We’re excited to launch the inaugural JABC Youth Leadership Conference, a transformational two-day event designed for high school students who have participated in a JA entrepreneurship program.

Event Details

Dates:

Friday, May 22 to Sunday, May 24, 2026

Location:
UBC Sauder School of Business, Vancouver, B.C.

Who can attend:
JA Company Program, including in-school and after-school sessions, or Discover Your Pitch alumni from the 2024–25 or 2025–26 school year.

Accommodation:
Participants will take part in a two-night overnight experience, with UBC accommodation and meals provided at no cost.

Agenda

Time Activity
4:00 – 5:00 PM Student arrival
6:00 – 6:45 PM Dinner buffet
6:45 – 7:00 PM JABC welcome and overview
7:00 – 8:00 PM Opening Keynote session and Q&A (Tara Bosch & Karen Danudjaja)
8:15 – 10:15 PM Evening activity

Time Activity
8:00 – 8:45 AM Breakfast Buffet at Place Vanier
9:15 – 9:45 AM Opening Keynote Session, Q&A (Jaiya Varshney)
9:45 – 10:30 AM Workshop sessions
10:30 – 10:45 AM Break
10:45 – 11:30 AM Workshop sessions
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 – 1:45 PM Workshop sessions
1:45 – 2:00 PM Break
2:00 – 2:45 PM Workshop sessions
2:45 – 3:00 PM Break
3:00 – 5:00 PM Afternoon activity
6:00 – 8:30 PM Dinner and Student Awards (Lyndon Cormack)
8:45 – 10:00 PM Evening activity

Time Activity
8:00 – 8:45 AM Breakfast Buffet at Place Vanier & check-out
9:00 – 9:45 AM Alumni Panel
9:45 – 10:30 AM Closing Session Keynote (Katrina Owens)
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Family Feud/Survey
12:00 PM Closing remarks
12:30 PM Conference ends. All depart.

Featured Workshops

 Admission Prep – Madison Guy

 Artificial Intelligence – Hanif Virani

 Future of Work & Careers – Wynn Wang & Harleen Dhillon, CPABC

 Pitch Presentation & Venture Funding – Andrew Roundtree & Jade Porthault

Friday Session Keynote Speakers

Tara Bosch
Founder of SmartSweets and Bold Beginnings

Karen Danudjaja
Co-Founder and CEO of Blume

Moderated by Sharad Kharé, Storyteller & Co-Founder at Human Biography

Saturday Morning Keynote Speaker

Jaiya Varshney
Co-Founder of Tydra Labs

Awards Dinner Keynote Speaker

Lyndon Cormack
Managing Director & Co-Founder, Herschel Supply Co.

Moderated by Samantha Falk, Founder & CEO at Samantha Falk Communications

Closing Session Keynote Speaker

Katrina Owens
Personal Brand & Public Relations Expert

Conference Highlights

Connect with peers and industry professionals

Gain leadership skills and business knowledge

Take part in interactive workshops and keynote sessions

Be inspired to pursue entrepreneurship and leadership pathways

If you have any questions, please contact Craig Lovell at c.lovell@jabc.org

Kenneth Smith
Kenneth SmithJA Alumnus, Visionary, and Donor of JABC’s Youth Leadership Conference

Junior Achievement (JA) came into my life at just the right time. I was in Grade 11 at Vancouver’s Killarney High School back in 1958 when I first heard about the JA Company Program.

A few friends and I decided to give it a try – and it turned out to be life-changing. Our student company created a simple but clever product called the “Do All Dolly,” and with the help of our corporate advisors, we learned how to produce, market, and sell it – winning the award for most sales!

What really stood out for me were the JA conferences. They brought together students from all over the Pacific Northwest, giving us the chance to meet, learn from, and be inspired by like-minded young people outside our own schools and communities. Those experiences opened doors for me that I could never have imagined – from studying economics at the University of Washington to earning a PhD at Northwestern University and later becoming Dean of the Business School at the University of Arizona.

That’s why I’m so proud to support the JABC Youth Leadership Conference. It’s an incredible opportunity for today’s students to build connections, develop leadership skills, and discover just how big the world can be when you take that first step beyond your comfort zone – just like I did 68 years ago.

– Kenneth Smith