TELUS Talks with Tamara Taggart

Adriana Barton, best-selling author of Wired for Music, spent 17 years of her life as a cellist, entrenched in the demanding world of elite classical music, before leaving it for a career in health and science journalism. She shares how she rediscovered her passion for music, what she learned about its remarkable effects on our emotional and psychological health, and how we can all use our inherent musicality to live happier, healthier lives.

As an award-winning journalist, Angela Sterritt is passionate about shedding light on racism and discrimination faced by Indigenous peoples and helping give voice to the underrepresented. She talks about the challenges of trauma-informed reporting, her mixed Gitxsan and settler heritage, and how she’s exploring the topic of Indigenous identity through her new podcast, Land Back.

Roee Ben-Eli loves being a nurse – but thinks health practitioners are going through a tough time right now as we continue to wade through the pandemic. The Director of Strategic Programs at TELUS Virtual Healthcare discusses how new technologies can transform the patient and care experience, why we need to integrate new ideas and models into patient care, and what you can do to help relieve pressure on one of our greatest professions.

Lise Birikundavyi, the first Black woman to head a venture capital fund backed by an institutional investor in Canada, shares how to help build successful entrepreneur-led businesses, deliver returns to investors and increase diversity in the venture capital ecosystem.

Dr. Aubrey Fine often calls on some special assistants skilled in supporting mental health and well-being: animals. The leading expert in human-animal interactions shares his journey from dog-phobic child to dog-loving adult, the science of why spending time with animals is good for you, and how just a few minutes of watching critters on-screen can bring some calm to your life.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Miriam Kirmayer is passionate about helping people build stronger, healthier social connections. One of the only licenced clinical psychologists to specialize in friendship therapy, she shares her insights on how to combat loneliness, why not everyone needs a BFF, and how conflict can actually strengthen a friendship.

President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, Derek Nighbor, shares how sustainable forest management practices are leading to big gains for our economy, our communities and the planet. He discusses exciting developments in carbon-capture building materials, how sustainable forest management is supporting Indigenous reconciliation – and what really goes into the price of a 2x4.