​Beyond the headlines, what’s really happening in AI today? Join a dynamic panel of women leading AI innovation as they share real-world applications, lessons learned, and emerging opportunities. Discover what’s making an impact now and what’s on the horizon. Bring your questions for the Q&A and come network with professionals in the AI space at Mila, the Quebec AI Institute.

​Our Panel

​Marie-Ève Bernard
SVP People & AI Enablement at nesto group(e)

​Marie-Eve has built companies as both an operator and venture builder. After launching Diagram Ventures’ talent function and scaling ten seed-to-Series-A startups, she joined nesto, helping scale it to 1,500 people. She now serves as SVP, People and AI Enablement.

Dr. Stefania Pecore
President Women Techmakers Montreal, Founder of Don't Tech Stress

​Stefania Pecore is a human-centred AI leader with a Ph.D. in AI. She leads Don’t Tech Stress, translating business goals into digital transformation strategies and scalable responsible products. President of Women Techmakers Montréal and an AI Expert for UNESCO, she brings her digital transformation experience across Europe and North America while together with responsible AI adoption and inclusive technology.

​Lin Sok
Financial Advisor, Mortgage Broker, Fintech Founder

​Lin Sok is a Montreal-based entrepreneur, financial advisor and mortgage broker. She is the founder of OWNI.ai, a platform making real estate ownership more accessible through co-buying.She is passionate about breaking down barriers to wealth creation and is known for explaining complex financial topics in simple everyday terms.

Ashley Werhun
Co-founder & CEO, Mentorly

​Ashley Werhun is the Co-founder and CEO of Mentorly, the enterprise AI platform that helps L&D teams deliver exceptional employee experiences and career growth. Mentorly’s AI analyzes skills, finds gaps, and recommends the right solutions to close them through mentorship programming.  A former professional ballerina turned tech CEO, Ashley champions mentorship as the way people keep pace as AI reshapes work and elevate their individual performance.

​Moderator

​Liesl Barrell
Co-Lead Montreal Girl Geeks, VP Marketing

​Liesl Barrell is a Montréal-based marketing and communications executive with over 20 years of experience leading strategy, digital transformation, and growth across technology, finance, healthcare, and mission-driven organizations. An active advocate for women in technology and a member of the MTL Girl Geeks organizing team, Liesl is passionate about fostering meaningful conversations around innovation, leadership, and the evolving role of AI in business and society.

​Agenda

​6:00 - 6:45 PM Doors open & networking

​6:45 - 7:00 PM Announcements & housekeeping

​7:00 - 8:00 PM Panel followed by Q&A

​8:00 - 9:00 PM More networking

​About Our Host

​Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, is recognized worldwide for its major contributions to AI. Today, the Mila community boasts the largest concentration of deep learning academic researchers globally. The institute is recognized for its expertise and significant contributions in areas such as modeling language, machine translation, object recognition and generative models.

​Since its inception, Mila focuses its mission on core research areas such as health, environment and climate change, and AI ethics. Mila extends its expertise and leadership in AI to deliver advances that will benefit all of society. Research carried out at Mila is conducted using an Open Science approach to promote collaboration and foster knowledge transfer.

​About Montreal Girl Geeks

​Montreal Girl Geeks is a grassroots community that has been empowering women in technology since 2010. We host free monthly events featuring quality speakers, networking opportunities, and professional development. Our mission is to create an inclusive space where women in tech can learn, connect, and grow together.

​Please note that photos and videos will be taken at the event, and they will be fabulous :)

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​FAQs

​Will there be food/drink?

​Sometimes we're lucky, and our hosts can provide refreshments, though this isn't always possible. In this case, our host can only provide the generosity of their space, for which we are deeply thankful. Given that, we recommend you plan accordingly to eat before or after, or bring a snack along! :)

​What if I realize I can't come after I've already registered?

​Our events are free, so they often reach capacity quickly. We know things come up, so if you can no longer make it please cancel on Luma ASAP so you open your slot for someone else. Cancelling day-of doesn't give others much opportunity to jump in and attend. We appreciate your support, thank you!

​When you say "women" in tech, what do you mean?

​We create and hold this space for anyone who identifies as a woman (cis or trans) and gender-diverse people, including identities like nonbinary, Two-Spirit, gender fluid, genderqueer, agender, and others.

​When you say women in "tech," what do you mean?

​We cover STEAM topics, usually with a fun spin and always with an amazing speaker.

​I'm hiring/throwing an event/launching a thing, how do I connect with the MTLGG community?

​During our announcements and housekeeping, we reserve time for community announcements. Feel free to share your update with the group during that time.

​What if we'd like to host one of your talks in our space?

​How lovely! Please send us a note to info@montrealgirlgeeks.com, and we'd be happy to see how we can partner with you!

​What if I want to suggest a talk or become a speaker?

​Come talk to us at the event, send us a note in the post-event survey or drop us a line at info@montrealgirlgeeks.com

​Hey, so... I'm a man: can I attend this talk?

​Yes! We welcome allies and appreciate those who support us while respecting that this is a space created for women, by women 💖