5 to 7 June 2019, Waterfront Hotel, London

DIGITAL THINKERS MEET UP

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LISTEN TO THE Event Speakers

Christopher Usih

Chief Superintendent of Schools, Calgary Board of Education

Dr. Tracey Burns

Chief Research Officer, Senior Analyst, OECD (Seconded) , National Center on Education and the Economy

Dr. Mario Chiasson

Director of Research, Innovations and Change Management at District scolaire francophone Sud

Dr. Mario Chiasson

Director of Research, Innovations and Change Management at District scolaire francophone Sud

Dr. Mario Chiasson is known for his practical insights on learning innovation. He is experienced and equipped to make big things happen. As the founder of My Learning My Space, Mario has helped countless organizations and institutions (schools, districts, ministries, colleges, universities, business and communities) to navigate through disruptive change, develop innovation capabilities and drive continuous improvement. From startups and small projects to educational and community reform.
Mario is a researcher that focuses on the design of spaces that influence the learning and the teaching process of new skills aligned with the innovative society. He holds a Bachelors degree in Physical Education with two concentration (Math and Science), a Masters in school administration with a focus on ICT and a Ph.D in Education at Université de Moncton, New-Brunswick, Canada. He is a Microsoft Innovative Teacher, a Cisco IT Essential Teacher, an Apple Distinguished Educator, an Apple Certified Trainer.

Dr. Rumeet Billan

Award-winning, internationally recognized entrepreneur, learning architect, speaker, author, humanitarian, and Canada’s top 10 power women 2020.

Maxim Jean-Louis

Chief Executive Officer of Contact North | Contact Nord

Maxim Jean-Louis

Chief Executive Officer of Contact North | Contact Nord

Maxim Jean-Louis is President – Chief Executive Officer of Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education and Training Network, headquartered in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Maxim worked in senior management roles for over 15 years at Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada’s open university.
He is also a member of the Comité consultatif en matière d’éducation postsecondaire en langue française dans les régions du Centre et du Sud-ouest.
Maxim is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of the World University Service of Canada and of the Optical Regional Advanced Network of Ontario, as well as a past member of Ontario’s Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board, and he served as a member of the Canadian Advisory Mission to support the implementation of the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) by the South African Qualifications Authority. He also served as President of Collège des Grands Lacs, one of Ontario’s three French-language community colleges.
In 2011, Maxim was appointed Special Advisor to Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities for an Ontario Online Institute, producing a 125-page report and recommendations to the Minister on opportunities for online learning in the province.

Steve Brown

President & Chief Executive Officer, NELSON

Steve Brown

President & Chief Executive Officer, NELSON

Steve Brown has made his mark in Canada and Internationally by leading organizations through digital transformation. His career spans a diverse mix of industry and technology experience from multi-media entertainment, logistics services, automotive, and now to learning solutions.
Since joining NELSON in September 2016, Steve has transformed the vision for this 104-year-old company by reimagining the role and purpose of a publisher in 2017 and beyond. Introducing a matrix driven view to the management culture, and unifying a K20 student-centric business division is at the core of this shift to a cohesive customer focused structure. He has reframed the organization’s digital competency by instituting a technology department comprised of some the world’s best and brightest talent based in Silicon Beach California. Additionally, over the past 12 months the company has engaged in various M&A activities, including the acquisition of one of its largest competitors, as well as signing numerous agency and partnership deals to ensure NELSON offers a world class portfolio of learning solution and for all its markets.
Steve’s passion and commitment to transforming education, and the student learning experience, continues to fuel the innovation pipeline at NELSON.

Robert Martellacci

Founder & Conference Chair

Robert Martellacci

Founder & Conference Chair

Robert Martellacci (MA EdTech) is president of MindShare Learning Technology, Canada’s leading EdTech strategy, news & events company he founded in 2001. Mr. Martellacci is also president & co-founder of C21 Canada—Canadians for 21st Century Learning & Innovation.

Mr. Martellacci is a lifelong learner who is committed to connecting business and education to transform learning in the 21st century to support student success. He completed a transformational learning journey as a mature student earning a master’s in educational technology from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California which inspired the creation of the MindShare Learning Report—Canada’s Learning & Technology eMagazine.

Mr. Martellacci has over 25 years of expertise and thought leadership in education as a former university administrator at York University; he also launched The Learning Company School Division for Kevin O’Leary which was the catalyst to forming his start-up MindShare Learning following the Mattel acquisition.

One of Martellacci’s signature slogans, “until next time, keep the learning curve steep.”

GET EXPERIENCE

Shift your perspective on digital business

How you transform your business as technology, consumer, habits industry dynamic s change? Find out from those leading the charge.

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

REGISTRATION, LIGHT BREAKFAST & NETWORKING /EXPLORE THE EDTECH STEM AI Esports PLAYGROUND

Room: Rotunda
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

WELCOME, FIRST NATIONS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND OFFICIAL GREETINGS

Room: KN 137
9:00AM - 9:30 AM
Rashmi Swarup

OPENING KEYNOTE

Topic: Empowering students, staff, and community: Human Centred Leadership in an AI-Inspired Era
Room: KN 137
Director of Education and CEO, PDSB • Member of the C21 CEO Academy
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Cross-Canada Check Up Panel: Exploring AI Use Cases with C21 Canada & Dell Technologies

Topic: The Cross-Canada Check-Up Panel brings together C21 Canada and Dell Technologies to showcase real-world AI use cases shaping education and innovation across the country. Through presentations and discussions, leaders will explore practical applications, challenges, and opportunities of AI in today’s learning environments.

Room: KN 137
Moderators: Robert Martellacci & Katina Papulkas
The Panellists:

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

REGISTRATION & SCHOOL/ CAMPUS DESIGN THINKING SITE TOURS

Peel District School & University of Toronto Mississauga Campus & Mindshare Workspace
Room: Rotunda
Locations:
1. Elm Drive Public School, Address: 3492 Kariya Drive, Mississauga
The visit to Elm Drive PS will showcase how AI and innovative technologies are integrated into inquiry-based learning, fostering student engagement, inclusion, and future-ready skills. Participants will see how educators use these tools to enhance teaching, learning, and ethical, responsible practices.

2. Judith Nyman Secondary School, Address: 1305 Williams Pkwy, Brampton
The visit to Judith Nyman Secondary School will highlight how trade programs use simulators and hands-on tools to build technical skills, readiness, and confidence. Attendees will see how students in trades learn in immersive, practical settings that mirror real-world work.

3. University of Toronto Mississauga, Address: 3359 Mississauga Rd, Mississauga

4. MindShare Workspace, Address: 5100 Erin Mills Pkwy, Suite I3, Mississauga
The visit to MindShare Workspace will highlight Canada’s first shopping mall-based coworking and innovation hub, where startups, educators, and business leaders collaborate. Participants will see how the space fosters creativity, digital literacy, and future-ready skills through a flexible, tech-enabled environment.
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
April Burkholder

Evidence-Based AI in Literacy: Bridging Neuroscience, Linguistics, and Artificial Intelligence, Presummit Panel Hosted by Pearson Canada/Amira Learning

Description: Explore how advances in AI are transforming literacy instruction through evidence-based design
grounded in neuroscience and linguistics. This session highlights how Amira Learning’s voice
AI delivers real-time reading assessments and tutoring aligned with the Science of
Reading—helping educators scale personalized reading support without compromising
instructional quality.
Participants will:
● Examine the research foundations behind AI-driven literacy tools.
● See how voice AI supports accuracy, fluency, and comprehension growth.
● Learn how educators are integrating Amira into daily literacy routines while maintaining
professional judgment and instructional agency.
Room: Rotunda
Presenter:
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Early Literacy, Innovation, AI and Data-Informed Decision Making, Presummit Panel Hosted by Sprig Learning and Rally Reader

Room: Rotunda
The Panellists:
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

WELCOME/ LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT/FIRESIDE CHAT

Fireside Chat Panel:
Charting the Course on AI & Humanity
Building Trust, Equity & Sustainability in Education
Room: Rotunda
Moderator: Robert Martellacci & Dr. Brett Caraway
The Panellists: