Mike Anderson is the President and Founder of Trixstar LIVE, a Canadian event company creating joy through world-class experiences. A passionate changemaker in live entertainment, Mike is best known as the visionary behind the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival—a movement that began in Edmonton in 2021 and has grown into one of North America’s premier comedy brands. Under Mike’s leadership, the festival has expanded to seven cities across Canada and the U.S., welcoming over 250,000 attendees in 2026 and raising more than $850,000 for local charities. His approach combines creativity, community engagement, and strategic partnerships with leading brands and tourism agencies. With 28 years of experience in live event production, Mike continues to push boundaries in how events inspire connection, inclusion, and impact. His mission is simple yet powerful: to bring people together outdoors to laugh, celebrate, and give back—proving that entertainment can be both meaningful and transformative.

Sumit leads business analytics, corporate strategy and digital innovation across MLSE’s business operations across all teams and venues. Sumit has launched and led innovation programs for MLSE such as esports programs, Future of Sports Lab, and SportsX and previously led MLSE's Ticketing Membership and Digital teams. He enjoys volunteering his time, serving on the board of directors for the Canada Basketball Foundation, mentoring young professionals and founders, and as a coach in youth sports.

Donnovan Bennett Host & Public Speaker Donnovan Bennett is an acclaimed storyteller, host, producer, and content creator known for his thoughtful approach that explores the meaningful intersections of sports, race, politics, gender and pop culture. With extensive experience across television, radio, and digital, Bennett has become a distinctive voice in sports media, recognized for his ability to spark important and engaging conversations. Bennett has received numerous accolades for his work, including the Lester B. Pearson Award, Ted Rogers Award, Black Excellence Award, RTDNA Canada Award, and back-to-back Amnesty International Canada Media Awards (in 2023 and 2024). He is a three-time Canadian Screen Award nominee. Bennett also frequently covers the biggest sporting events on the global calendar, including both Summer and Winter Olympic Games for CBC. Born and raised in Toronto, Bennett resides in Mississauga with his wife Kate and their two sons.

I was recently appointed to quarterback L’Oréal Canada’s Beyond Beauty agenda, which consists of helping our brands tap into sports, music, entertainment, and culture to create desirability, love, and trust. Prior to this, I spent my entire career in procurement, managing commercial relationships with marketing and digital agencies. This new role is an exciting challenge—a true blank slate for the L’Oréal group. Everything needs to be built, and I’m super excited to help the company and our portfolio of brands break into this space.

Ryan Baillie is a fundraising leader with 20+ years of experience, building large-scale programs, events, and partnerships. He currently serves as Associate Vice President, Cycling Programs at The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, where he leads two of Canada’s largest cycling fundraising events, The Ride and Northern Pass, in support of world-leading cancer research. In this role, Ryan oversees strategy, fundraising growth, and participant engagement to raise over $22MM annually. Prior to returning to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Ryan has had the privilege of raising funds for a number of meaningful causes during his time at SickKids Foundation, The Canadian Cancer Society, Scarborough Health Network and as the executive director of Hockey Helps the Homeless. With a background spanning fundraising strategy, event management, marketing, and board relations, Ryan thrives at uniting diverse teams around a shared mission. He is passionate about leveraging sport and community to fuel social change and continues to seek opportunities that connect purpose-driven organizations with the resources and people they need to thrive.

Claire is passionate about education! After many years as a teacher, she turned to leading peer-to-peer groups for people to help them manage their challenges. Claire works at Park Street Education where she has the extraordinary honour of watching teachers and students thrive. She knows how important it is to teach, mentor and support others; it helps build the supportive community we all need. Claire is excited to hear your stories of how teachers have helped you thrive, and how you help people in your workplace.

Leanne Bernardo is President and General Manager of Salt XC, one of North America’s fastest-growing marketing agencies. After building her career at Molson Coors, Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Consortium, and top agencies, she co-founded Salt in 2019 with a vision to reinvent agency life around collaboration, speed, and people-first culture. Under her leadership, Salt has grown from five founders to over 400 employees, delivering award-winning work for brands including Kraft Heinz, RBC, adidas, Labatt, Rogers, and Shopify. Beyond Salt, Leanne is a founding board member of Women in Sports and Entertainment Toronto and serves on the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada, where she champions opportunities for women across the industry.

Based in Vancouver, BC, Marianne Brooks is the Vice President, Partnerships at the Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league. In her role, Marianne leads all facets of the league’s commercial partnerships strategy — from building the partnership marketing function from the ground up, to securing and activating purpose-driven, national brand relationships that align with the NSL’s mission to elevate women’s sport across Canada. She oversees partner sales, strategy, and servicing, working cross-functionally to ensure best-in-class collaboration and long-term value for both the league and its partners. Marianne brings 15 years of experience across the sports industry, spanning agency, rights holder, and technology. Prior to joining the NSL, she spent a decade with Canucks Sports & Entertainment, where she played a key role in partnership sales and retention for the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Warriors, and Rogers Arena. Most recently, she was the Senior Director of Account Management at StellarAlgo, where she specialized in Sports Partnerships, leading customer engagement and helping brand partners and rights holders unlock value through data-driven insights. A former university golf athlete at the University of British Columbia, Marianne is also a proud mom to a four-year-old and a six-year-old.

Heather Cameron is the Head of Brand & Creative at DoorDash Canada, a proud 2SLGBTQ+ leader, and a co-pilot of a big blended family. She has followed a non-linear career path, holding agency, publisher, and client-side roles. Heather has produced business-driving work, change-making programs and award-winning creative in her current role and throughout her career across iconic brands like HGTV, The Food Network, Microsoft, Rogers, and Walmart. She embraces the hustle every day and loves every minute of it.

James Carver is Marketing Director, Cell Therapy, Multiple Myeloma at Johnson & Johnson, where he leads with a belief that true impact is achieved through both strategic alignment & genuine human connection. With rich experience in healthcare, James has championed partnerships that bridge business goals with purpose—most recently, helping drive the alliance between Johnson & Johnson and The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, which helped power the 2025 Ride to Conquer Cancer to record-breaking results. Drawing from his formative experience from over a decade of service in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves, James brings a spirit of service, resilience, & teamwork to every collaboration. His career spans leadership roles at major healthcare companies like Pfizer & J&J, earning recognition for advancing patient outcomes & building values-driven teams. James is passionate about harnessing both data & empathy to inspire action—whether advocating for public funding for breakthrough therapies, mentoring emerging leaders, or engaging communities in the fight against cancer. An avid endurance athlete, James finds motivation & balance through marathons & triathlons. He believes every collaboration is an opportunity to create belonging, motivation, & hope. James is honoured to share stories & strategies at the Changemakers Summit, & grateful to learn from fellow leaders who are shaping a brighter future for all.

Ashima is the founder of FanVerse, redefining sports fandom by celebrating the women who power it: on the field, in the stands, and behind the scenes. FanVerse is what comes after the old playbook. It's fan-first, data-smart and tuned in. She is also a first-generation lawyer, startup advisor, and sports business strategist with experience across four continents in venture capital, tech, and business. Ashima is dedicated to designing ecosystems that unlock opportunities for underrepresented leaders, and advance women’s wealth generation by championing entrepreneurship and investment as tools for transformation.

Sydney Coombs is the Founder of SCX Talent & Media, a boutique agency where she works directly with professional athletes to build their business and brand beyond sport—aligning their platforms with long-term vision and impact. Through strategic brand development, media positioning, and purpose-driven partnerships, SCX helps athletes turn their influence into legacy. A passionate advocate for equity and representation, Sydney is also a dynamic speaker who has delivered talks at MarsTalk (a division of TEDx) and sat on corporate leadership panels with PwC. With a unique lens at the intersection of sport, business, and community, she brings bold energy, real-world insight, and a commitment to helping others lead with purpose and power.

Laura Cutsey is the Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships at the Coca-Cola Company. With over 27 years of professional experience at Coca-Cola she is known for her ability to develop actionable strategies that create authentic connections with consumers to build long term brand love and loyalty. She has experience across the marketing ecosystem having lead many brands and categories from incubation to household names. In addition to leading marketing in Canada she has responsibility for major markets in the North East US and is leading all pro-sports partnerships in both regions. Laura is a creative problem solver with a bias for action and agility. Her favourite beverage is hands down Diet Coke and she will never be caught dead without one.

Amil Delic is the Head of Original Content, Audio & Video at The Nation Network overseeing more than 25 shows. He joined the company in 2023 after spending ten years at Sportsnet as a Sr. Producer where he worked on titles such as 32 Thoughts, At The Letters, A Swing and a Belt, Inside Curling, and many feature projects. Prior to his time in sports, he spent three years at CBC in the podcast department producing Someone Knows Something and Uncover.

Neill is a purpose led leader that has been on a mission for the last thirty years to transform the business of sport into a force for good. Working at the the intersection of sport, business and purpose, Neill has designed and delivered major transformational purpose led sports initiatives that have leveraged sports superpower to drive social, environmental and commercial outcomes. His latest venture is 17 Sport, a purpose led sports marketing, advisory and investment firm that works with some of the worlds most important brands, properties, athletes and non profits to help them do well by doing good.

Paul is a creative leader who has spent nearly two decades redefining how brands connect with people in physical space. With roots in fine art and a formal background in industrial design, he brings a rare ability to merge aesthetic sensitivity with purposeful, human-centered design thinking. His work moves beyond traditional exhibit design — he crafts environments that evoke emotion, provoke curiosity, and create lasting resonance. Paul has guided experiential initiatives for some of the world’s most forward-thinking organizations — including Amazon, Dell, Intel, Samsung, NVIDIA, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, and Hyundai — helping them transform their stories into immersive narratives that audiences can feel and remember. At his core, Paul believes the future of brand experience lies in designing not just spaces, but moments of connection that honor the human experience.

Derrick Emsley serves as the co-founder and CEO of both tentree and veritree. From a young age, Derrick has been actively involved in environmental stewardship. At 16, he founded a tree planting company that sold carbon credits to businesses, a venture that saw over $1 million dollars in contracts, and planted 150,000 trees. This venture helped pave the way to the founding of tentree, a lifestyle brand that plants ten trees for every product sold. Today, tentree has set new standards in the sustainable apparel world, sold 10s of millions of units, and contributed to the planting of well over a 100 million trees. More recently, Derrick launched veritree, a technology platform purpose built to verify, report, and monitor global reforestation projects - aiming to set a new standard of restoration. veritree now offers "reforestation-as-a-service" to thousands of companies across the globe looking to integrate high quality sustainability and restoration actions into their business model. Collectively, Derrick’s businesses are now supporting the planting of >100MM trees per year and on pace to plant over 1B trees by 2030.

Allison Sandmeyer-Graves is a global leader in gender equity and sport, known for her impactful leadership as the CEO of Canadian Women & Sport. A passionate advocate, she is dedicated to advancing opportunities for women and girls in sport, striving to dismantle barriers and foster inclusivity. Under her guidance, Canadian Women & Sport is a driving force in championing gender equity by focusing on research, education, and collaborative solutions. With a vision of creating lasting change within the Canadian sports landscape, Allison's leadership is marked by her unwavering commitment to challenging the status quo and ensuring equitable representation and treatment for all.

Jordan Guard is a former international football player, turned founder of the Women's Sports Alliance. Jordan is pioneering the commercial growth of elite female athletes, globally.

Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Nathan Hayashi grew up chasing speed and precision. He ski raced at the FIS level until 19, a foundation that later carried him into amateur motorcycle racing and a lifelong passion for motorsport. The mix of discipline, competition, and curiosity for what’s possible has shaped everything he’s done since. Nathan is the founder of The Gear Shop Inc., a Calgary based workshop that blends automotive service, custom 4WD builds, and motorsport. What began as a small off-road community has grown into a full service facility in Inglewood Calgary, maintaining everything from daily drivers to rally prepped vehicles. His vision has always been to provide the highest level of service while creating a culture that values craftsmanship, responsibility, and adventure. Through The Gear Shop Racing Team, Nathan has extended this passion onto the international stage. With a dedicated team, they finished 2nd overall and 1st in class at the Sonora Rally and is now preparing for Dakar 2026. At the heart of it, Nathan sees his role as building not just vehicles, but also a culture that inspires learning and opens the door for more Canadians to experience motorsport on the world stage.

Over almost two-decades of actionable insight-driven thinking, Ryan has developed an innovative approach to beahviour-led strategic planning that has seen him working for agencies, start-ups, political campaigns, global brands and being the recipient of multiple national marketing awards. As Chief Strategy Officer & Head of Client Success at Toronto-based brand transformation agency, Humanity, Ryan works with clients across Canada to help transform their brands to play a more meaningful role in the wellbeing of their brand communities.

Darshan Kaler is the CEO and co-founder of Tradable Bits, the leading FanCRM and fan engagement platform for sports, music, and entertainment. Since 2010, he has led the company’s mission to help partners acquire, analyze, and activate the data that fuels fandom, turning casual followers into lifelong superfans. Today, hundreds of organizations rely on Tradable Bits, including partners across the AFL, MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, NRL, and leading festival and entertainment brands such as AEG Presents, Live Nation Canada, CMA, Danny Wimmer Presents, and Outside Lands. With a 30-year career pioneering technologies that connect people at scale — from building critical communications infrastructure for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games to launching innovative startups, Darshan is recognized for translating complex technology into meaningful human experiences.

Rob Kraszewski is a dynamic leader in partnerships and business development, known for driving growth, securing high-value sponsorships, and building lasting brand collaborations. As Head of Business Development & Partnerships at TIFF, Rob leads the organization’s largest revenue-generating team, shaping innovative strategies that strengthen TIFF’s global presence. In 2024, he guided the team to a record 25% increase in partnerships. Before rejoining TIFF, Rob served as Director of Global Partnerships at the Canadian Football League (CFL), where he expanded the league’s commercial portfolio and deepened fan engagement. His experience also includes leading business development for first-to-market innovations at Cadillac Fairview, and earlier at TIFF, managing multimillion-dollar partnerships with brands such as Nespresso, Fairmont, and Twitter. Rob’s career is defined by creative deal-making and a passion for connecting brands with audiences in meaningful ways, from negotiating groundbreaking sponsorships to developing the first cannabis marketing partnership with a major international film festival. He holds a BA and MA from the University of Guelph and a certificate in International Project Management from the University of Toronto.

Andrew Lafiosca is Nielsen Sports’ North America Managing Director, responsible for overall business performance in the United States and Canada. His responsibilities include leading teams across client services and commercial, as well delivering Nielsen’s market-leading sponsorship and fan analytics solutions to sports properties, leagues and teams, esports organizations, sponsor brands, games publishers and agencies. In his 24 years in the industry, Lafiosca has held leadership positions at several top brands, professional teams and agencies. He joined Nielsen as part of the Repucom acquisition in 2016, responsible for leading new business teams and managing the Teams and Brands businesses prior to becoming Managing Director in 2022. Lafiosca’s deep industry experience has been instrumental to serving Nielsen Sports’ diverse client set and spearheading innovative solutions. Lafiosca holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from James Madison University and a masters degree in Sports Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Lafiosca, his wife and two daughters are avid snow sport enthusiasts and enjoy spending time outside in the mountains.

Marie-Pierre brings over 18 years of experience in Marketing and Digital, and with her strategic vision and collaborative spirit, Marie-Pierre is now leading IFC’s research, customer experience, data strategy and engagement team that supports both the broker network and the direct sales to customers. She plays crucial part in strengthening our competitive advantages and solidify Intact's position as a leader in the Canadian insurance market. Prior to joining Intact, Marie-Pierre gained valuable experience working with large-scale companies such as L’Oreal and Loto-Québec. She began her journey at Intact in 2014 within the belairdirect marketing team and has since held several key roles in the national marketing team, including building the first multi-brand marketing team and implementing digital marketing practices across IFC brands. She possesses extensive experience in leading brand growth strategies for a variety of direct-to-consumer brands and in building, evolving, and scaling digital ecosystems backed by a growing, talented team of marketing experts. Over the years, she oversaw the implementation, evolution and scaling of digital ecosystem and measurement strategy across all IFC brands. Most recently, she led the successful rebranding of Johnson Insurance and Anthony Insurance and had an important contribution in belairdirect growth acceleration and digital engagement.

Jessica Lisi is a colour commentator and analyst for the Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s first-ever professional women’s soccer league. In this role, she provides deep insight and a player’s perspective to the coverage. A former Canadian youth international, Jessica represented Canada from 2013 to 2018 at the U-17 and U-20 CONCACAF Championships. She played NCAA Division I soccer at the University of Memphis and West Virginia University, and competed semi-professionally in League1 Ontario. Since transitioning into broadcasting, she has also provided expert analysis for OneSoccer’s coverage of the Canadian Women’s National Team and the Canadian Premier League.

Christina is the President of the NSL where she oversees all soccer and business matters for the League. In the first season of the NSL, the league has secured significant broadcast and sponsorship partnerships and has one of the top match attendance records across the world of women's soccer. A seasoned sports and entertainment executive, Christina has held senior executive roles in commercial and strategy matters within sports including at True North, parent company to the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, as well as at Woodbine Entertainment Group and the Canadian Football League. Prior to sports, Christina workedat Canada’s biggest entertainment companies including Corus Entertainment, Rogers and TELUS. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for CAA Club Group and was previously on the Board of CARAS/The JUNOs. Christina is a graduate of the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law and briefly practiced law at Torys.

Marlie McLaughlin is the Senior Manager, Partnerships at Molson Coors, where she leads the company’s national partnership portfolio across sport, entertainment, and music. Her work spans some of Canada’s most beloved brands, including Molson Canadian’s deep-rooted presence in hockey and Coors Light’s vibrant role in music culture. Marlie is passionate about building purpose-driven partnerships that connect brands with communities in authentic and impactful ways. She played a key role in the award-winning “See My Name” campaign in partnership with the PWHL, which was recognized at the Sponsorship Marketing Awards for its powerful celebration of visibility and representation in women’s sports.

Tim McLaughlin joined Golf Canada in 2022 and serves as Chief Marketing Officer, leading all marketing, brand, digital, and communications initiatives for the organization. He also plays a key role in advancing strategic priorities and was instrumental in the development of Golf Canada’s five-year strategic plan, An Inclusive Future for Golf. Before joining Golf Canada, Tim spent 17 years with Steam Whistle Brewing, a leader in Canada’s competitive brewing industry, where he held progressive roles culminating as Vice President of Marketing. Under his leadership, Steam Whistle grew to become Canada’s largest and most profitable craft beer brand. Tim holds multiple certifications from the Canadian Marketing Association and previously served on the Board of Directors of The Beer Store, Canada’s largest beer retailer. A native of Toronto, Tim lives in Etobicoke with his wife and two children.

Matthew Logue-Lee has spent his career helping brands and properties realize the full strategic potential of partnership. Over more than a decade in sponsorship agency leadership, he has been directly involved in over $1 billion in sponsorship agreements, working across some of Canada’s most recognized organizations. He co-led the sale of S&E Sponsorship Group (now MKTG Canada) to Dentsu, where under his leadership as President the firm was twice named Agency of the Year by the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada. He was also recognized as one of Canada’s “5 to Watch” sport business leaders. Today, Matthew is the co-founder and Managing Partner of The Greater, a purpose-led sponsorship and strategy practice working with the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, multiple National and Provincial Sport Organizations, MLSE, and the Toronto Tempo. Leaders at the intersection of sport, social impact, and business for good, The Greater is pioneering a new model that is part strategy firm, part social enterprise—committing 50% of annual profit to community initiatives that support charities, not-for-profits, and grassroots movements. Matthew also volunteers with Women’s Para Hockey of Canada, helping them work toward their ambition of having a Women’s division at the 2030 Paralympic Games.

Host of the Hello and Welcome podcast hellowelcome.show

Eric Martin is a seasoned Sponsorship Marketing professional with over two decades of experience driving strategic partnerships and brand activations across North America. As a key architect of BMO’s sponsorship strategy for more than ten years, Eric has played a pivotal role in shaping the bank’s presence across sports, arts, and community investment. Eric is known for his ability to forge meaningful relationships and deliver immersive brand experiences, bringing a unique blend of strategic insight and creative execution. His work spans grassroots initiatives with Provincial Soccer Organizations to major league partnerships with the Northern Super League, CF Montreal, Vancouver Whitecaps and many more. Through these partnerships he has helped elevate the sport and amplify its impact in communities nationwide. A passionate advocate for purpose-driven engagement, Eric believes in the power of sponsorship to create authentic connections and drive positive change. His perspective is grounded in experience, innovation, and a deep commitment to aligning brand values with community needs.

Diana Matheson is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist who was a member of Canada’s Women’s National Soccer Team from 2003-2021. During her career, Diana represented Canada over 200 times, played in four FIFA World Cups and three Olympic Games, and earned a bronze medal in both London 2012 and Rio 2016. Diana is perhaps best known for scoring the game-winning goal in the bronze medal against France in the London Olympic Games in 2012. Following her playing career Diana earned an EMBA from the Smith School of Business and a UEFA Master for International Players, and co-founded the Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s first and only women’s professional soccer league. The NSL kicked off in April, 2025.

Jen Mauerman, VP of Field Marketing, captivates tens of millions of fans each year through BeatBox’s live events and immersive experiences—fueling unforgettable moments that unite the brand’s community of superfans and new consumers alike. With BeatBox present at more than 300 music festivals and live events annually, Jen has scaled the department and expanded the brand’s footprint exponentially. A fearless tactician and motivational leader, Jen drives the Field Marketing & Events team to new heights, treating each activation as an opportunity to create meaningful connections. From partnering with industry giants like Insomniac and Live Nation to anchoring global festivals like EDC and Lollapalooza, she ensures BeatBox’s energy and values shine through in every execution. Beyond music, Jen and her team bring that same infectious spirit to cultural touchpoints such as the X Games, NASCAR, county fairs, and major sporting events—meeting fans wherever they gather to celebrate and connect. Before joining BeatBox, Jen held commercial and marketing leadership roles with BABE Wine and Cutwater Spirits at Anheuser-Busch, and with the alc-bev startup XED, before becoming Trade & Field Marketing Director at Founders Brewing Co., a top-10 national craft brewery. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UW-Platteville and an MBA from UW-Madison.

Sarah Miele is the Director of Exhibit Sales and Sponsorships at the Canadian National Exhibition. At the CNE, Sarah oversees Corporate Partners & Sponsorships, indoor and outdoor retail vendors and the iconic Food Building. With 18-years of experience in brand partnerships and live-event sponsorships, she is a dynamic leader who knows how to connect brands with audiences in meaningful, memorable ways. Having worked across brand, media and property, Sarah brings a 360 view of sponsorship – from strategy and creative ideation to partnership activation and measurement.

Deirdre Molloy is a seasoned sports and entertainment sponsorship leader with over 15 years of bringing brands to life through live experiences, sports, and media. As Vice President of Brand Management at Live Nation Canada, Deirdre helps brands connect with fans in authentic, memorable ways through the power of live music and entertainment. Throughout her career, Deirdre has built & executed creative, data-driven partnerships that deliver real results—blending strategy, storytelling, and culture to create campaigns that resonate. Before joining Live Nation, she spent 10+ years across sports and entertainment, leading high-impact sponsorships and marketing partnerships at MLSE. Known for her collaborative approach and passion for fan engagement, Deirdre loves exploring how live experiences can deepen brand relationships and shape culture.

Farkhunda Muhtaj is an Afghan-Canadian professional footballer and social activist who bridges the worlds of sport, education, and humanitarianism. She captains the Afghanistan Women's National Football Team and competes for Calgary WILD FC, where she serves as both a footballer and Community Ambassador. As Co-Founder of the Scarborough Simbas, a non-profit organization, Farkhunda uses sport to support the settlement of refugees in Canada. She also founded Ayenda FC, the unofficial Afghan Youth National Football Team, in 2021, following her evacuation of over 300 Afghans, including members of the Afghanistan Youth National Team, to Portugal after the Taliban's return to power. She holds two degrees from York University, earning a BSc in 2019 and a B.Ed in 2021 and currently serves on the Canadian Child Rights in Sports Advisory Committee, Canada Soccer's Women's Development Advisory Committee, the FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto Advisory Body and the FIFA Women's Refugee Team Advisory Committee while representing Penny Appeal and UNHCR Canada as a humanitarian Ambassador.

Hannah Parish is the Country Manager for Canada at Airbnb, where she brings passion for Canadian communities, hosts and guests to the world. Hannah is an advocate, innovator and mentor, striving to make the lives of others, especially women, better. Previously the Regional Director of Canada at Lyft and Director of Global Strategy and Operations at Oura Health, she has proven expertise in strategically scaling businesses, especially with a global lens. Hannah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from McGill University and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business. She sits on boards and committees across the sports, business and transportation industries. When not working to move health and women forward, Hannah can be found on her bike or running the local Collingwood, Ontario trails with her dog, Rio. Hannah was born and raised in Nova Scotia.

Nicole is one of the sports & gaming sectors’ most-respected experts, boasting 20+ years of experience in consulting, custom research, brand tracking, and sponsorship measurement in the space. She has built her career collaborating with major industry players to build meaningful data streams and insights, in turn shaping industry standards for measurement. In her role at YouGov, Nicole leads the company’s dynamic sports practice area globally, working with her team and clients to expand the value of some of the industry’s deepest and most sophisticated research tools

Norm O'Reilly is a Canadian academic, chartered professional accountant and researcher. He is currently the inaugural dean of the University of New England's College of Business and for 20 years a Partner in the award-winning T1 Agency. O'Reilly has authored or co-authored 22 books and more than 165 peer-review publications in the areas of marketing analytics, sponsorship, social media, sport finance, social marketing, tourism marketing, and management education. His books include the recent releases "Business the NHL Way" and "The Rise of Major League Soccer". O'Reilly was awarded the Career Achievement Award by the American Marketing Association's Sport Marketing Special Interest Group in 2015. He is a lifetime research fellow of the North American Society for Sport Management. His T1 clients including Nike, UFC, Pepsi, Nissan, Esso/Exxon, Mondeles, Canadian Hockey League, Shell, Gatorade, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Hockey Canada, UFC, Thorne, and many others. Dr. O’Reilly was ‘Assistant Chef de Mission’ for the Canadian Paralympic Team at the 2016 Games in Rio, Brazil and was a member of the 2004, 2008 and 2010 Mission Staff for the Canadian Olympic Team.

Carolyn Shaw is the Co-Founder, President, and Chief Creative Officer at Humanity—a full-service marketing agency that helps Changemakers and purpose-driven brands connect with the people who matter most. With over 20 years of experience in branding, advertising, and design, Carolyn brings together strategic thinking and creative storytelling to build brands that are insightful, impactful, and emotionally resonant. She’s worked across sectors—from health to sustainability to culture—helping organizations find their voice, grow their presence, and inspire action. Carolyn co-founded Humanity to create more space for empathy, authenticity, and representation in the industry. Her work is grounded in the belief that powerful ideas, when backed by purpose and clarity, have the potential to shape culture and drive change.

Nagma Siddiqui is a purpose-driven strategist who has built a career turning insight into impact. As Senior Director of Strategy at Humanity, she leads transformative brand and communications strategies that help organizations define their voice, inspire communities, and drive social change. Before joining Humanity, Nagma spent nearly a decade shaping some of the world’s most loved brands at Nestlé and Revlon, leading portfolios across Nescafé, Starbucks, Coffee-Mate, and Almay. Her work has consistently bridged commercial growth with human connection: bringing together creativity, empathy, and strategic clarity to build brands that truly resonate. A changemaker at heart, Nagma is passionate about using the power of storytelling and strategy to spark action, shift perspectives, and move organizations toward purpose-led impact. She’s known for her ability to distill complexity into clarity and to build alignment across diverse teams to make big ideas real. When she’s not shaping brands or mentoring emerging strategists, she’s a proud mom, explorer of new ideas, and believer in progress that begins with people.

With over 20 years in events, Sarah’s career has spanned several industries from broadcast, to sports, to retail, now to gaming as the Global Events Head for EA SPORTS. In this role Sarah oversees the team responsible for bringing iconic EA SPORTS franchises to life including FC, Madden, College Football, F1, and NHL. Creating fan-centric experiences that blur the lines between the physical and the digital are at the core what she does. When she is not at an event, you’ll probably find her on her road bike or singing karaoke. Fun fact, Sarah has sung the national anthem at several NFL, NHL & MLS games!

Christine Sinclair scored her first international goal competing in the 2000 Algarve Cup and twenty years later she became the all-time leading scorer in the history of international soccer when she scored her 185th goal. Canada’s closing ceremony flag bearer at London 2012, the iconic athlete has been nominated seven times for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year, and won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, adding to a pair of Olympic bronze medals from 2012 and 2016. Christine has also won the NWSL Championship three times with the Portland Thorns, where she has served as captain since their inaugural season in 2013. Christine has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and British Columbia, Sinclair, “Sinc” or “Sincy” to her teammates, is known for her grit and humble character as much as her exceptional talent. Off the soccer pitch, Christine is an ambassador for the MS Society of Canada and a vocal advocate for gender equity. Christine’s memoir, Playing The Long Game, was published in November 2022 and serves as a rallying cry for better support of women’s soccer and the creation of a women’s professional league in Canada.

Helen Stoumbos is a former Canada Soccer national team midfielder and Hall of Fame athlete who scored Canada’s first ever World Cup goal. She is the founder and CEO of The GOOD Games, Canada’s biggest Festival of Sport, blending traditional, adaptive, and Indigenous programming with a high energy community festival. In 2025 the event welcomed more than 1,300 athletes and over 20,000 attendees and was showcased on CBC Sports Online. The GOOD Games expands nationally in 2026 with a winter edition in Calgary during Chinook Blast at the BMO Centre. Helen leads with heart, purpose, and a clear mission to make sport for life and sport for all.

Jorge is a marketing professional with experience in analytics, valuation, business development, and partnership strategy. He has worked with top global brands across sports, entertainment, and technology, supporting corporate acquisitions and excelling in partnership creation, negotiation, and execution.

Host of the Hello and Welcome podcast hellowelcome.show

Atomic Improv is Canada’s premier improv comedy duo— This Canadian Comedy Award–winning team has headlined across North America and performed at the 2010 London Olympics. Now touring Canada as the Park Rangers of the wildly successful Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, Chris and Donovan’s HeckleHole.com videos have racked up tens of millions of views online.

Matt Yonan is President and Founder of Tigris Sponsorship & Marketing: an agency predicated upon excellent client service and a wholehearted investment into client relationships. He has more than 30 years of experience on the front lines, providing strategic counsel to top tier corporate and property clients on all areas of sponsorship marketing. He has been able to put his sponsorship expertise to work for a host of prestigious clients in the municipal, cultural, sports, and entertainment industries. These clients include Charles Schwab, Lumen, Mayo Clinic, Transamerica, The Rose Bowl, Phillips 66, TIAA, Vail Resorts, Western Union, Chick-fil-A, the LPGA, Subaru, Red Robin, Ecolab, Medtronic, Ford, and the NHL, among others. At Tigris, Matt continues to be committed to his involvement in client work. He provides strategic counsel to clients on all areas of sponsorship marketing, as well as leads negotiations on their behalf.