Marni Panas

Marni Panas is a diversity and inclusion professional and sought-after speaker dedicated to creating safe and welcoming, and inclusive environments especially for the LGBTQ2S+ population in large public and private organizations, all levels of government and departments, health care, educational institutions, corrections, and law enforcement. Marni’s passion and commitment to equity and inclusion as had an impact across Canada including as a member of the LGBTQ2S+ Apology Advisory Council which helped draft the apology Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2017, to LGBTQ2S+ people in Canada for discrimination and injustices faced by this community as a result of federal legislation, policies and programs. She has also provided testimony to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs in support of Bill C-16 (An Act to amend Canada’s Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code of Canada).

Marni has also been part of the work that led to Gender Identity and Gender Expression being added as protected grounds from discrimination to Alberta’s Human Rights Act. As part of an expert panel, Marni assisted in developing guidelines to support school boards in Alberta in creating policies that would provide safe and welcoming environments for LGBTQ2S+ students, families, and staff. Marni also holds a bachelor’s degree in Health Administration, a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional (CCIP) designation and serves as Interim Chair of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion.

Marni Panas has been invited to share her experiences and expertise in community engagement, facilitation, Patient & Family Centred Care, bereavement and loss, and inclusive health and cultural safety for LGBTQ2S+ patients and their families locally, nationally, and internationally. She is a regular lecturer at Edmonton’s universities. She often appears in local and national media discussing a variety of topics that affect the community in which she lives. Marni Panas has also made appearances on CNN and the BBC.

As an engaged member of her community, Marni Panas has been recognized in several ways including with the Human Rights Award from the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, named the Edmonton Global Woman of Vision, nomination as an Edmonton YWCA Woman of Distinction and the Camrose Composite High School Alumnus of Distinction.