Virtual: IWD - The AI-Ready Leader - Building Talent to Lead, Govern, and Scale AI

Description

This March, we celebrate International Women’s Day with a warm invitation to all men and women of CIOCAN:

The next era of enterprise leadership will be defined by those who can harness technology strategically while governing it responsibly. This session explores how organizations can prepare senior leaders for an environment shaped by relentless innovation, evolving regulation, and heightened ethical scrutiny—with particular focus on advancing women into these critical roles.

Building inclusive leadership requires allies across the table. While we spotlight the unique perspectives and untapped potential that women bring to AI governance and strategy, this conversation is strengthened when men participate as champions, collaborators, and co-architects of change. True progress happens when diverse voices challenge assumptions together, share lessons openly, and commit to creating pathways that benefit everyone.

Designed for the AI age, this discussion introduces a new leadership archetype: executives who blend strategic vision with digital fluency, sound judgement, and the ability to align AI initiatives with measurable business value. Drawing on insights from the Her Executive Ascent programme, we will examine practical approaches to cultivating leaders who can bridge strategy, governance, and execution—ensuring AI strengthens both competitiveness and trust.

Participants will:

• Understand the emerging leadership profile for the AI era
• Learn strategies to integrate AI governance and business value alignment
• Explore frameworks for developing senior-level women leaders in tech-driven environments
• Gain actionable ideas for embedding AI-ready leadership into talent development

Open to CIOCAN Members & their *Qualified Non-Member Guests (*CIO/CISO/Senior IT Executive in a Leadership Role) 

Discussion lead by:

Lori Lalonde, Founder, Her Executive Ascent Inc.

Lori Lalonde is the founder of Her Executive Ascent Inc., an executive leadership development and advisory practice built for senior women operating inside complex, high-stakes organizations. She started her career in software development, moved into consulting, and went on to lead digital transformations across Microsoft’s partner ecosystem. From there, she built and led high-performing teams and managed large-scale portfolios, driving innovation and transformation at scale. After nearly three decades in tech, including leadership roles at Microsoft and Manulife, Lori stepped out of corporate life to build the leadership program she wished had existed earlier in her own career. Lori’s mission is simple: to accelerate the rise of women leaders who are done waiting for permission.

and Gini Wong, VP Operational Excellence, Toronto Chapter, CIO Association of Canada

Gini Wong, a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of experience leading digital and business transformation across financial services, wealth management, government, and enterprise sectors.

With deep expertise in software development, program management, and Agile transformation, Gini has led large-scale strategic initiatives that drive measurable business impact. Her work centers on aligning enterprise IT strategies with organizational goals while building high-performing, collaborative teams.

Beyond systems and strategy, Gini is committed to cultivating supportive work environments where individuals are empowered to grow, lead, and contribute at their highest potential.