Events

Tara-Lee Novak has over 15 years of experience connecting people through stories. She’s developed, produced and directed roughly 100 hours of factual television for North America’s top TV networks. Novak cut her teeth as Force Four Entertainment’s development producer where she performed a variety of roles spanning seven years and contributed to a library of original content. Since moving to Vancouver Island in 2015, she has led a variety of interdisciplinary teams in both the private and public sector. British Columbians are placed at the forefront of Novak’s content and communication strategies, demonstrating her genuine love for people and the place she calls home.

In her current role as Vancouver Island South’s Film Commissioner, she works with industry and government to market the region and drive regional prosperity.

Philip Duffy is a Partner in KPMG’s Technology Strategy & Transformation practice, known for the methodical yet flexible way he approaches complex challenges. Over his 22+ years with IBM, Philip held progressively senior roles encompassing technology business development, executive leadership, service delivery, and project and financial management. His work spanned major portfolios, most recently leading Government, Health, and Higher Education across BC and Western Canada, where he developed deep consulting and delivery expertise supporting public‑sector modernization.

An active member of the community and Rotarian, Philip has long supported local initiatives and previously participated in UrbaCity back when it was run by MAXIMUS. Today, he continues that commitment by collaborating with Rotary and community partners to help re‑energize the event and strengthen its charitable impact.

Philip will speak about the collaborative vision behind the UrbaCity, how strategic partnerships can create meaningful community‑level change, and what this year’s event aims to achieve for participants, local charities, and downtown Victoria.

Evening Meeting.  Starts at 5 PM, Victoria Harbour by Chartwell,  777 Belleville St. 
Doors open 4:45.  Front or side doors are good.  Minimal free parking on site, street parking or underground at Convention Centre/Empress lot.
No charge.  
    
"The Future of Money - Metal, Paper and Bitcoin".

The future of money is already here. Join us as we try to demystify the world of Bitcoin by understanding its history, the problem it solved, how "mining" works, and the geopolitical implications of its existence. We'll get hands-on with some practical day-to-day options for obtaining and using Bitcoin and other crypto in Canada, as well as protecting yourself from scams and keeping your money safe. Arm yourself with the knowledge to navigate this strange new asset class and make informed conclusions about its trade-offs.

----------------

Morgan Soley has been a software engineer and entrepreneur for 25 years. Graduating from the University of Victoria with B.Sc's in Computer Sciences and Earth and Ocean Sciences, he applies scientific and critical thinking as a way of life. Morgan became an adopter and miner of Bitcoin in 2013, and in 2017, co-founded a blockchain consulting company and worked on blockchain research projects with IBM, agricultural companies, and music & royalties applications.