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What does it take to close Canada’s gender gap in leadership? In this episode, we sit down with Julie Savard-Shaw, Executive Director of The Prosperity Project, to explore the transformative power of the Rosie Mentorship Program — a free, bilingual, and virtual initiative designed to support mid-career women on their path to leadership.
Julie shares her personal journey, the inspiration behind Rosie, and the real barriers that women in Canada still face in the workforce — from bias and burnout to the lack of accessible childcare. We also discuss why mentorship is a two-way street, the critical role of workplace flexibility, and how corporate Canada can take a leading role in creating lasting change.
Whether you’re a mentor, a mid-career woman seeking support, or a ChangeMaker advocating for gender equity in Canada, this conversation is filled with insight, heart, and action.
Topics Covered
- The origin and impact of the Rosie Mentorship Program
- Why mid-career women often fall through the cracks
- Promotion bias, pay gaps, and the “leaky pipeline”
- Mentorship as leadership development — for both mentor and mentee
- How flexible work and advocacy are reshaping the future of equity
- Julie’s vision for a more inclusive Canada
About Julie Savard-Shaw
Julie Savard-Shaw brings a tremendous background in advancing gender equality and women’s rights from an intersectional lens.
As an advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honorable Justin Trudeau, she spearheaded Canada’s first Feminist International Assistance Policy and helped lead the Canada-US Council for the Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. During her tenure at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honorable Chrystia Freeland, Julie oversaw the Task Force on Women in the Economy.
Outside of government, Julie developed from the ground up multiple national engagement campaigns. Notably, she led the Women Deliver Mobilization Canada in 2019 which galvanized $1.4 billion in government funding for gender equality. Julie is actively involved in the community both domestically and internationally. She was recently on the Advisory Committee for CBC Kids and the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre. She is also co-founder of a music school in rural Peru that provides music education to keep youth off the streets. Julie has a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management and a Master of International Affairs.
Learn more or sign up at canadianprosperityproject.ca
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