Christopher Bloore is the President and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario and has been at the forefront of the tourism industry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario.  A collaborative leader who strongly believes in the value of empowerment and cooperation, Christopher has brought organizations across the visitor economy together to win significant legislative support programs during the pandemic.

 

Christopher’s professional background is rooted in public service, initially working for Europe's largest municipality and then as a senior policy and communications advisor for Members of the British Parliament. Christopher was elected four times at local government level to serve his community in Worcestershire - with an increased share of the vote on each occasion - before moving to Toronto in 2019.  

 

Christopher is happily married to Charlotte, with their young son Noah, who was born in 2021.  

With 25 years of leadership and management experience in the hospitality sectors, Carol epitomizes the power of rapport and relationship building.  Carol has represented Accor, Vintage Inns & Mississauga Tourism, in addition to her consulting firm, G.A.P Solutions.  Carol has assembled teams, opened hotels, provided training for sales professionals, and management training for leaders in the hotel network. Carol has conducted business audits and rebuilt teams through hiring, coaching & success focused development.  In her recent work within the tourism industry, Carol has built critical key relationships to allow for a stronger collaboration to support TIAO's advocacy message.

As TIAO’s Vice President of Public Affairs, Madison Simmons brings over a decade of experience in public affairs, government relations, and association management, including 4 years spent working closely with the tourism sector. 

From 2021 to 2023, Madison served as Director of Government Affairs with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) in Ottawa, Ontario, representing over 600 tourism businesses nationwide. Madison effectively advocated for member businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, establishing and fostering relationships with tourism stakeholders, department officials and Parliamentarians. Madison worked on the Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses campaign from inception, which successfully advocated for creating and passing Bill C-2 in December 2021, ensuring sector-specific support continued for the tourism and hospitality industries.

Before TIAC, Madison worked as a Consultant Lobbyist with Impact Public Affairs for three years. Madison worked with a broad spectrum of teams and stakeholders in the tourism, hospitality, healthcare and automotive industries in the development and advocacy of strategic policy initiatives, including leading government relations and public relations activities. Before Impact, Madison held various positions with communications and branding agencies in Toronto and Vancouver.

Madison is currently in level 5 of the Canadian Society of Association Executive’s (CSAE) ‘Certified Association Executive’ program, working to obtain certification as a CAE.

Madison has a strong track record of quality work, maintaining relationships and delivering positive outcomes on critical organizational priorities.

Madison lives in Toronto with her husband Mike, her dog Toby, and is expecting her first child in July 2023.

Jessica is a public policy professional with over five years of experience in policy research, analysis, and development. In addition to PhD training in social policy (London School of Economics), she brings experience working with political parties and administrations to influence decision makers in Canada and the UK. Previously, she taught global public policy seminars at the London School of Economics and the LSE-Peking University Summer School in Beijing.

Originally from Turkiye, Şimal moved to Canada in 2017. A seasoned professional in the tourism and hospitality industry for over several years, Şimal has worked in several fields and industries, in areas related to communications, learning and development, event-planning. 

Şimal holds an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Administration from Centennial College. During her time at Centennial, Şimal was a collaborator for the conception of the “Food for Unity” business model, a financially sustainable social venture with the objective of reducing carbon footprint whilst brining communities together; the “Food for Unity” pitch earned second prize in the 2020 Global Goals Jam.

She was also a part of Centennial’s School of Tourism Applied Research Abroad Project (ARAP) in Morocco. In this ARAP, Şimal worked with women’s collectives, associations, and tourism operators to create multidisciplinary “Train-the-Trainer” programs and strategies for sustainable tourism and community development.

Currently, Şimal works as a Communications & Multimedia Specialist at the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. Her multifaceted talents in digital marketing, graphic design, photography, and UX research contribute to TIAO’s vision of connecting the tourism industry through a unified voice.

Şimal’s goal in the tourism industry is to be a part of the positive change in the industry’s workforce, and advocate for the future of purposeful travel that benefits communities.

With over 20 years in hospitality, food, events and tourism in the GTA and Ontario, Leni’s focus is on making a positive impact on people and communities. She brings a wealth of experience across different organization types, strong collaboration and relationship-building skills, and a bold vision for a more inclusive and values-driven tourism industry. She's passionate about connecting purpose-driven organizations with people, resources, and solutions that combine values and productivity. Through her company, Brem Consulting Inc., she has worked with multiple non-profit associations on province-wide projects with major impact. 

Leni is currently the Secretary for the York Region Arts Council Board of Directors and sits on the Board of Directors for RTO 6 (Central Counties Tourism) and the Culinary Tourism Alliance’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.  

Simone recently graduated from Centennial College’s Hospitality and Tourism Administration program, achieving her Advanced Diploma. During her time at the College, she has participated in many extra-curricular activities such as winning the research competition Global Capstone Project, the multi-college innovation contest - SDGs Global Goals Jam, and the nation-wide Baxter Student Ambassador Program. She was also a leading member of Centennial College's UNWTO Student League.  As an ambitious recent graduate with 6 years of customer service experience in the retail industry and the nonprofit sector, Simone is looking to transition her experience to the tourism industry.

Mark is currently the Workforce Development Coordinator for Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. He leads two specific projects: A Three Fires Collaborative Quest and the Discover Ability Network program that promote growth and inclusion in the tourism industry. A former student for the Tourism Travel Services Management program at Humber College, he learned the vital skills and knowledge it takes and implemented that in his career. He has a passion for travel and is an aspiring wellness travel entrepreneur. 

Sapphire is currently a student of Centennial College, pursuing an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Administration. Through her studies, Sapphire found her passion for ethics and regulations, establishing a career goal of working in policies and economic/community development. Sapphire has pursued opportunities that align with her career goals, such as the SDG Global Jam - with hopes of contributing to the tourism sector in a positive manner.