GRADTalks
GRADTalks presents a wide range of expert speakers ranging from world-renowned academics and pioneers in industry and innovation to leaders in government and policy. Speakers highlight the critical importance of graduate education in their professional experiences, inspiring and challenging graduate students to consider career pathways beyond their current degrees.
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Join us for a lunch & learn exploration of practical strategies for successful networking!
The Yeates School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is excited to present the Winter 2026 session of GRADTalks!
Building a strong professional network is essential for navigating career choices—both within and beyond academia. This panel discussion will bring together experienced speakers to share practical strategies for successful networking, from making meaningful connections to maintaining relationships over time.
Panelists will discuss how networking differs across academic, corporate, and industry settings, and how to build a network that supports your long-term career planning. Expect concrete tips, honest insights, and actionable advice you can use right away!
All TMU graduate students and postdocs are invited! This event qualifies for the Future Smart program.
DATE: Thursday, March 12, 2026
TIME: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. / light lunch provided
LOCATION: POD 250
Please contact l2mutic@torontomu.ca if you require any accessibility accommodations to ensure your inclusion in this event.
Panel:
Hugh Lawson is the Principal of Lawson Leadership Advisory Ltd., a boutique leadership advisory practice helping purpose-driven leaders and social-impact organizations thrive during transformational times by providing highly effective organizational growth and emotional intelligence strategies.
He is also the Chief Development Officer of HILCO - The Hugh Sr. & Ilene Lawson Charitable Organization.
Hugh has 20+ years of working for and with the world’s biggest brands, in multiple sectors, with footprints in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He has led strategic teams for global revenue growth, competitive intelligence, future-trends identification, and business enhancement initiatives. He has also been a member of Senior Leadership teams that oversee organizational strategic plans, and growth objectives.
Wincy Li is the Associate Director, Career Education at the Career, Co-op & Student Success Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). She has 15+ years of experience supporting the career and academic development of students and diverse clients in the community. Her team supports career education programming for TMU students and recent alumni alongside many faculty and campus partners. She holds a BA in Psychology (minoring in Counselling & Human Development) from Simon Fraser University, and an MA in Higher Education from the Ontario Institute for the Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto.
Dr. Chris MacDonald is Director of the Ted Rogers Leadership Centre at the Ted Rogers School of Management, where he is also Chair of the Department of Law & Business.
A philosopher by training, MacDonald teaches courses on both ethics and critical thinking and is the author of popular textbooks in both fields. MacDonald is an award-winning instructor, having won both the Dean’s Teaching Award and the Innovation in Teaching Award. He is also co-author of the Concise Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and founding co-editor of the Business Ethics Journal Review, both of which are free resources available to students, scholars, and professionals. He is a consultant and keynote speaker and was recently made an Honorary Fellow of the Real Estate Institute of Canada.