As a pioneer in her industry and a leader in the business community, Sue is a sought-after digital marketing speaker and trainer whose witty, passionate and down-to-earth manner has propelled thousands of marketers, salespeople and business owners to embrace their online power, grow their networks, and drive leads.
Darnley Greson Jr is the founder of Darn IT Group. He is a keynote speaker on cybersecurity for small to medium business, and an advocate on cyber awareness. In his previous career, he has worked in various verticals; education, finance, medical, national security, and retail for over a decade. He has spoken for various institutions: The Globe and Mail, Ontario Chambers, and various professional organizations. When he is not fighting cyber crime, Darnley enjoys volunteering his time helping families protect themselves against cybercrime.
As a Newsletter Content Specialist and the founder of Kismet Digital, Antoinette helps entrepreneurs to grow their business by writing engaging Newsletters and Blogs. She also provides coaching for how to create effective Communications Strategies.Antoinette is a Certified Corporate Communications Specialist and Adult Educator with more than 15 years of experience as a Technology Instructor for professional services.
Joining the podcast industry in 2015, Jason Perrier dove into producing and started his own production company, Phizzy Studios. The studio provides podcast services ranging from production and editing to consulting to help get podcasts off the ground.
His resume includes podcasts like The Feed with Amber Mac & Michael B, Moolala: Money Made Sense with Bruce Sellery, Psychobabble, Only In Toronto as well as Prosper from Advisors Edge among others.
Nancy Wilson is the Founder and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC), which launched in January 2018. CanWCC is a national, not-for-profit organization that advocates for the economic priorities of women-owned businesses. It is the first (and only) Chamber of Commerce in Canada that represents the unique and diverse voices of women-identified entrepreneurs and business owners. Nancy is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA) with over a decade of accounting experience in various corporate roles. She owns Novus Accounting, an accounting and business advisory firm specializing in women business owners and entrepreneurs.
I excel in championing the cause of business and am as committed as you to help you
succeed, engage audiences, expand your customer base and win their loyalty.
As your mission-driven Business Partner, I conceive and implement end-to-end marketing
strategies that maintain brand consistency, maximize effectiveness,
and meet measurable objectives.
– Leading businesses to their intended destinations, with dedication to a collaborative
approach.
– Talent for mentoring highly-engaged entrepreneurs helping them to rise to their true
potential.
– Meticulous project manager, balancing multiple deadlines, while maintaining an organized,
yet creative, approach.
– Tactful in interpersonal communication and decision-making.
– Flexible, versatile, poised and professional, with an ability to seamlessly reach common
destinations.
As Founder and CEO of Pro Marketer, I am Pro-Active, Pro-Business and Pro-YOU.
Heather M. O’Connor is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor and author. But you might call her an archaeologist, because she’s always digging up stories. Or a translator, for turning complex or technical topics into fascinating magazine articles.
A former communications expert for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, she writes and edits blog posts, newsletters, electronic press kits, and grant applications. Her stories have appeared in the Toronto Sun, the Canadian Encyclopedia, and dozens of national and regional publications.
Heather is also the author of fiction and nonfiction for adults and children, including the soccer novel Betting Game (Orca, 2015) and the picture book Fast Friends (Scholastic, 2020.)
Rob Ragusa
Owner & Chief Public Officer – DIT Web Solutions Inc.
Rob started DIT a number of years ago and is dedicated to the communications industry and helping organizations grow – utilizing traditional and digital marketing techniques.
He has worked with both domestic and international clients providing them with valuable advise and expertise to help grow and expand their business’s.
Rob developed DIT to produce the most engaging online experiences for all clients – using cutting edge technology to ensure that their online exposure is a solid one.
He works closely with the DIT and team the client utilizing the latest technologies including proprietary products to create an out-of-this-world experience online.
Rob alway strives to offer more than requested – ensuring a positive experience while focused on the growth and success.
Louie Pateropoulos
COO/Partner – DIT Web Solutions Inc.
Louie is an out-of-the-box thinker, he began breaking the mould of traditional advertising
20 years ago – by inventing new marketing techniques to help companies, crash through
the traditional marketing ceiling. The result was an explosion in sales leads which
helped organizations achieve “number-one” status in the country.
Louie consults with individuals and businesses on a daily basis, advising them on
promotion and marketing solutions/techniques for their industry and products. His
international based studies in Public Relations and Marketing, coupled with hands on
experience as the domestic based partner of “On Target Research”, provide a
panoramic perspective for organizations seeking growth.
Shellene is an experienced communicators who takes a fresh look and approach to corporate storytelling and strategic communications. With a deep knowledge of traditional communications, Shellene decided to launch Sweet Lime Communications in 2017, an agency that takes a crisp, clean look at words, social media, and how to help our clients use all facets of communication to reach their business goals.
Antoine Elhashem is a 31 year LGBTQ media and marketing expert, president of Inspired Media, publisher of The Pink Pages Director, PinkPlayMags and theBuzz and Host of the talk show “On the Couch”
MITCH SANKER
Mitch Sanker is the creative director at Sanker Media; a local digital marketing company in Durham Region. Mitch helps businesses build their brand on the internet using proven strategies that generate more leads and increase revenue. Sanker Media helps small to medium sized companies build brand awareness, become an authority figure in their industry, and cultivate a community built on trust. Mitch is passionate about entrepreneurship and is an excellent partner to any business owner seeking innovative marketing strategies backed by a creative team that will execute.
Christian Karasiewicz is a consultant and public speaker on social media, Internet marketing, and technology. He is the founder of Social Chefs, a company providing social media marketing training to businesses. He is also the host of #SocialChatter, the Internet’s longest-running weekly live social media marketing talk show. With over thirteen years of experience across social media, e-commerce, search engine optimization (SEO), Internet marketing, and related technologies, Christian strives to help individuals and businesses create meaningful social media campaigns to connect and engage with their customers and keep those customers coming back.Christian has created social media campaigns and strategies for Fortune 500 companies, such as IBM, General Dynamics, Shop.com, government agencies, and more. He specializes in working with small- to medium-sized businesses across a variety of industries including online retailers, entrepreneurs, celebrities, musicians, athletes, defense contractors, news organizations, fashion designers, and jewelry artists.
Lisa is a passionately curious and inherently creative person and has pursued many different career paths including that of a Manufacturing Engineer, Presenter and Team Leader for Scientists in School, business owners, African Hand Drumming (djembe) facilitator and TV personality.She is master of hypnosis and change-work having worked with many clients to alleviate anxiety, pain, eating disorders and has focused specifically on the emotional trauma associated with sexual abuse and self-harm. She spends her free time studying the brain, teaching art and playing in a rock band.Lisa believes that we are forever changing and that we all have the ability to continually create new neural pathways in our brain. We never stop learning but learning with focused intention can kick it up a notch.
Dr Teri Fisher is a Physician and Clinical Assistant Professor at the
University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He is an experienced
TEDx and keynote speaker, educator, marketer, podcaster, and briefcaster
who loves sharing his excitement and passion for artificial intelligence and
voice-first technology. Dr. Fisher has a particular interest in the use of voice
technology for marketing. He is the founder of Alexa in Canada, the leading
Amazon Alexa resource for Canadians; and Briefcast.FM, the premier
Flash Briefing network. Dr. Fisher is the host of the weekly “Alexa in
Canada” Podcast and the daily "Voice in Canada" Flash Briefing, the #1
rated Amazon Alexa Briefing and News Skill in Canada, where he helps to
facilitate voice-first technology literacy and helps others to discover how
artificial intelligence and voice-first technology is revolutionizing our
lives. He is also the host of “Voice First Health”, the leading podcast that
highlights the rapidly expanding intersection of healthcare and voice-first
technologies.
He has been a featured guest on numerous technology podcasts and he is
a frequently sought-after speaker about marketing, healthcare, and voice.
PANEL MODERATORS
Nancy Hutchinson has worn many hats over her career…from Therapeutic Recreationist, The Alpaca Lady, NanaNance and now Deck Diva. She is responsible for the behind the scenes especially all the social media platforms at Decks Out Back. The Deck Diva has the ability to engage the audience she has attracted to Decks Out Back via humour, video and daily engagement through the posts on these platforms.
Keeping her audience and clientele amused, Nancy is sensitive to her audience and respects those who participate in the community that she has created. Nancy values the opinions of her audience and the clientele that she engages with. She has helped develop Decks Out Back fan page, one deck at a time. It is important to her that the clientele trusts Decks Out Back reputation, so we can build a business through videos, photos and fun engagement.
Nancy loves the heart of others, she finds creativity engaging,loves to laugh, especially at herself, funny and committed to creating and managing engaging communities, both online and off.
Kristy Lee Bailey is an approachable professional organizer and designer with expertise in space planning and productivity design coupled with 10 years of demonstrated success in issues management and counselling in the fields of community outreach and social support. Her exceptional client service, motivational support and great attention to detail has solved home and office organization dilemmas for clients and built strong partnerships with a broad network of property service professionals. Kristy has a keen eye for incorporating company brands into work space design to accelerate consumer relations and build
strong, recognizable businesses. As a high energy professional who anticipates needs, resolves issues,
and adapts solutions to fit your work space and lifestyle, she is a valuable resource for re-imagining your home or work space and getting your interiors in order.
Angela Baltkois founded Big Rig Wraps Transport Truck Advertising in 2013, after identifying an untouched out-of-home marketing medium: transport truck advertising on independently owned fleets. Recognizing that only large companies with their own fleets were maximizing the benefits of non-competing ads on large vehicles, Angela created a business model where all-sized businesses can buy large-scale ads on trucks ranging from 20 feet to 53 feet. Currently, Big Rig Wraps partners with more than 50 reputable and well-known fleet owners who make their big rigs and their routes available to advertisers who want to generate more sales. Big Rig Wraps has quickly expanded across Canada and throughout North America, galvanized by businesses, marketing managers and media buyers who recognize transport truck advertising as the perfect tool to increase brand awareness and push traffic to online spaces like web sites and social media channels.Prior to starting Big Rig Wraps, Angela amassed more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience as a Brand Strategist, a profession she still enjoys honing daily. She is the former owner of an award-winning internet marketing company (CBS Group), which she founded in 1999 when it was a struggle to convince companies to embrace the internet and develop a web site. Through many years of hard work and tenacity, Angela pushed her web company to be one of the top web companies in the Greater Toronto area.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Bob Weese is the co-founder of B2B Sales Connections Inc., He has helped his clients increase their income, earn millions of $$ in revenue and secure investment funding. He works with entrepreneurs, small business owners and sales professionals to generate more leads, reducing the time buyers spend making decisions, resulting in more closed sales, FASTER.Bob started his professional career as an ON-AIR broadcaster then moved into radio advertising sales and then sales training. For more than 20 years he traveled across North America teaching thousands of business professionals the art and science of business growth. His 90-day coaching program has resulted in customers increase the average sale value by 20 to 30%, reduce discounting, and double closing rates.Clients of his Business Presentation Skills program have appeared on CBC’s Dragons’ Den signing millions of dollars in investment deals. He regularly speaks at conferences, tradeshows, and business events and is always an engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking speaker.Bob is an expert at developing and executing sales strategies and tactics. His focus is on helping local business owners, entrepreneurs and start-up companies increase their sales revenues to build a healthy, sustainable business. He does this through on-site training, 1-1 and group virtual mastermind coaching programs.
