Leaders who make it last.

Mike Cessario is the Founder and CEO of Liquid Death, one of the fastest growing non-alcoholic beverage brands. He was recognized by Time 100 Next 2024 as an emerging leader shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership. Liquid Death is the first beverage company using comedy and entertainment to make health and sustainability 50 times more fun. It takes the healthiest thing you can drink and packages it into infinitely recyclable tallboy cans that can actually compete with the fun marketing of unhealthy brands across energy drinks, beer, and junk food. A portion of Liquid Death’s proceeds goes to non-profits who are helping to fight plastic pollution and bringing clean drinking water to those in need. Prior to Liquid Death, Mike worked in the agency world as a creative executive at Doner, VaynerMedia, Crispin Porter Bogusky, and Humanaut. His agency work spanned brands including Netflix, Organic Valley, Dominos, Toyota and more.

‍

Whit Friese joined The Home Depot in May of 2023 as Vice President of Creative Marketing. He oversees all of the creative including brand, seasonal, foundation and sports sponsorships. Prior to taking the job at The Home Depot, Whit spent over nine years as the Vice President and Group Creative Director of Creative Marketing at CNN. He was responsible for creative content encompassing all network brands and shows from domestic to international across all platforms. He spearheaded the marketing of over 40 Original Series. Along with the Original Series, Whit oversaw the CNN Films and CNN Digital marketing needs. The CNN Creative Marketing group won the Global Marketing Team of the year at Promax-BDA six years in a row and the group received the 2015, 2016. 2018 and 2021 News and Documentary Emmy for Outstanding promotion. Friese is a 17-year alum of Leo Burnett, first as a creative director in the Chicago office, and then as executive creative director in the Tokyo office. He led transmedia campaigns for global brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald's and P&G that resulted in numerous industry accolades including a Grand Prix at Cannes. He traded that experience for a role as producer and technical consultant on the TNT show "Trust Me." The show chronicled the inner workings of a fictitious Chicago ad agency. Friese created all the brand integrations for GM, Anheuser Busch and Unilever within the episodes. He moved from show production to entertainment marketing when he joined Troika Design in Los Angeles. At Troika, he worked across a wide range of networks including AMC, A&E, ABC, HBO, ESPN and Discovery. Whit earned a BA Degree in Advertising from The Pennsylvania State University.

‍

Dustin Britt serves as the Executive Director of Brand Strategy, Entertainment and Media at Chick-fil-A, Inc., where he helps lead an amazing team of creative marketers, working together to grow the brand with smart strategies, paid media, and programs that connect with and add value to Customers' lives. Britt has spent over a decade at Chick-fil-A, where, prior to his current role, he served as Senior Director of Marketing Investment & Consulting and held various leadership roles within Integrated Media. Britt also volunteers as a board member at Cherish Children Adoption International, where he provides general counsel with a specific focus on marketing and brand support. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Samford University and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University. 

‍

Jason Recher is Vice President, Segment Content Creation and Digital Integration at Disney, where his work is about the stories and content that make people want to visit Disney parks. He joined the company in 2017 in executive communications and events in Burbank, after five years leading the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans. Before that he spent nine years with George W. Bush, from the 1999 New Hampshire campaign through the White House, including the recovery work in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. That New Orleans thread runs straight into his Disney work: he has walked Imagineers through Dooky Chase, the restaurant whose founder, Chef Leah Chase, helped inspire Tiana. He has described working at Disney as the job he wanted as a kid. Now he helps decide what the world sees of it.

‍

Jo Fox has spent her career doing something rare in sports marketing, making people genuinely care. From launching Peacock and building its sports identity from scratch, to now leading marketing across ESPN's entire ecosystem, she's consistently turned complicated platform bets into cultural moments fans actually show up for.As ESPN's new SVP of Marketing, she's responsible for the brand's next chapter, including ESPN+, ESPN BET, and the highly anticipated flagship product launch. If you want to understand how the biggest names in sports media are thinking about fan engagement and brand growth right now, Jo's the one to talk to.

Bill Neff is the Head of Marketing at YETI, where he leads the company's global marketing strategies and initiatives. His innovative approach to brand development has significantly enhanced YETI's market presence and community engagement.

Bill joined YETI in 2015 and has since held various critical roles, including Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Customer Experience, Vice President of Marketing for EMEA, and Vice President of Consumer Marketing. These roles have allowed him to drive YETI’s brand growth and reputation for high-quality outdoor lifestyle products​.

One of Bill's notable contributions is the "YETI Presents" film series, which emphasizes the brand's commitment to storytelling and community. This initiative has helped YETI connect deeply with its audience by celebrating outdoor adventures and the communities that thrive within them.

Before joining YETI, Bill gained extensive marketing experience at SITKA Gear, 901 Tequila, and Under Armour. His career began as an Assistant Buyer at May Department Stores, highlighting his long-standing dedication to the field of marketing.

Bill holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from Truman State University. His passion for the outdoors and deep understanding of consumer behavior make him a key figure in YETI’s ongoing success and growth.

‍

Laurie Lam is the Chief Brand Officer of e.l.f. Cosmetics, part of e.l.f. Beauty’s multi-branded portfolio which includes namesake brand e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Naturium, Well People and rhode. She is responsible for strengthening e.l.f.’s branding and setting its strategy for growth across all categories, as well as championing their mission to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face.

With over 20 years of experience building global brands, she’s an accomplished business leader and dynamic marketer in the beauty industry. Prior to joining e.l.f. Beauty, Laurie was at L’Oréal USA where she has held several leadership positions within the group’s Professional Products Division and Consumer Products Division in the US, France and Asia-Pacific. Her experience spans across Marketing, eCommerce & Digital, Acquisitions & Business Development and Innovation.

‍

As Head of Consumer Marketing at Google Canada, Chris oversees marketing for everything from Google Pixel hardware to the latest in Gemini AI.  His career spans leadership roles across P&G Europe and Google Canada and leading everything from global brand strategy to local execution and from building legacy CPG brands to now defining the playbook for consumer AI.  He’s happiest at the intersection of strategy and creativity.  Outside work, he loves tennis, but is coming to grips with losing to his daughter these days.

Jennifer Kattula is General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer of Microsoft Advertising, leading global marketing for one of the world's largest ad platforms.

An engineer by training, a builder by instinct, and a connector at heart, Jennifer brings a rare combination of technical mastery and brand craft to marketing's most pivotal moment today, when leaders forging brand endurance must be as fluent in systems as they are in stories.

Jennifer's 20+ year career spans transformative roles at PwC, Sapient, American Express, and 11 years at Meta, where she was Global Head of Platforms Marketing. She also led marketing at Web3 startup Polygon Labs.

Jennifer is a recognized thought leader on generative AI in advertising. She speaks and writes about the future of brand-building in an AI-native world, helping business leaders find the balance between technology and humanity—and honor both.

Jennifer holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

‍

Kate Santore leads Smartwater, Coca-Cola's $2B brand. Having worked on both the creative and operator sides of marketing, she's built a reputation for translating between creativity and business. Kate is fascinated by one question: Why do smart teams spend so much time solving the wrong problem? She believes great ideas rarely fail because they lack imagination. They fail because they solve the wrong problem.

Phil Cook is in his sixth year as the Chief Marketing Officer for the WNBA, where he is leading a cross functional team driving a new era of growth and fan engagement for the League and its fans. With a focus on athlete storytelling and innovative partnerships, he is redefining the WNBA’s shift from support to fandom, attracting a more engaged, diverse, younger fanbase to the League. Before joining the W, Phil spent more than 25 years at Nike, where he held numerous roles across Sports Marketing, Product and Brand Marketing with a significant time spent in Basketball and Brand Partnerships.

‍

Sara is the Vice President and Global Head of Consumer Marketing at Pinterest, where she oversees global efforts to strengthen Pinterest’s brand, grow its global user base, and establish its definitive role in culture through large scale campaigns, brand activations, influencer partnerships, product marketing and more.Prior to joining Pinterest, Sara spent 16 years at YouTube and Google, holding a variety of positions during her tenure, most recently as a Senior Director of Brand & Media at YouTube. Sara began her career in the entertainment industry, where she worked as a creative executive for a number of independent film companies and studios, including Miramax and Big Beach Films.

Erinn Piller, Head of Global Business Marketing at TikTok Canada, is leading a world-class team dedicated to empowering marketers with solutions that drive authentic connections and business results. With over 15 years of experience in developing and implementing innovative communication and marketing strategies, Erinn has worked with leading entertainment and digital brands and platforms, including Global Entertainment, National Geographic, STACKTV, and Disney. She has also driven brand excellence and leadership across leading NGOs worldwide, including the World Wildlife Fund, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  In addition to her role at TikTok, Erinn is a Women of Inspiration – Authentic Leader Award winner. She sits on the B2B Executive Committee with the Canadian Marketing Association, is a Board Member for the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, and is an acting Director with the Charles H. Ivey Foundation which invests in community organizations supporting youth at risk.

Samantha (Sam) Taylor was appointed WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Experience Officer March 2025. Sam joined Sunwing in March 2020 as Chief Marketing Officer, and in August 2023 was appointed Chief Marketing & Digital Officer of Sunwing Vacations Group, the vacation division of the WestJet Group, and first joined WestJet’s executive leadership team in October 2023. 

Sam’s portfolio is accountable for critical touch points in the guest journey and includes leading all Marketing, Guest Experience and Contact Centres for WestJet and Sunwing Vacations.

Before joining Sunwing, Sam held a variety of executive leadership roles including Chief Marketing Officer at Indigo and Director of Sales and Consumer Products at Mattel. Consistently leveraging customer insights to drive innovation, Sam’s track record for growth and eye for brand marketing is a driving force behind Sunwing Vacations Group.

Driven by data, research and digital marketing trends, Sam uses an empathetic and people-first approach to bolster her team to excellence.

Sam holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Toronto in International Relations.

With almost 30 years of managing human resources at a global scale at businesses spanning consumer, financial services, and tech platforms, Kim Seymour has a demonstrated ability to architect transformation, forge connections, deliver insights and link talent to strategy. She has successfully built world-class business teams across different industries, functions, geographies and environments, ensuring that the talent approach enables execution of strategic objectives. Known for offering pragmatic solutions to thorny issues, she is a sought-after coach, trusted advisor and impactful thought partner.

Kim’s expertise is rooted in strong business acumen, people operations mastery, a data-informed mindset and forward-thinking HR strategies in the areas of talent assessment, succession planning, cultural transformation, performance management, exec compensation and executive coaching.

More recently her expertise has broadened to include helping companies navigate their approaches to workplace strategies and return to office, as well as policies and practices related to AI and its use.

Kim is often asked to speak to a variety of audiences globally on all of these topics as well as her leadership philosophies. Kim has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, and Bloomberg.

Kim brings a wealth of HR experience, a strategic business perspective and a solution-oriented approach. Her ability to integrate human capital strategies with business goals, coupled with her expertise, makes her a valuable partner in guiding companies through complex challenges and fostering long-term success. Her insights into human and organizational behavior help to shape policies and practices that support sustainable growth, necessary innovation, operational excellence and employee engagement.

‍

Laura Nestler has spent two decades transforming passionate fans into empowered growth-drivers. From Yelp to Duolingo to Reddit (where she's currently VP of Community), Laura has been behind some of tech’s most thriving communities and has cracked the code for cultivating communities that drive real value to the members and business. Laura has lived around the globe building teams and communities across diverse cultures and contexts, and now lives in the pacific northwest with her husband, three kids, and inveterate wanderlust.

‍

Jo leads Whalar, part of The Whalar Group, with a visionary approach, forging pivotal relationships with brands, Creators, platforms and strategic partners to drive innovative growth.

‍

She has led core partnerships across some of the world’s leading brands, including: Amazon, Estee Lauder Companies, Google, the NFL and Spotify, and forged global marketing collaborations with LinkedIn, Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter/X and YouTube.

‍

Jo champions Creators and, in 2023, co-founded Whalar Group’s Creator venture studio, Moby Ventures, developing products and brands with and for Creators.

‍

Jo joined Whalar with over 16 years of media experience. Splitting her career between London and NYC, she brings a unique bi-global perspective to her current role in NYC.

‍

FROM DISNEY STUDIOS TO GLOBAL STAGES

Saul Blinkoff is a Hollywood filmmaker and globally sought-after keynote speaker whose credits include Disney, DreamWorks and Netflix. He inspires audiences — from Fortune 500 companies to global conferences — to become the heroes of their own stories. With contagious energy and cinematic storytelling, Saul reveals the mindset behind world-class achievement, teaching how to transform obstacles into opportunities, cultivate resilience and disciplined growth, and unlock creativity to pursue purpose-driven success. Sharing his journey from an unlikely kid with a Disney dream to a life rooted in faith, family and fearless action, Saul leaves audiences energized, deeply moved and awakened to the truth that they were meant to live a Life of Awesome!

Kathryn Kai-ling Frederick is the Chief Marketing Officer at the Los Angeles Rams. In this role, Frederick leads all areas of marketing and media including brand strategy, experiential, creative, game presentation, social, digital, performance analytics and content. Most recently, she was named one of Adweek’s 2026 Most Powerful Women in Sports, recognizing her impact at the intersection of sports, culture, and brand innovation.

Since the start of her tenure in 2021, under Kathryn’s leadership, the Los Angeles Rams’ marketing efforts continue to push the limits of “Defiantly Original”—the organization’s internal mantra developed during Kathryn’s tenure. Claiming several accolades across Clios Sports, Webbys, and more, the campaigns developed under her strategic oversight are nothing short of the Hollywood standard while driving over 3 billion O&O impressions and 750,000 engagements YOY.  

Just a few award-winning campaigns of note during her time include moving the Draft outside of the team’s facility walls to the homes of the Hollywood Hills, Tarzana, and Hermosa Beach to building a field on the beach – kicking off the NFL team’s off-season with unprecedented feats in the "Draft House”. In addition to news-worthy experiential campaigns, the content arm of Kathryn’s world has produced several major features such as the Los Angeles Rams 2022 and 2023  Draft Films featuring Hollywood celebrities such as Scott Eastwood, Josh Holloway, Tyrese Gibson, Aaron Paul, and Bryan Cranston, a Black History Month film celebrating the untold story of Kenny Washington, and a documentary on their QB1, Matthew Stafford, which aired on local channels and nationally on NFL Network. The marketing heartbeat of the Los Angeles Rams continues to set the stage for the future of sports marketing – accomplishing feats never before seen in the NFL. 

Prior to joining the Rams, Frederick was Chief Marketing Officer at Live Nation Entertainment where she helped connect over 300 million global live event fans to music, theater, and sporting events through robust CRM and digital marketing and data centric programs. Prior to Live Nation and Ticketmaster, Frederick held several senior roles leading digital and business transformation at brands such as Yahoo!, Modern Luxury Media and Pricegrabber.  

She is an advisor and investor in a number of early-stage consumer technology companies and participated in the 2016 White House Summit of the United State of Women.

‍

Melissa (Grady) Dias is the Chief Executive Officer of Measured Wellness, where she is leading the transformation of healthcare from episodic, reactive treatment to continuous, proactive care. Measured Wellness delivers “the care between appointments” through a technology-enabled model that combines clinical expertise, coaching, remote monitoring, and personalized support to help patients improve their health every day. Melissa also serves as an advisor to Ziva Health, an AI-powered platform that transforms everyday health data into meaningful clinical insights, enabling providers to deliver smarter, more proactive care. Together, Measured Wellness and Ziva Health are building a vertically integrated healthcare ecosystem designed to improve outcomes, deepen patient engagement, and create sustainable growth for providers. Prior to becoming CEO of Measured Wellness, Melissa served as Global Chief Marketing Officer of Cadillac. As CMO, Melissa led strategic marketing for the Cadillac brand around the world, driving the transformational work that took place over several years. During her time at the helm, she oversaw the rollout out of a new global brand strategy and visual identity, several of Cadillac’s biggest and most consequential launches including the electric portfolio (LYRIQ, ESCALADE IQ, VISTIQ and CELESTIQ), the all-new Escalade, and several other vehicles. Melissa was recognized by Forbes (“50 Most Influential CMOs in the World” and “Entrepreneurial CMO List”), AdAge (Leading Women), Business Insider (Most Innovative CMOs) and Northwestern Medill (Hall of Achievement).  

Melissa has extensive experience leading teams across multiple industries and organizations from entrepreneurial ventures to Fortune 500 companies. Prior to joining Cadillac, Melissa was Senior Vice President of Performance Marketing of Jackson Hewitt.  

Before Jackson Hewitt, Melissa led the Digital Acquisition and Analytics at MetLife and the Global Analytics, e-Commerce Marketing, and CRM teams at Motorola.  Melissa has in-depth expertise in brand transformation, data driven marketing and technology - including new and emerging approaches - and has spoken at several conferences including Cannes Lions, the Forbes CMO Summit, AdWeek, AdExchanger, and IAB conferences, as well as several podcast appearances including Just B with Bethenny Frankel, Girl Boss, Decoder with Nilay Patel, and Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell. She earned a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing with a specialization in Database, Direct, and ecommerce from Northwestern University and holds a Bachelor of Arts from DePaul in Business Administration, with minors in English and Communications.

‍

My life's work has been to transform the web into a more powerful resource for commerce, community, and understanding—and there's no better place or people to do that than at Fanatics, where I serve as Brand Chief. Fanatics was born to raise the game for fans by relentlessly enhancing their experiences with each of the sports they love. Today, we’re known as the authentic outfitter for the greatest athletes, teams and leagues in the world.  It’s more than a job for us, it’s a calling because we fundamentally believe that fandom is a vital force for good in the world, bringing people together across generations, cultures, creeds, and boarders to celebrate greatness.

For my part, I come with over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, with a lengthy track record of building and executing award-winning brand, media, content, communications, and integrated marketing programs that have driven measurable growth, and engagement for some of the most iconic companies online, including Microsoft, Yahoo, and GoDaddy.

At Fanatics, I lead a dynamic team of creative, analytical and operations professionals who are dedicated to revolutionizing the fan experience at every touchpoint. My team works tirelessly (and with great joy) to ignite the passions of fans around the world, making it easier and more exciting for fans to authentically connect with something much bigger than themselves. We’re driven by the opportunity to innovate across our technology platform and retail experiences to crank up fan engagement, expand our global reach, and drive durable growth.

Jacquie Ryan is the Chief Brand and Commercial Officer at the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation, where she oversees all commercial operations, including revenue growth, brand strategy, marketing, partnerships, digital, and sustainability. Since joining the COC in 2019, she has led transformative initiatives such as the launch of the Team Canada app, the Team Canada Impact Agenda, award winning brand campaigns, and the re-set of the Canadian Olympic Foundation business, while also securing landmark partnerships with lululemon, Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire, and RBC.

With over two decades of leadership in brand, sponsorship, and sport marketing, Jacquie previously served as Vice President, Sponsorship Marketing and Philanthropy at Scotiabank, where she led the historic $800 million Scotiabank Arena naming rights deal and oversaw acclaimed hockey marketing programs. Prior to that, Jacquie was Head of Olympic Marketing at RBC, where she and her team delivered the highly successful Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games marketing program.

Jacquie’s contributions to marketing and sport have been widely recognized. In 2024, she was named Marketer of the Year by the Canadian Marketing Association. In 2023, she was honored with the Sport Business Journal Game Changers award recognizing women who are leaders and innovators in the sports industry. Other accolades include Bay Street Bull’s 2021 Women of the Year, The Hockey News’ Top 100 People of Power and Influence in Hockey (2019), Toronto Star’s Most Influential Women in Hockey (2018).

Jacquie currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Marketing Association and is a previous Board Director with the Michael Garron Hospital Foundation.

A brand builder with keen business acumen, Jake has deep expertise in establishing and rapidly scaling brands in an era defined by culture and influence-led marketing. Jake's vision and deep understanding of cultural and influencer led marketing has been vital in the Naturium transformation from a viral beauty start-up to the #3 masstige and fastest growing top 50 skincare brand in the U.S.

‍

‍

Suzanne Pengelly is a beauty industry executive with more than 20 years of experience building brands, scaling businesses, and developing high-performing teams. As President of Naturium since 2024, she has helped accelerate the brand’s evolution from viral startup to the No. 3 masstige brand among the 50 fastest-growing skincare brands in the U.S. (Source: Circana).

‍

Previously, Suzanne served as President, North America at ELEMIS, where she spearheaded innovative marketing strategies and oversaw commercial initiatives to drive business expansion. Suzanne has also held senior leadership roles at Coty, Shiseido, and Peter Thomas Roth.

‍

Suzanne’s passion for the beauty industry fuels her ability to create a clear vision and inspire others. Skilled at enhancing brand equity, scaling businesses, and defining future paths, she is committed to driving impactful growth. Her experience includes a strong focus on post-acquisition strategy, aligning teams and resources to enable long-term innovation. Suzanne is part of the e.l.f. Beauty x National Associate of Corporate Directors (NACD) Accelerate program, a  unique, two-year program that creates a pathway for executives to prepare for board service. With an optimistic spirit and a belief that anything is possible, Suzanne inspires those around her to embrace challenges and pursue their dreams.

‍

Shirley Mukerjea is Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo Foods Canada, leading some of the country's most iconic brands - including Lay's, Quaker, Doritos, Tostitos, and Miss Vickie's - with a creative, culture-first approach to growth.

With more than two decades in CPG, including 18 years at PepsiCo, Shirley has helped shape brands through big ideas, emotional storytelling, and creative work that earns attention and drives business. She has led global brand identity and reputation work, supported PepsiCo's worldwide rebrand, and championed purpose-led initiatives such as Food for Tomorrow, a collaboration with the National Geographic Society focused on regenerative agriculture and the future of food.

Her creative impact has been recognized with a Cannes Gold Lion, Sports Marketing Clios, and a Canadian Star Woman of Grocery award. From culturally resonant partnerships with FIFA, the NHL, and National Geographic to building stronger marketing capability and mentoring the next generation of talent, Shirley brings a bold, human-first lens to creativity, leadership, and growth.

She is also an advocate for inclusion, serving as Executive Sponsor for PepsiCo Canada's Women's Inclusion Network and on the board of Forward Together. Outside work, Shirley stays close to culture through travel, music, dance, art, photography, sports, and food.

With more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant and retail industry, Wade Allen is a seasoned executive known for driving transformation, growth, and exceptional guest experiences. As President of Win Brands, Wade oversees both Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill and FatCats Entertainment, setting strategic direction, optimizing performance, and elevating the end-to-end guest experience across both brands.Wade is recognized for his expertise in designing and scaling customer-centric strategies that deepen loyalty, enhance brand connection, and deliver consistent, high-quality experiences. He brings a disciplined approach to aligning operations, technology, and marketing to meet evolving guest expectations and drive measurable results.Prior to joining Win Brands, Wade spent nearly a decade at Brinker International, where he held several executive roles, including Chief Digital Officer, Chief Information Officer, Head of Innovation, and Vice President of Marketing. During his tenure, he played a key role in advancing digital transformation and building capabilities that strengthened both the customer experience and business performance.Wade’s expertise spans restaurant and retail operations, guest experience design, digital transformation, advanced analytics, and brand strategy. He is passionate about building high-performing teams and creating meaningful, differentiated experiences that drive long-term growth.

Senior Brand & Marketing Strategist at Dear Media, working across talent, shows and brand growth within one of the fastest growing podcast networks.

Previous experience across global brands including L'Oréal and The Diary of a CEO. I was the Personal Brand Manager to Steven Bartlett (The Diary of a CEO) for 3x years. Including: ghostwriting on 4x platforms, creative direction, brand identity and organic social ownership. I help build audiences in the millions and create content that travels far beyond a single post.

Most founders don’t struggle with content they struggle with clarity, positioning and presence. They know they should be visible, but don’t know what to say, how to say it, or how to become recognisable for the right things.And that's where I come in.

Kevin Swanepoel is CEO of The One Club for Creativity, the world’s foremost non-profit organization whose mission is to support and celebrate the global creative community.  

Under his nearly 30 years of guidance, The One Club has grown significantly in scope and stature, producing many of the world’s largest and most prestigious global advertising and design awards programs: The One Show, ADC Annual Award, Type Directors Club TDC competitions, Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE) awards, ONE Asia Creative Awards, Young Guns, Young Ones Student Awards, TDC Ascenders, Next Creative Leaders, and Creative Hall of Fame.  

These programs collectively receive more than 60,000 entries from more than 75 countries a year, and recognize global creative excellence in all forms of advertising, design, AI, data, digital, experiential, typography, and type design.

Kevin joined The One Club as marketing director in 1997 before rising to president in 2006 and CEO in 2015.  In that time, he transformed The One Club into more than just awards shows.  Revenue generated from its global awards are directed back into the industry to produce more than two dozen annual year-round education, inclusion & diversity, gender equality, and professional development programs for creatives at all levels of experience around the world.

He was also instrumental in extending the global brand of The One Club, establishing an International Board of Directors made up of creative leaders in advertising and design from around the world, opening The One Club China office in 2005, and merging the Art Directors Club (ADC), Type Directors Club and Art Directors Club of Europe into The One Club to form The One Club for Creativity.

In 2009, Kevin established Creative Week, the preeminent festival celebrating the intersection of advertising, design, digital media and the arts.  

His latest focus is to help the creative community and agency/brand business leaders explore and navigate the vast new opportunities and challenges posed by AI.  In 2025, he established The One Show AI Pioneer award, recognizing the agency, brand, and individual who are most effectively pushing the boundaries of AI and creativity.

Case Kenny is an author, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and Chief Optimist at Optimism.com.

He is the author of "The Language of Optimism" and has built a community of more than 1.9 million people across social media by exploring how language shapes psychology, resilience, and the way we respond to change. Drawing on nearly two decades of studying linguistics, neuroscience, and mindfulness, Case translates behavioral science into practical tools that help people think, feel, and live at their best.

Case is an active investor and strategic advisor to emerging wellness brands, partnering with founders building products, experiences, and technologies grounded in the science of lasting behavior change. He advises mission-driven brands on community, storytelling, and long-term brand building, bringing together behavioral science and brand strategy to help companies create products people believe in, adopt, and return to.

------

Case Kenny

Social | @case.kenny

Ventures | casekenny.com/ventures

Speaking | casekenny.com/speaking

Host | New Mindset, Who Dis

‍

Allison Muscart is Head of Marketing for HYROX Americas, where she leads brand and marketing strategy across North and South America. Her work focuses on building HYROX as a sport for everyone—growing a community-driven movement that challenges traditional ideas of what an athlete looks like and who belongs in sport. From first-time competitors to lifelong athletes, HYROX creates a space where people of all backgrounds and abilities can challenge themselves, compete, and feel part of something bigger.

Allison’s background spans marketing, strategy, consulting, entrepreneurship, and performance, giving her a multidisciplinary approach to building brands and communities. Before moving into business and marketing, she began her career as a professional opera singer—an unconventional path that continues to shape how she thinks about storytelling, audience connection, and creating experiences that make people feel something.

Today, she brings those worlds together to build brands people don’t just engage with, but genuinely feel part of.

‍

Lyndon Cormack is the co-founder of Herschel Supply Company, which he launched with his brother Jamie in 2009 after identifying a gap in the global market for thoughtfully designed, functional bags, a vision that helped establish the brand as a leader in the international accessories space.

In 2026, he co founded Typical, a premium home goods brand focused on reimagining everyday essentials through material innovation and considered design. He is the proud father of two daughters and divides his time between Deep Cove in North Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia.

‍

Adam Izen is Chief Awards Officer at The One Club for Creativity, where he oversees the organization’s global portfolio of awards programs, including The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, Young Guns, Young Ones, and ONE Asia. In this role, he leads the strategic direction and continued evolution of the organization’s awards, championing creative excellence, industry integrity, and the recognition of groundbreaking work across disciplines and markets.

Previously, Adam served as Director of The One Show and held leadership roles across the organization’s membership and awards divisions, driving growth, expanding global engagement, and strengthening connections within the international creative community. His work focuses on advancing the role of awards in celebrating creativity, elevating emerging talent, and shaping the future of the creative industry.

‍

Meg Moss is Head of Agency Partnerships at Canva, leading a global team to build a network of creative and marketing agencies to scale Canva's enterprise business with a key mission: make Canva the single AI-based design platform for enterprise. Before Canva, Meg spent seven-plus years at Adobe at the forefront of the AI-era. Earlier in her career, she co-founded and exited ImageBrief, a VC-backed digital content marketplace that saw her move from Sydney to New York City.

‍

Namita is a partnerships lead with 15+ years of experience working at the intersection of lifestyle & tech while embodying a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Passionate about developing partnerships from scratch that are rooted in purpose, community, and culture. Results driven, analytical, and creative with a knack for building strong cross-functional relationships and industry connections. Mental health advocate who always leads with empathy, and has the emotional intelligence that truly up-levels communication style. Loves connecting with + advising diverse brands & creators who are changing the world for better.

‍

Arielle Estoria (she/her) is a poet, speaker, author, actor, and certified sound healing practitioner whose mantra — "Words not for the ears but for the soul" — shapes everything she creates. Based in Los Angeles, she crafts experiences that transcend language, holding space for transformation through poetry, performance, and presence.

Her work has taken her to stages alongside Cirque du Soleil for Marriott International, the Yellow Conference, Princeton University, and TEDx. She has partnered with brands including Google, Lululemon, and SKIMS, and her poetry and presence have been featured on ESSENCE, POPSUGAR, OWN, and Well+Good.

Arielle is the author of The Unfolding: An Invitation to Come Home to Yourself (HarperOne, 2023) and the recording artist behind The Art of Unfolding, a spoken word album released in 2024. A SAG actor and model, she has appeared in campaigns for Etsy, Starbucks, PayPal, and TJ Maxx.

Arielle doesn't just perform, she transmits. Every stage, screen, and page becomes a space where something in you wakes up

‍

As CEO of 72andSunny Toronto, Julien Bissuel brings 20+ years of experience operating at the highest levels of both Fortune 500 organizations and global creative networks. His career spans tier-one brands including Apple, P&G, PepsiCo, and Nestlé, driving business transformation and cultural relevance at scale. Before 72andSunny, Julien served as Managing Director at Forsman & Bodenfors North America, scaling operations across Toronto, Montreal, 
and New York. Originally from France and now a fixture in the Canadian market, he brings a "born modern" mindset and a relentless focus on creative ingenuity to solve complex business challenges.

John Rampton is a CEO, founder, and ecommerce operator who has helped scale a consumer brand to approximately $100 million in revenue with strong profitability and accelerated growth. He brings a rare mix of visionary marketing, operator discipline, GEO/AIO expertise and real-world execution.

In a world full of ecommerce advice from people who have never truly built at scale, Rampton brings something different: lived experience. He knows what it takes to acquire customers efficiently, build a brand that lasts, improve margins, and create a business with meaningful long-term value.

His session will deliver hard-won lessons on scaling ecommerce in the real world — not just growing fast, but growing intelligently, profitably, and in a way that creates lasting enterprise value.

‍

Mandy Balak is President of The Gathering, a three-time founder, and author of Chasing Enough: The High Achiever's Guide to Sustainable Success. She created the Well-Resourced Method, which helps founders, leaders, and high performers spot the patterns that keep them stuck, drop the habits that drain their energy, and build the capacity their next stage requires before it's demanded of them. Mandy brings it to executive teams and high performers who are already good at the work and done with more hours as the answer.

Jennifer Rooney is an award-winning innovator, curator, and connector among the world’s leading CMOs and beyond. She has built a professional reputation as a trusted, unbiased thought leader, trend-tracker, and visionary. With over 25 years of experience as a business journalist covering the advertising, marketing, and branding industries, as well as executive-level marketing decision-makers, she possesses a deep understanding of the marketing industry's dynamics and leadership.

Jennifer has successfully launched multiple initiatives, platforms, series, and events for CMOs, other C-suite executives, and the broader advertising and marketing community. Through interviews with hundreds of marketing leaders, participation in the marketing industry's foremost alliances, summits, and organizations, and collaboration with premier business schools nationwide, she has cultivated an extensive and valuable network of relationships with the most influential global chief marketers, business leaders, educators, and futurists.

Currently serving as the Chief Experience Officer at Adweek, Jennifer is tasked with bringing a community-first lens to all of Adweek's activities. She creates new initiatives, resources, and experiential offerings to better connect with and serve marketing decision-makers and the overall marketing ecosystem, building consistency and value across all touchpoints.

Previously, Jennifer served as Managing Director and Cofounder of CMO House at Black Glass, an IPG marketing consultancy, where she advised CMOs and provided them with essential resources and access to excel. Prior to that, she spent 10 years at Forbes as Communities Director, Assistant Managing Editor, and Editor and Chair of the CMO Network. In these roles, she managed content and events critical to executive-level marketing decision-makers, particularly the annual Forbes CMO Summit. She also led the Forbes CMO Video Interview Series, the World’s Most Influential CMOs list, the Forbes CMO University Alumni Series, and conceived and launched Forbes CMO Next, an annual list of 50 game-changing CMOs, as well as the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Marketing and Advertising list.

As Editorial Communities Director, Jennifer created and launched the Forbes CxO practice, spotlighting C-suite executive collaboration. She also co-hosted Wharton Business Radio’s monthly “CMO Spotlight” show on SiriusXM for seven years and consults with universities on marketing-curriculum development. Jennifer is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award.

A 25-year marketing industry veteran, Paul has spent his career focusing on using data, technology and analytics to deliver the right message to the right customer at the right time. This journey has led from mass advertising to promotions, shopper marketing, digital and 1:1 CRM. For over 10 years, Paul led the North American operations of Track DDB, a leading digital, data, technology and analytics agency focusing on delivering connected experiences to some of the world’s best brands. In addition, Paul is an Industry Professor at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University where he teaches Customer Value Creation and Marketing Analytics as part of their MBA faculty. He is also an advisor for the McMaster Digital Transformation Research Center. As Chair of the ICA’s Canadian Marketing Effectiveness Council and author of The Alchemy of Effectiveness: A Focus on Canada 2025 report, Paul is responsible for using real results to help drive effectiveness for Canadian brands.

‍

Mark Groves, founder of Create The Love, is a Human Connection Specialist, author, speaker, coach, motivator, creator, collaborator, and connector whose purpose is to help humans step into their most authentic, effective, loving selves by way of his bold, no-BS approach to life. Mark brings complex academic concepts and research to life in a fun & relatable way, empowering humans to transform the way they work, think, and relate. He loves tacos, hiking, and making people laugh so hard they can't help but pee their pants a little. Mark founded Create The Love (see @createthelove on Instagram) to help humans create deeper relationships with themselves and others. Now he's on a mission to expand his compassionate approaches to dialogue and discourse into all aspects of human existence through his Podcast.

‍

Peter Katz is a JUNO Award & Canadian Screen Award-nominated singer-songwriter
who has spent the past 15 years touring internationally. He has been described by
many of his fans and speaking clients as “a thunderbolt for the soul”. Renowned
CBC radio host Tom Power described Peter’s music as “one of the most heartfelt,
beautiful, and vulnerable records of the year... an astonishing record.” To date,
his music has been streamed over 30 million times, his music videos have over
25 million views on YouTube and his songs have been featured on countless TV
shows and movies including the 2016 Rio Olympics/Paralympics. Peter is also one
of Canada’s most in-demand speakers and facilitators, being called on to give his
highly customized ‘Keynote Concerts’ to hundreds of companies and organizations
across various industries like Bell, Johnson & Johnson, Xerox, Royal Lepage,
American Express, Sick Kids Hospital, Mars, Trillium Health and Royal Bank –
to name only a few. Beyond his transformational in-person events, Peter is also
regarded as one of the pioneers of highly-engaging virtual experiences, having
performed to over 150,000 people virtually from his state-of-the art broadcast
studio, including being invited to address the House of Commons of Canada.

‍

Rachele Gillmar is President of Millor Goods, a modern manufacturing platform helping purpose-driven consumer brands scale through certified organic production, operational excellence, and strategic brand partnerships. With a background spanning marketing, communications, and brand development, she focuses on the intersection of consumer insight, brand strategy, and the evolving future of modern CPG companies.

‍

As Head of Measurement & Data Strategy at Google Canada, Jonny leads a specialized team that empowers Canada's largest brands to quantify

 ROI, optimize performance with AI innovation, and fuel growth through data-driven decisions. His diverse career across brand design, web development, SEO, martech, and analytics provides a holistic marketing perspective. When Jonny isn't helping advertisers

 hit their targets, he is usually on the soccer pitch aiming for the top corner!

‍

John Hall is the Chief Advisor for Relevance.com, a leading AI Visibility agency that helps brands become the most relevant in their industry. John has written consistent columns for Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, and many more major publications. He is the bestselling author of Top of Mind and is a keynote speaker on AI trends and how brands can engage customers to stay top of mind at the right moments.

Chris Kneeland is an advisor, brand builder, marketer, revenue generator, profit producer, and thought provoker. He is an enabler of big ideas and ideal experiences and a dedicated enthusiast of cult brands. At his core, Kneeland is a teacher who finds his greatest joy in learning and helping others apply new principles or concepts.

Co-founder of Cult, Kneeland established the company to assist business owners and brand leaders in elevating their thinking about the possibilities for their companies and careers. This mission is rooted in his extensive research into the world's most cult-like brands. Kneeland is driven by a daily commitment to making businesses more deserving of brand advocates who not only purchase more but also buy into the brand’s ethos.

Kneeland combines a unique blend of data-driven insights and instincts to enhance customer and employee experiences, ultimately fostering stronger brand attachment. His professional purpose centers on helping businesses become more successful and significant by engaging customers, prospects, and staff on a deeper emotional level. Through empathy and expertise, Kneeland and his team assist organizations in creating better products, programs, and value propositions that boost brand relevance and make their offerings irresistible.

Kneeland’s approach emphasizes not just communication but meaningful interaction, striving for clear and compelling engagement that leads to category dominance. He finds fulfillment in significantly improving the trajectory of companies and elevating people's understanding of their true potential.

In summary, Chris Kneeland is a strategic leader dedicated to helping businesses achieve greater success and significance through enhanced brand engagement and customer experiences. His passion for teaching and his expertise in building cult-like brands make him a valuable asset in the marketing community.

I believe there is only one true heroism in the world -- to see the world as it is, and to love journaling.

‍

Candy is the Chief Marketing Officer at Felix Health, where she's helping build the brand behind one of healthcare's most exciting companies — one that's on a mission to make getting care feel less like a months-long wait and more like, well, care.

‍

A 3× tech CMO and startup advisor, Candy has spent her career at the intersection of brand and growth — helping companies figure out not just what they do, but why anyone should care. She has a particular passion for the zero-to-one moments: building marketing teams and brand foundations for companies that are still figuring it all out.

‍

Before the startup world, Candy spent nearly a decade at Anheuser-Busch InBev driving brand health and Super Bowl campaigns for Budweiser. The experience cemented something she still believes deeply: a strong brand isn't a nice-to-have. It's a growth strategy.

‍

Her work has earned Webby Awards, Cannes Lions and Clio recognition, and a place on FastCompany's 2025 Brands that Matter list. Off the clock, you'll find her on a yoga mat, hunting for the perfect croissant, or completely unreachable somewhere spectacular.

‍

Shez Mehra is an entrepreneur, producer, strategist, and DJ working at the intersection of sound, culture, technology, and brand experience.

His career began behind the decks, performing in cities around the world and shaping the atmosphere of everything from luxury hospitality and private gatherings to major cultural, entertainment, and sporting events. Years spent reading rooms, understanding audiences, and creating emotional connection through sound formed the foundation of how he approaches business, creativity, and experience today. As a producer and A&R, he has also collaborated with artists including Drake and The Clipse.

Today, as Founder of The 194 Group and Partner at AudioBrand.io and Raina, Shez builds and advises businesses across sonic branding, music technology, hospitality, entertainment, experiential marketing, and cultural partnerships.

Over the past decade, he has worked with brands including Google, Nike, Four Seasons, BMW, Mastercard, Shopify, Samsung, and Rolls-Royce, using sound, story, and experience to create stronger connections between brands and the people they serve.

Shez has shared his thinking at The Gathering, Future Festival, Effie Canada, the American Marketing Association, the ICA, and Miami Ad School. He remains fascinated by how sound influences memory, emotion, behavior, and the experiences people remember long after they leave the room.

‍

Brett Banker co-founded X&O in 2022 to build what many brands wished existed: direct access to expert talent without the layers, overhead, or delays of a traditional agency. Prior to X&O, Brett served as Managing Partner and Head of Account Management at Anomaly and Operational Lead at Grey Worldwide. Brett is also a DTC entrepreneur, aspiring chef, and half-decent golfer.

‍

Eric Segal is the co-founder of X&O, a new “agency” model born on the 4th of July, as a declaration of independence from the Hold Co AOR principles and processes. Sprint-based, experts-only, and with nearly zero overhead, X&O stands firmly on the belief that if you give the best brains in the business 100% focus they can achieve big outcomes quickly. Prior to X&O, Eric was Partner and Chief Creative Officer of Anomaly. He has contributed to 4 Top Ten Super Bowl Commercials, has been awarded at every major show, and his campaign for Major League Baseball was quoted by President Obama. Eric was named one of AdAge’s 40 under 40 in 2015, and Best Dad by two of his three sons in 2019.

Heather is an accomplished Canadian entrepreneur, brand builder, and event producer whose experience in corporate environments inspired her to found WNORTH in 2015, an award-winning membership network dedicated to bridging the gender power gap by elevating women in the leadership pipeline. WNORTH Members gather, network and uplift each other through Roundtables, Dinners, Forum Groups, City Summits and will host their 12th Annual Conference at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, May 5-7, 2027.

WNORTH is recognized as the global curator of transformational leadership gatherings for women—blending luxury, belonging, and impact. Through destination retreats, curated in-person gatherings in Canada, the US, and the UK, virtual forums, and our flagship Whistler Conference, we’ve hosted 450+ events, welcomed over 20,000 participants, and featured more than 500 global thought leaders. We have co-hosted events with Virgin Unite, PwC, Thinkific, Instagram, SAP and TD Bank.

Heather is also the Founder & CEO of Bluebird, one of Western Canada's most trusted event planning and destination management company. Heather has previously held senior events roles at YPO, Abaxx Technologies, Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort and the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

In 2025, during UNGA 80 in New York City, Heather was named to the Top 100 Faces of Impact, she has also been named by The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business as one of the Top 50 Changemakers of 2022, a Top Female Founder of 2024 and 2025 by FoundersBeta and a 2026 Inc. Female Founder 500 (one of only 10 Canadians).

Shawn Perritt is an award-winning international Brand Strategist, Creative Director, and B2B disruptor with 20+ years of experience working across ad agencies, independent consulting and in-house roles. Shawn is currently a VP of marketing at Acquia overseeing brand, creative, video production, social media and global events. He is passionate about breakthrough ideas, empowering brand leaders and believes in the power of turning imagination into impact. Prior to Acquia, Shawn consulted with ad agencies for major brands like Microsoft, IBM, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes-Benz.

Finola is VP, Creative & Client Strategy at Linqia, the leading independent influencer marketing agency in the US. Prior to joining Linqia three and half years ago, she spent four years at Meta on the Creative Shop team, delivering winning creative strategies across Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and beyond. Previously, she was Brand Strategy Director at Refinery29, where she co-founded R29 Intelligence, the media company’s research and strategy practice focused on Millennial and Gen Z women. Finola started her career as a Marketing Fellow on the WPP Fellowship, the advertising conglomerate’s prestigious future leadership scheme, with stints at Ogilvy in New York and Hill & Knowlton Strategies in London. She has two degrees from the University of Oxford and is a published novelist.

As CEO of Citizen Relations, Nick Cowling is a global industry pioneer who has spent over three decades rewriting the playbook on brand trust. In an era where search engines are powered by Generative AI and brand reputation can change in a keystroke, Nick is leading the charge to build a new breed of PR agency—one rooted in absolute transparency and modern digital intelligence. Under his leadership, Citizen has scaled to ten offices across North America and Europe, partnering with iconic global brands like P&G, Labatt, and Nestlé to earn hundreds of industry accolades, including multiple Cannes Lions. A champion for meaningful change, Nick balances commercial disruption with deep social impact, serving as a prominent advocate for global equity, diversity, and environmental sustainability.

‍

Mike co-founded Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods in 1998. From 1998 to 2016, he ran all aspects of the company as Chairman of the Board and CEO. In February 2019 Mike helped guide the strategic sale of Manitoba Harvest to Tilray for $419 million dollars.

Mike has dedicated over 25 years studying and practicing natural health, starting in 1995 when he made the life changing decision to lose over 100lbs, and go from 300lbs to his current 200Lbs. He has gained an excellent knowledge of human anatomy, diet, nutrition and natural health lifestyle. Mike is a best-selling author, a keynote speaker, and has been featured on various media countless times regarding natural health, nutrition, hemp foods, organic agriculture, sustainable business, entrepreneurship and mentorship.

Mike has won numerous awards;
Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2004)
Socially Responsible Business Award (2006)
The Lorax Award (2006)
Top 40 under 40 (2008)
Company of the Year (2010)
CHFA Organic Achievement Award (2010)
Spirit of Winnipeg Award (2014)
Nutrition Business Journal Education Award (2014)
CME Emerging Business Award (2014)
EY Entrepreneur of the Year (2014)
MFPA Presidents Award (2016)
OTA Organic Rising Star Award (2016)
Top 100 Health Influencers (2017)
John Holtmann Leadership Award (2021)

‍

In February of 2022, as Chairman of the Board Mike completed his third nine figure exit deal with the acquisition of Sol Cuisine by Plant Plus Foods for $125mm cash.

Mike is currently Chief Executive Officer of Fata & Associates, Chairman of the Board of Nuts For Cheese and Mitsoh, Global Growth Advisor for Mid-Day Squares, Blume, Purplesful Snacking and WildBran, Lifetime Member (Past Chairman) of the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), Lifetime Member (Past Chairman) of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and investor/advisor to a portfolio of companies.

‍

Mike is a full time solo father of two teenagers, a certified holistic health coach and avid backyard organic farmer. In his free time he enjoys coaching and mentoring natural products industry entrepreneurs. In 2021 Mike launched www.fatafleishman.org a free mass mentorship toolbox for CPG entrepreneurs. 

‍

Mike’s best selling book Grow: 12 Unconventional Lessons for Becoming and Unstoppable Entrepreneur released in March 2023. 

‍

Social handles: Linkedin, Instagram @mikefata 

www.mikefata.ca

‍

Jam Gamble, best known as the Slayer of the Mic®, is a speaker, media personality, and voice and communication coach who has built a brand, a business and a career by trusting her voice. For the past decade, she’s been helping others recognize what’s possible with theirs.

Her work spans corporate stages, leadership development and brand collaborations. She’s worked with leading organizations including Pinterest, MetLife, Shopify, Johnson & Johnson, Prime Video, TD, Hasbro, SickKids, lululemon, F5, Loblaws, Allergan Aesthetics, MLSE, Molson Coors and RBC. Her brand collaborations include Michelin, Ferrero Rocher and Endy, among others.

A familiar face and voice across Canadian television and media, Jam has appeared on CTV’s The Social, Breakfast Television, CBC and SiriusXM, and hosted six seasons of her own television series, A Voice for All.

Jam is also the founder of Slay the Mic® and the creator of its signature coaching program, designed to help entrepreneurs, thought leaders and professionals trust their voices, articulate their ideas and communicate with greater confidence and intention.

Known for her magnetic energy, sharp humour and unmistakable presence, Jam has a way of making people feel seen, heard and inspired to think differently about what’s possible for themselves.

‍

For more than 20 years, Rebecca has built brands and creative work across agencies and client organizations from homegrown to global. She has a proven track record spanning a broad range of categories, contributing to award-winning work for brands including TD and IKEA, and most recently, Kids Help Phone. In 2022, Rebecca spearheaded the Kids Help Phone brand transformation, bringing a new identity and creative platform to life. At its heart is a simple ambition: to create a brand and space where all young people can find support for the feelings that weigh them down.

‍
Today, Rebecca leads a cross-functional team of builders and storytellers who create campaigns, communications, and content that connect young people with services while also supporting revenue-generating work.
‍

For her, the mission is personal. As a mother of two sons, she is passionate about enriching the lives of young people across Canada, normalizing conversations about mental health, and making it easier to ask for help. As a brand leader, she uses the power of storytelling to create meaningful social impact and is grateful to be a champion for Kids Help Phone, a brand that means so much to so many.

‍

Josh Hansen is the Chief Strategic Officer at McCann Canada and partner in the Toronto Flower Market. He has spent over two decades helping brands find new futures through clarity and conviction. Before and during his career he has sought to reinforce his strategic perspective through pursuits in writing, musicianship and creative direction continually exploring the relationship between brands, people and culture. He has worked with some of Canada’s and the world’s most iconic brands, including Apple, Coca-Cola, Petro-Canada, Kids Help Phone, adidas, Swiss Chalet, Mercedes-Benz, Sport Chek, Kellogg’s, and Freshbooks.

Kevin is the founder and CEO of neuro tech and data company Brainsights. Operating at the intersection of AI, media and human decision-making, Brainsights works with leading brands, platforms and creators in 7 markets across 4 continents to understand consumer motivation, and brain-optimize content and media.
His company has been featured in Time Magazine, The BBC, The Discovery Channel, and Netflix’s Chelsea Handler show, and its pioneering work in Attention Spans with Microsoft helped to earn DigiMarCon's 2015 Startup of the Year in Canada. Prior to founding Brainsights, Kevin founded and led analytics units at WPP and Havas, advising advertisers on multi-touch attribution and market mix modelling in North America and Europe. He holds an MBA from Trinity College, Dublin where he was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, and an Honours BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Toronto.

‍

As Chief Media and Activation Officer, David provides strategic leadership to Environics Analytics’ Media and Data Collaboration Solutions team. David has been a senior executive for over two decades, recently as President and COO for NLogic (formerly BBM Analytics), turning it into a client-focused, innovative and profitable data-driven company. He is well-versed in data and analytics with extensive experience in data, market research and software development, focusing on the broadcast and advertising industries. David holds a Master of Arts from the University of Hull and is a regular speaker and participant in industry conferences and a long-standing member of several industry bodies.

‍

As co-founder of OhSNAP!, Dmitry helps B2B tech companies get out of the busy work and create space for their big swings.

‍
He's one of the pioneers of self-service brand systems, enabling creatives and non-creatives alike to do their best work. With an engineering mindset, he brings that same systems thinking to brand building, AI adoption, process automation, and tech stack modernization.
‍

Before co-founding OhSNAP!, Dmitry led Brand and Creative at companies like HubSpot and SevenRooms. He writes The Brief Creative, a newsletter about how great work gets done, and hosts What's Your Process?, a podcast that digs into the processes of the world’s best marketers. An NYC native, he now lives in Chicago with his wife and three kids, desperately real pizza and bagels.

‍

Kari is a dynamic speaker and creative leader, with extensive experience across all communications channels, including digital, one-to-one, and data-driven creativity. She got her start as a copywriter specializing in retail e-commerce, but then quickly moved through the advertising ranks, working on large campaigns for world-class brands in financial, automotive, QSR, not-for-profit, and tech sectors. Kari has judged creativity at the Webbys, CMAs, Echos, and Effie. She brings her unique mix of creativity, insight, data-driven approach, and business acumen to everything she does.

‍

David Luba is a Canadian entrepreneur and climate-tech leader focused on scaling credible, measurable restoration. He is a Co-Founder of tentree, the sustainable apparel brand built on planting trees with every purchase and veritree, a restoration data and verification platform helping organizations fund nature-based solutions with transparency and proof.

At veritree, David has helped build a system that connects on-the-ground restoration with rigorous monitoring, verification, and reporting so that companies can stand behind their environmental claims with confidence. Under the team’s leadership, veritree has been recognized as one of Canada’s fastest-growing technology companies and an emerging leader in the cleantech ecosystem. David is known for blending mission-driven leadership with commercial discipline, building products, partnerships, and teams that make climate action tangible, auditable, and scalable.

Jamie Parker is the President and Co-Founder of Canadian Heritage Roasting Company. Before starting the business, he was an Alberta wildfire rappel firefighter, jumping from helicopters into remote wildlands to fight fires. In 2015, at the young age of 25 he and fellow firefighter Mike Wenzlawe put $10,000 of their savings into a coffee business inspired by their time on the fireline and by the wild places they wanted more Canadians to experience.

Jamie has spent the 11 years since building that idea into a national brand. He runs a flagship retail coffee shop in Calgary, Alberta, has built a manufacturing facility, and has fought for space in a crowded grocery category, earning distribution in more than 1,000 stores across Canada. Now he and his team are taking on another challenge with Flash Fuel, an organic instant coffee line made for a new generation of outdoor adventures.

Jamie lives on a ranch near Millarville, Alberta, where hunting, fishing, and time outdoors remain part of his everyday life. The brand’s products and content brings customers into those lived moments. Its larger vision is to get more Canadians outdoors, because people who experience wild places have a stake in protecting them. That promise carries through to a tree planted for every bag sold, with restoration efforts tracked through Veritree.

Jamie’s perspective on credibility comes from building the business behind the story and making its promises hold up as it grows.

Kyla Dufresne is the Founder & CEO of Foxy Box Laser + Wax Bars, Canada’s largest hair removal franchise. She launched Foxy Box in 2012 from her dining room using her bartending tips, with no business degree, no investors, and absolutely no idea what she was doing.

What she did have was a belief that the beauty industry could do a better job of making people feel powerful in their own skin, while building a business that leaves a positive impact on the communities and planet around it.

Today, Foxy Box has grown into a national franchise built around confidence, community, humour, sustainability, and a willingness to do things differently. As a Green Circle Certified business, Foxy Box has made sustainability a meaningful part of its operating model, diverting more than 70,000 pounds of beauty waste from landfills in 2025 alone.

Kyla is passionate about building brands people actually give a damn about, creating fiercely loyal communities, and proving that businesses can grow while doing good along the way.

Her philosophy? Her mistakes are her Harvard education, and when someone tells her no, she usually hears, “Watch me.”

‍

Josh joined Citizen Relations as its first Chief Creative Officer in 2021, the same year he was named one the World’s Most Awarded Creatives by The Drum.

Since becoming the first creative to sit on the Global Executive Team at the agency, Citizen has been nominated for Strategy Magazine PR Agency of the Year three consecutive years (winning gold in 2023, silver in 2024) and for the first time in its history, Design Agency of the Year.

Citizen was named 2023 PRovoke Consumer Agency of the Year, 2024 Campaign Global PR AOY (Bronze) and Josh himself received NA Innovation Sabres Creative Professional of the Year honours two years in a row (’23,’24), and was named to Campaign’s Top 40 Over 40 in 2025.

Josh represents the industry as a juror at shows including Cannes, D&AD, New York Festival, and the Effies and has worked with the next generation of creative talent at the Miami Ad School. Josh loves comedy, chess, NBA basketball, and pretending he’s knowledgeable about wine.

‍

DANIELLE LAPORTE’s spiritual direction has reached over 40 million people. She is one of Oprah’s Super Soul 100, and the former director of a DC-based think tank where she managed futurists creating scenario plans for the likes of The Pentagon and The World Bank.

‍

Her Centered membership and leadership curriculum have supported facilitators in 30+ countries, alongside her popular Centered Planning system. Her weekly writing at WITH LOVE, DANIELLE is also a podcast that ranks in the top .5% of shows.

‍

And her sixth book, Bless & Release: The Physics of Letting Go, is out in 2027.

‍

Entrepreneur Magazine calls her “equal parts poet and entrepreneurial badass.” She does not hold meetings on Mondays.

‍

She lives in Vancouver, BC. You can find her most everywhere @daniellelaporte.

‍

Josh Trent is the voice behind theWellness
+ Wisdom Podcast, where breath work, neuroscience, relationships, and raw truth collide. As a wellness educator and coach, Josh built a loyal global following by ditching surface-level self-help and diving straight into the real work; emotional intelligence, nervous system regulation, and conscious living. Equal parts grounded and provocative, he challenges people to stop outsourcing their health and start taking radical responsibility for how they think, feel, and live. Josh doesn’t preach perfection, he teaches presence. He  believes real wellness isn’t about hacks. 
It’s about honesty, courage, and doing 
the inner work

From growing up on the stunning coast of Nova Scotia to forging his career in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Brendon Arnold (BA) has become a Brand/Marketing powerhouse in the sporting goods arena.

 Over the course of BA’s career, he has worked with some of the biggest and baddest sporting goods brands in the world, including Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, Fitbit and Apple.

In 2018, a unique opportunity arose to takeover and lead the Sherwood Hockey brand out of Calgary, Alberta. Since that day, BA has been at the helm of the Sherwood brand – helping guide Sherwood in the direction of disruption – purposely steering the ship into uncharted waters to find the ‘white space’ within the sport of hockey. Under his leadership, BA has been able to resuscitate a dusty, irrelevant brand, and transform it into the hottest, fastest growing hockey brand in North America, while attracting and signing some of the biggest names in the sport.