Meet Our Judges

AJ Jones
CSO
McCann

AJ is first and foremost a fan of creative problem solving and the importance of strategy in unleashing impactful creativity. In a career that has spanned multiple markets across both Europe and North America, AJ  has had the good fortune of working on some of the world’s most famous brands and elevating some hidden gems previously unknown. AJ sits on McCann Worldgroup’s Global Strategic Leadership Council and since joining McCann Canada AJ has helped bring the agency to Effie Agency of the Year and Silver Digital Agency of the Year. Having judged both creative and effectiveness shows globally, AJ is well dialled in to identifying great strategy.

Bob Park
Chief Brand Officer
GE Appliances

Bob Park is the Chief Brand Officer for GE, Café, Monogram and Haier Appliances in Canada. In addition to corporate communications and branding, his responsibility encompasses strategy, public relations, digital, advertising, promotions, and E-Commerce initiatives. Drawing on more than 15 years of B2B/B2C sales and marketing experience, including leadership roles with globally recognized home electronics and computer brands, he is a proponent of digital innovation as well as a retail execution strategist. Bob has been recognized for championing women's equity initiatives as well as spearheading corporate involvement with Canada Soccer. Bob also serves the Canadian marketing community on the Strategy Magazine CMO Council and CMO Council Global Advisory Board.

Sophie Annick-Vallee
Chief Strategy Officer
LG2

Sabrina Babooram
Partner, Head of Strategy
Academy

Shelley Brown
Chief Strategy Officer
FCB

A strategic planner by trade with extensive experience in agency management, Shelley
is driven by a fascination with motivating people, whether customers in their relationship with brands, or clients and employees in their relationships with agencies.

Shelley joined FCB in 2015, and under her leadership, FCB has become a strategic
powerhouse, with 6 of the country's top 10 strategists on the team, the first Gold
Cannes Lion in Strategy, and most importantly, ideas that build brands and drive
business results for our clients.

Shelley’s 33-year advertising career began in market research where she learned to dig
for insights. She later moved on to Strategic Planning at creative shops Roche Macaulay
& Partners, zig and CP+B. Shelley joined FCB from BBDO, where she led the strategy
discipline for Canada. Over her career, Shelley has crafted the strategies behind award
winning campaigns for such brands as IKEA, the Bank of Montreal, Canadian Down
Syndrome Society, Unilever, Molson and BMW among others.

Shelley has served as Strategy Chair of the Miami Ad School, Toronto, and Chair of the
Strategy Awards and a Global Effie judge. She has won over 50 Cannes Lions, so far.
She and her husband of 31 years have 3 children: a welder, a hockey player and a
scholar. Fair warning: Shelley’s hot pickled peppers are not to be trifled with.

Caroline Burke
Country Leader
P&G

A strategic beauty executive with a passion for data-driven consumer insights, Caroline leads P&G’s portfolio of beauty brands in Canada, identifying growth opportunities and emerging trends to drive brand success. A key catalyst behind the transformation of P&G’s personal care segment in Canada, she has been instrumental in elevating the understanding of how to win with underserved groups of Canadian consumers. At P&G Caroline applies her deep expertise in brand management, shopper marketing, business and communication planning, and product and commercial innovation to drive brand success. As  a trusted mentor and leader of P&G’s brand mentorship program, Caroline is committed to fostering talent and guiding the next generation of marketing leaders.

D'Arcy Finley
VP, Brand Marketing
Maple Leaf Foods

Julian Franklin
President
Franklin Management Group

Julian Franklin is a Canadian Marketing Hall of Fame member, and business leader with 20+ years client and agency experience in consumer-packaged goods and sports industries. His expertise includes strategic planning, communications, and marketing. His career is distinguished by marketing leadership roles in Canada and the U.S. where he perennially achieved successful business results. Julian has worked for industry leading organizations Toronto Blue Jays, Weston Foods, and Kraft Heinz, where he was North American lead for Kraft Hockeyville. As Managing Director for Geometry Global, he was responsible for leading high-performance teams and creating retail marketing programs for Unilever, GSK, Tim Horton’s and Danone.
Currently he is President, Franklin Management Group Inc. (FMG), a strategic planning, sponsorship and activation consultancy for blue chip clients Danone, Clorox, Kids Help Phone, Kruger, Amazon, Lerners Law Group, and Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Julian’s corporate governance experience is extensive, currently sitting as President, University of Ottawa Alumni Council(Toronto Chapter), and Board of Director/Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair - Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada. He is also a Founding Member of POCAM(People of Colour in Advertising & Marketing), an association that advocates the inclusion and advancement of Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour(BIPOC) within Marketing.

Brett Huttman
VP, Strategy, Marketing & Communications.
Purolator

Brett Huttman is the Vice President, Strategy, Marketing & Communications at Purolator Inc., Canada's leading integrated freight, parcel, and logistics solutions provider. Brett joined Purolator in 2021, bringing with him extensive experience in marketing, strategy, and innovation. Prior to joining Purolator, Brett served as the Head of Strategy and Innovation at the LCBO, leading the introduction of on-demand delivery of alcohol in the province.

In his current role, Brett oversees the marketing, communications, and strategy functions, responsible for developing the long-term strategic plan and stewarding the brand for Purolator. He is known for his ability to identify and capitalize on emerging trends, and his expertise in developing innovative product and service offerings that meet the evolving needs of customers.

Tom Kenny
CSO & Partner
Courage

Nicole Murray
VP, Marketing
Kruger Products

Nicole is an agile, results-oriented marketer with extensive Tier 1 CPG/Retail experience and a strong track record of developing and executing successful integrated marketing campaigns and business strategies. Nicole brings a wealth of diverse experience having worked on iconic brands at J.M. Smucker, Johnson & Johnson, Wrigley, and Coca-Cola, ranging from Food and Beverage to Pet and Confectionary to OTC and beyond. Nicole was appointed to the role of Vice President of Marketing, Kruger products Inc. where she leads a team responsible for the creation and execution of consumer-first brand marketing strategies for core brands, Cashmere® Bathroom Tissue, Purex® Bathroom Tissue, SpongeTowels® Paper Towels, and Scotties® Facial Tissue.

She has distinctive experience with a total business background having worked in marketing, communications, sales/category management, retail and DEI. She has demonstrated expertise in building brands consumers love including launching new brands, M& A integration, introducing award-winning product and packaging innovation, and creating breakthrough advertising all driven by data and insights.

Nicole believes in the importance of fostering high performance, inclusive teams as well as strong agency partnerships leveraging a people-first approach. Nicole’s passion for finding win-win strategies for both her brands and the overall category has augmented the businesses of both manufacturers and retailers. Nicole is dedicated to going above and beyond to support the broader industry including serving on industry association boards and taking a leadership role in steering Smucker Canada Corp. Inclusion and Diversity strategies recognized for these efforts in 2022 as a winner of a Star Women in Grocery Award.

Outside of work, Nicole spends most of her time in an arena as a busy mom of an 11-
year-old hockey-obsessed son.

Nithya Ramachandran
President, CSO
T1

Nithya Ramachandran is a bold strategist, industry innovator, and advocate for purpose-driven marketing. As President & CSO of T1, an experiences agency, she helps brands create meaningful, lasting connections with the people who matter most. With a career spanning Canada, the UK, Spain, and India, Nithya has led strategic marketing initiatives across diverse industries, from global brands to grassroots movements.

A passionate champion of the power of strategy, Nithya believes that great marketing isn’t just creative—it’s intentional, insight-driven, and built for impact. As a judge for the 2025 Strategy Awards, she brings a sharp eye for strategic thinking, innovation, and work that doesn’t just break through but moves audiences and drives real business results.

Daniel Shearer
CEO
Maple Corporation

Christine Smith
Director, Marketing
Hyundai Canada

As the director of marketing for Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. (HACC), Christine Smith leads a team of 20 marketing and PR professionals along with Hyundai Canada’s extended team of agencies and partners. Christine has a proven track record of building high-performing, cross-functional teams, aimed at solving the challenges brands face today in the increasingly complex and fragmented marketing landscape. With a background in digital, direct and CRM marketing, Smith understands how effective marketing and communications plans can solve current business challenges.

Christine believes in the power of creative and media to come together and drive real business impact and is proud to lead the talented and dedicated marketing team at Hyundai.

Prior to joining Hyundai Canada in 2021, Smith was Senior Vice President of Hyundai Canada’s marketing agency of record, Innocean Worldwide, where she led the Hyundai account for four years. 

Christine has over 20 years of marketing experience with more than 15 years of experience in leading integrated agency teams and delivering award-winning marketing and communications campaigns. Prior to joining Hyundai Smith held a number of progressive roles at BBDO in New York and Toronto, and across a number of categories including CPG, automotive, telecommunications and technology.

Maxine Thomas
Chief Strategy Officer
Zulu Alpha Kilo

Maxine has spent her career in some of Canada’s most admired advertising agencies. Prior to Zulu, she was a partner and Head of Strategy at Rethink, and before that spent 16 years as a partner at TAXI. Over the years she has worked with many of the country’s best-known companies, on national icons such as Molson Canadian and Canadian Tire, disruptor brands such as WestJet, and one-of-a kind brands like Viagra. Her combination of business vision and an inspiring way with words has significantly contributed to some of the best known and most effective brand campaigns of the past two decades. Maxine’s two favourite things are a business problem and a blank sheet of paper.

Alan Wen
Vice President, Marketing
TD

Alan serves as Vice President of Marketing at TD, where he leads the Insurance Marketing team to drive growth through customer acquisition, engagement, and loyalty, across the business' broad offering of General Insurance, Small Business Insurance, and Life & Health Insurance. Alan joined TD in 2010, and is known for his strategic marketing leadership, collaborative approach, and ability to develop high performing teams.  He holds his MBA from the Rotman School of Management, and prior to TD, Alan was a Brand Manager at P&G, where he led some of the world’s most recognizable consumer brands.

Elliott Altilia
Group Strategy Director
Wieden+Kennedy

Pooja Beri
Group Strategy Director
Leo

Heather Cameron
Head of Brand and Creative
DoorDash

Heather Cameron, Director of Brand & Creative at DoorDash Canada, a proud 2SLGBTQ+ leader and “Ma” to 6 year old twins Hank and Rhys. She has followed a non-linear career path holding agency, publisher and client side roles. Heather has produced business driving work, change making programs and award winning creative in her current role and throughout her career across iconic brands like HGTV, The Food Network, Microsoft, Rogers, and Walmart. She embraces the hustle every day and loves every minute of it.

Bill Chamness
VP Strategic Planning
TBWA

Jon Crowley
SVP, Head of Strategy
Fuse Create

Jon Crowley is the SVP, Head of Strategy at FUSE Create, and a strategy leader with
more than 15 years of experience. He has covered nearly every type of strategic work
ad agencies do, most industry verticals, and global, North American, and Canadian
mandates. In the past, Jon has worked at agencies including Sid Lee, Cossette, Publicis
and Diamond, with roles ranging from connections planning to managing strategy
departments. With a passionate focus on figuring out the intersection point between
what people actually think, and what brands need to say, he’s led work for brands
including Pfizer, McDonald’s, The Home Depot, CIBC, The Heart & Stroke Foundation,
and more.

Laura Davis-Saville
Head of Strategy

Donovan D'Souza
Associate Creative Director
Balmoral Multicultural Marketing

New to multicultural. Not new to advertising.

Donovan has spent over twelve years at FCB India, crafting original and effective campaigns across traditional and new media.

Problem solver at mind. Storyteller at heart. He’s won numerous national and international accolades for his work. A Gold at Cannes, Clio, LIA and a Grand Prix at Spikes Asia being the most recent. His experience spans across sectors like automobiles, media, FMCG, retail, and finance.

Today, he finds himself at Balmoral leading the creative team. And he looks forward to not just being part of the Balmoral success story. But writing a chapter of his own.

Milestones behind. Miles ahead.

Samantha Francis
VP, Head of Strategy and Planning
Saatchi & Saatchi

Ken Gamage
Head of Strategy and Research
Publicis Media

Stephanie Gyles
VP of Strategy
Dentsu Creative

Stephanie Gyles is VP, Strategy at Dentsu Canada, bringing over a decade of experience leading strategic work across brand, digital, and integrated communications. She has helped shape award-winning campaigns for brands like BMO, Tim Hortons, Interac, OLG, and IKEA. Her work has earned top industry recognition, including Cannes Lions, an Effie Grand Prix, and a Strategy Grand Prix. Known for using culture to solve the problems culture creates, Stephanie is passionate about driving meaningful impact through insight-driven creativity. She also serves as the Marketing Chair for the Canadian Black Standard, championing equity, inclusion, and leadership for Black women in marketing.

Tanya Kreinin
Chief Marketing Officer
University of Toronto

Tanya Kreinin is the Chief Marketing Officer at the University of Toronto, one of the world’s top academic and research institutions. She leads the university’s global marketing, brand, reputation, and advancement communications strategy across a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.

A visionary marketing and communications leader with over 25 years of executive experience, Tanya has shaped award-winning strategies that enhance institutional reputation, attract top students, strengthen government relations advocacy, drive alumni engagement, and support philanthropic growth.

Her cross-sector background spans senior roles in global agencies and public institutions, with expertise across CPG, finance, healthcare, aviation, telecom, retail, and government. Tanya is known for combining strategic insight, creative innovation, and operational discipline to deliver measurable results.

Her work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, Clio, Effies, CMA, IABC, CASE, and the AMA.

Meera Patel
Director of Marketing
Taco Bell

Paula Port
Vice President Global Marketing
Tourism Toronto

Crystal Sales
Group Strategy Director
Rethink

Catherine Walsh
VP, Marketing and PR
Specsavers

John Xydous
Director, Brand Strategy and Content Marketing
Air Canada