19 People Behind Education Conferences in Canada
19 People Behind Education Conferences in Canada
Last updated: August 2026.
Education conferences in Canada are shaped by people who turn a subject into a useful programme, a welcoming room and a practical next step.
This directory recognises 19 people connected to current conference, professional learning and education programme work across Canada. The names are presented in a simple order for easy navigation, not as a measure of who matters most.
As of August 2026, the list spans higher education, association work, medical education, home education, education technology and the systems that help conferences run well.
Why education conferences matter
A good education conference shortens the distance between a useful idea and the people who need to try it.
The people below show that programme quality and delivery quality belong together. Someone must shape the themes, support the speakers, coordinate the moving parts and keep the delegate experience in view.
1. Lindsay Callan
Conference Director, UBC CPD
Lindsay Callan is Conference Director at UBC CPD.
UBC CPD says its conference team plans and delivers more than 50 conferences each year in hybrid and virtual formats.
2. Michelle Baysan
Conference Manager, UBC CPD
Michelle Baysan is Conference Manager at UBC CPD.
UBC CPD lists Michelle Baysan with more than 15 years of conference and event management experience.
3. Jennifer Hamilton
Executive Director, CACUSS
Jennifer Hamilton is Executive Director at CACUSS.
The CACUSS strategic plan places its annual conference, institutes and summits within the association's professional learning work.
4. Nabila Kazmi
Conference Manager, CSSE
Nabila Kazmi is Conference Manager at CSSE.
The CSSE page says Nabila Kazmi joined the society in 2024 and is completing a PhD while researching learning, space and social justice.
5. Barb Ford
Membership Services, CSSE
Barb Ford is Membership Services at CSSE.
The CSSE page says Barb Ford manages membership, conference and special-event registrations, including registration work for four other national organisations.
6. Carolyn Potter
CANHEIT Conference Manager, CUCCIO
Carolyn Potter is CANHEIT Conference Manager at CUCCIO.
CUCCIO lists CANHEIT as its conference and describes the council as the collective voice of Canadian higher education CIOs.
7. Lindsay Sill
Executive Director, CUCCIO
Lindsay Sill is Executive Director at CUCCIO.
CUCCIO says Lindsay Sill leads work on best practice, industry and government relationships, and a higher-education IT community of practice.
8. Laura Bodtker
Conference Manager, Forward Summit, The Connect Group
Laura Bodtker is Conference Manager at Forward Summit, The Connect Group.
The Connect Group describes its work as creating, financing and producing high-quality events.
9. Miki Reeder
Founder and CEO, The Connect Group
Miki Reeder is Founder and CEO at The Connect Group.
The Connect Group says its multidisciplinary team delivers conference and event work for clients.
10. Brynne Wrigley
Director of Events, CAEM
Brynne Wrigley is Director of Events at CAEM.
CAEM's association management page places event leadership alongside the organisation's wider member and association work.
11. Jennifer Murray
Executive Director, CAEM
Jennifer Murray is Executive Director at CAEM.
CAEM's public management page places Jennifer Murray's executive role inside an organisation that delivers conferences and education for the exposition sector.
12. Marischal De Armond
President, Conference Manager
Marischal De Armond is President at Conference Manager.
Conference Manager says Marischal De Armond built its software after organising academic conferences and wanting a better system.
13. Monica Rawlek Elizondo
Director of Events, Cardus
Monica Rawlek Elizondo is Director of Events at Cardus.
Cardus lists Monica Rawlek Elizondo's events role alongside its public education programme leadership.
14. Joanna DeJong VanHof
Program Director, Education, Cardus
Joanna DeJong VanHof is Program Director, Education at Cardus.
Cardus lists education as a distinct programme area in its current team directory.
15. Suzan Schneeweiss
Professor and CPD faculty member, University of Toronto CPD
Suzan Schneeweiss is Professor and CPD faculty member at University of Toronto CPD.
The current University of Toronto CPD faculty page lists Suzan Schneeweiss in the 2026-27 Leading and Influencing Change in CPD programme.
16. Ripudaman Singh Minhas
Conference Director and Planning Committee Co-Chair, CCYC
Ripudaman Singh Minhas is Conference Director and Planning Committee Co-Chair at CCYC.
The current CCYC conference page names Ripudaman Singh Minhas as Conference Director and Planning Committee Co-Chair.
17. Kate Hanneman
Conference Director, Case-Based Imaging Conference
Kate Hanneman is Conference Director at Case-Based Imaging Conference.
The Case-Based Imaging Conference page identifies Kate Hanneman as Associate Professor and says she chairs the annual meeting programme planning committee for the Canadian Association of Radiologists.
18. Joanna Imoo
Conference Director and Sponsorship Coordinator, BC Home Education Conference
Joanna Imoo is Conference Director and Sponsorship Coordinator at BC Home Education Conference.
The BC Home Education Conference says its purpose is to support and equip home educating families across British Columbia.
19. Robert Martellacci
Founder and Conference Chair, Canadian EdTech AI Summit
Robert Martellacci is Founder and Conference Chair at Canadian EdTech AI Summit.
The Canadian EdTech AI Summit page identifies Robert Martellacci as President and CEO of MindShare Learning Media and welcomes delegates to the 2026 summit.
What these leaders show us about education conferences
Conference work is both editorial and operational. The agenda needs a clear audience, while the practical details need enough care that people can focus on learning.
The range of roles also matters. Researchers, educators, association staff, student services teams, health professionals, home educators and technology leaders all need different kinds of learning spaces.
The people behind an education conference influence far more than the running order. They shape what gets discussed, who feels invited into the room and whether a useful idea has a fair chance of travelling back to a school, university, association or team.
Use this directory as a practical starting point. Find the organisations closest to your question, read their current conference pages and choose one small conversation or event that can move your work forward.
Related reading
For a simple language for the work teams do together, read Working Genius. For leadership alignment, read 11 Proven Ways to Get Your Leadership Team Aligned. School leaders can also read How School Principals Can Use Working Genius to Build a Healthier Team.
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If your leadership team needs a clearer way to turn learning into action, I can help with a practical keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session.
Email jonno@consultclarity.org.
About the Author
Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, corporates and nonprofits around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.