A MENA industry rarity, Carla is a celebrated interior and branding specialist with extensive experience in brand creation and redefinition. Her strategic design methodology is the major force behind the multi award winning work she has produced all over the world. 2011 saw the opening of her own design agency, Brand Creative, with a philosophy that draws on integrating interior and graphic skills to create memorable branded environments.
Diana Rose is the Principal and Creative Director for Diana Rose Design. Nationally published, known for creating tailored interiors that enhance and complement your lifestyle. Servicing Toronto & GTA, Muskoka www.dianarose.design @dianarosedesign.
Dolly Konzelmann is the President and CEO of CSPN. She has been in the customer service/customer experience industry for almost 25 years. CSPN has been empowering organizations to create a customer-centric culture and helping them differentiate their organization and brand. Dolly leads the company’s benchmarking, consulting, and training efforts that help many of the leading organizations build customer loyalty through the lens of the customer. CSPN is a recognized leader in the design and delivery of their numerous award-winning certified training programs including customer service, customer experience, change management and leadership.
CSPN hosts a number of events where people from all industries network, learn and acquire the knowledge they need to stay connected in this industry. Dolly is sought after speaker and has been interviewed on number on television and radio shows. She has been invited to be a judge on various service awards including the coveted FRPO (Federation of Rental-Housing Providers) and the BILD (Building Industry and Land Development Association) Awards.
I am a homebuilder and renovator. I founded Nofziger Construction 9 years ago. Our company has extensive experience with mid to high end residential work. I also have a Master's degree in theology. For me there is a lot of satisfaction in seeing quality work come to life in a project.
Jas has worked with Raicon on single and multi-family projects since 2004. Her work includes reviewing architectural plans, choosing interior and exterior design elements and working with the marketing team. This includes logo and brand identity, concept development and sales assets. Jas specifies the interior display suite’s custom features and finishes and chooses all furniture, accessories and art (and does the staging). Jas also coordinates with and oversees Raicon’s project coordinator and accounting department to ensure timelines and budgets are being met.
John Farrow is the former CEO and Chair of LEA Group Holdings and is currently the President of LEA International. LEA is a Canadian company with a head office in Markham, Ontario. The company provides consulting and advisory services on infrastructure in 40 countries. LEA has been active in India since 1993 and currently has more than 2000 staff there providing services to all levels of government. This team of professionals supported by other LEA staff from around the world play major roles in implementing large infrastructure projects many of which are funded by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Canadian International Development Agency also major public companies. John is a professional Management Consultant and City Planner. Prior to joining LEA lead he was a partner in Coopers and Lybrand (now PWC) where he lead the Management Consulting practice and subsequently was the CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute. He joined the LEA management team in 2001 and since then has been active in India playing leading roles in many major projects, including the preparation of a Transportation Plan and business plan for financing Mumbai infrastructure, the redevelopment of five major railway stations and the preparation of a comprehensive land use and transportation plan for the Greater Visakhapatnam Region. He has been a guest lecture at Indian Universities and is a speaker at events on enhancing Canadian Indian relations. Until recently he was a member of the Board of the West Northampton Development Corporation in the United Kingdom and recently served as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the School of Urban Planning, at the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Global Affairs Canada, Infrastructure Advisory Group, the Canadian Institute of Planners and The Royal Town Planning Institute.
Laura Grist is the Principal Interior Designer of Laura Grist Interior Design, a fresh and innovative interior design firm located in Port Moody, BC, specializing in residential design and renovation. The firm works with both residential and commercial clients across Vancouver, Burnaby, Port Moody and surrounding areas. Laura earned her Interior Design Diploma from The Art Institute of Vancouver and began practice as a Designer in a firm in Port Moody. Since 2008, she opened her own studio which enjoys helping clients transform their spaces into a vision of home.
Laurie has over 30 years experience as a professional planner in both the public and private sectors. Her professional career has focused in the areas of land use planning and policy, development approval processes, and adjudication/mediation. Laurie is a Registered Professional Planner with the Ontario Institute of Planners.
Starting her career off in journalism, Lisa knows a good story when she sees it. Lisa’s hyper-focused passion for storytelling and thirst for what’s new, now and next, is what helps her lead the conversation vs just being a part of it. Recognizing the power of combining all that traditional communications has to offer with the reach and conversion of digital marketing, Lisa’s strategic vision is the driving force behind Bubblegum and her client’s success over the years.
Lynzi Michal joined FRPO in 2009 and leads the marketing, membership and events activities for the association. With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience in a variety of industries, Lynzi is a dynamic marketer with a passion for housing. Prior to FRPO, Lynzi held positions with the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and Spectra Venue Management working on high profile sports and entertainment events. Lynzi is a graduate of Western University and Fanshawe College.
Since 2008, Mario has been a real estate sales and marketing professional. He has helped builders with sales on projects throughout the GTA. In 2021, Mario opened Timberstone Realty which focuses on representing builders in their sales and marketing of pre-construction properties.
Michael is the Director of Product Development for the Homes by Avi Group of Companies; an award winning new home builder and land developer, which operates in Calgary, Edmonton, and Austin, Texas. In his Product Development role, he is responsible for evaluating land opportunities, the design of new housing product, and overseeing the production of ongoing customer files for HBA’s single and multi-family divisions.
After graduating in 1997, Michael worked for architectural offices in Vancouver and Calgary, focusing on single family, multi-family, and mixed-use projects. During that time he also focused on architectural guidelines and project work for the Calgary community of Garrison Woods. In 2003, Michael joined Homes by Avi in Calgary.
Currently Michael is involved with BILD Calgary as a member of the Inner City Advisory Committee.
Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Studies from the University of Lethbridge and a master’s degree in Architecture from the University of British Columbia.
After more than a decade of post-graduate, professional service, Michael Spaziani founded Michael Spaziani Architect Inc. (MSAi) in March 1986. Celebrating his 36th year of practice, Michael has specialized in Community Master Planning and Urban Design Expert Witness testimony and Mediation. He is committed to community engagement sitting as a volunteer on the Board of Directors of the Port Credit Community Foundation and the Heritage Mississauga organization. He has been a member of the Mississauga Urban Design Panel since its inception in 2007.
Michael was awarded the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Governor General's Medal upon graduation. He leads the firm with a balance of sustained design excellence and practical building function. In 2010 he was inducted as a Fellow into the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, an honour reserved for a few Canadian architects annually.
Rick joined Isle of Mann Property Group in 2007 where he began his career on the construction site. After developing his knowledge of best practices within the construction process Rick graduated to Project Manager, where he could oversee the full spectrum of a development from planning, design, financing and marketing to construction, sales and home delivery. As Director of Development & Construction, Rick oversees all development, construction and product delivery for IOM. He leads these divisions by providing direction for all planning and development files, implementation and oversight of construction processes, and ensures projects are delivered on time and on budget while maintaining exceptional standards of quality. Rick’s experience with the practicalities of development and construction, complemented by his knowledge of civil and structural engineering, makes him a valuable member of the Acquisition team by providing key insights during due diligence and proforma analysis. Rick holds a Certificate in Project Management, Real Estate Services, and Civil & Structural Engineering.
Core Competencies: Land Development, Commercial Construction ,Residential Construction, Civil Engineering, Acquisitions, Negotiations
Robert broke ground in the municipal sector, primarily focused in policy and legislative interpretation and reform. He parlayed those experiences, and the broad network of like-minded colleagues he established, into the private sector. With the pandemic came the opportunity to establish his own consultancy, specializing in local and agency approvals and permissions in real estate development, and land management.
Sharon Lassman is the founder of Purpose Ink, a full-service, boutique PR and communications firm focused on doing good.
Services include strategic public relations and communications, social media management, event management, brand strategy development, crisis communications, influencer marketing and content creation. Drawing on experiences working with a variety of for profit and non profit brands - including Gay Lea Foods, P&G, Canadian Tire Corporation, Microsoft, theScore, ECHOage, Future Possibilities for Kids and Jumpstart to name a few - Sharon and her team help brands get the attention they deserve.
Currently one of 60 partners at DIALOG, a multi-disciplinary 5-studios, 600-staff national design practice which is passionate in design and focused on community wellbeing. Simon thrives on tackling complex mixed-use residential projects and solving problems with his design skills to a range of projects from 6-storey rental apartments to a 74-storey super-tall condo tower. He is a skilled leader who works seamlessly with other disciplines as well as across diverse stakeholder groups unlocking the potential of each site, fusing the visions of clients and city planners into one robust architectural solution.
Dr. Steven Webber is a Registered Professional Planner and the Principal/Founder of Urban Formation, a consulting practice that supports city building and housing affordability outcomes by bridging the gap between planning and real estate development. Steven was previously a faculty member at Toronto Metropolitan University (Ryerson) and the University of Toronto.
Susan Speigel is the President of the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA). Rooted in her passion for community-building, activism, equity, and innovation, her Toronto-based multidisciplinary firm Susan Speigel Architect Inc. (SSA), focuses on architecture, landscape, and urban design for non-profit organizations and the public housing sector. With a career spanning more than 30 years, she is also an educator at George Brown College School of Design at the Institute Without Boundaries, where she works at the intersections of architecture, landscape architecture, urbanism, activism, community, ecology, and academia.
Susan brings over 25 years experience in Association management, most recently as COO for the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Before arriving at OPPI, Susan’s previous experience included CEO of the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) and Executive Director of the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO). With significant experience and an extensive network in the built environment both in Canada and the USA, Susan is well poised to advance the RPP designation and planning profession in Ontario. Susan’s three favorite things are laughter, friends & family and her work. I love what I do and am inspired by the conversation that surrounds us.
Tony Irwin is President & CEO at the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO). With 2,200 members, FRPO is the leading advocate for quality rental housing in Ontario. Before joining FRPO, Tony was President & CEO at the Canadian Consumer Finance Association; a national trade association representing businesses that provide a range of financial products to Canadians. Prior to his posting at CCFA, Tony held progressively senior roles in the financial services and insurance sectors. From 2005-2009 Tony served as Executive Director of the Justin Eves Foundation, a non-profit organization granting scholarships and bursaries to learning-disabled and disadvantaged young people to assist them to achieve a post-secondary education. Tony has also held key political roles and was Senior Advisor to an Ontario Premier and Executive Assistant to the Leader of the Official Opposition.
A environmentalist at heart, Vanessa uses her social work training combined with over a decade in various customer service rolls, and ability to adapt to excel in an industry she was completely new to. She joined Diamondback Enterprise Group just two years ago as a part time assistance and has quickly grown into the companies Operations Manager. She oversees 5-20 projects at any given time, while ensuring the overall success of the company as a whole. Always eager to take on any new task or challenge that comes her way
Yosh Kasahara is Chief Operating Officer for the Alabaster Group of Companies. He has over 15 years of experience working for leading Vancouver real estate development and sales and marketing firms. In his current role at Alabaster Homes, Yosh oversees development, construction, sales, and marketing. He also manages Pavilion Cowork, the company's boutique flexible office space division.
