P.O. Box 3013, 2 Ridley Road St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 7C3 Canada - +1 905-684-1889
From environmental activists and bestselling book authors to Olympic athletes and Governor Generals, the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series is an intellectual beacon to the Ridley community.
Ridley College has welcomed illustrious individuals from an array of disciplines as a part of the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series, including environmental activist David Suzuki, Governor General Michaëlle Jean, and Olympian Jason Dorland ’83, to name a few. Our accomplished speakers delve into their journeys, challenges and triumphs, offering lessons for attendees to glean.
By inviting luminaries from diverse fields to share their insights and expertise, the engaging speaker series fosters thought-provoking discussions that enrich the minds of both students and faculty. Beyond its role as a platform for intellectual discourse, the speaker series is integral in nurturing critical thinking, empathy and understanding.
As our community unites to listen, question and engage with our speakers, the Crawford Gordon ’56 Speaker Series continues to uphold its legacy of inspiring flourishing lives and shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
The 2024-2025 school year boasts an exciting line-up of speakers. Please explore the biographies of the individuals we are excited to welcome to campus over the next several months.
Kia NurseKia Nurse has risen to the top of the basketball world in short order. After four incredibly successful seasons with the University of Connecticut Huskies, Hamilton, Ontario’s Kia Nurse was selected 10th overall in the WNBA 2018 draft, Kia's young career has already seen her named as a WNBA All-Star starter in only her second season. She's played valuable roles across the WNBA for the New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and most recently the LA Sparks. She also won the 2019 and 2020 WNBL Championships with the University of Canberra Capitals in Australia and was named the league's MVP in the 2020 season.
Kia remains a staple of the Canadian National Women's program having made her first appearance at age 16. She has represented Canada at the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics. She is also a Pan American Games Gold Medalist and a two-time FIBA Women's AmeriCup Gold Medalist.
Kia has also taken her passion for basketball into the broadcast studio signing on with TSN as a basketball analyst covering the NBA, WNBA and NCAA. She's had a tremendous impact on the next generation of Canadian basketball founding the Kia Nurse Elite as well as the Kia Nurse Academy providing basketball opportunities to young women at both the grassroots and high-performance levels.
Kia has sat on multiple boards including the U of T's Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport, HerMark and the Canadian Women & Sport Commercial Advisory Group. She's a vocal advocate for women's sports and marginalized communities and her tremendous attitude on and off the court has made her a fan favourite and a global superstar.
Dr. Thomas Homer-DixonDr. Thomas Homer-Dixon is a renowned Canadian public intellectual and bestselling author recognized for his expertise in the intersections of nature, technology and society. His current research focuses on threats to global security in the 21st century and addresses pressing global challenges like economic instability and climate change. He is the founder and Executive Director of the Cascade Institute at Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia.
Dr. Homer-Dixon previously led the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Toronto for nearly two decades and later founded the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation at the University of Waterloo, where he held the position of University Research Chair until 2021.
A prolific author, his award-winning books include The Upside of Down, The Ingenuity Gap, and Environment, Scarcity, and Violence. His latest work, Commanding Hope, explores how hope can be channelled into positive action for the world. Dr. Homer-Dixon frequently contributes to major publications like The Globe and Mail and The New York Times. He has also served as an advisor for various government agencies across North America and Europe, making him a sought-after voice in global affairs and international relations.
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Colm Feore ’77Colm Feore ’77 is a brilliant actor and master of his craft. Classically trained, he began his career on the stages of the Stratford Festival, to which he regularly returns to enthrall audiences with his talent and versatility.
Feore's outstanding work on Broadway, television and film encompasses both Canadian and international productions, many of which have featured him working in French. He is a committed volunteer with arts organizations like Reel Canada, which engages youth in recognizing and promoting Canada’s unique cultural identity.
Feore was awarded the Order of Canada (2013) and Officer of the Order of Canada (2014) for his contributions as an actor on the stage and screen, notably by bridging Anglophone and Francophone cultures as a fluently bilingual performer.
