2017 Jury

Mark Bishop
Co-CEO & Executive Producer
marblemedia

Mark Bishop is Co-CEO and Partner at marblemedia. An accomplished entrepreneur, brand-builder and trusted media industry advocate, Mark, alongside co-founder Matt Hornburg, has grown marblemedia into one of Canada’s leading independent production, distribution and digital media companies.

In addition to serving as executive producer across marblemedia’s successful portfolio of television and interactive digital media properties, day-to-day, Mark leads the strategic growth and management of all divisional and corporate undertakings including, global distribution and sales (Distribution360), finance, marketing, digital media and new business ventures.

Recognized as an industry leader for breaking new ground in mobile and interactive entertainment, Mark is a forward-thinker and champion of content and technologies that are noisy, unexpected and innovative. He serves as the Vice-Chair of the CMPA Board of Directors (Canadian Media Producers Association), Co-Chair of the IDM Digital Working Group for Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport,) and past-chair and Executive Board member of Interactive Ontario. A proud Ryerson University RTA Wall of Famer and Alumni Achievement Award recipient, Mark lends his time to various universities and colleges as a guest lecturer and curriculum advisor. Mark is also a member of CEO peer advisory group The Insight Council and is a Campaign Cabinet member for OCAD University.

Mark and Matt have been honoured by Playback with the Outstanding Achievement Award, recognized as Top Next Gen Producers by The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate Innovative Producer’s Award and have won Producer of the Year at the Canadian New Media Awards in addition to many program specific accolades from Canadian Screen Awards, Interactive Emmy Award, Gemini Awards and more.

Originally from Saint John, New Brunswick, Mark is based in Toronto and is a self- professed media junkie and lifelong fan of heroes including Walt Disney and Jim Henson. Mark is a new dad and a big believer in the power of imagination.

Luc Du Sault
Partner, VP & Creative Director
LG2

In 2004, Luc founded the Quebec City office of lg2. Since then, he has racked up over 600 national and international awards, including Cannes Lions, Clios Awards, D&AD and One Show Pencils. As one of Canada’s most awarded creatives, Luc has sat on numerous juries including The One Show film jury and the Clio Awards print jury, and has co-chaired The Marketing Awards and the Crea Awards.

His passion for creativity and storytelling began when he was just 4 years old, when his father brought home a storyboard for a TV spot. That passion continues to grow to this day, as clients such as McDonald’s, General Motors, Krispy Kernels, and Farnham Ale & Lager have all benefited from Luc’s creative leadership over the years. The agency has benefitted as well - resulting in lg2 being named the Agency of the Year (Canada) at the Clio Awards, and claiming the highly coveted Agency of the Year title at the 2016 ADCC Awards.

But despite all the accolades, even today, Luc continues to create the way he always has - with the heart of a 4-year-old.

Ann Stewart
President
Maxus Canada

Ann is CEO of Maxus Canada, Canada’s fastest growing media agency, for 3yrs running, which she launched in 2012 for GroupM. Maxus represents some of Canada’s strongest brands and Ann has built it to an agency of 80 people with offices in Toronto and Montreal.

Ann is known as an innovative and engaged leader with 25 years of diverse media experience ranging from operations, strategic planning, buying and even selling of media.

She has been in the GroupM family for over 10 years previously running Excelerator Media, as GM Managing Director. Before GroupM Ann was a partner in the Brainstorm Group, a full service communication agency, and previously spent 4 years selling OOH advertising.

Ann is a graduate of Humber College in Marketing, a graduate of the 4 year CAPP program and she serves on the board of the Canadian Media Directors Council and in 2016 was selected as a Cannes media judge.

Dan Fricker
Social Media Lead
Shopify

Dan has worked in social media since the early rise of Facebook as an emerging marketing channel, to the ever-changing landscape of today. He is a marketer focused on engaging online audiences and connecting people with brands. Dan has developed strategies for some of Canada's most influential brands, including CBC, TELUS and CTV, and is currently leading the Social Media team at Shopify. In 2016, he was named Best in Social Media at the Notable Awards, honouring some of Canada's most influential young professionals. His work has also been recognized internationally by the Webby Awards and the Shorty Awards, where @CBC took home a Bronze for Best Online Community in 2016. 

Karen Howe
Creative Director
The Township

Karen Howe founded The Township to answer complex business needs with creativity. She is a globally recognized creative director and speaker who has been awarded around the world for her work on The Dairy Farmers of Canada, Fountain Tire, Nike and Apple. Karen served as a Cannes Lions judge and is now a member of its Advisory Board. She tours the country pinpointing global trends in creativity brings them alive for audiences through the best work from Cannes. Karen’s speaking has included Future Flash and Ad Week.

Karen is a frequent advertising commentator for CTV, CBC, Strategy, Marketing and The Globe and Mail.

As one of the few female CDs in the world, she is a vocal supporter of the 50/50 Initiative, which advocates for more women in senior creative roles.

Andrea Hunt
VP Marketing, Weston Bakeries
WESTON FOODS

Andrea Hunt is Vice President Marketing/ CMO at Weston Bakeries. Andrea joined the Weston team in 2016 to help reinvigorate the business and lead an organizational transformation to ambitiously move the portfolio from largely supply driven to consumer-led.

Prior to joining the Weston team, Andrea helped drive growth over the last two decades at a number of blue-chip companies including CIBC, Kellogg, Molson, Kraft and Mondelez. While the collective portfolio’s boasted countless brands, Special K, Rice Krispies, Molson Canadian, Coors Light, Kraft Dinner, Oreo, and Wonder bread are a few iconic brands that are too important not to highlight. A series of increasingly senior roles spanning 20+ years contributed to a well-stamped passport with work chapters in Europe, Asia, and a desk in New Jersey as Vice President North American Innovation. As a member of Mondelez International’s North American leadership team & Global Steering team, Andrea was instrumental in launching new product platforms now enjoyed globally. An energetic and dynamic leader, her responsibilities have run the gamut from media, communication, innovation, strategic planning, supply chain reinvention, & commercial leadership.

Andrea has a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University, an MBA from Schulich School of Business at York University, and is earning a Doctorate in ‘Patience’ as taught by her three young boys. When not engaged professionally, Andrea can be seen marathon running, in the hockey stands, soccer fields and very, very occasionally drinking in the solitude of galleries and finer décor haunts across Canada & the United States.

Susan Irving
Senior Director of Marketing
PepsiCo Foods Canada

Susan Irving is an industry leader with a passion for brands and a reputation for delivering business results through strategic integrated marketing campaigns. Now, as Senior Director of Marketing, PepsiCo Global Snacks Group, Susan is responsible for developing and driving a cohesive, fully integrated global marketing agenda for Doritos and Cheetos, two of the company’s billion dollar brands.

Before joining PepsiCo’s Global Snacks Group, Susan spent more than a decade at PepsiCo Canada. In her most recent role as Senior Director of Marketing for the Frito-Lay Portfolio at PepsiCo Foods Canada, Susan led a team of passionate marketers in creating successful campaigns that drove profitable growth for brands including Cheetos, Doritos, Lay’s, Ruffles and Tostitos.

Susan has nearly two decades of business experience spanning all aspects of consumer marketing including brand strategy; advertising and communications; P&L management; cross functional team leadership; media planning: digital; social media; innovation; public and corporate communications; sports and event marketing and consumer insights. Susan is known for her collaborative approach of working with teams to deliver breakthrough, insight-driven consumer campaigns and programs that deliver growth.

As an accomplished marketer, Susan has been recognized with several industry accolades including CMAs, Cassies, Cannes Lions, The Bessies, Media Innovation Awards and Canadian New Media Awards.  She was also among Marketing Magazine’s prestigiousTop 30 under 30.

Susan lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband Todd and their two sons. An avid athlete, Susan was a member of the Canadian Sailing Team, having campaigned for the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. In her spare time you can find her on a sail boat or a ski hill or supporting her boys and their family’s passion for competitive sport whether it’s at a hockey rink, a road race or on the soccer field.

Christine Jakovcic
Chief Marketing Officer
Molson Coors Canada

• Chief Marketing & Consumer Excellence Officer, MolsonCoors Canada
• Joined MolsonCoors in 2011 to lead development of a Revenue Management capability for Canada and later the full Marketing division for Canada
• 11½ years at Procter & Gamble in North America and Western Europe plus 3 years re-applying those classical CPG skills in a privately-held, rapidly growing entrepreneurship
• Education: Bachelor of Science and Masters of Business Administration from The University of British Columbia
• Languages: Croatian and French

Kevin Johnson
CEO
Mediacom Canada

Mr. Johnson is a senior executive who joined MediaCom as the Chief Client Officer in 2014. In 2015, he was appointed as CEO of MediaCom Canada. Mr. Johnson has experience across all media channels, consumer insights development, syndicated research, and strategic planning. He also has very strong account service management abilities.

Prior to his tenure with MediaCom, Mr. Johnson was SVP-Managing Director at Havas Media Canada.

Since joining MediaCom, Mr. Johnson’s strong leadership has made a tremendous impact on client satisfaction and retention, and on reinforcing the company’s culture.

Mr. Johnson has two decades of experience across a number of marketing categories, leading teams servicing a diverse group of clients including (but not limited to): Financial, CPG, Automotive and Entertainment.
A proud father of 3, Neveah 8, Keenan 7, and Cali 4; Kevin is all about family, sports and loves nothing more than family time with a game of Trouble.

Scott Knox
President & CEO
Institute of Communication Agencies

Scott is the President & CEO of the ICA and joined the organisation in November 2016. Prior to this he was Managing Director of the Marketing Agencies Association (MAA) in the UK where he built a dynamic and diverse membership of over 100 agencies from the cutting edge of communications-strategy and creativity.
As well as being listed in Campaign magazine's "A-List", he was featured in the Daily Telegraph's Out @ Work Top 50 as No.23 of the most powerful LGBT+ leaders in British business. In 2015 he became the Founding President of the world's first event LGBT+ group for Advertising and Marketing when he launched PrideAM.
He launched the Marketing 4 StartUp Britain initiative in 2011, which saw a week long series of events held in partnership with StartUp Britain, with the aim of demonstrating the role that marketing can play in the economy through start-up businesses.
Scott was an active commentator on the industry in the UK and a Committee Member on the House of Commons Debating Group, a Council Member for the Advertising Association (the AA) and a Creative Industries Representative for the Confederation of British Industries (CBi).
Scott was also the MD of the annual #dodifferent Awards, which sees hundreds of entries competing across many categories, in recognition of innovative and fresh business ideas. The awards is run in partnership with The Guardian.
Prior to absorbing himself in the world of agencies, Scott was the Marketing Manager for Endsleigh Insurance and following that, set up the graduate recruitment division of International recruitment firm Major Players, he sat on the council of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and was the Director of education for the Institute of Promotional Marketing (IPM).
Scott graduated from Kent University with a degree in History. He also held the full time elected post for Representative of the National Union of Students covering the South East of the UK.
He is married to award winning baker, Gavan (aka Mr Mom) and is the proud father of two adopted children.

Dre Labre
Creative Director
Rethink

You could say that Dré Labre is a creative director with infinite directions: when he’s not directing a team, he’s building stuff at his local makerspace. When he’s not engaging audiences at speaking events, he’s engaged in foot stomping medleys with his band, The Darned. When he’s not tinkering with electronics, he’s happily lo-fi with a pen and paper.

During Dré's 19 years at agencies such as MacLaren McCann, Blast Radius, Tribal DDB, and now Rethink, he has built a reputation for understanding exactly how to captivate and inspire and why the idea must lead the technology. And it’s working. If awards are the creative currency, then Labre’s pockets are jangling happily.

Dré's strategy and artistry have earned him judging positions at awards shows such as Cannes, London International, One Show, DMAs, CMAs and the Webbys where he is a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS). He also routinely does speaking engagements at conferences, and is also known to bust out into impromptu ukulele sessions.

Steve Persico
Group Creative Director, Copywriter
Leo Burnett Company Ltd

Steve has been with Leo Burnett for eleven years, his entire career. He has won virtually every national and global award in that time and been ranked the number one copywriter in Canada by Strategy Magazine on numerous occasions.
Steve has helped Burnett Toronto establish themselves as a top agency in the world. #3 Agency in the World (2015, Ad Age). #1 Agency in Canada (2014 & 2015, The Gunn Report). Agency of the Year (2014 & 2015, Strategy Magazine). Agency of the Year (2015, Marketing Magazine).
He’s worked with IKEA, Procter and Gamble, Bell, Enbridge, Kellogg’s, James Ready Beer, Molson Coors, Raising the Roof and more.
After writing all day at work Steve retreats to his home to write some more. He is forever finishing his first book and handcrafting typographic posters.

Ramona Pringle
Director, Transmedia Zone
Ryerson University

Ramona Pringle is an Assistant Professor in the RTA School of Media at Ryerson University and Director of the Transmedia Zone, an incubator for innovation in media and storytelling. She is also a technology columnist for CBC, on radio, online, and on “The Hotspot” on On The Money. As a writer, producer and digital journalist, Ramona’s work examines the evolving relationship between humans and technology. She is the writer and director of the interactive documentary “Avatar Secrets.” Previously, she was the interactive producer of PBS Frontline’s “Digital Nation” and editor in chief of “Rdigitalife”. Ramona is a co-editor of the IEEE Potentials Magazine special edition, “Unintended Consequences: the Paradox of Technological Potential” (2016) and an associate editor of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine. Ramona’s projects have been featured at festivals and conferences including i-docs, Power to the Pixel, TFI Interactive, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Hot Docs, SXSW, NXNE, Social Media Week, TEDx, and in publications including the New York Times, Mashable, Cult of Mac and the Huffington Post. Ramona has a Master’s Degree from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.

Steven Sage
Vice President, Sustainability and Innovation
Kruger Products L.P.

Steven Sage serves as Vice President, Sustainability & Innovation for Kruger Products in Mississauga, Ontario. Sage joined Kruger Products in 2009. He is responsible for creating and leading implementation of Kruger Products’ sustainable development program, managing the Company’s environmental branded products portfolio and leading innovation initiatives. He led Kruger Products’ efforts to become the first Canadian tissue manufacturer to receive Forest Stewardship Council® certification and created the Leaders in Sustainable Thinking thought leadership roundtable to promote sustainability within the consumer packaged goods/retailer industries.

Prior to joining Kruger Products, Sage worked for Georgia-Pacific Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia for eighteen years in progressive marketing management roles.

He graduated with a BBA from Iowa State University and a MBA from Emory University. He is a recipient of the 2016 Canada’s Clean50 Award. He has served as Co-Chair of Forest Stewardship Council Canada’s Board of Directors as well as the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Sustainability Advisory Council. He is a Founding Member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Circle.

Rose Sauquillo
Creative Director
Huge Inc.

Before joining Huge to help build integrated thinking for clients like Mark's, Rose’s extensive career found her at MacLaren McCann, TAXI and Red Urban, working on brands like WestJet, Nike, Volkswagen, TELUS, you name it. While leading TELUS nationally, the brand won the Art Directors Club of NY Design Sphere, the highest industry award that recognizes sustained success. Billboard Magazine also named TELUS one of the top brands to watch (which totally rocks).

Jury stints include Marketing Awards, Art Directors Club, ADDYs, Applied Arts and The Globe and Mail Young Lions Competition. Rose has received accolades on the local and international stage from the likes of The One Show, Communication Arts, and ADCC, but none bigger than for her tone-deaf karaoke rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart.

Fiona Stevenson
Managing Director
The Idea Suite

Fiona is President and Founding Partner of the Idea Suite – www.theideasuite.com -
a Toronto-based boutique innovation and qualitative research agency.

The Idea Suite helps leading North American clients develop new products, brands, and services that address key unmet consumer and market needs, leveraging best-in-class insight and ideation techniques. Their broad client base spans multiple sectors including food and beverage, FMCG, financial services, retail, health care, and social ventures, and includes Mondelez International, Pfizer, and Kraft-Heinz.

Prior to moving agency side in 2013, Fiona spent 13 years in brand management at Procter & Gamble, where she managed a cross-section of Canadian health, beauty and household care product portfolios, and worked in P&G’s European headquarters designing global initiatives.

For the past three years, Fiona has hosted the Forward Together Conference, an annual personal development conference for top female talent from 14 leading Canadian companies. She is also a six-time host of the Strategy Agency of the Year Awards, and sponsor for the Rotman MBA Market Research class.

A graduate of Queen’s University, Fiona is a published author and travel enthusiast.

Justin Stockman
VP Pay and OTT Services
Bell Media

As Vice-President, Business and Channel Strategy, Bell Media, Justin Stockman oversees strategy and management of CraveTV and The Movie Network, including HBO Canada. Justin will continue to be responsible for channel-driven digital content, including Much Digital Studios, and the execution of program priorities and new channel and business strategies for the company’s conventional, specialty, and pay services.

Prior to this, Stockman worked as Vice-President, Specialty Channels, where he oversaw all brands and day-to-day activities affecting Entertainment Specialty Channels Much, MTV, M3, E!, Bravo, Space, The Comedy Network, and their complimentary digital networks, as well as Pay channels TMN and HBO Canada.

Stockman was previously Executive Director, Marketing, Specialty Channels, where he oversaw all brand-positioning, consumer and trade marketing, social media marketing, and social media communities for Bell Media’s Specialty properties.

Stockman has worked at Much for more than a decade in various capacities including creative services and production as creative director, supervising producer, producer, writer, editor, and web designer.

Justin graduated in 1996 from York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with Specialized Honours in Visual Arts Studio. In 2009 he earned his MBA through a joint program at Cornell University in New York and Queen’s University in Kingston.