PR Agency Boot Camp
Conference Speakers

Marilyn Barefoot
President
Barefoot Brainstorming

Every great team has a sparkplug, a unique energy source, an active ingredient… someone who helps to give the team a personality. For Barefoot Brainstorming, that someone is Marilyn Barefoot. Classically trained in tier one companies like Coca-Cola, McDonald's, General Mills, Nike and Microsoft, Marilyn combines a wickedly smart and analytical brain with an intuitive gut.

A summa cum laude graduate from major advertising agencies like Vickers & Benson, Bozell Palmer Bonner, Cossette Communications and BBDO, Marilyn is obsessive about originality. A hands-on leader, Marilyn's brainstorming sessions (trademarked as BigStorming®) have been known to cause blips on Doppler Weather Radar screens. Marilyn is the one who inspires teams to look at every client project as an opportunity to be different.

A three time nominee for the Rotman Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, Marilyn Barefoot is a much sought after speaker at strategic marketing conferences. A true partner with clients, she feels that the success of any project depends on listening, learning and getting it. "You must be smart, passionate, fun-loving and hip deep in your client’s business."

Speaker: Creativity: Big Ideas That Will Knock Your Socks Off!

Kenneth Evans
Senior Vice-President
APEX Public Relations

A seasoned corporate communications specialist and media trainer, Kenneth has worked with a diverse range of communicators - from reality TV hosts to several of Canada's top 100 CEOs. An eleven year veteran of APEX, Kenneth leads the agency's corporate communications and training divisions, working with individual leaders and corporations in enhancing their business development and reputations through strategic public relations.

Speaker: The Media Steeplechase: The art of the "tough talk" Interview

Louisa Jewell
President
Positive Matters

Louisa Jewell is a consultant, facilitator and speaker with over 16 years of experience working with executives and leaders building positive and productive workplaces in Canada and around the world. In 2007 she conducted research across Canada to determine what fully engaged employees at work and the conditions that created well-being in the workplace. She is a graduate of the ground-breaking Master of Applied Positive Psychology program from the University of Pennsylvania and is the founder of the Canadian Positive Psychology Association. Most recently, she co-hosted a weekly radio show on CIUT.FM where she interviewed interesting authors and thought-leaders on the topic of Energizing Organizations.

Speaker: The Science of Motivation

Lubor Keliar
Director of Communications
Red Bull Canada

As Director of Communications, Lubor oversees strategy and development of editorial, digital and moving images. Since 2007, Lubor has driven the launch and expansion of the Red Bull Media House in Canada. A hub for all Red Bull media activities, the Red Bull Media House produces a unique variety of content in lifestyle, culture and sports, with distribution across own and third-party channels. Among the premium properties Lubor has spearheaded is the production of Red Bull Crashed Ice, which generates an annual live television audience of over one million viewers in Canada alone.

Prior to joining Red Bull, Lubor was a Consultant with Environics Communications, working with clients such as the Canadian Recording Industry Association, Xerox Canada, Polaroid, Puretracks and The Globe & Mail. Lubor holds degrees in Marketing and Communications from the University of Guelph and Sheridan College, where he was awarded the CPRS Hamilton Student Award of Excellence. He drinks two Red Bulls a day and thinks you should too.

Panel member: The Impact of Influence

Boyd Neil
Vice-President
National Practice Leader
Social Media & Digital Communications
Hill & Knowlton Strategies

At Hill & Knowlton, Boyd Neil uses more than 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors as a communication strategist to provide senior level counsel to a variety of clients. He is skilled in reputation management around sensitive issues and the integration of digital solutions into communications strategies. As national practice leader, social media and digital communications, Boyd is responsible for guiding Hill & Knowlton's team of social media consultants who provide clients with creative solutions to their reputation challenges.

In the last four years, Boyd has conducted conversation audits, trained dozens of executives in using the social web, and created and implemented social media and digital strategies for organizations in the oil and gas, insurance, nuclear, packaged goods and non-profit sectors. Boyd holds M.A. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Toronto. He teaches the social media and reputation management courses at Ryerson University, is an active blogger on two platforms and a frequent guest speaker on social media trends and strategies.

Speaker: Demystifying Social Media Measurement

Andrew Pelletier
Vice-President of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability
Walmart Canada

 Andrew Pelletier is a seasoned corporate affairs advisor with more than 20 years experience in the public relations industry. He has provided senior counsel to a broad spectrum of organizations across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Andrew began his career in 1990 as a Communications Officer to the Ontario Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations, and later as Policy Analyst for the Ontario Legislature. Following his work with the Ontario government, Andrew joined one of Canada's oldest public relations firms as a Consultant. In 1995 Andrew joined Sears Canada as Manager of Corporate Communications, a role that touched virtually every aspect of the company's business.

Andrew left the Sears corporation in 1998 after being recruited by Walmart to establish, build and lead the corporation’s broad corporate affairs function throughout Canada. After serving as Director of Public Relations, Andrew has since been promoted to Vice-President of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability. Reporting directly to the CEO, Andrew and his team of 26 professionals are responsible for all corporate affairs nationwide.

Andrew and his team have received numerous awards for excellence in communication including a 2010 Platinum Hermes Creative Award, one of the highest honours for communication excellence in North America. The award is in recognition of the Walmart Green Business Summit in Vancouver and corresponding sustainability campaign.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Sociology from Simon Fraser University. He is also a graduate of the Walton Institute of Leadership and the Executive Development Centre in Dallas, Texas. He has served as a guest lecturer to post-graduate students of communications, a keynote speaker to a range of forums on corporate affairs and sustainability, and an industry panelist to several professional assemblies.

Panel member: The Impact of Influence

Susan Reisler
Vice-President
Media Profile

Susan is one of the best-known public relations practitioners in Canada, having "crossed the aisle" to PR following a 25-year career as a foreign correspondent, journalist, host and producer in television and radio at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

A Vice President at Media Profile for 11 years, Susan provides strategic advice and planning to clients who work in professional, academic, corporate and non-profit sectors. She is involved at the most senior levels in everything from managing large events involving high profile people to crisis communications support, drafting strategic plans, tactics and news releases and media relations. Her years of experience as a journalist prove invaluable when it comes to translating complex and sensitive political issues in to tactics and language that can help clients communicate with their audiences. Susan also writes speeches for senior executives and op-eds for newspapers and is a key member of the Media Profile media training team.

Susan's intellectual curiosity drives her extra-curricular activities. From her board membership on Transparency International (Canada) and the Canada Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center, to her defense of human rights and freedom of speech as a member of Human Rights Watch Canada and the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, Susan is constantly questioning how to make things better.

Moderator: The Impact of Influence

Krista Scaldwell
Vice-President, Communications & Public Affairs (Canada)
Johnson & Johnson Inc.

Krista's current responsibilities include government relations, internal communications, philanthropy, public and media relations. In 2010 she returned to Johnson & Johnson Inc. from Bristol Myers Squibb where she held the role of Vice-President, Market Access where she was responsible for all pricing and reimbursement. Most recently at Johnson & Johnson Inc., Krista held the role of Director, Public Affairs and Alliance Development where she led the strategic development and implementation of corporate brand and issues management plans, negotiated partnerships with stakeholders in the areas of policy development, public relations, and legislative lobbying efforts, led the policy development and government affairs initiatives in Latin America and was a key liaison with non-government organizations on behalf of Johnson & Johnson at the global level.

Prior to her role in Johnson & Johnson Inc., Krista was the Director, Market Access and Public Policy at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Canada and has also held the role of Senior Communications Manager at the Office of the Premier of Ontario.

Krista has both non-profit and corporate board experience including the Canadian Cancer Society, The Toronto Port Authority and currently on the board of Canadians for Health Research, Action Contre de la Faim and the Canadian Cosmetic and Toiletries Association.

Krista holds an HBA in Sociology and Economics from Trent University and an MBA from the Ivey School of Business at Western University.

Panel member: The Impact of Influence

Barry Snetsinger
Owner
Barry Inc.

My 30 year marketing and advertising career has included time as a Brand Manager at General Foods, an advertising Vice-President at JWT, and a Director at Labatt's.

For 10 years, prior to starting my own company, I was Managing Partner of the Canadian division of Rogen, a global training company headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

My specialty is teaching presentation skills to advertising and marketing people. I also work with advertising agencies, media and PR companies coaching them through the competitive bid process. In just the past 5 years I've consulted on 58 major new business pitches, on the winning side 63% of the time.

I was born in Halifax, grew up in St. Catharines and was educated in Toronto. I’m an avid skier and tennis player and whenever possible my wife and I, and our dog Ritchie, escape to our beach house on Manitoulin Island on Lake Huron.

Speaker: Winning New Business

Scott Stratten
President
Un-Marketing

Scott Stratten is an expert in Viral, Social, and Authentic Marketing which he calls Un-Marketing. It’s all about positioning yourself as a trusted expert in front of your target market, so when they have the need, they choose you.

Formerly a music industry marketer, national sales training manager and a Professor at the Sheridan College School of Business, he has been running his "UnAgency" for a decade, which has become the place companies like PepsiCo, Adobe, Red Cross, Cirque du Soleil and Fidelity Investments come to when they need help guiding their way through the viral/social media and relationship marketing landscape.

He now has over 108,000 people follow his daily rantings on Twitter and was just named one of the top 10 social media influencers in the world on Forbes.com. It's the only time he’s felt comfortable being compared to Ashton Kutcher, P Diddy and Justin Bieber.

His book "UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging" became a national best-seller before it was released, and recently a Globe and Mail #1 Business best-seller, National Post, Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK best-seller. It was also just named one of the top business books of the year by 1-800-CEO READ and one of the top 10 books by Under30CEO.com. The paperback version is set for a February release to be followed by his second book in the Fall of 2012.

His passion comes out most when speaking on stage, preaching engagement and becoming one of the most sought-out speakers on the subject.

Keynote: UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging.

François Taschereau, APR
Executive vice-president, Canada and general manager, Montreal
Weber Shandwick

François has a national role providing strategic counsel in corporate communications, as well as crisis and issues management and spokespersons training. He also oversees all WS business in the Québec market.

Before joining WS, François occupied high-level positions in the agency (National, Optimum, Edelman) and in large corporations—Hydro-Québec (Senior Director, Communications), CAE (VP, Corporate Communications and Investor relations) and Bell Canada (VP, Corporate Communications).

After graduating with a law degree from Université de Montréal, François began his career as a foreign service officer, with postings to the UN in New York, Spain and Colombia. He is fluent in French, English and Spanish.

Involved in the community, he volunteers on the boards of the Institut du Nouveau Monde, Université du Québec's Raoul-Dandurand Chair in Strategic and Diplomatic Studies, as well as of its Public Relations and Marketing Communications Chair, of the Marie Chouinard dance company and the Festival TransAmériques.

Speaker: Client Relationships: It's all about love

Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS
President, Argyle Communications
Chair-Elect, Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management

Daniel Tisch is widely known as a leader in the Canadian and global public relations community. He is the president and owner of one of Canada's premier independent PR firms, a Fellow of the Canadian Public Relations Society and Chair-elect of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the umbrella organization for the world's major PR industry associations.

Since Dan became president of Argyle Communications in 2003, the firm has expanded rapidly and earned a reputation as one of Canada's fastest-growing mid-sized agencies. With thriving practices in consumer marketing, corporate and public affairs, and health communications, Argyle is invariably among the national leaders in awards from the International Association of Business Communicators and the Canadian Public Relations Society. In 2010, Argyle earned overall Campaign of the Year honours from both CPRS Toronto and IABC Toronto, and was also named IABC Toronto's Mid-Sized Agency of the Year.

In addition to his professional roles, Dan lectures on public relations at Queen's School of Business and is a founder and Co-Chair of Social Venture Partners Toronto, the local chapter of the world's largest individual charitable donor network.

Speaker: PR Means Business: Selling Our Value to Senior Management