On May 19, 2021, in celebration of Rothberg’s 50th Anniversary, a group of remarkable Hebrew U Alumna gathered for a roundtable discussion about influences and mentors, greatest obstacles, and advice to aspiring businesswomen.
Featuring: Karen Eltis, Law Professor and Author; Ellen Bensky, Principal, CEO & CFO; Laurie May, Film Executive and Lawyer; and moderated by Randi Druzin, Journalist.
Full panelist bios are available below the webinar recording.
PANELISTS:
Karen Eltis is full Professor of Law (professeure titulaire) at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa (Canada) and an Affiliate with Princeton’s CITP (Center for Information Technology Policy) 2016-2018. A past director of the Human Rights Centre, Karen specializes in innovation law, privacy and cybersecurity from a comparative perspective. She served as Senior Advisor to the National Judicial Institute and has taught at Columbia Law School. Fluent in French, English, Hebrew, Spanish and Romanian and proficient in German and Italian, Professor Eltis holds law degrees from McGill University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Columbia Law School (Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar). Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Ottawa, Karen was a litigation associate in New York City. Her research on privacy was cited twice by the Supreme Court of Canada (in the landmark case A.B. v. Bragg, 2012 and in Québec 9147-0732 in. 2020) and other Canadian and foreign courts. Karen’s latest book is titled “Courts, Litigants and the Digital Age: Second Edition” (Irwin Law, 2016) supported by the CIRA grant. Her research on Artificial Intelligence and Expression is supported by the Foundation for Legal Research.
As a Partner, CEO and CFO of Turner Fleischer Architects, Ellen Bensky, B.A., Dip. Arch. Tech (Hon), CanBIM P1, contributes on a daily basis to the advancement of architectural technology and virtual design not only in her firm, but industry-wide through her initiatives and dedication. Passionate for education, Ellen is especially proud of spearheading an internal academy, which provides a comprehensive learning and teaching platform for her studio. Through her current role, Ellen is able to engage daily in the process of successfully leveraging complex business needs and architectural realities, driving her quest for operational excellence while remaining committed to giving back to the greater community. An experienced speaker, she has presented at local and international at Colleges and Universities, as well as industry events including KA Connect 2018 and 2019, Autodesk University 2019, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s 2018 and 2019 conferences, BiLT Australia / New Zealand 2019 and several other engagements in Canada, the United States and Europe.
Laurie May has been in the film business for over twenty years. She is currently the Co-Founder and Co-President of Elevation Pictures, one of the largest independent distribution companies in Canada with award-winning titles such as The Imitation Game, ROOM, and Moonlight. She is also an Executive Producer on the recently released film, The Broken Hearts Gallery. Prior to Elevation, Laurie served as Executive Vice President of Entertainment One and Alliance Films and was Co-President and Co-Founder of Maple Pictures where she was involved in many notable releases including Academy Award winners Crash, The Hurt Locker, and The Cove.
Laurie began her career in film as the Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for Lionsgate. She received her law degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, practiced corporate and entertainment law at Oslers, and was an adjunct professor of Entertainment and Sports Law at Western Law School. She has also acted as a mentor for Women in Film & Television and in 2010 was the recipient of the WIFT Outstanding Achievement Award for her accomplishments in the Canadian film industry. In 2017, Laurie became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
MODERATOR:
Randi Druzin is an author and journalist based in Toronto, Canada. She has worked at several major media outlets including the National Post and the CBC, and has written for dozens of publications including The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star. Based first in Europe then in North America, Randi has covered events as diverse as former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s visit to Prague and the Van Halen reunion tour.
She has varied interests, including Canadian politics and the cannabis industry. Randi is also passionate about sports; she has covered four Olympics and interviewed dozens of world-class athletes, including NHL star Sidney Crosby. She is the author of three books, including two bestsellers, Between the Pipes and The Riverton Rifle. Randi also sits on the board of the Canadian Friends of Hebrew University.