THE CHANGEMAKERS Speakers & Presenters
Gerald Butts
Vice Chairman, Eurasia Group and Ex. Principal Secretary to PM Justin Trudeau
Gerald Butts
Vice Chairman, Eurasia Group and Ex. Principal Secretary to PM Justin TrudeauGERALD BUTTS is the vice chairman and a senior advisor at Eurasia Group. Butts has successfully led Canadian and global organizations in the public and private sectors for 20 years. As the principal secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from 2015–2019, he was responsible for providing executive direction on the development, implementation, and communication of the government’s agenda. This work included overseeing economic policy, the negotiation of the Paris Climate Accord, and the creation of Canada’s first national climate change plan, which included an economy-wide price on carbon. Butts played a major role in managing relations with the US administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, as well as in the renegotiation of NAFTA. Prior to his work with the prime minister, he served as policy secretary and principal secretary to the premier of the province of Ontario, where he led the implementation of the government’s $100 billion core agenda. A successful leader in politics as well as public policy, he designed the strategies for the Liberal Party’s 2015 and 2019 national election campaigns, as well as Trudeau’s bid to win the party’s leadership in 2013. The 2015 campaign, widely recognized as one of Canada’s most innovative and successful, allowed the Liberal Party to move from third place in Parliament to form a majority government. Its gain of 148 new seats was the largest in Canadian history.
Nick Kouvalis
Political Strategist & Consultant
Nick Kouvalis
Political Strategist & ConsultantNectarios "Nick" Kouvalis is a popular Canadian political consultant and strategist.
In 2004, Nick Kouvalis started one of Canada’s first cloud computing fully virtual “at home” call centre businesses. In 2008, he merged that call centre business with and joined Campaign Research. At Campaign Research Nick oversees strategic planning and implementation of advocacy campaigns for clients in highly regulated industries. Nick served as chief strategist and pollster for the 2014 John Tory Campaign for Mayor of Toronto.
In the 2013 British Columbia Provincial Election, Nick was on Premier Clark’s BC Liberal campaign team involved with focus groups that informed the campaign messaging and strategy. Campaign Research also conducted regular polling for the BC Liberals. Nick was the campaign manager for Rob Ford’s 2010 mayoral campaign and was called by a major Canadian news magazine “perhaps the most improbable election victory in recent Canadian history.”
Shachi Kurl
President, Angus Reid Institute
Shachi Kurl
President, Angus Reid InstituteShachi Kurl is President of the Angus Reid Institute, Canada’s non-profit foundation committed to independent research. She works with public opinion data to further public knowledge and enhance the national understanding of issues that matter to Canada and the world.
Kurl is often found offering analysis on CBC’s “Power and Politics”, in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Globe and Mail, and on the editorial pages of the Ottawa Citizen, among other places. In October 2020, she moderated BC’s only televised provincial election debate, presented by the British Columbia Broadcast Consortium.
She spent the first part of her career as political reporter and holds a degree in Journalism and Political Science from Carleton University. She returned to Carleton University as an Adjunct Research Professor in the School of Journalism and Communication in 2022.
Kurl is a recipient of the prestigious Jack Webster Award for Best TV Reporting. Along with former Australian and UK Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and Margaret Thatcher, she is an Alumnus of the US State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. She is a national co-chair of the Canadian Cancer Society.
Kurl moderated the 2021 English language leaders debate during the 44th federal election. She also won the Industry Marvel Award from Darpan Magazine in October of that year.
Zain Velji
Partner, Northweather and Co-Director of Naheed Nenshi’s NDP Leadership Campaign
Zain Velji
Partner, Northweather and Co-Director of Naheed Nenshi’s NDP Leadership CampaignAs Partner at Northweather, Zain brings over a decade of experience in advocacy, political, and non-profit communications, marketing, and engagement.
A frequent public speaker and regular political commentator, Zain appears on CBC radio and television, and has been featured in federal election night coverage for CTV News. Zain also holds the position of Board Chair at The YMCA Calgary and is an active board member of organizations including the Canadian Children's Book Centre, and The Samara Centre for Democracy.
Zain's diverse background in consulting and politics has led him to collaborate with both companies and non-profits, as well as to play key roles in notable political campaigns. In 2017, he served as the campaign manager for Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and led advertising efforts for the Alberta NDP in 2023, and served as Naheed Nenshi’s campaign director for his historic 2024 Alberta NDP Leadership.
Additionally, Zain hosts the acclaimed podcast, The Strategists, where he dissects contemporary political strategy and public affairs topics.
Recognized for his contributions, Zain was listed among Calgary's Top 40 under 40 by Avenue Magazine. He received the Horizon Alumni Award from the University of Alberta and was honored with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal for his dedicated community service.
Zain holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Alberta.
Fred DeLorey
Partner, NorthStar Public Affairs and National Campaign Manager, Conservative Party of Canada (2021 General Election)
Fred DeLorey
Partner, NorthStar Public Affairs and National Campaign Manager, Conservative Party of Canada (2021 General Election)Fred DeLorey is a partner at NorthStar Public Affairs and host of iPolitics.ca's On Background. In the 2021 General Election, he served as the National Campaign Manager for the Conservative Party of Canada, leading a campaign that exceeded expectations through his expertise in narrative crafting and data-driven strategy. Fred has held key roles such as Director of Field Operations for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Director of Political Operations for former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. His strategic insights have been sought after by top political and corporate leaders across Canada.
Vandana Kattar-Miller
Political Commentator on CBC’s Power & Politics, (Past) Director of Operations, Outreach, and Planning, PMO
Vandana Kattar-Miller
Political Commentator on CBC’s Power & Politics, (Past) Director of Operations, Outreach, and Planning, PMOVandana Kattar-Miller has worked in provincial and federal politics for more than a decade. She worked for the innovation minister Navdeep Bains, before moving to the Prime Minister's Office as director of operations, outreach, and planning where she served until last May. She currently is head of communications for global diversity and inclusion for TD Bank Group.
Allen Alexandre
Executive director and Founder, Centre Culturel Afro De Montréal
Allen Alexandre
Executive director and Founder, Centre Culturel Afro De MontréalAllen Alexandre is a versatile former senior political advisor who most recently served as Director of Parliamentary Affairs to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, the minister leading the charge on cross-government accountability and commitment to diversity and inclusion and on legislation that touches Black, Indigenous and People of Colour as well as LGBTQ2 communities. Under Allen’s leadership, the government successfully passed legislation banning the practice of conversion therapy, designated an Irish Heritage Month and recognized Emancipation Day federally.
Prior to that role, Allen was a senior advisor to the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion and International Trade, serving as Press Secretary and Issues Manager as well as leading initiatives on the economic empowerment of marginalized communities. He also served as Senior Québec Advisor to the Minister of Public Safety and Deputy Prime minister and policy liaison to the Cross-cultural Roundtable on National Security.
Anne McGrath
Principal Secretary to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and National Director of the NDP (2018-2024)
Anne McGrath
Principal Secretary to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and National Director of the NDP (2018-2024)Anne McGrath is the Principal Secretary to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. She was National Director of the NDP from 2018 to 2024.
Anne has been actively involved in all levels of the NDP, federally and provincially. She has been Chief of Staff to several NDP Leaders including federal NDP Leader Jack Layton and was a key strategist in all his campaigns.
As Chief of Staff, she is credited with professionalizing caucus operations and with helping organize the party’s historic breakthrough to Official Opposition status in 2011. Following Layton’s untimely death she served as the National Director of the federal NDP and Campaign Manager in the 2015 election campaign.
She was portrayed by Wendy Crewson in the 2013 CBC film “Jack”.
McGrath was a key member of Rachel Notley’s transition team when the Alberta NDP formed government in 2015 and was a trusted advisor to Premier Notley in a variety of roles including Deputy Chief of Staff, Principal Secretary, and Executive Director for southern Alberta.
She has been a frequent commentator in the national media and has been identified as one of the 100 most influential people in government and politics in Ottawa.
She was the NDP candidate in Calgary-Varsity in the May 2019 Alberta election.
She is a Board member of the Parliamentary Centre and a Fellow and Instructor in the Riddell Political Management Program at Carleton University.
Julie Ford
Executive Director, Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
Julie Ford
Executive Director, Digital Advertising Alliance of CanadaJulie Ford is the Executive Director of the Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada, the Canadian arm of the AdChoices self-regulatory program for interest-based advertising (YourAdChoices.ca) and the Political Ads program for advertising transparency (PoliticalAds.ca). Julie handles all program administration and advocacy and has been leading the association since 2015.
Julie also assists the DAA US with projects across North America, all to provide greater consumer transparency and choice for relevant & political advertising.
Before her role with the DAAs, Julie worked in various senior positions on the ad network, agency, and association sides throughout her digital career, which started in 2000.
Josh Matlow
Councillor, City of Toronto
Josh Matlow
Councillor, City of TorontoJosh Matlow has served on the Toronto City Council representing Ward 12 Toronto-St. Paul's since 2010. Matlow was a Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustee between 2003 and 2010 before his election to council representing St. Paul's. He was elected to City Council following the 2010 municipal election and was re-elected in 2014, 2018 and 2022. Matlow ran for mayor of Toronto in the 2023 by-election.
Josh Matlow has been a Toronto Star’s “Newsmakers of the Year” and “People to Watch”, The Village Post and North Toronto Post Magazines: Toronto’s Best Public Official, Town Crier’s “Pillar of the Community” and Now Magazine’s “Top Activists of the Year”. He has written articles, columns and opinion pieces for the Toronto Sun, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail and Town Crier Newspapers, Post City Magazines, and was a weekly co-host on Toronto talk-radio stations, AM 640 and CIUT. Josh wrote a weekly column, City Hall Diary, every Monday about City Hall in the Toronto Star and hosted the Newstalk 1010 radio show, The City with Josh Matlow.
Perry Tsergas
President and CEO, Spark Advocacy
Perry Tsergas
President and CEO, Spark AdvocacyPerry Tsergas has worked in the world of Canadian politics, advocacy and communications for over two decades. He is the co-founder, President & CEO of spark*advocacy, an Ottawa-based public affairs marketing and communications firm. Perry has partnered with hundreds of start-ups, corporations, associations, unions, charities, NGOs and coalitions on communications initiatives of all shapes and sizes.
Jeff Ballingall
President, Mobilize Media Group
Jeff Ballingall
President, Mobilize Media GroupJeff Ballingall is the President of Mobilize Media Group, a digital public affairs firm with staff and clients across Canada. His work has helped shape the strategies of leading Conservative politicians and corporate leaders.
Ballingall is the founder of Ontario Proud and Canada Proud, two of the most influential political social media accounts in the country. Through these platforms, he has successfully engaged and mobilized audiences, first in Ontario and then across Canada, making a lasting impact on the political discourse.
Ballingall went on to serve as the digital strategist for Erin O'Toole’s successful leadership campaign, and has since worked as a digital strategy and communications advisor for influential Conservative politicians and business leaders.
Jeff Ballingall's influence and contributions to Canadian politics have not gone unnoticed. In 2020, Toronto Life Magazine recognized him as one of Toronto's Most Influential individuals, and he was once again recognized by Maclean’s Magazine in 2023 as being one of Canada’s top political backroomers.
With a proven track record of success, Jeff Ballingall and Mobilize Media continue to be a driving force in the intersection of digital media and political affairs, leaving an indelible mark on the Canadian political landscape.
Rachael Segal
Founder, Beyond a Ballot
Rachael Segal
Founder, Beyond a BallotRachael spent years on Parliament Hill in various policy roles for Members of Parliament, Ministers and Senators. Rachael has led political organizations and worked as a Campaign Strategist on campaigns at all levels of government across Canada. While living in England Rachael also worked for one of two elected Mayors in the country as a political aide.
Rachael also has extensive broadcast experience, having worked as a full-time television contributor for a national Canadian news network. Her radio experience includes Newstalk 1010 in Toronto and CBC in Vancouver. Rachael is currently with CBC’s Power and Politics.
In September 2023 Rachael launched her company, Beyond a Ballot which takes a multi-partisan approach to moving Canadian women towards politics through media products, education and community building.
Beyond a Ballot’s signature podcast, which Rachael co-hosts, has seen incredible success since launching in September 2023.
She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Victoria and is a lawyer with a Masters of Law (LL.M.) from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.
Rachael has been an educator for decades. She is a university lecturer, most recently with the Joy MacPhail School of Public Policy.
Tim Gray
Executive Director, Environmental Defence
Tim Gray
Executive Director, Environmental DefenceTim Gray is the Executive Director of Environmental Defence, a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with the government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities. Tim is responsible for leading the organization’s initiatives to safeguard Canada’s freshwater, stop urban sprawl, get toxic chemicals out of the products we use, clean up plastic pollution and transition Canadians from using dirty fossil fuels to modern, clean energy.
As a well-respected Canadian environmental leader, Tim’s expertise in forest conservation, climate change and sustainable cities has helped create hundreds of new parks, a new ecolabel systems for wood and aggregate, stronger laws to protect the Greenbelt, action on single-use plastics and climate action plans in Ontario, Alberta and federally.
Tim is a go-to contact for governments and industry looking for someone with extensive environmental knowledge who has a practical understanding of how to solve complex problems.
Tim was a founding Board member of Global Forest Watch Canada and Wildlife Conservation Society Canada and his current commitments include membership on the Board of Directors of Evidence for Democracy.
Tim obtained an H.BSc. in Biology from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario in 1987 and a M.Sc. in Botany/Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto in 1992.
Tim grew up on the shores of Lake Huron and acquired his love of nature there. He relaxes by building things, hiking and canoeing.
Ange Valentini
Founder and Principal Consultant, Strategic Impact Collective
Ange Valentini
Founder and Principal Consultant, Strategic Impact CollectiveAnge Valentini brings 25 years of experience building creative solutions to complex challenges that drive social change and public good, bringing together stakeholders, influencers and decision-makers across the private, public and third sector — with a focus on building relationships and stronger communities.
Ange has worked across all three orders of government, working her way up from policy analyst to Chief of Staff. In each role, she championed innovative policy agendas based on research, evaluation, analysis, and stakeholder engagement.
Ange’s track-record of success includes leadership roles in government relations, community and public relations, public policy development, strategic partnerships, advocacy and communications. She has also negotiated more than $75M in community benefit agreements.
Ange brings relentless optimism and a pragmatic approach to building winning campaign strategies. She has led campaigns for candidates, political parties, based on issues, and for private sector clients. At last count, Ange has worked on 47 electoral campaigns, across party lines, in jurisdictions across Canada.
Chad Bowie
Founder and Principal of The Bowie Group
Chad Bowie
Founder and Principal of The Bowie GroupChad Bowie is the Founder and Principal of The Bowie Group (TBG).
He is an accomplished political strategist, marketer, opinion researcher, and award-winning writer. He has worked with clients at all levels of government across Canada and internationally in the United States and the United Kingdom.
He is considered an expert in persuasive communications with extensive experience in narrative development, campaign storytelling, fundraising, and leveraging words to drive action and elicit an emotional response.
TBG's direct-response fundraising strategies have helped political clients across the continent raise more than $100 million - and counting. TBG recently won an esteemed Reed Award in the "Best Canadian Direct Mail Piece" category and was nominated for "Best International Firm."
As an opinion contributor, Chad has appeared in the National Post, The Toronto Sun, the Chronicle Herald, and more.
DJ Koessler
Founder, Koessler Strategies (USA)
DJ Koessler
Founder, Koessler Strategies (USA)Jeremy Broadhurst
National Campaign Director, Liberal Party of Canada
Jeremy Broadhurst
National Campaign Director, Liberal Party of CanadaJeremy Broadhurst has spent years as a senior strategist for the Liberal Party and government, having played key roles in cementing the Liberals’ 2015, 2019, and 2021 election wins. Broadhurst has been named the campaign director for the Liberals in the next election.
Broadhurst has been active in Liberal Party campaigns for three decades, honing his skills at the local level in Toronto, running three campaigns for Bill Graham in what was then Canada’s most diverse riding, Toronto Centre-Rosedale.
A former national director of the Liberal Party, Broadhurst is an ex-adviser to multiple Liberal leaders—including Stéphane Dion, Michael Ignatieff, and interim leaders Bill Graham and Bob Rae (to whom he was chief of staff)—and is a former chief of staff to Chrystia Freeland as then-foreign affairs minister and finance minister.
Broadhurst now lives in Ottawa with his wife Mary and their two daughters.
Nikki Hill
Partner, Core Firm
Nikki Hill
Partner, Core FirmNikki Hill is a well-known progressive political strategist and commentator. She has been one of BC’s most sought-after public affairs advisors for more than 6 years. Nikki is the Chair of the Government of BC Period Poverty Task Force and is an advocate for equal representation in politics. Nikki was a recipient of the 2023 WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Award.
With an impressive tenure of 25 years supporting, training, and advising New Democrat candidates, campaign managers, and elected officials, Nikki has left an indelible mark on the political landscape.
Nikki's leadership played a pivotal role in seven provincial and federal elections as she led the province-wide ground campaigns.
Nikki Hill is a dedicated community-builder and a driving force for positive change, leaving an enduring legacy of impact throughout her life.
Since 2016, Nikki has focused her passion for social change and equity on addressing the pressing issue of period poverty through United Way Period Promise - and now as the Chair of the Government of BC Period Poverty Task Force.
Nikki appears frequently in the media as a commentator and political strategist. She is a regular panelist on the Global BC Sunday morning Political Panel.
Nikki speaks at events on issues including equal representation in politics, advocacy and social policy.
Benjy Messner
Founder, New River Strategies (USA)
Benjy Messner
Founder, New River Strategies (USA)Drawing from his roots as a DC native immersed in the political landscape, Benjy Messner's lifelong interest in campaigns and technology has fueled his passion to shape the next generation of political analysts.
Messner is a seasoned professional when it comes to data, analytics, and emerging tech who brings years of experience and insights in his new role as lecturer at Columbia’s M.S. in Political Analytics graduate program. In his Big Data & Political Strategy course, Messner shows students how to combine massive amounts of data with political expertise to devise effective strategies.
Messner is also the founder of New River Strategies, a consulting firm that uses data, analytics, and technology to move people to action. He has worked with Beto for America, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Justin Trudeau campaign, and numerous Fortune 100 companies to inform their operations with data. He is a 2018 winner of the American Association of Political Consultants’ 40 Under 40 award and a 2017 winner of Campaigns & Elections’ Rising Star award. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and a District of Columbia native.
Dr. Alex Sévigny
Associate Professor McMaster University
Dr. Alex Sévigny
Associate Professor McMaster UniversityDr. Alex Sévigny, PhD, APR is a tenured associate professor of communications management and communication studies in the Department of Communication Studies & Media Arts at McMaster University. He works at the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, communications, management, marketing, politics and culture. He does regular public speaking engagements, and corporate training workshops and provides strategic consulting services in the private, public, not-for-profit, and political sectors.
Lindsay Brumwell
Founder and CEO, LB Strategies
Lindsay Brumwell
Founder and CEO, LB StrategiesLindsay has been a dedicated political campaign volunteer, engaging in activities ranging from door-to-door canvassing with candidates to participating in Electoral District Associations (EDAs) and spearheading political fundraising initiatives. For two decades, Lindsay has served as an international election observer, contributing to missions such as Ukraine's Orange Revolution (2004), Venezuela's Recall Referendum (2004), and recent elections in Colombia (2023) and Mexico (2024). Locally, she has volunteered with election authorities and political parties across Western Canada and currently serves on the Equal Voice National Board of Directors.
In addition to her political involvement, Lindsay has had the honour of representing Canada on the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) for the Commission of Environmental Cooperation (CEC) and the Canada-Chile JPAC for the Canada-Chile Commission for Environmental Cooperation. As the 2016 JPAC Chair for CEC, she championed the creation of North America's first traditional ecological knowledge panel, which continues to influence environmental policy continent-wide.
With over 18 years of experience in corporate affairs across agriculture, energy, mining, international trade, and transportation, she deeply understands business-community interactions. Lindsay is a public affairs specialist who has facilitated the movement of millions through investment attraction and regulatory amendments. Her extensive experience has established her as a trusted strategist and advisor to a wide range of leaders and organizations.
In 2023, Lindsay founded LB Strategies to assist clients and organizations in navigating the ever-evolving external affairs landscape. Before establishing LB Strategies, Lindsay held roles at organizations such as CN, Federated Co-operatives Limited, BHP Canada, and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.
When Lindsay isn't working or volunteering, she's often in northern Saskatchewan, disconnected from cell service, enjoying time with her husband and their two large, fluffy dogs.
Alex Glebov
CTO and Lead AI Engineer, PWRD.ai
Alex Glebov
CTO and Lead AI Engineer, PWRD.aiAlex Glebov is the CTO and lead AI engineer at PWRD.ai, bringing over 10 years of product-building experience across multiple industries. AI PWRD consults, integrates, and builds AI solutions for organizations seeking to empower their products with the latest AI technology. His team of software engineers is experienced in building AI-powered products utilizing Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), fine-tuning LLM models with proprietary data, setting up private LLMs with scalable databases, scaling automations, and deploying these solutions to private clouds. Committed to developing safe and responsible AI, his goal is to automate mundane tasks, expand the technical possibilities of organizations, advise on innovative solutions, help improve risk management, secure access, and add value in a clear and measurable way. This not only provides greater freedom for his clients to focus on their core missions but also gives organizations a powerful competitive advantage in leveraging AI.
Chi Nguyen
Executive Director, Equal Voice
Chi Nguyen
Executive Director, Equal VoiceChi Nguyen is the Executive Director at Equal Voice, Canada's only multipartisan organization dedicated to electing women to all levels of government.
A past candidate in a provincial election, she holds an MSc in Social Psychology from the London School of Economics. She has worked for more than twenty years as a community builder with organizations like United Way Toronto and White Ribbon Canada. She is a past recipient of the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons’ Case and a YWCA Young Woman of Distinction. She loves her most important job as mom to Sam and Ellis.
Elyse Surette-DiMuzio
Co-Founder, Ampersand Social Co.
Elyse Surette-DiMuzio
Co-Founder, Ampersand Social Co.Mike Schreiner
Leader of the Green Party of Ontario and MPP for Guelph
Mike Schreiner
Leader of the Green Party of Ontario and MPP for GuelphMike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario, became Ontario’s first Green MPP when he was elected to represent the riding of Guelph in 2018. He was re-elected in 2022 with an increased majority, gaining more than 54 percent of the total vote.
Mike is active at Queen’s Park, working across party lines to be a strong advocate for climate action, local food and water initiatives, protecting Ontario’s farmland and green spaces, affordable housing, supporting frontline healthcare workers, small business, and mental health.
Prior to entering politics, Mike was a successful entrepreneur, small business owner, and one of the early advocates of the local food movement. He founded multiple initiatives including Local Food Plus, WOW Foods and EarthDance Organics to connect sustainable farmers with Ontario households. Mike, his wife Sandy, and their two daughters like to spend their free time gardening, hiking, fishing, cycling, and staying active.
Shannon Phillips
Partner, Meredith Boessenkool & Phillips
Shannon Phillips
Partner, Meredith Boessenkool & PhillipsAn organiser and leader from an early age, Shannon Phillips is the former MLA for Lethridge-West, a seat she held from 2015 until July of 2024. She served in multiple key roles at the heart of Rachel Notley’s NDP government, including as Minister of Environment and Parks, Minister of the Status of Women, and Government House Leader. While in opposition, she served as the Official Opposition Critic for Finance.
One of her major initiatives in government was developing Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan, where she paired support for Alberta’s energy industry with action on climate. She also led the significant re-investments in Alberta’s park system and created new parks and protected areas.
Before her career as an election official, Shannon worked as an aide to the provincial NDP and worked on economic policy with the Alberta Federation of Labour, focusing on energy and the environment. She has been a longtime and vocal advocate for organised labour, women’s economic equality, housing, tech, renewables and agriculture.
She was recently appointed as adjunct faculty at the University of Lethbridge Department of Political Science.
Shannon is proud to live in Lethbridge, where she is raising her two boys.
Sam Andrey
Managing Director, the Dais (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Sam Andrey
Managing Director, the Dais (Toronto Metropolitan University)Sam Andrey is the Managing Director of the Dais, a public policy think tank at Toronto Metropolitan University working at the intersection of technology, education and democracy in Canada. He leads a regular survey of Canadians’ experiences with harmful online content. Sam also teaches about public policy at TMU and George Brown College. Sam previously served as Chief of Staff to Ontario’s Minister of Education, in the Ontario Public Service and in not-for-profit organizations advancing equity in education.
David Valentin
Principal, Liaison Strategies
David Valentin
Principal, Liaison StrategiesDavid Valentin is a principal at Liaison Strategies. Valentin is a nationally recognized pollster and lobbyist who works with a variety of nonprofits across Canada including the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. He is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council.
In 2013, Valentin co-founded Mainstreet Research, a polling firm. Within a year, Mainstreet signed a contract with Postmedia Network, Canada's largest newspaper chain, to provide public facing market research, covering everything from vaccination studies to political polling including election surveys. In 2018, Valentin departed Mainstreet to found Focus on Research, a boutique polling firm, and Liaison Strategies, a government relations and public relations shop.
Valentin is a nationally recognized pollster who has made over 400 media appearances and has been seen on CBC, CTV, Global News, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, CP24 and more. He has worked closely with researchers and professors at the University of Toronto and Concordia University. He resides in Toronto and speaks English, Spanish and intermediate French.
Sally Housser
Political Commentator and Public Affairs Professional
Sally Housser
Political Commentator and Public Affairs ProfessionalSally Housser is a political commentator and public affairs professional. She has previously served as Deputy Director of Communications for the Manitoba government and has worked as a consultant for the renewable energy, oil and gas, health care and IT sectors. Sally has frequently appeared on CBC's Power and Politics and in print and radio nationwide.
Sally is an active volunteer having served as a board member with the Regina Chamber of Commerce and Regina YMCA. Her family are involved in the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians and the Poltava Ensemble.
Sally believes it is time for change towards a healthier, safer and more affordable and prosperous province.
Genevieve Tomney
Principal, GT and Company
Genevieve Tomney
Principal, GT and CompanyGenevieve is an experienced communicator with 15+ years working in senior roles within government, public sector, media and both public and private corporations. For Gen, curiosity is a driving force and asking the right (and sometimes tough) questions is key to achieving results for clients. Her areas of expertise include communications strategy, issues management and crisis communications, media and presentation training, executive thought leadership, OpEd and speechwriting.
Gen previously served as Director of Strategic Messaging for former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, lead communications and investor relations through a tech company’s IPO and acted as media lead and spokesperson for the LCBO. Prior to that, she spent the better part of a decade as a journalist for the CBC, working in television, radio and online as a reporter and host. She has interviewed premiers and prime ministers as a political correspondent and was also part of CBC’s Gemini Award winning coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee visit to Canada.
Dave Clark
Deputy Chief of Staff to Ontario's Official Opposition Leader and Ontario NDP Campaign Director
Dave Clark
Deputy Chief of Staff to Ontario's Official Opposition Leader and Ontario NDP Campaign DirectorDave Clark is Deputy Chief of Staff to Ontario's Official Opposition Leader Marit Stiles, and has been named as the Ontario NDP’s campaign director for the next provincial election.
An experienced campaigner and strategist in both Canada and the UK, Clark has built innovative campaigns to elect New Democrats and municipal candidates in Brampton, Scarborough, Toronto, Surrey and Calgary, and led data and targeting for Jagmeet Singh's federal leadership campaign.
In the UK, Clark was part of two general election campaigns for the Labour Party, and is proud to have played a key role in Sadiq Khan's historic win for Mayor of London in 2016.
After spells working with Toronto City Councillor Joe Cressy and Ontario NDP Deputy Leader Doly Begum, Clark directed advocacy projects for labour unions and federations at advertising agency Point Blank.
Outside of politics, Clark led the City of Toronto’s groundbreaking VaxTO campaign. Using election campaign style tactics in 14 different languages to encourage millions of Torontonians to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the campaign was central in delivering world-leading vaccination rates in the city.
Originally from a small town in rural England, Clark moved to Canada over a decade ago and recently became a dual citizen. He looks forward to finally voting in an election in Canada that he's working on. He lives in Toronto with his partner Laura and their one-year-old daughter.
Jan Kestle
President, Environics Analytics
Jan Kestle
President, Environics AnalyticsJan Kestle has been a leader in the marketing information industry for more than five decades. An expert in using statistics and mathematics to help solve business challenges, she directed the initiatives that led to the creation of EA’s PRIZM® segmentation system, WealthScapes financial database and ENVISION business intelligence platform, among other products. Over the years, she’s helped hundreds of customers—in industries ranging from finance and retail to the not-for-profit sector—turn data and analytics into insight, strategy and engagement. Before founding EA in 2003, Jan was president of Compusearch and spent 19 years at the Ontario Statistical Centre.
Active in the marketing community, Jan was recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Marketing Association and the GIS Leadership Award from BeSpatial Ontario. Jan is a member of the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council, and is on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, and the Morisette School of Entrepreneurship at the University of Western Ontario. A frequent conference speaker, she is the recipient of a Bachelor of Science degree in applied mathematics from Western University.
Chris Moffatt Armes
President, PoliTraQ
Chris Moffatt Armes
President, PoliTraQChris Moffatt Armes is the Founder of PoliTraQ – an advocacy management and political intelligence platform for government relations practitioners. He previously worked as a government relations and policy analyst in the higher education industry and as a political staffer at all three levels of government. He lives in Kingston, ON with his wife and son.
Dave Leichtman
Director of Corporate Civic Responsibility at Microsoft
Dave Leichtman
Director of Corporate Civic Responsibility at MicrosoftDave Leichtman is the Director of Corporate Civic Responsibility at Microsoft. As part of the company’s Democracy Forward program, he leads nonpartisan civic engagement efforts and works with election officials and those upholding democracy worldwide to address tech, security, and AI needs. Dave also leads the company's internal US and international election strategy.
Dave has held this and similar roles for 10 years at Microsoft. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at several US political technology firms. He also served as state leadership for a major US political party for over a decade.
Dave holds a B.S. in Physics and Computer Science from William & Mary and an M.S. in Particle Physics from University of Washington. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Nancy Cooke
CEO and Founder, Campaign Compass™
Nancy Cooke
CEO and Founder, Campaign Compass™Nancy Cooke, BMR, OT, MBA(Candidate), CEO and Founder Campaign Compass™
Nancy Cooke brings over twenty years of experience in nonprofit governance, community activism, business and political operations. Nancy’s passion for community engagement translated into engagement in the democratic process as a candidate, campaign manager, federal constituency office assistant, director of operations and CEO of a provincial political party. In 2016 Nancy moved her public service to working in the legislature as a Chief of Staff to various ministers, including Infrastructure, Crown Services, Municipal Relations and Mental Health Wellness and Recovery, playing a key role in supporting the development of the first Manitoba Roadmap for Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery in 2021. Since 2021, Nancy’s innovative pursuit for a game-changing solution to support engagement in democracy was created. Campaign Compass is a comprehensive software platform that includes an integrated suite of tools to streamline campaign operations and resource management. Campaign Compass™ allows candidates and campaign teams to focus on campaign strategy and success. To date, Nancy has helped transform several campaigns across Canada.
Matt DeCourcey
Head of Corporate Affairs, InterKnowlogy and Former MP for Fredericton
Matt DeCourcey
Head of Corporate Affairs, InterKnowlogy and Former MP for FrederictonMatt DeCourcey is a public policy leader, community builder, and former Member of Parliament with extensive experience advising decision makers at the local, national, and international level.
His knowledge of politics and public affairs, experience developing strategic partnerships, and ability to shape and influence policy, has helped him advise international NGO’s, post-secondary and business leaders, and Canada’s ministers of finance, foreign affairs and immigration.
As Member of Parliament for Fredericton from 2015 to 2019, Matt secured federal investment to expand critical transport and trade infrastructure, advance preventative healthcare, and significantly increase the population and workforce of New Brunswick.
He has worked with vulnerable children in the global south and represented the Government of Canada in such fora as the United Nations Security Council and across five continents.
Fluent in English and French, Matt is an accomplished athlete, coach and official at the collegiate level, an adjunct professor, and mentor and member of Canada’s leading public policy and leadership development Fellowship—Action Canada.
Matt has published and spoken on issues including democracy and elections, healthy aging, research and innovation, workforce growth and immigration, and child rights. He has established and built multiple platforms that foster substantive dialogue and learning to support the socio-economic success of Canadians, and to advance the wellbeing of marginalized persons around the world.
A proud New Brunswicker, he now lives and works in Ontario.
Brett Thalmann
Founding Partner, Nexus Strategic Consultants
Brett Thalmann
Founding Partner, Nexus Strategic Consultants
Brett Thalmann is a founding partner of Nexus Strategic Consultants with over 20 years of experience as a leading political advisor, strategist, and community organizer in Canada. He brings over seven years of experience in the Prime Minister's Office in his senior leadership role as Executive Director of Planning, Administration and People. In the 2015, 2019 and 2021 elections, Brett led national campaign efforts to target key communications to specific audiences in swing ridings through digital advertising, earned media and direct voter contact by phone, mail, and door-to-door.
Hasneet Singh Punia
CEO, Armer Consulting
Hasneet Singh Punia
CEO, Armer Consulting
Haz Punia is an astute leader with over a decade of extensive senior management experience serving as Chief of Staff to both a provincial Minister and Mayor of a large urban Canadian municipality. Haz has served as a senior advisor and mentor for numerous campaigns across Ontario and has been instrumental in leveraging modern technology for voter contact, GOTV and ethnic reach.
Rob Leforte
President, First Lake Solutions & Co-Founder, Push Politics
Rob Leforte
President, First Lake Solutions & Co-Founder, Push PoliticsRob has 15 years of government relations experience at the federal, provincial and municipal levels in Canada. Provincial work brought him to Ottawa in 2011 where he led government relations efforts for the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). During that time, he advanced human resources and skills development policy, led intellectual property reforms, and built a strong network in Ottawa’s political community.
Rob earned his master’s degree from the Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management at Carleton University. He followed that experience by working with some of Canada’s best lobbyists at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities where he worked on housing and public safety.
He went on to work at a national public affairs firm where he became Vice President. There he delivered billions of dollars in investments to client sectors, significant provincial and national legislative victories, and major regulatory reforms in sectors as diverse as health, construction, retail and supply chains, and skills development.
Rob is a trailblazer in digital campaigns, having run social media advertising campaigns as early as 2008 and leading national, provincial, and municipal digital campaigns since 2016 as Co-Founder of Push Politics. Since starting First Lake Solutions in 2021 he has helped clients deliver over $3 billion for their respective sectors and professions. He has also helped dozens of non-profit organizations undertake capacity building for their own direct advocacy initiatives since establishing AdvocacyCoach.ca in early 2022.
Rob is proud to be leading a young, energetic and fast-growing team of advocates.
Harneet Singh
Managing Principal, EOK Consults
Harneet Singh
Managing Principal, EOK Consults
Harneet is a seasoned digital strategist with over 15 years of marketing research, digital marketing and communications experience spanning diverse industries, clients, and geographies. As owner and principal consultant at EOK Consults - a leading political digital marketing firm, Harneet works with and advises many members of Canadian politics across local, provincial and federal levels. His clients include current members of parliament (MPs), provincial representatives (MPPs), political organizations, and federal cabinet ministers. Harneet is a pioneer in using high-precision online advertising to win elections and influence grassroots campaigns.
Tyler Meredith
Partner, Meredith Boessenkool & Phillips
Tyler Meredith
Partner, Meredith Boessenkool & PhillipsManagement consultant, think tanker, and senior economic advisor to the Prime Minister, Tyler Meredith brings nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of economics, public policy and politics. Previously voted the second most influential staff person in Ottawa by the Hill Times’ annual staff survey, Meredith has been a key thought leader supporting the domestic, economic and social policy agenda of the Justin Trudeau government.
Meredith was the lead author of the 2019 and 2021 winning election platforms of the Liberal Party of Canada, he helped lead the delivery of 6 federal budgets and 5 economic statements and he contributed to the writing of multiple ministerial mandate letters during government transition.
Until his departure in late 2022, Meredith was the lead economic advisor for Justin Trudeau, and two Ministers of Finance – Chrystia Freeland and Bill Morneau. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was the principal architect of the government’s economic response, including the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, Response Benefit and Rent Subsidy. From 2016-2022, his work touched nearly all aspects of the government’s social and economic agenda, from the financial sector and tax policy, to the design of the Canadian cannabis market, to the negotiation of the 2017 health accords.
Before working in government, Meredith was the economic research director for the Institute for Research on Public Policy, where he oversaw and authored numerous peer reviewed publications on Canadian economic policy. He was also previously a management consultant for nearly 5 years with a Big 4 firm.
Tyler holds a Masters of Public Administration from Queens University and a Joint Honours in Political Science and History from the University of Ottawa.
Ken Boessenkool
Partner, Meredith Boessenkool & Phillips
Ken Boessenkool
Partner, Meredith Boessenkool & PhillipsA bold, intuitive thinker, policy shaper and prolific writer, Ken cofounded Meredith Boessenkool to continue influencing policy and working to make the next chapter better for his fellow Canadians.
One of Canada’s leading policy strategists, Ken’s list of accomplishments is long, including his recent stint as the J.W. McConnell Professor of Practice at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University, and his recurring role as Research Fellow at the CD Howe Institute.
Ken has played senior strategic and policy roles in four national election campaigns for the Conservative Party of Canada under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He has been Chief of Staff to former Premier of British Columbia Christy Clark, a senior policy advisor to three national Conservative leaders, two Alberta Finance Ministers, and an Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader. He has played senior policy or campaign manager roles in three national leadership campaigns and three provincial leadership campaigns.
Ken has also worked for and founded a variety of public affairs firms, was a senior regulatory economist with two electricity firms, and the architect of political campaigns nationally and in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.
Katie Davey
Executive Director of the Pond-Deshpande Centre at the University of New Brunswick
Katie Davey
Executive Director of the Pond-Deshpande Centre at the University of New BrunswickKatie Davey is a public policy expert and social innovator, currently the Executive Director of the Pond-Deshpande Centre at the University of New Brunswick. With a background in applied research and real-world implementation, she addresses New Brunswick’s socio-economic challenges through social innovation, entrepreneurship, and public policy.
Previously, Katie was Director of Policy & PPF Media at the Public Policy Forum, where she led key projects on child care, journalism, immigration, and digital connectivity, and enhanced the organization's presence in Atlantic Canada. As a 2019/20 Action Canada Fellow, she focused on employment integration for refugees and the evolving job market. Katie has also created four policy podcasts and hosts the UNB Alumni podcast, Unbeknownst.
Passionate about public service, Katie was a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Premier of New Brunswick, advancing legislation and stakeholder relations in women’s equality, labour, and innovation. In 2023, she was recognized as a top innovator by Atlantic Business Magazine. She serves on the Boards of the Human Development Council and Action Canada and received the Proudly UNB Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2024.
Alex Paterson
Civics Lead, Canada at YouTube
Alex Paterson
Civics Lead, Canada at YouTubeAs Strategic Partner Development Manager and Civics Lead for Canada, Alex works with government, political, and civic creators, driving product adoption while ensuring a responsible platform for all users.
Alex comes to YouTube by way of Google Canada where he led the Brand & Reputation marketing team. Before arriving at Alphabet, Alex served as Executive Director of Canada 2020, an Ottawa-based think-tank and convener and co-founded Training for Progress, a campaigns and elections training program. He began his career in broadcast news at the CBC, and later in advocacy with Greenpeace Canada.
Alex holds a Honor’s Bachelor of Arts in Media in the Public Interest from Western University, and a Master’s in Public Policy and Public Administration from Carleton University. He lives in Ottawa, Canada with his wife and two children.
Sean Wiltshire
SVP, Solutions at Data Sciences
Sean Wiltshire
SVP, Solutions at Data SciencesSean is a data expert, having served as Director of Data and Analytics for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2015 federal election campaign and helping institute a new data-centric approach to voter engagement. Prior to that, Sean received his Ph.D. in the Department of Human Genetics at McGill University in Montreal, where his research focused on the genetic determinants of the immune response to viral infection.
Steve de Eyre
Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Canada at TikTok
Steve de Eyre
Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Canada at TikTokSteve de Eyre is the Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs at TikTok Canada, where he works with all levels of government to inform them about TikTok’s commitment to user safety and privacy, and how Canadians are using TikTok to share their culture and talents on a global stage.
Prior to joining TikTok in 2020, he founded and led Amazon Canada's public policy team, and previously served at the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C. as the representative for Innovation, Science & Economic Development.
Steve holds a B.A. (Honours) in Political Studies from Bishop’s University and J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He currently serves on the Boards of Sheridan College and MediaSmarts.
Flow Barre
CEO, Qomon
Flow Barre
CEO, QomonBack in France after working in both London and New York, Flow and co-founder Jean Baptiste set out to bring technology to a sector that is still relatively undigitalized, the nonprofit & politics sectors.
Passionate about technology & citizen engagement, Flow is here to help to carry out the vision and help organizations mobilize bigger.