Passionate about the interconnection between food, agriculture, tourism, arts, and culture, Rebecca has been instrumental in developing tourism products including Prince Edward County’s award-winning Taste Trail & Arts Trail and the Culinary Tourism Alliance’s Feast On® certification program.

In her role at the Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA), Rebecca manages highly participatory and asset-based community development projects at the local, regional, provincial, and national levels. Rebecca oversees programming, partnership development, and develop comprehensive marketing partnerships to increase awareness of Canada’s food tourism experiences.

Rebecca has contributed her expertise to a variety of industry boards including the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Sustainable Development Goals Working Group. She has written curriculum for Centennial Colleges Food Tourism Post Graduate Program, contributed chapters to the 2nd UNWTO Global Report on Gastronomic Tourism, produced a chapter on Transforming the Terroir into a Tourist Destination to the Routledge Handbook of Gastronomic Tourism (release date of fall 2019). Rebecca completed a Master of Arts in Global Leadership at Royal Roads University in 2021 with a specific interest in sustainable tourism and is a part-time professor at George Brown College in their Food Tourism Entrepreneurship program.

Born and raised in Toronto, Rebecca spent her summers in rural Prince Edward County. In grade 12 year, she sailed with West Island Colleges Class Afloat on a 156-foot-tall ship to 20 countries in Europe and Africa – an experience that rooted her passion for travel, adventure, and taste of place! She continues to split my time between Toronto (week) and Prince Edward County (weekends) sharing her adventures with her husband and two teenage sons.

Michael is a recognized leader in travel and tourism in Canada. In his current role, he leads Ottawa’s official destination organization, which spearheads sales and marketing initiatives for attracting visitors to Canada’s capital, while also making investments in the long-term stewardship and development of the destination. He is a Board member with Destinations International, the Shaw Centre, the Ottawa International Hockey Festival, and he is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Hospitality & Tourism Management Degree Program at Algonquin College. He is the Co-Chair of the Canadian Destination Leadership Council with Destinations International; he has been the Board Chair of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) and the Ottawa Board of Trade; and he has also served on the boards of the Ottawa 2017 Bureau and Invest Ottawa. Michael has a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Manitoba, he is a Certified Barbecue Judge, and a Manitoba Marriage Commissioner. 

Dionne Bishop is the founder of Events by Dionne Inc. With 15 years experience in the event and marketing industries, Dionne has planned and overseen corporate and social events across major markets in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. Dionne is known for her ability to strategically plan creative and results driven events that help her clients increase brand engagement and authentically connect them to diverse audiences.  

As an active member of the International Live Events Association (ILEA) Toronto Chapter, Dionne served as its President in 2015 - 2016.  She became Gala Chair in 2017 and now sits on the MPI Toronto DEI Task Force and as a Board Member of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO).

Kevin is an Anishnabek and is a member of the M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island.
Kevin has been a key player in the development of Indigenous cultural tourism in Ontario since 2003. Kevin was an integral part of the development and growth of the Great Sprit Circle Trail (GSCT) on Manitoulin Island, one of the country’s most renowned Indigenous tourism organizations that provides culturally authentic Indigenous experiences to visitors along with marketing support to Indigenous operators.

He has provided leadership to GSCT for over 15 years and has imparted his guidance to countless individuals throughout Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada, and beyond.
Kevin works tirelessly to unite Indigenous tourism providers, grow market reach and bring meaningful employment opportunities to the region.
Kevin is a mentor and visionary who works closely with his community to ensure sustainable and organic growth within the Indigenous tourism industry.
In 2015, Kevin was named the Tourism Champion of the Year by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. He has also been recognized by numerous media outlets for his accomplishments within the industry.

Kevin sits on a variety of boards including the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO).
He has also helped establish ITO, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), Northeastern Ontario Tourism, Destination Northern Ontario, the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre, and many other tourism organizations and businesses. He also sits on the Destination Ontario Sector Advisory Committee, Tourism Skillsnet Ontario Council, and the Trans Canada Trail Indigenous Advisory Committee.

Claudia leads a broad range of policy initiatives to support Ontario’s business community. Claudia founded and co-chairs the OCC’s Energy Policy Council, oversees the Ontario Economic Report, and leads work around environment, energy, data, regional economic development, procurement, housing, diversity and inclusion, and more. She also serves on the Toronto Region Conservation Authority’s Partners in Project Green Executive Management Committee and the Advisory Board for Innovate Cities. In previous roles, Claudia researched mortgage markets for National Bank Financial and measured social impact for Charity Intelligence. She has a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford and a BA from the University of Toronto.  

Neil Pakey is the President & CEO at Nieuport Aviation, winners of the Most Spectacular Business Recovery award in Ontario in 2022. He has served as the CEO of the Shannon Airport Group on Ireland, the CEO of Peel Airports Group in the U.K., as Managing Director of Liverpool John Lennon Airport and the Senior VP Network Marketing at the Vantage Airports Group. Neil holds a Master of Science in Transport Planning and Management and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Neil was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Central Lancashire for services to Tourism, was Chair of the Mersey Tourism Board in Liverpool and was named the IOD Director of the Year for Merseyside in 2007.  

Paul Di Ianni is the Town of Lincoln’s first Director of Economic Development and Communications. After spending close to a decade working in Toronto at Queen’s Park and in the private sector, both focusing on economic development and stakeholder relations, Paul is now devoted to assisting businesses in Lincoln, driving retention and expansion, innovation, and entrepreneurship activities. Following his time at Queen’s Park, Paul worked in public affairs for Edelman Public Relations, the world’s largest PR firm. While at Edelman, Paul led the team that successfully advocated for foreign direct investment in Ontario for both the Ontario Ministries of Economic Development and Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, among other clients. Paul holds both a combined Honours Degree in History and Political Science and a Master of Arts in in Political Science from McMaster University.  

Richard Willett currently holds the position of Vice President, Resort Operations, at Niagara Casinos. He reports directly to the President and is a member of the Executive Committee.
In his role, Richard is responsible for overseeing and leading multiple departments at Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara. Spread across two properties and nearly three million sq. ft. of space, departments under Richard’s responsibility include engineering, environmental services, parking, transportation, spa, laundry and uniforms, catering, sales, food and beverage, and Fallsview’s hotel. Combined, there are approximately 1,600 associates employed within these departments. 

Niagara Casinos’ Ponte Vecchio and 21 Club Steak and Seafood restaurants, as well as Fallsview’s hotel, have each won the prestigious CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award every year since their openings. Fallsview Casino is one of a select few properties in Canada to boast two Four Diamond restaurants. Setting and maintaining the quality standards necessary to continually win these awards requires tremendous leadership and dedication, and are testaments to Richard’s commitment to his profession.  
With over 35 years of successful experience, Richard’s career had positions at several prominent establishments including the Westin Edmonton and Westin Ottawa, The Art Gallery of Ontario, The Westin Nova Scotian and more notably the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

With the MTCC, Richard had led a team of 600 into transforming all of their operations, including retail food, menu development, changes to policies and procedures and re-launched their service standards. All food and beverage products underwent a successful rebrand that resulted in guest satisfaction indexed increasing by 95%. His very successful project at MTCC, encompassed all F&B areas including the research, procurement and education of new cooking technology and product development, SOP's, as well as complete physical plant renovations.  

Richard has recorded a list of strong accomplishments through effective analysis, strategic planning, dynamic leadership skills which has resulted in long-term bottom line results. His commitment to the Culinary Tourism Alliance, which works with communities to grow food tourism by leveraging the history, heritage, and culture behind the food and drink that makes each destination unique. He is part of this committee that is making an impact in diversifying culinary destinations worldwide.