The Right Hand
A live Podcast taping
Presented by
September 23rd 2026
7pm-10pm (program starts at 7:30 pm followed by a cockatil reception)
East Room (50 Carroll Street) Toronto
Inspired by the book The Right Hand: Conversations with the Chiefs of Staff to the World's Most Powerful People by Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks, join us for an evening around the “power behind the power” and a conversation around the Canada-US relationship featuring:
Shiela Nix, Former Chief of Staff to Second Lady Jill Biden and VP Kamala Harris
Melissa Winter, Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama
Phoebe Saintilan, Author of The Right Hand
With
Introductory remarks by Katie Telford, Former Chief of Staff to PM Justin Trudeau
Tickets:
Regular Tickets: $125
Bring your team! - 10 tickets for $1000 ($100 each)
A huge thank you to Our sponsors for making this possible!
Our Speakers
Sheila Nix
Sheila Nix is the CEO of The Mobile Voting Project, where she leads the organization’s national strategy to expand secure mobile voting and bring VoteSecure — its open-source mobile voting platform — to jurisdictions across the country. A veteran political strategist with nearly three decades of experience in government, campaigns, and nonprofit leadership, Sheila most recently served as Chief of Staff to Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign. She previously served as Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden and as a Deputy Assistant to President Obama, coordinating major policy and communications initiatives, and was Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Education. Sheila also served as President of Tusk Philanthropies and has held senior roles in the U.S. Senate, including Chief of Staff to Senators Bob Kerrey and Bill Nelson, the Illinois Governor’s Office, and on multiple presidential campaigns. In addition, Nix served as the U.S. Executive Director of Bono's ONE Campaign. She holds a law degree from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree from Creighton University.
Melissa Winter
Melissa Winter is a senior strategic advisor and one of Washington’s most trusted political operators, with more than 25 years of experience at the highest levels of government and public life. She served as the longest-tenured staff member to Michelle Obama, working alongside her from the 2007 presidential campaign through two terms in the White House and for nearly a decade beyond.
While Deputy Chief of Staff during the White House years, Melissa helped shape and execute some of Mrs. Obama’s most impactful initiatives, including Let’s Move!, Reach Higher, Joining Forces and Let Girls Learn. She oversaw East Wing operations, scheduling and advance, global travel, political engagements and worked continuously to ensure the First Family’s private time was safeguarded and the Obama’s home life was protected.
Melissa is currently a Senior Advisor to the Obama Foundation, providing strategic counsel to ensure seamless alignment with Mrs. Obama’s legacy issues, including the Girls Opportunity Alliance. She advises on all presidential center exhibits, materials and programming as they relate to Mrs. Obama.
Prior to the 2007 campaign, Melissa worked extensively across Capitol Hill, including senior roles with Congressman Norman Y. Mineta of California and Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and on national campaigns at the presidential and vice-presidential level.
Melissa first became interested in politics when she moved to Washington, DC for an internship while an undergraduate at Skidmore College, where she graduated with a degree in Art History in 1989. She has made Washington, DC her home ever since making public service her profession of choice and a core value of who she is.
Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks
Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks is the founder of Missing Perspectives, an Australian women's media company reaching over 3M people a month. Prior to founding Missing Perspectives, Phoebe was a policy adviser, working stints at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Australian Human Rights Commission, the United Nations Secretariat and in the private sector. Her work sits at the intersection of media, power and gender. Her debut book The Right Hand was released by Penguin Random House in November 2025.
Katie Telford
Katie Telford is one of Canada’s most influential strategists, having served as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from 2015 to 2025. As the longest-serving Chief of Staff to a Canadian Prime Minister, she played a central role in shaping the government’s policy agenda, political strategy, and communications during a decade marked by significant domestic priorities and complex global challenges.
A key architect of the Liberal Party’s 2015 federal election victory, Telford has earned a reputation as a highly effective campaign director and trusted senior advisor. Over the course of her career, she has provided strategic counsel to federal and provincial campaigns, governments, non-profit organizations, and both private and public sector leaders.
As Chief of Staff, Telford oversaw Canada-U.S. relations for Canada’s government for nearly a decade, including key strategic leadership in the 2018 NAFTA negotiations. On the broader global stage, she served as a principal advisor to Canada at all major international summits between 2015 and 2025, including those convened by the G7, G20, UN, NATO, APEC, COP, and more.
Telford has been repeatedly recognized among Canada’s most influential leaders, including by Maclean’s, and has received numerous distinctions such as being named among the 50 Most Powerful People in Canadian Business, the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, and Canada’s Top 40 Under 40.
Beyond her work in government, she is a sought-after speaker on leadership, crisis management, economic and trade policy, and international affairs. She has participated in prominent forums including Fortune’s Next Gen Summit and the Public Policy Forum, where she shared insights on strategy and leadership, the importance of public service, diplomacy, and social progress.
Telford is also widely recognized as an advocate for women in leadership in both the private and public sectors, and for her contributions to advancing gender inclusion in Canadian politics. Her career reflects a consistent ability to build trust, lead high-performing teams, and deliver results at the highest levels of public life.
Our Podcast Hosts
Amanda Alvaro
Amanda is the accomplished co-founder of Toronto's Pomp & Circumstance PR agency. She's also the founder of Artbound, a Canadian charity building arts schools in developing nations. Amanda serves on the boards of Rethink Breast Cancer, Canadian Art and the Together for Tomorrow: A friendly future gala by TELUS. She is a commentator with CBC's Power and Politics and a sought-after speaker on topics like women in business, politics, and arts education.
Rachael Segal
Rachael is a Lawyer with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Osgoode Hall Law School. Rachael spent many years working in policy roles in Federal political offices. She has worked in provincial politics in both Ontario and British Columbia and on campaigns at all levels of government across Canada. She has extensive broadcast experience, having worked as a full time on-air for a Canadian television news network and as a weekly radio contributor with Newstalk 1010 in Toronto and CBC in Vancouver. She is now with CBC’s Power and Politics. every week.
About the Beyond a Ballot Podcast
Started in 2023, The Beyond a Ballot is about to launch season 4 of the podcast!
The Beyond a Ballot podcast is a non-partisan Canadian political podcast designed to make politics more accessible, engaging and relevant to women. Hosted by Amanda Alvaro and Rachael Segal, the podcast breaks down the people, policies and political issues shaping Canada without the jargon or “inside baseball.”
With a focus on helping women feel more informed and confident participating in political conversations, Beyond a Ballot brings together politicians, journalists, experts and thought leaders for candid conversations that go beyond party lines. The podcast has built a growing community of Canadian women who want to understand politics — and have a voice in it.
Beyond a Ballot has hist the #1 spot on the political podcast charts multiple times!