Atlantic Canada's Marketing Conference

Keynote Presentation
Speaker Bio: Arlene Dickinson
Marketing Legend

Arlene Dickinson is a visionary entrepreneur and leader with a remarkable track record of success. She is the Founder and General Partner of District Ventures Capital, a venture capital fund that invests in innovative companies in the food & beverage and health & wellness sectors. Under her leadership, District Ventures Capital has become a leading force in the industry, with a portfolio of ground-breaking companies that are transforming the way we live and eat. Beyond her business ventures, Dickinson is a sought-after speaker, three-time best-selling author, and philanthropist.

She is widely recognized for her role as a Venture Capitalist on the hit television series, Dragons’ Den, where she currently has starred for over 15 seasons. Dickinson's leadership and entrepreneurial prowess have earned her numerous accolades over the years, including induction into the Southern Alberta Business Hall of Fame, the Marketing Hall of Legends, recognition as one of Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100 Hall of Fame, and the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Awards.

Dickinson served as an honorary captain of the royal Canadian navy for over 10 years visiting our troops overseas numerous times. With her unwavering commitment to excellence, her passion for innovation, and her deep dedication to her community and country, Arlene Dickinson is a true Canadian icon and a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work, determination, and vision.

Title: TBD
V Gaik
Executive Director, Brand Partnerships

As Executive Director of Brand Partnerships at TikTok Canada, Vanessa (V) Gaik is focused on helping brands find business success through reach and resonance with audiences on TikTok. Vanessa brings zero talent to her TikTok account, but she does bring 20 years of experience in media, marketing and technology. Through a stroke of dumbluck (and a lot of hard work) she inadvertently snagged a front row seat to the technological revolution, helping businesses like Yahoo!, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok build their footprint in Canada. Motivated by transparency, open dialogue and a sense of adventure, Vanessa joined TikTok in January 2020, as the third employee in Canada.

"Pocket Production & Branding"
Will Yang

CEO & Creative Director

"Crisis-Ready Communications: Protecting Your Brand in Critical Moments"
Jessica Harcombe Fleming

Senior Vice President

Jessica Harcombe Fleming is a reputation management expert with 20 years of experience in crisis communications for tourism, regional, and global brands. As Senior Vice President at tartanbond Communications, she leads a national team supporting high-profile clients through crises such as wildfires, cybersecurity breaches, and major incidents. Jessica specializes in equipping businesses with the tools to protect their reputation, manage risks, and build resilience in times of uncertainty. OR Jessica Harcombe Fleming is a crisis communications expert with 20 years of experience helping global brands protect their reputation. As Senior Vice President at tartanbond, she leads a national team guiding clients through crises like wildfires, cybersecurity breaches, and major incidents.

"The Dumpster Fire Protection Plan"
Kevin Parent

Team Lead, Digital Communications

Kevin leads the Digital Communications Team with the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Previously, he led the social media team with Ottawa Public Health, helping them grow to become the most-followed local public health account in North America; and whose pandemic comms were celebrated across Canada and beyond. Kevin is an old ginger dad, so please be patient with him.

Inbox Intelligence: From Spammy to Savvy. What Actually Works in Email Marketing Today
Speaker Bio: Geoffrey Blanc
General Manager

With over 18 years of proven expertise in digital strategy—spanning e-commerce, ERP implementation, and beyond—Geoffrey brings a deep understanding of what drives business growth. Today, as General Manager of Cyberimpact, he leads the charge in elevating the email marketing platform through strategic vision, innovation, and hands-on leadership.

Beyond Targeting: Building Paid Campaigns for Human Intent, Not Just Algorithms
David Zagury
Director, Paid Media

David Zagury is the Director of Paid Media at NP Digital Canada, leading performance marketing strategy for top-tier brands across North America.
With over a decade of experience in digital advertising, he specializes in data-driven growth through SEM, paid social, and e-commerce media.
David is passionate about helping brands scale with precision, creativity, and measurable impact.

Social Purpose-Driven Brand Strategy
Speaker Bio: Meredith Kidney
 Vice President, Brand and Communications

More Than Marketing - Building Traditions
Corey Evans
Director, Brand and Advertising

Corey Evans is the Director, Brand and Advertising with ATCO out of Calgary, AB. Best know for his teams work on the award winning unique Experiential Marketing campaigns which includes WestJet Christmas Miracle series. Born and raised in Nova Scotia where he attended Acadia University he has been working in Alberta for over 25 years with such brands as WestJet, Canada Olympic and ATCO.

Maximizing Reach: Tailoring Your Content Across Platforms
Speaker Bio: Adam Constantine
Founder & CEO

Adam Constantine is the Founder and CEO of ACE Creatives, a full-service social media agency crafting digital content to maximize ROI and brand affinity. With a decade of experience, Adam has curated captivating content for creators, brands, and Fortune 500 companies, including MrBeast, Amazon, and Champion. A 3x Telly Awards recipient, with a 6’8″ frame and an ever-growing shoe collection, Adam is passionate about the art of digital storytelling and strategies for building a powerful social media presence that connects brands with audiences that matter the most.

How to Be a Better Client (or Agency)
Speaker Bio: Steve Fleiszer

Co-Founder

Brand... Are You Sure You Really Know What It Means?
Speaker Bio: Sean Williams
Co-founder & Brand Strategist

Sean Williams has over 30 years of marketing experience in Canada, US, UK, Middle East and Australia. As you can see, he has the grey hair to prove it. His brand planning and marketing strategy shop – Dashboard Marketing – supports a mix of organizations in areas such as audience understanding, brand management, and strategic marketing. He's a girl Dad, has become an avid fly fisherman, geeks out most Tuesdays playing D&D, and loves living on an Ocean.

Beyond Likes: Converting Social Content into Authentic Community Experiences
Speaker Bio: Brooke Hahn
GM

A true growth operator with international experience spanning SaaS, marketing, and product, Brooke currently is General Manager of Flockler, a RelayCommerce brand - driving results through a global cross-functional team. She’s worked with several global brands including LEGO and brings sharp expertise in scaling, strategy, and execution.

How to Build Your Own AI Agent (So You Can Focus on What You Do Best)
Robert Newcombe
Founder and CEO

Robert Newcombe is the founder and CEO of AI-First Consulting, a firm that helps organizations integrate AI to improve employee morale and productivity. He's a professional engineer that has applied his passion for strategy and process improvement to help organizations get the most from AI.

Content Beyond Brand Awareness
Speaker Bio: Derek Hovinga
Founder

Derek Hovinga is a B2B Tech Marketing expert who makes content work harder driving sales, not just likes. Known for his sharp insights and entertaining delivery, he helps companies turn strategy into impact. When he's not geeking out over content, he's probably mixing cocktails and posting workout videos.

"The New Rules of Marketing"
Charlie Grinnell
Co-CEO

Charlie Grinnell is Co-CEO and Co-founder of RightMetric, where he equips marketers with the outside intel they need to make smarter, data-driven decisions.

Named to BC Business' 30 Under 30, Charlie previously led marketing at Red Bull and Aritzia, and now specializes in decoding digital audience behavior and competitive landscapes for top brands.

Today, Charlie challenges marketers to go beyond gut-feel and embrace deeper, braver insights.

Panel: The Atlantic Approach: Government Social Media in Action
Speaker Bio: Jake MacDonald
Social Media Advisor

Jake MacDonald has been working on Nova Scotia Government social media channels for a lucky seven years, where he plans, posts, and monitors content. He believes social media is an important two-way conversation tool for government, even when the conversations are difficult. Before government, Jake managed the social media accounts for Trailer Park Boys, which was basically the same job but completely different.

Where Brand Meets Impact
Speaker Bio: Marty Stevens
Executive Vice President

Marty Stevens is Executive Vice President at ChangeMakers and a seasoned marketing leader with expertise in both public and private sectors.
Now working in professional services, she has led major transformation initiatives across telecom, lottery, and tourism, turning strategy into measurable impact.
Known for her insight-driven approach, Marty blends market intelligence with customer-focused strategies to drive brand relevance and growth.

"Building a High-Impact Influencer Marketing Strategy"

Umair Tazeem
Founder, CEO

Umair Tazeem is an entrepreneur with a passion for impact through technology.

Currently building Embold: An innovative platform that allows advertisers to connect with micro-influencers to run highly targeted campaigns. With over 9,000+ influencers, advertisers can reach millions of Canadian customers and engage them with original content. Since launching in 2018, Embold has helped 500+ brands collaborate with Canadian influencers. Prior to starting Embold, Umair ran a local marketing agency that focused on helping businesses build their online presence.

Outside of work, Umair enjoys staying active while playing basketball or biking. He is also an active member of the startup community where he supports entrepreneurs in their startup journeys.

How to Build a Community Flywheel That Turns Followers to Advocates
Speaker Bio: Joe Teo
CEO

Joe Teo is the CEO of HeyOrca – the social media scheduling tool designed to simplify collaboration. Under his leadership, HeyOrca has become a trusted solution for social media managers.

Behind the Handles: Social Media in the Public Interest

Speaker Bio: Catherine Speight

Director - Social Media and Content Creation

Behind the Handles: Social Media in the Public Interest

Speaker Bio: Jenna Ranahan

Public Outreach Lead

Jenna has dedicated over 20 years to working with the Government of Prince Edward Island in a variety of roles, ranging from organizing press events and advertising to their current position as Public Outreach Lead. In this role, they ensure that Islanders receive clear and accessible information about government programs, initiatives, and emergency situations. Known for making complex information easy to understand for the general public, Jenna brings a unique perspective as an introvert thriving in a naturally extroverted role.