Marketing and Advertising

After a decade of scaling Canadian brands like Kotn, Well.ca and Opencare as a part of their marketing teams, Dan founded Vendry in 2023 to create a better marketing agency search process, having experienced the frustration of navigating the over 200k marketing agencies worldwide. Having led agency searches for Shopify, Estee Lauder, Burts Bees, Sony Music in the last 12 months, Dan and his team are transforming the way companies hire agencies, one successful partnership at a time, saving marketers 20+ hours in the process.

Roselyn D’Ascanio has served as a marketing professional in the real estate industry for 10 years. Her experience includes branding, marketing strategy, and communications spanning across multiple asset classes. In her role as Senior Director, Marketing & Communications at Salthill Capital, Roselyn manages a team of marketing professionals across Canada, overseeing both marketing operations at the asset level, and directly managing corporate marketing strategy and communications. She also leads the organization's Connection Committee, responsible for team member events and community engagement. Roselyn sits on both local and national ICSC Committees, and oversees marketing strategy for two non-profit organizations: The MaKin Foundation and the Association of Toronto Italians in Real Estate. She is also the Co-Founder of Content & CRE, a Toronto-based peer group that aims to connect marketing professionals in the Toronto commercial real estate industry. Most recently, she has also been awarded a seat in the ICSC Next Generation leadership Network 2023-2024 cohort, as well as the Connect Canada CRE 2024 Next Gen Leader.

Parker Kump is an award-winning entrepreneur and the founder of Tuff Media, a top-performing digital advertising agency specializing in e-commerce brands. With a track record of driving rapid business growth, Parker has scaled multiple companies by over 100% and secured equity partnerships in thriving brands. Under Parker’s leadership, the agency has consistently delivered profitable marketing strategies, achieving a 300% revenue increase and 250% team growth in just three years. Recognized as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2023), Parker is a sought-after speaker at industry events, including the Canadian Digital Marketing Conference and the LOI Labs program. Tuff Media has established itself as a leader in e-commerce advertising, helping brands scale profitably through high-performance marketing campaigns across Facebook, Google, creatives, and email. The agency’s data-driven strategies and creative execution have led to record-breaking results for clients, improving customer acquisition and return on ad spend. Passionate about mentorship and community impact, Parker volunteers as a coach for young entrepreneurs through The Agency Mentor and contributes to global initiatives by supporting clean water projects in Burkina Faso. Tuff Media is projected to hit $2M - $2.5M in revenue in 2025 (4th year as an agency), reinforcing Parker’s expertise in scaling brands and redefining digital advertising for e-commerce businesses.

Mitch is a Senior Vice President on Edelman’s Digital team and leads the digital client portfolio and account team. He has over a decade of experiencing building integrated digital programs for consumer and technology brands that drive business impact, bringing to bear a content strategy expertise and an obsession with emerging social, digital and technology platforms to ensure clients and teams are evolving in parallel to the fast-paced world of digital marketing. In his role at Edelman Canada, he partners closely with creative, strategy, data + intelligence and client strategy teams to pair a strong understanding of a client’s business/sector landscape and digital solutions to build audience first and data driven solutions for clients.

 Putting strategy at the centre of everything she does, and driven by opportunities to shake up the norm, Gemma Abela is the Senior Director of Marketing at Loblaw Companies Limited, where she leads the team responsible for driving some of Canada’s most iconic brands- President’s Choice & No Name. Understanding the value of emotional investment, Gemma has approached all her roles with the vision to create a positive, safe, diverse, and empowering work culture in order to push brands & businesses forward. She’s passionate about coaching others to succeed and building high performing teams in order to exceed results. Prior to joining Loblaw, Gemma led highly engaged marketing teams at Samsung, Tim Horton's, and Foot Locker where she consistently demonstrated her ability to shift mindsets, and move thinking to sit outside the box. Over the past 15+ years across a wide rage of companies, brands, industries, and audiences, she has seen a strong track record of success in bringing innovative strategies & programs to the table- and encouraging those around her to hop onboard to deliver impactful work for consumers & businesses around the world. | 

Sydney is a public relations executive with 8+ years of experience in leading purpose-driven communications targeting consumer, industry, government and community audiences across Canada. As Director of Communications for DIGITAL, Canada's Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies, she oversees external communications strategies that promote the importance of digital innovation within the Canadian economy and champions Canada as an innovation nation. Previously, she served as Director of Marketing for B.C.'s Central Interior & Central Coast tourism association, growing it to be one of the province’s largest tourism marketing programs while managing its reputation and business resiliency initiatives through COVID-19 and natural disasters. A graduate of the University of Northern British Columbia with a double major in Finance and Marketing, Sydney has also earned a Public Leadership Credential from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is currently pursuing a mini-MBA from McGill. Sydney cites herself as a strong believer in not changing yourself for the world, but using your talents, creativity and ambition to shape the world you want to live in. Based in Prince George, B.C., she is a passionate advocate for economic diversification, women’s health and mental health for northern communities. She has coordinated $120,000+ of fundraising for charities in northern B.C. and serves on the Board of the BC SPCA, the largest humane society of its kind in North America; while also volunteering as a mentor and coach to high school and post-secondary students studying entrepreneurship.

As Director of NorthPR’s consumer hospitality practice, Cassie is a results-driven communications leader specializing in hospitality and restaurants. Her 16-year career includes representing some of Toronto’s finest luxury, boutique hotels, restaurants and food brands including The SoHo Hotel Toronto, The Beach Motel, Craig’s Cookies, Kilne Cookware, Chickapea Pasta, The Kiwi Motel, Wahlburgers Canada, J’s Steak Frites and The Distillery Restaurant Corporation, as well as many of the city’s top chefs, including Susur Lee, Bruno Feldeisen Mark McEwan, and Claudio Aprile.

Megan oversees opinion research, digital marketing and creative services at Earnscliffe. With a track record of building and leading high-performing digital and public affairs teams, she specializes in developing cutting-edge campaigns that integrate AI, advanced audience targeting methodologies, and a blend of paid and organic media. In her current role, Megan helps clients transform complex policy solutions and brand narratives into compelling digital marketing and advertising campaigns. Her expertise in government relations and public opinion strategy has been instrumental in executing national advertising initiatives for clients spanning industries such as defense, telecommunications, life sciences, and organized labor. Megan’s political career includes serving in key roles for Cabinet Ministers where she managed issues and parliamentary affairs. More recently, she has lent her digital and research expertise to both provincial and federal election campaigns, shaping strategies that drive online engagement. By combining deep political acumen with a research-driven approach, Megan crafts powerful advocacy strategies and public affairs campaigns that resonate with stakeholders and decision-makers. She is currently an instructor of Digital Advocacy in Carleton University’s Master of Political Management (MPM) program.

Vickram Agarwal is a visionary entrepreneur, blending digital innovation with bold leadership to create and scale successful ventures. His career spans industries and continents, from working with global brands to founding companies built on transformation and growth. Vickram’s marketing journey began with General Motors in Dubai, leading him to establish Stroke Consulting in 2011 - a strategy and digital marketing agency serving renowned brands like GMC, Chevrolet, Kawasaki, and MasterCard. In 2019, his path led him to Canada, where he became Partner & Managing Director at Black Rock Marketing Group. Always driven by a desire to innovate, Vickram also launched Daddy’s Digest, a platform that redefined parenting content and was acquired in 2021. He later took on the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Credit Canada, where he spearheaded impactful initiatives for millions across the country. Honored as one of Canada’s top emerging leaders with The Globe and Mail’s Changemaker Award in 2023, Vickram continues to make waves through his latest venture, S1:E2, where he crafts growth strategies that drive lasting impact. Alongside his business ventures, Vickram mentors startups through Techstars and actively contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem through board and council roles.

Aislinn is the Founder and Creative Director at Grant, a creative studio specializing in bold, typographic-focused brand identities for CPG businesses throughout Canada. With a background in business and entrepreneurship and as a self-taught designer, Aislinn brings a unique perspective to the design space, focusing on creative expression for tangible business outcomes. She is dedicated to breaking the mould of a traditional agency model so that Grant can foster incredible talent for happy, healthy outcomes.

Matt is the Director of Marketing at Helcim, a Canadian-based payments provider on a mission to become the world’s most loved payments company. Helcim empowers small businesses with transparent, affordable, and easy-to-use payment solutions, giving them every possible edge to thrive. With deep expertise in digital strategy, brand positioning, and customer experience, Matt has played a key role in helping businesses scale and grow. His passion for marketing and innovation drives his work in making payments more accessible and business-friendly for entrepreneurs everywhere.

Fallon is the VP Innovation at GLG and came to the agency team with many years of experience in pharmaceutical and consumer advertising. With an educational background in both fashion marketing and business advertising, she is well-versed in different aspects of the industry. She is responsible for strategic thinking, vision, growth and brand performance – but she often goes well beyond these duties and spearheads many aspects of the agency functions, offering to train new team members and stepping in on many and varied client mandates. Since joining GLG in 2019, Fallon has vastly diversified her experience, working on various accounts & pharmaceutical therapeutic areas, including oncology (DLBCL, MF, PV,GVHD), rare diseases, biosimilars, ALS & women’s health. In her spare time, Fallon loves to play softball, train in gym competitions, online shop and spend time with her 2 dogs. Fallon demonstrates quiet leadership – she works hard, delivers results, provides added-value, and is always excited to tackle new challenges and to work with any new clients and/or team members!

 Miranda Hassell is an award-winning strategic communicator and campaigner shaping the political and cultural conversations that matter most to Ontarians. With over a decade of experience in issue-based, labour, and political campaigns, Miranda has built winning narratives that mobilize people and drive action. Often working behind the scenes, she is a leader in persuasive communications, holding Premier Doug Ford accountable on public education, healthcare, and workers’ rights. From managing national campaigns on gender equality and democratic engagement, to serving as Digital Director on Olivia Chow’s winning mayoral bid, and working with Ontario's largest unions, Miranda has helped shift public narratives. She has led rallies, digital campaigns, and grassroots movements that reach millions, combining strategic storytelling with community organizing. Her career spans politics, advocacy, and philanthropy, including her current role at Point Blank Creative, as well as Toronto Metropolitan University, Community Foundations of Canada, and the Ontario NDP. Whether she’s running high-impact campaigns, exposing government failures, or equipping communities with the tools to fight back, Miranda’s work is driven by a deep belief that the right stories have the power to create a better future for everyone. | 

Syreeta Gordon is a dynamic technology sales leader committed to driving business growth while championing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the industry. With a proven track record of exceeding sales targets and fostering inclusive workplaces, she blends sales excellence with a passion for creating opportunities for underrepresented professionals. Raised in a multicultural environment, Syreeta recognized early on the transformative power of diverse perspectives. This realization fueled her mission to not only excel in sales but also advocate for DEI at every level. After earning her degree in Business Administration with a focus on Sales and Marketing, she launched her career in technology sales, quickly distinguishing herself as a top performer known for building strong client relationships and delivering innovative solutions. As a Senior Sales Manager, Syreeta continues to drive revenue growth while mentoring and empowering diverse talent within her organization. She actively leads DEI initiatives, spearheading programs that enhance workplace inclusion, improve retention, and foster a culture of belonging. Beyond her company, she is a sought-after speaker at industry events, where she shares insights on the impact of diversity in sales success. Committed to long-term change, Syreeta also dedicates her time to mentoring aspiring sales professionals from underrepresented backgrounds, helping them navigate and thrive in the industry. Through her leadership, advocacy, and mentorship, she is shaping a more inclusive and innovative future in technology sales.

Connor Nichols is the Owner/CEO of CBN Marketing, a full-service digital marketing agency in Edmonton. Connor’s passion for marketing started while pursuing his Bachelor of Administration (BBA) degree at NAIT. Connor started his agency in late January 2023, after working in previous marketing agencies. Based on his upbringing, Connor values the importance of the independence and long hours it takes to be an entrepreneur. Connor built this agency through pure networking and relationship building. This risk has payed off, as CBN Marketing now operates with over 35+ accounts and 15+ team members, through drive, dedication, and hard work. Connor has received accolades in the community such as The Twin Brooks Community Spirit Award, which recognizes the hard work individuals have to help the community. He received a silver medal of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, which strives to encourage youth to pursue community involvement and leisure activities. Connor was a finalist at the 2023 YEG Startup Community awards for New Startup of the Year and Connector of the Year. Born and raised in Edmonton, Connor strives to make a difference in his community through education, networking, and community involvement Connor has given back to the community through volunteering with the Twin Brooks Community League, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, Wayfinders Business Co-Operative, Junior Achievement, and startup and indigenous initiatives.

Kerry-Anne Hamilton is a seasoned event marketing leader in the creator economy, orchestrating over 100 creator-focused events annually across North America. With a passion for creating memorable, social media-worthy experiences, Kerry-Anne focuses on crafting events that resonate with both creators and brands, leaving a lasting impact and fostering meaningful connections. Most notable achievements include creating an events department from scratch, which in just three short years has driven over $100+ million in pipeline. Executing events on behalf of TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat. All while only having a strong but mighty team of 4.

I’m a strategic leader who loves cracking tough problems and turning them into smart, impactful strategies. As VP, Strategy at Edelman, I help brands navigate the fast-paced world of communications—creating connections with audiences that are both meaningful and measurable. With a decade of experience across industries like CPG, retail, gaming, pharma, and non-profit, I’ve had the privilege of working with top brands including Disney, Tencent, TJX, Unilever, Novartis, and PMCF. My career started as the fifth employee at Viral Nation, where I played a key role in scaling the agency from a start-up to 90+ people, driving 300-400% year-over-year growth. Since then, I've held senior leadership roles at top agencies, leading full-funnel campaigns from insight to execution to create work that resonates and drives results. Passionate about mentoring the next generation of marketing leaders, I’ve taught Media Practices at the University of Guelph-Humber, where fourth-year students team up with non-profits to develop go-to-market strategies that make a real impact. Outside of work, I love traveling with my husband and exploring the city with our puppy—always seeking new perspectives and inspiration for my next brief.

Alina Jo is the founder of Kollektif, a creative studio and digital agency helping brands design sustainable merchandise and build brands through strategy and creativity. What began as a lifestyle goods brand focused on fostering connection and giving back to the circular economy has grown into a global partner for brands looking to create meaningful, high-quality merch with purpose. To this day, a portion of Kollektif’s profits supports tree preservation projects around the world, reflecting Alina’s commitment to sustainability. With a background spanning finance, tech, e-commerce, and entrepreneurship, Alina Jo has built her career around helping business owners launch, grow, and make a lasting difference. Whether through brand storytelling, digital campaigns, or product design, her focus remains on creating work that drives both results and positive change.

Sandrine is an award-winning creative strategist, producer, and entrepreneur, dedicated to shaping human stories that drive impact across industries. She has built a dynamic career at the intersection of creativity and strategy, working with innovative startups in tech, consumer goods, and non-profits. Her ability to develop purpose-driven messaging and experiences has earned her a reputation for delivering work that not only resonates but also moves audiences to action. As a an entrepreneur, Sandrine co-founded Nile Coffee Club, a thriving Toronto-based coffee company known for its beautifully branded products and commitment to community. She is also the founder of Estrelar Sound, a DJ practice space that has become a creative hub in Toronto. Across both ventures, her approach blends strategic insight with creative execution, transforming ideas into experiences that inspire.