Gena Sherwood is Lead Client Partner at Pinterest Canada, bringing years of experience driving results across industries; including CPG, Telco, Tech, and Financial Services. A passionate community builder, Gena pioneered Pinterest’s international ERG expansion and now serves as the Global Lead for the Blackboard ERG, in addition to her role as Pinterest Canada’s Philanthropy Impact Ambassador. Prior to joining Pinterest, she managed cereal brand marketing at General Mills and held positions at Microsoft and Google.
Mary Ventresca is Chief Marketing Officer at Pattison Outdoor where she leads brand strategy, communications, research, and product marketing for Canada’s largest out-of-home media company. With deep expertise in data-led planning, audience intelligence and the evolving role of OOH in a digital-first media mix, Mary is known for translating complex insights into clear, commercially actionable strategies. She is a frequent industry speaker and advisor, focused on helping brands and agencies unlock the full power of physical media in a modern marketing ecosystem.
Andrea Laurin is a Group Account Director at Publicis Hawkeye, where she leads the Rogers CRM portfolio, bringing together creative, data, and technology to deliver meaningful customer experiences. A Chartered Marketer (CM) with the Canadian Marketing Association, Andrea has over a decade of experience working with major brands including Petco, Intuit, and UNICEF Canada, and brings a deep understanding of customer-centric marketing. This year, she joined the Canadian Marketing Association’s Customer Experience Council, and outside of work she volunteers with the City of Burlington doing pet therapy.
Mick Higgins is a Senior Director of Product & Solutions at Kinesso (Omnicom), where he helps global brands turn data, media, and technology into measurable business growth. An entrepreneur at heart, Mick previously co‑founded Caddle, a consumer insights platform that secured investment from four Dragons on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. With experience spanning startups, agency life, and product leadership, he’s passionate about practical, career‑building advice and mentoring the next generation of marketers.
