2019 Jury

Jason Chaney
CCO
Koho Financial

Jay recently made the transition from the agency world to join Canada’s hottest fintech start-up Koho. As the Chief Creative Officer, Jay will be developing the brand identity and communications to launch the company across Canada.
He joins Koho from Cossette, where he was the Chief Strategy Officer and topped this year’s Creative Report Cards in Planning. He is known for pushing the limits of advertising and redefining and championing the strategy and planning role in Canada. He has contributed to several internationally renowned campaigns; including, SickKids VS, Honey Nut Cheerios ‘Bring Back the Bees’, and McDonald’s ‘Our Food Your Questions’, which set a global standard for transparency in advertising.
A known challenger, Jay began his career in the pure play digital world and has successfully connected the online and offline ad worlds in his most recent years. He has been in a strategy function at Lg2, Tribal DDB, Critical Mass, and Blast Radius.

Nancy Crimi-Lamanna
Chief Creative Officer
FCB Toronto

Determined to break into the business, Nancy created her own internship program by offering up her copywriting services free of charge over 20 years ago.

Eventually she went on to become a salaried employee and an awarded creative working at agencies ranging from small independents to large multi-nationals. While there, she led many of Canada’s largest brands and created some of Canada’s most recognized campaigns. Her work has been awarded nationally and globally at virtually every show including the Cannes Lions, D&AD, Andy’s, London International Awards, CLIO’s and the Effies - consistently ranking her as one of Canada’s top creative directors.

Nancy also has the distinction of bringing home Canada’s first Integrated Lion for her Ministry of Health Social Smoking campaign and creating the most awarded Canadian Campaign in 2017 at Cannes. “Down Syndrome Answers” was also recognized by the UN on World Down syndrome day and chosen as Adage’s best campaign for good. It’s innovative work like this that has helped make FCB Toronto Digital Agency of the Year and the most-awarded Canadian agency at Cannes, 2 years in a row. This year, she was chosen by Adweek as one of 33 Brand Stars that are shaping Toronto into the creative hub it is today.

Occasionally, Nancy still works for free judging both local and international shows, contributing articles to marketing publications and looking for the next generation of interns as Co-Chief Creative Officer at FCB Toronto.

Lucile Bousquet
Sr Director Marketing & Communications
Ubisoft

Lucile Bousquet is the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications covering both Canadian business activities and North, Central and South of American e-commerce activities. She defines marketing strategies for all brands and consumer products and ensures the creation of integrated and targeted campaigns with a strong digital component. She particularly developed an expertise on millennial marketing, which includes campaign gamification, pertinent use of social media platforms, mobile and e-commerce strategies. To better adapt to new market realities, she notably created a real-time content creation unit and internalized all social media management responsibilities as well as media planning and buying. With her team, she is also in charge of the North American marketing of the Ubisoft online store.

A graduate of France’s ESC Business School with a major in marketing, Bousquet’s game industry experience spans 15 years, with the majority of her career spent at Ubisoft. Prior to Ubisoft, she held marketing positions at Atari and Vivendi Universal Games.

Anthony Chelvanathan
Group Creative Director, Art Director
Leo Burnett Company Ltd

As Group Creative Director and as an art director at Leo Burnett Toronto, Anthony has a made a name for himself as one of the most prolific creatives in Canada. His work has been recognized in just about every international show including D&AD, Cannes, One Show, ADC, Communication Arts, LIA and Clios.

In 2009, The Gunn Report ranked Anthony 6th in the world and his Cannes Gold Lion-winning campaign for James Ready Beer the top out-of-home campaign.

In 2015, his follow-up video to the #LikeAGirl campaign got more than 90 million views from around the globe while his TSN outdoor campaign promoting the Rogers Cup was among the most awarded billboard campaigns in the world.

In 2017, Anthony's IKEA “parchment paper” execution racked up multiple Golds in Cannes adding to his tally of more than 100 international awards, including a Grand Clio.

When he’s not crafting his way to the number one art director spot in Canada, he can be found in his kitchen, treating his friends to his latest spicy curry recipe.

Mary DePaoli
EVP & CMO
RBC

Mary DePaoli is Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer. She is responsible for building RBC’s brand and reputation globally across its Personal & Commercial Banking, Insurance and Wealth Management businesses through an integrated approach to brand, marketing, sponsorship, social media, communications and corporate citizenship.

Prior to joining RBC, Ms. DePaoli held a series of increasingly senior roles at Sun Life Financial. In 1999, she joined the Group Retirement Services business to lead sales and marketing before being appointed Senior Vice President of the division. In 2007, she was named Senior Vice President of Corporate Brand and Marketing, with responsibility for establishing Sun Life’s International Marketing Centre and leading the company’s marketing strategies in Canada, the United States and Asia. In 2011, Ms. DePaoli was promoted to Executive Vice President, Public and Corporate Affairs and Chief Marketing Officer.

Throughout her career, Ms. DePaoli has been actively involved in supporting numerous causes including the Hospital for Sick Children Leaders Program and the Canadian Diabetes Association.

In 2012, she was named Marketer of the Year by Strategy magazine, and in 2013, she was distinguished as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network. Mary was also named one of Canada’s top 40 under 40 recipients.

Mary DePaoli holds an Honors BA degree from Western University in Ontario, and a post graduate degree in International Journalism from the American University in Washington D.C.

Matt Di Paola
Managing Director
Huge Inc.

Matt is the Managing Director of the Toronto office, where he brings his 20+ years of experience in cultural transformation, innovation, entrepreneurialism and digitally led thinking.

He has also worked across several verticals, including finance, consumer packaged goods, travel & tourism, technology, retail and automotive. These clients have allowed him the opportunity to work at the Global level, as well as service specific markets, including Canada, US, Hong Kong, South Korea & Australia.

In his spare time, Matt is either running his local innovation supper club, organizing intimate & exclusive events for independent musicians, taking photos, or advising tech start-ups. He is also an active thought leader in the digital community and has presented at SXSW, Tech Toronto’s MarketingTO, EnsembleTO, Banff World Media Festival, ICA's Advertising Week, Dx3, Schulich, and Red Academy. He has been published on Betakit, Media in Canada, Strategy, Freshbooks, and Creative Niche. In 2011, he was Executive Producer of the off broadway NYC play, "Quake" and wrote, directed & produced "The Grind" in 2001's Toronto Fringe Festival.

Kirsten Gauthier
CMO
48 North

Kirsten is an entrepreneur, creative thinker and leader with over 20 years of award-winning experience. Founder of a variety of successful companies including The Production Kitchen, a graphic production company; THE INN, a design thinktank; and Good-Foot Delivery, a social enterprise non-profit that employs people identifying with a developmental disability.

Kirsten has been recognized by Print Action Magazine as one of Canada’s 50 Most Influential People in Graphic Communications and a finalist for Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the year. She has also won a number of Art Director Club of Canada, Communication Arts awards and a JUNO nomination in Album Design.

Kirsten has the ability to deliver brand strategy, creative concept, and full marketing execution. This has earned her an enviable reputation for providing innovative solutions and problem-solving skills for many top tier business, creative projects and social issues over the past two decades.

Kate Harrison
President
Cream Productions Inc.

With a penchant for bringing strong, often international teams together, Kate is involved in all aspects of production at Cream; from the development of a kernel of an idea to financing, production and final tweaks in an editing room. She is always cultivating new projects and partnerships, and her numerous business relationships take her on regular trips to LA, New York and London. As President at Cream, Kate brings with her an extensive hands-on background in dramatic production, having produced/managed over 30 feature films and MOWs as well as a handful of television series, including work as the Production Supervisor on Showtime’s acclaimed historical drama series The Tudors. Kate is currently executive producing Cream original series Fear Thy Neighbor for Investigation Discovery, now in its fifth season, as well as the bulk of Cream’s international co-productions, which includes service providing for true crime series Web of Lies from the UK’s Blast Films.

Erin Kawalecki
Creative Director
Tribal Worldwide

Erin is an award-winning creative director who believes that everything is digital.

She has been recognized at Cannes, the One Show, Communication Arts, London International Awards, The Effies, and by Ad Age for creating one of the top ‘viral’ campaigns in the world (back when people used that word without getting punched in the face).

As a mom to three young kids, her signature look is stains.

Devon MacDonald
CEO
MindShare Canada

With an extensive background in the media, creative and technology worlds, Devon has worked on a number of high profile brands across virtually every category on a local, North American and Global Scale. He thrives on the challenge of change and loves to learn about new clients, problems and solutions. As the CEO of Mindshare in Canada, Devon is focused on leading the agency and training his teams to deliver the best possible advice and service for clients.

Devon is active in the industry in a number of different aspects. A recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for his work in the community, Devon is also often called upon for speaking and press opportunities and has been recently quoted in Media in Canada, Strategy Online, AdWeek and AdAge.

Karen Mazurkewich
Lead Executive, Communications and Marketing
MaRS Discovery District

Karen Mazurkewich is lead executive communications and marketing at MaRS Discovery District. In addition to running a media start-up, she spent a decade as a senior journalist for the Wall Street Journal in Asia and the Financial Post in Toronto where she covered financial services, business innovation and technology.

She has authored reports on innovation for the Canadian International Council and the University of Waterloo and is a former senior communications officer for the National Film Board of Canada.

Neil McOstrich
Co-Founder, Chief Storyteller
Cleansheet Communications

Amir Sahba
CEO & Founder
Thinkingbox

Amir Sahba is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Thinkingbox, an interactive production studio built for curious people. Thinkingbox produces award-winning creative content, digital experiences, VR / AR projects and experiential campaigns. The studio works with a roster of global agencies and brands. Sahba founded the studio when he was 24 years old after graduating and has led the shop to its current global foot print.

Alongside Thinkingbox, Sahba has spent more than a decade as a technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He also has a seat on the jury panel for the FWA awards.

Matt Syberg-Olsen
Executive Creative Director
Doug & Partners

Perhaps the greatest testament to Matt’s aptitude at the fine art of persuasion is that he was accepted into two separate universities. First, the University of British Columbia, for a B.A. in English Literature. And despite that, someone let him into Dalhousie Law School. Then he chucked it all and got into advertising.

With a career spanning roughly a billion years, winding through agencies and clients big and small, Matt’s home is now at doug&partners.

He believes in the power of a good idea, the importance of teamwork and that you don’t have to be a jerk to get things done.

Janie Theriault
Director Integrated Marketing Communications
Loto-Quebec

As Director of Integrated Marketing Communications, Janie Thériault is responsible for traditional advertising campaigns as well as Web and social communications for every lottery brand under the Loto-Québec umbrella.

After acquiring a BAA and a master in marketing (M.Sc.) at Sherbrooke University, Janie made her debut in the world of agencies. First as account director at Y&R, and then at Cossette, she had the chance to partake in the growth of multiple national and international brands. In 2013, she joins Loto-Québec and leads advertising campaigns that become instantly iconic while generating positive results for the brand. An example of such success is the popular #youshouldplay649.

Full of passion for her field, Janie focuses on a type of communication that helps brands evolve over time. The core drivers of a successful strategy for her are innovation, renewability, boldness, and relevancy for the consumers. 

Her work on various brands has earned awards based on results and creativity (Marketing Awards, MIA, CRÉA, The Cassies, Prix Média, Prix Strat). She’s also one of the topPersonnalités Infopresse 2016.

Heather Cameron
Senior Director, Marketing Communications
Walmart Canada Corp.

Heather Cameron leads Walmart Canada's creative, content and PR strategy as the Sr. Director of Marketing Communications.  With over a decade of client, agency and publisher experience, Heather has contributed to iconic brand identities such as Johnson & Johnson, Panasonic, RIM, HGTV, Food Network, Microsoft and Rogers.

Ekaterina Dobrokhotova
Digital Director, Professional Products Division
L'Oreal Canada Inc

Ekaterina joined the L’Oréal Group at the very beginning of its digital transformation in Canada. Since 2011, she has worked in the CMO team to put in place social media best practices and founded the very first Content Factory. As Digital Director, Ekaterina’s mission is to build an integrated digital ecosystem that will benefit both our consumers and customers by placing digital as a driver of growth and modernity for both the Professional Products Division and the hair salon industry.

In addition to her business career, Ekaterina is a world-renowned professional magician who has appeared on several major TV networks and uploaded hundreds of magic videos on Youtube spanning over 40 million views.

Marty Flanagan
Creative Director
Secret Location

Marty Flanagan serves as Creative Director at two-time Emmy, three-time Webby and Cannes Lion Award-winning content studio and distributor, Secret Location. With a background in writing, Marty brings a strong narrative focus to his work, developing new ways to tell stories in virtual reality. In his time at Secret Location, he has worked on a range of high-profile projects and partnerships, including the Primetime Emmy Award-winningSleepy Hollow VRwith Fox, and the Peabody-Facebook Futures of Media Award-winningEbola Outbreak: A 360 Journeywith Frontline. His current focus sees him leading the studio's development team, generating original content properties across a range of genres.

Marty has spoken at a range of industry events including Realscreen, the imagineNATIVE Film Festival, and the Female Eye Film Festival, and served as a jury member for the Canadian Screen Awards.

Before joining Secret Location, Marty spent a decade in digital media at some of Canada’s leading broadcasters, including Alliance Atlantis, Shaw Media, and the CBC. Beyond digital, his writing has appeared on television and in print for Teletoon, MuchMusic, The Walrus Magazine, and more.

Jamie Gargatsougias
Head, Brand Strategy
Google

Jackson Hitchon
Senior Director, Marketing
Hershey Canada Inc

Jackson leads the marketing department at Hershey Canada including the analytics and insights team. Blending old school fundamentals with leading edge tactics Jackson is dedicated to connecting with consumers and growing brands.  Jackson has helped ignite iconic brands such Reese, Hershey’s, Twizzlers and Oh Henry!  

Michelle Kitchen
COO
Sparkit

Michelle Kitchen is the Chief Operating Officer of Sparkit, the first Blockchain-based technology platform using crowdsourcing and a new business model to revolutionize Influencer Marketing to deliver sales for brands. Michelle is responsible for leading the operations and the growth and profitability of the company. Michelle is also on the Board of Directors for Dress for Success, in support of empowering women through career development.

Having been an Executive Leader with 25 years of marketing experience at advertising agencies, Michelle has championed and advised global and national brands and has a reputation for achieving business success through strategically creative and innovative ideas.

Previously as the Executive Vice President, Managing Director at DDB Canada, Michelle was responsible for the agency’s vision, culture, strategic plan and profitability. Her role included driving growth and innovation for the agency and managing the Vancouver operation. Michelle provided Executive leadership for global client assignments and implemented global service models and partnerships. She was at the forefront of transforming DDB’s approach to new business and evolving the agency’s business model. Michelle led the creation of DDB Ignite, an innovative equity-based brand accelerator program developing strategies for emerging entrepreneurs and operationalizing start-up companies.

Deepak Mehmi
Group Creative Director
Critical Mass

A mild-mannered, award-winning, experience-oriented, highly-conceptual creative leader with skill in directing & assisting large, multidisciplinary teams. With metal-tested results in delivering marketing-oriented campaigns, as well as highly technical front end to large platform implementations. Thinking big. Leading by example. Constructing and growing teams. Designing stuff, winning things & breaking hearts.

Steve Miller
SVP, Creative Director
OneMethod

SVP/Creative Director at OneMethod since 2005; has helped the agency win more than 190 awards; teaches and speaks at various schools; former musican; has had a beard since beards weren't hip.

Lisa Nakamura
Creative Director of Design
Cossette Communications Inc.

As Creative Director of Design at Cossette, Lisa oversees branding and communications for clients including Sephora, Dairyland and Travel Yukon. She leads a wide range of branding projects by building and facilitating smart systems, unique concepts and brand-appropriate solutions.

Prior to joining Cossette, Lisa was the Creative Director of Design at Rethink where she led projects with A&W, Sobeys, Molson Canadian and Coast Capital Savings.

With 16 years in the design and advertising business, her work has been recognized in numerous national and international shows including The One Show, London International Awards, Communication Arts, Applied Arts and Graphis.