Johna Burke

AMEC

Global Managing Director

Johna Burke is the Global Managing Director of AMEC.

During a career spanning over 25 years, Johna has worked both as a public relations practitioner and a provider of services that are vital to the successful performance of communications professionals. Prior to leading AMEC, Johna was CMO at BurrellesLuce and previously the director of public and investor relations of a Fortune 500 company. In 2015 she was inducted into the PRNEWS Measurement Hall of Fame for her work and leadership in the community.

Nicole Wise

Yale School of Medicine

Chief Communications Officer

Lisa Gibson

Microsoft Canada

Head of Communications / Business Manager

As Head of Communications, Lisa leads a team of professionals focused on building and protecting the company’s reputation, reinforcing Microsoft as the leader in trust and innovation and driving employee engagement across the country.

With more than 25 years of experience, Lisa has led communications at a number of high-profile retail and technology brands including Canadian Tire, Shoppers Drug Mart and Target. Over the course of her career, she has built a reputation for solving complex business problems through strategic communications and delivering best-in-class public relations and executive communication programs. Passionate about the role communications plays in driving digital transformation, Lisa meets regularly with customers to share best practices and insights.

Lisa has a degree in Criminology/Psychology from the University of Toronto and a certificate in Public Relations from Ryerson University. She is passionate about mentorship and volunteers her time to coach new and budding PR talent. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, travelling, and listening to podcasts.

Nicole Moreo

LinkedIn

Head of Customer Insights for North America

Dave Fleet

Edelman

Managing Director, Head of Global Digital Crisis

Emrul Hasan

CARE Canada

Vice President, Global Programs

Tom Chervinsky

TELUS

Head of External Affairs and Social Capitalism, Public Policy

Dustin Sternbeck

Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia

Director Of Communications

Courtney Williams

The Obama Foundation

Director of Communications

Kristen Moss

The Coca-Cola Company

Vice President, Strategic Communications

Susan Skiles Luke

Bayer

Director, Global Issues & Crisis Communications, Crop Science Division

Samantha Wannemacher

The North Face

Senior Manager of Global Communications and Talent

Samantha Wannemacher is the senior manager of global communications and talent marketing at The North Face, where she handles strategic brand communications, talent and entertainment marketing, crisis communications, brand reputation and public relations. Previously, she served as vice president and as a senior account supervisor at Edelman, where she primarily worked on Unilever accounts including Dove and TRESemme, along with additional agency experience prior to this at 5W Public Relations. Samantha believes in the impact of purpose-led brands and has extensive experience in helping brands communicate their values.   

Tulani André

Prime Video & Amazon Studios

Global Lead, Social & Editorial

Adam Pratt

IBM

Director, Policy and M&A Communications

Khairoon Abbas

The Regional Municipality of York

Lead of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (People, Equity and Culture Branch)

Michael Oliveira

Tim Hortons

Director of Communications and Public Relations

Farnaz Khadem

Stanford University

Vice President for University Communications

Farnaz Khadem is Vice President for University Communications at Stanford University. As Stanford’s senior communications official, she is responsible for the university’s centrally-managed internal and external communications and public relations activities, including media relations, executive communications, social media, online and print publications, and the Stanford University website.

Prior to joining Stanford, Farnaz served as Chief Communications Officer at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where she was responsible for the university’s Office of Strategic Communications, comprising media relations, publications, and internal and digital communications. Previously, Farnaz served as Director of Communications at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Director of Corporate Communications at Life Technologies, a global biotechnology company; and Assistant Director of Media Relations at the University of California, Irvine.

She has extensive international experience, having worked as the head of communications for the World Anti-Doping Agency in Montreal, Canada, and the Vaccine Fund, a Bill & Melinda Gates-funded organization based in Lyon, France. She has also served as a Foreign Service officer in the U.S. Diplomatic Corps, with postings in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Rome, Italy. Farnaz holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in journalism from Northwestern University. She speaks Farsi, French, and Italian.

Shawn Salewski

BDC

Assistant Vice President, External Communications

Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams

Center for Reproductive Rights

Chief, Communications and Marketing

Paula Knight

Toronto Community Housing

Vice President, Strategic Planning and Communications

Andrea Vandenberg

EY

Assistant Director, Demand Generation: ESG

Andrew Block

RBC

Senior Director, Climate Communications

Annemarie Gerber

Maple Leaf Foods Inc

Director of External and Digital Communications

Kelsey Rutherford

BMO

Lead, Corporate Communications