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Yan Markson

Communication, Mindset, and Human Behaviour
Mentalist
Yan Markson
  • Yan Markson

    Yan Markson is a world-class mentalist, speaker, and perception strategist who explores the powerful intersection of mindset, storytelling, and human behaviour. His keynotes are designed to both entertain and shift perspectives, sparking new ways of thinking and leaving audiences energized with unforgettable experiences.

    With a unique career that bridges live performance and corporate leadership, Markson has spent over a decade captivating audiences across North America at major conferences, Fortune 500 events, and galas — as well as on TEDx and national television in three countries, including the hit Las Vegas TV show, Penn & Teller: Fool Us.

    Before stepping into the spotlight full-time, Markson served as the Head of Marketing and Communications at an award-winning AI software company, building on his academic background in marketing management from Toronto Metropolitan University. Today, he sits on the company's advisory board, bringing a rare blend of creative thinking and business strategy to the stage.

    At the core of Markson's work is a belief that perception shapes reality — and by changing the stories we tell ourselves and others, we can transform the way we lead, communicate, and grow. Through his signature keynote series "The Power of Perception," Markson demonstrates how influence, leadership, and personal transformation all stem from shifting perspectives. His sessions feature witty humour and intelligent entertainment, grounded in real-world application.

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Conner Galway

Founder
Junction Consulting
Conner Galway
  • Conner Galway

    Conner Galway is an award-winning digital marketing strategist, researcher, entrepreneur and was recently named to Business in Vancouver’s 40 under 40 list. He has over 15 years of experience helping tourism businesses and destinations grow in an ever-changing digital landscape.

    As the founder of Junction Consulting, Conner and his team have coached over 1,000 hotels, tour operators, destinations, and attractions across North America to turn digital opportunities into measurable business results, and as the President of the tourism learning platform eLearningU, he provided training to over 5,000 tourism professionals to help to level up their careers.

    Beyond the stage, he shares his expertise through the popular Tourism Talks video series, featuring conversations with marketing leaders from around the world, and through his long-running newsletter, The Brief, where he shares his thoughts on digital marketing for business leaders.

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Alex Chesney

Dietitian and Farmer
Alex Chesney
  • Alex Chesney

    Registered Dietitian and farmer working on her family’s fruit and vegetable farm in Southwestern Ontario. Her work is rooted in food, nutrition, and agriculture education. She creates spaces and experiences for people to interact with their food at its source and learn about how it’s grown, how to prepare it, and how it nourishes us. Alex recently returned to school for a Master of Public Health in Nutrition and Dietetics, with dreams of broadening her food-systems focused education efforts

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Dionne Bishop, C SEP

CEO & Event Strategist
Events by Dionne
Dionne Bishop, C SEP
  • Dionne Bishop, C SEP

    Dionne Bishop is the founder and CEO of Events by Dionne Inc. (EbD), an Experience Advisory & Execution firm that helps organizations turn events into strategic business assets. A board member of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) and co-founder of the Black Tourism Alliance of Ontario, Dionne is deeply invested in the growth and recognition of tourism professionals. Before launching EbD, she honed her craft at some of Canada's most prominent venues and properties, including Exhibition Place, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and the Canadian Premier League. Today, she advises clients across tourism, corporate, sports, and media, bringing a structured approach she calls Strategic Hospitality™ to multi-event portfolios and high-impact experiences.

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Glen Bacarro

Owner and Creative Director
Encore Windsor
Glen Bacarro
  • Glen Bacarro

    Glen Bacarro is a Windsor-based tourism entrepreneur, producer, and storyteller passionate about transforming local history into unforgettable experiences. As Owner and Creative Director of Encore Windsor, Glen helps lead the team behind the award-winning Rum Runners Tour, bringing Windsor-Essex’s legendary Prohibition history to life through immersive storytelling and live performance. Encore has expanded that vision with the Windsor City Bus Tour – Where Canada Begins, celebrating the remarkable people, places, and stories that have shaped the region. With more than 20 years of experience in public speaking, entertainment, communications, and event production, Glen believes every community has incredible stories worth telling—and that tourism is at its best when those stories create meaningful, memorable connections with visitors.

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Mike Jacobs

Co-founder
Whereabouts
Mike Jacobs
  • Mike Jacobs

    Mike Jacobs works at the intersection of tourism and technology. He is the co-founder of Whereabouts, a destination management software platform built for DMOs and tourism organizations, and the CEO of The New Business, a tourism-focused marketing agency that has spent more than a decade building brands, campaigns, and websites for destinations across North America. 

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