Marni Panas

Marni Panas is a Senior Leader of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at a global leading organization based in Canada. She has dedicated her career to creating safer, more welcoming and inclusive workplaces and communities.  She holds a degree in Health Administration and a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional designation. Marni is the Chair of the Board of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion.    

Marni is a tireless advocate for inclusion for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Marni has contributed to legislation and policy protecting human rights for individuals at the provincial and federal levels in Canada. She was a member of the Advisory Committee that helped draft the apology that Prime Minister Justine Trudeau delivered to 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada in the House of Commons. She is a sought-after speaker by corporations, non-profit organizations, healthcare services and government agencies across Canada and around the world. She is a regular lecturer on inclusive health and gender affirming care to medical, nursing and allied health students at universities in Alberta and globally.  

Marni was nominated as a YWCA Woman of Distinction, received a Human Rights Award from the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights and was named a Global Edmonton Woman of Vision in 2018. Most recently, Marni received The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and the 2022 Distinguished Alumni award from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. 

You can hear Marni in local and national media, and she has made appearances on CNN and the BBC. You can also learn more about Marni in her TEDx talk called “Finding Courage, Conquering Fear”.