Jessica Winters

Executive Director

Arctic Inspiration Prize

Jessica Winters is the acting Executive Director of the Arctic Inspiration Prize. Originally from Makkovik, Nunatsiavut, Jessica brings a perspective shaped by her lived experience as a northerner, her background in science, and a career spanning arts, culture, community development, and program leadership.

Jessica is also an award-winning artist and arts advocate. Her work across the arts and community sectors has focused on creating opportunities, amplifying northern voices, and exploring contemporary northern experiences. Through her work with the Arctic Inspiration Prize, she supports locally driven ideas and the people behind them, finding ways that investment, collaboration, culture, and capacity can help northern communities shape their own futures.

Operations Manager 

Nunatsiavut Government

Stephanie Webb is an Operations Manager with the Nunatsiavut Government, supporting tourism, Inuit programming, research, partnerships, and operations in the Torngat Mountains region. With family roots in the Torngats, her connection to the region is both personal and professional. Her work with the Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station and programming in Hebron involves bringing together Nunatsiavut Government departments, program leads, partners, researchers, stakeholders, and contracted operators to navigate the unique realities of delivering tourism and programming in a remote and culturally significant region. With a background in environmental studies and experience in contracting and operations, Stephanie is passionate about tourism that supports Inuit-led programming, meaningful opportunities, and connections between people, culture, and place.

A/Strategic Advisor, Office of the Senior Vice President, Operations
Parks Canada / Government of Canada

Julie M. LeBlanc joined the federal public service in 1998 as a student with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Following graduation, she held a variety of leadership roles within DFO, including positions in the Small Craft Harbours Program, as Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister, and in senior management roles in New Brunswick supporting Indigenous fisheries and partnerships. In 2018, Julie joined Parks Canada as Acting Field Unit Superintendent for the New Brunswick South Field Unit and was appointed to the position in March 2019. Following the merger of the Northern and Southern New Brunswick Field Units in 2025, she continued to lead the newly established New Brunswick Field Unit.

Throughout her tenure, Julie worked closely with Acadian and Francophone communities across Atlantic Canada, building partnerships that support the protection, presentation, and promotion of places central to Acadian history, culture, and identity. Through collaboration with community, tourism, and Indigenous partners, she helped advance shared goals related to heritage conservation, visitor experience, and cultural tourism at iconic sites including Kouchibouguac National Park, Fort Beauséjour-Fort Cumberland National Historic Site, Monument-Lefebvre National Historic Site, and Grand-Pré National Historic Site. She also represented Parks Canada as a member of the Atlantic Official Languages Network.

Julie has represented Parks Canada on a variety of national committees and, in 2022, served as Acting Field Unit Superintendent for Western Newfoundland and Labrador during the peak operational season. In September 2026, Julie was appointed Executive Director of Parks Canada's Alberta and Mountains Region, where she now leads one of the Agency's largest and most diverse operational regions. Julie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Université de Moncton. Originally from Bouctouche, New Brunswick, she is a proud francophone New Brunswicker and now resides in Calgary, Alberta, with her spouse, Michel, and their son, Simon.

CEO

Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island 

Corryn Clemence believes in the power of tourism, not just as an economic driver, but as a vital part of community identity, pride, and connection. After ten years with Port Charlottetown, Corryn joined the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island (TIAPEI) in 2020 and now serves as its CEO. She is passionate about showcasing the hard work, resilience, and impact of the people behind PEI’s tourism sector. Throughout her career, Corryn has focused on building strong partnerships between government, businesses, and tourism operators while advocating for a resilient and sustainable tourism industry. Under her leadership, TIAPEI has advanced initiatives focused on season extension, visitor experiences, innovation, and evidence-based planning. Most recently, Corryn led TIAPEI’s work to better understand and respond to climate change impacts on PEI tourism. TIAPEI has completed a Climate Risk Assessment and Adaptation Plan and recently presented the findings and recommended actions to tourism operators and industry partners across the province. Her contributions have been recognized with the 2024 Reconciliation Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023. Corryn remains committed to building a tourism industry that is economically strong, environmentally responsible, and resilient for the future.

Co-founder

ConnectSeven Group

Alexis is a co-founder of ConnectSeven Group, a consultancy using tourism and events to drive meaningful, measurable change. She is at the forefront of initiatives that embed

sustainability, risk mitigation, and climate adaptation into how destinations and

businesses plan, operate, and evolve. Alexis leads high-impact projects that move

organizations from ambition to action, helping them navigate disruption, build resilience,

and create long-term value for communities and visitors alike.

Director of Tourism

Nunatsiavut Government

Jillian Larkham is an Inuk from Makkovik, Labrador and is the Director of Tourism with the Nunatsiavut Government. She graduated from Memorial University with a Bachelor of Arts double major in Archaeology and Folklore. Ms. Larkham joined the Division of Tourism with the Nunatsiavut Government in 2013. She is passionate about preserving and maintaining her Inuit culture. She oversees art and craft development, tourism development and marketing for Nunatsiavut, and leads various other files such the Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station and the Hebron National Historic Site. Jillian sees tourism as an opportunity to preserve Labrador Inuit culture and to share our stories with the world.

AI and Education Facilitator

Keyin College

Andrew Mercer began teaching in Newfoundland and Labrador schools in 1994. Since the mid-90s, Andrew has been a pioneer in educational technology innovation in both the public and private sectors. His innovative work has been profiled in CNN, Popular Science, The Wall Street Journal, The Globe and Mail, Nippon TV, and Canadian Music Educator. Since 2004, his teaching has been entirely online through the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation. His proven track record in the creation and dissemination of content via social media has produced a YouTube channel with over six million views, and social media followers tipping 25,000. Andrew has been sought out as an advisor to many national and internation organizations including the JUNOs (MusicCounts), Yamaha US, Intel Corp, and school districts throughout Canada and the US. He has shared his work at

national and international conferences and symposia including the ISME Conference

(Italy), TEDx, MTNA National Conference (US), National Association of Music Merchants

(NAMM) and MENC: National Association of Music Educators (Washington, DC). He has

been a member of several Boards of Directors including the Canadian Music Educators’

Association and the Coalition for Music Education in Canada. He is currently a member of MUN’s Board of Regents, a director with Debut Atlantic and a member of the NL Music

Educator’s Association.

Director, Business Development

Keyin Workforce 

Caroline McDonald is a proud Newfoundlander and Labradorian with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and an MBA from Memorial University. She has built her career at the intersection of innovation, education, and community impact—developing and growing workforce training programs that meet real industry needs across the province and beyond. As Director of Business Development for Keyin Workforce, Caroline leads strategic partnerships and growth across a portfolio of industry-aligned micro-credential programs spanning tourism, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and the skilled trades. She works closely with government, industry associations, and employers to build practical, accessible training solutions — including applied AI programs for small and medium-sized enterprises — delivered in urban, rural, and remote communities across Atlantic Canada. Beyond her professional role, Caroline contributes her time to regional growth and the arts through Taskforce NL, Stella's Circle, and the Lady Cove Women's Choir, and she serves on the Board of Shallaway Youth Choir.

 Founder and CEO

Landsby

Jason is the Founder and CEO of Landsby, an award-winning Canadian travel company that curates original itineraries and publishes a seasonal travel magazine called Northern Soul. Jason and his growing team at Landsby are a Founding Agency of Change with Regenerative Travel and, more recently, were the first travel company in Canada to steward a Smart Forest in New Brunswick.  

Chief Commercial Officer

Air North

Benjamin Ryan holds a Master' degree in Financial Economics from the University of Oxford. He is currently the Chief Commercial Officer of Air North, Yukon's airline. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Destination Canada, the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon (TIAY), and a member the Yukon Tourism Advisory Board (YTAB).  He previously served on the Mät'àtäna Development Committee, which oversaw the investment analysis for an upscale aboriginal tourism center, the first of its kind in the Yukon, in partnership with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation.

Head Chef

The Grounds Café

Nick is a chef and educator who has called Newfoundland home since moving to the province in 2015. He is the Head Chef at The Grounds Café, a farm to table restaurant in Portugal Cove, where he works closely with local providers.  

Alongside his work at The Grounds, Nick mentors aspiring cooks and chefs and is passionate about sharing knowledge, supporting the next generation of culinary professionals, and finding creative ways to make the most of the ingredients we have.

Founder

Wildera

Shelby Beals is a nature enthusiast, experience designer, and founder of Wildera — a Newfoundland-based experiential tourism provider helping people rediscover their sense of wonder through foraging, food, and fresh air.

Drawing on a background in adventure tourism, conservation, education, and experience design, Shelby uses the flavours, stories, and traditions of this place to invite people to slow down, get curious, and interact with the landscape rather than simply look at it. She believes some of our best connections to place begin with the simple, childlike question: “What’s that?”

CEO

Spirit of Newfoundland Productions

Fueled by an entrepreneurial passion from a young age, Kathie Hicks, CEO of Spirit of

Newfoundland, showcases and preserves the unique culture of Newfoundland and

Labrador. She is the winner of the 2022 NLOWE Entrepreneurial Excellence Award and voted one of the top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business Atlantic Canada for 2023 by Atlantic Business Magazine. In 2024, she was awarded the 75th Anniversary Newfoundland and Labrador Confederation Medal for significant cultural contribution.

Hicks is a former accountant, award-winning broadcast journalist, and TV and radio host who has become a serial entrepreneur by constantly creating experiences in the

tourism, culture, and heritage space. Recently, she bought a little schoolhouse around

the bay and will turn that into a centre of accommodation, food and beverage

experiences, and artisanal products that celebrate the town’s cultures and traditions.

Under Kathie’s leadership, with business partner Peter Halley, Spirit of NL recently

marked 29 years of operation. The company employs 65 people and delivers 120

shows a year with at least $2 million in annual revenue. The company keeps getting

better, making potential retirement less of a reality.

Chief Executive Officer

Destination St. John's

A Newfoundland and Labrador native, Paul Bugge is Chief Executive Officer of Destination St. John's, one of the country's most recognized destination management organizations.

Paul brings more than 35 years of experience in event creation, management and sales.  He joined Destination St. John's in 2019 as Director of Business Development and Industry Relations, and became CEO in 2024.

Paul sits on Destination Canada's NorthStar Team, National Sustainability Task Force and Business Events Advisory Committee, serves on the board of directors for St. John's Sports and Entertainment Limited and is a member of the Canadian Destination Leadership Council. In April 2026, Destination St. John's received the Legend Award for Tourism, from the City of St. John's.

Project Manager

Seasoned NL

Allison Connors is the Project Manager for Hospitality NL’s Culinary Tourism Development Strategy. She has a wealth of experience in culinary innovation, marketing, and stakeholder engagement, along with a deep passion for showcasing Newfoundland and Labrador’s unique culinary identity. Allison has an entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to fostering collaboration and is currently developing a culinary and agritourism program for the province.

Director

Growing Forests

Peter describes himself as a business guy…..and a nature lover.  Peter’s business career has focussed on leading Atlantic Canadian based companies such as Stanfields Ltd, Barrett Marketing Group, Blue Line Innovations.  His love of nature spans a lifetime and has included co founding the Meduxnekeag River Association (Woodstock, NB) and serving on the Board of Nova Scotia Nature Trust and leading their Twice the Wild Capital Campaign.  Peter, as one of 8 co founders of Growing Forests is now merging his professional experience with his passion for nature and land conversation.  Growing Forests is the first globally certified high integrity nature based carbon credit project in Atlantic Canada.  Today he serves on the Growing Forests Board as Vice Chair and leads the business development activities of the company.

Director, Product

Jonview

Sheldon D’Sylva is the Director of Product at Jonview—Canada’s leading B2B receptive tour operator, which connects over domestic suppliers to a global network welcoming 300,000+ international visitors annually. Bringing over a decade of industry expertise, Sheldon champions cross-functional collaboration to drive Jonview's comprehensive environmental strategy. By aligning commercial success with environmental stewardship, he actively expands Jonview's eco-conscious product lines—prioritizing partnerships with Indigenous operated businesses and eco-certified tourism suppliers. Sheldon is dedicated to leveraging Jonview's massive industry footprint to foster a highly resilient, future-proof tourism sector.

Vice President of Tourism

Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism

Natalie Thiesen is the Vice President of Tourism at Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism, where she leads the growth of the visitor economy in Winnipeg. She is focused on driving leisure visitation, attracting business events, sports and special events by developing and maintaining strategic partnerships to boost Winnipeg's tourism sector. A passionate Winnipegger and tourism champion, Natalie has built an organizational wide agile team to start building Winnipeg’s destination development plan from the ground up.   She holds a Master of Arts in Tourism Management from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Commerce from the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. Natalie previously lent her expertise as the past President of the Festival du Voyageur Inc. board and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Destination Canada,  The Forks North Portage Partnership and Culture Days Manitoba. 

CEO

Long Play Capital

John Steele is the CEO of Steele Hotels, CEO of Long Play Capital Corporation, President of Brigus Production Company Inc. and part-owner of SPS Entertainment (NL Regiment Hockey Club). He began his career with the company in 1991 and has since overseen the operation of Steele Hotels' seven locations across Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as an additional location in Fredericton, New

Brunswick. Under his leadership, Brigus Production Company Inc. produces the renowned Iceberg Alley Performance Tent in St. John’s, NL. Previously, Mr. Steele worked with Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited and its subsidiary, Newcap Inc., from March 1988 to October 2018, holding various positions, including President of its Newfoundland and Labrador operations, until the company was sold in 2018. His contributions have been widely recognized. In 2018, the Iceberg Alley Performance Tent was awarded Best Event of the Year by the City of St. John’s, and in 2022, it was a finalist for an Atlantic Excellence Award in the Event of the Year category with a budget under $500,000. Mr. Steele is a past Board member of the 2025 Canada Games Revenue Generation Committee. He has also served on the "In This Together" Capital Campaign Committee of the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation, as a Board member of Newfoundland Capital Corporation and Stingray, and as President of the Board of Directors of the VOCM Cares Foundation.

Field Unit Superintendent, Labrador

Parks Canada

John Wall began his career in the federal public service in 2011 as Senior Policy Manager at the former Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. With extensive experience in Indigenous, social, and environmental policy, he joined Parks Canada in 2019 through the Interchange

Canada Program, where he led rights-based negotiations with Indigenous governments, notably for Wood Buffalo National Park.

In 2022, John became Director, Indigenous Negotiations and he has been performing the functions of Field Unit Superintendent, Labrador since January 2025. John holds a master’s degree in Rural Planning and Development from the University of Guelph and a PhD in Environmental Geography from Carleton University, focused on species at risk.