The Rise of Entertainment Conference (REC) is focused on providing the next generation of creative professionals with resources, learning experiences, and networking opportunities. We develop events and programming that aim to foster post-secondary students’ passion for the creative industries, preparing them to leverage their skills in a constantly evolving industry.
Our efforts culminate in an immersive multi-weekend virtual conference experience, filled with enriching panels and discussions featuring relevant industry professionals from various disciplines within the creative industries.
Suzanne Keppler has worked with the Canada Media Fund for 13 years, reporting on funded projects and project financing. Her expertise is in statistical analysis of policy decisions. Suzanne also provides advice to consultants studying media industry trends. Canada Media Fund is right in the heart of a changing industry through its funding support and Suzanne tells the data stories.
Sharon moved to Canada from Jamaica in 2003, and has since received her CPA, CGA and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA). She has held previous positions as Senior Accountant of Maersk Canada Inc and Senior Financial Analyst at The Regional Municipality of Peel. Sharonhas held volunteer roles with Circle K International and Kiwanis International and more recently with the United Achievers Community Services Inc as well as CPA Ontario. On her limited spare time, Sharon does her ‘Natural Remedies to Keep Healthy’ blog.
In early 2009, Lola started her own media marketing company, Lola Media Group with www.iluvlola.net as the online marketing arm. As a marketing company, ILUVLOLA works with a wide variety of artists in increasing their online presence and bridging the gap between the artist and the fan, with a focus on delivering new content and building relationships between the two. Creating private events, exclusive Meet and Greets and autograph signings, intimate shows and especially live performances are some of the most important aspects of catering to an artists’ growing fan base. Planning and co-ordinating concerts in the past with performers like Big Sean, Rich Hil, A$AP Rocky, French Montana, Chief Keef, Trinidad James, Fat Trel, A$AP Ferg and more, the key is a grassroots approach working 1 on 1 with the artist to create anticipation therefore building the right branding behind each event.
Currently Lola Media Group is working with several clients on a consulting basis offering the highest level of artist management, event planning and branding initiatives.
Sebastien has been a Producer for Ubisoft Montreal for the last 11 years, working on AAA video game productions such as Splinter Cell, The Division and Rainbow Six.
He recently founded the company arnoovo, an immersive technology and production company, with the ambition of being a pioneer and world leader in the live vr-oadcasting industry. They recently did the live vroadcast of the Finals of the World Junior Hockey Championship, the first major event in Canada to be live broadcast in virtual reality.
For the last 14 years, he has been active in many aspects of the game industry, starting as a video game and multimedia industry analyst for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. In 2004, he also acted as the CEO of Artmedia Studios, a video game and web design studio. Sebastien holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Montreal, specializing in Information Economy.
Emma Hartley has been developing dramatic scripted content for 15 years.
Starting her career in London, Emma held the position of Head of Development for Vertigo Films, where she worked across a large slate of independent, genre-led feature films. Early on, she found her passion for working with distinctive new voices and developed such debut features as: Gareth Edwards’ Monsters (who went on to direct Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), The Killing Gene by writer Clive Bradley and director Tom Shankland (who respectively and recently wrote Icelandic noir Trapped and series directed The Missing) and on Bronson worked with Nicolas Winding Refn. (Drive, The Neon Demon) on his English-language debut.
Currently the Director of Development for Muse Entertainment Canada, Emma works across talent tracking, project selection, development and packaging for a slate of TV projects aimed at a global audience. Emma has recently earned development credits on shows such as Bomb Girls (Global), After Camelot (Reelz) and Bellevue (CBC).
Douglas Nyback is an actor/writer/producer and co-founder of Monolith Pictures. A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, Douglas is an award winning screenwriter, story editor and script advisor with four screenplays in various stages of development and pre-production. He is also the Head Resident Coach and Artistic Associate at Armstrong Acting Studios in Toronto.
In addition to his experience a producer, screenwriter and acting coach, Douglas brings an extensive resume to the table as a performer. He recently wrapped the first season of the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon produced CBS/SyFy series “Incorporated”, as well as leading rolls in the feature films “Skin” and “The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova”. He recently had guest starring and recurring roles on Hell on Wheels, Defiance, Reign, Murdoch Mysteries, Haven, Copper, Warehouse 13 and The Firm. Some of his feature film credits include HBO’s Kit Kittredge: An American Girl and Jim Sheridan’s Dream House. He is also an established theatre performer with roles in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and the Odyssey at the official Shakespearean Theatre of Maine and Picasso at the Lapin Agile at the Manchester Theatre of Connecticut.
Michael Hollett co-founded Toronto’s NOW Magazine, North America’s largest alternative newsweekly in 1981 and he co-founded that city’s North by Northeast (NXNE) music and technology festival and conference in 1995, one of the biggest in Canada, with partners from Austin’s SXSW.
NXNE has become one of the most important music festivals in the world, growing dramatically over its almost quarter of a century. It remains an essential event for discovering new music as well as gaining an international reputation for showcasing some of the world’s top emerging bands in spectacular setting.
Hollett was NOW’s editor/publisher for over 35 years until he resigned in July, 2016 to focus on NXNE fulltime. As editor/publisher, Hollett helped shaped NOW’s editorial vision as well as leading it on the business side. He regularly wrote for the magazine, especially on music, politics and culture.
He has travelled the world for stories and to attend music festivals. His interview subjects include: Robert Plant, Neil Young, Yoko Ono, Woody Harrelson, The Tragically Hip, Suzanne Vega, Blue Rodeo, Robbie Robertson, Norman Mailer, Gay Talese, Frank McCourt, Gill Scott Heron, Joni Mitchell, James Brown and many more including up and coming musicians and, municipal, provincial and national politicians.. He has covered dozens of municipal, federal and provincial elections, traveled to Austin, Texas with Toronto mayors Rob Ford and John Tory and covered the Olympics in Beijing in 2008.
Hollett remains a key player on the Toronto, Canadian and international music scene and has been a founding board member of Music Canada Live, an advocacy group for the Canadian live music industry, since 2014. He has helped the City of Toronto’s Music City initiative and has been critical in connecting the official and ad hoc music communities of Toronto and Austin, Texas as well as those in other cities.
He was also a board member of the Association of Alterative Newsmedia (AAN) from 2009 until 2016.
Samantha Slattery is the Owner and Principal at Capital Presents, a music festival and entertainment production company, specializing in the strategic, legal and administrative elements of live music events.
Sam is also the Founder and Executive Director of Women in Music Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering gender equality in the Canadian music industry.
Sam’s music industry experience has focused primarily on promoting, working for 15+ years producing music festivals throughout North America and the UK, including Coachella Music Festival (US), Reading & Leeds Festival (UK), Homeland Festival (UK), Stagecoach Music Festival (US) Virgin Music Festival (CAN), to name a few. In addition, Sam also spent a number of years as a manager at Nettwerk Management’s UK office, working for major label multi-platinum artist. Though based in Toronto, she continues to spend significant time in the US and UK with international clients.
David Henriquez is a marketing and advertising professional working in the tech field. Currently, he is working in Ad Operations managing Canada’s ad space on the free tier of the Spotify music platform. Being a data junkie at heart, David held a similar position at VICE Canada managing multiple sites under the company such as VICE News, Noisey and Munchies. One of David’s few passion projects at the moment is working with Spotify’s data analytics and seeing how music and data provide a more personalized user experiences. Outside of work, David is driven by design and architecture, producing music, DJing and being an amateur chef at home. To leave you with something, here are David’s top music recommendations and what you’ll find him listening to: “Fresh Finds” playlist, “Awaken, My Love!” album by Childish Gambino, Bonobo and Canada’s very own KAYTRANADA.
Blair Renaud is everywhere in VR. Founding three VR start-ups in the last two years, including IRIS VR (a VR game studio); Quantum Capture (creating photo-realistic digital humans); and Occupied VR, one of Canada’s leading VR client service companies. He is currently is working on multiple VR titles for the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Sony Morpheus, and the HTC Vive. Titles range from his Cyberpunk adventure game Technolust, to experiences based on the works of director David Cronenberg in co-production with the CFC.
Blair Renaud is everywhere in VR. Founding three VR start-ups in the last two years, including IRIS VR (a VR game studio); Quantum Capture (creating photo-realistic digital humans); and Occupied VR, one of Canada’s leading VR client service companies. He is currently is working on multiple VR titles for the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Sony Morpheus, and the HTC Vive. Titles range from his Cyberpunk adventure game Technolust, to experiences based on the works of director David Cronenberg in co-production with the CFC.
In his ten-year career in the music industry, Jeremy has worked as a music supervisor, notably on the Canadian TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation, as well as in the royalties department at Sony Music Canada. He has always been an advocate of copyright laws, fairness and Canadian music prosperity. Jeremy has always championed the indie musician and artist, advising and helping whenever he could.
Jeremy is the international accounts administrator at Re:Sound in Toronto, Canada. Re:Sound is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company dedicated to obtaining fair compensation for artists and record companies for their performance rights. Jeremy works with international bilateral agreements ensuring cooperation and Canadian representation in many territories worldwide.
Jeremy is tied intrinsically to the arts, from his hobbies in amateur astrophotography, singing and drawing, to his love of live country, orchestral music and art galleries. He looks forward to the growing digital and international artistic collaboration movements expanding throughout the world.
Pixie has enjoyed a dynamic and exciting career in film and television for over 27 years. She is currently Cineflix’s Head of Production Talent. As Head of Talent for Canada and the US, Pixie is responsible for overseeing the recruitment of key creative personnel including directors, producers and writers for Cineflix’s emerging production division which includes hit shows like The Property Brothers, American Pickers and Mayday.
Pixie’s forged strong connections with TV professionals across North America in all aspects of the entertainment business. She’s watched the industry evolve from traditional broadcast based formats to the ever-evolving world of digital. Pixie believes that we’re in a time of rapid innovation and that digital platforms, distribution and OTT are the future for content consumers and content creators.
STACEY is a Toronto based musician & songwriter, Founder of the Toronto Women in Music collective, and a Senior User Experience Designer at Huge Inc. She has had her songs published in various television series including Lucifer, Orphan Black, Degrassi and more. STACEY is about to release her sophomore EP, ‘First Move’, this Spring. As the founder and leader of Toronto Women in Music, she books private speaking events for the membership (now over 1000), and also throws several public showcases per year, with the help of a small core team.
Creative inspiration : Human Emotions
Personal fun fact : She holds a degree in Industrial Engineering & a minor in Bioengineering from the University of Toronto
Future of music : I believe more artists will be empowered to create & succeed on a DIY level. As for how people consume music, your guess is as good as mine! Now that streaming is here in full force, I can’t imagine anything that makes music more accessible.
Sacha Miller is the founder of Work Late Inc., a music marketing and publicity company specializing in music festivals and events. She currently works with WayHome, Boots & Hearts, Canadian Music Week, Festival d’été and M for Montreal. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, she has been invited to speak on a number of panels including SXSW, POP Montreal, M for Montreal. She looks forward to the upcoming discussion at #REC17.
Paul Mcgrath is the Director of Digital Content at CBC. In this role he’s focused on getting the best content to the largest audiences for drama, comedy, lifestyle, kids, parents and other genres.
He’s also heavily involved in CBC’s digital strategy, the CBC’s Creator Network, and the CBC’s presence on Facebook and YouTube.
Ashley Lewis is a Maker and Youth Tech Educator. Her first leap into making started with The Obama Board, a keyboard that swaps the sound of the note with a word from Barack Obama’s inauguration speech. The project was featured at the Detroit Maker Faire for 20,000 people, won Make Magazine Editor’s Choice and was highlighted on Barack Obama’s official website.
Lewis spent the next year leading the ground-up development of Girls Learning Code, a company aimed to encourage more young women to learn technological skills to help close the gender gap in the field. She has designed educational coding and robotics content for the TIFF Bell Lightbox. For the past two years Ashley has acted as production lead for the feature art installation at the TIFF DigiPlaySpace, Canada’s largest interactive festival for kids.
Ashley’s previous roles have included Digital Media Production at TVO, web content for Mozilla and event hosting for NASA Space Apps, to name a few. Lewis has been featured as a Tech Activist in Metro News and has highlighted diverse tech education as a keynote speaker on numerous occasions for audiences at TEDx, FITC, International Women’s Day and Maker Faire.
In 2014 she was profiled in Reader’s Digest for Spark Makers, her maker culture meets girl guides start up. Spark Makers was also featured at Google Geek Street’s youth tech festival and has travelled as far as Johannesburg, South Africa to teach at the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival. Lewis also currently works at Ryerson University, aiding students in the exploration of art through code, laser cutting and 3D printing. In 2016 Ashley was listed in the Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada. She feels honoured to have had the opportunity to help more than 2,000 youth learn how to code to date.
Mary Lewis is a writer, director, actress, and teacher.
Mary’s film When Ponds Freeze Over made history in Canada by winning the best film award in all of TIFF, AIFF, and VIFF in the same year, as well as close to a dozen other national and international awards including a Canadian Genie in 1999. She wrote, directed, produced, and animated. It explores a unique animation-live action hybrid that was further explored in other winning films such as Come Into My Parlour and The Sparky Book.
Mary was the recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Artist of the Year Award in 1999. She received a Gemini in 2000 for Clothesline Patch, which she directed. Her films have been awarded Best Short Film awards in Toronto, Vancouver, Atlantic, Cinequest, Dawson City, Chicago, and Laguna Beach International Film Festivals, Columbus, Yorkton, and Excellence in Screenwriting at Flicks International Film Festivals.
Mary has acted professionally since childhood. She has appeared on radio, stage and screen in Canada and abroad. She trained at the National Theatre School, the Canadian Film Centre, studied at Le Petit Seminaire de Quebec, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and York University. Mary was born in Uganda, raised in Newfoundland and she now divides her time between Toronto and St. John’s. She is a member of ACTRA, and the Writer’s Guild of Canada.
Taku graduated from the Interdisciplinary program from OCAD in 1997. Then spent the next 20 years at Walter Klassen FX which was founded in 1988 by mechanical engineer Walter Klassen, with origins in the props and special effects industry, the shop has worked on leading films and television shows while expanding into a product line of bespoke camera stabilizing equipment and accessories. With work as innovative and creative as the crew who work there, Walter Klassen FX is a landmark institution in the Toronto film and camera equipment industry.
Some of Walter Klassen’s list of projects include Mad Max, Suicide Squad, Star Trek Beyond & Many more…
Tom Goudie brings a unique blend of creative marketing, strategy and planning to any boardroom table by combining 12 years as a partner at one of North America’s leading commercial audio production company combined with 15 years, front and center at five of Toronto’s premiere advertising agencies. He also has a Specialist in Economics from the University of Toronto.
Tom has won hundreds of awards worldwide for his work in radio, television, outdoor and print. Including One Show, Marketing, Communications Arts, London International Awards and Cannes credits.
His experience touches virtually every major service and packaged good category. Including beer, technology, retail, banking and automotive. Hand-picked by Pirate to direct, write and help manage their creative department, Tom’s depth of experience has grown exponentially over the past decade and he has become a much sought-after commercial audio director.
Comfortable working in all areas of marketing, Tom continues to write and advise a very selective group of direct clients and continues to be hired by leading multinational agencies for project work as well.
Jon Riera and Connor Illsley met 6 years ago at Sheridan studying film. After years of collaborating on projects they formed Combo Bravo, a technology driven production house with a focus on narrative storytelling, specializing in virtual reality and 360 video. Jon, is an established director of short film, music video and commercials. Connor is an editor, sound designer, and post production Jedi. Together they focus on bringing great stories to life with cutting edge immersive technology. Last year they travelled to Uganda, China, Germany, Ethiopia and all over Canada working with charities, brands, and agencies.
As Sheridan film students Jon Riera and Connor Illsley formed Combo Bravo after years of working on projects together. Their focuses are in technology driven production with a focus on narrative storytelling, specializing in virtual reality and 360 video.
Revi is in her first year of the Architectural Science Program. She has great interest in design and showcases this through her assignments and by using different computer programs. Aside from academics she loves to volunteer, take photographs, give snowboarding lessons, and watch lots of films.
How has art & entertainment affected you?
Art affected me in a positive way. It allowed me to be more open to the world and my surroundings. Through the work of others and my own, it allowed me to reach deeper within myself to understand the meaning of my life.
How do you define art?
Art is something that is intangible and completely abstract. Something that may appear to be simple might have a complex and unique meaning to both the creator and the viewer.
Aml Sultana is currently a BTM student at Ryerson who loves all things beauty and loves to learn new things day by day. She is a passionate learner who does the best she can do at any given tasks. She is an event associate at REC and is given the opportunity to learn more about the conference and to also give a helping a hand in the process. She loves what she does and what she learns everyday.
Why do you think the world needs entertainment?
The world needs entertainment to stay sane. There are many different ways of entertainment so to each person it can be and mean different things. Entertainment keeps the world happy and gives people a little escape from their hectic lives.
What art best represents you?
Paintings. As a kid and occasionally today as well, I love painting. It gives me a chance to express myself and feel accomplished when I have filled an empty canvas.
Anthony Saleh, born in Hamilton, Ontario, is a prominent photographer within the community. Along with his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Photography from Humber College, Saleh is an honours student at Ryerson University in the Photography Studies program. Furthemore, Saleh has operated Anthony Saleh Photography and Cinema which has provided him with a volume of opportunities to demonstrate his skill.
Saleh’s passion for photography goes beyond the lens, as he provided tutoring sessions for his peers in Humber College. As a result, Saleh received a scholarship for Photography Excellence provided by Henry’s Cameras. Saleh is now pursuing his passion by steering his work towards cinematography. Saleh challenges himself by devising creative works that engage the audience, as well as provide an educational outlook on the footage itself.
Aya is passionate about media production, innovation, and multi-disciplinary collaboration on future-driven creative projects. Outside of her degree in Creative Industries, Aya is actively engaged in projects surrounding entertainment, music, media, visual arts, digital strategy, content creation, Intellectual Property, and publishing. She is currently working on two passion projects while completing her degree. As a Digital Content Manager for TEDxRyersonU, Aya has created fresh local content celebrating the Ryerson Community’s ideas worth spreading. As the Speaker Coordinator for the Ryerson Entertainment Conference, Aya is curating and coordinating content. Her goal for the conference is to curate a diverse group of forward-thinking Canadian leaders in Film and Television, Music and Live Events, and Gaming and Digital Media to discuss future trends in the entertainment space.
Why do you think the world needs entertainment?
Entertainment is timeless. Captivating narratives are what brings people together.
Who is your creative inspiration?
It’s not necessarily a who, but I take a lot of inspiration from science, science fiction, and physics. String theory, alternate dimensions, space, and probability. These concepts open my world to a new extension of reality that peaks my curiosities, fears, emotions, and interests.
Cassandra is a first year student in Accounting and Finance and the Co-Vice President of Events for the Ryerson Entertainment Conference. She loves the concept of connecting two separate industries together, especially when she grew up pointing out cinematography techniques and had always listened to music whenever, wherever possible. Her passions extend farther into photography, sketching, reading, and cooking.
Why do you think the world needs entertainment?
Entertainment is another medium to communicate stories and experiences to one another in a way that completely captivates the individual – whether it’s a musical piece, movie, podcast, or video game. People need entertainment to see the world in a new perspective, to sympathize with a character’s struggles, and to most importantly, invoke dialogue. I find the most effective pieces of entertainment force people to speak or leave you in silent, critical thinking.
Which video game are you playing right now?
Monster Hunter Generations!
As an overachiever, content creator, and photographer, David is known for his versatile and cross-functional skills. With the vision of working for a marketing firm under an advertising agency, David currently is a third-year Business Management Student. He is currently pursuing a Double Major in Marketing Management & Global Management Studies, complemented with a minor in eBusiness. As an individual that is familiar with the entertainment industry, David has professional experience as a freelance event photographer. As this year’s Vice President of Marketing, David plans to expand the reach of REC to the masses.
Where do you see entertainment going in the next five years?
Where do we draw the line once we integrate technologies with entertainment? With the movement of advancements with virtual reality, social media, and the internet. To me, in five years, entertainment will be taken over with the effects of technological immersion.
How has art & entertainment affected you?
As a photographer, I’ve spent 4 years of my life shooting event photography. Photography within itself has changed my perspectives of capturing moments, how I look at things, and how I am able to critically communicate a story through composition. Through photography, I’ve personally seen how the entertainment industries work through covering nightlife, concerts, festivals. As a result, I owe it all to the art of Photography.
Born in Havana, Cuba in 1996, Diego has had to adapt to different environments multiple times. This has caused him to enjoy team-oriented projects and organizations where he can continue growing professionally and personally. Diego has a keen interest in the world of tech and hopes to join or create a start-up in the field. When not in university, Diego teaches programming and robotics to children ranging from the ages of 9 to 13.
Where do you see entertainment five years from now?
I believe artists will focus more on quality interaction (more live performances/concerts) with their fanbase as a way to not only grow their brand, but to learn about what the fans want from them. With music streaming services changing the way we consume music, artists must add value to their brand by focusing on the human side of showbusiness and artistry.
What was your favourite thing growing up?
I loved videogames. I loved them primarily as a storytelling platform and preferred single player games with a strong narrative. I especially loved ones where the choices you made resulted in different outcomes, making each experience different enough to be worth playing again.
Gurashish Juneja is REC’s Vice President of Finance for the 2016-17 term. As a member of REC17, he is one of twelve executives responsible for setting the overall strategic direction of REC. In addition, he is responsible for enabling the integration of other portfolio’s and overseeing the day to day financial activities across REC. As Vice President of Finance, he is responsible for growing REC’s budget, planning and management, purchasing and overall risk management.
How has art influenced you?
Art is a form of individual/collective expression, where an individual can express their personal feelings in an abstract form. Personally, entertainment has played a key role in shaping me, as it has allowed me to express myself fully. In the coming years, the entertainment industry in Toronto market has great potential for growth and with the addition of Hollywood North the industry is expected to grow rapidly in the foreseeable future.
What was your favourite thing while growing up?
My childhood revolved around the Harry Potter series and have left a great mark on me. As a child, Harry was my hero, the way he could protect himself from Voldemort always inspired me. I remember most of Sundays growing up consisted of watching three of the movies back to back.
Jennifer is a 3rd year Creative Industries student specializing in music, print and publishing. When she isn’t managing the Creative Team that runs all the visuals and branded content under REC, she teaches piano at a music studio, works as a Graphic Designer at the Ryerson SLC, and offers freelance design and branding services to other artists and entrepreneurs. As a former Royal Conservatory of Music Gold Medalist, VAT Academic Scholar, and one-time actress in a (soon to be aired!) commercial, Jenn is an avid believer of approaching every opportunity with an open mind. In the little free time she has left, she sleeps, plays piano, makes art, writes, and tends to an imaginary farm on Stardew Valley.
How has art affected you?
Art defines how I perceive myself and it defines the lens through which I can understand the world. I always have a story to tell, and art allows me to set that narrative into motion.
When was the last time you slept?
Hahahahahaha.
Jessica Song is a third-year Image Arts: Photography Integrated Digital student at Ryerson University triple minoring in Film Studies, Information Technology Management (ITM), and Sociology. She has a background in theater production and visual arts where her style leans towards a mix of fine arts along with graphic design. She works as a freelance photographer and graphic designer with an interest in working with integrated digital mediums while blurring the lines between image arts and information technology. In her free time, Jessica develops mobile applications, websites, and video games.
How has art & entertainment affected you?
I can not see myself ever not creating. There are so many things I was to do and many projects I want to make that creating art has become my entertainment. To say, the arts has changed me into a creator, giving me an outlet that has recently turned into a career. What’s so attractive about the arts/entertainment is that there’s lots of feedback from the audience or viewer almost like an award.
Who is your creative inspiration?
My inspiration varies depending on what project I am working on. My mom was my first creative inspiration when I first encountered what art was and what creativity was. My mom taught me how to draw and classically trained me in traditional fine arts. Later on, I found inspiration in my own creative motivation and those around me. I become inspired by other artists and their successes. They allow me to keep creating because I love seeing others succeeding in their arts.
Kyle is a designer and maker based in Toronto with a background in interior design. He enjoys making things with my hands whatever medium it may be. In his spare time, he makes videos on YouTube and practices his photography.
Why do you think the world needs entertainment?
I think the world needs entertainment because it allows us to imagine. Entertainment provides a channel for people to express themselves through ideas, images and film. This becomes a dynamic experience shared among people which reflects a moment in time.
Who is your creative inspiration?
I draw my creative inspiration from people who are able to demonstrate a high level of energy and positivity. I found the YouTube community to be a large inspiration because of the perspectives that are shared.
Lauren Saarimaki is a Toronto born actress known for her work on O, Brazen Age, Bosniak and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. She realized acting was her passion at 11 after she took playing the part of a tree a little too seriously, but she was the most truthful and authentic tree on stage. She is currently pursuing a BA in the Creative Industries at Ryerson University and is a Speaker Coordinator for the Ryerson Entertainment Conference. She enjoys spending time at a Toronto based acting academy honing her skills, adventuring around the city with friends, or watching Netflix with her cat Kaos.
How do you define art?
Art is and always will be subjective. However, I define art as something that takes the ordinary and turns it into something extraordinary by evoking emotion in people. An artist can give meaning to something meaningless. If you don’t believe me google search “Onement VI”. It’s an abstract painting that sold for 43.8 million dollars. It literally just looks like the artist drew a single line. However, that single line provoked an emotion in a buyer making them what to purchase the piece for 43.8 million dollars… That. Is. Art.
What was your favourite thing to do as a kid?
Growing up as a kid my favourite thing to do was spending time at my cottage adventuring in the woods making videos about how to survive in the wilderness. They are quite comical to look back on now because my cinematography was sub par and a lot of the shots are just of my nose. I would spend hours in the woods making forts and roasting acorns over a fire I had made, all while listening to Shania Twain on my MP3 player.
Madison is a third-year business student pursuing a Marketing major with a Psychology minor. Last year for REC2016 Madison was the Co-VP of Events and this year we are happy to have her return to our team as the VP of Operations. Madison is looking forward to this year’s conference and is delighted to be working with the REC family again.
How has art & entertainment affected you?
Growing up I was actively involved in the arts by participating in fine arts, dance, and singing classes. As a result of these experiences, I decided to pursue a career in the creative field.
What was your favourite thing growing up?
As a kid, I enjoyed watching action movies with superheroes and magic. Harry Potter was one of my favourite series and I was very sad when I did not receive my letter to Hogwarts.
Navita is going into her 3rd year of the Business Management program, majoring in Law, with a minoring in Economics. In addition to serving as the Vice-President of Events for REC, Navita is involved with Ryerson Law Network as Vice-President of Corporate Relations and George Vari Innovation Convention as Vice-President of Events. She hopes to attend law school following graduation and get a joint business and law degree in the pursuit of a career in corporate law. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, listening to music, and watching Netflix.
What art best represents you?
Portraits- I like things to be exact and to the point. Generally well organized, either in the physical with paperwork or in the mind remembering details, you enjoy it when things go just right. I, like the art form, pull no puns, and tell it like life shows it.
What is your creative inspiration?
Triggers and flash backs. Nature is often a primary source for creative production, as are common things that surround our lives — A sunset, a mountain, a verse of a song, a certain phrase, a child’s smile.
Ravish is a 3rd year Business Management student with a Global Management Major and It MInor. A people person and toast enthusiast besides doing marketing with REC, Ravish does work with the Ryerson Toastmasters chapter to help many improve thier public speaking and presenting skills. He’s an anime enthusiast that hopes to use to his Quadrilingual skills to go on to work with the Japanese embassy and work up to working with the UN. Ravish Khanna hopes to be the epitome of the man of the people.
Who is your creative inspiration?
My creative inspirations are people who can tell good stories not just through thier words but putting those words into storyboards and making them a reality with thier dedication and imagination. people like Miyazaki Hayao who revolutionized the world with his animations and brought a whole a meaning to the words animation.
How do you define art?
You don’t define art. Art defines you.
If you were in Dragonball Z what would be your power level?
If I was in DBZ my power level would definitely be at least 5.
Taylor is in her third year of the Professional Communication program at Ryerson and is currently trying to figure out what to do with her degree for the future. She loves the idea of working on the behind-the-scenes business end of the entertainment industry but doesn’t want to give up all her creativity. She is currently pursuing minors in marketing and PR while working as a social media ambassador for Ryerson. In her spare time she loves to get involved with student groups and meet people from all different faculties. Outside of school she enjoys traveling, photography, late-night TV and hanging out with her kitten, Luna.
Why do you think the world needs entertainment?
The world needs entertainment as an escape from our reality and to spark our creativity. With all that is going on in our world today everyone needs a break once in a while to explore new perspectives and technologies. Entertainment forces us to think beyond what we know, create entirely new worlds and immerse ourselves in something that is entirely our own.
How do you define art?
You don’t define art. Art defines you.
If you were to be a food, what food would you be?
A freezie. I like to try and pretend i’m ice-cold and chill but when you know me long enough i’ll melt into a pile of sweet goo.
Vivian is an imaginative girl who loves to showcase her creativity to the public. She is currently enrolled in the program called Graphic Communications Management. Her passion is to work with other creative individuals and help improve in her artistic skills.
In the future, she would like to work in a magazine publication company or work in the packaging industry after she graduates.
How has art & entertainment affected you?
To spread fun and joy to your everyday lives. It help makes life less dull and get over difficult obstacles you might encounter.
How do you define art?
Art is one of the factors to universally communicate with others by expressing your ideas & feelings in a visual manner that you cannot easily describe verbally.
Serena can list each prominent person on every Canadian bill, can out-eat you in an ice cream showdown, and can create a nickname for you in under 15 minutes. Real talk, her claim to fame is being a “Tinder Guru,” she can recreate your bio and reorganize your pictures, if you really think about it, getting more hits on Tinder comes down to marketing and self-branding. No seriously, she’s really good at it. She’s also a journalism student so if you wanted to get away with any shenanigans aka bad grammar, girl’s coming for you. Also, corgis make her cry in joy.
Why do you think the world needs entertainment?
If you had loads of money what do you spend it on? Creative art and furniture for your house? Raptors tickets? The latest gaming console? With the option to choose, most would happily spend it on things that excite and invigorate them. It’s entertainment. To me entertainment fuels my prominent creative side, thus I think the world would be a dull place without interesting designs, sounds, and dancing pictures.
Where do you see entertainment 5 years from now?
Art and entertainment has been a part of my life from the very beginning. I’ve taken drama classes throughout my academic career, knew at a young age that I wanted to be situated in the media and creative industry no matter what, even if I was a business major. I see the entertainment world thriving in 5 years, companies are consistently creating innovative media to garner interest for an idea that may have never been thought of before.
4th Year Creative Industries – FCAD
After a year in an unsuited undergraduate program, Edwin knows how to choose what is important in life and appreciates the optimism that can be found when discovering where he belongs. He chose to believe in his skills and passion for the media industries and found excitement for producing enjoyable and engaging content. Edwin currently studies Creative Industries at Ryerson University and has worked with many artists creating concepts and stories in a new perspective for all media audiences.
He is continuing his search for passion and fulfillment through student programs on campus, expanding his network, and reviewing his skills to hopefully pursue the advertising and media industry. Being a part of REC helps Edwin develop his skills in creative media while also meeting new individuals who share similar passions. Through creative practice, he hopes to learn and adapt to the changing industries of advertising, media, and film production.
4th Year Business Management, Marketing – TRSM
Zoe is a marketer, creative, and digital strategist. Her love of both the creative and the strategic sides of business is what drew her to REC. Previously a Creative Associate on the Ryerson Marketing Association, and a Marketing Director on Enactus Ryerson, she is grateful for the opportunities Ryerson has provided her to connect with like-minded individuals and hone her skills, and truly excited for the direction her and her marketing teammates have in store for #REC21.
4th Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Maeve is a fourth year Creative Industries student specializing in the music industry and media business. The reason she decided to pursue Creative Industries is the same reason she decided to join REC last year – she is passionate about passionate people. Being a musician herself, Maeve loves connecting with other performers in various arts communities and is always looking to get involved in the entertainment industry. After such an amazing first year at REC as a Marketing Associate, Maeve is happy to return as one of the Marketing Leads for #REC21.
4th Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Grace loves creating short videos of the things she loves – family, sunsets and other little (but big) things – but has always been interested in how business can be mixed with her passion. Turns out, REC is a home for exactly that! Now being in her 2nd year with the team, she’s excited to continue helping creatives unlock their business potential both within and beyond REC.
4th Year Law and Business – TRSM
Natasha joined REC because she wanted to bring the technical skills she’s gained through the Ted Rogers School of Management and use them to work towards the goal of supporting aspiring creatives in their professional development. Prior to starting her Undergraduate degree, Natasha graduated from an arts high school, which inspired her to pursue a career in the legal field supporting and advocating for artists of all kind. She also holds the position of Marketing Associate on this year’s Ted Rogers Management Conference, and in her spare time she loves baking, crocheting, kayaking, playing the piano and singing.
4th Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Feraud Lallmohamed is an aspiring beauty content creator with goals of working in the corporate beauty industry. With a different look on art and design, Feraud hopes to bring his unique taste to the beauty world. First attending REC 19 as a delegate, Feraud fell in love with REC’s creativity meets commerce concept, friendly community and educational workshops. With a passion for technology and content creation, Feraud found REC to be a great opportunity to further learning on implementing business into his work.
4th Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Prior to joining REC, Geraldine attended past conferences and thoroughly enjoyed her experience while there! This conference was beneficial in steering her towards her career goals and she decided that she wanted to help do this for others by joining the REC team!
Geraldine loves the ideation process behind a good campaign and envisions for herself a career in strategy as an analyst within an advertising agency. Currently, Geraldine works with RU Student Life as a social media content creator! In her free time, Geraldine enjoys fashion, music, travelling, and pop culture and is a connoisseur of spicy fire noodles!
4th Year Professional Communication – FCAD
Christina is a fourth-year professional communication student who has an interest in all things entertainment. Joining REC was a really important initiative for her because it is something she is truly passionate about. She hopes this experience will guide her into developing skills of teamwork, dependability and engagement.
Outside of REC, Christina loves working on the speakers team where she continues to build connections with others. Further, she enjoys hanging out with friends, watching movies and tv shows or going to concerts! She continues to marvel at the wonderful work put in by the associates that work alongside her and can’t wait to be part of the team.
3rd Year Journalism – FCAD
After going to REC20 and falling in love with the conference, Duaa knew she wanted to be a part of the amazing operation. Duaa is a huge sports nut and hopes to work in sports journalism one day. She aspires to work for TSN and help increase female representation in sport media. Duaa is also the Journalism Director for the Ryerson Communication and Design Society (RCDS), a third year representative for the Journalism Course Union (JCU) and a Junior Editor for Her Campus Ryerson. She also enjoys skateboarding and playing basketball.
4th Year Professional Communication – FCAD
Stephanie is a fourth-year Professional Communication student who is an avid lover of entertainment and the arts. Stephanie wanted to join REC to help hold events that strive to help young professionals learn and grow in creative industries. She is proud to lead the Speakers team to curate panels and speakers for a variety of emerging topics in entertainment. Stephanie has a passion for thinking creatively and aspires to build strong, long-lasting relationships with the work that she does. In her spare time, she loves watching movies, listening to music and learning about new topics.
3nd Year Accounting and Finance – TRSM
Emily decided to apply for REC because doing a bit of research found that REC provides a great environment for individuals to connect with professionals and give insight into their career in the entertainment industry. REC’s goals and achievements as a club really intrigued her to join. Emily has an interest in music from Pop to RnB to Hip Hop. She is constantly listening and finding new music. She loves trying and finding new interests such as food and fashion. She is also a part of a networking club, MNC Ryerson in the finance department. These clubs help Emily in meeting new people and make long-lasting connections.
3rd Year Marketing Management – TRSM
Camila joined REC because she was looking to find a group of students who were as passionate about the Entertainment Industry as she was. Being a part of Ted Rogers, REC lets Camila meet the creative side Ryerson and collaborate with them on a daily basis. Camila’s favourite activity is attending concerts and is currently living vicariously through livestreams. Her dream career is to work in festival or venue management and to manage at least one global tour in her lifetime.
3rd Year Business Management – TRSM
Nya is a 3rd year Business Management student specializing in Law and Business. Nya joined the REC team to learn more about the creative side of business. Nya is passionate about the music industry and is working towards a career in creative law. Nya has a background in event planning, project management, and student leadership. Nya is also the Executive Vice-President for Ryerson Women in Leadership. When Nya is not helping plan events with REC, she is making playlists and content for her blog, or bingeing “The Home Edit” on Netflix.
4th Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Leila attended REC as a delegate in her second year and knew she wanted to be part of the team before her time at Ryerson came to an end! She is passionate about the live music industry, specifically on how to enhance the fan experience at events. Leila aspires to pursue a career in live events management, hopefully as part of a touring crew for one of her favourite bands! When she’s not working on REC related things, you can usually find her scoping out new music or curled up with a good book.
3rd Year Professional Communication – FCAD
Carly joined REC in second year after attending the conference in first year and loving it! After graduation she hopes to take what she’s learned from REC and go into PR & Events Management. She is excited to see anything start from a small idea and see it become a fully realized event, initiative, or campaign. Carly loves anything involving film & TV, but is especially involved when it comes to awards season. Catch her in February watching every Oscar-nominated movie all while prepping for REC!
4th Year Business Management – TRSM
Issabella is this year’s President of REC. After spending two amazing years on the team there would be no better way to finish off her fourth year than by working with such an amazing team as their President. She believes that the best part about this role is getting to work with students from various faculties and seeing them put their heart in soul into this conference. Although COVID-19 has put a damper on something you can still expect nothing but the best from the REC team. Outside of REC you can probably find her at home watching New Girl and playing with her puppy Charlie.
3rd Year Professional Communication – FCAD
Chante is your social butterfly. Everyday is an adventure. She loves to meet new people, travel, discover and learn new things.
Outside of REC, Chante tries to start and end her days with a short meditation in order to keep herself going because she believes that our energy is a reflection of our world.
Chante joined REC because she wanted the opportunity to express her passion for the entertainment and business industry while being able to implement the skills that she has gained as a Communications student here at Ryerson University.
In the future, Chante hopes to make new connections with people that she has never met in order to expand her personal knowledge and growth. Chante also hopes to apply her experience with REC to the workplace in her near future.
3rd Year Graphic Communications Management – FCAD
Nisha joined REC because she likes working with like-minded individuals who share a similar interest in the creative industries. She wants to provide the REC team with my knowledge and skills that she has learned in her program and implement it. Her passions include: the entertainment industry, utilizing her knowledge to bring good in the world, and inspiring others.
She dreams to start her own YouTube channel and make short comedy videos or making videos in general to help people, to inspire others, to make their day better. REC is Nisha’s first student group, and she wants to grow out of her shell and gain valuable connections. She loves the vibe at REC and how everyone is family.
3rd Year Global Management Studies – TRSM
Mohammed joined REC because it is a good learning opportunity and also a chance to gain experience for future job opportunities. He is passionate about music – during stressful times, music helps him destress and stay relaxed. He is also interested in cooking, learning and experimenting with recipes on YouTube. You can find Mohammed drawing and painting in his free-time – from buildings, animes, sunsets, he enjoys art at whole. To Mohammed, art is not only a hobby, but a type of comfort zone and form of expression. Outside REC you can find him spending time with family, hanging out with friends, or gaming.
3rd Year Global Management Studies – TRSM
Shout out to Miss EVP! She sparked Jana’s interest in REC last year when she attended the event. Jana has met and networked with a unique and amazing group of industry professionals that allowed her to solidify what she wants to do with her life. The team as a whole were hilarious and super nice and felt like a family. You can tell that everyone has their own passions and are respectful of others. REC created a community and a reputation of being kind-hearted individuals that will move mountains for each other.
Jana’s goals include owning another dog and creating partnerships for live entertainment companies. You can either find her at a concert or on the field playing slo-pitch. She is also a part of the Ryerson Global Management Group. Jana is also a bubble tea enthusiast who brings their REUSABLE CUP every day just in case someone is down to get some bbt.
3rd Year Professional Communication – FCAD
Stephanie is a third-year Professional Communication student who is an avid lover of entertainment and the arts. Stephanie wanted to join REC to help plan an event that will allow young professionals to learn and grow in the creative industry. She is proud to work on the Corporate Relations team among amazing peers who strive for success.Stephanie has a passion for thinking creatively and aspires to build strong, long-lasting relationships through the work that she does. In her spare time, she loves watching movies, going to concerts and eating at good restaurants.
3rd Year Professional Communication – FCAD
Christina is a third-year professional communication student who has an interest in all things entertainment. Joining REC was a really important initiative for her because it is something she is truly passionate about. She hopes this experience will guide her into developing skills of teamwork, dependability and engagement.
Outside of REC, Christina works part-time as a server where she continues to build connections with others. Further, she enjoys hanging out with friends, watching movies and tv shows or going to concerts! She continues to marvel at the wonderful work put in by the associates that work alongside her and can’t wait to be part of the team.
3rd Year Professional Communication – FCAD
Working in the film and entertainment industry, producing live theatrical shorts and leading a number of student groups throughout her educational experience, Taelor excels with and is passionate about the art of communication and storytelling.
That’s essentially her manta & why she joined REC. To help people tell their stories, whether that be through photography, film, podcast, literature, or dance. Anything.
Super excited to be this year‘s corporate relations lead, Tae and her team home to make this years REC a memorable one!
3rd Year IMA Film Studies – FCAD
Daniel’s goal in life is to make a living making movies, however that may be! That’s part of why he joined REC, it’s such a great opportunity to learn about how to be successful in any of the creative industries.
Daniel likes long lazy Sundays, cats and (you guessed it) watching movies.
4th Year RTA Media Production – FCAD
Kyle joined REC to get in touch with his creative side and work with teammates that wanted to be experimental when it comes to visuals. Kyle really wants to work in creative production management one day. He works for RU Student Life – making videos about the student experience and you can often find him reading books, taking photos, or sipping white wine.
3rd Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Sara is a Creative Industries student who loves graphic design and hopes to one day become a creative director. She can DIY just about anything except math, lives on Pinterest and YouTube, has an unhealthy number of creative hobbies, and wouldn’t make it an hour without her bullet journal.
She is also currently the Creative Associate for the Ted Rogers Management Conference, where she creates graphics, promo videos, and animations. Sara joined REC because of its consistent reputation as one of the most creative conferences at Ryerson, and she can’t wait to be a part of this year’s conference!
3rd Year Film Studies, Integrated Digital – FCAD
Nick joined REC because he is always searching for ways to make a creative impact during his time at Ryerson. He is really passionate about design and video, so being the motion designer for REC is the perfect fit for him! Nick also helps run the Visual Artists Association, Ryerson’s first art club, by making graphics and hosting workshops. Nick is constantly looking for ways to push himself and experiment with new ways of creating – if you want to see some of his work, feel free to check out his Instagram feed or portfolio site!
3rd Year Creative Industries – FCAD
After a year in an unsuited undergraduate program, Edwin knows how to choose what is important in life and appreciates the optimism that can be found when discovering where he belongs. He chose to believe in his skills and passion for the media industries and found excitement for producing enjoyable and engaging content. Edwin currently studies Creative Industries at Ryerson University and has worked with many artists creating concepts and stories in a new perspective for all media audiences.
He is continuing his search for passion and fulfillment through student programs on campus, expanding his network and reviewing his skills to hopefully pursue the advertising and media industry. Being a part of REC helps Edwin develop his skills in creative media while also meeting new individuals who share similar passions. Through creative practise, he hopes to learn and adapt to the changing industries of advertising, media and film production.
3rd Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Grace is a Creative Industries student at Ryerson, studying film and media within the business scope. She loves filming and editing small clips of the things she loves – family, sunsets and other little things – but has always been interested and curious in how she can find monetary value doing what she loves. Turns out, REC is a home for that learning experience! Grace is super excited to partake in this opportunity to connect commerce and creativity for not only herself, but everyone!
4th Year Business Management, Human Resources – TRSM
Esther joined REC, because she wanted to join another group where she could learn more about teamwork. She was also a part of several groups such as: Women in Leadership, RU Leadership, South Asian Alliance, Ryerson Dragon Boat, and many more. This year, she wanted to join REC and take a bit more responsibility. Her passion is playing the guitar, while her hobbies include running, shopping, hanging out with friends and networking with her peers.
5th Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Kimberly is currently in her final year studying in the Creative Industries, specializing in storytelling in media and the music industry. Kim wanted to join REC to get to know other students interested working in creative industries. Kim is currently work at a PR media research firm for almost two years, and look forward to expand her creative writing skills and learn more about the media landscape. Kim is also a social media director for Women in Information Technology Management. Kim enjoys writing, cooking, and travelling. Kim also has been on exchange in Romania and Berlin, and loves to learn about different cultures while abroad.
3rd Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Maeve is a third year Creative Industries student specializing in the music industry and media business. The reason she decided to pursue Creative Industries is the same reason she decided to join REC – she is passionate about passionate people. Being a musician herself, Maeve loves connecting with other performers in various arts communities and is always looking to get involved in the entertainment industry. Whether it’s volunteering at live events or performing at weekly open mic nights, Maeve loves to immerse herself in the world of creatives.
3rd Year Marketing (Co-op) – TRSM
Jola wanted to join REC because she found it fascinating that there was a group that combined both her interests. She says the conference looked inspiring, fun and a great way to make connections, it was something she definitely wanted to be a part of! Jola is super excited for REC 2020!
Jola hopes to work in the sports and/or entertainment field because she feels the industry is always changing and she loves new challenges. Jola loves to play sports, bake, watch movies, travel and likes to find exciting and new things to do, especially in the city of Toronto.
4th Year Creative Industries – FCAD
Katerina is a passionate individual with a broad musical palette and interests in both the creative and business aspects of any project. Originally Greek-Cypriot and Lebanese, she was raised in Dubai before coming to Toronto to pursue a career within the entertainment industry. Since, Katerina has had over three years of experience in stage managing, event planning and marketing which has provided her with a diverse network and a unique industry perspective.
2nd Year Professional Communication – FCAD
Carly joined REC because she is super passionate about the entertainment industry! She has previously worked for small theatre festivals like FRINGE and hopes to go on to work for major film festivals and awards shows. She can’t wait for the amazing panels and networking opportunities that REC has to offer. Can’t wait to see you there!
3rd Year Business Management – TRSM
Issabella was apart of #REC19 last year as the social media coordinator, and fell in love. She knew she had to come back the year after and after being volun-told by Victoria, she came back on as EVP. REC has helped Issabella develop her passion for both the entertainment and business industry. Outside of REC she is also the social media coordinator for RU Student Life. Outside of school you can probably find her in bed, taking a very long nap.
4th Year Professional Communications – FCAD
Victoria is a fourth year Professional Communications student. After taking on #REC18 as an Events Associate, she discovered her passion for Project Management. She was also #REC19’s Executive Vice President.
Outside of REC, Victoria can be found on the field as she’s also the Ryerson Women’s Ultimate Frisbee captain. Outside of Ryerson, Victoria plays Ultimate Frisbee for a competitive women’s touring team in Toronto and recently competed in her second national championship this past summer.
If you ever need to find her just look for the person who looks the most injured, as she is almost always physically broken.
Kelsey Chatterson is a Production Manager at Bespoke Audio Visual; a live events company specializing in technical design and management. With 6 years of experience in the corporate audio visual world, she has worked her way up from warehouse staff, to freelance technician and into her current role as a production manager. Upon graduation from the Live Sound and Event Management Program at Metalworks Institute, Kelsey explored a wide variety of positions in the audio visual industry until she found her niche in the creative corporate world. From Rogers, TIFF, CAMH and everything in between, Kelsey’s hands-on, practical yet creative approach, leads to ideas that keep her roster of clientele returning year after year.
“When I was a lot younger, about 6 years ago, my favourite thing to do every morning before school was to catch up on the latest YouTube videos from the people I was subscribed to. Inevitably, I decided that maybe I should give it a go myself. The first few years didn’t exactly work out too well for me and I really couldn’t find a voice on the platform I had given myself. I finally realized that in order for my channel to become successful I had to cover what I was truly passionate about, which for me is both comic books/superheroes, and film. The rest was history. After High School, I went on to attend a full 18 month course at Toronto Film School which taught me so much about what I do as a profession. I aspire to create beyond just the screen of someone’s phone or monitor someday, but right now, I’m very happy to be doing YouTube full time.”
Vikas Gupta is a charismatic leader who defines himself as a seasoned executive with an entrepreneurial DNA. He has an insatiable passion for start-ups and emerging growth tech companies.
Vikas is currently the Co-founder & CEO of AVARA, a company focused on the creation of an innovative technology platform that enables the most immersive AR and VR experiences that transport people to the most unique places, moments, and interactions around the world to showcase the irreversible impact humankind is having on our planet.
Formerly as the CEO of Big Blue Bubble, Vikas established the company as the largest independent mobile gaming company in Canada and ranking among the 50 fastest growing technology companies in the nation.
Prior to Big Blue Bubble, Vikas was the CEO & President of TransGaming, a multi-national public company and global player in the migration and deployment of video games across different platforms, TransGaming was acquired by NVIDIA in 2015.
In addition to his professional activities, Vikas enjoys working with entrepreneurs and does a great deal of mentorship and coaching work. He also sits on a variety of boards ranging from the University of Waterloo, University of Waterloo Stratford Campus, Interactive Ontario, and was on the former Premier’s digital advisory board.
With more than ten years of experience working behind the scenes in the music industry, Lola Plaku’s resume is both extensive and multifaceted. Formerly a music journalist for Canada’s hip-hop music scene, the Toronto native made a name for herself after launching her blog, iLuvLola. This led her to a role in promotions at Maxamus Entertainment followed by an online marketing position at CP Records. Plaku was passionate about breaking U.S. talent in the Toronto market and eventually branched out into concert production, working with The Weeknd, French Montana, Travis Scott, Kehlani, Big Sean and A$AP Rocky, among others.
Currently, Lola runs her own New York-based company, Lola Media Group, which specializes in marketing and brand development. LMG’s current clients include music artists French Montana, Belly and Nav. Plaku has a number of other projects in the works including GIRL CONNECTED, a mentorship program that will pair aspiring female professionals with Plaku’s successful industry colleagues to learn the ins and outs of the music business. Additionally, PUMA tapped her for their Select Co-creative platform to design two Nova sneakers dropping this year. Lola will also be a featured speaker at the SXSW Conference in Austin, TX this March.
In 2018, Billboard named Plaku one of the hip-hop industry’s rising stars to watch. She has also been featured in the Google Pixel 2 campaign and on Variety.com, Forbes.com, NYLON, Vice Canada and Coveteur, among others.
Chris Moncada is the Global President, Music at Entertainment One Canada. He is an experienced music industry executive with a history of working in the digital/streaming space. He is also a strong artist development professional and a skilled team leader with experience in sales, marketing, business affairs and finance/operations. His past experience includes Director of Marketing at Warner Music Canada.
20 year video game industry veteran, co-founder of Big Blue Bubble, and CEO of Board Game Coffee.
Mark’s career has seen him take on the roll of Animator, Voice Actor, Writer, Level Designer, Game Designer, Art Director, Creative Director, and now the CEO and face of Board Game Coffee.
Board Game Coffee is a new and growing YouTube channel, and Instagram account tailor made for the ever growing board game community, with focus on reviews, unboxings and how to play videos.
Mark is also set to take Board Game Coffee to Twitch, develop a stand alone community website around the board games, and produce a podcast in the upcoming months.
Lauren Toyota spent nearly a decade on network television as a host and producer (MUCH, MTV Canada, and more), and in 2014 she made the shift to YouTube, following the growth of her blog. She’s the Creator and Host of the hit show & channel “hot for food” where she’s cooking up love in the kitchen and breaking common misconceptions of what it means to be vegan. She’s the author of the best selling cookbook “Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes to Feed Your Face”. Through her online presence and with the help of the Kin team, she’s built partnerships with Hudson’s Bay Company, A&W Beyond Meat, T-Fal and many more.
Ashley Riske is the VP Marketing Strategy for Kin Community Canada and leads the company’s sales and client-marketing operations. She helped lead the launch of Kin in Canada in 2014 and she and her team have worked with dozens of Fortune 500 companies. Working with these brands the team develops plans that leverage the voices of Kin Community’s influential creators, the power of content storytelling, and strategic media amplification to drive success for brands. Ashley also works closely with Corus Entertainment – Kin Community’s media partner in Canada – to ideate and implement highly successful multi-platform brand solutions spanning both digital and broadcast. In the past four years, Kin Community and Corus have co-executed successful campaigns, receiving a Strategy Nomination for Walmart in 2018, winning the DigiAward for Best Multi-Platform Strategy for Motrin in 2016, and a MIA nomination for McCain in 2015. Media In Canada also named Motrin one of the top 10 best-branded content strategies of 2016.
Born in Iran, raised in Canada, Rouzbeh Heydari has been directing, producing, writing and editing award winning content for a decade. Starting off in the music video world, he has edited music videos for artists like Drake, Snoop, Ludacris and many more. Rouzbeh has written and directed 6 short films that have all screened at international film festivals and won various awards. Rouzbeh’s first full length film, Together Again was a project filmed in Iran and had incredible box office success inside the country, but due to its sensitive/social-political subject matter, [it] was not allowed by the Iranian government to be screened internationally. Rouzbeh just spent three months in Kenya directing documentaries for WE charity. Most recently, Rouzbeh was awarded a grant from Telus to develop a webseries about mental health and caregiving.
Corey Peck, Ryerson University Alumni (Radio and Television Arts, 2010) is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Media One Creative. Since 2010, Corey has grown Media One Creative’s team from 2 to almost 200 and has been recognized by the Toronto Region Board of Trade with a Business Excellence Award for both Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year and Top Under 30. Corey is also an award winning Executive Producer and has led over 400 video projects for the world’s most recognizable brands such as Nike, SAP, OLG, EY, CGI, Tim Hortons, MLSE, BMO, Scotiabank, Xerox, YMCA, and many others. Corey is passionate about creating great content across multiple art forms and spends his time away from the office with his wife and two daughters. On the weekends, you can find Corey beside his Offset Smoker in his backyard on a never ending quest to become a Barbecue Pit Master.
With over 10 years of experience in the music industry, Connie is currently the Manager of Social Strategy and Marketing at Warner Music Canada. Previously, Connie served as Beatport’s Video Content Producer – an online music store specializing in electronic music and culture. Connie is a graduate of Ryerson’s own Radio & Television Arts program. A content creator at heart, Connie’s extensive body of work for Beatport featured the biggest names and festivals in electronic music. Before joining the Beatport team in 2015, she served as an editor at VICE’s THUMP channel for over two years. Connie is known throughout the Toronto music scene for bringing a unique flavour to her photography and video work, pulling back the curtain on the city’s celebrated dance music and clubbing scene. Her accomplished resume includes branded media projects for national clients such as Bud Light and Live Nation, plus NBC production credits for her work on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Defiance, and Warehouse 13.
Karl Bechmann is the co-founder and Director of Operations at CRUEL Inc., a marketing services agency based in Toronto. After finishing his B.Comm from McGill University in 2013, he started the business with the intention of developing a campus lifestyle brand through events & content. Since then, CRUEL has focused its offering on experiential & creative as a service, connecting brands with young people across the country. Karl has worked with brands such as Schweppes, Jagermeister, and Mott’s Clamato.
Roland is a senior technical specialist with more than 15 years of experience in the audio visual industry. He currently works as a freelancer, producing events for most major AV companies across the Greater Toronto Area, including PSAV, Epiqvision, Sole Power, Freeman and BB Blanc. Roland specializes in video switching, mapping and creating large format visual environments. In his spare time he designs and builds custom stages for music festivals and flies drones.
Jaclyn Yurek is an Entertainment and Content Marketer, who is proud to be a Ryerson alumni! She graduated from Ryerson’s Radio and Television Arts program in 2009, and in 2011 completed her Marketing Management certificate at George Brown College. She worked at Corus Entertainment for 8 years in the on air promotions, client marketing, brand marketing, and programming teams working on both Kids and Lifestyle brands such as YTV, Treehouse, W Network, HGTV, and Food Network to name a few. Jaclyn has recently brought her marketing expertise and passion for Canadian content to CBC where she uses traditional, digital, and social marketing strategies to market CBC’s homegrown Canadian shows to reach Canadian audiences.
Samantha has been working in the music industry throughout North America and the UK for almost two decades. Her career has focused primarily on concert promoting, working for some of the largest promoters and festivals including; Festival Republic (Reading/Leeds Festivals), AEG Live (Coachella , Stagecoach and Virgin Music Festival), and Republic Live (WayHome and Boots & Hearts) to name just a few. In addition, Sam also spent a number of years as a manager at Nettwerk Management’s UK office, working for major-label multi-platinum artists.
Graeme Mathieson is a Toronto-based filmmaker and an award-winning Creative Director and Partner at Q Media Solutions, with over 15 years of experience in the industry. From directing large scale commercials to traveling the world as a documentary filmmaker, he’s worked with clients ranging from well known brands to impactful not-for-profits, including SickKids and the YMCA. Graeme’s most recent not-for-profit project was with Journey Home Hospice, creating a series of personal profiles for Toronto’s very first hospice for the homeless. He also moonlights as DJ Gramera, hosting soul, funk and reggae parties across Toronto and was at the helm of his 15-year long radio show, “StolenSouls” on CHRY 105.5FM. His passion for music and filmmaking perfectly aligned when he recently co-directed a documentary short on reggae and ska legend Stranger Cole, “Ruff & Tuff”, which premiered and was awarded Official Selection at the 2018 Hot Docs Film Festival.
Christian Parsons is a marketing director, strategist and writer recognized for leading award winning marketing teams. He is the Marketing Director – Live and Lifestyle, leading all marketing activities for live music, performances, food and fashion at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. Christian’s 14 year career has seen him work in creative agencies in Toronto, Montreal, New York and LA. He is not keto.
Jennifer joined REC for a chance to dive deeper into the entertainment industry. She showed great interest, love and passion for the art and with her marketing background, dedication, as well as her upbeat attitude she was a huge contribution in the making of this conference.
Outside of REC, she’s also the Events Communications Manager for the Ted Rogers Students’ Society and the Marketing and Social Media Director for the Ted Rogers Outreach Program. She wishes for an amazing conference and is extremely proud and grateful for the opportunity as well as the people she got to meet and work with.
Victoria is a third year Professional Communications student, minoring in Communication Design. After taking on #REC18 as an Events Associate, she discovered her passion for Project Management. This was when she knew she wanted to take on a larger role, continuing onto the 2019 conference team as this year’s Executive Vice President.
Other than REC, Victoria can be found on the field as she is also the Ryerson Women’s Ultimate Frisbee captain. Outside of Ryerson, Victoria plays Ultimate Frisbee for a competitive women’s touring team in Toronto. She recently competed in her first national championship this past summer.
If you ever need to find her, just look for the most injured looking person on the team as she is (almost) always injured or broken.
Working in the film and entertainment industry for over 7 years, producing live theatrical shorts and leading a number of student groups throughout her educational experience, Taelor excels with and is passionate about the art of communication and storytelling.
That’s essentially her manta & why she joined REC. To help people tell their stories, whether that be through photography, film, podcast, literature, or dance. Anything.
Vice President of the Professional Communications Course Union at Ryerson University, Public Relations Liaison of REC, Communications Coordinator of Common Mag and Marketing Associate of Kaleidoscope, an FCAD publication, whiles working as a tour guide, acting, and script writing, Taelor surprises herself with how much she can do.
Maybe it’s because she has great people whom she loves very much in her orbit, or maybe its because she is a Gemini with a Virgo moon. She think it’s a little mix of both.
Many students have the notion, they must stay in the field they are currently studying. For instance, if you are studying accounting, it should not limit yourself to only pursue careers in accounting fields. Therefore, Linda joined REC to raise awareness and explore the many commerce opportunities within the entertainment industry.
REC allows opportunities to explore various positions for business students in the entertainment industry. As media and entertainment becoming a huge influence in everyone’s lives, it has become more essential for business students to accommodate to such influences. Entertainment such as music and movies require major attention as they play a huge part in everyone’s lives as they are an essential aspect of life that most people will interact with.
Given such influence, REC can provide different aspects of the industry to the students which would further their visions and widen their perspective in this industry, which could allow more roles and adaptability for business students, which is also the reason why Tommy is glad to be part of such an influential event.
Having attended REC since its first conference, Jasmine joined the team in 2017 as Marketing Lead before transitioning to her current role as one of the Speaker Coordinators. Additionally, she is a part of the Creative Industries Course Union as Fourth Year Representative.
Jasmine has a passion for all things related to the entertainment industry, especially music and film, and aspires to work within live entertainment. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, attending concerts, and admiring all dogs. Jasmine has thoroughly enjoyed being a part of such a unique and innovative conference, and looks forward to seeing what the future will bring!
Allison was really interested in joining REC because she thought it’d be a great way to involve both her academic passions and career pursuits.
Outside of REC, Allison is a research assistant and an avid book blogger. As a media student, she is constantly telling stories and one day hope to use her abilities to curate all the stories she finds.
Lani joined REC to get as close to the entertainment industry as possible. He saw REC as an opportunity to dive headfirst into the line of work he is most passionate about. The multiple facets of entertainment and its role in society has always kept Lani hooked and eager to contribute to the pleasure and delight that is delivered to an audience.
Lani’s hobbies include dancing, watching/appreciating film, and taking long walks on the beach. His favourite food is ice cream.
Lani’s end goal is to work as a creative director for artists in the music industry. As an avid fan of dance and music, he wishes to innovate the live experience that a musical artist delivers while on tour.
Emma is passionate about the entertainment industry. Every single aspect of it gets her excited and has her falling in love with it every single day. She joined REC so she could explore every part of the entertainment industries and meet some really awesome people.
Emma wants to someday work in an environment where she is completely immersed in entertainment, media and popular culture. She is in love with social media and that is why she is also a part of the Ryerson Communication and Design Society as their Social Media Director. You can 100% find Emma blasting Taylor Swift and eating cookie dough like it’s her day job.
At twenty-one years old, Chelsea Attong is an abstract expressionist artist who has won first place in both live painting battles and art installation competitions across Toronto. Most recently, she showcased her interactive art installation “Embrace” to 4000 guests who attended the annual 4 day exhibition, Come Up to My Room 2018 at the renowned Gladstone Hotel.
Among being a creative director, installation designer, entrepreneur and event curator, Chelsea is a stand out artist that has taught over 200 art classes across the GTA and has showcased her artwork in over a dozen Toronto galleries in 2017 alone. Her work is purposeful, provocative and unregrettably raw. She leaves sentimental impressions that guide viewers to open an up and get in touch with the most vulnerable parts of themselves; all while striking them visually.
As a photographer, filmmaker, and story-teller, Amanda believed joining REC could help her gain more experience and skills in the creative industry. Not just photography, but team-work, communication skills and the experience of working with others, who have different skill sets and mindsets than she does!
Some general goals of Amanda are to do things that she has never done before, go to places she has never been, and connect with more people that could bring good and positivity into her life. It is always an accomplishment for Amanda to step out of her comfort zone.
Larry is a multimedia journalist from Toronto, who is passionate about travel, videography, and home cooking. He is currently Head of Photography for Ryerson Folio Magazine, a cross-faculty, student-run publication at Ryerson University.
Larry joined REC as a graphic design associate to refresh and sharpen his creative motor, looking for new ways to add new skills to his arsenal, as well as hone the ones he already has. Larry has always been a creator, and strives to learn, share, and grow as a storyteller through different mediums.
After a year in an unsuited undergraduate program, Edwin knows how to choose what is important in life and appreciates the optimism that can be found when discovering where he belongs. He chose to believe in his skills and passion for the media industries and found excitement for producing enjoyable and educational content. Edwin currently studies Creative Industries at Ryerson University and has worked with many artists creating concepts and stories in a new perspective for all media audiences.
He is continuing his search for passion and fulfillment through student programs on campus, expanding his network and reviewing his skills to hopefully pursue the advertising and media industry. Being a part of REC helps Edwin develop his skills in creative media while also meeting new individuals who share similar passions. Through creative practise, he hope to learn and adapt to the changing industries of advertising, media and film production.
Nick joined REC because he is always searching for ways to make a creative impact during his time at Ryerson. He is really passionate about design and video, so he is happy to apply these skills to his position on the REC Creative team.
When Nick is not doing work as a film student, he is also the graphic designer for the Image Arts Course Union and the VP of Design for the Visual Artists Association, Ryerson’s first art club. Nick is constantly looking for ways to push himself and experiment with new ways of creating, and a lot of the time it comes down to making something on a small scale that he can post to Instagram before moving on to the next thing. If you want to see some of Nick’s work, feel free to check out his Instagram feed or his portfolio site!
Sam is a nineteen-year-old filmmaker and screenwriter. She is a second year undergraduate student earning her BFA in Film Studies at the Ryerson University School of Image Arts where she sits on the course union as the VP of Administration and Operations. Sam is excited to continue with the Ryerson Entertainment Conference as this year’s Creative Director, last year she held the role of videographer.
Sam is currently working on her first feature film as a writer/director. She is an innovative creator with high attention to detail, a passion for story-telling and a strong understanding of emerging trends and technologies in the film industry. She’s had her work premiere in international festivals and is continuing to evolve creatively and learn more every day.
One of Sam’s favourite things to do is make her friends think they’re posing for a photo, when it’s actually a video. It’s hilarious, and you should try it.
Tristan enjoys personal fitness and tries to maintain a healthy lifestyle while balancing school and work. He also has a passion for film and hopes to collaborate with industry experts.
Jessie joined #REC19 as she had a wonderful time as a delegate at #REC18 and wanted to help deliver the same, if not better, delegate experience she had to other Ryerson students interested in participating in the conference this year. Having been in several other student groups and community organizations in the past, Jessie has had a diverse experience in various marketing, events, and sales related roles.
Outside of school, Jessie is currently working part-time as a Website Manager for Agent-Proof Me and has taken on a Co-op work-term at Freshbooks as an Events Coordinator for the Winter 2019 semester.
Jessie has a huge passion for fashion, innovation, and content creation. She enjoys spending her free time improving and exercising her photo and video editing skills. Her personal hobbies include going on coffee and food adventures around downtown Toronto, travelling, and meeting new people.
Emma joined REC because of her passion for the entertainment industry and more specifically entertainment marketing. She hopes to learn more about the industry and share her love of entertainment with like minded individuals. Emma hopes to be a marketing manager for an entertainment company in the future.
Aside from REC, she is the Vice President of Marketing for Enactus Ryerson and a Digital Marketing Assistant at Ryerson. In her free time, Emma enjoys photography and attending concerts.
Issabella joined REC because she has a real passion for both business and the arts and believed REC was the perfect mix of the two. Her passions include travelling to new cities and reading a good book.
Outside of REC, you can find her on the eighth floor of the SLC either trying to study or hanging out with her friends!
With specializations in Visual Culture and Communication, marketing and digital media have always been areas Kirsten has been interested in. After completing an internship in the Digital Sales department as Warner Music Canada this past summer, Kirsten’s love for the music and entertainment industries deepened, and she was given the opportunity to further develop the marketing and communication skills she hopes to use in the future.
With graduation quickly approaching, Kirsten hopes to begin to work in advertising and social media, ideally in the entertainment industry. As REC works to bring together top talent in the creative industries and highlights everything Kirsten loves about the entertainment industry, joining the team was a natural choice.
In her spare time, you can find Kirsten going to way too many concerts, adding to her constantly growing travel bucket list, and perusing Spotify to discover new artists to listen to.
Joel is a fourth year Business Technology Management student, minoring in Marketing and REC’s Marketing and Digital Lead.
Prior to REC, Joel was involved in multiple student groups such as the Information Technology Management Students’ Associate (ITMSA) and the Connect I.T. Conference (CITC) both as Creative Directors. This is his first year joining REC and he is responsible for REC’s marketing campaigns and website maintenance. He joined REC to be more involved outside of his faculty, Ted Rogers School of Management, and gain the opportunity to network with those in the commerce and creative industry.
Although Joel is majoring in BTM, he is also passionate about design. He enjoys creating brand and visual identities and creating effective marketing campaigns. In his free time, he self-learns programming, design techniques and new tools and programs. He enjoys binge watching shows ranging from thrillers to comedy. Additionally, he is a completionist and likes food, adventures and food adventures.
Karen is a passionate fourth year Accounting student with a minor in French. During her time at TRSM, she has been involved in multiple student groups including the Human Resources Student Association as the Executive Vice President and the Ted Rogers Student Society as a member of the board. After attending #REC17, Karen knew she had to be a part of the team! Karen become the Finance Lead for #REC18 and is now excited to continue the journey by taking on the role as president for the 2019 Conference.
Karen loves movies, TV shows, music, podcasts and anything within the realm of entertainment. You can always count on her to give you a good recommendation for your Netflix queue. Her motivation is “I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.”
Ally is a second year Business Management student with a major in Entrepreneurship. She joined REC because she really wanted to become involved at Ryerson while supporting something awesome! She loves how REC brings together students from so many different faculties and provides her with several networking opportunities.
Ally personally love to sing, write, act, and read, all of which differ from her program. This fact really motivates her to continuously contribute to REC, because it ties into her personal and professional interests. Besides school and REC, she works as a waitress on campus at Ram in the Rye and Oakham Cafe. If she’s not studying or working, you can catch her hanging out with friends, watching Netflix (probably Friends), or shopping!
Camila joined REC because she really wanted a chance to incorporate more creativity into my business world at school. She loves going to concerts, movies, sports events and with REC she has really gotten a chance to get a look at the inner workings of the entertainment industry.
Camila’s goal is to work in the music business, specifically tours and festivals. Currently, she also volunteers as a part the programming committee at the Burlington Sound of Music Festival.
Adam joined REC as it is a chance for him to highlight his love for events and the detailed process it takes to organize any event. He has a huge passion for being social! He loves meeting new people and going out with them! He recently started his own entertainment company called Fancy Entertainment, that he is consistently trying to grow and attain more business. He’s had a few clients so far but hopes to gain many more.
When Adam isn’t working, which he does a lot, he likes catching up with his friends and traveling as much as possible. He’s conquered Europe and has Asia and Africa next on his list!
Danielle Matti is REC’s current Event Director. She is also a fourth-year student in the Creative Industries program. Danielle joined REC because she wanted to be a part of a team that fostered an environment for insight, innovation and creative expression.
The entertainment industry has always played a huge role in Danielle’s life, whether she was attending broadway shows, going to the movie theatres or finding unique and unrecognized bands in the city. She recently completed an internship at Bell Media, working specifically for the Discovery Channel, CTV News and Bell Media Radio. In the near future, she hopes to work for a creative agency, preferably within the department of Communications.
With graduation in sight, Danielle has plans to backpack across Western Europe. In her spare time, you can find her singing along to her favourite Vance Joy songs, cheering on the Toronto Raptors or embarking on spontaneous road trips.
Samantha Slattery is the Owner and Principal at Capital Presents, a music festival and entertainment production company, specializing in the strategic, legal and administrative elements of live music events.
Sam is also the Founder and Executive Director of Women in Music Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering gender equality in the Canadian music industry.
Sam’s music industry experience has focused primarily on promoting, working for 15+ years producing music festivals throughout North America and the UK, including Coachella Music Festival (US), Reading & Leeds Festival (UK), Homeland Festival (UK), Stagecoach Music Festival (US) Virgin Music Festival (CAN), to name a few. In addition, Sam also spent a number of years as a manager at Nettwerk Management’s UK office, working for major label multi-platinum artist. Though based in Toronto, she continues to spend significant time in the US and UK with international clients.
David Henriquez is a marketing and advertising professional working in the tech field. Currently, he is working in Ad Operations managing Canada’s ad space on the free tier of the Spotify music platform. Being a data junkie at heart, David held a similar position at VICE Canada managing multiple sites under the company such as VICE News, Noisey and Munchies. One of David’s few passion projects at the moment is working with Spotify’s data analytics and seeing how music and data provide a more personalized user experiences. Outside of work, David is driven by design and architecture, producing music, DJing and being an amateur chef at home. To leave you with something, here are David’s top music recommendations and what you’ll find him listening to: “Fresh Finds” playlist, “Awaken, My Love!” album by Childish Gambino, Bonobo and Canada’s very own KAYTRANADA.
Blair Renaud is everywhere in VR. Founding three VR start-ups in the last two years, including IRIS VR (a VR game studio); Quantum Capture (creating photo-realistic digital humans); and Occupied VR, one of Canada’s leading VR client service companies. He is currently is working on multiple VR titles for the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Sony Morpheus, and the HTC Vive. Titles range from his Cyberpunk adventure game Technolust, to experiences based on the works of director David Cronenberg in co-production with the CFC.
Blair Renaud is everywhere in VR. Founding three VR start-ups in the last two years, including IRIS VR (a VR game studio); Quantum Capture (creating photo-realistic digital humans); and Occupied VR, one of Canada’s leading VR client service companies. He is currently is working on multiple VR titles for the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Sony Morpheus, and the HTC Vive. Titles range from his Cyberpunk adventure game Technolust, to experiences based on the works of director David Cronenberg in co-production with the CFC.
In his ten-year career in the music industry, Jeremy has worked as a music supervisor, notably on the Canadian TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation, as well as in the royalties department at Sony Music Canada. He has always been an advocate of copyright laws, fairness and Canadian music prosperity. Jeremy has always championed the indie musician and artist, advising and helping whenever he could.
Jeremy is the international accounts administrator at Re:Sound in Toronto, Canada. Re:Sound is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company dedicated to obtaining fair compensation for artists and record companies for their performance rights. Jeremy works with international bilateral agreements ensuring cooperation and Canadian representation in many territories worldwide.
Jeremy is tied intrinsically to the arts, from his hobbies in amateur astrophotography, singing and drawing, to his love of live country, orchestral music and art galleries. He looks forward to the growing digital and international artistic collaboration movements expanding throughout the world.
Pixie has enjoyed a dynamic and exciting career in film and television for over 27 years. She is currently Cineflix’s Head of Production Talent. As Head of Talent for Canada and the US, Pixie is responsible for overseeing the recruitment of key creative personnel including directors, producers and writers for Cineflix’s emerging production division which includes hit shows like The Property Brothers, American Pickers and Mayday.
Pixie’s forged strong connections with TV professionals across North America in all aspects of the entertainment business. She’s watched the industry evolve from traditional broadcast based formats to the ever-evolving world of digital. Pixie believes that we’re in a time of rapid innovation and that digital platforms, distribution and OTT are the future for content consumers and content creators.
STACEY is a Toronto based musician & songwriter, Founder of the Toronto Women in Music collective, and a Senior User Experience Designer at Huge Inc. She has had her songs published in various television series including Lucifer, Orphan Black, Degrassi and more. STACEY is about to release her sophomore EP, ‘First Move’, this Spring. As the founder and leader of Toronto Women in Music, she books private speaking events for the membership (now over 1000), and also throws several public showcases per year, with the help of a small core team.
Creative inspiration : Human Emotions
Personal fun fact : She holds a degree in Industrial Engineering & a minor in Bioengineering from the University of Toronto
Future of music : I believe more artists will be empowered to create & succeed on a DIY level. As for how people consume music, your guess is as good as mine! Now that streaming is here in full force, I can’t imagine anything that makes music more accessible.
Sacha Miller is the founder of Work Late Inc., a music marketing and publicity company specializing in music festivals and events. She currently works with WayHome, Boots & Hearts, Canadian Music Week, Festival d’été and M for Montreal. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, she has been invited to speak on a number of panels including SXSW, POP Montreal, M for Montreal. She looks forward to the upcoming discussion at #REC17.
Paul Mcgrath is the Director of Digital Content at CBC. In this role he’s focused on getting the best content to the largest audiences for drama, comedy, lifestyle, kids, parents and other genres.
He’s also heavily involved in CBC’s digital strategy, the CBC’s Creator Network, and the CBC’s presence on Facebook and YouTube.
Ashley Lewis is a Maker and Youth Tech Educator. Her first leap into making started with The Obama Board, a keyboard that swaps the sound of the note with a word from Barack Obama’s inauguration speech. The project was featured at the Detroit Maker Faire for 20,000 people, won Make Magazine Editor’s Choice and was highlighted on Barack Obama’s official website.
Lewis spent the next year leading the ground-up development of Girls Learning Code, a company aimed to encourage more young women to learn technological skills to help close the gender gap in the field. She has designed educational coding and robotics content for the TIFF Bell Lightbox. For the past two years Ashley has acted as production lead for the feature art installation at the TIFF DigiPlaySpace, Canada’s largest interactive festival for kids.
Ashley’s previous roles have included Digital Media Production at TVO, web content for Mozilla and event hosting for NASA Space Apps, to name a few. Lewis has been featured as a Tech Activist in Metro News and has highlighted diverse tech education as a keynote speaker on numerous occasions for audiences at TEDx, FITC, International Women’s Day and Maker Faire.
In 2014 she was profiled in Reader’s Digest for Spark Makers, her maker culture meets girl guides start up. Spark Makers was also featured at Google Geek Street’s youth tech festival and has travelled as far as Johannesburg, South Africa to teach at the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival. Lewis also currently works at Ryerson University, aiding students in the exploration of art through code, laser cutting and 3D printing. In 2016 Ashley was listed in the Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada. She feels honoured to have had the opportunity to help more than 2,000 youth learn how to code to date.
Mary Lewis is a writer, director, actress, and teacher.
Mary’s film When Ponds Freeze Over made history in Canada by winning the best film award in all of TIFF, AIFF, and VIFF in the same year, as well as close to a dozen other national and international awards including a Canadian Genie in 1999. She wrote, directed, produced, and animated. It explores a unique animation-live action hybrid that was further explored in other winning films such as Come Into My Parlour and The Sparky Book.
Mary was the recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Artist of the Year Award in 1999. She received a Gemini in 2000 for Clothesline Patch, which she directed. Her films have been awarded Best Short Film awards in Toronto, Vancouver, Atlantic, Cinequest, Dawson City, Chicago, and Laguna Beach International Film Festivals, Columbus, Yorkton, and Excellence in Screenwriting at Flicks International Film Festivals.
Mary has acted professionally since childhood. She has appeared on radio, stage and screen in Canada and abroad. She trained at the National Theatre School, the Canadian Film Centre, studied at Le Petit Seminaire de Quebec, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and York University. Mary was born in Uganda, raised in Newfoundland and she now divides her time between Toronto and St. John’s. She is a member of ACTRA, and the Writer’s Guild of Canada.
Taku graduated from the Interdisciplinary program from OCAD in 1997. Then spent the next 20 years at Walter Klassen FX which was founded in 1988 by mechanical engineer Walter Klassen, with origins in the props and special effects industry, the shop has worked on leading films and television shows while expanding into a product line of bespoke camera stabilizing equipment and accessories. With work as innovative and creative as the crew who work there, Walter Klassen FX is a landmark institution in the Toronto film and camera equipment industry.
Some of Walter Klassen’s list of projects include Mad Max, Suicide Squad, Star Trek Beyond & Many more…
Tom Goudie brings a unique blend of creative marketing, strategy and planning to any boardroom table by combining 12 years as a partner at one of North America’s leading commercial audio production company combined with 15 years, front and center at five of Toronto’s premiere advertising agencies. He also has a Specialist in Economics from the University of Toronto.
Tom has won hundreds of awards worldwide for his work in radio, television, outdoor and print. Including One Show, Marketing, Communications Arts, London International Awards and Cannes credits.
His experience touches virtually every major service and packaged good category. Including beer, technology, retail, banking and automotive. Hand-picked by Pirate to direct, write and help manage their creative department, Tom’s depth of experience has grown exponentially over the past decade and he has become a much sought-after commercial audio director.
Comfortable working in all areas of marketing, Tom continues to write and advise a very selective group of direct clients and continues to be hired by leading multinational agencies for project work as well.
Jon Riera and Connor Illsley met 6 years ago at Sheridan studying film. After years of collaborating on projects they formed Combo Bravo, a technology driven production house with a focus on narrative storytelling, specializing in virtual reality and 360 video. Jon, is an established director of short film, music video and commercials. Connor is an editor, sound designer, and post production Jedi. Together they focus on bringing great stories to life with cutting edge immersive technology. Last year they travelled to Uganda, China, Germany, Ethiopia and all over Canada working with charities, brands, and agencies.
As Sheridan film students Jon Riera and Connor Illsley formed Combo Bravo after years of working on projects together. Their focuses are in technology driven production with a focus on narrative storytelling, specializing in virtual reality and 360 video.
Amy Davies is the Associate Director of the CFC Media Lab and oversees design, development and implementation of digital programming for the CFC Media Lab, including its critically acclaimed digital entertainment accelerator, IDEABOOST.
Prior to joining the CFC, Davies was the Director of Content for Achilles Media, overseeing the department that produced a number of landmark initiatives, including The Banff World Media Festival, Shaw Showrunner Program, History Makers, nextMEDIA, and the Canadian Innovation Exchange. Her previous roles include Emap, working across a roster of the UK’s leading media publications, including Broadcast Magazine, Screen International and IMM Europe, as well as Manager of Public Relations for telecommunications social network, Wireless World Forum. Davies serves on the board of the Massey Centre, a Children’s Mental Health Centre, and is currently completing a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD University.
As a community facilitator and advocate for equity in visual arts and culture, she helps organizations develop a shared vision that centres diverse identities so that everyone can create more freely. Jennie has worked with great organizations in both software and the arts, including TIFF, Business Objects/SAP, MSNBC, CBC/ZeD, CTV, Joel Bakan & Mark Achbar (The Corporation), Summerworks Festival, the David Suzuki Foundation, Adbusters, Greenpeace and the Federal NDP.
She’s driven to build a just and equitable future in entertainment by breaking down barriers to participation in arts and technology – giving everyone the opportunity to imagine and create a better future.
Eric Alper is the Director of Media Relations for eOne Music Canada, and the host of SiriusXM’s ThatEricAlper show. He’s also CTV’s music correspondent and a regular contributor to CBC Radio, AM 640 in Toronto, Country 92.9 in Chatham-Kent, and CJBK AM in London among others. He’s also been named to Billboard Magazine, Paste Magazine and The National Post’s best on social media. With over 840,000 followers on Twitter and over 20,000 fans on Facebook while ThatEricAlper now receives over 125,000 hits a week, he is one of the country’s authority on music. Through eOne, Eric has handled the PR for such artists as Bob Geldof, Randy Bachman, The Cult, Ringo Starr, Slash, The Wiggles, Bush, Steve Earle, Snoop Dogg, The Smashing Pumpkins, Ray Charles, Little Steven, Sinead O’Connor, Sesame Street among hundreds of others over his 20 years in the music industry.
Since their 2006 debut, Fix Me, the Vancouver, BC-based four piece have had two Certified Platinum-selling records (Masterpiece Theatre, Ever After), chart topping hits including ‘Fallout,’ ‘Haven’t Had Enough,’ and ‘Stutter,’ garnered multiple SOCAN and MMVA Awards, number 1 videos on MuchMusic, and JUNO nominations, and won the 2013 JUNO Award for Group of the Year.
Over time Marianas Trench have toured relentlessly in Canada and globally; headlining tours in Australia and New Zealand, and the US. They’ve also headlined events at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto, as well as in the Philippines and South Korea.
Dr. Irene S. Berkowitz is an MBA Instructor in Ryerson’s Ted Rogers School of Management. Berkowitz emerged, in 2014, as a national thought leader on Canadian TV in the digital era, based on her testimony at CRTC’s Let’s Talk TV, and is personally recognized, twice, in CRTC’s key decision on content, The Way Forward of March 2015. Her perspectives are frequently requested in print, online, TV and radio, such as The Globe and Mail, Playback, The Wire Report, Yahoo Finance, BNN, Sirius XM, CFRB, CJOB, and CBC News. Berkowitz’s frame-breaking doctoral research on content innovation, which interviewed Canadian A-list Hollywood showrunners in Hollywood, has been called trailblazing. Her policy work is informed by award- winning industry experience as a TV development executive and content creator. In addition to a PhD from Ryerson University, Berkowitz holds an MA from University of Chicago, a BA from Cornell University – and can’t wait to up her innovation game this May, with a week on the Google campus in Mountain View, California, at Singularity University’s Executive Program, where a goal is to ride in driverless car.
Laura is a member of the Canadian Public Relations Society and has worked in the industry in both agency and corporate roles. Prior to joining Republic Live, the producers of the Boots and Hearts Music Festival, Laura was the Director of Public Relations for Primary Health Care Services from 2008 – 20012 after returning to Canada from Ireland where she had lived for close to a decade and managed her own PR firm. LK PR in Cork Ireland specialized in media relations, event management, promotions and guerilla marketing and included clients such as Aiken Promotions, Mustang Jeans, Mercier Press, Pfizer and Subway. Prior to opening LK PR, Laura worked for global PR firms in Cork and Toronto where she developed integrated strategies for accounts including Vodafone, Corona Extra, Cork Midsummer Festival, Coca-Cola, Timex, Guess, Levi’s, Johnnie Walker, Altoid Mints and many more.
Laura’s work with Republic Live and Aiken Promotions relates specifically to concerts and music festivals and she has been fortunate enough to work on some very exciting events with some of the most talented artists around the world.
Suzanne Keppler has worked with the Canada Media Fund for 13 years, reporting on funded projects and project financing. Her expertise is in statistical analysis of policy decisions. Suzanne also provides advice to consultants studying media industry trends. Canada Media Fund is right in the heart of a changing industry through its funding support and Suzanne tells the data stories.
Sharon moved to Canada from Jamaica in 2003, and has since received her CPA, CGA and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA). She has held previous positions as Senior Accountant of Maersk Canada Inc and Senior Financial Analyst at The Regional Municipality of Peel. Sharonhas held volunteer roles with Circle K International and Kiwanis International and more recently with the United Achievers Community Services Inc as well as CPA Ontario. On her limited spare time, Sharon does her ‘Natural Remedies to Keep Healthy’ blog.
In early 2009, Lola started her own media marketing company, Lola Media Group with www.iluvlola.net as the online marketing arm. As a marketing company, ILUVLOLA works with a wide variety of artists in increasing their online presence and bridging the gap between the artist and the fan, with a focus on delivering new content and building relationships between the two. Creating private events, exclusive Meet and Greets and autograph signings, intimate shows and especially live performances are some of the most important aspects of catering to an artists’ growing fan base. Planning and co-ordinating concerts in the past with performers like Big Sean, Rich Hil, A$AP Rocky, French Montana, Chief Keef, Trinidad James, Fat Trel, A$AP Ferg and more, the key is a grassroots approach working 1 on 1 with the artist to create anticipation therefore building the right branding behind each event.
Currently Lola Media Group is working with several clients on a consulting basis offering the highest level of artist management, event planning and branding initiatives.
Sebastien has been a Producer for Ubisoft Montreal for the last 11 years, working on AAA video game productions such as Splinter Cell, The Division and Rainbow Six.
He recently founded the company arnoovo, an immersive technology and production company, with the ambition of being a pioneer and world leader in the live vr-oadcasting industry. They recently did the live vroadcast of the Finals of the World Junior Hockey Championship, the first major event in Canada to be live broadcast in virtual reality.
For the last 14 years, he has been active in many aspects of the game industry, starting as a video game and multimedia industry analyst for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. In 2004, he also acted as the CEO of Artmedia Studios, a video game and web design studio. Sebastien holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Montreal, specializing in Information Economy.
Emma Hartley has been developing dramatic scripted content for 15 years.
Starting her career in London, Emma held the position of Head of Development for Vertigo Films, where she worked across a large slate of independent, genre-led feature films. Early on, she found her passion for working with distinctive new voices and developed such debut features as: Gareth Edwards’ Monsters (who went on to direct Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), The Killing Gene by writer Clive Bradley and director Tom Shankland (who respectively and recently wrote Icelandic noir Trapped and series directed The Missing) and on Bronson worked with Nicolas Winding Refn. (Drive, The Neon Demon) on his English-language debut.
Currently the Director of Development for Muse Entertainment Canada, Emma works across talent tracking, project selection, development and packaging for a slate of TV projects aimed at a global audience. Emma has recently earned development credits on shows such as Bomb Girls (Global), After Camelot (Reelz) and Bellevue (CBC).
Douglas Nyback is an actor/writer/producer and co-founder of Monolith Pictures. A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, Douglas is an award winning screenwriter, story editor and script advisor with four screenplays in various stages of development and pre-production. He is also the Head Resident Coach and Artistic Associate at Armstrong Acting Studios in Toronto.
In addition to his experience a producer, screenwriter and acting coach, Douglas brings an extensive resume to the table as a performer. He recently wrapped the first season of the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon produced CBS/SyFy series “Incorporated”, as well as leading rolls in the feature films “Skin” and “The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova”. He recently had guest starring and recurring roles on Hell on Wheels, Defiance, Reign, Murdoch Mysteries, Haven, Copper, Warehouse 13 and The Firm. Some of his feature film credits include HBO’s Kit Kittredge: An American Girl and Jim Sheridan’s Dream House. He is also an established theatre performer with roles in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and the Odyssey at the official Shakespearean Theatre of Maine and Picasso at the Lapin Agile at the Manchester Theatre of Connecticut.
Michael Hollett co-founded Toronto’s NOW Magazine, North America’s largest alternative newsweekly in 1981 and he co-founded that city’s North by Northeast (NXNE) music and technology festival and conference in 1995, one of the biggest in Canada, with partners from Austin’s SXSW.
NXNE has become one of the most important music festivals in the world, growing dramatically over its almost quarter of a century. It remains an essential event for discovering new music as well as gaining an international reputation for showcasing some of the world’s top emerging bands in spectacular setting.
Hollett was NOW’s editor/publisher for over 35 years until he resigned in July, 2016 to focus on NXNE fulltime. As editor/publisher, Hollett helped shaped NOW’s editorial vision as well as leading it on the business side. He regularly wrote for the magazine, especially on music, politics and culture.
He has travelled the world for stories and to attend music festivals. His interview subjects include: Robert Plant, Neil Young, Yoko Ono, Woody Harrelson, The Tragically Hip, Suzanne Vega, Blue Rodeo, Robbie Robertson, Norman Mailer, Gay Talese, Frank McCourt, Gill Scott Heron, Joni Mitchell, James Brown and many more including up and coming musicians and, municipal, provincial and national politicians.. He has covered dozens of municipal, federal and provincial elections, traveled to Austin, Texas with Toronto mayors Rob Ford and John Tory and covered the Olympics in Beijing in 2008.
Hollett remains a key player on the Toronto, Canadian and international music scene and has been a founding board member of Music Canada Live, an advocacy group for the Canadian live music industry, since 2014. He has helped the City of Toronto’s Music City initiative and has been critical in connecting the official and ad hoc music communities of Toronto and Austin, Texas as well as those in other cities.
He was also a board member of the Association of Alterative Newsmedia (AAN) from 2009 until 2016.
Zachary is the founder and president of Collectif NUDE, a company that provides artists with exposure through “event curation, talent management, and explorations of culture.”
Since founding Collectif NUDE, the McGill grad has worked with the likes of Travis Scott and Kaytranada. He currently also manages 3 of Toronto’s most illustrative artists Birthday Boy, Shagabond & Maddee.
Rahul is a 4th year Student studying Business Technology Management at Ryerson University. Aside from developing plans for world domination, he fosters a curiosity for all things tech and also has a passion for the creative fields. He is currently engaged in a long term relationship with dark chocolate and believes there is no problem that cannot be solved over a cup of Earl Grey. Rahul responds well to conversations about football(soccer), music & travel and is currently seeking employment as an Instagram tea model.
Why does the world need entertainment?
To put it simply, I believe entertainment is a vital outlet for expression, creativity and reflection. Entertainment has the power to breakdown barriers and unite people together under its various forms. That power alone speaks greatly to why the world needs entertainment.
Best advice to offer:
Invest in a good pair of headphones. Treat yourself, you deserve better than standard apple ear buds.
Jessica Fallis is the current Festival Programming Manager for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), one of the most largely attended film festivals in the world.
Bringing in internationally renowned actors and directors alike, Jessica is responsible for programming and execution of the festival itself, while also sitting on the advisory committee for TIFF’s Youth’s Short Film Festival. Having also worked for the Toronto Comedy Sketch Festival and Second City, Jessica has plenty of experience to go around!
Gregory Langer is a Consumer Marketing Expert with a focus on Strategy, Brand, and Account Management.
He’s worked as the Engagement Lead in Rogers Media Creative department and as well as brought his own ideas to life as the co-founder of fashion-forward sweatpants brand Lazypants.
Corey Roberts is a Digital Strategist at Rogers Media who is responsible for building managing and executing digital media campaigns for major advertisers like CIBC, Mars, MLSE & Nestle just to name a few. Over the his past 8 years in the media industry he’s also had the opportunity to work for companies such as, Atlantic Records, NBC, MTV, Fuse TV, Kijiji, and Rogers.
Andrew is a Toronto-based design thinker with over a decade of experience working in the digital media space. With the heart of a designer he has a passion for collaborating with, leading and mentoring Creative and Digital Product teams. Taking a user centred design approach, his career has seen him delivering digital products on both the agency and client side and spans across financial, advertising and the entertainment industry.
Currently Andrew heads up the Creative, Product and User Experience teams at Corus Entertainment, building interactive experiences across both web and mobile applications. Additionally, he oversees an agile team responsible for delivering all digital sales integrations and products across Corus Entertainment.
Avnish is the Digital Marketing and Communications Strategist for the DMZ. He specializes in digital and growth marketing with a proven track record leading campaigns from inception to execution. In the past, he has been a digital and social media strategist for agencies, as a freelancer, for brands and small businesses. Some notable brands he’s worked on include CIBC, Clockwork, TD Bank, CocaCola, PepsiCo and Dineen among others. He is responsible for maintaining and growing DMZ’s online brand through its social media, email, website, and blogging platforms – and also creating content catered for all virtual mediums (photography, videography, strategic graphic alignment, and copy).
With over 7 years of experience in the field, his areas of expertise in both his professional and freelance career include digital marketing (social media strategy and execution, digital platform strategy and execution, media planning, photography, videography), reporting (developing online benchmarks & KPIs, website reporting, online listening reporting (Radian6, Sysomos, Crimson Hexagon), social media platform reporting), community management (developing rules of engagement, managing community managers, creating content plans), and developing digital curriculums (corporate presenter and digital trainer).
In his spare time, Avnish teaches Digital and Social Media Marketing as a guest speaker at various establishments and academic institutions across the GTA, enjoys reading, writing, running, and avoids long walks on the beach as much as possible.
Corrado Coia is the Co-Founder of Buffer Festival, the international YouTube festival. He is also currently a YouTube Strategist at CBC and the Director of Operations for ApprenticeA Productions, a video production company focusing on digital video releases for YouTube.
Specializing in artificial design, website construction and video production, Corrado has his hands in all forms of entertainment and has worked with major companies such as Google, Coca Cola, LG, Samsung, and many more.
Greg is a seasoned integrated marketer, communicator and creative leader with deep expertise in problem solving and bringing big ideas to life. He’s worked in a wide variety of marketing and communications disciplines, including original content start-ups, digital design and production, and traditional advertising.
Greg has held creative leadership roles for both Canadian and global clients at Organic, Teehan+Lax, Juniper Park, Leo Burnett, and Edelman. Clients have included Nike, Quaker, Levis, Jeep, Dodge, Molson, Sprint, John Hancock, Telus, Procter and Gamble, and many others. He now serves as Creative Director for Jam3, an award-winning design and experience studio and a member of the FWA Hall of Fame.
His work has been recognized at the Cannes Lions, Marketing Awards, SXSW, the London International Awards, One Show Interactive, W3 and many others. His writing has appeared in the Globe and Mail, cbc.ca, MSN/Sympatico, Motion Magazine, 2Magazine and other publications.
Emma is currently an agent at the prestigious Gary Goddard Agency, working with some of the best, brightest and engaging artists in Canada. Her roster includes a diverse group of creators – writers, actors, directors, composers and musicians, including Juno, Dora, Jutra, Meta and Canadian Screen Award winners. It’s not the specific medium that excites Emma, but the individual artist and the collaboration that inspires. Emma arrived at the Agency six and a half years ago, after retiring from a stage management career.
Before her transition she was fortunate to work with: Mirvish Productions, Tarragon Theatre, six season at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Young People’s Theatre, Citadel Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, Arts Club theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille and The Canadian Opera Company. Emma currently sits on the Board of Directors for both TAMAC and Outside the March Theatre. Emma is a proud graduate of York University and the recipient of two Tyrone Guthrie awards and the Lindsay Thomas Memorial Award.
Daniel Francavilla is a creative professional who supports innovative projects that have a positive impact. He makes things happen for businesses and passionate individuals. Currently as the Creative Director of Now Creative Group, Daniel leads a team of creative and business professionals to provide marketing services to startups, businesses, and non-profits.
Daniel is passionate about helping others to create social change and as the founder of ACCESS through which he supports youth who are building their own initiatives for positive social change.
Hadi is 1/3rd of Forth, a collective of local DJs and promoters called Forth believe Toronto is ready to join the ranks of electronic music capitals in the world.
Hadi wears multiple hats as a DJ, promoter and label owner and has a perspective on using live shows to connect people from across the city with music and each other to cultivate a truly rich scene that is putting Toronto on the map.
As the Manager of USS, The Tea Party, and The Proud Sons – Liam joined the team at Coalition Music in 2009 after a successful career drumming in Not By Choice (Warner Music Canada / Bullion Records Japan), Cute It What We Aim For (Fueled By Ramen / Atlantic), and several other bands.
Liam is also a Professor at Toronto’s Ryerson University, where he teaches Talent Management in the Music Industry.
Promoter and project manager for Live Nation, Mark Russell has come a long way from his Geography BA. As a musician and performer since the age of 12, Mark has turned is passion into a career in music most people could only dream of!
After founding promotion and communication agency Premier Life in London ON, Mark took on his current project manager role with Live Nation. He now work his marketing magic and industry instinct to create some of Canada’s largest music festivals such as Dreams, Veld, IleSoniq & Field Trip, working with some of the top DJ’s in the world!
Nancy Chen is a Strategist for SidLee as well as the co-owner of a Toronto restaurant favourite, Otto’s Bierhalle.
Nancy has mastered the art of organizational and personal branding across all platforms, working with companies such as PC Financial, Samsung global, Alzheimer Society of Canada, Hydro One, Coca-Cola, Vitaminwater, Nestea and more!
With over 25 years of music experience, Paola Palazzo has served as VP of Booking for The Forum in LA, Talent and Booking for Nederlander Concerts, Senior Talent Buyer at House of Blues Concerts and as a Music Agent at Creative Artists Agency. A Hamilton native, Paola has returned to Canada to a year ago to join Live Nation as the Vice President.
Peter is the Head of Strategy for VIRTUE Canada, Vice’s in-house ad agency. Before VIRTUE Peter worked for Leo Burnett, Taxi and DDB working with top brands in Finance, CPG, Retail, Automotive and Telco.
Aside from his tenure in advertising Peter worked in fashion and beauty photography for years and holds a Masters in Molecular Genetics.
Samantha has been working in the music industry throughout North America and the UK for almost two decades.
Her career has focused primarily on concert promoting, working for some of the largest promoters and festivals including; Mean Fiddler (Reading & Leeds Festivals), AEG Live (Coachella Music Festival, Stagecoach Music Festival and Virgin Music Festival), House of Blues (Edgefest) and currently Republic Live (WayHome and Boots & Hearts) to name just a few.
She brings a wide range of concert production knowledge and experience to the Republic Live team, most notably her specialized knowledge of festival legal and risk management. In addition, Sam also spent a number of years as a manager at Nettwerk Management’s UK office, working for major-label multi-platinum artists.
Tom Kemp was looking for direction after graduating from Dalhousie University with his Bachelor of Arts degree. After a well-timed offer to help his good friend, Ian Thornley, load gear on a few club dates, Tom realized his love of music was opening the door to his new career. Since then, Tom has done stints as Big Wreck’s tour manager, A&R and Promotions at Shoreline Records and the Management Assistant to the President at Motorjam Records.
In 1998, Tom joined the team at The Feldman Agency. Since then, Tom has dedicated his energies to supporting and building the careers of musicians at every stage of their careers including Alvvays, Daniel Caesar, Coleman Hell, Ria Mae, Steven Page, Joel Plaskett, Classified, The Glorious Sons and Magic!, to name just a few. Tom Kemp was recognized for his contribution to the success at The Feldman Agency by being named the Vice President in 2015.