Events Calendar
2025 ANNUAL FALL DINNER: Higher Learning, Stronger Economy: Shaping Tomorrow Together
Higher Learning, Stronger Economy: Shaping Tomorrow Together
Expectations have changed for post-secondary institutions over the last few decades. They are more than the classroom, more than institutions of learning – they are building our next generation of business owners and community leaders. Universities go beyond preparing their grads for the workforce by driving important economic and social change for our region’s growth and prosperity.
Join us at the Halifax Chamber’s annual Fall Dinner to hear from a few of our world-class universities on their big ideas for big impact: international students staying in the province and pursuing entrepreneurship, researching and creating strong communities, and developing healthcare solutions at home.
Hear from the presidents of Mount Saint Vincent University, Dalhousie University, and Saint Mary’s University, paired with alumni stories of economic impact and growth.

SPEAKERS

In 2023, he introduced StFX’s five-year strategic plan “Building Our University The Way It Is Meant To Be” wrapping the path forward around the core values of being academically driven, EDIA and community-focused, responsive, and sustainable. He introduced initiatives such as the President's Action Committee on Anti-Racism, tasked with moving beyond identifying problems to crafting a solution-focused action plan to advance equity and anti-racism across campus. He continues to lead new initiatives such as the creation of the Victor and Mona Dahdelah Institute for Innovation in Health, designed to address the shifting health needs of rural Nova Scotians through collaborative and community-responsive teaching, learning, and research. Dr. Hakin has also been instrumental in developing strong working relationships with the leadership and people of the Town and County of Antigonish, appreciating that StFX plays such an integral role to the success of the community, and vice-versa.
Dr. Hakin was reappointed for a second term as President and Vice Chancellor by the University’s Board of Governors. His second term began on July 1, 2025.
He currently serves as the Chair of Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents (CONSUP), Vice Chair of the Atlantic Association of Universities (AAU), board member of Research Nova Scotia, and is a director on the Board of Universities Canada.
Dr. Hakin was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal for services to education.

A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Khan holds a PhD in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia, an MA in Kinesiology from the University of Western Ontario, and a BSc in Geophysics from McGill University.
His research explores the cognitive processes underlying movement control, with a focus on the visual control of manual movements. He has published extensively on topics such as skill acquisition, selective attention, dual-task interference and rapid decision making.
Prior to joining Saint Mary’s, Dr. Khan served as Provost and Vice-President Academic at Trent University, where he led academic planning and development. He was previously Dean of Human Kinetics at the University of Windsor and Head of the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences at Bangor University in Wales, UK.
Dr. Khan is recognized for his collaborative leadership style and commitment to student success, research, and community engagement. With a commitment to innovation and excellence, he consistently champions strategic growth while enhancing research productivity, forging industry and public sector partnerships, and expanding academic programming. Dr.
Khan is a strong advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion, reflecting his belief in investing in and empowering people.
A former intercollegiate squash champion, international athlete, and coach with over 25 years of experience, Dr. Khan also has a strong interest in talent identification and expertise development. His diverse background and global perspective position him to lead Saint Mary’s into its next chapter of academic and community excellence.

A 3M Teaching Fellow, Dr. Brooks has held the H. Heward Stikeman Chair in the Law of Taxation at McGill University and the Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law at Dalhousie in addition to academic appointments at Queen’s University and the University of British Columbia. Prior to entering the academy, she worked as a tax lawyer with Stikeman Elliott in their Toronto and London (UK) offices. Among her numerous board and professional roles, she has been Chair of the Halifax Public Libraries Board, President of the Canadian Centre for Legal Innovation in Sexual Assault Response, President of the Canadian Association of Law Teachers, and Chair of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund. She is currently Chair of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network Board.
Dr. Brooks holds a PhD from the University of Western Australia, a LL.M. from York University, a LL.B. from UBC and a BA from the University of Toronto.

She works with health system data to understand how population needs and system capacity are changing over time, and to examine the impact of policy changes. She leads interdisciplinary mixed methods primary care studies in collaboration with experts in qualitative methods, patients, clinicians, and policymakers.
Current projects look at primary care workforce planning, administrative workload, new models of episodic virtual care, and equity impacts of policy changes.

Before joining MSVU, Dr. Dickinson was Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Laurentian University and also held the positions of Acting Associate Vice-President of Teaching and Learning (2020-2021), and Chair of the university’s Department of Psychology.
Throughout her career, she has been focused on the impacts of decisions on students, as well as meaningful collaboration with faculty and staff colleagues. Across the many professional and volunteer roles she has held, she models inclusive leadership and a steadfast commitment to removing barriers to full participation in the university community by all. Dr. Dickinson has fostered meaningful truth and reconciliation efforts at MSVU, and furthered the university’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Dr. Dickinson has taught at the University of New Brunswick and Mount Allison University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and PhD in Psychology from the University of New Brunswick.
She is a full professor of Psychology with a research focus in cognitive processing during schema violations. Before making the transition to administration, she enjoyed a successful teaching and research career, winning the Laurentian University Teaching Excellence award in 2016. She was also the Principal Investigator of the Cognitive Health Research Laboratory, a CFI funded lab.
Dr. Dickinson is an active community volunteer and has worked with many non-profit organizations and advisory boards. She is currently a member of the boards of Research Nova Scotia board and 211 Nova Scotia, a member of the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, chair of Universities Canada’s Governance Committee, and co-chair of the Canada Research Chair’s Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
Dr. Dickinson is active on Instagram – her handle is @PresD_MSVU
In her current research with ARC LTC, she is exploring the demographics and work life experiences of healthcare workers in the long-term care sector in Atlantic Canada, including the distinct experience of immigrant and racialized workers. She is also leading an innovative pilot project to communicate research results through a series of animated videos, produced through a user-centered iterative approach.
Prior to starting her PhD, Dr. Dicks spent over a decade working in the field of global development; this included work with the Canadian government, the United Nations, and
several non-governmental organizations. She holds a Master’s degree in Globalization and
International Development from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations from Carleton University
Ossama Nasrallah – Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary's University
Thank you to our Partners!
Presenting Parner

Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Josh Creighton, Corporate partnership Specialist
(902) 481-1229 josh@halifaxchamber.com
Date and Time
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
5:00 PM - 9:30 PM AST
Agenda
4:30 PM - Registration and Pre-Reception
6:20 PM - Opening Remarks
6:40 PM - Dinner
7:40 PM - Main Presentations
9:00 PM - Event Concludes
Fees/Admission
Member Rates Note: All prices are subject to HST. Payment is due upon purchase of the ticket and we accept the following payment options: Visa, Master Card and American Express.
Regular Seating ($220.00 / ticket or $2200.00 / Table of 10)
Premium Seating ($2450.00 / Table of 10) *
Non-Member Rates
Regular Seating ($330.00 / ticket or $3300.00 / Table of 10)
Premium Seating ($3600.00 / Table of 10) *
*Premium tables include logo visibility at the event, and prime table location in the room
A 25% discount for student/non-profit members available at checkout.
Your registration gives the Halifax Chamber permission to use the photographs taken during the event for any legal use.
Contact Information
Cailin Winters, Event Specialist
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