Season 4, Episode 10 | Guests: Marni Panas, Sartaj Sarkaria

As we close out another impactful year at Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham, we take a moment to pause to and reflect on the conversations, challenges, and progress that have shaped 2025. It’s a time to look back on what we’ve learned, acknowledge how the landscape of leadership continues to evolve, and consider how these insights will inform our work ahead.  

In this new podcast episode, we are joined by two of CCDI's senior leaders, Marni Panas, Chair of the board of directors, and our recently appointed President and CEO, Sartaj Sarkaria, for a candid conversation on what drives their work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). They offer a clear look at CCDI’s impact and ambitions and speak about navigating leadership amid increasingly polarized conversations around DEIA. They also explore CCDI’s top priorities for the next three years, and wrap up with a powerful one-word vision from each leader on the future role of our organization.  

Tune in for an honest, energizing, forward-looking conversation! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Welcoming Marni Panas and Sartaj Sarkaria to the show. 
• Sartaj tells us about her role in CCDI and what drives her in the world of DEIA. 
• Marni’s personal journey as a trans woman and how it’s inspired her work. 
• What CCDI has done in 2025 and what we look forward to doing in the future. 
• How CCDI is handling negative rhetoric surrounding DEIA in the political spheres. 
• A breakdown of the top priorities for CCDI over the next few years. 
• How they describe their organization’s roles in one sentence/word and why. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: 

• Marni Panas
• Marni Panas on LinkedIn
• Sartaj Sarkaria on LinkedIn
• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
• Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham