Speakers
Susannah Frances, CMP
How to Nurture and Strengthen Your Partnerships Within the Events Industry
With over 20 years of working in the industry, Susannah Frances is a seasoned global event professional with an extensive background in the financial services industry. She has a wealth of knowledge of the hospitality industry managing numerous high-profile in-person and virtual events. Her areas of expertise includes crisis management, project management and vendor relationship management.
She has been a FICP member for over ten years. During her time with FICP, she has volunteered for the Canadian Symposium Committee, the Educational Committee and now sits on the Board of Directors. Her industry awards include “BizBash Top 250 Canadian Event Professional” for 2019 and 2020.
Susannah is passionate about giving back to the community and also sits on the George Brown College, Special Events Planning Program Advisory Committee
Melanie Cook
How to Nurture and Strengthen Your Partnerships Within the Events Industry
Since 2013, Melanie Cook has worked for MGM Resorts International as director of global sales based in Vancouver, BC. Her responsibilities include global account management, customer events and brand awareness for Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. She has worked in the meeting and events industry for over 25 years with regional and global hotel brands. She is a mentor for the Master’s Hospitality and Tourism program with San Diego University and has been active volunteer with many associations, including MPI, Site Canada and FICP. She is the current chair of the Canadian Advisory Council of Meeting Professional International and a committee member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force for FICP.
Ann LeBlanc, CMM, CMP, DES
How to Nurture and Strengthen Your Partnerships Within the Events Industry
Ann took a leap of faith in 2005 and moved to Toronto from Quebec City to begin her career in the event industry. She worked for a law firm and then made the move to the financial industry in 2007. She has since developed her expertise with compliance guidelines in the mutual funds industry. Over the years, she worked on all types of events from internal sales conferences, large international educational programs for 1,000+ attendees and incentive conferences. Her events took her to places like Hong Kong, Monaco, Barbados, London, Dublin, as well as across the U.S. and Canada. She joined RBC Global Asset Management in 2014 and now leads the advisor channel sales events team.
Her passions are traveling, photography and her rescue dog, Max.
Iris Ng-Reio
How to Nurture and Strengthen Your Partnerships Within the Events Industry
Iris Ng-Reio is an experienced corporate planner with over 15 years in the industry with expertise in the financial, CPG and not-for profit sectors. Her passion and love for technology, efficiency and program solving is an asset to her team as she streamlines processes and creates systems that save time and increase accuracy.
Iris has been with Manulife for over six years as an event consultant and is responsible for the planning and execution of conferences and incentives for financial advisors and employees. In her personal time, Iris enjoys spending time and traveling with her husband Michael, son Avery and their "fur baby" Rylie.
Stephanie Snowball
How to Nurture and Strengthen Your Partnerships Within the Events Industry
Stephanie Snowball leads a team of global sellers at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts (IHG). Stephanie and her team work closely with managed accounts in Canada and the U.S. to deliver collaborative, "win-win” solutions and to build integrated, long-term partnerships that are aligned to mutual values and priorities.
In this role, she and her team are responsible for delivering corporate travel, project and groups and meetings business to over 6,000 hotels across 17 brands around the world. An experienced leader with more than 20 years working with corporate and group travel internationally, Stephanie helps guide her team to find strategic ways to build IHG's customers’ business and partnerships.
Prior to joining IHG, she worked on property leading sales teams in branded and independent hotels; leading sales, marketing, revenue and catering strategy and implementation. Stephanie has been the recipient of multiple awards recognizing her contributions to IHG and to customers, and has presented to audiences at ACTE, GBTA and customer forums. Stephanie is also the chair of the GBTA Canada Accommodation Committee, a proud mentor and sponsor for our leaders of tomorrow, and the Global Sales Americas Champion for Corporate Responsibility & DE&I. Fun fact: Stephanie’s hospitality experience spans the globe, from hotels across Canada to a resort on the other side of the world, on Hamilton Island, Australia.
Christy Coles
Same Budget, New Costs – Budgeting in 2022 and Beyond
Bio coming soon!
Abhijeet Maskeri
Same Budget, New Costs – Budgeting in 2022 and Beyond
Described by clients as enthusiastic, dependable and "does it right." Described by peers as "determined, focused with a "can do it together attitude." An award-winning sales professional who has consistently delivered results. Abhijeet manages relationships with key accounts for brands - Omni Hotels & Resorts in the Canadian, Michigan and Missouri market. A progressive thinker who believes in the power of relationships and that success is a result of team effort.
Nicky De Champlain
Same Budget, New Costs – Budgeting in 2022 and Beyond
Nicky was born and raised in Quebec City until the sound of the Canadian Rockies called her name in the early 80s.
Exploring the west coast of Canada – which was supposed to last one ski season – turned into 18 great years where she was swept away by the crisp air, mountains and access to nature that this side of the country had to offer. She was fortunate enough to get involved in opening up boutique hotels and experienced the exhilarating world of helicopter skiing.
Nicky eventually left the Rocky Mountains for the ocean coast of California and entered the world of meeting planning and DMC in the U.S. During that time, she had the opportunity to create memorable events throughout the country and world.
Years later, when she moved back to Canada, Nicky joined JPdL Destination Management as the director of sales. She has had the great pleasure of working along a passionate team of professionals for the last 19 years!
Nicky has been involved with FICP for more than 20 years and continues to forge wonderful partnerships and friendships from the valuable and respected array of clients and hospitality partners. Her passion is still there and she hopes to share it with you for years to come!
Fabia Reinle, CMP
Same Budget, New Costs – Budgeting in 2022 and Beyond
With a career of almost 20 years in the events industry, Fabia has had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients in creating customized, impactful and successful experiences. Managing large-scale programs and C-Suite communications are her forte, with proven expertise in integrating stakeholders to align strategy and deliver results. Over her career, she has ably taken on many hats from executive producer to content manager to stage manager and beyond, to successfully execute programs of varying scale and scope. Having strategized events for various industries, from financial services to brand programs in cosmetics, Fabia is known to seize a challenge and hit the ground running to produce results. Coming to Encore from PwC, Fabia joined the Encore team as a seasoned event professional, with deep knowledge of events in a professional services firm setting. Being multi-lingual and running like a Swiss clock surely helps Fabia navigate any circumstances, and her passion for production continually sparks her to find new ways to create engaging and experiential events for all attendees.
Jonathan Williams
Same Budget, New Costs – Budgeting in 2022 and Beyond
Chef Jonathan Williams has been cooking for over 17 years, with experience in some of Toronto’s top restaurants, Michelin-starred restaurants in England and a couple short stints in New York. He was the opening sous chef at Richmond Station in Toronto before going to the United Kingdom to work at restaurants such as The Clove Club, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and as Chef de Cuisine at Hedone. Upon his return to Canada, he went on to lead the kitchens as executive chef of Mascot Brewery, LBS, Cru and The Vintage Conservatory.
He joined Patk Hyatt Toronto as part of the opening team and is currently the executive sous chef. Chef Jonathan likes to keep his food clean and precise, sourcing the best ingredients and letting them shine. He has a strong passion sustainability, working with local farmers and pairing his tasting menus with wine. He has also recently became a certified sommelier.
Jennifer Glynn
What's New in Destinations and Experiences?
Jenn Glynn’s 25-plus years in the industry, including sales roles across Canada with Delta, Pan Pacific, Kimpton, Starwood and Marriott, has helped her become a strong advocate for customers and the M.E. team. She is dedicated to her role, taking a personal approach, consistently striving to ensure all details are well managed for her clients. Jenn is an extremely passionate person whose focus is that the customer is at the center of every decision she makes.
As managing partner with Meeting Encore and Vice President, Client Engagement for Intuitive Conferences + Events, Jenn builds on her established relationships and industry knowledge to create strong partnerships. Her extensive experience has allowed her to master any challenge and provide solutions. Jenn believes in being an active volunteer and mentor within the industry. She sits on the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) International Board of Directors and has also volunteered with FICP, MPI and many charitable organizations.
When not attached to her cell phone, Jenn can be found in the garden surrounded by her two dogs and husband David. She also loves cooking for family and friends.