Coffee With Convery

On today’s #CoffeeWithConvery podcast we are continuing the series “Throwback Thursday” where I bring onto the show students and young talent that I met years ago and to see where they are now.  My guest today is Brandon Greenspoon a 2013 graduate of McMaster University with a Honors of Commerce specialized in Marketing and Business Strategy and a minor in Economics. Brandon is a Business strategy and transformation leader with over 7 years of experience in leading multiple strategic initiatives focused on accelerating strategic priorities, optimizing operational models, delivering innovated customer centric solutions and business development. Brandon is currently employed at BMO as a Senior Manager of Strategy and Transformation and is the Founder of Coffee Marketplace (https://www.coffeemarketplace.ca/) and drinks 8-10 cups of coffee a day. I had the chance to sit down to talk Throwback Thursday: Helping others, family and being you with Brandon Greenspoon and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #ThrowbackThursday #TBT #BrandonGreenspoon #Listen #Learn #BeInspired

Students and young professionals are facing barriers, uncertainty, biases, changing priorities and now a pandemic as they navigate the school to work transition. Their collective stories have inspired me and now I want to share these stories with you. Now let’s meet Nabeeha! Nabeeha Pirzada is currently enrolled at the Lang School of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph with a focus on Marketing and Finance due to graduate next month. Nabeeha is the President of Management Economics and Finance Student Association, Passionate about Diversity and Inclusion and a Self-Proclaimed Hustler. She is also the former Co-President for Guelph Women in Leadership and the current Co-Founder of BIPOC Capital, which aims to reduce generational wealth disparity. Nabeeha has also been involved in the NGO sector with previous collaborations with the United Nations, Department for International Development and Search for Common Ground. She is also one of the biggest foodie’s you might meet. I had the chance to sit down to talk Racial wealth disparity, self-confidence and empathy with Nabeeha Pirzada and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #NabeehaPirzada #Listen #Learn #BeInspired

Students and young professionals are facing barriers, uncertainty, biases, changing priorities and now a pandemic as they navigate the school to work transition. Their collective stories have inspired me and now I want to share these stories with you.  Now let’s meet James! James Lappin is a 2017 Queen's University, Bachelor of Economics in Applied Economics grad and was the Vice President and Co-Founder of Queen's Fashion Photography. James has a passion for sports, and is now working for RBC in Digital Workspace Solutions. He is also the Co-Founder of M5Archive, an online fashion boutique. I had the chance to sit down to Hockey, fashion and economics with James Lappin and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #JamesLappin #Listen #Learn #BeInspired March is #National #Coop & #WorkIntegratedLearning Month #innovateWIL

On today’s episode we are going to continue the journey with #CoffeeWithConvery Sports Talk where my invited guests will share how being an athlete has helped them to propel their skill building, their mindsets and their futures. “Sports Talk” also helps us understand the hurdles and barriers some athlete’s face while being in school, participating in sports and trying to balance the transition into the workplace. Now let’s meet Adam. Adam Petric is an award-winning, President's List NCAA student-athlete with a cumulative 4.0 GPA who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in finance expected to graduate in May 2021 from the State University of New York Canton. In addition to his schooling, Adam is an active member of the Men's NCAA Ice Hockey Team Member as a Forward, Assistant Captain, and Academic All-American. He was the recipient of the SUNY Chancellor's Undergraduate Scholarship, Path for Completion Scholarship, and Investment Club Scholarship and a 2020 Heritage Award Winner for Student Leadership/Excellence. He holds the 2019 and 2020 Academic Award with the highest cumulative GPA in his program. I had the chance to sit down to talk Sports Talk: Barriers to internships, Hockey and independence with Adam Petric and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #SportsTalk #AdamPetric #Listen #Learn #BeInspired

Students and young professionals are facing barriers, uncertainty, biases, changing priorities and now a pandemic as they navigate the school to work transition. Their collective stories have inspired me and now I want to share these stories with you. Now let’s meet Corsen. Corsen Parker is a 1st year student currently attending the Smith School of Business at Queen's University pursing her Business Commerce Degree with an expected graduation date of 2024. Corsen is an ambassador and an avid supporter of athletics and the arts. She played varsity hockey, soccer, flag football and golf in high school and was the lead in her high school's production of Grease the Musical. Corsen is dedicated to creating social change in her community, She wrote two articles, the first of which was published by the Brampton Guardian, a local newspaper, and touched on the lack of mental health policies within Canada’s school boards. Her second article, published by both the Brampton Guardian and The Toronto Star addressed the absence of public funding for wellness initiatives and stressed the relevancy of support for ongoing mental health challenges faced by youth. Corsen is a first place recent winner of the RBC x QCMHA Case Competition where I got to meet Corsen and her team. I had the chance to sit down to talk Zoom University, self-reliance and chocolate salad with Corsen Parker and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #CorsenParker #Listen #Learn #BeInspired

Students and young professionals are facing barriers, uncertainty, biases, changing priorities and now a pandemic as they navigate the school to work transition. Their collective stories have inspired me and now I want to share these stories with you. Now let’s meet Nick. Nick Durban is currently enrolled as a fifth-year Lang School of Business and Economics student at the University of Guelph majoring in Bachelor of Commerce with a focus on Finance and Economics. Nick enjoys everything the University of Guelph has to offer is an avid sportsman and a comedian enthusiast. Nick has spent a few summers at RBC in Corporate Real Estate, Client Operations and is now coming back in fall to join the RBC Investor and Treasury Services Graduate Rotational Program. I had the chance to sit down to talk Spumoni, anxiety and chicken wings with Nick Durban and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #NickDurban #Listen #Learn #BeInspired

Students and young professionals are facing barriers, uncertainty, biases, changing priorities and now a pandemic as they navigate the school to work transition. Their collective stories have inspired me and now I want to share these stories with you. Now let’s meet Elias. Elias Srouji is due to graduate in April 2021 with an Honors Bachelors of Arts in Social Psychology from McMaster University and a Business Studies Certificate from Mohawk College. Elias has a huge passion for sports and is the first openly gay men’s rugby player at McMaster University and Ontario University Athletics (OUA). Elias has held several different roles in the McMaster University Athletics & Recreation Department from 2017 - 2020. His work with diversity and inclusion is widely recognized within the department and within the McMaster community where he has organized and executed several pride-themed events in collaboration with community partners to ensure McMaster Athletics & Recreation is a place for all. His latest pride-themed event won the Ontario University Association award for the “Best Varsity Themed Night.” Being outed as a gay rugby player at his Waterloo Catholic High School, Elias wanted to ensure no one experienced what he went through just to be their true authentic selves. He recently co-founded the Student Pride Movement to ensure positive change for LGBTQ+ students and staff at his former Waterloo Catholic District School Board that gained over 4500+ petition signatures. Elias is a two-time recipient award winner of the Bill 7 Award. The Bill 7 Award Trust was established in 1987 to provide post-secondary education scholarships to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirited or queer (LGBTQ) students with demonstrated financial need who are pursuing a first degree, diploma or certification in any Ontario post-secondary institution. The Bill 7 Award is named after the 1986 Ontario legislation that extended the protection of the Human Rights Code to lesbians and gays. Since 1987, the Bill 7 Award has granted over $200,000 in scholarship funds, raised through donations, to students in the queer community to help them with the cost of post-secondary education. I had the chance to sit down to talk Being gay, rugby and financial barriers with Elias Srouji and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #EliasSrouji #OutInSports #Listen #Learn #BeInspired

Students and young professionals are facing barriers, uncertainty, biases, changing priorities and now a pandemic as they navigate the school to work transition. Their collective stories have inspired me and now I want to share these stories with you.  Now let’s meet Daniela! Daniela D’Ambrosi is a CPA Associate in the RBC CPA Pre-Approved Rotational program and a Western University Alumni where she obtained an Honour’s Specialization in Accounting, and a Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting. Daniela joined RBC in 2019 as a Business Analyst within Technology & Operations. While an RBC Summer Student, she was also a RBC Student Partner where she helped to host many student social events and support in Ten Thousand Coffees Leadership Speaker Series. Daniela also represented RBC as a RBC Student Ambassador at Western University. I had the chance to sit down to talk Smart networking, financial literacy and leadership with Daniela D’Ambrosi and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #DanielaDAmbrosi #Listen #Learn #BeInspired March is #National #Coop & #WorkIntegratedLearning Month #innovateWIL

Students and young professionals are facing barriers, uncertainty, biases, changing priorities and now a pandemic as they navigate the school to work transition. Their collective stories have inspired me and now I want to share these stories with you.  Now let’s meet Jeanelle! Jeanelle Suarez a recent graduate of Humber College’s Bachelor of Creative Advertising program. Prior to joining RBC Global Asset Management in 2020, Jeanelle has demonstrated her passion for student empowerment through her professional roles with Humber and at EDGE Leadership, where she has held at least three different positions. An advocate for inclusivity, she actively seeks opportunities to improve accessibility in the spaces she belongs to and participates in. She also finds herself interested in niche hobbies – most recently, building mechanical keyboards. I had the chance to sit down to talk Creativity, barriers and personal growth with Jeanelle Suarez and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #JeanelleSuarez #Listen #Learn #BeInspired March is #National #Coop & #WorkIntegratedLearning Month #innovateWIL

Students and young professionals are facing barriers, uncertainty, biases, changing priorities and now a pandemic as they navigate the school to work transition. Their collective stories have inspired me and now I want to share these stories with you.  Now let’s meet Matthew!  Matthew Thompson is a 3rd year Political Sciences student at the University of Toronto. He began working for the Royal Bank of Canada in summer 2019 through RBC’s internship program and is currently working as a part-time branch advisor. Beginning in May, he will be joining RBC Investor & Treasury Services’ summer internship program. Matthew is also cofounder and Vice-President of St George Partners & St George Venture Capital, two student-led investment partnerships. Outside of his professional endeavours, Matthew is an avid hockey fan, refereeing hundreds of minor hockey games each year in the Greater Toronto Hockey League. In his hometown of Newburgh, ON, Matthew coordinates the annual Canal Bash Hockey Tournament, where hundreds of kids get to take part in an outdoor tournament, raising thousands of dollars for local causes each year. I had the chance to sit down to talk the Canadian Armed Forces, part-time jobs and hockey with Matthew Thompson and I am happy to share our conversation with you, Enjoy! #CoffeeWithConvery #MatthewThompson #Listen #Learn #BeInspired March is #National #Coop & #WorkIntegratedLearning Month #innovateWIL