Cynthia Fortlage

Ms Fortlage shares her experiences of Acceptance without Understanding through various mediums including writing, consulting, public performances, training, personal counsel and mentorship.

Advocating for the treatment of everyone as human beings on their life journey and we accept each other’s journeys without needing to understand each other’s journey first.

Using her skills as a leader, mentor, public speaker and Transgender Woman as the basis for which she builds upon and shares these unique lived experiences and applicability of acceptance without understanding regarding family, work, and life in general to help others who are on their life journey, or find they are facing a precipice of change they didn’t expect in their life journey.

Currently, she is also the Vice President of Information Technology (CIO) with over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, and an executive team member at GHY International, a privately held international trade experts and consulting firm. Ms Fortlage started her career in October 1988 as the firms first IT staff member.

Ms Fortlage's involvement in the community includes Founding Member/ past Chair for the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Innovation Awards, retired national judge for Canadian Information Productivity Awards, Founding Member/ past Board Member of the CIO Association of Canada and it's Manitoba Chapter. Currently, she is Past President of the Manitoba Chapter of the CIO Association of Canada. She also currently holds the role of Board President of Rainbow Resource Centre in Winnipeg, Canada.

Ms Fortlage is well spoken and publicized with media, analysts and vendor clients and has presented in more than 150 events in 15 countries. In March 2014, 2015, 2016 Huffington Post named Ms. Fortlage to The Top 100 Most Social CIOs on Twitter list. 2016 CXO Talk Named Ms. Fortlage to 20 Most Influential CIO. 2016-2017 Ms Fortlage named to Top 100 LBGT Executives Out-standing.org and Financial Post.