2026 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
October 19-21, 2026 | Halifax, Nova Scotia
Beacons of Safety: Lighting the Way for Live Events
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2026 CONFERENCE HOST
Kevin Tanner
Executive Director, Dalhousie Arts Centre
  | Kevin Tanner is an executive leader in arts, culture, and live events with a passion for bringing people together to share in incredible experiences. His career began as a Technical Director in theatre, advancing through production leadership roles before being appointed the Managing Director of Production at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Now, as the Executive Director of Dalhousie Arts Centre, Kevin is leading one of Atlantic Canada’s premiere legacy venues through an exciting strategic business transformation that will revitalize the organization’s cultural impact, reputation, and build financial stability. Kevin is a two-time alumnus of Queen’s University, holding a Master of Arts in Arts Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) majoring in Drama. Committed to making arts spaces safer places, he is a co-founder of the national not-for-profit Event Safety Alliance Canada. He is an avid competitive bagpiper, a curler, and, most importantly to him, a new dad. |
2026 CONFERENCE ELDER
Charlotte Bernard
Elder
| My name is Charlotte Bernard. I am a married Mi’kmaq Matriarch, born in Sipekne'katik , Nova Scotia now living in Kjipuktuk, NS. A nurse by trade I have worked for the Mik’maw Native Friendship Centre for many years in several roles working with the Urban Indigenous Community. Today I am a Cultural Advisor sharing the culture while I write a book about my life. I am a mother to 3 phenomenal daughters and 2 Grandchildren who I adore. Some favourite pastimes for me include beading earrings, darts, indigenous crafting, bingo and I am an avid hugger! |
In 2017, after an Ariana Grande concert, a suicide attack took place, resulting in 22 deaths and 1,017 injuries. Miriam Stone, at the time the Duty Manager of the Manchester Arena, was at work that day and she will guide us through her experience facing the greatest fear of every event professional.
This presentation emphasizes that it will be people who respond when something bad happens. This must be in the mind of everyone involved in planning events and writing incident response plans and procedures. People are not theoretical, and people are amazing.
Miriam will share a moving and unique account of her experience of the incident including:
- The evolution of the study of crowd movement and crowd behaviour, and range of backgrounds and experiences event professionals may bring to their roles.
- The venue’s robust interest in security, including plans and preparations, information sources, relationships and communications with the local authorities, first responders and suppliers, and training.
- The lead up to the event and discussions with the Ariana Grande tour personnel.
- The story of that night and her personal responses including thoughts, feelings and decision-making.
- The immediate aftermath, and the weeks and months following the attack.
- Personal learning and lessons learned as an industry.
Providing real-life insight, Miriam will remind us about what we owe to those who lost their lives, those whose lives were forever changed, and those who put the jackets back on and came back to work another day. And how we must value all of them and equip them to do their very best.
Ultimately, it will be our people who will respond in a major incident, and we must remember that people work and play in the events industry for the joy it brings.
Learning outcomes:
- Understand the necessity of preparation and communication
- Understand human behaviours under pressure
- Remind ourselves of why we do, what we do: there are human lives and their safety at stake.
Miriam Stone
Miriam Stone, Venue Operations Consultancy
| Miriam Stone has worked in the events industry all her life, starting out as a theatre and venue technician for Hounslow Council. She has been an Events Manager since 1997, planning and operating outdoor events including BBC Music Live, BBC Proms in the Park and the Summer Pops – and orchestra season under canvas in Liverpool as well as touring with artists as Promoter Rep. She started at the AO Arena in 2006 as Events Manager ending up as Director of Operations until 2025. Having worked on events as diverse as the Urban Farm Show to World Championship Boxing, her hands on experience of events, event management and crowd behaviour is extensive. She is a people-centred manager and events professional, focusing on the individuals who work across the industry and, ultimately, who will respond in a major incident, while remembering that people work and play in the events industry for the joy it brings. Miriam is now a consultant in venue and event operations, and as such, her work is broad. From speaking engagements across diverse industries through to longer term working with old and new venue teams to review and develop structures and processes. In a constantly evolving industry, robust operations which support those who work within them and enable them to feel safe and considered, will help to make events safe, secure, and fun for everyone. |
Eric Stuart, QPM, BA
Director, Gentian Events
| Eric Stuart QPM, BA, is the director of Gentian Events, and also the retired chair of both the UK Crowd Management Association and the Global Crowd Management Alliance. He has been involved in Crowd Safety for nearly 20 years and was the police planning lead for Notting Hill Carnival 1.1 million, London New Year’s Eve of 450k and the 70-day London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, viewed by an estimated 14 million people. At the end of his service, he was awarded the Queen’s Policing medal for dedication to duty, leadership and professionalism in his 33 years of police service. He was a witness at the Manchester Arena Inquiry, specifically in relation to the role of private security in counter terrorism roles. He is currently acting as a tactical advisor to the Metropolitan Police in London investigating a double fatality in a crowd crush at the O2 Academy Brixton in December 2022. He was the author of three aspects of the Baroness Casey Review into the Wembley Euro 2020 Finals disorder, particularly Wembley’s fitness to continue to operate, the impact of security shortages and skills and lastly, the crowd safety issues that led to the declaration of the nearest of near misses since Hillsborough. He was a Crowd Safety Manager for events ranging from summer festivals and concerts through to Edinburgh Hogmanay and is also engaged with crowd management at many complex ‘crowded space’ environments including large shopping centres and religious gatherings across the US, Canada and the UK. The largest of these include the 800,000 Vaisakhi Parade in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He was the crowd safety advisor to the Calgary Stampede and Global crowd advisor to F1 Grand Prix races. He holds a FdA and BA in Crowd Safety Management and was the co-author of the 2015 and 2019 UK Good Practice Guide to working in Safety Advisory Groups. He authored and reviewed chapters of the ‘Safer Crowds, Safer Venues’ published in 2023. He has recently completed a review of crowd safety aspects of the Liverpool FC Victory Parade in May 2025. |
Day 2 Keynote - The Safety Shift: Leading Without Ego
In the world of live events, safety is rarely ignored, but it is often assumed. The fast pace, the pressure, and the culture can quietly reinforce a dangerous belief: “It won’t happen to me.” Kevin Rempel knows how quickly that belief can fall apart. During a live event, a dirt bike crash changed his life. That experience now shapes how he understands risk, responsibility, and decision making under pressure.
In The Safety Shift, Kevin does not point fingers. Instead, he challenges the mindset and culture that allow preventable incidents to happen in the first place. At the core of this conversation is a powerful idea. Safety is not just about systems. It is about the internal voice guiding our choices in real time. Using his “Check Your EGO” framework, which stands for Excuses, Gut, and Options, Kevin helps audiences recognize how ego subtly influences decisions. He explores how we justify shortcuts through excuses, how gut reactions are often shaped by past experience rather than present reality, and how failing to pause can limit the options we consider in critical moments. In live event environments, where unspoken pressure and unclear expectations are common, many workers see risks but stay silent.
This keynote brings that silent culture into the open and replaces it with practical tools for accountability, communication, and leadership at every level. Rather than treating safety as compliance, Kevin equips teams to make it a shared, lived value. One driven by awareness, ownership, and the confidence to speak up. Together.
Kevin Rempel
Keynote Speaker. Paralympian. Author, Kevin Rempel Associates Inc.
| Paralympic bronze medalist and creator of the Check Your EGO Framework, Kevin Rempel brings a unique and urgent perspective to the live event industry. A former freestyle motocross performer, Kevin became an incomplete paraplegic after pushing past his gut warning during a live show. This life-altering accident, occurring just four years after his father was also paralyzed in a preventable incident, serves as the foundation for his mission: helping high-risk crews recognize the real-world costs of ignoring the inner voice. Through his signature keynote The Safety Shift, Kevin equips attendees with a shared language to challenge complacency in the moments that matter most. His Check Your EGO Framework (Check your Excuses, Gut, and Options) strengthens risk-based decision-making before incidents happen. Kevin has brought this work into organizations including the Alberta Construction Safety Association, FortisBC, WorkSafeBC, Enbridge, and Hatch. Featured by the BBC, TSN, and AMI, he delivers his message with the credibility of someone who has lived the cost of one wrong decision. |
Day 3 Keynote - From Planning to Pitch: Security & Crowd Safety Coordination for FIFA World Cup
The scale and global visibility of the FIFA World Cup 2026 present unprecedented challenges for security and crowd safety professionals. With matches hosted across 3 countries and 16 host cities, success depends on seamless coordination between public safety agencies, private security partners, event organizers, and international stakeholders.
This session explores how integrated planning and real-time collaboration are essential to managing risk in complex, high-density environments. Attendees will gain insight into multi-agency command structures, intelligence sharing, and communication strategies that support unified decision-making before and during major events. The discussion will also examine crowd management principles and contingency planning approaches designed to enhance situational awareness and resilience.
Drawing on lessons learned, this session will provide practical strategies for aligning security operations with crowd safety objectives. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to coordinate across jurisdictions, adapt to evolving threats, and deliver safe, secure, and successful events at scale.
Aaron Billesberger
Director of Special Projects & Training, Guardteck Security Co.
| Aaron is a nationally recognized and respected leader in security and crowd safety management, bringing over three decades of combined experience working with the Correctional Service of Canada and at over 1,200 live events. He has led security teams at some of the highest profile and complex events, including the 2007 FIFA U20 World Cup, 2010 Winter Olympics, 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, 2018 G7 Finance and Development Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings, 2024 Grey Cup Festival, and 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Other events have included the BMO Marathon – Vancouver, Canada Day - Vancouver, the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, the Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park, and various other Live Nation festivals and stadium concerts in western Canada. Aaron currently serves on the Event Safety Alliance of Canada Board of Directors. He has recently concluded his tenure as Senior Manager, Safety & Security – Competition Venue Vancouver for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup; a position he accepted after taking leave from his position as Senior Director of Special Projects & Training with Guardteck Security Co. As a long-standing advocate for creating safer event spaces, Aaron brings a deep commitment to collaboration, education, and evidence-based practice. He has worked extensively with multidisciplinary teams to improve safety and security through site design, operational planning, incident and emergency response and recovery across the live-events sector. As a recognized educator and speaker, he has presented at several major industry conferences, helping strengthen safety literacy and shared learning. Aaron is dedicated to advancing safety standards and fostering local, regional, national and international collaboration to build a more resilient, informed, and proactive event safety culture. |
The Halifax Explosion and the Science of Social Change | Dr. Susan Dodd
110 years ago, about a kilometre from where we will be meeting, a ship packed with explosives bound for the "Great War" was struck by another vessel in the “narrows” between our deep harbour and sheltered basin. The ensuing blast was the most powerful manmade explosion before “the bomb.” At least 1782 people died, thousands were injured, and the North End of the city was flattened. Disaster Studies—closely related to safety—is said to have begun with a study by Samuel Prince: Catastrophe and Social Change.
Prince was an Anglican priest in the North End at the time of the explosion, completed a doctorate in the then emerging area of Social Science at Columbia University and became a professor at the University of King's College and Dalhousie here in Halifax. “The explosion blew Halifax into the 20th century,” Prince said. Prince’s work and life offer insight into a shift in thinking about social responsibility, God’s providence, and random horrors that marks a turn toward what would become Canada's unique welfare state. For Prince, and his generation, disasters like the Halifax explosion opened rare opportunities for comprehensive and scientific social improvement. As Prince puts it, “catastrophe always means change. It doesn’t always mean progress.”
In that terrible blast on December 6, 1917, Halifax became at once “the disaster city” and a unique opportunity for social reform. Our aim is to remember the costs of the Halifax explosion with reverence and, through reflecting on its legacy, to raise questions for ourselves.
Intelligence in Action: A Real-World Event Security Case Study | Franceskina Merturi, Riëtte Verster
Event security teams are often tasked with making sense of fast-moving information before it becomes a real-world concern. In this scenario-based session, hear directly from Franceskina Merturi of The Metropolitan Museum of Art as she walks through a real-life event security use case - from the initial concern and information gathering to the decisions made along the way. Building on the case study, Riëtte Verster, Senior Product Manager at Liferaft, will demonstrate how open-source intelligence can support this type of investigation, helping teams identify relevant signals, add context, and turn online information into actionable intelligence.
Peer to Peer Conversations - Crafting a National Vision for Event Safety (Part 1) | Danielle Hernandez, Bryan Huneycutt, Tami Richter
This activity is designed to foster connections among participants by encouraging meaningful discussions.
National Canada Day - Planning Complexity for a Multi-Jurisdictional Large Scale Event | Kevin Kennedy
This session will examine the planning and operational activities involved in delivering the National Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa. The presentation will highlight the unique challenges and considerations associated with a large-scale, multi-jurisdictional event spanning two cities, two provinces, and involving federal, provincial, and municipal partners working collaboratively to provide a safe and secure experience for visitors.
Attendees will gain insight into the coordination required across agencies and jurisdictions, including event planning, operational integration, public safety considerations, communications, and stakeholder management. While many participants may not work on events of this magnitude, the lessons learned and approaches discussed may help inform planning considerations for events of any size or complexity.
This session is intended to encourage broader thinking around public safety, interagency coordination, operational readiness, and the practical realities of delivering major public events in complex environments.
Dealing with Drones at Events | W Thomas Leroux, Gabriel Rapacz
This talk is about the issues of unauthorized drones over events, the dangers, and the technologies that can be used to assist in reducing risks.
Updated Truss Loading Methodology | Bill Sapsis
Sponsored By: Paradigm Rigging
A review of the changes in truss loading principles that have occurred over the last few years, along with a discussion about Indeterminate Structures and the use of load cells to mitigate the issues presented by Indeterminate Structures.
Safety by Design: Building Better Street Festivals | Lisa La Rocca
Drawing from firsthand experience on the operations team at Supercrawl, this session explores the realities of managing safety at a large-scale urban street festival. From crowd flow and emergency planning to weather response, road closures, accessibility, and stakeholder coordination, attendees will gain practical insight into the systems and strategies required to deliver safe, successful public events.
Designed for festival organizers, municipalities, and event professionals, this presentation shares real-world lessons and adaptable approaches to balancing public safety, operational efficiency, and audience experience at high-attendance outdoor festivals.
Mentoring the Planners of Tomorrow: Building Safety Literacy in Student Event Organizers | Craig Arthur, Stephen Beaton, Jacob MacIsaac
Universities face a unique challenge - student event planners are perpetual beginners. This session covers Dalhousie's approach to mentoring students through the planning process: building accessible safety and risk awareness, making it educational rather than obstructive, and helping students take ownership of safety rather than just complying with it. From the initial concept to the after-action review, a collaborative approach ensures event success - the goal is students who don't just pull off one safe event, but ones who will carry that safety mindset forward with them once they leave the university.
Case Study - Iceman in Toronto | Evan Sandham
3,500 blocks of ice, 300lbs each, stacked in a parking lot in downtown Toronto with a hidden treasure inside. What could go wrong? We'll take a look at what happened and what could have happened when Drake promoted an upcoming album back in April 2026.
Behind the Scenes Risk Management - Building and Operationalizing Rogers Stadium | Kerrie Blizard (moderator), Nathalie Burri, Claire Mocock, Wendy Scott, Cindy Sypher
Building and operationalizing a 50K-person stadium from the ground up is a major undertaking. It requires strong collaboration across multiple teams to ensure effective risk management and a successful project. This panel brings together experts from engineering, operations, security, and health and safety to share how this large stadium project came together in 2025 and continued to evolve in 2026.
Panelists will offer practical insights from their respective fields, highlighting how each discipline contributes to managing risk throughout the process. The discussion will explore how early planning, clear communication, and coordinated decision-making support a safe and efficient project. It will also highlight how teams work together to prepare a stadium for construction and load-in, ready staff and contractors, and ultimately host thousands of guests for a summer season of world-class touring artists.
Global Insights: Enhancing Emergency Preparedness | Simon Hunt
The growing impacts of climate change, social unrest, and urbanization worldwide underscore the rising risks associated with crowds at live events. As a result, major incidents at mass-gathering events are becoming more frequent and severe. Responding effectively in these environments requires preparedness that enables emergency teams to operate as an interdependent network. However, recent analyses of MGE tragedies reveal that weak links often exist between private event safety staff and local emergency services.
This presentation discusses recent research on the principles, practices, and governance that improve collaboration between the public and private sectors, drawing on international perspectives and insights from 15 global practitioners. It synthesizes these findings into key insights to help practitioners and policymakers develop or refine guidance for emergency preparedness at live events.
Thinking Outside the (Witness) Box | KT Sonnen
Event safety practice is often shaped by inherited assumptions, entrenched operational habits, and a narrow reliance on traditional perspectives. This session challenges this status quo by inviting practitioners to critically examine the conceptual, methodological, and cultural boundaries that shape how safety and security are understood and delivered in live event environments. Drawing on emerging research and cross disciplinary insights, we will explore the diverse approaches currently used across the sector globally, highlighting where they converge, where they conflict, and crucially where innovation is both possible and necessary.
Rather than advocating for a single “correct” model, the session emphasises the strategic value of adopting the strongest elements from multiple frameworks whilst remaining grounded in organisational strengths, operational realities, and the lived experiences of both staff and attendees. This includes recognising the subjective and situational nature of perceived safety, and understanding how environmental, behavioural, and communicative cues shape those perceptions.
The session will also present new research findings demonstrating how enhancing feelings of safety and security can directly support commercial outcomes. Evidence indicates that when attendees feel safer - not simply are safer - dwell time, spend patterns, and return intention increase, enabling profitability gains through simply highlighting or camouflaging the ‘necessary evil’ of protective measures.
By reframing safety and security as dynamic, perception sensitive, and commercially consequential, this session encourages professionals to look and think outside the box for adaptable strategies to elevate both operational performance and audience experience.
Small Scenes, Big Challenges: Baseline & Safer Space Work in Rural Music Communities | Stacey Forrester, Kingsley Swim
Sponsored By: Canadian Live Music Association
While conversations about sexual violence prevention and safer spaces in live events have grown significantly over the last decade, rural and remote music communities are often excluded from these discussions. This session shares findings from Baseline, a Canadian research project exploring sexual violence prevention practices within rural and remote live music environments. Drawing from focus groups, surveys, interviews, and experiential site visits across Canada, this presentation examines both the challenges and strengths that shape safety work outside major urban centres.
Attendees to this session will explore how event organizers navigate challenges such as inconsistent access to prevention training, geographic isolation, and limited access to post-assault care, while also learning from community-led models that rely on adaptability, volunteerism, and deeply embedded networks of care. The presentation might challenge urban-centric assumptions about event safety and invite discussion about what city-based festivals and event sectors can learn from grassroots approaches developed in resource-limited environments. Practical takeaways will include strategies for community collaboration, safer space practices, and recommendations for funders and organizers.
Exercising your Emergency Plans - Not Just a Checkbox Exercise | Mark Ford
Sponsored By: Avera AV
Ensuring that your event is prepared for an emergency includes having plans and ensuring your staff are trained on what to do if an emergency happens. However, equally important is the exercising of your plans, staff and other partners who play a role in responding to an emergency. This presentation will cover key concepts and tips in executing meaningful, engaging and effective exercises to help ensure you are prepared, should an emergency occur.
Building Better Weather Support - How Events and Meteorologists Work Together | Kevin Stanfield
Sponsored By: Calgary Stampede
The discussion will centre around how outdoor events can benefit from meteorologists, and how meteorologists can in turn benefit from events experience, along with how we can integrate before, during, and after high-impact weather events.
The Human Side of Safety | Tenille Goodspeed, Olga Manzoni, Leah Murphy, Heather Roberts
At live events, safety is often discussed through logistics, regulations, and emergency planning but behind every policy are people with different needs, experiences, and expectations. “The Human Side of Safety” explores how event organizers can build safer, more inclusive environments by considering the lived experiences of everyone who interacts with a festival or event site. This panel will examine how safety planning extends beyond compliance and into community care. How safety practices impact staff, volunteers, artists, contractors, audiences, local residents, and patrons with accessibility needs, including wheelchair users and individuals requiring sensory or mobility accommodations. Topics will include accessible site design, equitable communication strategies, volunteer and staff wellbeing, audience support systems, and creating operational cultures where people feel respected, informed, and empowered to ask for help. The discussion will also address the importance of representation in safety planning and decision-making, ensuring that diverse voices are included when designing event experiences. This session is intended for event producers, operations teams, venue managers, and safety professionals seeking practical, people-centered approaches to building safer and more welcoming events for all.
Making Safety Meetings Matter: From Routine to Real Impact | Claire Mocock
Safety meetings, toolbox talks, and briefings are a core part of any health and safety program, but they are often routine, rushed, or treated as a checkbox exercise. In many cases, supervisors and those leading these conversations are not given the training, tools, or resources needed to deliver them effectively.
This session focuses on how to make these safety conversations practical, engaging, and relevant. Drawing on over 15 years of experience in health and safety across multiple industries, it will explore what works, what does not, and why many safety meetings may fail to be a valuable element in a health and safety program.
Attendees will learn simple approaches to improve participation, keep content relevant, and connect discussions to real hazards on site. The session will also highlight how to better support supervisors and crew leads with the right tools, clear expectations, and practical training so they can confidently lead effective safety briefings.
There will be an interactive component where participants break into small groups to refine a toolbox talk and practice delivering it. This gives attendees a chance to build confidence and leave with practical skills they can apply right away.
Live event environments demand that leaders build and lead teams quickly, often with individuals who have never worked together before, while managing client expectations and responding to evolving threats. In these conditions, success is not determined by the quality of the plan alone, but by how people perform under pressure and when conditions change.
Drawing on experience from decades of crisis response, military operations, and corporate security, this session explores how human performance shapes outcomes in high-risk, time-compressed environments. It examines why teams struggle in critical moments, how individuals respond differently under stress, and what leaders can do to rapidly create alignment, trust, and clarity.
Participants will be introduced to practical, field-tested approaches to building fast-forming teams and improving decision-making in dynamic situations. The session will also explore the reality that “the threat has a vote,” and how leaders and teams can better anticipate, detect, and respond to emerging risks while maintaining team cohesion and stakeholder confidence.
This session will briefly explore the value of understanding how individuals naturally respond under pressure and how behavioural tendencies influence team performance.
This is not a theoretical discussion. Attendees will leave with simple, actionable techniques that can be applied immediately in event environments—from control rooms to front-line operations—enhancing both team effectiveness and overall event safety.
Canadian Music Festivals Guide to Wildfire Smoke: A Toolkit for Organizers | Sarah Olson, Kevin Stanfield
As wildfire seasons across Western Canada become increasingly severe and unpredictable, outdoor festivals are facing growing operational, health, and safety challenges related to wildfire smoke and poor air quality. From artist and worker safety to audience communications, site operations, and emergency decision-making, festival organizers are being forced to navigate complex situations with limited sector-specific guidance.
This session introduces the Western Canadian Music Festivals Guide to Wildfire Smoke: A Toolkit for Organizers — a practical resource developed to support outdoor event producers in preparing for, responding to, and adapting to wildfire smoke impacts. Grounded in real-world festival operations and informed by emergency management, public health guidance, and climate adaptation practices, the toolkit provides actionable strategies for risk assessment, air quality monitoring, communication planning, accessibility considerations, operational adjustments, and continuity planning.
Participants will explore how festivals can build resilience while balancing patron experience, artist expectations, worker safety, and evolving climate realities.
Attendees will leave with practical tools, planning considerations, and adaptable frameworks that can support safer and more climate-resilient festival operations.
From Plan to Practice: Delivering Festival Ingress and Egress in Urban and Coastal Settings | John Badcock, Nathaniel Kennedy
This session will use case studies from UK festivals held in city parks to explore the practical realities of planning and delivering crowd ingress and egress operations.
In real-world applications, multiple disciplines, including site operations and infrastructure deployment teams, safety managers, security and stewarding teams, municipal transport providers, event management, and communications teams must work together to deliver safe and effective audience movement before and after events.
Rather than focusing purely on crowd theory, legal frameworks or headline attendance figures, the session will concentrate on the operational detail required to make plans work in practice. Topics will include the implementation of infrastructure and signage, briefings, staffing and deployment, contingency planning, communication strategies, coordination with transport operators, and adapting plans to changing operational conditions. The session will also explore how assumptions made during the planning phase can differ significantly once audiences, weather, transport pressures and live operational demands are introduced.
The aim is to provide a practical and honest discussion about the challenges of turning “good plans on paper” into effective delivery on the ground, while sharing lessons learned and approaches that helped overcome common operational issues through usable examples attendees can adapt and apply to improve their own events, audience experience and attendee safety.
Event Lighting Installs - Hazards and Tips | Evan Sandham
Have you ever watched a lighting install and wondered, "huh, are they doing that right?". This session is for technical or non-technical people working as managers or supervisors for municipalities, institutions, festivals, or events - indoor and outdoor. Topics covered include truss, lighting hangs, temporary power, and more.
Peer to Peer Conversations - Crafting a National Vision for Event Safety (Part 2) | Danielle Hernandez, Bryan Huneycutt, Tami Richter
This activity is designed to consolidate the ideas identified on Monday to develop a vision, shining a light on common issues we're facing across Canada.
Crowd Safety in Canada: Changing Up the Gears | Jordan Myers (moderator), Aaron Billesberger, Andy Hollinson, Suzannah Patmois, Eric Stuart
Sponsored By: Palmer Audio
After an introduction and discussion on latest trends/challenge's in crowd safety (post world cup), we will move onto the main discussion hosted by Jordan on how we moved forward in enhancing crowd safety in Canada by greater independence and reliance from those overseas.
Can You Guess What's Next? | Jean-François Blais, Martin Deslauriers, Jean-Mari Dufresne, Kate Hough, Antoine Leblanc-Michel
Get ready for the first look at ESAC 2027. We’ll officially reveal next year’s host city and give you a sneak peek at some of the experiences already in the works. Think hockey, arts and culture, legendary nightlife, major events, great food, and a city that knows how to put on a show. We won’t give everything away just yet, but we’ll share enough to make one thing clear: ESAC 2027 is shaping up to be one you won’t want to miss. Consider this your early warning to save the date.
Our National Vision for Event Safety | Kevin Tanner
Facilitators will share the National Visions from each group.
Craig Arthur, MASc, CEFP, CRSP, P.Eng
Assistant Vice-President, Facilities Management, Dalhousie University
| Craig Arthur, MASc, CEFP, CRSP, P.Eng serves as Assistant Vice-President of Facilities Management at Dalhousie University - leading the institution's largest administrative unit, with close to 400 staff. A mechanical engineer by training, Craig has built his career at the intersection of people, equipment, and infrastructure. His career spans biomedical research, equipment and systems design, safety leadership, building operations, and capital project delivery - shaping a practitioner of technical depth and plain- language communication. A champion of inherently safer design, Craig believes safety should be engineered in from the outset - not added on - whether in buildings, systems, or the events that bring a campus to life. He chairs the Public Health and Safety Advisory Committee with Engineers Nova Scotia and holds an appointment on the Technical Safety Advisory Board with The Province of Nova Scotia. Craig believes the best safety culture is one where people understand the why, not just the rules. |
John Badcock
Event Operations and Safety Director, SXSW LLC
| Originally from the UK, John Badcock currently spends six months of each year as Operations and Safety Director for SXSW in Austin, Texas, having first joined the organisation as Event Safety Coordinator in 2014. From 2024 to 2026, John served as Operations Director for TAIT, the Producing Partner for the launch of SXSW London, and in 2023 supported the inaugural SXSW Sydney on site. Outside of SXSW, John has over 16 years' experience delivering operations for UK greenfield events with Live Nation, Superstruct Entertainment, and other promoters. His expertise includes event operations, crowd management planning, emergency planning, 3Cs (Command, Control and Communication), and control room management. He has held senior control room roles at major festivals and events, including serving as Overnight Senior Control Room Manager during the state funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. John was on the Board of Directors of the Event Safety Alliance from 2021 to 2024. |
Stephen Beaton, MSc, CHO, CRSP
Executive Director, Environmental Health and Safety, Dalhousie University
| Stephen Beaton, MSc, CHO, CRSP, serves as Executive Director of Environmental Health & Safety at Dalhousie University, where he leads the university’s environmental health and safety programs supporting teaching, research, operations, and campus life. A safety professional with experience across higher education and complex institutional environments, Steve’s work spans occupational health and safety, laboratory and research safety, risk management, regulatory compliance, training, and organizational safety strategy. He is particularly focused on making safety practical, collaborative, and integrated into how work gets done rather than treating it as a separate function. Stephen also serves on the Board of Directors of Safety Services Nova Scotia and is active in advancing safety leadership and professional practice. He believes strong safety cultures are built through shared ownership, open communication, and giving people the knowledge and confidence to make good decisions. |
Director, Event Safety Alliance Canada Board of Directors
| With more than 35 years of experience in managing special events within governmental, cultural, and protocol institutions, Jean-François Blais has distinguished himself through his professionalism, rigor, and mobilizing leadership. As Production Manager at the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum, he oversees the planning, logistics, and production of more than 500 events each year, ranging from galas and state banquets to festivals, official ceremonies, and large-scale diplomatic events. He is also responsible for the operational management of two theatres with 230 and 500 seats, respectively. Recognized for his expertise in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and managing complex projects, he ensures the success of major events within deadlines, budgets, and quality standards, while maintaining the brand image of the Canadian Museum of History and demonstrating sensitivity to cultural diversity. His areas of expertise include technical direction, logistics, staff supervision, contract management, and public relations. Throughout his career, Jean-François has contributed to the success of major events such as the inauguration of the Canadian War Museum, official visits by Queen Elizabeth II, as well as numerous festivals and cultural partnerships (Bluesfest, Festibière, RedBull Flugtag, Canada Day, Casino Fireworks, etc.). A graduate in Business Administration from the Université du Québec à Hull, he has pursued several specialized training programs in project management, supervision, risk management, and human resources, and has participated in numerous international conferences (IFEA, USITT, The Special Events). Recipient of several professional awards, including the CEIA Award (2008), the Ottawa Tourism Partnership Award (2007), and a Merit Award for the visit of President George W. Bush (2005), Jean-François Blais will retire in January 2026 after more than 30 years of service with the Canadian Museum of History. |
Kerrie Blizard
Director of Public Safety and Environment, Calgary Stampede
| Kerrie Blizard is the Director of Public Safety and Environment at the Calgary Stampede, and the current Vice Chair of Event Safety Alliance Canada. With more than 25 years of experience in tourism, hospitality, and live events, Kerrie has built a dynamic career spanning event management, guest experience, food and beverage, public safety, and sustainability. She is a certified Level 5 Crowd Manager and has also received her Showstop certification, further strengthening her expertise in event safety and risk management. Her breadth of knowledge has allowed her to play a key role in delivering some of Canada’s most high-profile events, including Royal visits, government summits, international conventions, and large-scale festivals. Driven by a passion for the power of live events to bring people together, Kerrie is committed to creating memorable experiences that are safe, sustainable, and impactful for both guests and the broader community. |
Nathalie Burri
SVP, Operations, Live Nation Canada
| With a portfolio spanning international tours, professional sporting events, and special event operational planning in a global pandemic, her more than 20+ years in the events world began at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment where she was responsible for the planning and execution of all events taking place at MLSE properties. Her career has spanned many areas within Live Entertainment from Chief Operations Director for WE Day producing world class arena shows across the globe to the role of Vice President of Events at Canada Basketball where she was the Executive Producer of Globl Jam an international Basketball tournament, while leading a team driving business growth for the sport in Canada and planning multiple FIBA sanctioned events. In her most recent role as Senior Vice President Operations Nathalie acts as the is the executive producer / project lead on the new 50,000 capacity Rogers Stadium the largest music specific venue in Canada. In her day-to-day role with Live Nation, Nathalie oversees the operations of LN venues, festivals and leads the national production team. With a focus on consistency with LN global business, managing risk, while providing an amazing experience for our fans, artists and employees, and ensure excellence in event execution. |
Martin Deslauriers, CPP, PSP, PCI
Director of Security, Place Des Arts
| Martin Deslauriers, CPP, PSP, PCI, is a senior security and risk management executive with over two decades of leadership experience in high-stakes environments. He is currently Director of Security at Place des Arts, Montréal’s premier cultural complex, where he oversees the protection of people, assets, and events in one of Canada’s most iconic venues. Previously, Martin served as Vice President of Risk Management and Corporate Security at Brinks Canada, where he led national security operations for one of the country’s most sensitive logistics networks. Board-certified by ASIS International (CPP, PSP, PCI) and a PECB Certified ISO 31000 Lead Risk Manager, Martin brings a strategic and holistic approach to enterprise risk and security. Known for his ability to align security with business goals, he is a trusted advisor who turns complex risk landscapes into actionable, resilient strategies. |
Dr. Susan Dodd
Professor of Humanities, University of King's College, Halifax
| Susan Dodd is a professor of Humanities at the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she teaches in the first-year great books course, the Foundation Year Program and the Contemporary Studies Program--“Apocalypse: Revolutions in Politics and Culture.” Professor Dodd is the author of The Ocean Ranger: Remaking the Promise of Oil (Fernwood, 2011), Faith and Progress: the roots of the Canadian welfare state in the first-ever work of disaster studies (Samuel H. Prince’s Catastrophe and Social Change: a study of the Halifax Disaster) (under review at the University of Toronto Press) and numerous chapters and articles including “Blame and Causation in the Aftermath of Industrial Disasters: Nova Scotia’s Coal Mines from 1858 to Westray,” (in Working Disasters: the politics of recognition and response, Eric Tucker, ed. Baywood Press, 2006, 237-276) and “Unsettled Accounts After Westray,” (in The Westray Chronicles. McCormick ed. Black Point: Fernwood, 1999, 218-250). She is an avid volunteer board member and teacher in the Halifax Humanities Society that offers barrier free humanities education in urban Halifax, as well as a member (and the founding chair) of the St. George’s Refugee Sponsorship Committee. Professor Dodd is a graduate of West Kings District High School in Auburn NS and holds a BA (Hon) in Classics, Philosophy and Political Science from King’s and Dalhousie, an MA in Political Science and a PhD in Sociology both from York University. She is developing a small orchard of fruit trees and rose bushes in the Annapolis Valley. |
Jean-Mari Dufresne
Director of Security, Bell GP Canada
| Jean-Mari Dufresne is an experienced emergency services and event operations leader with more than three decades of involvement in major special events. Active in special events since 1994, he has built a distinguished career in emergency services, public safety, and large-scale event planning. A licensed paramedic since 2002, Jean-Mari served for 25 years with Montreal EMS before becoming Director of Security for the Formula 1 - Canadian Grand Prix. He has been involved with the Canadian Grand Prix since 2003, holding progressively senior operational and security leadership roles. Throughout his career, he has led multidisciplinary teams, coordinated emergency response plans, managed complex security operations, and contributed to some of Canada's largest international sporting events. Recognized for his strategic vision, operational leadership, and commitment to safety, Jean-Mari continues to play a key role in delivering world-class events. |
Mark Ford
Director of Security, Live Nation Canada
| Mark has over 35 years experience in the public safety and security field. Mark is currently employed with Live Nation Canada (LNC), in the role of Director of Security for Rogers Stadium. Previously, Mark was a full-time consultant specializing in security and emergency management, as well as prior work with Shopify. Mark retired from the Ottawa Police Service with over 30 years experience at the rank of Acting Deputy Chief. Mark specialized in Emergency Operations and Management spending time as a Tactical Officer / Explosives Disposal Technician, Event Security Planner, and Incident Commander and has been involved in hundreds of incidents / operations / events. Mark has worked extensively in the live entertainment industry with events such as Ottawa BluesFest, CityFolk, and Guitars & Gasoline. Mark just finished his tenure as a board member with Ottawa BluesFest and is currently a board member with Run Ottawa. |
Stacey Forrester
Education Director, Good Night Out Vancouver
| Stacey Forrester (she/her) is co-founder and Education Director of Good Night Out Vancouver, unceded ancestral territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm, Skxwú7mesh and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ people. Good Night Out is a non-profit addressing sexual violence in social spaces through workshops and outreach. Stacey recently served as Community Safety and Engagement Lead on Vancouver's Host Committee for the 2025 JUNOs and was one of 6 Canadian women selected to participate in the Keychange Leadership Programme, a 6 month talent building program to create a better, more inclusive music industry. She was recently awarded the Women in Music Change maker of the year award for her work fostering harm reduction in live events. |
Tenille Goodspeed
Executive Director, Halifax Jazz Festival
| Tenille Goodspeed is the Executive Director of the Halifax Jazz Festival. Before leading the team that brings forth one of the biggest music festivals in Atlantic Canada, she was a key player in successful events like the East Coast Music Awards, Boots and Hearts Music Festival, Wayhome Music & Arts Festival, and prior editions of the TD Halifax Jazz Festival. She has extensive experience in charitable sector fundraising, grant writing, marketing, and communications. She's also a lifelong choral singer, and a founding member of ECMA nominated Xara Choral Theatre, a top women’s choir in Canada for over 10 years that gained national and international recognition as an inter-arts genre ensemble. |
Danielle Hernandez
Vice President, Event Safety Alliance (US)
| 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, is a member of the ESTA Event Safety Working Group and leads the ESTA task group creating an ANSI standard for Communications at live event productions. |
Andy Hollinson
CEO, The Square Metre Group
| Andy Hollinson is the CEO of The Square Metre Group, a globally recognised consultancy specialising in crowd safety management, event safety, training and strategic operational planning. With a Foundation Degree in Crowd Safety Management and a First Class BA (Hons) in Crowd Safety Management, Andy combines academic excellence with nearly three decades of practical experience across some of the world’s largest events, sports grounds, live music venues, festivals and transport hubs. Andy is a highly experienced crowd safety consultant and trainer, working internationally with event organisers, public authorities, venue operators and major rights holders to support the safe planning and delivery of complex, high-profile events. His work includes crowd management planning, capacity assessment, ingress and egress strategy, last-of--mile operations, front of stage and barrier safety, emergency preparedness, operational command structures, and staff training. Andy has recently undertaken major crowd safety consultancy roles in Canada, including serving as Crowd Safety Consultant and Strategic Crowd Safety Lead for the City of Toronto for external operations at the FIFA World Cup 2026. In this role, Andy led strategic safety planning for external operations, including last-mile planning, ingress and egress strategy, crowd movement, operational controls, and the FIFA Fan Festival. Andy then took the position of tactical crowd safety lead to implement the plans. His work supported the development of robust, proportionate, and operationally deliverable crowd safety arrangements for one of the world’s most complex major-event environments. Andy’s expertise and practical approach have made him a sought-after advisor for major events and venues worldwide. His combination of experience, academic knowledge and training capability enables him to provide high-quality advice and education to professionals responsible for managing crowds in complex and dynamic environments. As the leader of The Square Metre Group, Andy continues to support the development of crowd safety practice globally, helping organisations to apply recognised crowd management principles, improve operational resilience, and deliver safer event environments. Andy is a Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM) and holds the following qualifications:
Andy is currently working towards a Master of Laws (LLM) degree, with expected completion in 2026. |
Kate Hough
Co-Founder & Director of Operations, In Situ
| Kate Hough is Co-Founder and Director of Operations at In Situ, a Montreal-based event production company specialising in production management, site operations, and complex temporary infrastructure. An environmental engineer by training, Kate has 15 years of experience across construction, safety, environmental management, and live events in Australia, North America, and the Middle East. Her work has included developing safety systems and processes, as well as working directly with teams in complex and high-pressure environments. Kate takes a pragmatic approach to safety and operations, with a focus on developing systems and processes that work in practice, not just on paper. She is particularly interested in safety through the full lifecycle of a project, from how something is designed and planned, through build and operations, to dismantling and close-out, and in the human and team dynamics that influence what happens on site. |
Simon Hunt
Graduate Student, Royal Roads University
| Simon Hunt is an emergency management practitioner with more than 30 years of experience. His roles have included search-and-rescue leader, city emergency coordinator, and incident management as a forest fire specialist. He served in a senior emergency coordination role during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. In 2017, a serendipitous event prompted Simon to leave the public service and pursue opportunities in the private sector. He currently advises on public safety at the Shambhala Music Festival, focusing on weather preparedness and crowd safety. Simon recently earned a master’s degree in Disaster & Emergency Management from Royal Roads University. His thesis, supervised by Emma Parkinson of the UK, examined interoperability between the private and public sectors, drawing on insights from 15 international experts. Outside work, he enjoys many outdoor activities and fuels his passion for music as a DJ, drummer, and producer, aka #sifibeats. He is also a proud father of two daughters in Revelstoke, BC. |
Antoine Leblanc-Michel
Co-Founder & Director of Projects, In Situ
| Co-Founder / Director of Projects at In Situ, Antoine is a site, operations, and project manager in the entertainment and special event industry. Antoine specializes in overlay, temporary infrastructures, and utilities locally and internationally. Past experiences range from world renowned music and arts festivals, large scale concerts, international sporting events, ceremonies, automobile racing to high end fashion shows |
Kevin Kennedy
Principal/Owner, Kennedy Crowd Safety Solutions
| Kevin Kennedy is the owner of Kennedy Crowd Safety Solutions and a recognized specialist in crowd safety, event security, and major event planning. Following a distinguished 39-year policing career with the Ottawa Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police, he retired as a Staff Sergeant after leading the Ottawa Police Service's Major Event Planning Section for more than 15 years. Kevin holds a Master of Science in Crowd Safety and Risk Identification from Manchester Metropolitan University and is completing a Master of Science in Security and Risk Management at the University of Leicester. He provides planning, training, and operational support for large-scale public events across North America and has worked with public agencies, professional sports organizations, and event organizers to enhance safety and security. Through his consulting, teaching, and research, Kevin is committed to advancing evidence-based practices that strengthen crowd management, event security, and public safety. |
Nathaniel Kennedy
Coordinator, Emergency Management, City of Toronto
| Nathaniel believes that it’s easier to listen when you’re smiling. Having worked for the City of Toronto for 16 years in both Event Production and Emergency Management, Nathaniel worked on major free public events including Panamania, the Invictus Games, Nuit Blanche and Canada Day and New Year’s Eve celebrations; and, most recently, he has been working as a Coordinator in Toronto Emergency Management on the team planning Toronto’s incident response for a bunch of soccer games that were being played this summer. He first recognized the importance of collaborative crowd management planning and command centre coordination between emergency services and event producers during the planning of Toronto’s memorial for the victims of the 2018 van attack. |
Lisa La Rocca
Director of Operations, Sonic Unyon Records / Supercrawl Productions
| Lisa La Rocca is Director of Operations at independent record label and events company Sonic Unyon Records in Hamilton. She founded the Fresh Up R&B Fest in 2022 and leads logistics on other Sonic Unyon produced festivals Supercrawl, Because Beer, Why Not Wine, as well as many other events. Lisa is currently chair of Hamilton’s Music Advisory Team, serves as a board member of the Hamilton-Halton-Brant Regional Tourism Organization and the Downtown Hamilton BIA. She is a part-time PhD student in the Communication and Culture program at York University with a focus on Popular Music Studies, and holds an M.A. in Communication and New Media from McMaster University. |
W Thomas Leroux
Co-Founder, DroneBusters
| Having worked in IT, server administration, film & TV for a good portion of my career, mainly by solving other people's problems and protecting my clients. A bit over a decade ago, I stepped into becoming part of Ottawa's music festivals scene as part of the IT team; designing, building out, and maintaining critical IT infrastructure for the festivals, and additional responsibilities included drone interception by following them back to the operator. After years of chasing drones at outdoor events, along with co-Founder Gabriel Rapacz, we saw an opportunity to help reduce risks by providing event teams with drone intelligence and consulting to protect event attendees, performers, staff, and equipment. About me: Avid camper, usually found wandering the forests of Algonquin Park as often as possible, and walking, running, or cycling around Ottawa with his amazing wife. |
Jacob MacIsaac
Director of DalSAFE, Dalhousie University
| As Director of DalSAFE (Campus Security) Jake MacIsaac leads Dalhousie University's integrated approach to community safety, emergency management, and incident response programs. Having spent much of his career working at the intersection of student support, public safety, and crisis response, Jake has helped shape approaches that blend operational readiness with human-centered care. His experience spans campus safety operations, emergency management, threat assessment, community engagement, conflict resolution, and organizational leadership. A strong advocate for care-informed safety practice, Jake believes the most effective safety strategies strengthen both preparedness and belonging. Often through a restorative approach, he influences other toward a posture of de-escalation and collaborative risk management, helping bridge traditional safety disciplines with student well-being and community care. Jake believes the strongest safety cultures are built through trust, shared responsibility, and helping people understand not only what to do, but why it matters. |
Past President, Board Member, Halifax Jazz Festival / JazzEast Rising
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Franceskina Merturi
Investigations and Intelligence Analyst, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
| Franceskina Merturi is an Investigations and Intelligence Analyst with extensive experience supporting security and intelligence operations within major cultural institutions. Over the past seven years at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, she has advanced through roles in security, administration, and investigations, contributing to the development of intelligence programs, risk-mitigation strategies, and investigative operations. She holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice/Police Science from the University of Tirana, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Shkodër “Luigj Gurakuqi,” and a Law and Society degree from John Jay College, where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. Franceskina is also certified through the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) FIAT 5.0 intelligence training program and serves as a commissioned Notary Public. She was recently invited to speak at the IAMFA Museum & Cultural Property Symposium at the Art and Design Museum and has also presented at the FBI NYC Security Symposium, along with numerous other industry panels and conferences. These engagements underscore her growing reputation as a thought leader in intelligence, security operations, threat assessment, and the protection of cultural institutions and assets. |
Claire Mocock, MBA, CRSP
Founder & Principal Consultant, Canary Safety and Risk Consulting Inc.
| Claire Mocock, MBA, CRSP, is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Canary Safety and Risk Consulting Inc. Claire is an accomplished health and safety professional with a solid foundation in safety, science, and business, combined with a proven track record across diverse industries, including research and education, property management, gaming and casinos, transportation, utilities, construction, and live events including professional sports, concerts, and festivals. Claire is recognized for her ability to build and implement effective safety management systems, policies and processes that align with both the organization and its people. Claire has a “progress over perfection” mindset and passion for health and safety which makes her effective at driving culture change to proactively manage and mitigate risks within the workplace. Claire works in many jurisdictions and provinces in Canada making her well-versed in OHS legislation with the ability to take a national approach to OHS that utilizes technology and builds efficiencies and scalability in H&S requirements, documentation and due diligence. Claire is the proud recipient of the 2024 Scott Johnson Memorial Award. |
Leah Murphy
Operations Manager, Halifax Jazz Festival
| Leah Murphy is the Operations Manager for the Halifax Jazz Festival, where she leads the planning and execution of site operations, accessibility initiatives, volunteer coordination, and event safety for one of Atlantic Canada's premier music festivals. After shifting professional focus from the construction sector in 2024, she embedded herself in the music and event industry of her home province and received her Certificate in Advanced Crowd Safety Management from the Crowd Safety Training and Consultancy Worldwide Ltd at the ESA Canada Conference in 2025. With a passion for creating safe, welcoming, inclusive and fun event experiences, Leah believes that successful event safety is built on strong relationships, clear communication, and a culture of care. |
Jordan Myers
Public Safety & Event Operations Practitioner - Consultant, Independent / ESAC, GCMA, ISRM, IAEM
| Jordan Myers is a Vancouver-based public safety, crowd safety, and event operations practitioner with more than 23 years of experience across special events, endurance sport, public realm operations, emergency management, first response, event production, and community-based projects. His work sits at the intersection of crowd safety, permitting, interagency coordination, responder access, event medical planning, and the practical realities of keeping public gatherings both safe and human. He has supported large and small-scale events, multi-agency deployments, clinical teams, field operations, field hospitals, and community arts initiatives in Canada and internationally. Jordan is currently completing graduate studies, an MBA focused on circularity and resilience, and a MSc in Emergency Management and Risk. Before moving to Canada, he worked as a Wilderness Ranger/Wildland Firefighter with the US Forest Service. He lives in Vancouver with his wife and daughter. |
Sarah Olsen
Operations Manager, Calgary Folk Music Festival
| Sarah Olson is the Operations Manager for the Folk Festival Society of Calgary which includes the marquee summer festival Calgary Folk Music Festival, Block Heater winter festival, and Festival Hall, a boutique performance venue on Calgary’s Music Mile. She leads event operations, emergency management, site logistics, and risk planning. With more than 12 years of experience in the live events industry, Sarah has built a career focused on delivering safe events, memorable experiences, and building strong organizations. Her work has increasingly centred on emergency preparedness and the increasing impacts of extreme weather and wildfire smoke. Sarah worked on the development of the Guide to Wildfire Smoke for Outdoor Events and Festivals in collaboration with Alberta Capital Airshed and industry partners. She believes the strongest events are built through collaboration, continuous learning, operational refinements and practical planning. She is committed to helping the Canadian live events industry prepare for an increasingly complex operating environment and building resilience within the organizations making up the live events eco-system and the sector overall. |
Suzannah Patmios
Crowd Safety & Security Consultant / Project Manager, Event Safety Professionals, Project by 91
| Suzannah (Suz) Patmios has been involved in corporate management for the last 20 years in various operational, consulting and strategic management roles. Starting in 2013 she began producing boutique events across North America. Having undertaken safety, auditing and policy recommendation work since 2018, she has been both studying and working in crowd safety and event risk management; which is now her primary work focus. She currently works as a project manager for various festivals in an event and crowd safety planning capacity. She previously held the role of Crowd Safety Manager at Ottawa Bluesfest for four years and is now their Festival Safety and Security Manager with responsibilities for overall festival safety, security and crowd management. In addition, she works as an Event Safety Director for Projects By 91 based in Toronto. Suz co-founded the Event Safety Professionals Company along with partners Jason Gordon, Scott Pollard, Mark Ford, Cindy Sypher and Graham Hicks. ESP works across all facets of safety management and planning in events. |
Gabriel Rapacz
Co-Founder, DroneBusters
| Gabriel Rapacz is a technology leader, entrepreneur, and event operations specialist with a background in criminology and hands-on experience supporting large-scale public events. He graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Criminology in 2017 and went on to become part owner of an IT company in 2020, where he helps organizations strengthen their technology, cybersecurity, and operational resilience. Since 2016, Gabriel has also been part of the IT team supporting major Ottawa festivals, including Bluesfest and CityFolk, contributing to the reliable technology infrastructure behind high-volume live events. In 2025, he co-founded Drone Busters, a venture focused on addressing emerging drone-related risks and challenges. Gabriel brings a practical, cross-disciplinary perspective to ESAC, combining security awareness, technology leadership, and real-world event experience. |
Tami Richter
President, Event Safety Alliance (US)
| Tami is an accomplished professional in the event industry, currently serving as the Vice President of Event Operations for SXSW, LLC. With an extensive background in event management and a strong focus on safety and event operations, Tami plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of one of the largest and most renowned events in the world. In her role with SXSW, Tami oversees a wide range of event operations, including a robust volunteer program, event staffing, catering, transportation, accessibility, welfare, security, and the management of the onsite event control room. Health and safety remains a primary focus through all stages of her event planning and execution processes. Her dedication to health and safety is evident through her continued drive to build strong relationships with government and public safety agencies, the development and provision of training for event staff and colleagues, and the implementation of initiatives to build a culture of safety. In addition to her responsibilities with SXSW, Tami is a member of various organizations dedicated and focused on event safety. In addition to her role with the Event Safety Alliance, she is a member of the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) Event Safety Working Group. She actively contributes to the development of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards in event safety. In 2021, Tami was engaged to co-design and implement a campaign and program aimed at spotlighting harassment at events through education, prevention, intervention, and support. The program has been successfully deployed for the past two years in the Middle East at some of the region's largest events. Tami remains committed to staying at the forefront of her field through education and opportunities that present themselves to learn from other professionals. She has completed numerous courses from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), Community Emergency Response Training (CERT), Event Safety Access Training (ESAT), OSHA 30 General Industry, OSHA 10 Construction, ARIC Threat Liaison Officer, and various health safety compliance and advisory programs. Tami has also invested significant time in enhancing her crowd management, risk assessment, and leadership skills. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Emergency Management and Homeland Security at Arizona State University. Not only is Tami deeply passionate about event safety, but she also actively imparts her knowledge and skills to others. She serves as an American Red Cross Instructor in Pediatric and Adult CPR/AED/First Aid, certifying hundreds of event personnel. Her dedication to volunteer management is exemplified by her certification as a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA), a distinguished professional credential in the field. She is dedicated to promoting open conversations and providing learning opportunities for others, so the event industry can continue reaching higher standards in safety, while prioritizing the well-being of all involved. When Tami isn’t producing events, she enjoys time with her husband and four children. As a military spouse, she has been afforded the opportunity to live and travel all over the world, a true passion of hers. She also enjoys being outdoors, smoking and barbecuing meats, watching football, running, and camping. |
Heather Roberts
Safety, Accessibility and Harm Reduction, Halifax Jazz Festival
| Heather Roberts is a frontline community services professional with more than 25 years of experience in mental health, corrections, crisis response, supportive housing, and community safety. Currently an Intensive Case Manager with the Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia, Heather supports criminalized women navigating reintegration, housing, wellness, and community supports. Her career includes residential mental health, emergency shelters, women ’s halfway houses, crisis intervention, de-escalation, harm reduction, and trauma informed practice. For the past 15 years, Heather has also worked in festival security management, coordinating security teams, crowd and site safety, and emergency and evacuation planning for events serving thousands of patrons and artists. Drawing on experience from both sides of the barricade, public safety and human services, Heather brings a practical, trauma informed approach to live events, believing the safest spaces are created when security, accessibility, harm reduction, inclusion, and human connection are all part of the same conversation. |
Evan Sandham
Owner / Primary Consultant, Production Health & Safety
| Evan is the primary consultant with Production Health & Safety, based in Toronto. Specializing in both Live Events and Film & TV, his areas of focus include site safety, location risk assessments, venue inspections, legislative compliance, production management, technical direction, and festival accessibility programs. With a background in theatre and live event production, he has worked to integrate health & safety practices from mainstream industry to the entertainment world and patiently educate those who “have been doing this for 30 years and never had a problem”. Evan is a graduate of the Ryerson (now TMU) Theatre School and School of Occupational and Public Health. He is an active member of the Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology and Health & Safety Professionals Canada (formerly the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering). When not hard at work, Evan enjoys conversations that aren't about work, outdoor adventures, and road trips to small towns with ‘world's largest’ monuments. |
Bill Sapsis
Ex-Officio, Sapsis Rigging, Inc.
| Bill Sapsis, President of Sapsis Rigging, Inc., began his career in 1972. His work on Broadway includes the original productions of A Chorus Line and The Runner Stumbles. Bill opened Sapsis Rigging in 1981 and has grown the company into a multi-faceted installation/production/service company with clients on six continents. Bill’s articles and lectures on rigging and safety can be found in numerous publications worldwide. He has authored two books; Heads and Tales and Entertainment Rigging for the 21 st Century. Bill is the chair of the ETCP Arena Subject Matter Experts and a member of the ETCP Council. He serves on ESTA's Technical Standards Committee and is co-Chair of the ANSI accredited Rigging Working Group. Bill sits on the Board of Directors for the Behind the Scenes Charity. He is also a member of the NECCA Board of Directors. Bill is a USITT Fellow and a member of ABTT. He is a founding member of the Long Reach Long Riders, an industry based charity motorcycle group. He is the Executive Producer of BackStage Pass, a video interview series on YouTube and an organizer of the ESTA/USITT New World Rigging Symposium. Bill is also the Executive Director Emeritus of the North American Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference (NATEAC). |
Wendy Scott, CPP, ABCP
Director, Security Operations and Risk Management, Live Nation
| Wendy Scott is a security and emergency management leader with more than 25 years of experience across live events, corporate security, public sector operations, and enterprise resilience. She has led security operations for major venues and festivals, including the first 2 seasons of Rogers Stadium with Live Nation Canada, and previously oversaw event and corporate security at Scotiabank Arena and BMO Field with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. Wendy has also built and led crisis management and business continuity programs at Shopify and IGM Financial, bringing a well rounded, strategic perspective to risk and preparedness. A Certified Protection Professional (CPP®) and Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP), she is recognized for her calm leadership, collaborative approach, and deep expertise in crowd safety, emergency response, and complex event operations. |
KT Sonnen
PhD Researcher, Coventry University
| KT Sonnen is a multidisciplinary safety and security specialist whose operational career spans crowd management, event medical provision, traffic operations, health and safety, and control rooms across the UK and internationally. Currently completing her doctorate, she coruns Invictus Pro Training Ltd with her husband Carl, delivering immersive exercising, consultancy, and high engagement training renowned for its realism and impact. Through Coventry University’s Centre for Peace and Security, KT’s PhD research uses innovative methods to examine crime, unwanted behaviour, and the psychological effects of security measures, aiming to strengthen operational decision making and help events maximise both safety and profitability. |
Kevin Stanfield
Founder & Chief Meteorologist, Stanfield Technologies
| Kevin Stanfield is an applied meteorologist and founder of Stanfield Technologies, a weather-intelligence consultancy supporting events, productions, venues, organizations, and anywhere else a sudden change in the weather becomes a liability. Drawing on more than a decade in meteorology, including broadcast and chief meteorologist roles in Calgary, Kevin helps teams move beyond generic forecast tools toward people-led, defensible decisions. Stanfield Technologies has supported major Western Canadian events and organizations including the Calgary Stampede, Big Valley Jamboree, Country Thunder, Calgary Folk Music Festival, and clients of the Alberta Directors Guild, including Paramount Pictures. Kevin works with operations and leadership teams to establish weather thresholds, improve plans and communication, and support live decision-making when conditions take a turn. Kevin is thrilled to be making second appearance at ESAC and meeting more of Canada’s amazing event operators. |
James Strickland
Managing Partner, RCAS
| James Strickland brings over 30 years of crisis leadership experience from the Canadian Special Operations Forces, law enforcement, and the corporate sector. He has planned and commanded complex, politically sensitive military and civilian operations both domestically and internationally. As Director General Public Safety and Security for the Ottawa International Airshow, he oversaw the comprehensive safety, security, and crisis response framework for one of Canada’s largest public events, integrating multi-agency coordination and contingency planning. In the corporate arena, James built and led Global Security and Crisis Operations for Canopy Growth Corporation, developing and implementing crisis management mechanisms across five continents. His expertise includes risk assessment, contingency planning, security operations, and leading through disruption. Today, he coaches and mentors leaders in crisis readiness, helping organizations anticipate, prepare, and respond effectively to critical incidents, with a focus on high-profile, high-stakes decision scenarios. |
Kingsley Swim
Founder, The Framework
| Building on her ethos of power and funding redistribution, Kingsley Swim has secured seven figures in funding for artist-led initiatives and has advised organizations, funders, and governments on reconfiguring their arts and cultural programs. Her work has also expanded to include the co-development of WARP - a mentorship program that has redistributed $64,000+ to independent projects while empowering organizers to reimagine their events through the lenses of equity, disability justice, and harm reduction. In 2025, she teamed up with Good Night Out Vancouver to launch Baseline - a research initiative evaluating current sexual violence prevention strategies in rural Canada and exploring how they can be integrated into broader safety efforts within the music industry. In recognition of her contributions and growing impact across the sector, Kingsley was named a Rising Leader by Women in Music Canada (2025) and received the Foundation Award from the Cranium Arts Project (2026). |
Cindy Sypher, M.Eng., P.Eng.
President, Sypher & Associates Field Engineering Ltd.
| Cindy Sypher, M. Eng., P.Eng. is President of Sypher & Associates Field Engineering Ltd., licensed across six Canadian provinces. She is a trusted authority in demountable event structures, fire and life safety, amusement rides and devices, and public risk management—consulting for major fairs, parks, and event promoters nationwide. Cindy chairs the TSSA’s Amusement Devices Industry Advisory Council and co-chairs ASTM International’s Canadian Harmonization Working Group, shaping national standards for amusement rides and devices. Cindy serves on the Board of Directors for the Event Safety Alliance Canada. She’s a curriculum developer and speaker for NAARSO, AIMS, IAAPA, ESAC, SafeConnect and academic institutions. Her 18 years in the nuclear sector include seismic standards development for CANDU reactors and board service with the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries. Whether it’s amusement rides, temporary structures, or litigation support, Cindy brings precision, pragmatism, and a passion for safety to every project. |
Riëtte Verster
Senior Product Manager, Liferaft
| Riëtte Verster is a Senior Product Manager at Liferaft with 20 years of experience building content and technology products that help people navigate complex information. Her work centers on applying AI and large language models to threat and risk intelligence, helping organizations turn information into informed decisions while exploring how agentic AI can automate and enhance parts of the intelligence process. At Liferaft, she leads the development of AI-enabled threat and risk intelligence capabilities that help security teams identify relevant signals, reduce noise, add context, and act faster. Her work spans the full intelligence lifecycle, from translating requirements into collection strategies, through triage, validation, analysis, reporting, and dissemination. This includes protective intelligence, situational awareness, and related intelligence workflows. Her background in educational publishing, psychology, research, and statistics shapes her focus on technology that supports sound human judgment and validation. |
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