Disruption strategist, Olympic hockey player, among speakers at American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference & Exposition

(Denver, Colorado) – The American Water Works Association (AWWA) announced today that Shawn Kanungo, best-selling author, and Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, Olympic hockey player, will speak at the Association’s Annual Conference & Exposition (ACE23), to be held June 11–14 in Toronto at Exhibition Place Toronto, including the Enercare and Beanfield Centres.

Kanungo’s keynote, as part of the event’s Opening General Session, will focus on the theme of Creating the Future, Together, and will integrate concepts from AWWA’s Water 2050 initiative to explore how organizations can become more adaptable, experimental, and collaborative in navigating the future – and, ultimately, creating the sustainable and resilient future that Water 2050 envisions.

Author of the book “The Bold Ones,” Kanungo is a disruption strategist whose work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, and the Canadian Broadcasting Channel (CBC). He has also been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the “100 Most Innovative Leaders” and Avenue Magazine as one of its “Top 40 under 40.” Forbes called him the “best virtual keynote speaker I’ve ever seen.”

The Water Industry Luncheon on June 13 will feature an address from Wickenheiser. Considered one of the best female hockey players in the world and a first-ballot entrant to the Hockey Hall of Fame, she helped her teams win seven world championships and earn five Olympic medals in six appearances. She is currently the assistant general manager of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. She is also a community leader, medical doctor, businesswoman and best-selling author of the book “Over the Boards: Lessons from the Ice in 2021.”

Wickenheiser has earned many accolades throughout her career, including being named to Sports Illustrated’s “Top 25 Toughest Athletes in the World” and twice named to their “Power 50 in Sports” list. She is also one of QMI Agency’s “Top 10 Greatest Female Athletes in the History of Sports,” a member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40” and an inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and Canada’s Walk of Fame. In 2014, Wickenheiser was awarded Canada’s highest honor when she was appointed to the Order of Canada in recognition of her athletic achievements and contributions to the growth of women’s hockey.

The event is sponsored by Woodard and Curran, Black & Veatch, CDM Smith and Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.

To learn more about the conference agenda and to register, visit the ACE23 webpage.