Our Team

Before joining Summa, Mr. Armour served as Director of Communications and Marketing at the Canadian Medical Association. He played a crucial role in their efforts to improve access, reduce wait times, and address Canada’s doctor shortage.

Mr. Armour worked on Parliament Hill from 1994 to 2000 and 2002 to 2005. He was the Communications Director for two Leaders of the Official Opposition and helped brand the launch of the Canadian Alliance and the Conservative Party of Canada. Jim’s interest in marketing strategy and tactics was furthered by his two years with one of Atlantic Canada’s top advertising agencies.

Originally from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Mr. Armour has a B.A. (Hons) from McGill and an M.A. in Newfoundland History from Memorial University. He also earned his APR accreditation from the Canadian Public Relations Society and a CAAP designation from the Institute of Communication Agencies.

Outside of the office, Jim serves on the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario boards, the Canadian Pharmacists Association, and the Gambling Research Exchange of Ontario. He also sits on the editorial board of the International Journal of Communication in Healthcare.

She has strong governance experience and is a past member of the Board of Governors at Carleton University, where she also Chaired its Audit and Finance Committee.

Past directorships include the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health and Volleyball Canada. She is currently a co-chair of the Winter Sport Caucus Group and serves on the Nominating Committee of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Before founding Voice Found, Cynthia enjoyed a successful career in senior sales, marketing, and education roles. Cynthia is intimately familiar with the many challenges and opportunities of delivering conferences and events. She has first-hand experience successfully managing several events internationally and domestically.

Cynthia’s leadership and innovation have been recognized by organizations and individuals alike. She is a winner of the Wise 50 over 50 awards, named a ‘KickAss’ Canadian, and a recipient of the 2020-2021 Attorney General’s Victim Services Award.

Michael has over 15 years of experience at the management level with two of Canada’s major airports: the Winnipeg Airports Authority and the Ottawa International Airport Authority.

Michael is very active within the tourism industry and other business groups. He is a Board member of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Ottawa International Hockey Festival. Michael serves as a member of the Program Advisory Committee for the Bachelor of Tourism & Hospitality Management Degree Program at Algonquin College. He has also been a Board member of the Ottawa 2017 Bureau, Invest Ottawa, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), Ottawa Tourism, and Ottawa’s Tourism Development Council.

In 2017, Michael was elected a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, recognizing his contributions to Canada. Michael’s business leadership and volunteerism have been formally recognized by many stakeholders, such as Airport Business Magazine, the Ottawa Business Journal, and Ottawa’s tourism industry.

Michael has a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Manitoba and is a Certified Barbecue Judge.

She brings a unique set of skills and knowledge to the table. A seasoned veteran in world-class event planning, Yilong has organized dozens of major events, with numbers of attendees exceeding 100,000.

She is also an established member of the food industry. Yilong was a successful restaurateur, and she operated multiple restaurants in both Canada and overseas. She is currently providing cuisine consulting to businesses looking to invest in the Canadian market.

Yilong is passionate about connecting people by exchanging food, culture, and ideas. She has won multiple awards for her contribution to her community.

David also guided and advised his partners and clients concerning complex and unusual public sector audit and accounting issues.

David is the past Chair of the Public Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) now (CPAC). He has been associated with PSAB for over 20 years as the chair of PSAB, a member of PSAB, its predecessor PSAAB or as a task force chair. He has worked closely with many of the auditor generals and comptrollers of the federal and provincial governments in the development of accounting policies for use by governments in Canada. David chaired the task force that developed the background, associates’ exposure draft, exposure draft and recommendations respecting the financial reporting entity (PSAB 1300).

David was elected a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario in 1979 and was president of the Public Accountants Council for the Province of Ontario in 1996/97.

David has many management skills gained through his involvement in significant government assignments and professional committees. He has been on the leading edge of the development of accountability frameworks, including the design of performance reporting involving the measurement of outcomes and outputs.

After he retired from public practice, David was appointed to the Ottawa Transition Board, which was charged with developing the plan for the amalgamation of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton with all of its lower-tier municipalities, which commenced operations in January 1, 2001.

He is actively involved in community service and currently serves as chair of the advisory committee for Indo Canada Ottawa Business Chamber (ICOBC) and on the board of directors of the Barrhaven Business Improvement Area (BBIA) and the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation (QCHF).

He is also a member of the H.M. Tory Society of Carleton University, and in 2016 he was inducted as “the Knight” in the Order of St. George. Jagdeep is an active supporter of, and regular contributor to, the Ottawa Heart and Stroke Foundation, Shelter foundation, the Ottawa Sikh Society, the Liver foundation, the Queensway Carleton Hospital and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

He is also a lifetime Patron of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. His community service and dedication to society have made him a proud recipient of the “Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal” from the Governor General of Canada, “The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers” by the Governor General of Canada, “The Volunteer Service Award” by Govt or Ontario and the Lifetime award of excellence from Royal Lepage.

She is passionate about Rideau-Vanier and the well-being of those who need a helping hand and worked closely with public health outreach to assist with the pandemic response in Rideau-Vanier.

A resident of Ward 12 for almost 20 years and proud francophone, she has led committees and advocated for numerous programs and human rights organizations, including Twice Upon a Time, Action Sandy Hill, the Parent’s Council at Francojeunesse, Refugee613, Take Me Outside, Run Ottawa, Equal Voice, and others. In 2017, she acted as a surrogate for an LGBTQIA+ couple.

Stéphanie cares deeply about walkable, safe, and green neighbourhoods and ensuring that we have spaces and places that welcome everyone. In 2020, in consultation with Inuit and First Nations communities, Stéphanie led the naming of the Annie Pootoogook Park and oversaw the first celebration of World Inuit Day.

Stéphanie holds a Master’s in Political Science from the University of Windsor and has taught a course on municipal governance for two years at the Faculty of Common Law at the University of Ottawa. She currently lives in Sandy Hill with her family.

He is the Principal of Hill Solutions, through which he helps individuals and organizations successfully navigate 21st-century change. His portfolio includes national-scale initiatives for Canada’s Digital Policy Forum, the Public Service Commission, the Treasury Board, Health Canada, National Defence and the Parliament of Canada. He counsels political stakeholders, public servants, business executives and academic institutions.

Notably, he is the only person to have crafted BOTH the historic 1995 Black History Month and the 2014 Lincoln Alexander Day motions unanimously adopted by the Parliament of Canada.

Fred has served on community boards, including the University of Windsor Board of Governors, the United Way, the Social Planning Council of Ottawa, and Leadership Ottawa. He co-founded a University of Ottawa Law Faculty Endowment Fund and coached youth in the Gloucester Cumberland Basketball Association.

A University of Windsor alumnus, Fred Sherman is the partner to Denise Siele and proud father to Fred Sherman III.

As a skilled communicator, Kay has a solid track record advocating for humanitarian values and professional ethics.

Kay has held many leadership positions, including Assistant Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board Secretariat, Assistant Deputy Minister at the Health Promotion and Programs Branch, and Assistant Deputy Solicitor General of Canada. In addition, she has held leadership roles in various professional associations, such as the President of the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada and the President of the Teachers’ Federation of Carleton.

Kay’s achievements include creating a 1,100-member amalgamated elementary teachers’ federation and organizing the Overseas Teachers’ Association working on behalf of the Department of National Defence.  Kay’s humanitarian efforts included leading Canadian delegations to international conferences hosted by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the Commonwealth Secretariat for Women’s Affairs, and the InterAmerican Commission for Women, among many others.

Kay has contributed to the community through her numerous volunteer roles. She worked alongside organizations such as the National Capital Commission, KILMORIE Heritage Society, May Court Hospice, Governor General’s Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case, and the Ottawa Hospital Board of Governors. Kay was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in recognition of her significant, sustained, and unpaid contributions to her community.

A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Nina has over 30 years of senior management experience in hotels, convention centres, food and beverage and gaming. With experience in B2B and B2C sales and operations, Nina has led teams in all areas of the hospitality and corporate function.
Nina began her career with Sheraton Hotels in Halifax as Director of Sales and Marketing and progressed to more senior roles as Vice President, Sales and Marketing with Trade Centre Limited in Halifax, Vice President of Business Development with the Toronto Congress Centre before moving to Ottawa to join the Shaw Centre.

In 2019, Nina achieved her ICD.D designation and currently serves on the board of Ottawa Tourism as Director, and Chair of Ottawa Tourism’s Finance Committee, Chair, Convention Centres of Canada, and Chair, Tourism Industry Association of Canada. Nina is a volunteer speaker at McGill and Concordia University as well as a volunteer at the annual Royal Hospital Fundraiser for Mental Health.

Nina’s passion for always delivering exceptional customer experiences is engrained in her DNA and reflects in the Shaw Centre achieving the Service Excellence Award at the 2016 Ontario Business Achievement Awards and the prestigious award from AIPC in 2021 as the Best Convention Centre in the World voted upon by clientele from across the globe.

Dan was responsible for formulating the financial benefits of the new Shaw Centre. Before joining the Shaw Centre, Dan worked for several organizations in the Ottawa region. Dan acquired his CMA designation in 1995.

In 2015, she became the Shaw Centre’s General Manager. Her passion for the hospitality industry began at 14 when she was bussing tables as a part-time job, and she has never wavered from this career path.  Loretta’s drive to become a member of this profession led her to an education in Hospitality Management & Food Nutrition Management.

She leads a team diverse in personalities and skills, and she is proud to be part of such an inspired group. Every event is unique, and Loretta likes the challenge of making it the perfect fit at the Shaw Centre. She enjoys taking advantage of the Shaw Centre’s leading-edge technology and service abilities.

Loretta enjoys a good glass of port and time spent with family and close friends. She loves taking a day trip to local towns and communities to explore their unique heritage, charm and food.

He is fluent in English and French, and his demonstrated success in customer experience, conference & event management and building trusted relationships between individuals and organizations spans over 30 years. His colleagues describe him as a creative, innovative, and action-oriented leader with presence, who possesses excellent interpersonal, communication and management skills. Seán’s service philosophy has always been to enhance the organization’s connection with its clients and stakeholders by building a relationship based on trust and confidence in the services they offer, through a seamless and engaging experience that is personal, memorable and exceeds their expectations. 

Between 2005 and 2018, Seán worked for some of Canada’s most prominent national associations. He was the Senior Manager of Membership, Events and Corporate Partnerships at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), the National Director of Member Services [and Corporate Partnerships] at the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), and the Director of Membership, Events & Association Development at the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Early in 2018, Seán accepted an offer to be the General Manager of one of Canada’s premier retirement communities, Chartwell Rockcliffe. As GM, Seán had overall responsibility for all aspects of the operation, including Admin., Finance, HR, Facility Management, Food Services, Resident Care, Programs & Activities, and Sales/Marketing. He joined the team at the Shaw Centre in March, 2023. 

On a personal level, Seán takes immense pride in the fact that he’s always made it a priority to give back to his community. He’s been on the Board of Directors of The Good Companions Seniors Centre since 2018 (Board Chair 2020-2023), served on the Board of the Community Information Centre of Ottawa (“211” service provider for Eastern ON) from 2010-2018 (Board Chair 2013-2016), served on the Board of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) Ottawa-Gatineau chapter from 2011-2018 (Board Chair 2016-2017), served on the Advisory Board of the Event Management Program at Algonquin College from 2010-2018, and was a youth football coach for almost 20 years. 

Kim is a proud Ottawan who has lived most of her life in the Nation’s Capital. After starting her career with the Federal Government, she worked at various organizations, including Cosmic Adventures, Source for Sports, Calian, Algonquin College, VON Canada, CBC, and Family Services Ottawa. She was admitted into membership of the Certified General Accountants of Canada in 2014 and maintained her membership with CPA Canada.

While working for The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler, she concurrently completed her Master of Business Administrative through Guelph University. Upon completing her MBA, Carly was offered a position with Vancouver Organizing Committee during the 2010 Olympic Games, managing emergency response planning for both athletes’ villages. Following the Olympics, Carly returned to Ottawa to be closer to her family and quickly re-established herself at The Westin Ottawa. Throughout her career with the Westin, Carly held the positions of Sales Manager, Event Manager, Director of Group Sales and Director of Events.

Before joining the Shaw Centre in December 2019, Carly took on the Director of Sales role with JPdL, a local destination management company. Carly’s work experience has been dedicated to delivering incredible guest experiences and exceeding client expectations.

Carly enjoys swimming, dabbling in the world of triathlons, hitting the gym, and spending quality time with her family and friends.

At Canada Soccer, Josh was responsible for building relationships with organizational partners and generating value on their behalf during various events throughout the year. After nearly five years at Canada Soccer, he accepted a sales position at Festival Promotions to expand his portfolio of skills. At Festival Promotions, Josh developed and managed an extensive client base, including several large-scale Canadian brands.

When Josh isn’t building business relationships, he enjoys travelling with his wife and keeping active. As a sports enthusiast, Josh spends his free time exploring Ottawa by bicycle in the summer and takes advantage of Ottawa’s wonderful cross-country skiing trails during the winter.

Alexandra graduated from Algonquin College with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, leading to her first event management roles at the Embassy West Hotel and the former Delta Ottawa Hotel and Suites.

As a former Event Services Manager at the Shaw Centre, Alexandra worked on various exciting events, including the Grey Cup, the Ottawa Gatineau International Auto Show, and multiple events of all scales.

Now overseeing the planning department at the Shaw Centre, Alexandra is thrilled to ensure that every event at the Shaw Centre is a success.

On weekends, you can find Alexandra spending time with her family or planning her next trip worldwide.

In 2014, Amanda moved to Ottawa and started working at the Shaw Centre in the Operations Department and, most recently, as the Senior Operations Manager. Over the past five years, she has been a dedicated team member and has managed many events, including the 2017 Grey Cup and the Juno Awards. Amanda is delighted to take the next step by overseeing some of the most exciting events in the City as the Operations Department.

Amanda enjoys making pottery, travelling, and volunteering at the Ottawa Food Bank in her spare time.

Chef Turcot started his career as a member of the kitchen brigade at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. He returned to Quebec to work at the legendary Chateau Frontenac and shared his culinary experience with students at Cégep Limoilou in Quebec City.

After stints as the Executive Chef at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald and Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, both in Alberta, Chef Turcot was appointed as Executive Chef at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona, where he found new sources of inspiration in the desert and embraced the challenge of working with new regional flavours and products. His experiences there laid the foundation for success as the Head Chef at the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie, Quebec, where he also became a passionate ambassador for culinary tourism throughout the Charlevoix Region.

Chef Turcot has received numerous awards and accolades and has participated in various television productions throughout his career.

In addition to working closely with local producers, Chef Turcot’s cuisine is inspired by classical French techniques and principles, infused with current influences often found through travel.

He’s since grown with the organization as a Technical Services Manager, ensuring a safe environment for all Shaw Centre staff and clients. He now holds the Senior Manager of Facilities role, managing the Centre’s housekeeping, engineering, uniform, and linen teams.

Blake has a Building Environmental Systems Operator Class 2 Certificate from Algonquin College, a Facilities Management Certificate (FMC), and is working towards completing a Facilities Management Administrator (FMA) designation from BOMI Canada.

In 2010 she obtained a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from Bradford University in England. She holds the Certified Human Resource Professional designation from HRPA in Ontario.

She loves HR and has been fortunate to grow her professional network across several countries. She worked in various HR capacities serving businesses in the financial service, manufacturing, not-for-profit, and supply chain industries.

Before joining the Shaw Centre, Ngozi worked with Walmart Canada as a People Business Partner, growing the talent pipeline while driving business initiatives for continuous improvement in one of the Ontario distribution centers.

Ngozi considers herself an extrovert who enjoys making social connections and learning from people. She has a wanderlust gene and cherishes every opportunity to see the world’s diversity. When she’s not creating relationships, she volunteers for causes of interest and serves on the United Way/Centraide Stormont-Dundas & Glengarry board. Cooking is her therapy session and artistic expression. In her spare time, she devotes time to her family. You will find them taking walks, visiting parks, cycling, or discovering adventures together while creating lasting memories.

After finishing college, he moved to Vancouver in 2008, lived, worked, and played in Vancouver, BC, until 2011, when returning to Ontario. In 2013 Drew settled in Ottawa and started working as a Building Operator at the Ottawa Marriott. In 2019 he attended the Building Environmental Systems Operator course at Algonquin College, which he completed in early 2021. 

In late 2020 he started with the engineering department at the Shaw Centre as the work control assistant, where he managed the scheduling of contractors and keeping them on schedule. He also assisted the engineering staff with completing tasks and advised the team when any issues arose. He was promoted to Manager of Facilities in August of 2022. He manages the engineering, housekeeping, linen, and receiving departments in this new role. 

Drew enjoys the outdoors in his spare time and takes advantage of the parks in the Ottawa area, either hiking or stand-up paddleboarding in the summer. During the winter, he enjoys going downhill skiing or ice skating. 

She spent a year in the industry in Banff but ultimately returned to Ottawa to be closer to her family. Having spent over 18 years working at various hotels in Ottawa, Karen has gained experience in the front desk departments, reservations management, and as a Conference Services Manager for 6 of those years. Karen found herself in a sales role at the Delta Ottawa Hotel and Suites, where she learned what it takes to surpass client expectations.

In her spare time, you can find Karen at the dog park with her dog Bayler or entertaining family and friends. Karen is also an avid sports fan cheering on Ottawa Senators and Ottawa Redblacks!

He furthered his education by obtaining a degree in communications at Wilfrid Laurier University. Matt brings over 20 years of experience in the service and hospitality industry, including five years as an Account Manager with a Toronto-based marketing company. He also played a role in opening restaurants in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Ottawa.

Before joining Shaw Centre, Matthew was a vital part of the management team at Nordstrom. Matthew developed excellent customer service skills and a commitment to providing above-and-beyond experiences during his time there.

Matt joined the team at the Shaw Centre in 2016 as a Local Sales Manager and worked his way up to his current position as National Account Manager specializing in SMERF and Corporate markets. His familiarity with the building – and its operations – make him a knowledgeable team member. Today, Matthew applies his knowledge of business and management when planning events.

When Matthew is not busy creating extraordinary events, you can catch him at the many live sporting events around the city or spending time with his family.

Helen has worked in the hospitality industry for most of her professional life. To kick start her career, she gained employment with Westin Ottawa, where she worked for 21 years as a Sales Manager. She is well versed in markets such as; SMERF, Tour & Travel, and Government.

Helen thrives in a fast-paced sales environment, making the short-lead local market a perfect fit. Helen loves all aspects of event planning and has planned events from start to finish. She’s also worked as an Account Manager for other prominent players in the hospitality industry, such as the Sheraton Ottawa.

Helen loves to be creative. You’ll find her making all kinds of arts and crafts and knitting slippers, hats, and mittens that she makes for all her family and friends. She is also an avid baker! Growing up, Helen spent time with her grandmother, who worked in a bakery and taught her how to make the perfect loaf of bread and other delicious pastries. You’ll find her curled up on the couch watching her favourite Netflix shows with her three daughters.

Adam organized road races, cycling events, and triathlons at MEC around the GTA. While in Toronto, he had the pleasure of coaching Varsity Cross Country at George Brown and the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). As a runner, he was voted MVP for four years and was named coach of the year at UTM in his last year of coaching.

At CCS, he worked with youth across Eastern Ontario. He helped plan Relay for Life events from start to finish by empowering and teaching youth about philanthropy and raising millions of dollars for cancer research and support services.

Adam relocated to Ottawa with his partner and daughter; he loves that Ottawa has so much to offer his family. He enjoys the outdoors, whether for a round of golf, playing softball, pickup basketball, or going for hikes. He describes himself as an extrovert who likes to meet new people and doesn’t shy away from new experiences!

She brings over 20 years of experience in the service and hospitality industry, including 10 years working at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club as part of the team that brought the LPGAs to Ottawa. Krynn also worked for an Ottawa-based media company for 4 years in a business development capacity, bringing food and cooking shows produced in Ottawa to broadcasters worldwide. 

As a service-oriented professional, Krynn loves meeting new people and developing relationships into long-lasting partnerships. She thrives on exceeding expectations and learning new skills. 

Krynn has considered Ottawa home for the last 15+ years and loves to enjoy everything this city offers, including its many festivals and stellar outdoor hiking and skiing trails, specifically in Gatineau Park. When she’s not working, she enjoys traveling to faraway places and learning new languages, such as French and Spanish. A foodie at heart, Krynn constantly discovers new recipes and enjoys exploring Ottawa’s excellent and ever-evolving culinary scene with friends. 

After graduating from Carleton University, Greg entered a career in Event Management, focusing on sports and live entertainment. Culminating almost 30 years of event management experience, he has held various roles across several major facilities and organizations in Ottawa, including OHL, CFL and NHL.

Greg brings tremendous knowledge and experience in all aspects of events and operations. He is well-versed in trade, consumer, and social events. Greg prides himself on his superior attention to detail while delivering excellent customer service. He thrives in the hustle and bustle of the event planning industry, and his proven leadership skills have led him to execute successful events.

When Greg isn’t busy creating extraordinary experiences, you’ll find him enjoying the great outdoors. A wilderness enthusiast, Greg spends his free time kayaking, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and doing other social sports as the seasons permit.

She excelled as a student at Georgian College, where she completed her advanced diploma in Hotel and Resort Administration Management.

After graduating, the mountains called Kyla, and she moved to Banff, Alberta. In her five years there, she flourished and gained invaluable experience in food and beverage operations for top-tier establishments such as the Fairmont Banff Springs and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts.

After her ventures on Canada’s west coast, Kyla moved closer to family and friends. She earned a job with the Ottawa Marriott as an Event Manager, where she grew her skills and fell in love with the Capital as her new home.

When Kyla isn’t creating her next event, she enjoys snuggling up on the couch with a nice glass of wine while she plans her next vacation!

Christina’s all-encompassing experience working with venues, restaurants, festivals, and catering services gives her a distinct event-planning perspective and edge.

Christina’s passion for the arts led her to pursue positions with Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa International Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, and TIFF, where she coordinated several events and worked with various venues. She also worked abroad in Scotland for a few years in restaurant management before moving back to Canada’s capital.

Most recently, Christina transferred her event management skills to the catering industry, working for a full-service, off-premise catering company in the National Capital Region before finding her way to the Shaw Centre.

You can catch her practicing yoga or playing the ukulele when Christina isn’t busy planning your next meeting or event.

He took full advantage of his studies and started his career in event planning as a Sales Executive at Mövenpick Hotels in Morocco in 2015. After moving to work with a national hotel brand, he had the opportunity to travel to different countries around the globe (Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Czech Republic, Qatar, and Morocco to name a few). He presented and promoted the countries as tourist destinations and his employer at worldwide events.

He relocated to Ottawa in 2020 and worked as a Sales and Event Supervisor for Bytown Catering. He planned various events, primarily weddings, and excitedly shared the six years of event planning knowledge he acquired around the globe.

Outside work, he enjoys discovering the rest of Canada and capturing his finds through photography. His passion for cuisine brings him to restaurants and bars to uncover new dishes. He also enjoys watching sports, specifically basketball, soccer, and hockey.

Heidi returned to Ottawa after graduation and worked in the not-for-profit sector while completing her Wedding Planners certificate from the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada and her Social Media Certificate from Algonquin College.

While Heidi has worked in administration, marketing, and advocacy, her passion has always been event planning. She spent the last ten years working at the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, planning and overseeing all major events, including an international women’s conference in Jerusalem. At the diocese, she designed a provincial-wide meeting and the annual AGMs, curated online and hybrid events, and grew their online presence through successful social media campaigns.

A charitable mindset was ingrained in Heidi from a young age. When she isn’t working, she often volunteers in the Ottawa community. Heidi has volunteered with the Ottawa Police Cadet Corps for over 20 years, receiving multiple awards for her dedication. In 2015, Heidi launched the Women Helping Women Purse Project, where she gathered purses filled with various products, specifically feminine hygiene products, and donated them to Ottawa’s most vulnerable population. Thanks to her connections to the Ottawa Police, they offered their space and support, and the project grew to donate over 4,000 filled purses each year for three years. Heidi also sits on the Board of Directors for Kid-Safe Productions, which offers drama workshops and performances about kids’ mental health in a post-pandemic world.

Heidi enjoys spending her free time with her husband and dogs while exploring nature and travelling locally. In the winter, Heidi is usually on her snowmobile or hiking through the snow-covered trails. In the warmer months, Heidi enjoys playing softball, stand-up paddling, and visiting local community events.

From there, she spread her wings and moved to Kananaskis, Alberta. A little slice of heaven nestled in the mountains. After her west coast adventures, she decided it was time to further her education and pursued her honorary degree in Hospitality and Tourism from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She then pursued a career in hospitality career here in Ottawa – a place she’s happy to call home.

Her career started at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel as the Sales and Marketing Coordinator. She learned the ins and outs of the hospitality industry here. Assisting her managers with sales initiatives and enhancing their social media platforms, it was in this role that Trisha discovered her passion for hospitality marketing. She joins the Shaw Centre with sheer excitement and can’t wait to learn and develop her skills.

Trisha ventures into the city in her spare time, discovering local events, new foodie scenes, and live music. On the weekends, she’s socializing with friends or travelling to her hometown to spend time on the family farm.

She started her career in retail, but after taking a course in business administration, she decided to pursue a different career path. She’s worked in organizations such as the Ottawa Life Sciences Council, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and Mortgage Brokers of Ottawa.

Sharon has dedicated almost 14 years of her professional life to the Shaw Centre and has worked through the transition from the Ottawa Convention Centre to the rebuilding of the current Shaw Centre. In her time at the Centre, she’s worked in various administrative roles supporting the sales team and ensuring all administrative duties are completed efficiently and effectively.

She loves to spend time at the cottage with her two daughters, family, and friends. Sharon loves to relax and snuggle up on the couch with her cat Jack and a good documentary!

In 2006, Sydney followed her Ottawan husband to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where she worked progressively senior office management and business support roles with Kearney and Boston Consulting Group, providing C-Suite and corporate secretarial assistance while leading large, diverse admin teams.

When she is not studying for her chartered secretary certification, Sydney can be found trying to keep up with her husband’s skiing and cycling enthusiasm or honing her gardening skills.

She’s worked in various positions, such as the Account Coordinator role, where she provided administrative support to the Sales and Marketing Teams. She then pursued a Senior Administrative job, supporting the Vice President and Sales Director.

She found her true passion within the Finance department. Lee is responsible for the financial aspects of receivables. Her extensive knowledge of the building and company has championed her as our property management system expert, and she has mastered the entire database. Lee maintains the database to ensure its functionality for all users and trains new staff on the system.

You’ll find her in the wilderness camping with her husband and daughter when she’s not maintaining the database or tracking receivables. Lee has a passion for travel, and she enjoys enduring new experiences. She’s a kid at heart, so if there’s a theme park nearby, you can bet she’s there too! 

Her freelance career involved working with companies such as Fireball, Nordstrom, and 604 Records. One of her most significant accomplishments was contributing to the social media marketing of Grammy award nominee Josh Ramsay’s debut solo record. She has created various works, including posters, logos, motion graphics, and annual reports.

When Heather isn’t designing, she’s at her favourite artists’ concerts or home watching the latest true crime documentary.

He completed his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Chennai and then moved to Ottawa to pursue his graduate diploma in Marketing Management and Sports Business Management from Algonquin College.

Most of his experience was gained from his internships with the Ottawa Sports Entertainment Group in Business Intelligence, where he worked on gameday operations and supported account managers from ticketing to marketing administration. At Archery Canada, he set up fundraisers for the NPO. In his role as a Property Manager within a real estate company, Kaasi gained in-depth knowledge of the residential and hospitality industries.

Outside of work, Kaasi is a passionate sports fan! He spends most of his time watching soccer and F1 and participates in an amateur league throughout the week. He enjoys travelling locally and keeps himself busy by planning trips!

Fluently bilingual in French and English, she pursued her education away from home in Ottawa, ON, at La Cité College in the Public Relations program. To further her education, she obtained a certification in event planning. Joining the Shaw Center as their Event Services Coordinator is a new and exciting chapter in her young professional career. 

Outside of work, her love for music keeps her busy as she is a classically trained pianist. In addition to her passion for music, Gabrielle enjoys cooking and baking treats for her close friends and family. You can find her relaxing with a nice book in a big comfy chair at the end of a long day.