Advocis Banff School Faculty
The Advocis Banff School has always been known for its amazing Faculty. Did you know that in the 68 year history of the Advocis Banff School that we've never paid any of these amazing folks?
They come out and speak of their own accord because they believe in the school, and they believe in supporting those Advisors who are willing to invest in themselves by attending.
This year's Faculty is another amazing lineup of experts. Get ready to learn and be inspired!
Kelly Gustafson
2025 Banff School Emcee
Kelly Gustafson is a trailblazer and a solution wizard in the Canadian financial services industry. She uses her 25 years of experience to fiercely champion independent financial advisors and their business needs. She gets to the heart of advisor pain points and advocates for digital innovation and operational efficiency that supports compliance and provides exceptional client experiences – the things that help you do better business. She is a go-getter who never gives up on achieving your goals and solving your challenges, and always looks forward to doing great things alongside great advisors.
Kelly loves working with people who are committed to making a difference in their own lives and in their communities. When she is not busy helping her clients, she enjoys the simple pleasures of life on her farm in Saskatchewan, where she grows fresh veggies, rips around the fields in her side-by-side, and spends time with her family, friends, and many animals.
Steve Howe
Workplace Safety Expert & Keynote Speaker
Steve Howe understands the lasting impact of workplace injuries. At 22, while working as a tree faller in British Columbia, he suffered a catastrophic accident that nearly cost him his life. The experience reshaped his approach to risk management, workplace safety, and financial preparedness.
With years of experience as a Safety Director, Steve has developed a practical approach to injury prevention that aligns with business priorities. He focuses on how proactive safety measures contribute to financial stability, reduced liabilities, and long-term operational success. His presentations highlight the economic and organizational consequences of workplace accidents, including insurance costs, legal exposure, and productivity loss.
Beyond the workplace, Steve will share the financial burden his injury placed on himself and his family. Without a financial plan in place, the sudden loss of income created significant hardship. Through his experience, he highlights how proper financial planning—including emergency funds, insurance coverage, and long-term security—can alleviate the unexpected financial strain of a workplace injury.
Steve has delivered keynote presentations at conferences and corporate events across North America, helping organizations build a culture of safety that not only protects employees but also safeguards financial well-being.
Regina Bedoya
President RB Financial Advisors
2020 MDRT President
Regina Bedoya is a 32-year MDRT member with seven Court of the Table and nine Top of the Table honors. She started in our business in 1993 qualifying for MDRT that first year, and every year since then. She was named her agency’s Rookie Agent of the Year and over her career received multiple awards and President’s citations. She is the recipient of the Irv Konter Award representing excellence in our profession.
Regina is president of RB Financial Advisors, a financial consulting firm in South Florida, specializing in retirement and insurance planning. As a result of the impact she has had in her community, she was awarded the American Free Enterprise Companion Medal by Palm Beach Atlantic University.
In 2016 she accepted the nomination to the MDRT Executive Committee and served as the 2020 MDRT President.
She is an Excalibur Knight of the MDRT Foundation and a member of its Inner Circle Society.
Bedoya’s industry volunteerism includes mentoring advisors in various countries and speaking at numerous regional and international conferences.
The proud mother of 4, she delights in spending time with her 8 beautiful grandchildren.
Amina Deiab
Amina Deiab is the CEO of the Alberta Insurance Council (AIC) and a transformational leader with over twenty years of experience in the public and private sectors.
Amina has both served on and worked with boards of directors for a decade. Most recently as Founder of QED Inc, Amina advised boards, chairs and executive teams to build effective corporate governance practices as a bedrock of organizational success. She also previously served as President & CEO of the Safety Codes Council; in that role, Amina led a significant organizational transformation with a focus on transforming the organization to become a risk and outcomes-based regulator.
Prior to her role at the Safety Codes Council, Amina worked at the intersection of large scale economic development, strategy, energy policy and governance in a number of leadership roles in the Government of Alberta.
Amina spent the first 15 years of her career in the private sector focused on business development across Canada and the U.S. She has also founded her own companies involved in the residential construction sector. Amina holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute for Corporate Directors and has a Master’s Degree in Public Policy, specializing in Innovation, Science, and Energy Policy from Carleton University.
Jamie Golombek
Jamie Golombek is Managing Director, Tax & Estate Planning with CIBC in Toronto. As a member of the CIBC Private Wealth team, Jamie works closely with advisors from across CIBC to support their clients and deliver integrated financial planning and strong advisory solutions. Jamie is quoted frequently in the national media as an expert on taxation, writes a weekly column called “Tax Expert” in the National Post, has appeared as a guest on BNN, CTV News, and The National and has been a regular personal finance guest on The Marilyn Denis Show.
He received his B.Com. from McGill University, earned his CPA designation in Ontario and qualified as a U.S. CPA in Illinois. He has also obtained his Certified Financial Planning (CFP) and Chartered Life Underwriting (CLU) designations.
In 2023, Jamie was named a CPA Ontario Fellow. The FCPA is the highest distinction that can be bestowed upon a CPA who brings distinction to themselves and to their profession through leadership and achievement in their professional, community and/or personal lives.
Panos Leledakis
Panos has an extensive 25 years of experience in insurance and financial planning since 1999, as a top-awarded insurance consultant and a TOT MDRT member. A pioneer in the insurance industry and an insurance futurist, he is an expert in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, internet marketing strategies, automation, virtual and augmented reality, and cutting-edge technologies in the insurance sector.
He is the inventor of two innovative software solutions for insurance needs analysis and financial planning, implementing the science of risk management, artificial intelligence, and extensive neuroscience and behavioral economics research on risk perception and decision-making. His work has earned him 11 global innovation awards from organizations like MIT.
He holds a certification in “AI for Business” from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and is furthering his expertise in artificial intelligence through ongoing studies at MIT. He also holds certifications in LUTCF, IRMA, BRMA, and is pursuing additional studies with PRMIA (Professional Risk Management Association).
In 2020, he was honored with the esteemed global award for “Top 25 InsurTech CEOs of 2020.” A dynamic public speaker, he has inspired audiences in over 45 countries with his motivational and engaging style. Originally from Greece, he relocated to the USA, living in New York and Miami, after 2020.
Steve Meldrum
CFP® CLU® FEA TEP
Founder, Corporate Insurance Specialist, Swell Private Wealth Ltd.
Steve Meldrum is the founder and corporate insurance specialist of Swell Private Wealth Ltd. He primarily works with accountants who integrate insurance solutions into their advisory practices. He's also the author of Estate Planning with Life Insurance, published through Wolters Kluwer.
Steve currently serves on the board of directors for the Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting (CALU) and is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation, Family Enterprise Canada and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Additionally, he is enrolled in the Chartered Professional Accountants In-Depth Tax Program.
Steve is an authority within the Canadian insurance industry and a frequent contributor to industry and accounting publications and events. He believes that simplicity brings clarity and seeks to address tax, estate, and legacy complexities through this lens.
Kevin Wark
LL.B., CLU, TEP
Managing Partner, Integrated Estate Solutions
Kevin is Managing Partner, Integrated Estate Solutions (www.integratedestate.ca) and a Tax Advisor for the Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting (CALU). He has written and spoken extensively on taxation and estate planning topics. He is the author of the popular consumer book entitled The Essential Canadian Guide to Estate Planning (3rd Edition) as well as The Essential Canadian Tax Guide Series on Insured Buy-Sell Arrangements, Life Insurance Transfers, Income Splitting Planning and Corporate-Owned Insurance (release date Spring 2025).
Kevin is the Editor of the CALU Report and a regular contributor to the Advocis FORUM Magazine and e-magazine, CALU’s INFOexchange and Advisor.ca. He is frequently interviewed and quoted in a number of financial publications including the Globe and Mail on issues relating to tax and estate planning.
Kevin is a member of Advocis, The Institute, the Canadian Tax Foundation, Canadian Bar Association and the Society for Tax and Estate Practitioners. He also sits on the board of the Royal Lepage Shelter Foundation.