Alistair Howes
Project and Corporate Relations Manager at FED Urban Agriculture Society
Amber Berard-Althouse
Founder of The Land Heals
Bob (Gyala’gameh) Chamberlin
Chamberlin and Associates Consulting
Bob Sandford
Senior Government Liaison, Global Climate Emergency Response, United Nations University Institute for Water Environment & Health
Brad Parsell
CEO of Kootenay Rockies Tourism (formerly Tourism Tofino)
Brett Soberg
Co-owner and Captain at Eagle Wing Tours
Celes Davar
President, Earth Rhythms
Christie Pashby
Director, Public Affairs at Banff & Lake Louise Tourism
Cindy Conti
HR Consultant, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains at go2HR
Cody Chomiak
Vice President of Marketing for Travel Manitoba
Cyril (weqʷaqʷələq) Morris
eyʔ steɫŋəxʷ Guide at Songhees Tours
Dame Pania Tyson-Nathan
Chief Executive of New Zealand Māori Tourism
Daniel Raab
ReSurf Program Manager at Surfrider Foundation Canada
David Roberts
Senior Director, Cruise and Transportation Services at SSA Marine
Deirdre Campbell
President, tartanbond Communications
Dr. Mikhail Klassen
Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Planet
Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon
Award-Winning Author | Public Intellectual
Elizabeth Brown
President & CEO of the Victoria Airport Authority
Elwyn Thom
Owner of Recertified Furniture
Fanny Beaulieu Cormier
Senior Sustainability Consultant at Tourism Montreal
Greg Takehara
CEO of Tourism Cares
Gwendal Castellan
Manager, Sustainable Destination Development at Destination Vancouver
Ian Stone
Owner of Gros Morne Inn & Tour Gros Morne
Isabella Lai
Sustainability Manager, SSA Marine Canada Cruise
Jared Qwustenuxun Williams
Chef and Storyteller at the Ministry of Agriculture
Jean-François Archambault
Founder and CEO of La Tablée des Chefs
Jessica Harcombe Fleming
VP, Public Relations and Communications, Pursuit
Jill Doucette
CEO & Founder, Synergy Enterprises & Synergy Foundation
Kevin Seesequasis
Director of Community and Tourism Development, Beardy's & Okemasis' Cree Nation
Kirsten Ovstaas
Director of Marketing & Growth at Re:BC
Kyle Bouwknecht
Technical Lead, Synergy Enterprises
Laura Griffith-Cochrane
Executive Director of Ucluelet Aquarium Society
Laura Lynch
Journalist and Host of What On Earth
Leigh Barnes
President of Americas at Intrepid Travel
Malia Asfour
Former Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board North America
Mat Woods
Chief Executive at Destination Queenstown & Lake Wānaka Tourism
Mayor Marianne Alto
Mayor, Victoria, BC
Melissa Jean Barnhard-McClurg / Nawhea’mowhah
Multiple Roles within Songhees Nation
Mikey Sadowski
Vice President, Communications, Intrepid Travel
Natalie Slawinski
Professor of Sustainability and Strategy and Director of the Centre for Regenerative Futures
Paul Nursey
President & CEO, Destination Greater Victoria
Pauline Grafos
Manager, ESG & Sustainability Programs at the Edmonton International Airport
Peter de Rama
Sr. Executive Director, Technology and Digital Transformation at Destination Canada
Raj Behari
Founder of Shellter Bio-Material Upcycling Inc.
Robin Russell
Strategic Consultant at Robin Russell Communications
Sébastien Benedict
President & CEO of Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)
Shelley Luce
Associate Director & Campaigns Director of the Sierra Club BC
Stan Cook
Founder of Rock+Water Travel
Starr McMichael
Founder of Starrboard Enterprises Ltd.
Tam Andersen
Horticulturalist and Farmer at Prairie Gardens
Teresa Ryder
Director of Partnerships, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC)
Trina White
General Manager, The Parkside Hotel & Spa
Walt Judas
CEO, Tourism Industry Association of BC
Past Speakers
We have been honoured to have these speakers in the past who have helped us lead integral conversations.
Alexandra Blagdon
Chef, The Alder Cottage
Alison McKay
Vice President of Destination Management at Destination British Columbia
Alysa McCall
Director of Conservation Outreach and Staff Scientist, Polar Bears International
Amy Nugent
Associate Director of Marine Climate Action at Oceans North
Amzy Vallenas
Senior Project Manager at Synergy Enterprises
Anders Halvarsson
Decarbonization Engineer, SES Consulting
Anick Levesque
Managing Director of Green Key Global
Anna Atleo
Assistant General Manager at Maaqtusiis Hahoulthee Society
Annie Dahan
Bio-based Material Designer & Founder of Seacork Studio
Ashwin Jadhav
Vice President, Business Development, Twelve
Benjamin Lavallée
Conseiller en développement touristique / tourism development advisor, Destination Québec cité
Benjamin Morrison
Sales Technologist, Cleanflo Water Technologies Inc.
Beth Potter
CEO & President, Tourism Industry Association of Canada
Brenda Holder
Traditional Knowledge Keeper at Mahikan Trails
C. Anne McIntyre
Founder & Executive Director, Soap for Hope Canada
Calen McNeil
Founder of Big Wheel Burgers Inc.
Carly Pereboom
Executive Director, Tourism Nanaimo
Carmen Yulín Cruz
Former Politician & Former Member of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
Carol Greenwood
VP, Operations & Partnerships, TIAO - Tourism Industry Association of Ontario
Ching Hei Cheung (Chris)
Graduate Student and Research Assistant at Royal Roads University
Christian Van Buskirk
Associate Teaching Professor at Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria
Christine Loth-Bown
Vice-President, External Relations and Visitor Experience, Parks Canada
Chyanne Trenholm
General Manager, Homalco Wildlife & Cultural Tours
Dave Butler
Strategic Advocacy Coordinator at HeliCat Canada
Dave Cowen
Chief Executive Officer of The Butchart Gardens
David Holder, CDME
Co-Founder and CEO of Clarity of Place
Debbie Clarke
Director of Regenerative Development, The Centre for GOOD Travel
Dilan Ilhan
Undergraduate Student at Peter B. Gustavson School of Business - University of Victoria
Dr Anna Spenceley
Dr. Aaron Tkaczynski
The University of Queensland
Dr. Altaf Sovani
Founder & CEO of Alzen Consulting Inc.
Dr. Jennie Knopp
Community and Science Director at Oceans North
Dr. Michael Pidwirny
Associate Professor at The University of British Columbia
Edward Bearskin
President of Eeyou Istchee Tourism, VP of Cree Outfitting & Tourism Association
Eli Enns
Founder, IISAAK OLAM Foundation
Frank Brown
Hereditary Chief, Heiltsuk Nation
Gabrielle Mueller
Marketing Manager, Culinary Tourism Alliance
Gemmeke de Jongh
International Association Expert, Visit Flanders Convention Bureau
Georgia Lavender
Director of Program Operations at Synergy Foundation
Gracen Chungath
Senior Vice President, Destination Development at Destination Canada
Greg Klassen
Senior Director. Skift Advisory
Guilherme (Gui) Alves Ferreira
Student
Gunjan Menon
Director at Beyond Premieres
Guy Bigwood
CEO and Chief Changemaker, Global Destination Sustainability Movement
Hege V. Barnes
Managing Director of Innovation Norway
Honourable Lana Popham
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, Government of BC
Isabel Hill
Advisor; Board Member, Envoy, Sustainable Tourism Global Center; Former Director, National Travel and Tourism Office at U.S. Department of Commerce
James Darius Ball
Director of Buildings, GreenBiz Group
Jason Picard-Binet
President, Bastien Industries
Jason Wilson
Solar Energy Engineer, Hakai Energy Solutions Inc.
Jenni Lessard
Chef and Culinary Consultant, Inspired By Nature Culinary Consulting
Jeremy Butzlaff
President, MTRWestern
Jeremy Loveday
Executive Director, Public Affairs, Destination Stewardship and Sustainability, Destination Greater Victoria
Jimmy Leask
Director of Development, GeoTility Geothermal Installations Corp.
John Gunter
President & CEO of Frontiers North Adventures
Judy Kitts
First Nations Engagement Manager, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority
Julie Averay Cuesta
EVP, International Marketing and Communications
Julie Dubord
General Manager of Tourisme Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Keith Henry
President and CEO, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
Ken Nakano
Chef, Inn at Laurel Point
Kirsten Bain
CEO, Destination America
Lauren Semple
Inclusive & Sustainable Tourism Consultant, Lauren Semple Consulting
Lebawit Lily Girma
Travel Reporter & Conscious Tourism Communications Strategist
Lexa Bergen
Disability Activist & Advocate, Coach and Photographer
Marcelino Alvarez
Co-founder and CEO of Photon Marine
Marina Winterbottom
Principal at Bluedot Environmental Ltd.
Marion N. Chivot-Legris
Director of ESG & Sustainability Strategy, Edmonton International Airport
Mark Anson
Founder of HFN Timber Tiles LP
Mathieu Roy
Chief Executive Office, Trans Canada Trail
Matt Morrison
Chief Executive Officer of PNWER
Megan Chan
Project Analyst of Synergy Enterprises
Michelle Holliday
Founder, Thrivable World
Mike Douglas
Co-founder of Protect Our Winters Canada
Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Vancouver-West End New Democratic Party of B.C.
Nancy J. Turner
Distinguished Professor Emeritus, School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria
Nancy Small
CEO, Tourism Richmond
Nicole Ford
VP, Communications and Sustainability, Rocky Mountaineer
Nina Boys
Vice President, Sustainability
Pamela McGarel
Founder & CEO, Mosaic Earth Travel
Paul Shorthouse
Managing Director, Circular Economy Leadership Canada
Paul Stewart
Head Chef, Food Service Manager, Victoria Cool-Aid Society
Robert Ezelle
Director; Emergency Management Division; Washington Military Department, PNWER
Robert Morgenstern
Senior Vice President Alaska Operations, Carnival Corporation & HAP Alaska
Robyn Goldsmith
Collaboration Strategist, Think X Innovations
Rochelle Turner
Global B Corp Impact Manager at Intrepid Travel
Rosie Poirier
Director of Impact, The Convergence
Sarah Fallavollita
Destination Stewardship & Sustainability Specialist at Destination Greater Victoria
səwəyələq – Diane Sam
Songhees Nation
Sophia Hyder Hock
Chief Inclusion Officer of Destinations International
Stéfanie Rondou-Pontbriand
Senior Manager, Climate Change & Aircraft Noise, Air Canada
Susanna Shankar
Founder / Editor-in-Chief of Curiosity Saves Travel
Taniell Hamilton
Destination & Sustainability Manager
Tim Hasid
Director of Destination Strategy, Resonance
Treska Watson
Executive Director at The Mustard Seed
Trevor Norris
Destination Development Manager, Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board
Tyler Riopel
CEO of Tourism Jasper
Vanessa Bechtol
Vice President of Destination Stewardship at Visit Tucson
Veronica Santiago
Travel Business Development Specialist, Royal Roads University
Wade Davis
Professor of Emeritus-Anthropology at the University of British Columbia
Wanda Bogdane
Emergency Preparedness & Risk Management Specialist
Wendy Magnes
Director, Economics and Corporate Initiatives with the BC Ministry, Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport