East York, Ontario, Canada
Dynamic Senior Event Production Leader with over 20 years of experience transforming creative visions into reality through strategic leadership, operational excellence, and innovative problem-solving. Adept at orchestrating large-scale events across arts, culture, sports, and public sectors, I manage budgets up to $2 million and audiences of 100,000+, consistently delivering seamless, impactful experiences. Specializing in venue management, logistics, and day-of operations, I empower cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals while fostering strong stakeholder partnerships. My collaborative leadership style combines meticulous planning, data-driven decision-making, and creative innovation to align events with organizational goals and resonate globally. I excel at bridging strategic vision with operational execution, ensuring that every initiative is aligned with organizational priorities and delivers measurable impact. With expertise in navigating regulatory environments and championing change management, I implement best practices to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence. My resilience in high-stakes scenarios has consistently enabled me to navigate complexity and deliver results under challenging conditions. Passionate about setting new benchmarks, I thrive on creating unforgettable experiences that captivate audiences and advance organizational success.
As Senior Manager of Program, Marketing, and Operations, I lead strategic program development and execution, managing 5 portfolios, 30 direct reports, and a significant operational budget. I oversee innovative public programming, such as the SummerSeries in Trillium Park festival and Lumière: The Art of Light exhibition, emphasizing community engagement and diversity to attract over 100,000 attendees annually. I lead cross-functional teams to plan, execute, and evaluate large-scale events, ensuring alignment with corporate goals and ministry priorities. My role includes implementing risk management strategies for high-profile events and ensuring compliance with safety regulations and government policies. Collaborating with government stakeholders, community partners, and vendors, I deliver diverse, engaging programming and achieve a 30% year-over-year increase in attendance through targeted marketing strategies. I manage procurement processes, financial forecasting, and contract management, ensuring adherence to directives, legal compliance, and cost-effective resource allocation while fostering strong vendor relationships. With extensive experience across event lifecycles, I provide leadership in cross-functional venue operational planning by guiding teams, aligning stakeholder objectives, and ensuring timely preparation of schedules and resources. I ensure seamless reporting and tracking across workstreams, including key milestones, deliverables, and timelines. Additionally, I develop briefing notes and decision decks for senior executives and ministry officials, delivering strategic recommendations, risk assessments, and performance metrics aligned with government objectives. My commitment to operational excellence includes overseeing budgets, driving efficiencies, and ensuring compliance with government policies. This results in impactful programming that balances creativity, accountability, and responsible public sector management.
In my role as Producer, I consistently lead high-profile global events, ensuring seamless delivery, creative innovation, and operational excellence. My notable achievements include Lead Producer for the Toronto International Film Festival Tribute Awards, winner of the 2023 Biz Bash Award, where I oversaw all aspects of the event including logistics, talent management, show development, security, and operations for the red carpet, gala dinner, and award show. I directed Prime Video Presents: Canada, a hybrid broadcast across three time zones at Massey Hall, managing a team of 30 specialized personnel while setting new standards for North American events in alignment with global benchmarks. I successfully led the Paramount+ Fan Expo takeover, managing a $1 million budget for a 60'x40' custom build that created immersive experiences for eight unique IPs and attracted 15,000 visitors over three days. My expertise extends to producing major red-carpet premieres for productions such as The Sticky, Three Pines, I AM Celine Dion, and Rings of Power across Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, and New York including a private event at the Consul General of Canada residence. Throughout my career, I've demonstrated exceptional skills in managing full event lifecycles, from ideation to execution. I've orchestrated international press junkets and developed technical run-of-show plans in collaboration with world-class partners. My portfolio includes delivering flawless events for leading global brands including TIFF, Paramount+, Prime Video, Bulgari, Manulife Financial, and Amazon Studios/MGM. My expertise spans operational planning, production and technical delivery and stakeholder management. I've successfully navigated complex regulatory environments, consistently delivering exceptional results in complex, high-stakes environments. My ability to lead large-scale projects, including hybrid live broadcasts, premiere screenings, has been consistently recognized throughout my career.
In 2016, I led the successful re-opening of Ontario Place programs after a temporary closure, overseeing site remediation and operational audits to assess the site, staff, and labor requirements necessary for supporting partner programming, ensuring public readiness, and optimizing staff operations. I directed the operational planning and execution of year-round programs, aligning them with corporate mandates and Ministry objectives, while leading a multi-disciplinary team to deliver a 16-day program across four festivals for Ontario150 and the re-opening of Ontario Place, attracting over 400,000 visitors. I also managed procurement for portfolios up to $2M, ensuring alignment with financial goals and maintaining strict budget adherence. I conceptualized and curated Lumière: The Art of Light, an annual outdoor exhibition, which saw 35% growth in attendance and a 48% increase in artistic submissions year-over-year. In response to COVID-19, I spearheaded the development and execution of a recovery program for community partners, driving 2.3M virtual impressions, 20K visitors, over $130K in revenue, 14 new partnerships, and the delivery of 27 arts, culture, and recreational programs. By collaborating with senior stakeholders, I defined strategic objectives and delivered innovative, accessible programming that aligned with both organizational goals and community needs. I cultivated and maintained high-level partnerships with prominent cultural organizations, including Myseum, TIFF, and Luminato, to create engaging and impactful visitor experiences. I led contract management for both internal and external programs, ensuring legal and financial compliance while fostering strong vendor and partner relationships. Additionally, I championed change management and implemented best practices across operations, service delivery, staffing, budget development, and risk management, driving continuous improvement, efficiency, and operational excellence across the organization.
GIVING WOMEN IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY A VOICE – PROFESSIONALLY AND CREATIVELY Established in 2012, Women in Music Canada (WIM-C) is a registered non-profit organization comprised of influential members of the Canadian music industry. The organization is dedicated to fostering gender equality in the music industry through the support and advancement of women. Providing knowledge, strategy & solutions to its members, and the greater community, is its driving purpose. The goal is to strengthen the social-economic balance of the music industry by providing professional and creative development, support and resources such as: Networking Events Mentoring Opportunities Educational Workshops Performance Showcases Industry Awareness
As a Professor of Event Planning and Management at Durham College's School of Media, Art & Design, I developed and delivered an innovative curriculum for the Event Management and Music Business Management program. My approach integrated current industry practices with applied theory, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the event management field. I facilitated hands-on learning experiences through practical applications, group collaborations, and community engagement projects, preparing students for real-world challenges in the event industry. My instruction covered key courses including EVNT 1300 and WKSP 3303, offering in-depth knowledge in event planning, management, and execution. By leveraging my extensive industry experience, I brought real-world insights into the classroom, enhancing students' understanding of current trends and challenges in event production. Throughout my tenure, I focused on mentoring students to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and project management skills essential for success in the dynamic field of event management.