Speakers
Jon Montgomery |
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KEYNOTE SPEAKER |
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Join Jon Montgomery, Gold Medal Olympian and Host of The Amazing Race Canada, as he takes us on an inspiring journey through Canada's vibrant tourism industry. In this captivating session, Jon will share his unique perspective on exploring and appreciating the value and gifts of Canada’s tourism landscape. Hear firsthand about the incredible destinations he has visited, the diverse people and cultures he has encountered, and the unforgettable experiences that have fuelled his pride in being Canadian. Jon will also reflect on his pride in representing Canada on the world stage during the 2010 Winter Olympics, and how that experience has deepened his appreciation for Canada's tourism treasures. From coast to coast, Jon's adventures reveal the heart and soul of Canada’s tourism ecosystem, highlighting the extraordinary beauty and hospitality that make Canada a world-class travel destination. Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired by Jon’s stories and insights, celebrating the essence of what makes Canada truly special. |
Adam Kunis
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM SPECIALIST
Anne-Marie Forcier
DIRECTOR, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Anne-Marie has over 37 years of experience in tourism, marketing and destination development with the private sector as well as with numerous nonprofit organizations. She is currently the Director of Program Development with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) since 2022. Past employment highlights include Tourism Development at the Société Économique de l’Ontario (SÉO), Manager of Tourism Skills Development at St Lawrence College, Manager of the City-College Opportunities Office in Kingston, Executive Director of the Rideau Heritage Route Tourism Association for 10 years, where she managed the Regional Destination Management Organization along the UNESCO World Heritage Rideau Canal and Manager of Visitor Services for the Kingston Economic Development Corporation. Anne-Marie is a graduate of Algonquin College in Ottawa and has her Municipal Administration Designation and many executive education courses from Queen’s University. She is fluently bilingual and originally from Northern Ontario, has 2 adult children, and now lives at Chaffey’s Lock on the Rideau Canal. She also owns Rideau Tours & Rentals, a small seasonal company.
Gabrielle Mueller
MARKETING MANAGER – CULINARY TOURISM ALLIANCE
Food was made to be a connector, and Gabby believes that there’s nothing more powerful than sitting around a table (preferably with a few craft beers) to connect people. Growing up in Oxford County, local food was something Gabby always had access to but never appreciated until much later. Food’s ability to be a force for change in the environment, insocial interactions and beyond has pushed her to understand that food is much more thansomething you eat. With an Honors BA majoring in history from Trent University and a Master’s in Public history from Western University, Gabby spent a few years working in the museums and archives world before realizing that she was missing one thing: people! Falling accidentally into the tourism world when hired to do some freelance work on the Oxford County Cheese Trail forTourism Oxford, Gabby quickly realized that she doesn’t just love working with people, she loves telling their stories. Luckily, her background in history prepared her for all the writing that comes with that! Six years (and many cheese curds) later, Gabby’s work with Tourism Oxford grew to full-on content creation. Leading the charge on social media, blogging, vlogging and websitecontent, she quickly fell in love with tourism’s ability to help food producers rediscovertheir passion and to help their local community. During her time with Tourism Oxford, Gabby also became a certified Experiential Tourismcoach through Southwestern Ontario Tourism Corporation’s Unlocked and InspiredCoaching Program and has become completely enamoured with helping businesses create meaningful experiences to change how people see travel. She has played a role in gettingseveral experiences to market including the award-winning Tree to Table experience whichhas won Ontario’s Best Culinary Experience at the provincial and regional levels. Gabby started as Digital Media Coordinator at the Culinary Tourism Alliance, and has since been promoted to Marketing Manager. Gabby can’t wait to dive in and begin telling stories from across the province.
Jenn Burling
DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Michael Goodyear
DIRECTOR, POLICY & STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS
Michael Goodyear brings more than two decades of experience in the trail sector to his role as Director, Policy & Stakeholder Relations with Trans Canada Trail. He works with local Trail groups, destination marketing organizations and government stakeholders to explore opportunities to improve the experience of Trail users and make the Trans Canada Trail more attractive to national and international visitors. He holds an Environmental Studies degree from York University, a diploma in Ecosystem Management from Fleming College, and a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Toronto.
Michael is a long-time resident of Uxbridge, Ontario, which has the designation of “Trail Capital of Canada” for its extensive trail system. Here, the Durham Region Trail passes through Walker Woods, and Glen Major and Durham Forests as part of the Trans Canada Trail. Long before he joined the Trans Canada Trail team, Michael helped to build and maintain Uxbridge’s trails, which inspired him to pursue a career in trail development. Today, he enjoys the physical and mental benefits of running and mountain biking along those trails near his home, and the satisfaction of knowing he is contributing to an important outdoor resource for future generations. Committed to his community, Michael is also a volunteer firefighter.
Shaylyn Robertson
SENIOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM SPECIALIST
Shaylyn supports research and marketing related to our Sustainable Tourism division, helping to grow our impacts as we expand our sustainable tourism assessment and certification programs for tourism destinations and businesses in Canada and globally. Shaylyn has experience in project coordination, tourism marketing and economic development in roles with various organizations, local government, and post-secondary institutions. She has lived and worked in several countries and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Studies from the University of Northern British Columbia.