With a wealth of experience in the international education sector, Carlos Cantu is leading the way in building strong partnerships in Canada as the Education Partnerships Director Canada at PeopleCert. Over the course of his 20-year career, Carlos has held various roles, including working as an agent, accommodation and internship placement provider, international student recruiter, and International Affairs Officer at the University of British Columbia. Now at PeopleCert, Carlos is focused on delivering world-class certification services and increasing recognition for the LanguageCert English Proficiency test through educational partnerships.

Jon has over 20 years of experience in the ESL industry, both public and private, in Mexico and Canada. During his career, he has progressed from teaching and training positions into Director of Studies and Centre Director roles and is currently the Head of Operations (Canada) at EC English Language Centres. Jon has delivered presentations and served on several committees at various conferences including Languages Canada.

Seorim joined Coast Mountain College (CMTN) in October 2022 as an International Marketing Officer and is responsible for developing concepts and content for international marketing initiatives and social media strategy. Before joining the Marketing and Recruitment team, Seorim worked at the CMTN Registrar’s office, where she built a knowledge of student services in admissions and registration. Prior to this, she had 3 years of experience as an event coordinator. Seorim has a Bachelor’s degree in Film from Dankook University (Korea.)

Paul holds a JD in Law, MS in Education and BA in Psychology and has worked in various private educational organizations in Ontario, including career colleges, high schools and language schools in roles relating to academics, management, and compliance.

Kim is the Commercial Director IELTS at IDP Education, a testament to her love for working with people who are interested in the bigger picture of international education and its ability to impact and improve the world. Born in Australia, Kim has lived in the U.K. and China, and has worked and travelled extensively around the globe, working in sectors including healthcare, IT, and, for the last 10 years, in international education. Her current role includes responsibility for government relations, stakeholder engagement, marketing, and new product development. Recently, she has been involved in the development of IELTS Smart Learning - a language learning and assessment app designed for teenagers in China, and IELTS One Skill Retake. Kim has an active interest in test equivalencies and what this means for organizations that use English Language Proficiency tests. She has, presented at global conferences in international education including NAFSA, English Australia, and the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC), and served on committees for both NAFSA and AIEC.

A graduate of Centennial College and Brock University’s Recreation & Leisure Studies program, Kendall brings an appreciation not only for the therapeutic impact and importance of engagement with recreation & leisure opportunities within the context of promoting optimal individual and community mental health & wellness, but also, understanding how psychoeducation can operate as a catalyst for growth and transformation. Kendall proudly and openly positions himself within the collective BIPOC & 2SLGBTQ*+ community; as he continues to look for and create opportunities to further his own healing and learning through training as a psychodynamic psychotherapist (currently in year 4 of 5), he is inspired and dedicated to leveraging his education, privilege, social location, and experiences to help support the need for equity-advocacy and the amplification of voices from within our collective marginalized communities.

Jonathan has spent most of his professional life in the language teaching industry. He started out as a teacher, working in Spain, Germany, and the UK, but soon moved into management, and ending up running a small multinational group of schools, several of which he started. Jonathan also set up Net Languages, one of the world’s first Web-based language schools, and in 2020 he cofounded Green Standard Schools, a global association of language schools that are committed to protecting the environment. Jonathan is also working on several Erasmus projects, including Virtual Reality for Language Leaners (VR4LL) which was recently named as a finalist for the British Council's 2022 ELTons awards in the category of Digital Innovation.

Suehila (Sue-hi-la) has worked as a foreign service officer at Global Affairs Canada since 2003, working in bilateral relations, peace and security, democracy policy, defence, and trade. Since 2019, she has served as the Deputy Director for Policy, Partnerships and Mobility at the International Education Division. Suehila is responsible for the government to government relations as it pertains to this sector (bilateral, federal-provincial-territorial, and multilateral), as well as the management of a $10M Scholarships program attracting international students to study on Canadian campuses. She works closely with the other teams to promote Canada as a top study destination abroad.

Danielle, in her role as Associate Dean of the English Language Institute, oversees the EAP and TESL Programs. She holds a Master's degree in 2^nd Language Education from the University of Toronto, a Master's degree in TESOL from University College London, and a PhD in Language & Literacies Education from the University of Toronto. Danielle also holds many ESL teaching and teacher training credentials from the University of Cambridge.

John is a Master of Applied Linguistics graduate with almost 20 years of experience in the private ESL industry in both Turkey and Canada. During this time, he has taught ESL, Pathways and was a TESOL teacher-trainer. Since 2010, John has been the Academic Director at two of the largest private sector schools in Toronto. He also volunteered for the TESL Ontario Private Sector Committee. John has delivered presentations at various conferences including Languages Canada and the EUSA Professional Development Conference.

Using her background as an educator and mental health practitioner, Christina is the exuberant Mental Health and Wellness Specialist with guard.meCARES. She works most often with organizations that are education- or community-based, with clinical specialization in the areas of substance-use disorders, mood-related disorders, behaviour, anger, and stress management, as well as anxiety and trauma-related disorders. Prior to becoming a mental health counsellor, Christina devoted 15 years to supporting students’ wellbeing as an educator and administrator within the K-12 private sector. Devoting two decades to empowering individuals and creating opportunities for positive transformation and growth, Christina brings a track record of authenticity, inspiration, and passion to everything she does.

Originally from the Maritimes, Shawna Garrett has held registrarial and enrolment services positions at Acadia University, NSCAD University, College of the North Atlantic – Qatar, and Mount Allison University. She has also worked as a superintendent, principal, and dean at international schools in Japan and China. Shawna holds degrees from the University of Prince Edward Island and Acadia University and is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in educational studies through Nova Scotia’s inter-university doctoral program. Shawna has been the President and CEO of EduNova since September 2022. She was a member of EduNova’s founding board back in 2004 and has volunteered in a variety of capacities with the organization since its inception.

Elisa began her journey with EC (formerly known as LSC) in 1998. She holds a BA in Business Management from Concordia University with a minor in Human Resource Management.

Jasmin has almost a decade of experience in student support and mentorship in international education from her work at Heartland, International College of Manitoba, and The University of Winnipeg. Her work has also been informed by her strength-based client support experience at non-profit organizations like Youth Employment Services Manitoba and Women's Health Clinic. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Jasmin is passionate about discovering and promoting unique and inclusive places, services, and experiences for international students.

Gary Gervais is the founder and president of Heartland International English School, with locations in Winnipeg, MB and Mississauga, ON. He also serves as a member of the Executive Committee on the Languages Canada Board of Directors and on the Board of the Manitoba Council for International Education.

Simone is a PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina, where she has been an English for Academic Purposes educator in the English as a Second Language Program since 2003. Guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, she works to decolonize English language teaching. Her research into ESL students’ experiences with Indigenous peoples has been disseminated through conference presentations and published in a co-authored book chapter.

Julian L’Enfant has over 25 years experience in language school management and language teacher education in the private and public sectors and has been a Cambridge Assessment English teacher-trainer/assessor since 2001 working in many parts of the world. He currently works as an Educational Developer, Teacher Support at Saint Mary’s University, and is also an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Education teaching a range of courses in the International Master of Teaching English (IMTE) program. He has an M.Ed. in Plurilingual Education from the University of Aberdeen, UK, and has just started his Ph.D. journey at Lancaster University, UK focusing on E-Research & Technology Enhanced Learning.

Rachel Lindsey is the Director of Public Affairs and Operations at Languages Canada, overseeing the association’s government relations and public engagement initiatives. Rachel has been active in the international education sector for 18 years. Prior to joining Languages Canada, Rachel worked with the International Relations team at Universities Canada, and with the International Education Marketing team at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (now Global Affairs Canada.) Rachel holds a Bachelors of Commerce from Carleton University (Ottawa) and a Masters of Science in Development Management from the London School of Economics (London, UK.)

J.R. Lockwood is Principal Assessment Scientist for the Duolingo English Test. He earned his PhD in Statistics from Carnegie Mellon University and has conducted research at organizations such as RAND and ETS. Dr. Lockwood specializes in statistics, psychometrics, latent variable modeling, and data analysis, making him an expert in the field of assessment and measurement. His expertise is an asset to Duolingo as they continue to develop and improve their English language testing program.

Wendy Luther is a leader in economic and export development, with vast experience promoting Nova Scotia and its assets globally. Before joining Halifax Partnership in 2019, Wendy was President & CEO of EduNova. Under her leadership, EduNova was honoured with the prestigious international PIEoneer Association of the Year Award in 2017. Prior to that, Wendy led export development initiatives with the Atlantic Canada World Trade Centre and Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) where she led trade missions to over twenty countries and mentored and advised over 300 Nova Scotian exporters on how to be competitive in international markets. Wendy has served on and led numerous boards and committees supporting Nova Scotia and Canada’s economic development and innovation competitiveness, and is currently a member of the International Women’s Forum – Atlantic Chapter. Wendy possesses a BA in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, an MBA from Saint Mary’s University, and holds a Certified International Trade Professional designation (CITP.)

Sean Lynch is an Assistant Director with the International Experience Canada (IEC) program at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. As part of the mandate of this reciprocal youth mobility program, Sean manages external partnerships with a range of Canadian organizations that provide support services to youth in planning their international work and travel experience; and assist with the promotion of the IEC program to both international and Canadian youth audiences. Prior to his role with IEC, Sean worked in newcomer settlement policy with IRCC. He has also held positions in the Government of Canada portfolios of environment, health and employment and social development. Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Trent University.

Jennifer publishes and presents on topics at the intersection of applied linguistics and the internationalization of higher education. Her most recent research tackles the question of how to ensure a more equitable academic experience for students of diverse linguistic backgrounds at Canadian universities.

Elizabeth is the Assistant Director of the English Language Institute at Renison University College, University of Waterloo. She possesses more than 20 years of experience in the field of English language teaching and administration, both in ESL and EAP. Elizabeth is committed to supporting student learning and inspiring students to be confident, autonomous learners.

On leaving university, Mike worked as a teacher of English in France before entering the world of publishing as a lexicographer. Mike joined Pearson in 2003 and headed up the Longman dictionaries list until his move into Learning Research and Design in 2013. In this role, Mike leads a team of learning designers that developed the Global Scale of English. Mike has a BA (Hons) in French Language and Literature and a Masters in English and Applied Linguistics from Cambridge University.

Dr. Ayesha Mushtaq is a language and higher education practitioner with a strong interest in internationalization, intercultural communication, higher ed. curriculum and pedagogy. Her doctoral research is in educational leadership and internationalization of higher education curriculum as it pertains to global competency development, classroom diversity, inclusion, equity and differentiated learning. Her professional research experience includes detailed study of how universities must take up social responsibility as their third mission and strengthen the local and regional communities they surround.

iCent app was founded and developed by Ganesh Neelanjanmath, a former international student who arrived in Canada in 2010 to pursue post-graduation. With an engineering degree in Computer Science from B.V.B. College of Engineering and Technology, Karnataka, India, an ITIL V3 Foundation Certification and over 15 years of experience working in India, Europe, Canada and the US, Ganesh served multiple organizations as a software programmer, business analyst, an intrapreneur leading and managing teams and innovative projects. Based on his own experience as an international student in Canada, in 2015, Ganesh founded iCent – The International Student app to empower public institutions with an effective information delivery and communication management tool to bridge the gap between International Offices and International Students. The app has served over five hundred thousand international students across 800 campuses in Canada, the USA, New Zealand and the European Union.

In addition to his role as Director of ILSC Toronto, Ali also manages ILSC's University Pathway and Higher Education program at the national level. Ali holds a Master's degree in English Literature and a Master's degree in 2^nd Language Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. He has over thirty years of education industry experience in different capacities, both in Canada and internationally.

Chris Parades is the Business Development Manager for Western Canada and French Programs at ICEF. Prior to joining ICEF, Chris served as an International Recruitment Manager in the K-12 sector for many years. His recruitment work was extensive throughout Brazil, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russian-speaking countries; he is well versed in student recruitment marketing and working with agents. Chris enjoys supporting institution and service providers with their recruitment goals and strategies.

Esther is dedicated to supporting student mobility and advancing quality and equity in education. While serving as the Canadian representative of the ETS TOEFL program, she aims to help academic institutions in Canada meet their international student recruitment goals by applying 15 years of expertise and experience in partnership development, account management, channel building & direct student recruitment for the English language (teaching) sector in Canada, the USA, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Malta.

Gonzalo was named the Executive Director of Languages Canada in 2010. Prior to joining Languages Canada, he served as the President of AILIA (Association de l'industrie de la langue/Language Industry Association). His career in language education has spanned over 30 years, with experience in translation, language technologies and language education. Gonzalo is fluent in French, English and Spanish. At Languages Canada he has devoted his efforts to raising the visibility of language education in Canada and globally. He is also responsible for bringing together the elements that now form the world-respected Languages Canada Quality Assurance Framework. His passion for language education comes not just from life and professional experience, but from the belief that language is an essential pillar of education and of just, peaceful, and creative societies. 

Nicole has over 25 years of experience in second language training. She and her team work to position the CCNB as a leader in skills assessment and language training in Atlantic Canada, and contribute to the successful integration and retention of French-speaking immigrants in Canada's Francophone community. She is currently leading a national project in collaboration with the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB) to develop a core curriculum for the professional development of teachers of language training for immigrants to Canada (LINC). Nicole also has extensive experience on national committees involved in methodology, evaluation and second language training, including the National Language Advisory Committee and the Pan-Canadian Advisory Committee on Language Training for Immigrants in Francophone Minority Communities - CCLB.

Hannah, in her role as Manager for the English for Academic Purposes program at the Toronto School of Management, leads the EAP academic and student services team. She has over 15 years of experience within the language learning sector, both in Canada and internationally. Having first started as an ESL instructor, she has put her professional growth and passion into delivering innovative and future-focused English language learning opportunities. She specializes in areas of curriculum design and program planning/development as well as teacher management and training.

Jasmine Qi is the Senior Manager, Program Development and Innovation at Tourism HR Canada. She leads programs and initiatives to support immigrants and other equity-deserving groups by developing proposals, designing and implementing projects, and conducting policy research with great passion and enthusiasm to build an inclusive community where everyone belongs. She brings extensive experience in immigrant settlement and integration, career development, employment counseling, mentorship, policy development, and human resource management, with a Master’s degree in human resource management from University of Regina, and a Bachelor of Law degree from the top law school in China.

Hélène Rochon is a language training coordinator for the Language Learning Centre Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB). She has taught French as a second language in both public and private organizations in Canada for over 10 years. She holds a Master's degree in French Studies from the Université de Moncton and a Graduate degree in Community Economic Development from Concordia University, Montreal. Hélène then pursued her career as a project manager and development officer, notably with Frontier College (a national literacy organization), Chantiers jeunesse, the Corporation de développement économique communautaire de Sherbrooke (Quebec), and the District scolaire francophone Sud in New Brunswick.

Harris was admitted to practice law in Ontario in 1994. His focus is on the representative of private colleges, investor groups, language schools, and corporate training institutions across the country, with an emphasis on regulatory compliance and government accountability. He routinely assists clients with regulatory approvals in the purchase and sale of a business, IP matters, labour and employment matters, and education-specific litigation issues. In 2018, Harris established his own professional corporation after working as a capital partner and heading up the firm's Education Law Group in a mid-sized Toronto law firm for many years. He has advised some of Canada's largest language schools, and between 2019 and 2022, Harris has represented both large law firms (as regulatory counsel to transaction counsel) on corporate transactions well exceeding $500M CDN, all of which transactions closed. www.harrisrosen.com

With a passion for student and teacher empowerment, Natalie brings over twenty years’ experience to the education field. She was involved in the creation and delivery of TESL Canada approved teacher training programs for several years, which led to several positions in academic administration. For the past six years, Natalie has been involved in the academic leadership at Toronto Film School, most notably in the creation of the first-of-its-kind ESL pathway program in Canada for creatives. In 2022, Natalie was appointed as Academic Coordinator for Toronto Film School, developing and delivering PD workshops for faculty and staff, coordinating new course development, and overseeing the ESL Pathway Program for TFS and Yorkville University. Natalie’s recent completion of her master’s degree in Educational Leadership has left her inspired to do more for teacher empowerment, which ultimately leads to more equitable, intercultural, and transformative learning environments for students.

Based in Bogota, Colombia, Philip oversees the British Council’s assessment delivery and partner support across the region. He has had a long career with the British Council, having previously been Regional Examinations Director in the Middle East and then Europe, and was also previously Global Deputy Director – IELTS, during which time he directly oversaw the British Council’s IELTS program in Canada.

Diego is Director, International Affairs at Languages Canada. He has over 10 years’ experience in the private and public sectors, having worked at Global Affairs Canada and different international NGOs. Past experiences entailed working with education agents, government, associations, and chambers of commerce to organize trade missions around the globe. Diego is fluent in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese and has advanced knowledge of German.

Monèle has acquired extensive experience in all aspects of education through her teaching career, her role as school principal, and director of the international education program. Prior to joining the ICEF, Monèle was Director of the International Education Department for ten years at the Louis-Riel School Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she was responsible for the strategy and management of the international education program, International Kindergarten to Grade 12, and the Higher Institute of Vocational Education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Manitoba.

Hugo Silva Franco is a passionate sales professional serving Air Canada's customers throughout Brazil. His role is to liaise with consolidators, tour operators, students and leisure markets to maximize sales and strengthen the relationship with Air Canada as a preferred partner.

Before moving back to Europe, Igor Skibickij managed the company’s China branch, based in Tianjin, China for 7 years. During his tenure, Igor quickly became an industry expert on China and Southeast Asia and has since been advising clients on the development of regional markets and marketing strategies. He is now responsible for daily operations at BONARD and is also a regular speaker presenting actively at key industry events. Igor has been with the company for more than a decade, having acted as a regional manager on behalf of various clients. Igor has an MA in Political Science and speaks fluent English, German, and Ukrainian, with limited proficiency in Mandarin.

Mr. Surette has been Rector and Vice Chancellor of Université Sainte-Anne since January 1, 2011. A native of West Pubnico, N.S., Mr. Surette was elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature from the riding of Argyle in 1993. He held several political positions until 1998, including Special Advisor on Acadian and Francophone Governance in the Provincial Public School System, Minister of Human Resources and Minister of Acadian Affairs. From 1998 to 2003, he was President and CEO of Collège de l'Acadie, the only francophone community college in Nova Scotia. Beginning in April 2000, Mr. Surette played a key role in the creation and development of the current version of Université Sainte-Anne, a French-language post-secondary institution resulting from the amalgamation of the former Université Sainte-Anne and Collège de l'Acadie. Mr. Surette currently serves as Chair of the Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue, the Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse and the organizing committee for the next Congrès mondial acadien, which will be held in southwestern Nova Scotia in 2024.

Jean-Philippe Tachdjian is Executive Director of the International Education Division at Global Affairs Canada, having served previously as Deputy Director responsible for Education marketing between 2005 and 2011. Prior to this assignment, he was Director of the Investor Services and the Investment Promotion Divisions, as well as Deputy Director for Trade Strategy. Jean-Philippe has held several posts abroad, serving at the Canadian Embassies in Cairo (Egypt), Washington DC (USA) and Amman (Jordan). He received the Canadian Foreign Service Award in 2010, Ministerial Awards for Excellence in 1999 and 2007, and a Deputy Minister's Special Mention Award in 2017. Jean-Philippe possesses a BA in Political Science from McGill University (1991); an LLB from l’Université de Montréal (1994) and a JD from York University (1995). Jean-Philippe is an honorary member of Languages Canada.

Philippe Taza has worked in higher education marketing and recruitment since 2001. He began his higher ed career as a recruitment officer at a college in Vancouver, BC. Advancing into recruitment management, he developed his skills in online marketing and trained in web analytics to more effectively manage marketing performance. In 2008, Philippe founded Higher Education Marketing, a digital marketing agency dedicated to helping schools, colleges and universities market themselves online, offering expertise and services in lead generation, web design, content development, branding, paid advertising, SEO, social media and analytics.

Dianne has spent thirty-one years in the education sector in multiple countries, engaged in teaching, institutional management, and regional management with public and private sector educational organizations. Dianne possesses a PhD from the University of Toronto, an MBA from Western University and a Master’s of Applied Linguistics from the University of Queensland (Australia).

As the Digital Marketing Manager of the International Education Division at Global Affairs Canada, Audree manages EduCanada’s international advertising campaigns and online presence. She brings more than 10 years of digital marketing experience in both public and private sectors to the role to raise awareness of the EduCanada brand and Canadian education institutions' offerings to the international student audience. Audree collaborates with various stakeholders on messaging and targeting strategies that align with Canada's needs and priorities.

After an extensive career with Toronto Metropolitain University, formerly Ryerson University, Dahlia has recently joined the British Council supporting the IELTS portfolio and Recognition. Dahlia went from international recruitment to focussing on the Canadian market and supporting colleagues throughout Canada with IELTS. In her role with the British Council, she has the joy to support test takers looking to make Canada their home or their study destination. She is a proud Torontonian, born and raised, and an avid tea drinker - Earl Grey being her favourite.