PAST EVENT
Elevate: Women, Leadership & Parenthood
Breaking Barriers for Women in Leadership
SPONSORED BY:
Our sold-out inaugural event hosted at The Kent on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, brought together a remarkable community for an evening of dinner, networking, and a compelling panel discussion featuring guest speakers Tracey McVicar, Jen Murtagh & Tea Nicola.
Women in leadership are often forced to navigate a system that was never designed with them in mind. The intersection of career advancement, pregnancy, maternity leave, and parenthood presents significant challenges, creating an undeniable barrier to C-suite roles. Elevate: Women, Leadership & Parenthood explored the critical question: What must change to ensure women no longer have to choose between family and ambition?
This powerful exchange of insight and experience served as a catalyst for connection, reflection, and action—laying the groundwork for a more equitable and inclusive future in leadership.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Tracey McVicar
Partner at CAI Capital Partners
Tracey McVicar is a Partner at CAI Capital Partners, a mid-market private equity firm. Prior to joining CAI in 2002, she was an investment banker at RBC Capital Markets and Raymond James Ltd.
CAI has invested over $1.5 billion in equity in a variety of North American businesses. CAI specializes in partnering with founders to facilitate their retirement and succession over time.
Tracey is currently Chair and/or a director of several CAI portfolio companies. She is a former director of Teck Resources Limited (TECK.B – TSX) and BC Hydro Corporation.
In addition to her business commitments, Tracey is an active board member on several community and professional organizations, and she is the Chair of Golf for Good, an annual golf tournament now in its 17th year that has raised over $4 million for non-profit organizations that “do a lot with a little”. Tracey has been recognized with business and community awards including WXN’s Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100, BIV’s Top 40 Under 40 and BC Business Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Women in BC. In 2017 she was featured in the publication “Canada 150 Women” by Paulina Cameron and in 2019 she was honoured with a Luminary Award by Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland. She is grateful to have recently been awarded the King’s Coronation Medal.
Jen Murtagh
Co-Founder @ Maturn | Supporting Women in the Workforce as they Navigate Key Life Transitions | Executive Leadership Coach | Speaker
Jen Murtagh is the co-founder of Maturn, an organization dedicated to supporting, developing and retaining women in the workforce as they navigate key life transitions. With over 20 years of experience in corporate and nonprofit sectors, Jen is a recognized leader, strategist, and advocate for gender equity known for her heart-centered approach to leadership. As a former C-suite executive, Jen has led national campaigns and raised millions for causes including anti-bullying, vulnerable youth, and women’s health and equity.
She has been recognized as a Business in Vancouver Forty Under 40, a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Women of Promise, and a dedicated voice for advancing women in leadership.
Beyond her work with Maturn, Jen is a trusted advisor in the business community and serves on the BC Business and Women of the Year Awards Advisory Councils. Deeply committed to global and local impact, Jen is a board member of One Girl Can, a nonprofit that educates and mentors girls in Africa. She fulfilled a lifelong dream by traveling to Africa to lead mentoring and goal-setting workshops, inspiring the next generation of leaders.
A proud mother and stepmother to four children, Jen resides in Steveston, BC, where she continues to champion meaningful change, mentor women leaders, and advocate for more inclusive workplaces. You can connect with her on IG @jenmurtaghcoaching.
Tea Nicola
CEO Acetech
Tea Nicola never imagined leaving her hometown of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, in the 1990s, she was forced to flee, arriving in Canada at the age of 16 with her mother.
She earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Queen’s University and began her career in the forestry industry before transitioning to finance. After nearly a decade in the corporate sector with Sun Life, Tea turned to technology, co-founding WealthBar, Canada’s first online portfolio manager. At WealthBar, she merged her expertise in finance with her engineering background, pioneering accessible, goal-based investing with a focus on fee transparency and high-quality management.
As a passionate advocate for financial literacy, Tea championed industry changes in fee disclosure and democratized wealth management. Under her leadership, WealthBar grew to over 40 employees, earning her recognition as one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40 and BC Business’s Top 500 Influential People of All Time, along with finalist nominations for WP CEO of the Year, YWCA Woman of Distinction, and WP Technology Trailblazer of the Year.
In 2020, Tea successfully led WealthBar’s acquisition by CI Financial. She now serves as CEO of Acetech Leadership, a non-profit dedicated to providing executive education and professional development for tech leaders. She remains deeply engaged in Vancouver’s tech ecosystem as a mentor, investor, and community builder.
Beyond fintech, Tea is a passionate supporter of the performing arts—both as a trained actor and a producer, with feature films slated for production in 2025.
When she’s not building companies or producing films, Tea enjoys sailing with her family and supporting numerous local charities.
