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Event AMTA Annual Conference 2025 starts on Apr 8, 2025, 12:30:00 PM (Canada/Mountain)
Better Together
Speaker Session
Location: Enoch Grand Ballroom - 4/9/25, 1:30 PM - 4/9/25, 2:30 PM (Canada/Mountain) (1 hour)
Better Together
Tina Varughese
Tina Varughese

Named one of Canada’s Top 10 Notable Speakers by Ignite Magazine, Tina cleverly tackles hot-button topics, like diversity and inclusion, in today’s complex climate. She consistently rates as the ‘best speaker of the conference’. By carefully weaving personal stories with touching humour, her interactive and highly entertaining approach disarms attendees as she breaks down barriers while building bridges. She ignites authenticity, transparency, and ultimately inclusion.

Tina’s work has been featured in the Toronto Star, TSN, CBC Eyewitness, The Globe and Mail, Adrenaline Magazine, Alberta Venture Magazine, and U of S Alumni Magazine. Clients include Pfizer Canada, Disney, Telus, Loblaws, Kraft-Heinz, Hockey Canada, Hyundai Canada, Department of Justice, and Canada Life. She is the Past-President of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (Alberta). Tina is also a Council Member of McMaster University’s esteemed Future of Canada Council – a project based on Canada’s future for the better. She has a strong professional background in immigration where she ran her own successful relocation and settlement firm prior to speaking professionally. Tina has been the face of diversity, literally, when she was chosen to be in Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty representing beauty in diversity. Tina resides in Calgary, AB with her husband and two children.


Are issues like these causing stress, conflict, confusion, time and money in the workplace?

  • Trevor is always on his iPhone. How does he get any work done!?
  • I wish Mei-Wen would contribute more in meetings. When I hired her she seemed so bright.
  • Jacqueline is so shy. How can she take on the role of VP of Marketing? Who would respect and listen to her?
  • George is always in my office. We have Outlook for a reason. He’s seriously wasting my time.

Why this topic?

Successful leaders understand today’s increasingly multigenerational, multicultural and multifaceted workforce brings both opportunities and challenges if not managed effectively. To create trust, collaboration and creative work environments, inclusive leaders need to effectively communicate, understand and listen to their fellow employees. Everybody wants to be seen, wants to be heard and wants to be acknowledged. Learning how to communicate and cooperate in the workplace leads to a healthier, happier, motivating and inspiring workplace where everybody benefits.

Key takeaways

  • Are you generationally ‘savvy’?
  • Does your leadership style reflect “gen zen”?
  • Play nice in the sandbox – team building through collaboration and understanding
  • Empowering introverts in the workplace
  • Individualistic and collectivist cultures: how values change the way we communicate
  • What time is it? The difference between monochromic and polychronic cultures and why it matters to the workplace