Speakers and Sessions
Elevating Employee Experience Through Journey Mapping
Deidre Lane - CEO & Founder, OptimaHR | Wed, Oct 22 - 9:30a.m. to 10:45a.m.
Deidre Lane is the CEO of OptimaHR and a seasoned expert in HR and people operations, with over 20 years of experience helping organizations build intentional, high-impact workplace cultures. She has held senior leadership roles in high-growth, founder-led companies—particularly in the tech sector—where she developed and scaled people strategies that supported both organizational growth and employee success.
At OptimaHR, Deidre leads a dynamic and experienced team—including HR and Employee Experience Experts Candace Walz and Meagan Maclean—bringing certification and hands-on expertise to every engagement. As a team, they are grounded in real-world implementation. The OptimaHR team is uniquely equipped to help employees become active advocates for meaningful organizational change. Their combined experience ensures that people strategy is not just aligned with business goals, but driven by those most impacted: the employees.
Over the past two years, Deidre has worked closely with Habitat for Humanity Saskatchewan to integrate HR strategy and people processes directly into the ReStore environment. Her efforts have helped embed employee experience thinking into day-to-day operations, enabling change and evolution that are people-led and responsive to the shifting realities of the retail and nonprofit sectors. From aligning hiring and onboarding practices to improving internal communication and leadership development, her work has helped foster a culture where every team member plays a role in shaping the organization’s future.
In this session, Deidre will explore how organizations can elevate the employee experience through thoughtful journey mapping. Attendees will gain practical insights into how to surface key moments, reduce friction, and create workplaces where people feel valued, supported, and inspired to thrive.
Merchandising
-- | Wed, Oct 22 - 1p.m. to 2:30p.m.
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Innovation Kitchen, Mattress, Delivery & E-Commerce
-- | Wed, Oct 22 - 3p.m. to 4:30p.m.
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ReStore Success with Habitat Southern Alberta
-- | Thur, Oct 23 - 9a.m. to 10a.m.
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Procurement with Habitat Southern Alberta
-- | Thur, Oct 23 - 10:45a.m. to 12p.m.
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Federation Chat with Pedro Barata
President & CEO of Habitat Canada | Thur, Oct 23 - 1p.m. to 2p.m.
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Reflections with Karen Coviello
Senior Vice-President, People and Impact | Thur, Oct 23 - 2p.m. to 3p.m.
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