhart

Keynote Speaker, Stand-up Comedian, Author

Fed up with living a mediocre life, Jody wanted a memorable one instead. Her unyielding ambition fuelled her into the world of stand-up comedy, a place where she learned to roll with the punch lines and turn life’s lemons into delicious lemonade.

Jody is a motivational speaker and participates in over 60 events yearly.

Her mission is simple: eagerly empowering worn-out professionals with humour, hindsight and hallelujahs. She firmly believes it’s not what you do that matters- it’s how you feel about what you do. 

With more than twenty-three years of experience inspiring and entertaining audiences across the globe, Jody Urquhart delivers uplifting, engaging motivational speeches that help professionals cultivate a much-needed blissful can-do attitude towards fun and meaningful work.

 Every keynote is a stepping stone towards building the work-life you have always wanted.

She is the author of All Work & No Say’s best-selling book, a tongue-in-cheek insight into the rat race and how to reveal joy. Jody’s newest book, Bliss Out, shows hard-working people how to cure a hustle hangover. 

In her spare time, Jody loves to meditate and still performs stand-up comedy, but not at the same time. 

Dr. Jonathan Davids

MD, CCFP, FCFP, CCBOM, MRO, (AAMRO), Dip. SportMed, CD, Corporate Medical Director, DriverCheck

Dr. Davids is an Occupational Medicine Physician and the Corporate Medical Director of DriverCheck Inc. He oversees all occupational health services, including fitness-for-duty determinations, occupational medical examinations, provincially regulated medical surveillance testing, alcohol and drug testing, and injury management services.

Practicing Occupational Medicine for over 25 years, he initially worked as a Medical Officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, and then as a Corporate Medical Advisor and Medical Director for organizations in the retail and manufacturing industries, nuclear energy sector, police services, healthcare, and education.

Melissa Roth

Partner – GOWLING WLG

Melissa Roth is a partner in Gowling WLG's Waterloo Region office, practicing in the Employment, Labour & Equalities Group. Melissa works with private and public sector employers on a wide range of issues, including human rights, wrongful dismissals, employment contracts and policies, labour law, workplace investigations, and occupational health and safety. Melissa is a frequent speaker with employer groups and professional organizations. Outside of the workplace Melissa is a mom of 2 busy kids and they enjoy spending time outdoors with family from outback camping in the summer to snowboarding in the winter.

Susan Sawatzky

MA Ind Org Psych, B. Ed, CRSP, HSA, President, In-Scope Solutions

Susan is the President of In-Scope Solutions, a consulting company that specializes in ‘The People Part of Safety and Health’. Susan is an instructor with the U of A, U of C, & UNB. She is an international speaker and keynote conference presenter and has presented at a variety of conferences and organizations including several presentations for NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration).

Browyn Sawatzky – Co-Presenter

BA Comm., Communication and Training Consultant, In-Scope Solutions

Browyn is a Communication and Training Consultant at In-Scope Solutions, where she specializes in training, educating, marketing and media. She has worked with an assortment of industries and clients across the United States and Canada. Browyn has gained a reputation as a top-quality presenter who provides engaging content and has demonstrated a strong ability to connect with audiences of all levels.

Paul Gardiner

MA, RP, SAP – Founder & Principal, Sparkwood Group

Paul Gardiner, MA, RP, SAP is a seasoned psychotherapist with 18 years of experience helping individuals and organizations respond to challenges with mental health and addictions. Holding a master's degree in counselling psychology from Adler University, his interest in the assessment and treatment of safety-sensitive workers began while working in Fort McMurray, AB. There he witnessed firsthand the unique stressors faced by those in high-risk occupations, as well as the responsibilities facing the employers and managers of these workers. As a clinician, Paul's approach is rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which emphasises mindfulness interventions that empower individuals to build resilience and make positive changes in their lives.

In 2018 Paul became the founder and principal of Sparkwood Group Inc, and has since led a team that has provided assessment and treatment services to thousands of Canadian workers. His dedication to promoting workplace safety while fostering a culture of compassion has made him a sought-after speaker and consultant for organizations across the country.

Osvaldo Ros

Director of Innovation, DriverCheck

Osvaldo Ros (Os to his friends) is the creator of DriverCheck's technology strategy, producing innovative and integrated solutions, and building software products that are useful, usable and that remove barriers. Os's 'why' is to leverage technology to level the playing field and serve the underserved, He particularly excited about applying this passion in the context of digital health initiatives. OS leads the fantastic cross functional Digital Solutions team that bring these products to life. With a love of exploring new places (the more remote the better), one of his favourite experiences is to be immersed in a jungle! However, all of his most recent adventures are much more domestic, usually involving chasing his young children around.

Learn More About FFDS

If you have any questions, or are interested in being a sponsor, please contact Chynna Sterczewski at csterczewski@drivercheck.ca.

Fitness For Duty Summit