Clare Dewhirst Director City Nation Place

Clare is the Founder and Director of City Nation Place, the global forum for the people and stories behind places. 

City Nation Place creates connections and shares best practice between country brands, regional brands, and city brands around the world through articles, interviews, surveys, white papers, the advisory group network, and conferences.  

Clare’s interest in the complex area of place branding was sparked whilst working on a series of Nation Branding Masterclass events, led by Simon Anholt, one of the first thought-leaders to speak about and promote the concept of place branding. Having listened to Simon address audiences in Accra, Delhi, Dubai, London and Singapore on how policy, governance, and symbolic actions need to combine with branding and marketing to create a competitive identity and drive economic growth, she continued to follow the growth in this sector. 

Clare launched the first City Nation Place Global conference in London in 2015. CityNationPlace.com has been steadily building followers and in 2017, the first City Nation Place Americas conference was launched. In 2018 City Nation Place Asia Pacific took place in Singapore, and 2019 saw the first City Nation Place UK, specifically for towns, cities and regions across the UK, and the launch of the first City Nation Place LatAm & Caribbean event. 

Clare manages the small team at City Nation Place alongside providing event consultancy and management for a number of clients in the publishing and trade association sector, including running the World Media Awards for the World Media Group and event consultancy for the UK Association for Online Publishers.

Zeek Coleman Vice President, Americas Tourism Economics

As Vice President, Americas at Tourism Economics—a leading authority in travel research and analysis—Zeek Coleman applies more than a decade of expertise in data-driven strategy to help destination marketing organizations, associations, and corporations thrive in a competitive tourism landscape. Prior to joining Tourism Economics, he guided product adoption and retention as the Head of Marketing for Tourism & Hospitality at ADARA, and led Visit Savannah’s data intelligence efforts, where he transformed raw numbers into actionable insights that informed economic impact, forecasting, and budget optimization.

Recognized as a trusted thought leader, Zeek frequently takes the stage at industry conferences to share his innovative approaches to leveraging travel analytics. He has a unique talent for bridging the gap between complex data and  meaningful narratives that inspire more informed business decisions. Away from the data, you might find him on the basketball court—he once suited up against NBA legends Alonzo Mourning, Robert Horry, and Antoine Walker on the reality show “Pros vs. Joes.”

Sonya Shorey President & CEO Invest Ottawa, Area X.O and Bayview Yards

Sonya Shorey, President and CEO, for Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards, and Area X.O, is a strategy executive and management consultant with more than 22 years of leadership experience with private and public organizations. With expertise in regional, national, and global technology, entrepreneurial, economic development, and innovation-based organizations, she specializes in corporate and communications strategy development and execution. This includes investment strategies that secure new cash and in-kind contributions from public and private sources. Since 2005, Sonya has led, strategized, authored and/or made a significant contribution to successful multi-year funding proposals and initiatives valued at more than $203 million from municipal, provincial, federal, and international governments.  

Within her executive leadership role with Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O, Sonya plays a pivotal role in developing, leading, and executing strategy for all three organizations. This includes:

• Area X.O, the futureplex of innovation and collaboration for next-generation smart mobility, connectivity and autonomy technologies;
• The Women Founders and Owners Strategy and Action Plan. This includes co-founding SheBoot, the investment-ready bootcamp for women tech founders designed and delivered by women entrepreneurs and investors, and founding International Women’s Week in Canada’s Capital; and International Women’s Week.
• The first Pan-Ontario Scale-Up Platform of its kind aimed at enabling and accelerating the growth, scaleup and commercial success of more $100 million revenue-generating tech companies in Canada.

Sonya launched her career as the Manager of Communications and Member of the Vice-Presidential Cabinet with the 10G Organization of Optical Networks for Nortel from 1999 to 2002, and then served as the Director of Marketing Communications for CMC Microsystems until 2007. Building on a decade of experience, Sonya launched her own strategy company in 2008, addressing the needs of S&T organizations, innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development agencies across Canada, and their partners around the world. She currently serves Vice President of Strategy, Marketing and Communications for Invest Ottawa, lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries in Canada’s Capital.

Sonya is a Director of the Institute of Mental Health Research of the Royal Ottawa Hospital, Elevate International, and Mindtrust Leadership. She also serves as mentor and pitch coach with Women in Cloud, AI North America, and Technovation. She holds a Combined Honours in English and Political Science from Carleton University and has won 10+ international awards for communications, leadership, and women’s economic empowerment.

Michael Crockatt President & CEO Ottawa Tourism

Michael is a recognized leader in travel and tourism in Canada. In his current role, he leads Ottawa’s official destination organization, which spearheads sales and marketing initiatives for attracting visitors to Canada’s capital, while also making investments in the long-term stewardship and development of the destination.

Prior to joining Ottawa Tourism, Michael served as Senior Vice President with InterVISTAS Consulting, where he was responsible for the firm’s airline, air service development, and tourism practices in Canada. Michael has over 15 years experience at the management level with two of Canada’s major airports, the Winnipeg Airports Authority and the Ottawa International Airport Authority.

Michael is very active within the tourism industry and other business groups. He is a Board member with Destinations International, the Ottawa Convention Centre, the Ottawa International Hockey Festival, and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). He is the Co-Chair of the Canadian Destination Leadership Council. He is a volunteer member of the Advisory Council for Meeting Professionals Against Human Trafficking and the Advisory Committee for the Hospitality & Tourism Management Degree Program at Algonquin College.

Michael is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, he is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and he is an inductee to the Order of Ottawa.

Michael has a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Manitoba, and he is a Certified Barbecue Judge.

Casey Ressler President & CEO Mat-Su (Alaska) Convention & Visitors Bureau

Casey Ressler has been with the Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau for 18 years, serving as the Marketing Manager for 16 years and now as the President & CEO for the last two years. His team promotes the Mat-Su Valley, which is just north of Anchorage, Alaska and encompasses 23,000 square miles, an area the size of Ireland. He leads a staff of four people but firmly believes that you can accomplish big things with a small staff if they are the right people – and in his case, that is definitely true! He loves sharing Alaska and all its beauty with visitors from around the world.

Cecelia Thompson Executive Director Action Greensboro

Cecelia Thompson serves as Executive Director of Action Greensboro. Action Greensboro, together with the Chamber of Commerce, serves as the city’s primary economic and community development agency. Formed in 2001, Action Greensboro is a collaborative effort of eight local charitable foundations working to leverage local philanthropic impact. In collaboration with business, higher education, and municipal government, Action Greensboro works to strengthen Greensboro's economy and ensure the continuation of its excellent quality of life. In her role, Thompson leads a variety of efforts from talent and workforce development, K-20 education, urban livability, advocacy campaigns and city marketing efforts.

In addition to her role at Action Greensboro, Thompson serves on the boards of the Guilford Education Alliance, the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation, Union Square Campus, and is a gubernatorial appointee to the North Carolina Humanities Council. Originally from Gainesville, Florida, Thompson holds a B.A. in Political Science, Public Administration and Sociology from Elon University.

Karen Kühl Executive Director Cayuga County CVB

Karen Kühl serves as the Executive Director of Tour Cayuga, where she is dedicated to showcasing the beauty and vibrant culture of Cayuga County in New York’s Finger Lakes region. Her work centers on building community connections, supporting local businesses, and leading tourism initiatives that drive economic vitality while celebrating the unique character of the region.

Karen’s career includes impactful work in Nicaragua, where she developed a deep appreciation for sustainable tourism and cultural exchange. At Selva Negra, a renowned eco-lodge and coffee estate, she contributed to sustainable tourism practices focused on environmental stewardship and community support. Through her work with Tastefully Nicaragua, she highlighted the country’s culinary traditions, creating immersive travel experiences rooted in local culture and cuisine.

A passionate storyteller, Karen emphasizes the human and emotional impact of tourism, looking beyond traditional ROI to focus on values like community, support, and opportunity. Her vision is to foster a future where the Cayuga community thrives, residents feel supported, and visitors feel at home.

Adriana Acosta Marketing, Communication & Country Brand Director essential COSTA RICA

Adriana Acosta is the Marketing and Communication Director of PROCOMER (The Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promoter) and oversees the strategic direction of the country brand Essential Costa Rica. Adriana has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and advertising, and she had been the head of conception and development of strategies for brands of diverse sectors such as real state, wines and distillates, premium brands, services, and fast-moving consumer goods.

Prior to joining PROCOMER, Adriana as a Marketing Director and Senior Executive, developed marketing strategies, frame and conduct marketing research, develop customer journeys and lead the social media and advertising strategy for different clients and companies. She also explored her entrepreneur side creating and managing her own advertising agency for 8 years.

Adriana is graduate of the Costa Rica University of Communication and Advertising program and has an MBA in Marketing. She has experience developing new business, leading marketing teams, managing the relation with advertising, social media and public relations agencies, commercial partners, press media and events agencies and has served as the spokesperson of different companies.

Steve Haemmerle Executive Vice President Hunden Partners

Steven Haemmerle is the Executive Vice President of Hunden Partners. He joins the Hunden executive leadership team as a senior real estate professional with over 30 years of public, private, and not-for-profit real estate experience, including strategic planning, the development of high-profile mixed-use projects, large-scale project management, architecture, and real estate operations. Steve has a unique understanding of real estate strategy, is skilled at organizing and completing complex projects, leading experienced teams of professionals, and developing projects in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.

Steve is the former Managing Principal of Strategic Redevelopment Advisors, a company that he formed in 2019 to provide advisory services to public sector, commercial, and not-for-profit clients enabling them to conceptualize and realize their real estate development objectives. Services include strategic planning, project implementation, program management, and design and project management.

Steve served as Executive Vice President of Navy Pier, Inc. from 2011 to 2019, and was responsible for all real estate development at Navy Pier. During Steve’s tenure there, he worked with the Urban Land Institute to gather recommendations for the redevelopment of Navy Pier; helped form the not-for-profit, Navy Pier, Inc.; directed the creation of the Centennial Vision, the framework plan for the redevelopment of Navy Pier; and hosted an international design competition that resulted in the hiring of James Corner Field Operations, who gave shape to Navy Pier’s Pierscape. Much of the transformation of Navy Pier has been completed, including its exterior public spaces and the retail portions of the interior. Steve negotiated agreements with the architects, consultants, and contractors for the project as well as leases with Chicago Children’s Museum and Chicago Shakespeare Theater that allowed them both to expand their presence at the Pier. Steve sourced and negotiated a complex air-rights lease with a private entity for the development and operation of a hotel and rooftop venue at the Pier’s historic East End. All told, nearly $375M has been invested in Navy Pier since 2010.

From 2003 to 2008, Steve served as Vice President of Strategic Planning at the St. Joe Company (NYSE:JOE), a publicly traded real estate company and the largest private landowner in Florida. JOE was engaged in town and resort development, commercial and industrial development, and rural land sales. At JOE, Steve was responsible for directing high-profile corporate initiatives, including the development of a mixed-use gulf-front commercial project, the negotiation a resort management and branding agreement, and providing advisory services for relocating a commercial airport in northwest Florida. He was also responsible for implementing strategic initiatives that increased the underlying value of JOE’s landholdings. After working for the St. Joe Company, Steve provided real estate consulting services to a variety of private and public sector clients.

Between 1990 and 2003, Steve held senior development positions at the MPEA, which at the time was the owner and operator of Navy Pier and McCormick Place. He was a key member of the team responsible for the initial redevelopment of Navy Pier and oversaw its business operations after it opened to the public. At McCormick Place, Steve was responsible for all pre-construction activities for the $1.1B McCormick Place West Expansion, which included land acquisition, entitlements, planning, design, and construction, including the negotiation of an $850M design-build agreement. Early in his career, Steve worked as an architect and for a private developer.

Steve graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Rob Costanzo City Manager Surrey

As City Manager for Surrey, B.C, one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada and soon to be the largest City in British Columbia, Rob Costanzo leads a dynamic senior management team that drives the city’s strategic priorities and modernizes development processes. Under his leadership, Surrey is delivering two major entertainment districts that include a 10,000-seat arena and an interactive art museum, constructing a $300 million state-of-the-art recreation and community center, significantly expanding its transportation and rapid transit infrastructure, and partnering with Simon Fraser University to establish a new Medical School in the heart of Surrey’s city centre.

With over 30 years of service at the City of Surrey, Rob has held key roles such as General Manager of Corporate Services and Director of Engineering, overseeing pivotal initiatives including the award-winning Surrey Rethink Waste System and the Organic Waste Biofuel Facility. Through his commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community-building, Rob continues to shape Surrey into a thriving, inclusive, and forward-thinking city. He holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University.

Stewart Colvin SVP, Global Brand Strategy MMGY Global

Stewart leads MMGY Global’s brand strategy division as Senior Vice President, uncovering the core essence and identities of brands to unleash their full potential. Overseeing a team of creatives and data strategists, he works at the intersection of art and science. With over twenty years of experience in the travel and tourism industry with MMGY Global, he has created brands for destinations, hotel companies, attractions and sports franchises around the world, including Tourism Vancouver, Destination Cleveland, Bermuda Tourism Authority, Los Cabos Tourism Board, Homewood Suites by Hilton, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Cavaliers. His creative and marketing insights drive innovations that elevate brands and help them connect to the next generation of consumers. As a student of human nature, Stewart’s bachelor’s degree in history from The King’s College in New York helps him to understand people’s desires and motivations. Prior to joining MMGY Global, he served as International Creative Director at Dentsu, Inc. in Tokyo. He has received awards at the most prestigious advertising competitions, including Best of Show at the HSMAI Adrian Awards – twice.

John Taylor Mayor Newmarket, Ontario

John is currently the Mayor of the Town of Newmarket. He has represented Newmarket on both Town Council and York Region Council for 19 years, serving as Mayor for the past seven years.

John sits on all Town of Newmarket Committees as well as the Newmarket Economic Development Advisory Committee and the Board of NT Power. John also sits on a variety of Regional committees including the York Regional Police Service Board, Human Services Planning Board of York Region, and is the Chair of Housing York Inc.

Previously John worked as an independent investment consultant and was a partner in a logistics and transportation company. He also worked for the Minister of Community and Social Services at Queen’s Park and in the field of education at the secondary and post-secondary levels. John worked, taught, and published in the field of Indigenous education.

John was born and raised in Newmarket and attended high school locally. While attending Trent University, The University of Toronto, and The University of British Columbia, John earned bachelor’s degrees in English and Education, a Master’s degree in Canadian Studies, and a Ph.D. in Education.

John is a former tennis Line judge, a national croquet champion, and an avid Scrabble player.

Alex Sarian President & CEO, Arts Commons & Author of The Audacity of Relevance

Alex Sarian is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Audacity of Relevance: Critical Conversations on the Future of Arts and Culture (ECW Press, 2024), and President & CEO of Arts Commons (soon to be Werklund Centre), where he is responsible for leading the $660 million Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) project—the largest cultural infrastructure project in Canadian history. Prior to moving to Calgary in 2020, he spent 18 years in New York City, where he served as a senior executive at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A proud member of the 2022 class of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40, he holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from New York University, is a graduate of the CommunityShift program at Western University's Ivey School of Business, and was an inaugural graduate of the Impact Program for Arts Leaders at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.

Jerad Bachar CEO VisitPITTSBURGH

Jerad Bachar has close to thirty years of tourism and economic development experience in an array of countries and business environments. He has worked in both developed and emerging markets in the areas of destination branding and marketing, economic development and diversification, and workforce development.

Jerad began his tourism development career at VisitPITTSBURGH in 2004.  In 2008, he became Director of Business Tourism for the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing where he led the development of the city’s strategy for business, sports, and leisure events.  In 2015, Jerad became an Executive Director at the Bahrain Economic Development Board where he was responsible for economic development of the travel, healthcare, education, and real estate sectors. 

Jerad returned to Pittsburgh in January 2019 as the Executive Vice President of VisitPITTSBURGH, and as of May 2020 became President and CEO of the organization. Jerad holds an MBA from the University of Liverpool.

Anita Cassidy Executive Director Burlington Economic Development & Tourism

Anita Cassidy is an accomplished leader responsible for the strategic direction and management of Burlington Economic Development + Tourism. Anita has worked for Burlington Economic Development since immigrating to Canada from Europe in 2011, becoming Executive Director in 2018. In January 2025, Burlington Economic Development successfully merged with Tourism Burlington and Anita was named the Executive Director of the new organization, which is the city's official destination marketing organization. She has 25 years’ experience in Economic Development blending the perspectives of an extensive background in European and North American economic development practice. A graduate of the University of Glasgow Masters of Economic Development program, she is multilingual and has lived and worked in seven countries. She has led a number of transformational initiatives for Burlington including the Burlington Economic Vision, GO Investment Corridor and Red Tape Red Carpet strategies. Anita also co-founded TechPlace, an Innovation Centre led by Burlington Economic Development that has supported thousands of entrepreneurs since it launched in 2017.

Bob Ross Chief Marketing Officer Greater Topeka Partnership

Bob Ross serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for the Greater Topeka Partnership (GTP), an organization dedicated to fostering economic growth, tourism, and community engagement in Topeka, Kansas. The Partnership unites key local entities, including the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Visit Topeka, Downtown Topeka Inc., and GO Topeka, to create a collaborative and strategic approach to advancing the city’s development. Through marketing, advocacy, and outreach, GTP works to elevate Topeka’s profile as a thriving destination for business, tourism, and quality of life.

Before stepping into his leadership role at the Greater Topeka Partnership, Ross built a distinguished career in the private sector, amassing 20 years of experience in merchandising, marketing, and brand development. He held leadership positions with major retail companies, including Payless ShoeSource, once headquartered in Topeka, Kansas, and Academy Sports + Outdoors, based in Katy, Texas. Throughout his career, he led domestic and international merchandising teams, gaining invaluable expertise in consumer behavior, strategic branding, and market expansion.

Ross applies his extensive corporate experience to the mission of promoting Topeka on a national scale. Passionate about economic development and community pride, he works to position Topeka as a premier Midwestern city for businesses, residents, and visitors. His efforts focus on place branding, tourism marketing, and public engagement, ensuring that Topeka’s growth, culture, and opportunities receive the recognition they deserve.

Susan Amey President & CEO Discover Durham

Susan Amey joined Discover Durham in 2016 as Chief Marketing Officer and was named President & CEO in 2019. Under her leadership the organization has evolved into a digital-first agency, underwent rebranding and renaming, led the community-wide celebration of Durham’s 150^th birthday, weathered a pandemic-driven 57% drop in revenue, and emerged to develop a destination master plan defining a 20-year vision for the community. That work led to a successful legislative campaign to expand the  organization’s funding and mission and the launch of a new subsidiary in 2024, Durham Next, a visionary community partnership for the advancement of Durham as the best place to live, work and visit.

Discover Durham also operates the Durham Sports Commission, which creates economic and social impact in the community through sports.

Susan’s 30-year marketing and business background spans B2B and B2C programs for organizations as varied as Black & Decker, Steelcase, and UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School MBA program. Prior to Discover Durham, she was most recently VP of Marketing for a subsidiary of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, overseeing a $50M ecommerce enterprise.

Susan has a BA in journalism and an MBA in advertising and product management, both from New York University.

Kelly Groff CDME President & CEO Visit Montgomery, MD

Kelly Groff has led Visit Montgomery for over 25 years. She has spent her entire professional career in the hospitality industry. Prior to joining Visit Montgomery, Groff served as a Business Development Manager at the Baltimore County Office of Economic Development; Business Development Officer with the Baltimore City Office of Promotion and Tourism; and held several directors of sales positions with hotels in Baltimore.

Kelly is a Certified Destination Management Executive, a designation sanctioned by Destinations International. She most recently received the 2024 Distinguished Service Award, from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). And in 2021 was named business advocate of the year by the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kelly has immersed herself in the hospitality industry working as a founder and board member of the Foundation for Hospitality and Restaurant Management (FHRM). The Foundation works with Montgomery County Public Schools to encourage students to explore careers and post-secondary opportunities in the hospitality industry.

Kelly has taught third- and fourth-year hospitality and restaurant management students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Shady Grove Campus and first- and second-year college students at the Montgomery College Hospitality Program.

She is a Leadership Montgomery and Leadership Maryland graduate.

Kelly is a native Marylander with a passion for travel and the outdoors. Her biggest accomplishment—raising her two sons Matthew and Stephen White.

Ryan Short CEO CivicBrand

Ryan Short is the co-founder of CivicBrand, a place branding consultancy specializing in engagement-led projects across the United States. Over the past 17 years, Ryan has guided CivicBrand’s team in crafting strategies that elevate communities through place branding, placemaking, and destination marketing. His work has impacted cities, towns, and regions nationwide, helping them become more vibrant, equitable, and loveable places.

Ryan is also the host of the Eyes On The Street podcast, where he explores the intersection of community, culture, and design with thought leaders and changemakers. He is the author of the upcoming book THE CIVIC BRAND: The Power and Responsibility of Place Branding, set to release in summer 2025.

Passionate about the profound role place plays in shaping our lives, health, and happiness, Ryan advocates for a people-first approach to branding and placemaking. He is committed to ensuring that place branding not only fosters connection and identity but also champions sustainability and equity for the betterment of both people and the planet.

Joe Veneto Chief Experience Officer Veneto Collaboratory

Joe Veneto, Chief Experience Officer, Veneto Collaboratory, is a Tourism Industry expert specializing in destination development, placemaking and experience design. He collaborates with Destination Management Organizations which include Convention & Visitors Bureaus, state and provincial offices of tourism, and regional tourism associations as well as Economic Development Agencies, destination attractions and travel corporations.

Veneto Collaboratory partners with destinations throughout North America to design and develop unforgettable places and experiences that are the essence of place. They are marketed to leisure visitors, residents and groups to drive visitation, create economic development and innovate destinations’ tourism landscapes.

Joe created the Experience Design Studio process that converts the attributes, attractions and essence of a destination into unforgettable market-ready visitor experiences. The process has been implemented in multiple destinations throughout North America. Sample destinations include Richmond, The Columbia Valley and Surrey, BC, Canada; Scottsdale, AZ; Houston TX; Louisville, and Paducah, KY; Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, AL; Deadwood, SD; Madison, Green Bay and Eau Claire, WI; and others.

He is also a highly regarded thought leader and professional speaker on tourism trends, destination placemaking and customer experience. He presents programs annually at Industry Conventions, Tourism Conferences, International Associations and Economic Development Agencies.

He is creator of The Experience Lab, an annual immersive placemaking event that showcases the Design Studio process in a destination in North America.  

Joe began his travel career as a tour director escorting busloads of beautiful, blue-haired, bingo card carrying women and a few men on tours throughout North America.

April Mason President Violet PR

With nearly 30 years of experience marketing places, April founded Violet PR in 2010. Her passion is working with clients dedicated to improving their communities. She has managed PR campaigns for destinations including Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, North Carolina, Lehigh Valley, Oklahoma and New Jersey. April has arranged hundreds of media interviews for governors, mayors, CEOs and industry experts – promoting cities, states and regions across the world. April holds an M.A. in journalism/marketing communications from the University of Kansas. 

Nicole Marshall Sr. Account Director Violet PR

Nicole’s top-tier media relations experience has included the crafting of creative editorial pitch angles and researching and strategizing highly successful thought leadership campaigns on behalf of her clients. This work has helped her clients garner market visibility through earned coverage in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNBC, CNN, Forbes, TechCrunch, and CBS News. She has represented economic development organizations in Switzerland, Denver, Cincinnati, North Carolina, to name a few. Nicole holds a B.A. in Mass Communications, from Louisiana State University and an MBA from the University of New Orleans.  

Emily Lessard Chief Strategy Officer Bellweather

Emily Lessard pioneers an ecological approach to brand revitalization that transforms how organizations connect with their audiences. Drawing inspiration from native plant ecosystems, she helps legacy brands maintain their authentic roots while adapting organically to changing environments. She challenges the exhausting cycle of perpetual rebranding by treating brands as living systems—thriving in harmony with their surroundings rather than requiring constant reinvention. Through her work founding Bellweather and The Plant Native, Emily demonstrates that when brands respect the natural rhythms of their communities and respond cinematically to their environments, they create deeper, more sustainable connections—evolving naturally over time, just as native plants flourish in balance with their ecosystems.

Vedran Dzebic Associate / Director of Research Entro

Vedran's work sits at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and experiential design. Through the use of innovative techniques and technologies such as virtual reality, computer vision and machine learning, he explores how the physical environment shapes how we think, feel, and behave. His expertise ranges from the study of visual complexity within urban environments to biophilic design to the role of emerging technologies in shaping how we think about our surroundings. Vedran has conducted research and developed strategies for municipalities, transit systems, workplace, healthcare facilities, and academic campuses.

Nima Gopalakrishnan Project Director Entro

As Project Director at Entro, Nima leads with a strategic and design-focused approach to creating meaningful user experiences within the built environment. Her passion for design is rooted in her understanding of psychology and her ability to connect with the end user. With a background in architecture and design, she bridges creative vision with practical execution. Her expertise in wayfinding and spatial design ensures seamless, user-centred solutions that integrate thoughtfully into their surroundings. Nima specializes in designing programs for municipalities, healthcare facilities, and airports.

Nicolas Dessureault Co-Founder and Head of Sales Propulso

Nicolas Dessureault is the Head of Sales and a partner at Propulso, a trailblazing company specializing in ethical location intelligence. Joining Propulso in its early stages, Nicolas brought over 15 years of experience as a senior sales executive in advertising, technology, and business solutions within Canada’s leading media and telecom companies. Over the past three years, he has built and led Propulso’s sales team, driving its rapid growth and achieving an impressive triple revenue increase year over year for two consecutive years.

A true advocate for the power of data, Nicolas is dedicated to enabling organizations and sectors of all sizes to access and utilize data effectively. His mission goes beyond immediate sales success—he aims to transform how location intelligence is harnessed across various sectors to drive informed, impactful decisions.

Megan Knott CEO Tourism Kingston

Megan Knott, CEO of Tourism Kingston, and proud mom of two daughters, has more than 25 years of experience in leadership and development, strategic marketing, media and public relations, and business and fiscal management. She holds an MBA in community economic development and is pursuing credentials as a Certified Destination Management Executive.

Megan led city partners in the creation and funding framework for its now established tourism organizations: a hotel association and the destination management organization. Kingston Accommodation Partners’ mission is to advocate for the industry. Tourism Kingston’s mission is to create economic return and visitor experience supports through sales, marketing, the creative industries, and visitor services. Under Megan’s stewardship, these organizations work collaboratively, along with other municipal and community partners, to deliver on the destination’s Integrated Destination Strategy.

Megan also led negotiations for instituting the Municipal Accommodation Tax in Kingston, in which all funds collected from overnight stays are reinvested into the city’s tourism efforts. Her proven capabilities in stakeholder engagement, ideation, and consensus-building have led to the development and implementation of many community investment partnerships and major infrastructure projects.

An active member of the Kingston community, Megan has participated on several boards of directors, including for Regional Tourism Organization 9, Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Downtown Kingston BIA, and the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce.

Under Megan's leadership, the Kingston brand has been recognized with more than 30 national and international awards since its inception in 2018.

Shelley Hirstwood Director of Business Development Kingston Economic Development Corporation

Shelley Hirstwood, Director of Business Development at the Kingston Economic Development Corporation, specializes in Investment Attraction and Business Growth. Her core responsibilities encompass the identification of prospective business opportunities and the facilitation of foreign direct investment to encourage enterprises to establish a presence in Kingston. In her capacity, she engages various stakeholders, including all levels of government, real estate professionals, site selection experts, and key industry partners, to streamline the investment opportunities.

With a career spanning 18 years in the field of economic development, Shelley brings a wealth of experience to her role. Prior to joining the Kingston team, she served as an Economic Development Manager in Gananoque, ON and Gravelbourg, SK. Throughout her career, her focus has remained centered on investment attraction, business retention and expansion, entrepreneurship and community development.

Shelley's academic background includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Trent University, complemented by the EDAC Economic Development Certificate from the University of Waterloo. Furthermore, she has honed her expertise through Training for Small Business Counsellors at Acadia University and completed the Queen's Executive Program at Queen's University, Smith School of Business.

In addition to her professional commitments, Shelley is actively engaged in the industry as the Treasurer for the Economic Development Association of Canada. She has also served as the past president of the Ontario East Economic Development Commission.

Jennifer Campbell Commissioner, Community Services City of Kingston

As the Commissioner of Community Services with the City of Kingston, Jennifer Campbell oversees a diverse portfolio of City departments that includes Recreation and Leisure Services, Arts and Culture Services, Heritage Services, Community Development and Wellbeing & IIDEA, Housing and Social Services and Longterm Care. She joined the City of Kingston in 2016, first as a Manager of Cultural Heritage, then as a Director of Heritage Service, before becoming the Commissioner of Community Services in fall 2024 and joining the City’s Senior Leadership team.

Jennifer has led numerous City projects, including the City’s Engage for Change Project which began as a community engagement “focused on reconciliation” and created in response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which has expanded to become a systems-based approach to Indigenous engagement, anchored by relationship-based partnerships. This work led to her leadership on the City’s Your Stories, Our Histories Project a subsection of which focused on the life and legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald and navigated the role of Kingston as Macdonald’s hometown in the National discussion of his role in Canadian history. Since becoming a City Commissioner, Jennifer has become increasingly involved in guiding the City’s responses some of the major crises of our time; housing, homelessness, addictions and mental health, food insecurity, and the social systems that underpin community vitality and sustainability. This work is deeply rooted in commitments to place making, backed by collaboration and investment to unlock the potential of Kingston’s creative industries.

Prior to joining the City of Kingston, Jennifer was an Assistant Professor within the State University of New York – Potsdam. Her academic research focused on the intersection of heritage, culture, and tourism and explored how national identity campaigns and collective memory formation can drive economic investment in cultural heritage and tourism infrastructure – especially where these creative industries drive and/or uphold dominant or populist historic narratives.

Jennifer was raised in Newfoundland and holds a BA, MA, and PHD in Anthropology.

Bill Fasig CEO TopRight

B.A. Wheaton University; M.A. Georgetown; 36 years of experience
Bill brings a wealth of senior executive and leadership experience as C.E.O. and C.M.O. for leading companies in the technology, government, and gaming industries over a 34-year career. His experiences include serving as C.E.O. for B.M.M. Compliance, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Corporate Affairs for VeriSign, Vice President of Global Communications at Compaq Computers, Managing Director and Chairman of the Technology Practice of Burson-Marsteller/Young & Rubicam, and Global Government Affairs and Communications Director at Apple. Bill has spearheaded multiple award-winning marketing campaigns, including VeriSign's award-winning "Value of Trust" campaign. As a result of the campaign, Bill was named "Marketer of the Year" by Adweek for building the year's best cross-discipline, multi-agency integrated marketing campaign — and the campaign was also recognized as the Online Campaign of the Year by B2B magazine.

Matthew Kruchko Chief Strategy & Operations Officer TopRight

University of Southern Maine; 30 years of experience
Matthew Kruchko is the Chief Strategy & Operations Officer for TopRight. Over a 30-year career, Matthew has progressed from owning and leading brand marketing agencies for 20 years to serving as a CEO and EVP of Global Strategy and Marketing for a publicly traded company. His expertise, honed in Silicon Valley's challenging environment, combines strategic growth initiatives with a disciplined, collaborative approach to sales, marketing, brand, and operations. He has partnered with clients such as Qualcomm, Warner Bros., Lexus, Smithsonian Institute, Sony PlayStation, the Toledo Region, the City of Detroit, the City of Calgary, UPS, Amway, Detroit Auto Show, and RSA.

David Peacock Senior Advisor, Future Tourism Group Simpleview, a Granicus company

Tourism industry visionary David Peacock is the Senior Advisor to the Future Tourism Group @ Simpleview, the global leader in software and services for digital destination marketing.

Peacock followed up two decades of international success as a senior executive in television and electronic media by accepting a challenge to spearhead the creation of a ground breaking tourism development incubator (RTO4.ca) in Ontario, Canada in 2011. He joined Simpleview in January 2020. He has track record in growing and strengthening tourism economies, as well as working with Destinations International and DestinationNEXT,

Peacock describes the Future Tourism Group as a vehicle for industry leaders to prioritize issues and participate in creating and beta-testing tools and processes to address them, with much of the work mirroring strategies he successfully developed for creating sustainable destination management networks, developing channels for distributed marketing and storytelling and strengthening stakeholder competencies.

Patience Fairbrother Senior Vice President, Talent Attraction Development Counsellors International (DCI)

Patience Fairbrother is Senior Vice President, Talent Attraction at Development Counsellors International (DCI), where she oversees the place-marketing agency’s Talent Attraction practice area, helping cities, regions, and countries to attract and retain a talented workforce through custom research and targeted marketing campaigns. Patience’s work has been recognized in the Summit Creative Awards, AVA Digital Awards, Horizon Interactive Awards, International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Excellence in Economic Development Awards, and MarCom Awards. Most recently, Patience was selected as one of PRSA NY’s 15 Under 35, celebrating excellence in the public relations and communications space.

Patience has been a featured speaker on place marketing research and best practices at conferences including Young Smart & Local, Destinations International, IEDC’s Annual Conference, ECONOMIX, the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Annual Conference, and City Nation Place Americas, and in communities from Buffalo to Birmingham. She also hosts the podcast “Talent Wars,” which goes inside the global battle for talent and what destinations are doing to attract and retain the workforce they need.

Based in Brooklyn, Patience is a graduate of Kenyon College and a native of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts.

David Naczycz Senior Associate Principal Coraggio Group

David is a Senior Associate Principal with the Coraggio group where he works with travel industry clients and other public sector organizations. David brings 25 years of experience in organization development and the travel industry and a passion for sustainability, urban development, social justice, inclusion, and economic development. His experience with whole systems change informs Coraggio’s work and includes approaches like process consultation, Appreciative Inquiry, leadership development, team building and organizational design. He is also an expert in community engagement and works with DMOs, cities, civic organizations, and others to help them connect with their larger community and integrate them into planning processes.

Prior to his time at Coraggio, David launched 4 businesses in both the for-profit & non-profit world and consulted with senior leaders in multiple sectors and industries on strategy and change. His ventures include founding a tour company, WeVenture, in NYC that he then scaled to 10 cities nationwide serving 75,000 guests per year. David currently serves on the Board of Directors for Travel Unity, an organization dedicated to making travel more welcoming and inclusive for all.

Rachel Brown Destination Stewardship Director, North America Destination Wayfinder

Rachel Brown is the Destination Stewardship Director for North America for Destination Wayfinder, a cutting-edge platform powered by Miles Partnership dedicated to advancing stewardship and strategic planning for destination organizations. In this role, she drives growth strategy, builds industry partnerships, and helps tourism organizations strengthen their role in destination management.

With over 20 years of experience in the marketing industry, Rachel previously led Visit Durango through a ground-breaking transformation, establishing one of the first dedicated destination management and stewardship departments in the U.S. She has held key leadership roles at Visit Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, and Visit Oakland. She also served on the Board of Directors and chaired the Marketing Committee for the Colorado Tourism Office.

Rachel is a Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) and holds a professional certification in sustainable tourism from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

A passionate traveler, Rachel has explored 45 countries, bringing a global perspective to her work in shaping sustainable tourism strategies.

Jeremie Feinblatt Vice President of Strategy Resonance Consultancy

Jeremie is a global expert in destination strategy and branding, with more than 20 years of experience in various strategy, consulting and entrepreneurial roles. At Resonance, Jeremie launched and spearheaded WRLDCTY, our global forum for urban innovation and currently leads our destination strategy practice across the world. Highlights include development and management of the new international unified brand for the Brussels Region, helping Christchurch New Zealand update their story, advising Houston on its brand strategy alignment, and developing the business case and narrative for a new major mixed-use development in downtown Miami.

Previously, Jeremie founded and led a destination marketing agency in France that disrupted the industry. There, he led some of the country’s largest economic development and tourism campaigns. Jeremie also held senior positions at global brand consultancies FutureBrand and Interbrand, and NYC-based culture-agency MATTE where he advised iconic brands such as Airbnb, Equinox, Marriott, Accor, Allianz and Nespresso on their brand strategy, experience development and growth trajectory. He also ran an event production company where he produced high-profile B2C events, including a 5,000-person dance party with the Concorde jet at the Bourget Airport.

Tim Hasid Director of Destination Strategy Resonance

As Director of Destination Strategy, Tim has shaped the future of destinations across the globe for the past decade—from countries to urban centres.

An expert placemaker, Tim leads the strategic planning and destination development practice at Resonance and holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development from the University of Bordeaux, and a BSc in Civil & Environmental Engineering from the University of Cardiff Engineering School.

Over the past 10 years at Resonance, he has worked with clients ranging from Destination Canada to the Republic of Ireland, and many places in between. As the project leader for Destination Canada, Tim has led the development of Canada’s 2030 World of Opportunity strategy—working closely with leaders of destinations across the country.

Gerda-Marie Rist Head of Copenhagen Legacy Lab Wonderful Copenhagen

Gerda-Marie is Head of Copenhagen Legacy Lab; an award-winning, strategic initiative in Wonderful Copenhagen which helps associations and local capacities in working with broader value creation.

Gerda-Marie is a pharmacist by education and has worked for many years in life-science, spending +15 years in the pharmaceutical industry where she initially worked with drug development and later with project & programme management and strategy. She has also worked with public-private collaborations and international branding of Danish life science and healthcare. Since 2023, her work has focused on legacy, primarily within three strongholds of Copenhagen; life-science, green transition, and information & communications technology.

Gerda-Marie is heading a small team that delivers 3 congress legacy cases and 2 major event legacy cases per year.

Joel Walton Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, Business Events Destination Canada

Joel Walton is the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for Business Events at Destination Canada, where he leads efforts to position Canada as a premier destination for business events. With a background in tourism marketing, including a tenure at Northwest Territories Tourism as Chief Marketing Officer, he brings deep expertise in destination marketing, development and strategic planning. His work focuses on fostering connections between people and places, driving economic growth through business events, and elevating Canada’s global profile in the tourism sector.

Andrew Weir President & CEO Destination Toronto

A recognized leader in Canada’s tourism sector, Andrew was recently appointed President and CEO of Destination Toronto following 18 years with the organization in a range of leadership roles, including Executive Vice President of Destination Development and Chief Marketing Officer. 

A champion and frequent spokesperson for the industry, Andrew just completed a term as Board Chair of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, and also serves on numerous other boards and committees including Destinations International and the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Prior to Destination Toronto, Andrew served as a senior advisor to an Ontario cabinet minister, and spent nine years in communications in the healthcare and biotech industry.

Andrew Weir President & CEO Destination Toronto

A recognized leader in Canada’s tourism sector, Andrew was recently appointed President and CEO of Destination Toronto following 18 years with the organization in a range of leadership roles, including Executive Vice President of Destination Development and Chief Marketing Officer. 

A champion and frequent spokesperson for the industry, Andrew just completed a term as Board Chair of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, and also serves on numerous other boards and committees including Destinations International and the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Prior to Destination Toronto, Andrew served as a senior advisor to an Ontario cabinet minister, and spent nine years in communications in the healthcare and biotech industry.

Joel Walton Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, Business Events Destination Canada

Joel Walton is the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for Business Events at Destination Canada, where he leads efforts to position Canada as a premier destination for business events. With a background in tourism marketing, including a tenure at Northwest Territories Tourism as Chief Marketing Officer, he brings deep expertise in destination marketing, development and strategic planning. His work focuses on fostering connections between people and places, driving economic growth through business events, and elevating Canada’s global profile in the tourism sector.