Program

Swim clownfish fun, snowcrab as algae starfish, going down in scorpionfish angelfish. Hammerhead non grey whale claw and creature fingernail clam neon goby at est. Coral hogfish snake ee.

Goatfish and Black clown goby fanatic jumping at a nurse shark. Bonnethead at puffer fish pipefish octopus threadfin. Wobbegong shark peaclam swimming. Bonnethead at puffe.

Asian clam painted comber, king crab a elktoe a, grey whale seahorse. Bonnethead at puffer fish pipefish octopus threadfin. Wobbegong shark peaclam swimming. Frogfish spot hogfish rabbitfish spotted sweetlips swim, peppered moray creature jumped. Black clown goby, tilefish catshark sea grape starfish, banana wrasse starfish wobbegong shark, grouper batfish ear snail are a.

Born and raised on Lekwungen territory, also known as Victoria, B.C., Bonnie has lived on the traditional territory of the Secwepemc people for the past 16 years. She is of Michif and Wendat heritage. Bonnie's sports-minded family spends much time in the rinks and on the field. She believes that sports are a therapeutic way to heal, and sports have allowed her to remain focused most of her life, which hasn’t been an easy journey.

Bonnie is currently the Director of Reconciliation and Indigenous Education with the Francophone School District of B.C. She has spent 17 years in a classroom teaching middle school students and has worked as a previous district resources teacher. Bonnie is passionate about Indigenous Education and creating a better world for all learners while implementing indigenous ways of knowing and being. Advocating for the rights of Indigenous and Francophone people and bridging the gaps between Indigenous learners, she focuses on Equity and Anti-Racism Education. Bonnie is an innovator and visionary, or some may call her an idealist focusing on Minority French Education. With 50 Francophone schools all over the province of B.C., she spends much time collaborating with indigenous communities on the land of which her schools are located.

Chief Frank Antoine is from St’uxwtews, also known as Bonaparte First Nation, part of the Secwepemc Nation. He is also the co-founder of Moccasin Trails Inc., a well-known Indigenous tourism company.

Frank currently sits on various tourism boards, including the Historic Hat Creek Society, McAbee Working Group, Indigenous Tourism B.C., Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada and the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance.

Frank’s gift is partnership building and connecting businesses to Indigenous communities. A storyteller at heart and a highly sought-after presenter around the world, Frank shares a passion for educating the world about the Indigenous Peoples of Canada through tourism. Bonnie and Frank are proud parents of three children. Together, they are leading a new pathway for Indigenous people in Canada and braiding connections for Reconciliation.

Jonathan Laberge is an accomplished entrepreneur and marketing expert with a track record of success in the digital industry. Jonathan's passion lies in marketing, sales, and the interplay between the two. Since 2002, he has been a partner in two companies, demonstrating his leadership skills and business acumen. 

With a deep understanding of B2B and B2C marketing, particularly adept in e-commerce, Jonathan specializes in working with marketing executives and managers to drive growth and achieve tangible results. 

In addition to his professional achievements, Jonathan has contributed to the media landscape. He has served as a tech columnist at LCN and TVA Nouvelles on Québec Matin, sharing his insights and expertise with a broad audience. He has also worked as a techno columnist in Noovo and editor on Noovo.info, further solidifying his reputation as a knowledgeable industry expert.

Throughout his career, Jonathan has collaborated with renowned companies such as Parkland Fuel (Ultramar), Gildan, 5nplus, Power Corporation, Avanti, Cossette, and many others. His role as a consultant in marketing and sales for over two decades has provided him with extensive expertise and insights into driving business success.

As a Principal with Navigator, Patricia Favre provides clients strategic and crisis communications counsel and public affairs campaign development and execution. 

When it comes to crisis preparedness, Patricia has worked with executive teams across the country. She has developed plans and led training and simulation in various industries, particularly education, where she has worked with school boards, independent schools, post-secondary institutions, and child-care centres. 

Patricia currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Philip Aziz Centre and Emily’s House, which provide hospice care for adults and children. She has extensive experience working in provincial politics and the health sector. She recently served four terms on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Liberal Party. Previous to Navigator, Patricia worked in the office of a former Premier of Ontario and for a former Ontario Cabinet Minister, assisting with communications, media and stakeholder events, and issues management. 

While in the health sector, Patricia worked at a major Toronto hospital where she was responsible for strategic communications, community engagement and crisis planning. 

Patricia is fully bilingual. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from Queen’s University and a Graduate Certification in Public Relations from Humber College. 

As the Managing Principal for the Montreal office, Philippe Gervais brings over 25 years of experience in strategic advice to politicians, corporate and public sector executives and not-for-profit decision-makers.

Philippe has distinguished himself in government relations, strategic advice and campaign planning and execution at the national and international levels. He provides strategic advice and communications counsel to Navigator clients in sectors such as energy, education, health care, mergers and acquisitions and international trade.

He has played key roles in political campaigns in Canada and abroad, including US Presidential campaigns. During the 2006 election, he served as National Deputy Campaign Manager for the Conservative Party of Canada.

Before joining Navigator, Philippe ran the Quebec operations of a national government relations firm for 22 years. From 1990 to 1993, he worked for the Minister of National Revenue as a Special Assistant responsible for implementing the GST. His government service continued with positions as Executive Assistant to the Federal Minister of Public Works and Government Services and then as Political Attaché to the Deputy Premier and President of the Treasury Board of Quebec.

Philippe is currently Chairman of the Board of MITACS and past Chairman of H2O Innovation Inc. (TSXV: HEO). 

Eva Hartling, an award-winning-CMO-turned-entrepreneur, is a Communications Strategist with two decades of experience helping organizations achieve their objectives locally and Internationally.

Eva has orchestrated successful media campaigns for leading North American brands and executives, and she has also acted as spokesperson for publicly-traded companies, Crown corporations and established business leaders. She is well versed in financial communications and crisis management, and she benefits from an extensive network of thought leaders, executives, and media contacts across a range of industries and geographies.

Before launching her own consulting practice, Eva held the position of Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President, Brand at Birks Group where she worked for almost a decade. Prior to joining Birks, Eva held positions in Communications and Public Affairs at Telefilm Canada, RONA, BDC and IBM. 

Eva is also the founder and host of The Brand is Female which has become Canada’s leading female leadership podcast, presented by TD Women in Enterprise. The Brand is Female podcast has been at the top of Canadian and American charts, has received accolades from media and has been featured in campaigns by Apple and Spotify.

Since launching her own consulting practice, Eva has worked with organizations including TD, Randstad, BonLook, CANFAR, Functionalab Group, Dermapure, Stingray, Athleta, Sony Pictures, HarperCollins, Telefilm Canada, L’Oréal, VISA, University of Toronto, the Ax-1 Private Space Mission, Jamieson and more.

Eva is a Board member for the Fondation du Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal and is actively involved with Toronto-based CANFAR. She studied communications and management at Université du Québec à Montréal and HEC Montréal. Eva resides in Montreal, and works with clients across North America.

Tom Crier has been working as a creative in Maskwacis, Alberta, since 2009. As a graphic designer, he's successfully completed many branding projects and video and website work for many different local and national organizations. He began working with Maskwacis Education Schools Commission in 2017 as a freelancer before joining full-time in 2018. He lives in Maskwacis and is the proud father of a baby girl.

Ashley Dennehy is from the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, AB. She works for Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission (MESC) with the Communications team in the Superintendent's Office. Ashley specializes in Rightsholder Engagement. Ashley is responsible for coordinating and supporting the MESC Kehetahk (Elders) Forum, Oskayak (Youth) Conference, Ohpikinahawasiwin (Parent) Conference, and the Leadership Summit, amongst other stakeholder engagement events within the district. Ashley loves to travel with her daughter Graceyn.

Jenn Nepoose is from the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta. She is a mother, golfer, travel enthusiast and Executive Coordinator with Maskwacis Education Schools Commission (MESC). Her work includes administering the Superintendent's Office activities, project management, supporting the executive team, managing governance requirements and overseeing communications. Jenn joined the MESC team in 2016 and is proud to work with highly skilled communications professionals and leaders in education.

Megan McKenny has served within the Fort McMurray Catholic Schools family since 2010. From the start of journalism in Ontario and Alberta, McKenny continued her communications journey in media relations, crisis communications, social media, marketing, and strategic planning. 

As an award-winning communicator, Megan believes in creating opportunities for students and staff to be integral in communication efforts. 

Guy has over 30 years of experience in management, stakeholder engagement, communications, marketing, strategic planning, and philanthropy. Before joining Ontario’s largest French-language public school board, he served three governments, three research-intensive universities and several private sector and non-profit organizations in Ontario, Québec, and Saskatchewan.

An imaginative multitasker, he is outcomes oriented and strongly believes in measurable goals and progress monitoring through performance indicators.

To him, leadership is not an attribute of position. Instead, it manifests an individual’s (or group’s) ability to influence and guide colleagues, a team, an organization or society toward achieving a goal. Part of this involves building social capital by an understanding of issues, purpose and good field knowledge. In Guy’s view, measuring actions and impact in a tangible, concrete fashion goes a long way to help establish credibility and accrue real actionable knowledge.

In his spare time, Guy loves to read, listen to, play, and arrange music. He has been a proud soccer dad for 20 years.

Jonathan Laberge is an accomplished entrepreneur and marketing expert with a track record of success in the digital industry. Jonathan's passion lies in marketing, sales, and the interplay between the two. Since 2002, he has been a partner in two companies, demonstrating his leadership skills and business acumen. 

With a deep understanding of B2B and B2C marketing, particularly adept in e-commerce, Jonathan specializes in working with marketing executives and managers to drive growth and achieve tangible results. 

In addition to his professional achievements, Jonathan has contributed to the media landscape. He has served as a tech columnist at LCN and TVA Nouvelles on Québec Matin, sharing his insights and expertise with a broad audience. He has also worked as a techno columnist in Noovo and editor on Noovo.info, further solidifying his reputation as a knowledgeable industry expert.

Throughout his career, Jonathan has collaborated with renowned companies such as Parkland Fuel (Ultramar), Gildan, 5nplus, Power Corporation, Avanti, Cossette, and many others. His role as a consultant in marketing and sales for over two decades has provided him with extensive expertise and insights into driving business success.

Rania Ahmed is a Senior Designer who supports the strategic planning process. Drawing on her diverse experience in facilitation, curriculum design, and community mobilization, she assists with engagement, data analysis, and report writing. Having worked with a variety of groups and organizations in public, non-profit, and private sectors, Rania is experienced at creating inclusive and safe environments for open dialogue and participation. Her work is rooted in equity, social innovation, and accessibility. She will support facilitation, review data, and surface insights to inform the planning process and strategic plan. Rania holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies. 

Eusis Dougan-McKenzie is the Executive Officer responsible for Corporate Services and Strategic Initiatives. She brings more than 25 years of experience in operational effectiveness, corporate responsibility and stakeholder engagement. Eusis held leadership and public engagement positions at various government, not-for-profit and professional services organizations. She has extensive strategic communications experience working to make complex issues more accessible to a variety of audiences. Eusis holds a BA in Political Science from Carleton University, a Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility and Sustainability from the University of Toronto, and a Diploma in Corporate Communications from Centennial College.

Rebecca is a 15-year veteran in the professional communications arena, specializing in the application of artificial intelligence to modern communication strategies. She is passionate about developing and sharing cutting-edge generative AI solutions that enhance strategic and streamlined messaging.

Over the last year, she has contributed to the discourse on AI in communications by speaking at various events—from regional seminars to national conferences. This has allowed her to share practical insights with her industry peers across Canada and the United States, helping to shape best practices at the intersection of these two evolving fields.

Guided by a commitment to professional development, Rebecca’s primary goal is to equip her colleagues with the insights and skills required to leverage AI, thereby increasing their impact and value within their organizations.

With more than 12 years of experience, Jiana Chow, APR, is the Communications Manager at the second largest school district in British Columbia, the Vancouver School Board (VSB). Jiana is a trusted advisor to senior executives and a driving force behind successful communication strategies that are high-profile and contentious in nature. Drawing on her broad experience from the public, non-profit and private sectors, Jiana brings extensive knowledge in strategic planning, issues management, media relations, public engagement, government relations and digital communications. In addition to her current role, Jiana is also the podcast host of VSB: After the Bell, requiring her to always be in the know about current topics and trends to share with her listeners. An articulate media spokesperson and trainer, Jiana has a distinguished career history at TransLink and Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), where she navigated intense negative media attention. 

Outside of her work, Jiana is a dedicated mom of two little ones, a fitness enthusiast, interior design aficionado, and an unapologetic foodie.

Stéphanie Comeau is the Communications Coordinator for the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP), the only francophone school board in Nova Scotia. She brings a wealth of experience to this role, having previously worked in various communications and public relations positions both in education and government sectors. Armed with a Bachelor of Public Relations and a Masters in Public Relations, she possesses a unique blend of communications expertise and a deep understanding of the education landscape, especially in a minority-language setting.  

For the past seven years, Stéphanie has been managing a one-person shop at the CSAP. In her daily responsibilities, she oversees the school board (including the 23 schools) social media presence, media relations, internal/external communications, crisis communications, board communications and more.

Carrie Rosa has dedicated her career to providing effective, strategic communications advice and support in the public service. As a former journalist, Carrie has honed her communications skills working with organizations like Alberta Health Services, the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Energy Regulator. 

Most recently, Carrie has served as Director of Communications with Edmonton Public Schools. For the past seven years, she has  navigated the unique challenges of the education sector, ensuring clear and impactful communication with staff and families.

Dedicated to the craft, she has served as a board member of the Edmonton chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society, including as Accreditation Chair, supporting communicators to obtain their designation. When she's not at work, you'll find her reading a book, baking cookies or hanging out with her family.

Shazia Vlahos is the Chief of Communications and Government Relations for the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

Previously, Shazia worked for the Ontario government as a Special Advisor to Premier Wynne, and as Director of Communications and Senior Policy Advisor to three Ministers of Education. Shazia also worked in B.C. politics for the Minister of Health and Premier Clark. Shazia volunteers her time as a mentor for two organizations including PAAC and MAX Aspire. 

Kristin Rushowy is a reporter in the Queen’s Park bureau of the Toronto Star, covering Ontario politics, and in particular K-12 and post-secondary education. Prior to that, she spent 15 years on the education beat, with a particular focus on early years and the provincial government’s move to full-day kindergarten. She was part of the Star’s 2011 National Newspaper Award-winning team for breaking news coverage of the G20 summit, and worked on the Star’s Autism Project, which was nominated for an NNA as well as a Michener Award for public service journalism.

Jennifer is OPSBA’s Director of Policy. Her work focuses on a wide range of policy development and governance issues, supporting both trustees and school boards. She provides regular analysis and updates to the membership with regards to key legislation and regulations that impact education, and is involved in much of the Association’s other advocacy work. Before joining OPSBA, she had senior communications positions with the Toronto District School Board, Sun Life Financial, Bell Canada and has PR agency experience. She attended the University of Guelph and Humber College. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband and two daughters.

Shane is currently Managing Director, Government and Public Affairs for the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association. He has over a decade of public sector experience, having served as Chief of Staff to the Attorney General of Ontario, Chief of Staff to the Solicitor General of Ontario, and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Government and Consumer Services, and Francophone Affairs. He has advised cabinet ministers and Premiers on a variety of complex files including constitutional and human rights issues, justice sector reforms, labour relations and collective bargaining, and government procurement. Shane’s experiences include leading policy development for legislation, stakeholder consultations, crisis communications, and issues management. A lawyer by training, Shane began his career with a large, full-service law firm in Toronto.  Shane grew up in Oakville, where he now lives with his wife and two sons. 

T.J. is OPSBA’s Senior Communications and Policy Officer. A veteran communicator and former journalist, T.J. has been with OPSBA since November 2012 after three-and-a-half years with the Toronto District School Board providing all manner of corporate communications and public, social and media relations support. Prior to the TDSB, he spent time at the City of Richmond Hill, teaching English in South Korea, and working as a reporter and editor for community newspapers. A District School Board of Niagara alumnus, he attended Carleton University and Centennial College, studying journalism and communications. T.J. lives in the west end of Toronto with his wife and two boys.

Steve helps school districts build their brand. He has established himself as an innovative and recognized leader in brand and public relations among K12 PR professionals across the country. Currently, he serves as assistant director for Engagement and Development Services with Capital Region BOCES in Albany, NY, and has over a decade of experience helping school districts build trust and credibility with their publics. He regularly provides strategic brand and communications guidance to school districts and educational organizations throughout New York State and has presented to audiences around North America. He is the immediate past president of the New York School Public Relations Association. Away from work, Steve is a co-host of A Podcast for Creatives, an audio experience for creatives and thinkers in all fields. He lives in upstate New York with his wife and son.

Jodie Orzechowski, APR, believes that the foundation of successful school public relations begins with building strong relationships and trust with your public.

Jodie is an assistant director of communications and public relations in the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service, providing strategy, support and coaching for a team of school PR professionals in districts across New York.

Jodie has served in a school PR role for 16 years, with experience in New York and Connecticut. In 2013, she earned her Accreditation in Public Relations and was named one of Fairfield County (CT) Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” for being an exceptional professional and actively making a difference in the county. Her work has been recognized by the National School Public Relations Association, the New York School Public Relations Association and the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education.

Jodie holds a graduate degree in Communication from Suffolk University in Boston.

Originally from France, Elisa Gilet is a multimedia communications consultant at CEPEO. Elisa has a degree in digital communication and specializes in user experience, including usability testing and information architecture. Her philosophy is customer-focused, and she values collaborative teamwork through open communication and empathy. She recently undertook the redesign for the CEPEO school website, primarily focusing on ensuring users could access all information easily and intuitively.

Tom Crier has been working as a creative in Maskwacis, Alberta, since 2009. As a graphic designer, he's successfully completed many branding projects and video and website work for many different local and national organizations. He began working with Maskwacis Education Schools Commission in 2017 as a freelancer before joining full-time in 2018. He lives in Maskwacis and is the proud father of a baby girl.

Ashley Dennehy is from the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, AB. She works for Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission (MESC) with the Communications team in the Superintendent's Office. Ashley specializes in Rightsholder Engagement. Ashley is responsible for coordinating and supporting the MESC Kehetahk (Elders) Forum, Oskayak (Youth) Conference, Ohpikinahawasiwin (Parent) Conference, and the Leadership Summit, amongst other stakeholder engagement events within the district. Ashley loves to travel with her daughter Graceyn.

Jenn Nepoose is from the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta. She is a mother, golfer, travel enthusiast and Executive Coordinator with Maskwacis Education Schools Commission (MESC). Her work includes administering the Superintendent's Office activities, project management, supporting the executive team, managing governance requirements and overseeing communications. Jenn joined the MESC team in 2016 and is proud to work with highly skilled communications professionals and leaders in education.

Andrew Saunders manages Rally’s website design and development projects for school divisions, coordinates user training and support, and oversees the ongoing development of the Rally content management system.

Marilyn Burns is the Vice President, Communications and Enrolment at Trent University, bringing 30 years of experience in communications, public relations, and marketing across the corporate, not-for-profit and postsecondary education sectors. In her 22 years at Trent, her portfolio has grown to span Communications, Recruitment and Admissions at two campuses (Peterborough and Durham), and the University’s five Colleges. Prior to Trent, Ms. Burns was Director of Communications for the fundraising arm of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Her early work in advertising involved such brands as Coca-Cola, Petro Canada and McDonald’s. Ms. Burns holds a diploma in Creative Advertising from Centennial College and both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Trent. Among her volunteer efforts, she was proud to serve as chair of Board at the Peterborough AIDS Resource Network.

Yancy Craig, is Vice President of Indigenous and Government Relations at Indspire, with 20 years of public administration and policy experience in the government and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to joining Indspire, he was a Senior Advisor at the Assembly of First Nations, having previously been Director of Strategic Development at the National Association of Friendship Centres. Prior to 2014, Mr. Craig worked in a variety of policy and program administration roles in various federal government departments, having started his career at the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. Mr. Craig holds a B.A. in Sociology and History from Trent University. Mr. Craig is Oneida and a proud member of Six Nations of the Grand River. He is passionate about innovation, public policy, and Indigenous human rights. Mr. Craig graduated from Trent University in 1999 and was appointed for a three-year term on the Board of Governors effective July 1, 2022.

Jesse Hirsh is a futurist farmer who brings an outsider’s perspective and literal critical distance, operating from his farm in rural Eastern Ontario. Yet this is no ordinary farm. Wired up with high speed fibre optic Internet, the Academy of the Impossible engages in a wide range of research regarding agriculture, media, technology, and culture.

He has a Master’s degree from Toronto Metropolitan University in algorithmic media, and his current work focuses on the rise of automated media, as well as the governance and ethics of artificial intelligence, data protection, and privacy.

Jesse is also a co-founder of the Eco Punks, a trans-disciplinary agency that analyzes the ecosystems and communities that our clients operate in, helping us identify opportunities resulting from, as well as responses to, the ever changing challenges that are imposed on us by an increasingly unpredictable and unstable reality.

Jesse has an infectious energy that lifts spirits and enables creative critical thinking. He’s always learning, sharing, and helping others to do the same.