50 Directors Behind Canada's Leadership Conferences

Last updated: August 2026.

Canada's leadership conferences do not run themselves. Behind the keynote stage and the breakout rooms sits a network of conference directors, executive-education leaders, event managers and association chiefs who build the program, secure the speakers and keep the room focused on real leadership development. As of August 2026, this directory brings together 50 people currently doing that work across Canada's business schools, professional associations, meeting-industry firms, named summits, public-sector bodies, chambers of commerce and sector conferences.

This list helps event organisers, sponsors, speakers and conference-goers understand who is actually behind the leadership conferences held across the country each year, from Vancouver to St. John's, and from Whitehorse-adjacent chambers to Charlottetown's own business gatherings. It is not a list in order of importance. It is a working directory of real people in real roles, drawn from the organisation pages that describe their current work, so anyone planning to attend, sponsor or benchmark a Canadian leadership conference has a genuine starting point.

The 50 people below are grouped into seven fields: business school and executive-education leaders, association and professional-body leaders, meeting and event-industry leaders, named conference and summit producers, government and public-sector leadership events, chambers of commerce and boards of trade, and sector and community leadership conferences. Names appear in that grouped order for easy reference, not by any measure of importance, seniority or influence.

Each entry links to the person's own organisation, so readers can go straight to the current source rather than relying on a second-hand summary. That matters in a field where roles change often and a conference program can look quite different from one year to the next.

Why conference leadership matters in Canada

A leadership conference is only as good as the person directing it. Someone has to decide the program theme, choose the speakers, set the budget and make sure a room of several hundred professionals leaves with something useful. In Canada, that work sits with conference directors, executive-education leaders and event managers spread across business schools, associations, chambers of commerce and dedicated event-production firms.

When these roles are filled by capable people, the effect reaches well beyond the conference room. A business school's executive-education director shapes how hundreds of managers learn to lead, long after the program itself has ended. A chamber of commerce events manager builds the annual gathering where a city's business community compares notes on what is working. An association's conference chief decides whether a national profession gets a program worth attending or one that gets skipped next year.

The people behind these events also carry real operational weight, from sponsorship targets to venue contracts to speaker travel, work that rarely gets public credit even though the conference itself depends on it. Understanding who holds these roles helps readers see how Canada's leadership-conference community actually works, and gives event organisers, speakers and sponsors a clearer picture of who to reach out to when they want to get involved.

Business School and Executive Education Leaders

1. Bryan Benjamin

Executive Director, Ivey Executive Education, Ivey Business School

Bryan Benjamin is Executive Director, Ivey Executive Education at Ivey Business School, based in London, ON. This role carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Ivey Business School's community.

Benjamin led the launch of the Ivey Conservation Leadership Program with the Centre for Land Conservation, whose inaugural 2025 cohort brought together 25 senior leaders, 96 per cent of them in executive roles. Read the organisation's current page.

2. Rami Mayer

Executive Director, Schulich Executive Education Centre

Rami Mayer serves as Executive Director at Schulich Executive Education Centre in Toronto, ON. He helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Schulich Executive Education Centre runs for its community.

Mayer has helped grow the Schulich Executive Education Centre into Canada's largest executive education centre, working with more than 250 national and multinational organisations. Read the organisation's current page.

3. Martina Valkovicova

Executive Director, Professional Growth, UBC Sauder School of Business

From Vancouver, BC, Martina Valkovicova holds the role of Executive Director, Professional Growth at UBC Sauder School of Business. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work UBC Sauder School of Business is known for.

Before leading Professional Growth, she spent nearly a decade as Assistant Dean of the Hari B. Varshney Business Career Centre at UBC Sauder. Read the organisation's current page.

4. Tanya Verhulp

Director, Executive and Professional Development, Haskayne School of Business

Tanya Verhulp works out of Calgary, AB, as Director, Executive and Professional Development at Haskayne School of Business. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Haskayne School of Business's community.

She custom built the Emerging Leaders Program for Spartan Controls, upskilling more than 200 employees, several of whom moved into new leadership roles. Read the organisation's current page.

5. Jennifer Gordon

Director, Telfer Executive Programs

Jennifer Gordon is Director at Telfer Executive Programs, based in Ottawa, ON. She helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Telfer Executive Programs runs for its community.

Gordon co-founded the International Academy for CPD Accreditation, a body that now spans more than 30 countries. Read the organisation's current page.

6. Dominique Anglade

Directrice executive, HEC Montreal

Dominique Anglade serves as Directrice executive at HEC Montreal in Montreal, QC. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work HEC Montreal is known for.

Before taking this role she served as Quebec's Deputy Premier and Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation. Read the organisation's current page.

7. Kathy Knight

Director, Burns Executive Education Centre

From Winnipeg, MB, Kathy Knight holds the role of Director at Burns Executive Education Centre. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Burns Executive Education Centre's community.

She was a founding partner of the PTEC collaboration between MITT, Pembina Trails School Division and Tech Manitoba, reinventing how technology is taught. Read the organisation's current page.

8. Jack Rice

Executive Director, Executive and Corporate Education, Ted Rogers School of Management

Jack Rice works out of Toronto, ON, as Executive Director, Executive and Corporate Education at Ted Rogers School of Management. The role includes shaping the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Ted Rogers School of Management runs for its community.

He is the author of the book Learning in the Age of Hybridity and previously served as Executive Director of the Maple League of Universities. Read the organisation's current page.

9. Felix Arndt

Eyton Director, Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business

Felix Arndt is Eyton Director at Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, based in Waterloo, ON. The role sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business is known for.

He holds the school's endowed Eyton Director title, leading a faculty built around entrepreneurship and leadership programming. Read the organisation's current page.

10. Valerie Howe

Director, Gardiner Centre, Memorial University

Valerie Howe serves as Director at Gardiner Centre, Memorial University in St. John's, NL. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Gardiner Centre, Memorial University's community.

She returned to Memorial after 24 years across the public and private sector, having started her career at the university's P.J. Gardiner Institute. Read the organisation's current page.

Association and Professional Body Leaders

11. Jessica Ng

Conference and Events Manager, CPHR BC and Yukon

From Vancouver, BC, Jessica Ng holds the role of Conference and Events Manager at CPHR BC and Yukon. The role includes shaping the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that CPHR BC and Yukon runs for its community.

She also runs CPHR BC and Yukon's HR Spotlight recognition program alongside the annual conference. Read the organisation's current page.

12. Danielle Griffin

Director of Strategic Communications and Initiatives, Interim Co-Executive Director, Ontario Nonprofit Network

Danielle Griffin works out of Toronto, ON, as Director of Strategic Communications and Initiatives, Interim Co-Executive Director at Ontario Nonprofit Network. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Ontario Nonprofit Network is known for.

She co-authored the published analysis Resilience and Community in Times of Change, drawing on ONN's national non-profit sector survey. Read the organisation's current page.

13. Ryan Androsoff

Vice-President, Learning and Leadership, Institute on Governance

Ryan Androsoff is Vice-President, Learning and Leadership at Institute on Governance, based in Ottawa, ON. In this role, he carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Institute on Governance's community.

He co-founded the Canadian Digital Service in 2017, a Government of Canada startup unit helping departments build better digital services. Read the organisation's current page.

Meeting and Event Industry Leaders

14. Teresa Rempel

President, MPI British Columbia Chapter

Teresa Rempel serves as President at MPI British Columbia Chapter in Vancouver, BC. The role includes shaping the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that MPI British Columbia Chapter runs for its community.

In her own President's Address she highlighted the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to Vancouver as a chance to showcase the province's meetings expertise to the world. Read the organisation's current page.

15. Juliano Lissoni

Managing Director, MCI Group Canada

From Toronto, ON, Juliano Lissoni holds the role of Managing Director at MCI Group Canada. The role sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work MCI Group Canada is known for.

He is also co-founder of Blockchain Revolution Global and global director of strategic projects for MCI Group. Read the organisation's current page.

16. Paul Burke

General Manager, Toronto, GES Canada

Paul Burke works out of Toronto, ON, as General Manager, Toronto at GES Canada. In this role, he carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together GES Canada's community.

With over 10 years at Air Canada, he held roles ranging from customer service to scheduling and resource-systems management before moving into exhibition production. Read the organisation's current page.

17. Arthur Kerekes

Founder, Fusion Events

Arthur Kerekes is Founder at Fusion Events, based in Toronto, ON. He helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Fusion Events runs for its community.

A Juno-nominated artist turned event producer, he launched the uRequest Live interactive platform in 2012, changing how live audiences interact with events. Read the organisation's current page.

18. Virginie De Visscher

Executive Director, Business Events, Destination Canada Business Events

Virginie De Visscher serves as Executive Director, Business Events at Destination Canada Business Events in Vancouver, BC. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Destination Canada Business Events is known for.

A biosystems engineer by training, she led international trade missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before moving into Canada's national business-events team. Read the organisation's current page.

Named Conference and Summit Producers

19. Anick Beaulieu

Chief Executive Officer, C2 Montreal

From Montreal, QC, Anick Beaulieu holds the role of Chief Executive Officer at C2 Montreal. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together C2 Montreal's community.

She built commercial partnerships with organisations including IBM, GitHub and RBC as part of C2's growth into one of Canada's best known business conferences. Read the organisation's current page.

20. Lisa Zarzeczny

CEO and Co-Founder, Elevate Festival

Lisa Zarzeczny works out of Toronto, ON, as CEO and Co-Founder at Elevate Festival. She helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Elevate Festival runs for its community.

Under her leadership Elevate launched an innovation arm, a flagship accelerator program and new events including Think 2030. Read the organisation's current page.

21. Erin Mussolum

Content and Program Director, SAAS NORTH, Cube Business Media

Erin Mussolum is Content and Program Director, SAAS NORTH at Cube Business Media, based in Ottawa, ON. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Cube Business Media is known for.

She previously produced short films in virtual production and executive produced the first Bell-funded TikTok project before moving into conference programming. Read the organisation's current page.

22. Jenn Juby

Interim Chief Executive Officer, Startup Canada

Jenn Juby serves as Interim Chief Executive Officer at Startup Canada in Ottawa, ON. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Startup Canada's community.

She scaled and exited her own retail business during the pandemic, growing it to more than 10 million dollars in revenue in sixteen months. Read the organisation's current page.

23. Tassan Sung

Founder, SPOKEN Leadership and Education

From Vancouver, BC, Tassan Sung holds the role of Founder at SPOKEN Leadership and Education. She helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that SPOKEN Leadership and Education runs for its community.

In 2025 she was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her work supporting vulnerable communities. Read the organisation's current page.

24. Frederik Boisvert

President and CEO, CCIQ

Frederik Boisvert works out of Quebec City, QC, as President and CEO at CCIQ. The role sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work CCIQ is known for.

He leads CCIQ's Academie des Grands Quebecois, founded in 1989, which honours four builders each spring whose work reaches well beyond their own field. Read the organisation's current page.

Government and Public Sector Leadership Events

25. Nathalie Laviades Jodouin

Senior Vice-President, Public Sector Operations and Inclusion Branch, Canada School of Public Service

Nathalie Laviades Jodouin is Senior Vice-President, Public Sector Operations and Inclusion Branch at Canada School of Public Service, based in Ottawa, ON. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Canada School of Public Service's community.

As a former Director General for Respectful and Inclusive Workplace, she led the design of learning content on accessibility and anti-racism now used across the public service. Read the organisation's current page.

26. Mara O'Brien James

Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Mara O'Brien James serves as Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer at Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Ottawa, ON. She helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Federation of Canadian Municipalities runs for its community.

She previously served as FCM's Chief Operations Officer, guiding transformation and strategic planning through a period of major change. Read the organisation's current page.

27. Jennifer Goodine

Executive Director, CAMA

From Fredericton, NB, Jennifer Goodine holds the role of Executive Director at CAMA. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work CAMA is known for.

CAMA has named a national award in her honour, the Jennifer Goodine Inspirational Leadership Award, and she holds the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. Read the organisation's current page.

28. David Fulford

Chief Executive Officer, IPAC

David Fulford works out of Toronto, ON, as Chief Executive Officer at IPAC. In this role, he carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together IPAC's community.

He worked internationally in Lithuania on behalf of IPAC and CIDA to help the new government establish a national budgetary process. Read the organisation's current page.

29. Stephen Reid

Chief Executive Officer, CAPG

Stephen Reid is Chief Executive Officer at CAPG, based in Ottawa, ON. He helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that CAPG runs for its community.

He is completing a PhD studying policing and mediatisation in Canada while leading CAPG's annual governance conference. Read the organisation's current page.

30. Kendra Tedford Devine

Director of Professional Development and Events, OPSBA

Kendra Tedford Devine serves as Director of Professional Development and Events at OPSBA in Toronto, ON. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work OPSBA is known for.

Her contributions include leading OPSBA's Trustee Professional Development Program across the last three provincial election cycles. Read the organisation's current page.

31. Shannon Sutherland

Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Events, Canadian Council for Indigenous Business

From Calgary, AB, Shannon Sutherland holds the role of Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Events at Canadian Council for Indigenous Business. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Canadian Council for Indigenous Business's community.

She spent 26 years as a business journalist, writer and editor, primarily with the National Post and Calgary Herald, before joining CCIB. Read the organisation's current page.

32. Janet Stewart

National Executive Director, Canadian School Boards Association

Janet Stewart works out of Ottawa, ON, as National Executive Director at Canadian School Boards Association. She helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Canadian School Boards Association runs for its community.

Her experience as a classroom teacher, school administrator and chief operating officer of the BC Public School Employers' Association informs CSBA's national Trustee Gathering. Read the organisation's current page.

Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade

33. Rosine Hage-Moussa

Director of Events, Programs and EDI Initiatives, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade

Rosine Hage-Moussa is Director of Events, Programs and EDI Initiatives at Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, based in Vancouver, BC. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Greater Vancouver Board of Trade is known for.

She is a working panellist on the Board's Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council forums, the evolution of its former Women's Leadership Council. Read the organisation's current page.

34. Sharon Diamond

Manager, Membership and Events, Ottawa Board of Trade

Sharon Diamond serves as Manager, Membership and Events at Ottawa Board of Trade in Ottawa, ON. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Ottawa Board of Trade's community.

With more than 20 years in Ottawa's non-profit sector, she has held roles at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre, United Way Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Arts Council. Read the organisation's current page.

35. Nicole Claiter

Director, Events and Partnerships, Calgary Chamber of Commerce

From Calgary, AB, Nicole Claiter holds the role of Director, Events and Partnerships at Calgary Chamber of Commerce. The role includes shaping the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Calgary Chamber of Commerce runs for its community.

She is the named point of contact for Chamber Fest, the Chamber's flagship 600-plus attendee annual networking event. Read the organisation's current page.

36. Nathalie Geoffroy

Directrice, Experience evenementielle et Logistique, Chambre de commerce du Montreal metropolitain

Nathalie Geoffroy works out of Montreal, QC, as Directrice, Experience evenementielle et Logistique at Chambre de commerce du Montreal metropolitain. The role sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Chambre de commerce du Montreal metropolitain is known for.

She leads event experience and logistics for an organisation that stages close to 200 events a year across Greater Montreal. Read the organisation's current page.

37. Morgan Mayer

Events and Marketing Manager, Regina and District Chamber of Commerce

Morgan Mayer is Events and Marketing Manager at Regina and District Chamber of Commerce, based in Regina, SK. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Regina and District Chamber of Commerce's community.

She is named as responsible for delivery of every Chamber event, including its signature Paragon Awards program. Read the organisation's current page.

38. Sydney Juzenas

Director of Events, Business Council of British Columbia

Sydney Juzenas serves as Director of Events at Business Council of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. The role includes shaping the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Business Council of British Columbia runs for its community.

She was promoted to Director of Events after previously serving as Member Engagement Manager, Events, helping deliver the B.C. Business Summit. Read the organisation's current page.

39. Carolyn Marsh

Director, Community Engagement and Strategic Programs, Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce

From Kitchener-Waterloo, ON, Carolyn Marsh holds the role of Director, Community Engagement and Strategic Programs at Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. She sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce is known for.

Her portfolio includes the Chamber's Inspiring Women Event, running since 2006 with more than 4,500 women taking part. Read the organisation's current page.

40. Chris Beauvais

Events and Sponsorship Manager, Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce

Chris Beauvais works out of Charlottetown, PE, as Events and Sponsorship Manager at Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce. In this role, he carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce's community.

He helps run the President's Excellence Awards, which the Chamber calls business's biggest night of the year and which recognises local leadership across nine categories. Read the organisation's current page.

41. Nancy Healey

Chief Executive Officer, St. John's Board of Trade

Nancy Healey is Chief Executive Officer at St. John's Board of Trade, based in St. John's, NL. She helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that St. John's Board of Trade runs for its community.

She provides overall leadership across the Board's programs, services and facilities and represents members in dealings with all three levels of government. Read the organisation's current page.

42. Christine Lewis

Senior Events and Sponsorship Manager, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce

Christine Lewis serves as Senior Events and Sponsorship Manager at Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce in Victoria, BC. The role sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce is known for.

She is the named organiser of the Chamber's annual Business Awards gala, its flagship leadership-recognition event. Read the organisation's current page.

43. Shawn Yuan

Events Manager, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce

From Winnipeg, MB, Shawn Yuan holds the role of Events Manager at Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. In this role, he carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce's community.

He is the Chamber's named events contact, responsible for the events program that sits alongside its Leadership Winnipeg initiative. Read the organisation's current page.

44. Danielle Flynn

Events Manager, Halifax Chamber of Commerce

Danielle Flynn works out of Halifax, NS, as Events Manager at Halifax Chamber of Commerce. The role includes shaping the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Halifax Chamber of Commerce runs for its community.

She is named as the Chamber's Events Manager on its own staff page, responsible within a program the Chamber describes as more than 100 events a year, including its Halifax Business Awards. Read the organisation's current page.

45. Treena Skaalid

Outreach and Events Manager, Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce

Treena Skaalid is Outreach and Events Manager at Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, based in Saskatoon, SK. The role sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce is known for.

She is the Chamber's named contact for all event enquiries, covering the Chamber's full annual program of member and leadership events. Read the organisation's current page.

Sector and Community Leadership Conferences

46. Ali Ponte

Executive Director, Toronto Global Forum

Ali Ponte serves as Executive Director at Toronto Global Forum in Toronto, ON. In this role, he carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Toronto Global Forum's community.

He previously worked as a Business Development Executive for the Province of New Brunswick, helping attract foreign direct investment before moving into forum leadership. Read the organisation's current page.

47. Brittany Snell

Manager, Professional Development and Marketing, CIRI

From Brampton, ON, Brittany Snell holds the role of Manager, Professional Development and Marketing at CIRI. The role includes shaping the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that CIRI runs for its community.

She is the named organiser for CIRI's Annual Conference, which the Institute describes as one of the largest gatherings of investor relations practitioners in the world. Read the organisation's current page.

48. Barry Alexander

Chief Marketing and Diversity Officer, Canadian Marketing Association

Barry Alexander works out of Toronto, ON, as Chief Marketing and Diversity Officer at Canadian Marketing Association. The role sits close to the planning and delivery of the leadership-focused conference work Canadian Marketing Association is known for.

He previously held senior marketing roles at Knix, Maple Leaf Foods and Molson and serves as a mentor with the Black Talent Initiative. Read the organisation's current page.

49. Nancy Wallace

Senior Vice President, Corporate Services, Business Council of Canada

Nancy Wallace is Senior Vice President, Corporate Services at Business Council of Canada, based in Ottawa, ON. In this role, she carries direct responsibility for the leadership conferences, summits and member events that bring together Business Council of Canada's community.

She also manages the Council's finances, including membership fees, contracting, payroll and audit. Read the organisation's current page.

50. Stephanie Danyluk

Senior Manager, Community Engagement, Canadian Museums Association

Stephanie Danyluk serves as Senior Manager, Community Engagement at Canadian Museums Association in Ottawa, ON. She helps shape the leadership conference, summit and member-event program that Canadian Museums Association runs for its community.

She co-authored the CMA's Moved to Action report, a sector response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action 67. Read the organisation's current page.

What these leaders show us about conference leadership in Canada

A few patterns stand out across these 50 profiles. Business schools across the country, from Ivey to HEC Montreal to Memorial University's Gardiner Centre, each maintain a dedicated executive-education leader whose job includes building leadership programming that functions much like a standing conference. That is a genuinely national pattern, not a Toronto-only one, and it shows up from Waterloo to St. John's.

Professional associations and chambers of commerce are the other major source of conference leadership. Many of the people on this list hold events-specific titles, such as Director of Events or Conference and Events Manager, inside organisations whose core public value is the gathering itself. Others are chief executives or senior vice presidents who personally carry conference responsibility alongside the rest of their portfolio, which is common in smaller national associations with lean head-office teams.

National headquarters cluster in Toronto and Ottawa, which reflects where most Canada-wide associations and business councils choose to base their staff, rather than any deliberate narrowing of scope. Even so, this list reaches into Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, because leadership conferences are a genuinely national activity, not a single-city one.

Taken together, these patterns show that Canada's leadership-conference community is carried by a mix of specialist event professionals and generalist association leaders who add conference direction to an already full plate, often without the dedicated team a major international conference would have.

How to use this list

Start by matching the profile to your own goal. If you are planning to attend or speak at a Canadian leadership conference, the business-school and association entries above are a practical starting point for programs that run every year. If you are a sponsor or exhibitor, the meeting-industry and chamber-of-commerce entries point to the people who manage partnership and events budgets.

If you organise events yourself, the organisation pages linked in each entry are a fast way to see how a comparable conference is structured, who leads it and what its current program looks like. Reading a few of these pages side by side is a quick way to benchmark your own event against what is already running in Canada, from program length to speaker mix to sponsorship tiers.

For association leaders and chamber staff, this list can also work as a peer map. Many of the people above lead similar-sized teams facing similar problems, from sponsorship targets to speaker budgets to volunteer committees, so their organisation pages are a reasonable place to see how a comparable group has framed its own conference offering.

None of this requires a personal introduction or an existing relationship. Every person listed is doing this work publicly, through an organisation that already describes their role and their program in enough detail to be a useful reference point.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a conference director actually do at a Canadian association?

A conference director typically owns the program theme, speaker selection, budget and sponsorship targets for an organisation's flagship event. At smaller associations, a chief executive or senior vice president often carries this responsibility alongside other duties rather than as a dedicated events role.

Are these 50 people in order of seniority or importance?

No. The list is organised into seven fields, business schools, associations, meeting-industry firms, named conferences, public-sector bodies, chambers of commerce and sector bodies, and names appear in that grouped order for easy reference only.

Why are so many people on this list based in Toronto and Ottawa?

Most Canada-wide associations, business councils and national institutes base their head-office staff in Toronto or Ottawa. This list still reaches into British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada and beyond, reflecting where the work genuinely happens.

What is the difference between a conference director and an event producer?

A conference director usually owns program content and strategy, while an event producer or event manager typically owns logistics, venue, budget and delivery. Many of the roles on this list blend both responsibilities inside one job title.

Does this list include every leadership conference held in Canada?

No single list can capture every leadership conference in a country as large as Canada. This directory focuses on 50 real, currently active people connected to a representative cross-section of business, association, government and sector conferences.

How often is this list reviewed?

This list reflects current roles as of August 2026, drawn from each organisation's own website. Readers should confirm a person's current title directly with the linked organisation before relying on it for time-sensitive planning.

Conclusion

Canada's leadership conferences depend on a wide, largely unseen network of directors, managers and executives who choose the program, book the speakers and keep the event on budget. The 50 people in this directory represent a genuine cross-section of that work, spanning business schools, professional associations, meeting-industry firms, named summits, public-sector bodies, chambers of commerce and sector conferences from coast to coast to coast.

If you organise, sponsor, speak at or simply attend leadership conferences in Canada, this list is a starting point for understanding who is behind the events already running in your field. Each entry links to the organisation's own current page, so the fastest next step is to open a few that match your own goals and see what their current program looks like before you reach out.

For anyone building or improving their own leadership conference, comparing notes with a handful of the people above, through their public program pages, is a practical way to see what a comparable organisation has already built, and where your own event might still have room to grow.

Related Reading

Questions to ask before you commit to a leadership program

Influential COOs in Alberta, Canada

How to choose an executive coach

Leadership team offsite readiness

Bring this kind of thinking into your own leadership room

Jonno White works with Canadian organisations that want their own leadership conversations, offsites and conference sessions to land well, not just fill an agenda. If your team or association is planning a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session and wants a practitioner who understands what makes these rooms work, get in touch at 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.