Keynote Speaker
Matt Thompson, Chief Storyteller for the Mozilla Foundation
Matt Thompson is the Chief Storyteller for the Mozilla Foundation, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to making the web better. Matt is passionate about bringing open web tools and thinking to areas like education, media, science and the arts, with an emphasis on media and digital literacy projects with partners that include the MacArthur Foundation and Knight Foundation.
Matt is passionate about communications strategy and translating the work of innovators and geeks into compelling stories real humans can understand. Before joining Mozilla, Matt worked on media reform and open internet campaigns, winning a 2007 Webby Award for his work with SavetheInternet.com.
Based in Toronto, Matt is a former CBC radio producer and has been a guest speaker at McGill University, the Library of Congress and the London School of Economics. He is a board member for the Toronto Awesome Foundation and a huge Marshall McLuhan geek. His work has been smeared by Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck.
Blog: http://openmatt.wordpress.com/
Session # 1 - On-Line Collaboration Initiatives
Kirk Roberts, Executive Director of Innovation Guelph
Kirk is the founding executive director of Innovation Guelph. He is also principal and co-founder of Tyrcathlen Partners, providing strategic advice to early and late stage companies and investment funds. From 1996 – 2010 he served as a division president and corporate executive vice president at Open Text Corporation. In 1987 he founded and subsequently served as the chief executive of one of Canada’s first on-line services and social enterprises. Kirk has a degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science from the University of Toronto and has been active in a range of local, national and international non-profit and arts organizations.
Allyson Hewitt, Advisor, Social Innovation & Director of MaRS
Allyson leads the social innovation programs at MaRS including the Ontario node of the national initiative, Social Innovation Generation (SiG@MaRS). This program supports social entrepreneurs and promotes social innovation under the headings Advise! Convene! Accelerate!
A life long social innovator, she most recently worked at SickKids where she led Safe Kids Canada and was a passionate advocate for children. She was also the Executive Director of Community Information Toronto where she initiated 211, providing streamlined access to human service information. For this work she received the Head of the Public Service Award and several other prestigious awards for meritorious public service.
Allyson has been leading and volunteering in not-for-profit organizations for over 25 years. Her academic background is in Criminology, Law, Public Affairs, Voluntary Sector Management and Organizational development including Leading Change.
Michael Melling, News Director, Southwestern Ontario, CTV
Michael joined the CTV Southwestern Ontario team in February 2005. In his time at the station he has reported, shot, edited, produced, anchored, and assignment edited for the station’s newscasts.
He joined the station from CTV’s Business News Network (formerly Report on Business Television). Michael has also worked at CTV.ca and CTV News Channel (formerly CTV Newsnet). He has an MA in International Journalism from Cardiff University, Wales, UK, and a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He also studied French and International Business at IECS Strasbourg, France, and is currently completing his MBA at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.
Michael is the winner of two International Edward R. Murrow Awards for Hard News and Best News Series. His work has also been honoured a number of times on the national and regional level by RTNDA Canada.
Session # 2 - On-Line Continuous Learning
Peter Wolf, Director, Centre for Open Learning and Education Support, University of Guelph
Peter has been involved with educational technology and development for over 20 years, in both the Ontario college system and for the last 13, at the University of Guelph where he is currently the Director of the Centre for Open Learning and Educational Support.
Peter was formally recognized for his work with the 2008 President’s Award for Innovative Leadership. In 2007, he co-edited the New Directions for Teaching and Learning publication, "Curriculum Development in Higher Education: Faculty-Driven Processes and Practices”. Peter has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
Peter is currently leading the merger of two departments at the University, both intimately involved in the advancement of educational technologies supporting learning. This includes representing both physical and digital learning spaces at the University, and ensuring that technology is grounded by an orientation towards learning effectiveness and institutional sustainability.
Morgan Bartlett, eLearning Developer, Conestoga College
Morgan’s professional background is comprised of systems administration, web development, IT management and both teaching online and in the classroom. As an eLearning Developer in the Curriculum and Educational Technology department at Conestoga College, Morgan has been working with online delivery tools for the past ten years. He offers technical support and guidance to faculty, students and external clients with respect to Conestoga’s learning management system and other classroom enhancing technologies. In consultation with subject matter experts and curriculum consultants Morgan assists in the design and development of online courses while also conducting ongoing workshops to teach faculty how to use an LMS for both online delivery and classroom enhancement. He provides orientation sessions to students to help them become familiar and comfortable using the online environment as part of their studies. Morgan holds a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education and a diploma in Computer Systems Technology.
Terri-Lynn Brown, Director of Learning Solutions and Talent Development, Desire2Learn
Terri-Lynn leads the development of holistic learning solutions that successfully combine the people, processes and technologies necessary to meet client needs. Constantly monitoring successful and developing trends in learning and technology, she also applies these to the management of staff learning and development programs.
Prior to joining the Desire2Learn Team in 2010, Terri-Lynn held various roles providing her with experience in distributed learning strategy and policy development, learning technology administration, professional development and instruction for both online and traditional classrooms. Most recently, Terri-Lynn worked as a Distributed Learning Specialist with the Calgary Board of Education, the largest school board in Western Canada.
Terri-Lynn holds a Master’s degree in Educational Technology and Bachelor of Education with a Computer Applications in Education minor, both from the University of Calgary. She maintains an active role in the educational community with a passion for learning technologies, instructional design, assessment and how these support the personalization of learning experiences.
Session # 3 - On-Line Web Presence
Kevin Magee, Author of The Tweetstock Guide to Twitter
Kevin Magee is a self-described power point performance artist. He is also a senior sales executive and purveyor of Healthcare technologies, author, community builder, charitable fundraiser, venture philanthropist, patron of the arts & all around good guy.
An active and socially responsible investor, Kevin participates as an Angel Investor and advisor to several technology and social enterprise startups as well as being an avid supporter of the microfinance and venture philanthropy not-for-profit organization Kiva.
Born and raised a Brantford boy, Kevin is an energetic community builder serving as a long-standing member and Vice Chairman of the Brantford Economic Development Advisory Committee. A passionate supporter of theatre, Kevin also serves as Chairman of the Management Board for the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts and is an active member of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival community.
He lives and works online and in Brantford at the Intersection of city life and country living with his wife, kids and pack of wild dogs.
Andrew Dixon, VP of Marketing and Operations, IGLOO Software
Andrew is Vice President, Marketing & Operations and is responsible for driving the strategic integration of business, marketing and operations for IGLOO, in order to align talent and resources to most effectively drive growth and promote customer satisfaction. Andrew is an eighteen-year veteran of Microsoft where he managed several product groups and divisions, including the Server and Tools Business Group, Tablet PC and Windows Client Marketing, the .Net Services Division as well as the Office Product Suite. Most recently, Andrew served as the Vice President, Business and Marketing Officer, Microsoft Canada, where he was responsible for driving the Canadian business unit's marketing and operational efforts.
