summit agenda and speakers
AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
The Northern Ontario Tourism Summit committee is currently planning over 25 incredible sessions and two evening events you won't want to miss! Full agenda details will be released closer to the event.
Schedule and speakers are subject to change. Please refer to the NOTS 2024 app or check back here for details!
CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES!
In addition, we are currently locking in over 20 incredible sessions such as
- General Best Business Practices
- Small Business Management Tactics
- Transportation and Electric Charging Stations
- Employee Manuals
- Experience Fishing Program
- Homelessness, Addiction and Mental Health in Northern Ontario
- Grant Opportunities (Provincial and Federal)
- New Markets and How to Appeal to Family Vacationers
- Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist and Northern Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist Micro-credential Program
- Bear and Moose Population
- Northern Policy Institute’s Immigration Pilot project
- Northern Ontario 2SLGBTQ+ SPARK Program
- An update from Workforce Planning Boards
- Chat GPT for Beginners
- Workforce Recruitment and Retention and many more!
Frederic Dimanche
Director of the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Frederic Dimanche is Director of the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. He worked in the USA and France before coming to Canada. He has published numerous tourism-related research articles on hospitality and tourism management. Frederic is a past President of the Travel and Tourism Research Association Europe and a fellow of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism..
Max Valiquette
Innovation, Transformation, and Marketing Expert
For over 20 years, Max Valiquette has been at the forefront of what's now, what's new, and what's next. Anointed by Marketing Magazine as one of Canada's “most influential marketers,” Valiquette has worked with some of the biggest companies in the world, helping them transform their organizations, business, and brands. He is an award-winning marketer and market researcher; an author; a broadcaster; and a journalist who relishes engaging with audiences.
Michael Murray
CEO, Ontario Arts Council
Michael Murray was appointed CEO of the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) in July 2022. He brings wide-ranging leadership experience in the professional not-for-profit arts sector and cultural industries provincially, nationally and internationally. Previously, Michael was director of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) Performer's Rights Society. He also served as executive director for the Toronto Musicians' Association, Local 149 of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (2015-2021), and as the OAC's popular and world music and arts service organizations officer (2007-2015). Michael began his career as a professional musician, producer and songwriter in Montréal. Later, he was named executive director of UrbanArts, a community arts council in Toronto engages youth facing socioeconomic barriers in community building through the arts. Michael holds an MBA with a specialization in Arts and Media Management from the Schulich School of Business (York University). He is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and holds an Honours Bachelor of Music from McGill University.
Kathleen Sharpe
Executive Director, Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund
Kathleen Sharpe is a senior manager in government and the cultural sector. She has been Executive Director of the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund since its inception in 1999. The Fund, a unique program established to support cultural tourism attractions through a combination of grants and loans, has committed over $80 million to more than 800 cultural tourism projects around Ontario. Prior to OCAF, Kathleen was Director of the Culture Division of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, a post she held from 1991 until amalgamation of the municipality into the City of Toronto in 1998. Kathleen has also held management positions at the Ontario College of Art and Design and The Banff Centre. Kathleen has been chair and president of a number of boards including the Toronto Arts Foundation, Toronto Artscape and the Canadian Conference of the Arts. She sits on many advisory committees including Nuit Blanche.
Charles Cirtwill
President and CEO of Northern Policy Institute
Charles Cirtwill is the founding President and CEO of Northern Policy Institute. NPI is northern Ontario's independent, evidence-driven public policy institute. The Institute is committed to building a road map to a growing, sustainable, and self-sufficient Northern Ontario. Charles personal research focus is on government structure and organization, business-government relations, inter-governmental relations, and performance measurement and accountability. He attended Dalhousie University, earning a BA in Political Science, a LLB, and a MPA with a focus on quantitative and qualitative assessment of public policy and programs.
Mike Jacobs
CEO, The New Business
Mike Jacobs is a lifelong and passionate marketer focusing on the tourism industry in Northern Ontario. He has worked with destinations from coast to coast, and business owners from all over the province.
Shawn Newman
Arts and Culture Researcher, Educator, Consultant
Shawn is an arts and culture researcher, educator, and consultant. His work spans many fields including cultural tourism, creative practice, and program design and evaluation. He has worked in both the non-profit and commercial arts and culture sectors, and his teaching at Queen's and York universities ranges from film and media to dance to gender studies.
Frederic Dimanche
Director of the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Frederic Dimanche is Director of the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. He worked in the USA and France before coming to Canada. He has published numerous tourism-related research articles on hospitality and tourism management. Frederic is a past President of the Travel and Tourism Research Association Europe and a fellow of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism..
Max Valiquette
Innovation, Transformation, and Marketing Expert
For over 20 years, Max Valiquette has been at the forefront of what's now, what's new, and what's next. Anointed by Marketing Magazine as one of Canada's “most influential marketers,” Valiquette has worked with some of the biggest companies in the world, helping them transform their organizations, business, and brands. He is an award-winning marketer and market researcher; an author; a broadcaster; and a journalist who relishes engaging with audiences.