Conference Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Indrani Margolin
Keynote Presentation title:
Posttraumatic Growth and Mahavakyam Meditation; Spiritual understanding and Indigenous philosophies
Dr. Indrani Margolin is a Full Professor in Social Work and part of the graduate faculty in Women’s & Gender Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia. She holds a PhD in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning with a specialization in Holistic & Aesthetic Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies of Education at the University of Toronto. Her research and teaching interests include spirituality; ancient meditations and visualizations; posttraumatic growth, girls’ and women’s bodyself, mentorship, and arts-based research & practice methods. She has 24 publications in spirituality and holistic research and therapeutic practices. Dr. Indrani is part of the Northern FIRE (Feminist Institute for Research & Evaluation) leadership team at UNBC and is also Co-Chair for the 12th International Conference on Spirituality & Social Work, June 12-15, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She is an initiate in Mahavakyam Meditation from a long lineage of Himalayan masters and trained in the Tulshi Sen Consulting Train the Trainer system.Â
Highlighted Speakers
Tulshi Sen
Master Teacher Tulshi Sen is an internationally acclaimed author, poet, composer, entrepreneur, and leader in creative and spiritual development. He was trained in spiritual Vedic philosophy in the Himalayas and educated in Jesuit schools. He completed law school and a Master of Commerce and has dedicated the last three decades to community, economic, and social development with Indigenous communities from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. He has guided over 50 trainers in the Cree nations, based on their own cultures, to become leaders in their communities in Quebec, Manitoba, and Alberta, and has been acknowledged by them for his spiritual wisdom.
Faran Shahid
Faran Shahid holds a BS (Honors) Degree in English from GIFT University, Pakistan. As a dedicated researcher, he has received great appreciation from his supervisors and mentors. Currently, he is employed as an Education Counsellor & Admission Officer at StudyGlobe (Pvt) Ltd. However, he has a strong passion for research, particularly in the fields of Linguistics Relativity, Modern English Literature, Interdisciplinary Approaches in Literature, Cultural Studies, and Comparative Literature. Throughout his academic career, he has earned numerous high achievers’ certifications, reflecting his commitment to research and academic excellence.
Pronoy Dhamma Bodhi Thero
Pronoy Dhamma Bodhi Thero is a Bangladeshi origin monk studying in Sri Lanka. After completing eight years of monastic education, he graduated from Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka. Currently, he is following a one-year Psychology diploma in SITC campus and is considering pursuing a master’s degree. Aside from his studies, he volunteers as a teacher at Sunday Dhamma school in his temple. As a monk, he has many passions such as meditating, reading, preaching the Dhamma, traveling, photography, and more. His goal is to gain knowledge about many things and help his community through that knowledge, providing them with the strength to move forward as a nation.