AMA

Rama Sow - Founder of The Study

Rama Sow is a data scientist with a proven track record of innovation and impact. Recently graduating with a Master's degree in Business Intelligence from HEC Montréal, Rama is deeply passionate about leveraging data to empower organizations and individuals to make informed decisions. 

As founder of The Study and le déli, she pioneered a platform that enables brands, athletes and creatives to leverage the power of qualitative research, data science and analytics. In addition, Rama also held the position of data scientist at Cossette, where she provided actionable insights to support strategic initiatives for a diverse range of clients including BRP, SAQ/SQDC, Bonjour Québec, Destination Canada, Telus, Amazon Web Services, Loto-Québec and more.

Léo Breton-Allaire - Partner and Creative Director at Caserne

Léo is partner and creative director at Caserne. He has actively contributed to shaping brands both locally and internationally, including the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), Moment Factory, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MBAM), the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC), Adisq, Orage, 2K Games, and many others. Over the past 12 years, his work has earned more than a hundred awards in various national and international competitions, including the Art Directors Club, Type Directors Club, Dieline, Communication Arts, the Advertising and Design Club of Canada, Applied Arts, and Idéa.

Léo est associé et directeur de création chez Caserne. Il a contribué activement à façonner des marques tant localement que internationalement, notamment le Conseil canadien pour les réfugiés (CCR), Moment Factory, le Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal (MBAM), le Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC), Adisq, Orage, 2K Games, et bien d’autres. Au cours des 12 dernières années, son travail a remporté plus d’une centaine de prix lors de divers concours nationaux et internationaux, notamment au Art Directors Club, Type Directors Club, Dieline, Communication Arts, Advertising and Design Club of Canada, Applied Arts, et Idéa. 

Marie Chénier - Graphic Designer at Caserne

Marie Chénier is a Montreal-based graphic designer. She graduated from UQAM’s School of design in 2019 and developed a branding expertise in smaller like larger organizations such as Sid Lee and Caserne, where she currently works. Her creative playground combines typography, lettering, motion design and illustration to build thoughtful and memorable visual identity systems. Driven by a desire to shape culture and create a positive social impact, she aims to bring uniqueness, beauty and meaning in each project, with a strong attention to detail. Marie’s work has been recognized internationally in competitions like Young Guns, Cannes Lions, One Show, ADC, ISTD and D&AD.

Marie Chénier est une designer graphique basée à Montréal. Diplômée de l’École de design de l’UQAM en 2019, elle a développé une expertise en branding au sein de petites et grandes organisations telles que Sid Lee et Caserne, où elle travaille présentement. Son terrain de jeu créatif combine la typographie, le lettrage, le motion design et l’illustration pour bâtir des systèmes d’identité visuelle réfléchis et mémorables. Animée par un désir de façonner la culture et de créer un impact social positif, elle cherche à donner un caractère unique, de la beauté et du sens à chaque projet, avec un grand soucis du détail. Le travail de Marie a été reconnu internationalement par des concours comme Young Guns, Cannes Lions, One Show, ADC, ISTD et D&AD.

Julian Mckenzie - Staff Writer at The Athletic

Julian McKenzie is a staff writer for The Athletic's NHL vertical and is based in Ottawa. He also hosts The Chris Johnston Show with The Athletic's Chris Johnston. Julian's work can also be found in the New York Times, FiveThirtyEight, CTV Montreal, The Canadian Press, the Montreal Gazette, The Sporting News and in other publications. Julian has also hosted podcasts and web shows for Yahoo! Sports, the Montreal Gazette and WatchMojo, as well as radio shows on Sportsnet 960, Fan 590 and TSN 690.

Francis Dumais - Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Elevent

Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Elevent, Francis Dumais and the team at Elevent are pioneering a data-driven approach to sponsorships with the industry’s first Sponsorship Lifecycle Management solution: a one-stop shop for evaluating and capitalizing on high-ticket sports, music, and other entertainment sponsorship opportunities. As co-founder and managing partner at Elevent, Francis works closely with clients to optimize each step of the sponsorship journey from selection, valuation, negotiation and activation to performance measurement and ROI. Francis understands that strategic sponsorship investments must be closely tied to corporate business objectives to clearly demonstrate the value they deliver back to the business. In addition to 15 years of hands-on industry experience, Francis has a masters in marketing from HEC Montréal

TECH

Giuliana Contavalli - CRM & Loyalty Program Manager at LUSH

Giuliana Contavalli is a seasoned CRM & Loyalty Program Manager at LUSH, leveraging her expertise in fashion and tech to foster inclusive customer experiences. With over 7 years of experience in data management and multi-channel growth, Giuliana is passionate about integrating diverse perspectives into tech strategies. As a leader at LUSH, she advocates for greater representation of BIPOC talent in tech and data-driven roles, ensuring customer journeys reflect the richness of diverse communities. Her work is dedicated to empowering underrepresented groups and driving equity in the digital space.

Duraney White - Associate Consultant at Slalom

Duraney White is an experienced associate consultant at Slalom with a robust background in the sporting goods industry, specializing in customer service, digital wholesale sales, and Salesforce Cloud implementations. Currently an Associate Consultant at Slalom, he is known for his collaborative approach and strategic vision in delivering impactful digital solutions. Passionate about community and culture, Duraney previously led initiatives at adidas, where he developed digital strategies, managed high-profile product launches, and spearheaded community programs under the United Against Racism initiative.

Della Orrey

Della Orrey (she/they) is a Tiohtià:ke – Mooniyang – Montréal based creative entrepreneur who has founded Public Deity Records that seeks to investigate the post pandemic landscape of the music/recording industry while establishing their emerging artist catalog under the moniker Djeity. Their freelance work as a music composer and sound designer supports a variety of visual formats ranging from (but not limited to) short film, advertising, TV series and virtual reality. Aside from her creative endeavours, Della manages label operations for the FYEO network – a joint venture between Sony Music and Vancouver based media company District.

Books - Founder/Designer of Atelier Detail

Books is a 25-year-old fashion designer from Peru, now based in Montreal. After three years of fashion school, he made the decision to drop out in his final semester in 2021 to launch his own denim brand. Specializing in crafting high-quality jeans with vintage sewing machines, Books opened his studio in 2023 and quickly made a name for himself. Known for his ambition, he’s not just designing jeans—he’s positioning Montreal as an unexpected force in global fashion. His brand represents a new era of craftsmanship and bold creativity.

Marie-Michèle Bonneau - Co-founder of TEAMM.agency

With over 20 years in the Canadian Beauty & Fashion industry and 15 years as an Artist Agent, I’ve sharpened my skills across three major agencies before co-founding TEAMM.agency in 2016.

I’ve built a reputation for nurturing emerging talents with the platforms and guidance they need to thrive, while also managing the careers of senior artists to help them adapt and sustain their impact. My flair for discovering new voices and dedication to supporting established professionals have shaped my career, solidifying my role as a champion for both rising stars and seasoned experts in Beauty & Fashion.

Julia Vumiliavira - Superviseure, ​​Médias de performance chez Glassroom

Antoine Lasalle - Associate Director, Programmatic & Social at Glassroom