OUR SPEAKERS
Laura Marchand
DARE TO LOVE YOURSELF, no matter what
Laura Marchand is a Quebec content creator who has been shaped by life’s challenges. After going through very difficult times, she chose to turn her pain into strength and use her journey to help others. Her resilience and vulnerability fuel a unique voice where authenticity, well-being, and personal growth come together.
Known under the pseudonym @laulauthecoconut, Laura now inspires thousands of women to choose themselves, reconnect with who they are, and celebrate the little things in everyday life. Her world blends self-love, lifestyle, humor, and honesty, creating a space where lightness and depth coexist.
In 2025, her work was recognized at the Gala Influence Création, where she received the Discovery of the Year award. This honor highlights the raw creativity, sincerity, and impact she brings through every one of her posts.
Today, she embodies a breath of fresh air in Quebec’s digital space — an example of resilience and self-love, and living proof that even within vulnerability lies immense strength.
Why is she participating in Conférenc’ELLES?
My purpose is to help people. I am deeply committed to guiding those who are going through difficult times, reminding them that they have the right to choose themselves, to love themselves, to understand and accept who they are.
We live in a society where comparison is constant, where we too often feel like we’re not enough. The pressure is overwhelming and can make us lose sight of our true worth.
That is why I choose to speak up: to share the challenges I have faced, the ones that shaped me into the woman I am today. My journey is proof that even in the midst of hardship, it is possible to find strength, authenticity, and self-love.
Alexandra Makarios
Thriving as a Young Professional Woman
Alexandra Makarios, P&O Business Partner at Chanel, is a 25-year-old human resources professional based in Montreal. Passionate about labor relations, she completed her studies at Marianopolis and McGill, where she developed solid expertise in human capital management.
Originally from the small suburb of Rosemère and proud of her Lebanese roots, Alexandra stands out for her deep commitment to supporting women in achieving their professional goals. She firmly believes in the power of mentorship and knowledge-sharing to help build inspiring and sustainable career paths.
Beyond her role at Chanel, Alexandra pursues many passions. She loves going on road trips to discover new horizons, painting, creating jewelry, working out, and spending time in nature. Her energy and creativity also shine through in her personal projects, including the upcoming launch of her podcast, Bulle de Filles—a space for dialogue and reflection designed to inspire and empower young women on their professional and personal journeys.
Why is she participating in Conférenc’ELLES?
As much as a good work ethic and drive can bring you places, it always takes a village, and for me, I have been privileged by a lot of women in my life that have guided me through my journey and made it what is it. Giving back to other women is a way for me to show gratitude to those who have supported me and made me who I am. The sweetest part of walking into milestones and achievements is to bring other deserving people with you along the way, especially other women that I see my younger self in.
Rosalia Felice
Finding Your Voice
Rosalia is a dynamic university and college instructor, speaker, corporate trainer, career coach, and facilitator who consistently delivers enthusiastic, high-impact presentations. She challenges her audiences to leverage their unique skills and experience and amplify their voices for authentic and confident self-expression. Rosalia’s areas of expertise include leadership, communication, and career management. Her greatest passion is motivating women and vulnerable populations to stand out, speak up, and take their rightful place in every space.
Rosalia has earned numerous awards—both in English and French—from Toastmasters International and has been recognized for her 20-year communications career at McGill University. A lifelong learner with insatiable curiosity, Rosalia recently completed a micro-credential in Cloud Security at McGill University, from where she also obtained a Graduate Diploma in Leadership. She holds a BA in Communications and a Certificate in Community and Public Affairs from Concordia University.
Description:
Finding Your Voice is a transformative presentation designed to empower women to embrace their authentic expression, rise above self-doubt, and claim their rightful place in professional and personal spaces. Participants will learn to speak with clarity, courage,and confidence while addressing common barriers, including fear of judgment, perfectionism, cultural expectations, and imposter syndrome. Young women will walk away equipped to use their voice as a powerful tool for influence, connection, and leadership.
Kiara Piccolo
Sweet success: The power of marketing
Kiara Piccolo is the Co-Founder of Stressed but Backwards and a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist. She earned her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from McGill University. With over a decade of experience working with children with special needs, her passion for helping others began through volunteering.
As an SLP, Kiara supports children in developing independence across all areas of receptive, expressive, and social communication. As the co-founder of SBB, she values the opportunity to express her creativity, connect with clients, and contribute to life’s most memorable celebrations.
Why is she participating in Conférenc’ELLES ?
We believe that confidence is the key to success. Whether it is supporting a child to express themselves or preparing someone to step into an important meeting, confidence creates the foundation for growth and achievement. Our connection to this mission extends beyond our individual fields of speech therapy and law. Through our cake company, Stressed but Backwards, we continue to celebrate women every day. The majority of our clients are women, and each cake we create serves as a tribute to their milestones, accomplishments, and life’s meaningful moments.
Sarah Harroch
Sweet success: The power of marketing
Sarah Harroch co-founded Stressed but Backwards, a creative bakery venture specializing in personalized lunchbox cakes, while completing her law studies at the University of Montreal. With a vision to create a new cake culture that blends personalization, accessibility, and creativity, she helped transform a small idea into a growing business.
Her entrepreneurial journey sparked a deep interest in business law, as she experienced firsthand the challenges of building, marketing, and scaling a business. Before law, Sarah earned a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. She is now an articling student at one of Canada’s largest full-service law firms, where she plans to specialize in commercial real estate law.
Why is she participating in Conférenc’ELLES ?
For us, working alongside Dress for Success Montreal is an opportunity to carry forward a shared vision: empowering women to feel strong, capable, and confident in every sphere of their lives.
Gillian Alta Nycum
Stop and Look Within
Gillian is a certified coach, ADHD life coach, licensed lawyer and former executive. She has worked across higher ed, creative industries, tech, government, non-profit, and entrepreneurship. She is also an artist who recently reconnected with her voice through her music project, AK AltA.
She is a voracious learner and ardent seeker. She is studied in leadership development, neuroscience and neurodivergence, social history, and the way we perceive or create our realities. She has a particular interest in neuropluralism, the belief that not only are neurodivergent perspectives are needed in our complex times.
Gillian aligns to the idea of Connected Leadership: creating conditions where people want to give their best, because the work feels meaningful, aligned, and human. Because leadership isn’t about managing tasks, its about tending the garden of human potential.
Description – Stop and Look Within
How do we know what we want out of life?
How do you make sure to invest your precious time and energy in a way that is true to you?
For better or worse; social, relational, and economic (among other) forces influence our options and our choices.
How do we sort these forces out from our own inner calling to uncover what sparks that inner flame – and perhaps more challenging still – to follow it?
We will create space to slow down, feel into your heart, and talk about how to get clear about what lights your spark, what holds you back, and how to trust your inner voice so that it may guide you.