Speakers

Taylor Francis is a venture coach in the Conestoga Entrepreneurship Collective’s Venture Lab for Skilled Trades program supported by RBC Future Launch. He is responsible for mentoring individuals on their path to entrepreneurship in the skilled trades industry.  

Taylor is from Fergus, Ontario. He is the founder of Cutting Edge Construction. His latest venture is a game-changing mobile app to streamline legal contracts for contractors. Taylor has deep experience in finished carpentry, small business development, technology business integration, sales and customer relations. 

Taylor is a graduate of the woodworking technician program at Conestoga College.

At the Centre for Peace Advancement, we recognize the value of collaborative, interdisciplinary, and multisector approaches to the advancement of peace. For this reason, the Centre for Peace Advancement is home to a variety of participants involved in the work of advancing peace. Our 6,000 square feet of space is occupied by a range of peace scholars from the University of Waterloo, as well as practitioners from local peace building organizations. Through forging opportunities for collaboration in the form of research, training and/or community engagement, we work to advance peace along with academics and practitioners from the University of Waterloo and beyond.

Susanne Zbinden is our Rotary 7080 District Governor in 2025-26. Susanne is a proud member and past president of the Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands. Susanne joined the Rotary Club of Orangeville in 2008 and became involved almost immediately, serving as Club Secretary for several years before being President of the club in the 2014-2015 Rotary year. After her year as President, Susanne became more involved in the district participating in district events and then later joining the D7080 Training Committee and Foundation Committee.

On the Training Committee Susanne started as a facilitator of various Rotary Leadership Institute sessions, and then later continued as Co-Chair of Presidents Elect Training Seminar and Club Leadership Training. Susanne has been the Chair of the Club Leadership Training in 2022 and 2023.

Because of her passion for the Rotary Foundation, Susanne joined the District’s Foundation Committee in 2019 and has been the Annual Fund and Endowment Fund Chair since then.

Susanne was born and raised in Switzerland and has lived in Japan, Mississippi, Hawaii and Florida to complete her education in Linguistics and International Relations. After getting married to her husband Richard Delongte, a member of the Rotary Club of Guelph-Trillium, Susanne moved to Orangeville in 2006.

Susanne is the co-owner of Koa Healthcare Corp., a company that was founded in 2020 and that imports and distributes dental healthcare supplies for cats and dogs.

Susanne enjoys traveling to anywhere in the world, learning (even more) languages, quilting and knitting, a good glass of wine and reading anything that sounds interesting. She is a member of several Rotary Fellowships, including the “Rotary Wine Appreciation”, “Rotary Brew”, and “Rotary Quilt and Fiber Artist” Fellowships.

Susanne lives in Caledon with her husband Richard and their wonder dog Koa.