Tareq Hadhad is the Founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate, the award-winning company he relaunched with his family after arriving in Canada as Syrian refugees. Now celebrating 10 years in business in 2026, Peace by Chocolate has become a symbol of resilience, hope, and entrepreneurship. A passionate advocate for peace and community, Tareq has shared his family’s remarkable journey through more than 1,000 media interviews worldwide and as a sought-after keynote speaker. In 2026, Rising Tides Films announced Shokolata, an animated film inspired by the Hadhad family’s extraordinary story of perseverance, purpose, and new beginnings.
Brad Lawlor brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the sport sector to his role as CEO of Sport Nova Scotia. Before joining Sport Nova Scotia in June 2026, he served as Executive Director with Baseball Nova Scotia, Basketball Nova Scotia and Soccer Nova Scotia and most recently as CEO of Tennis Nova Scotia and the Sobeys Atlantic Tennis Centre.
Throughout his career, Brad has built a reputation as a strategic leader who brings people together, drives alignment and leads organizations through growth and change. He has consistently built strong teams and led initiatives that elevate performance, strengthen systems and position sport for long-term success.
Created in 1971, Sport Nova Scotia is a non-profit, non-government organization dedicated to the development, administration and promotion of the sport system in the province. A federation representing more than 55 provincial sport organizations, our reach extends to more than 160,000 member Nova Scotians who participate in sport.
Through leadership, funding, programs and services, we support provincial and community sport organizations while driving collaboration to build a robust sport community. We work to make sport available to all Nova Scotians no matter their ability, background, age, gender or circumstance, because we know sport makes a difference to the health and wellbeing of our population.
Curtis Scaplen is a leadership advisor, entrepreneur, speaker and coach, President & CEO of Action Consulting Group and Co-Founder of Leadership In Focus. For more than two decades, he has worked with organizations ranging from Fortune 100 companies to family-owned businesses, start-ups, non-profits and associations across more than 30 countries.
Known for his genuine and relatable style, Curtis combines practical business experience with real-life stories and lessons learned through success and adversity. His work focuses on leadership, culture, strategy and human connection – helping individuals and organizations navigate growth, change and uncertainty.
Through Leadership In Focus, Curtis helps leaders and organizations identify the “elephants in the room” the issues, conversations and opportunities standing in the way of progress. Using his Elephant Blueprint, he creates greater clarity, alignment and accountability, turning difficult conversations into meaningful action.
Curtis also helps business owners build stronger, more valuable and less owner-dependent companies – whether focused on growth, succession, acquisition or an eventual transition or exit.
As a business owner, father, coach and lifelong student of leadership, Curtis believes authenticity is one of our most powerful competitive advantages.
His philosophy is simple: “People don’t connect with perfection. They connect with truth.”
Born and raised in Argyle, Nova Scotia, Hope Swinimer has always felt a deep connection to the natural world and the ocean. Hope is a certified veterinary practice manager (CVPM), and in 1995, while managing a veterinary hospital in Dartmouth, she rehabilitated her first wild animal, a robin injured by a cat, sparking a lifelong commitment to wildlife care. After becoming certified in wildlife rehabilitation, she began caring for animals from her own backyard before working with the province to establish a licensing process for wildlife rehabilitation in Nova Scotia. She went on to found Hope for Wildlife on the Eastern Shore, which has grown from helping 40 animals in its first year to caring for over 7,000 wild animals annually, while also supporting tens of thousands of calls and welcoming visitors and students for education and outreach.
Hope for Wildlife is a charitable wildlife rehabilitation and education organization in Seaforth, Nova Scotia. Since 1997, we have rescued, rehabilitated, and released over 100,000 wild animals representing more than 300 species. Each year, we respond to over 40,000 calls, texts, and emails, welcome visitors for tours, deliver educational presentations, and collect data from animals in our care. Our mission is to connect people with wildlife through knowledge and understanding.
