2024 CONFERENCE
October 21-23, 2024 | Marriott Pinnacle Hotel | Vancouver, British Columbia
OVERVIEW
This conference is designed to provide practical insights for production suppliers, event production companies, festivals and roadhouses, municipalities, colleges and universities, labour organizations, and all those who provide support to the live event industry.
You’ll have a full slate of relevant topics presented by experts in the field, as well as an opportunity to share event safety experiences with colleagues. You’ll learn directly from like-minded professionals from around the world – their experiences, expertise and perspectives.
Join us for inspiring speakers and the opportunity to connect with fellow event professionals – from venue staff to suppliers – and all those who make the shows happen.
SESSIONS
Scott Johnson Keynote - Balancing Risk and Safety: Thriving Beyond the Comfort Zone | Sherry Beard
Sponsored By: Scott Pollard & Suz Patmios
Sherry Beard will explore the critical balance between managing risks and achieving goals. By emphasizing the delicate equilibrium between risk management and goal attainment, she encourages taking calculated risks to reach new heights. Key points will include the importance of setting high safety expectations, the necessity of thorough documentation encapsulated by the principle "if you didn’t document it, you didn’t do it," and the value of fostering a collaborative safety culture through knowledge sharing and best practices. Sherry will conclude with a discussion on how to balance safety with achieving objectives, urging the audience to apply these strategies in their own contexts. A Q&A session will follow.
Behind the Scenes: Tales from the "Wet" Coast Event Organizer Panel | Jordan Myers (moderator), Grace Choi, Dominic Lai, Gregory Senko, Kri Shier
Sponsored By: Scene Ideas Inc.
Join a panel of seasoned Vancouver event organizers as they share their hard-earned wisdom and behind-the-scenes stories from events. This 60-minute panel will bring together experienced event organizers from Vancouver to share their insights and lessons learned in ensuring event safety across various types of events. The panel will highlight diverse perspectives and strategies, focusing on practical takeaways and best practices.
Lessons Learned, 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing | Chris Troyanos
April 15, 2013 was a perfect day for running. The air was cool, the sun was shining, and the complex logistics supporting the 117th Boston Marathon were operating smoothly. Every participant made their way to the Start Line with the emotions that are typically part of Marathon Day: excitement, nervousness and a heartening spirit of perseverance. By 11:00 a.m., all 27,000 runners were on the course; by 12:36 p.m., the winners for each race category had been declared. At 2:49 p.m., the race was forever changed. Two homemade improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were detonated on Boylston Street in two separate locations near the Finish Line. (Source: After Action Report for the Response to the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings.)
Chris Troyanos, ATC, Medical Coordinator to the Boston Athletic Association, will provide a overview of incident, immediate actions steps taken and recovery as they prepared for 2014.
Global Perspectives: Same, Same but Different | Janet Sellery (moderator), Doug Bruce, Jason Gordon, Danielle Hernandez, Cathy Knowsley
Our goal is to reflect what on “safety” means in different places, and talk about how to strengthen the safety culture at our own events while meeting people where they are at.
Peer to Peer Conversations: Key Event Safety Topics | ESAC Board of Directors & Friends
This session creates an opportunity for different sectors to connect with their peers to discuss key topics. Facilitated by some of the best in the industry, these conversations will dig into specific health and safety challenges that we face every day.
Circus Safety - A Peek into the BIG TOP | Kevin Tanner (moderator), Jourdan Rosell, Mitch Marines
From the planning, to setting up the tent, rigging the show, validation & trainings, integration of new artists/acts through daily performance, through to the tear down and move to the next venue, the risks involved in circus demand detailed preparation and robust safety protocols. Jourdan Rosell, Assistant Technical Director, and Mitch Marines, Head of Rigging and Acrobatic, in conversation with Kevin Tanner, Event Safety Alliance Canada Director (and Cirque du Soleil superfan!), will talk about how how the team creates show-specific safety procedures and prepares for potential emergencies.
Safety and Due Diligence for a Multi-Employer Workplace | Claire Mocock
Implementing health and safety at a multi-employer worksite can be challenging, particularly with the temporary nature of events and workforces. However, it is required and it can be done. Recognizing that health and safety legislative requirements with definitions of “constructors” and “prime contractors” may differ across provinces, however the key elements of contractor safety management are the same. Claire provides an important overview on the key activities surrounding contractor safety management and coordination of a multi-employer workplace.
Claire will walk participants through health and safety elements of coordinating a multi-employer workplace with examples specific to live events. She lays the framework in building and refining your plan to ensure elements such as: written agreements, pre-qualification, site-specific orientations, tailboard/tool-box talks, safety representatives, safety boards, inspections, meetings, incident reporting/investigations along with first aid and emergency procedures are in place.
Claire focuses this presentation on clearly explaining each element of contractor safety management, with a focus on the key activities that support safety and due diligence for each. Participants will gain a holistic understanding of contractor safety management and what coordinating a multi-employer workplace really means in terms of occupational, health and safety. Further to this, participants will walk away with simple actions they can implement to progress and continually improve safety at their event’s workplace which translate to an overall safer event for workers, contractors and vendors, guests along with the neighbouring community and external stakeholders.
Demystifying Workplace Mental Health and Psychological Safety | Dagan Nish
This session is intended to be a foundational lecture covering the following three subjects: mental health first aid, psychological safety, and psychological health and safety in the workplace. The presentation aims to demystify these approaches to health and safety by addressing how they are often misunderstood or misused interchangeably. Attendees will be presented with an overview of the definition and history behind each methodology, how they are separate from each other in terms of their scope and target outcomes, how they are complimentary to one another as far as their scale and implementation, where reliable training or resources can be found for those wanting to use each approach, and how they all fit together into a robust occupational health and safety program.
From Security to Risk Management | Martin Deslaurier
Established in 1963, How the largest cultural complexe in Canada is embracing modern Risk Management best practices in order to maintain a safe and welcoming environment within an industry facing post pandemic reality and new challenges.
Climate Change - Predicting Weather and Protecting Workers | Kevin Kloesel, Taryn Toic, Mitch Davies
Since the tragic Indiana State Fair stage collapse in 2011, discussions about event weather have largely focused on wind and lightning. Weather hazards remain the most likely threat to live events and festivals and, with climate change, organizers must also be prepared to plan for and respond to hazards that involve cold stress, heat stress and wildfire smoke.
Dr. Kevin Kloesel is the meteorologist who first introduced us to the event planning strategies that mitigate weather-related risks associated with live events. He’s also one of the authors of this valuable standard: ANSI ES1.7 - 2021, Event Safety Requirements - Weather Preparedness. Kevin will share his perspective on current methods of predicting these event weather hazards, planning for resilience and building the capacity to cope with future conditions.
With her expertise as an industrial hygienist, Taryn Toic will share tools for navigating the effects of climate change. Due to the transient nature of the work, the live events and film/tv industries often do not have robust industrial hygiene programs or processes in place, if any. Taryn has been working with the industry and IATSE 891 to improve working environments through the provision of easily implementable controls. This includes creating easily accessible apps to provide recommendations for cold stress, heat stress and wildfire smoke.
Mitch Davies, President of IATSE 891, will tell us about how the apps are being used “in the wild" and comment on the benefits to workers.
Event Healthcare - Who's Involved and What's Needed? | Haddon Rabb
This is intended to be a general overview of event medical support which ties in onsite care, hospital involvement, ambulance support, and general guidance around what medical care is needed at events.
Ignite the Night: Fireworks, Special Effects, and Drone Shows in the Canadian Entertainment Industry | Kelly Guille
Join us for an electrifying keynote presentation by fireworks & special effects event company owner, Kelly Guille, as he delves into the world of fireworks, live event special effects, and cutting-edge drone swarm shows. Discover how these spectacular displays not only enhance the crowd experience but also address critical environmental and safety concerns. With years of industry expertise, Archangel Fireworks Inc. owner Kelly will showcase the latest innovations that make these awe-inspiring shows safer and more sustainable than ever. Don’t miss this engaging presentation where we will explore the future of live entertainment and its positive impact on both audiences and the planet.
Intense Safety: Considerations for Event Tents | Doug Bruce
This discussion will cover a range of topics related to the use of tents, including variations in their design, some best practices, and what you may look for when considering tent use. Tents are among the most common event assets, but their application varies as wide as their style and design.
I Spy With My Safety Eye | Kait Farrar
Join me in a lightning round of "What the Photo?" where you're put to the test to see what's right and what's wrong in member-sourced event photos. Got your own photo to share? Send it to info@esacanada.ca by Tuesday, October 15. Prizes are available for participation!
We Are The First Responders | Steve Adelman
We generally refer to public safety officers as "first responders," but when anything goes sideways during an event, the first responders are the people already there - Us. This session will discuss the need to react quickly and decisively in the most foreseeable emergencies. None of this is so difficult, but it's better to have thought about it BEFORE lives hang in the balance.
Caring for People on the Dance Floor: Shambhala Music Festival's Pioneering Approach to Public Safety | Simon Hunt, Stacey Lock
With a rich history spanning 25 years, Shambhala Music Festival has consistently led the way in pioneering mass gathering event safety with its innovative public safety programs. At the heart of the festival, simply stated, “It’s all about the people on the dancefloor.” Stemming from the core values of care and acceptance, its full-spectrum harm reduction services and programs have evolved to meet the needs of its participants. These programs integrate into its expansive and collaborative public safety department, which is supported by Medical, Security, Fire/Rescue, Traffic Control, Site, and Health and Safety programs. Our aim is to inspire and inform you about Shambhala Music Festival’s pioneering approach to public safety. We strongly emphasize our harm reduction services, which are a testament to our proactive culture of care affectionately known as “Shambha-Love.”
Motivating Your Volunteers to be Event Safety Champions | Tina Allmark (moderator), Ashley Adams, Tami Richter, Chris Troyanos
Events are often powered by volunteers so organizers need to make sure they work safely and participate to support the safety of attendees. This discussion will delve into how to include safety through recruiting, communication, task assignments and training. Join in to learn about how Ashley, Tami and Chris make the volunteer experience both meaningful to the individuals and valuable to the event.
Myth Busters! Debunking Misconceptions Around Psychological Safety | Alice Ride (moderator), Stacey Forrester, Dagan Nish
In this session we will unpack the myths and misconceptions around what it really means to apply psychological safety supports and education in the workplace, what that looks like for employers and employees, and how it impacts both work environments and your bottom line. Each panelist will provide real life examples that they have encountered while working in this space to help attendees understand the importance of ensuring your team is psychologically safe. Bring your questions and curiosities!
Safe & Effective Response to Emergency Situations From A Team Perspective | Aaron Billesberger
Join Aaron in this interactive and participant engaged workshop focused on planning, preparing and responding safely and effectively to emergency situations in various event settings.
This session will draw on Aaron's experience in safe event planning and preparation, delivering Tabletop Exercises, working as a Command Centre Lead and member of Incident Management Teams, and responding to different types of incidents and emergencies. It will also draw on the knowledge and experience in the room through interactive questions and group scenarios addressing emergencies that have happened at events.
Key topics covered will include: effective incident and emergency planning and preparation; and safe and effective response to emergency situations. Different response options will be discussed and explored with a focus on not under-responding or over-responding.
Safer, Healthier, More Reliable - It's almost always better to ditch the diesel | Neel Vasavada
An exposition on Overdrive's findings over 60+ events where we challenge conventional wisdom on powering events. Using battery storage to leverage grid power, solar energy or minimize generator use nearly always results in a safer, healthier power solution for our shows. Diesel power generation involves serious compromises we have learned to accept through 100 years of lacking better options. Most counters to this claim are routed in misinformation. These claims are backed by empirical data and actual results at live events.
The Psychology of Stupidity | Dominic Housiaux
Exploring the Psychology behind Accidents, Failures & “Stupid Mistakes”.
Candid Conversations for Leaders, Supervisors and Workers, Volunteers & Students | ESAC Board of Directors & Friends
What keeps you awake at night? Attendees will split into three groups based on the roles they play in the event sector. Each group will have a frank and open discussion about tricky issues, innovative solutions and finding support for moving health and safety initiatives forward.
The Empowered Workforce: When workers know more about safety regulations than their employers do | Don Parman
Today’s workforce has access to ever increasing library of information and training on workplace health & safety, and often possess more practical and nuanced knowledge about safety as well. So what happens when Employers haven’t had the same training opportunities as their workers? Join Don Parman for this lively discussion as he explores this emerging issue and offers insight into navigating health & safety in the entertainment industry, and what employers need to do keep pace.
Safety Culture - Progress, not Perfection | Claire Mocock
Join Claire for a fun and interactive session where we debunk the myth that changing an organization’s culture is “too difficult.” Using simple and relatable language, Claire will guide you through the fundamentals of organizational and safety culture, making these concepts easy to understand and apply.
We'll start by imagining what a positive safety culture would look like in your own workplace. Through shared examples and a case study of some of Canada’s top safety culture companies, you'll get a clear picture of what's possible.
Next, Claire will show you practical techniques for motivating both workers and employers to make safety a priority. She'll share tried-and-true activities that have proven successful in change management and communication. The secret isn't just in the activities themselves, but in the consistent approach to planning, implementing, and educating your team about safety systems and initiatives.
Throughout the session, Claire will emphasize the importance of tailoring these activities to fit the unique needs of your organization, while also supporting your existing business processes. By the end, you'll walk away with actionable strategies to create and sustain a positive safety culture in your workplace.
2024 CONFERENCE HOST
| Steve Fleck Steve Fleck is one of the leading Endurance Sports Race/Event Live Announcers & Commentators in North America for cycling, running, track & field, and triathlon races and events. It's a natural extension of life spent running, cycling, and racing triathlons since his mid-teens and wearing multiple hats in and around the Business of Endurance Sports in Sales, Business Development, Marketing, and Communications. He lives in Aurora, Ontario with his wife, Paolina. |
SPEAKERS
| Ashley Adams Speaker Bio Not Available |
| Steve Adelman Steve Adelman is a lawyer focused on safety and security at live events, and he is Vice President of the Event Safety Alliance. He led the creation of the American National Standards for Crowd Management and for Event Security, and a Parade Safety standard is well into development. |
| Tina Allmark, ESAC Director Tina Allmark is a Senior Operations Manager with three decades of experience in live television and live production environments. At the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, she leads a team of media professionals with a focus on multi-camera television production. Tina manages the activities of crew and facilities for video production across multiple studio sound stages, control rooms, and digital spaces as well as supporting requirements for staging & lighting installations across the country. Tina is the co-chair of the CBC Health and Safety Committee and is a current representative on the Environmental Lead Team Working Group, leading the organization in implementing and maintaining environmental practices. She makes a personal commitment to inclusive leadership by creating and fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace: one where all staff feel like they belong and their opinions matter. Passionate about creating a culture of workplace safety, Tina challenges her teams to make safety everyone’s priority and work together to minimize risk. She has prioritized safety training within her department with the belief that knowledge and skills help to create a culture of trust. |
| Sherry Beard Sherry Beard received the Scott Johnson Memorial Award at the 2023 Event Safety Alliance Canada Conference This award recognizes a “job well done” by a member of the events community in support of safety at events in Canada, and she was honoured for establishing a comprehensive safety program, fostering an inclusive environment, and bringing safety to the forefront of everything her organization does. Sherry is a passionate and driven leader who strives to create a safe and positive environment for all stakeholders. Her journey with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment began in September 2021 when she assumed the role of Director of Corporate Safety Programs. Over time, she progressed to become the Director of Corporate Safety Programs and Security Operations. Her expertise in safety revolves around building and fan safety, as well as emergency and risk management. In her current role at MLSE, she oversees the planning, implementation, and evaluation of safety and security operations for the organization's diverse portfolio of sports and entertainment venues, events, and teams. She works closely with internal and external partners, such as the police, fire, and emergency services, to ensure compliance, coordination, and best practices. Her background and credentials in firefighting, aviation, and paramedicine give her a unique perspective and skill set in the field of safety and security. On her path to becoming a health and safety professional, Sherry started as a Paramedic/Firefighter. She served for over a decade in communities throughout the Northwest Territories and Manitoba. She strongly advocates for the idea that effective safety measures not only protect individuals but also enhance workplace efficiency and security. Prior to joining MLSE, Sherry spent six years in key safety and security positions at the Calgary Airport Authority, culminating in her role as Director of Safety, Security, and Environment. Sherry is committed to continuous learning, innovation, and excellence in her profession, and she enjoys collaborating with diverse and talented teams to achieve our shared goals and vision. |
| Aaron Billesberger Aaron Billesberger is the Director of Special Projects & Training for Guardteck Security Co., a visionary leader in providing security services with a focus on customer service, client experience, harm reduction, teambuilding and partnerships, safety, and service excellence. |
| Doug Bruce Doug has amassed over 15 years of experience across the entertainment industry, ranging from tours to live events, festivals, brand strategy and activations, production management, and film and video production. This experience includes safety consulting on arena tour risk assessments, e-gaming competitions in China, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea, and festivals and events across the US and the UK. He maintains membership in the Event Safety Alliance and the National Center for Spectator Sport Safety and Security. Doug has a master’s in emergency management and is a Certified Sport Security Professional (CSSP) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP). |
| Grace Choi Grace Choi is a seasoned event producer with extensive experience managing all aspects of event operations and administration. As the owner of Grace Choi Events Ltd., she has worked with notable clients like the City of Coquitlam, the First Peoples' Cultural Council, Science World and the Italian Day Festival Society. Specializing in logistics, contract negotiations, budget management, and risk mitigation. Grace delivers seamless events from concept to completion. Her proven leadership and ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders make her an invaluable asset to every project. |
| Mitch Davies Mitch Davies has been a member of IATSE 891 for 32 years and has served as President of the Local for three separate terms. Safety has always been a number one priority for Mitch. Over the years, he has supported a project that resulted in a real-time monitoring system for fog and haze exposures for the film industry. He has engaged safety consultants to assist in his work with Actsafe and WorkSafeBC in addressing workplace safety concerns, issues, and initiatives. In 2022, Mitch established IATSE 891’s training facility, which offers high-quality skill-based courses to multiple departments and incorporates working safely as a foundation. His continued commitment to training and safety has led to his launching the IATSE 891 Learning Management System (“LMS”), which offers both on-line safety opportunities and skill enhancement. Mitch has directed and supported the development of mobile device apps for heat stress, cold stress, and wildfire hazards, for employers and workers to conduct their own risk assessment to achieve safer workplaces. Under his leadership, all workers now have access to a library of safety data sheets (“SDS”), engineered spray booth and flowcharts, and pre-production dust control recommendations, via IATSE 891's safety section of the website. Mitch continues to look for new and innovated methods to educate and put easily accessible resources in everyone's hands to secure their safety in the workplace. Mitch recognizes that a workplace safety program is an important part of every job. |
| Martin Deslauriers, CPP.PSP.PCI Risk management professional with over 30 years in corporate security, asset protection and risk management. Having worked within two large international corporations since 1994, he is now exercising his passion by acting as Director of Security at the Place des Arts. |
| Kait Farrar Kait Farrar (she/her) wants to live in a world where her phone is always charged and every event is a safe event. |
| Stacey Forrester Stacey Forrester (she/her) is the education director of Good Night Out Vancouver. Stacey is a former community health nurse and community planner and consultant, with a passion for creating safer, more equitable arts and culture communities. Stacey is the co-founder and Education Director of Good Night Out Vancouver (founded in 2016), facilitating interactive and engaging workshops about sexual violence prevention and response for the nightlife, hospitality and live music sectors. She is also the Harm Reduction Manager for Bass Coast Music and Arts Festival, a position she has held for 10 years. Stacey was recently nominated for a Live Music Industry Award in the area of Community Impact. |
| Jason Gordon, ESAC Director Jason Gordon completed his studies in Civil Engineering Technology at St. Lawrence College in 1998. With 25 years of experience in Occupational Safety Jason has developed confidence in interpreting and implementing Health and Safety Legislation as well as developing and implementing Health & Safety Management Systems. From 2004 to 2014, Jason worked as an Inspector and Inspectorate Peer Trainer for the Ministry of Labour, where he received the prestigious GEM award for developing a provincial enforcement initiative. |
| Kelly Guille Kelly has been in the fireworks industry since 1993 and has been the sole owner of Archangel Fireworks Inc. since 2003. Kelly is a knowledgeable, respected and forward thinking pillar of the Canadian fireworks and stage special effects industry. He is passionate about putting on a great show, while ensuring the utmost safety for ALL involved. |
| Danielle Hernandez For more than 25 years, Danielle Hernandez has enjoyed working in many aspects of the live events industry. She is the Director of McAlister Auditorium, a 1900 seat proscenium performance space at Furman University in Greenville, SC. At Furman, she is responsible for ensuring a safe environment for staff, performers and patrons ranging from young children to senior citizens. Throughout her career she has become more and more focused on safety in the performance industry, which led her to the Event Safety Alliance. The joy of finding her people has led to increased involvement in the organization, training and in promoting safety both at local and national levels. Danielle is on the Board of Directors for the Event Safety Alliance and is a member of the ESTA Event Safety Working Group, and co-leads the ESTA task group creating an ANSI standard for Communications at live event productions. |
| Dominic Housiaux Dominic Housiaux is a founding member of Risky Business Resources. RBR offers safety consulting, training, and operational support for the event and entertainment industry in the US, Canada, Europe, and Worldwide. |
| Simon Hunt Simon Hunt is an emergency management practitioner with over 30 years of experience. He has held various positions throughout his career, including search and rescue leader, city emergency program coordinator, and wildfire specialist. Simon also played a senior role in emergency coordination during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Currently, he serves as a public safety advisor for the Shambhala Music Festival while pursuing a Master's in Disaster & Emergency Management at Royal Roads University. His research interests are focused on developing event safety emergency planning guidelines for Canada, supervised by his mentor, Emma Parkinson (Glastonbury Festival/Coventry University). In his spare time, Simon is a performing artist known as SiFi. He also enjoys skiing and mountain biking and cherishes his role as a proud father to his two daughters in Revelstoke, BC. |
| Dr. Kevin Kloesel Kevin has 25 years’ experience as an event forecaster having developed weather safety plans and forecasts for over 4000 outdoor events. He develops and leads high-impact weather safety training for numerous educational institutions, national sports associations and large venues. He also serves on the Health and Wellness captions of multiple touring world class corps for Drum Corps International, as well as a forecaster for the summer DCI tour. Kevin is a subject matter expert for the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security and the Education and Engagement Commissioner for the American Meteorological Society. He led the teams that won the Innovations in American Government Award from Harvard University and the Ford Foundation for their work with the emergency management community in Oklahoma, as well as awards from the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. Kevin was awarded the American Meteorological Society's Charles E Anderson Award for "over two decades of dedication to engaging minority and underrepresented groups through community outreach and academic leadership. |
| Cathy Knowsley Cathy is an event professional from New Zealand, with over 25 years’ experience managing production, operations, and logistics for arts, entertainment, and events. |
| Dominic Lai A Vancouver native, Dominic has been involved with dragon boat since high school. His experience includes being named as Team Canada's national youth Head Coach for the 2017 World Championships; racing with Team Canada at the 2018 World Cup; and his coached teams winning 20 gold, 10 silver, 2 bronze, and 2 world championship titles. |
| Stacey Lock Stacey K. Lock (She/her/hers) is a Registered Social Worker in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario and currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Windsor. Since 2007, she has been continuing to gain valuable experience collaborating within public safety leadership, and supervising 6 teams as the director of the harm reduction program for Shambhala Music Festival in British Columbia. Stacey advocates and adopts a harm reduction philosophy in every environment(festivals, at-risk populations) with the inclusion of providing safer spaces, relapse prevention support, overdose prevention, providing resources, psychosocial support, and consent education. |
| Mitch Marines Mitch Marines has two decades of experience working with acrobatic rigging in both resident theatre productions as well as touring shows globally. He currently serves as the Head of Rigging on ECHO, the latest Big Top tour released by Cirque du Soleil. |
| Claire Mocock Claire Mocock, MBA, CRSP is an accomplished health and safety professional with an extensive background spanning over 15 years across diverse industries, including research and education, property management, gaming and casinos, transportation, construction, and live events encompassing professional sports, concerts, and festivals. |
| Jordan Myers Jordan is the City of Vancouver’s Film & Special Events Public Safety Project Manager. He is also a consultant for a number of events in the US and Canada, and Odyssey Medical. He has 18+ years as an event professional, with a diverse track-record of producing and supporting large & small scale events, multi-agency deployments, clinical teams, field hospitals and community/ art-based projects. Before moving to Canada, Jordan worked as a Wilderness Ranger/Firefighter with the US Forest Service (based in Oregon) across the Rockies/ Western States. He currently lives with his wife and daughter in Vancouver, BC. |
| Dagan Nish Dagan was active in community theatre throughout his childhood and has 14 years of professional experience in the motion picture industry. With a background in acting and teaching, he holds a BA in emergency and security management. He is also certified in psychological first aid, mental health first aid, and as a workplace psychological health and safety advisor. He has worked as an OHS consultant managing health and safety departments for several episodic series and an award-winning independent feature film. He has since completed his first year and a half as a safety advisor with Actsafe Safety Association. Since joining the organization, Dagan has spearheaded a new strategic initiative focused on workplace psychological health and safety. He also serves as a member of the Calltime Mental Health Champions campaign as well as ESTA's new Mental Health & Well-being Management Working Group. |
| Don Parman Don Parman has been steering the course of live entertainment towards a blend of creativity and safety for over three decades. As a Safety Specialist in the live entertainment industry, his mission is to harmonize the magic of the stage with an unwavering commitment to ensuring the well-being of every artist, crew member, and audience member. Behind the scenes, Don has crafted safety protocols, procedures and training tailored to the unique demands of live performances. From rigging and stage construction to crowd management and emergency preparedness, he works to ensure that every aspect of a production strives for the highest safety standards without compromising artistic vision. Don’s role extends beyond regulations; he is an educator and practitioner, empowering industry peers with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the intricacies of safety in the live entertainment sphere. |
| Haddon Rabb Haddon Rabb is a Registered Nurse working with BC Emergency Health Services as their Manager of Planned Event, supporting the medical needs of events throughout British Columbia. Haddon has been working in the event medical industry for the last decade where he’s been involved with complex events in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Haddon is a published researcher with the UBC Mass Gathering Medicine Interest Group where the focus is on sharing operational learnings and theories within the field of Mass Gathering Medicine. In addition to a nursing and first responder background, formal education has been gained in Tropical Nursing (i.e., low resource healthcare) and Crowd Safety. |
| Alice Ride Alice’s background is rooted in Production within the commercial and non-union film industry in Vancouver, BC. After launching Set Protect in 2021 to provide COVID-19 compliant services during the pandemic, it became clear that all of us, at all levels, were lacking the support to be able to continue working in a way that maintained our well-being. Hardships from the pandemic was compounding the already immense pressure we feel in this industry. Alice then re-branded Set Protect in early 2023 to offer this much needed support to productions, filmmakers, and creatives. Through this work, Alice is also advocating and educating on what health and well-being looks like in our unique industry, and how we can implement it. |
| Tami Richter Tami Richter is the Vice President of Event Operations for SXSW, LLC. With a deep-rooted passion for event management and safety, she plays a key role in overseeing various aspects of operations for one of the world’s most prominent events. Tami manages critical areas such as staffing, volunteers, security, transportation, catering, and accessibility, ensuring seamless execution and a strong focus on health and safety. |
| Jourdan Rosell Jourdan Rosell is currently living the dream and touring the world as Assistant Technical Director for Cirque du Soleil's production of Echo. This role follows his work as Event Safety Manager for Echo. He recently had the chance to go up on top of the Grand Chapiteau! Jourdan is a live events & production professional with over 14 years of international experience in managing live performances, events, theater productions, festivals, installations and global partnerships. He started his career in the events and theatre industry in Singapore where he honed his skills in event coordination, event management, pre and post production coordination, client and vendor relations, as well as in building and facility maintenance operations. Singapore being a regional and global events hub has given him a solid exposure to Asian and international acts, campaigns, projects and partnerships. Jourdan holds a degree in Technical Theater from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's School of Design and Arts in the Philippines, and has completed his graduate studies with honours in Project Management at George Brown College. Jourdan is currently on tour with Cirque Du Soleil since they premiered ECHO in Montreal and has been on the road since then. He was a director on the Event Safety Alliance Canada Board of Directors in 2022 and 2023. |
| Janet Sellery, ESAC Board Chair & Programming Committee Chair Janet Sellery is one of Canada’s leading experts in health and safety and the arts. She started her career in stage management and moved into health and safety after a critical injury involving an actor. Janet pioneered the health and safety program at the Stratford Festival, Canada’s largest repertory theatre, and one of her favourite projects was working as the Health & Safety Manager for the Opening, Closing and Victory Ceremonies at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Prior to her work with Event Safety Alliance Canada, Janet was a co-founder of the Canadian Event Safety Summit (2016-2018). Janet is an active volunteer with the Ontario Ministry of Labour Live Performance Health & Safety Advisory Committee, the Scott Johnson Working Group, the Board of Directors for the Event Safety Alliance and the Event Safety Working Group. Janet is a graduate of the Theatre Technical/Production program at Toronto Metropolitan University and certified as both a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and a Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC). She has been awarded the “Ron Epp Memorial Award for Professional Achievement” (Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology) and “Canada’s Safety Manager of the Year” (Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine). As a Health & Safety Consultant (Sellery Health + Safety), Janet focuses on customizing programs, training, and resources to reflect the constantly evolving and unique demands of the live event environment. |
| Gregory Senko Bringing over 20 years of event production mastery, Greg is a standout producer, production manager, and technical / festival director. He is an expert in technical spectaculars & event planning while designing for production detail, crowd flow, and public safety. Greg specializes in working with local agencies, municipal staff, all levels of government, and first responder groups to ensure events have the local support needed to execute a safe and successful show. He has worked on everything from boutique galas, large-scale conferences, live television broadcasts, international stadium installations, international concert tours, and major motion pictures, to mega-complexity events. His diverse event portfolio includes complex management of all production elements for events such as the Honda Celebration of Light Fireworks Festival, Grey Cup Festival & Halftime Show, Canada 150, Skookum Festival, Ambleside Music Festival, Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, Canada Games Opening & Closing Ceremonies, Electronic Arts – E3 Play Festival in Hollywood, Michael Buble’s Higher Tour and many more. |
| Kri Shier Kri is the Race Director for Canada Running Series, West. She manages CRS’ Vancouver events including the Vancouver Half Marathon & 5K and Eastside 10K and provides operational support to CRS’ larger Toronto races. Kri has 10+ years of major event experience and has worked both domestically and internationally on events such as the 2018 Commonwealth Games, 2017 World Masters Games, the Australian Grand Prix and the Toronto 2015 Pan/ Parapan Am games. |
| Kevin Tanner, ESAC Board Treasurer and Governance & Nominations Committee Chair Kevin Tanner is an arts and cultural leader with specialized expertise in venue and production management. As the Executive Director of Dalhousie Arts Centre, Kevin is leading one of Atlantic Canada’s premiere performing arts facilities towards a new strategic direction that seeks to align with the University’s goal to be a civic institution that makes national and global impacts. Kevin has served in production leadership roles at the Thousand Islands Playhouse, Kingston Grand Theatre (City of Kingston), Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (Queen’s University) and, most recently, was the Managing Director of Production at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity where he oversaw large scale outdoor concerts in the beautiful Shaw Amphitheatre and the renovation project to create the Jenny Belzberg Theatre. Passionate about promoting a strong safety culture in the arts industry, Kevin is one of the founding directors of the Event Safety Alliance Canada and holds a certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from Toronto Metropolitan University. He is a graduate of the Master of Arts in Arts Leadership program from Queen’s University and is currently studying law part-time through the University of London (UK). |
| Chris Troyanos, ATC Founder and President of Sports Medicine Consultants, (1980) Chris Troyanos, ATC is a successful entrepreneur who has served as the Medical Director and Coordinator for a number of athletic events. As the Medical Coordinator to the Boston Athletic Association, he is the architect for the medical coverage provided at the Boston Marathon. He has over 40 years of experience when it comes to the medical care and public safety for a number of endurance events. |
| Taryn Toic Taryn is an industrial hygienist with seven years of experience as a consultant. She is currently the Hygiene Team Lead at Aura Health and Safety managing projects at the airport and other large companies. Prior to consulting, her experience ranged from OHS positions in the oil and gas and construction industries to hygiene focused positions with local municipalities. |
| Neel Vasavada Neel Vasavada is a driving force in the movement to bring green technology to the events industry. His engineering background and experience with both sustainable energy and live entertainment led him to found Overdrive Energy Solutions, a leader in sustainable energy systems. At the University of Wisconsin, Neel worked on hybrid and electric vehicle control systems. After earning his mechanical engineering degree, he created Apex Speed Technology, a company focused on control systems and engineering consulting for prototype, research & development vehicle projects. Customers included early-stage Tesla, Zero Electric Motorcycles, and the US Department of Energy. Over time, his focus turned to business development. In 2012, he wasasked to help develop the US market for European live event equipment supplier eps, which led to leadership roles at other live event companies. The same analytical and data-backedapproach to sustainability worked well in growing these businesses. During the pandemic downtime, these skill sets came together to form Overdrive Energy Solutions. Overdrive has become a leader in sustainable energy for live events. In 2023, a partnership with the sustainability non-profit Reverb.org resulted in the two largest solar-powered stages in US history. The first was Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion, which reduced fossil fuel use for stage power by 95%. In August, Overdrive made history with the largest temporary solar field ever for a US festival, powering parts of Billie Eilish’s headlining set at Lollapalooza Chicago. Overdrive has also provided power at notable events and venues such as Coachella, South by Southwest, Google's I/O developer conference, and Dodger Stadium, deploying over 10 MWh of energy. Moving forward, Neel is committed to developing cost-efficient, reliable, and clean energy systems for live events and beyond. |
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