2023 CONFERENCE
October 23-25, 2023 | The National Arts Centre | Ottawa, Ontario
OVERVIEW
This conference is designed to provide practical insights for production suppliers, event production companies, festivals and roadhouses, municipalities, colleges and universities, labour organizations, and all those who provide support to the live event industry.
You’ll have a full slate of relevant topics presented by experts in the field, as well as an opportunity to share event safety experiences with colleagues. You’ll learn directly from like-minded professionals from around the world – their experiences, expertise and perspectives.
Join us for inspiring speakers and the opportunity to connect with fellow event professionals – from venue staff to suppliers – and all those who make the shows happen.
SESSIONS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Scott Johnson Keynote - Focusing the Lens on Event Safety | David Price
ESAC has created the Scott Johnson Keynote to honor Scott’s memory by presenting a relevant safety topic to the arts, entertainment, and live event community. This keynote will launch the conference with a focus on our goal to prevent injuries and incidents and protect both people and events.
Improving Event Workplaces through Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion | Jennifer Chen (moderator), Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds, Red Hauser, Peter Spike Lyne
Sponsored By: AV Strategies (Platinum Conference Sponsor)
In the wake of COVID-19 shutdowns, many people have moved on to other sectors, leaving the arts, entertainment and live event with labour shortages. Leaders who value social responsibility and organizations that work to improve equity, diversity and inclusion have a positive and significant impact on attracting and retaining workers. This panel will talk about how we can all do better to make sure all individuals working on our events - as well as people attending - feel valued and supported.
Understanding and Managing Fatigue in Live Events | Bryan Huneycutt
A career in live events is exciting, rewarding … and frequently exhausting. How can professionals balance their physical health with the demands of their job? This session will explore how fatigue is perceived in the live entertainment industry, controlling fatigue without doubling time and cost, and finding “operationally sustainable” practices to understand and manage fatigue.
Challenging Opportunities: Safety Planning in a Regulatory Vacuum | Mark Breen
An exploration of the opportunities and challenges inherent in planning and delivering large-scale, festival events in a jurisdiction lacking in regulatory frameworks and local guidance.
Peer to Peer Conversations | ESAC Board of Directors & Friends
This session creates an opportunity for different sectors to connect with their peers to discuss key topics. Facilitated by some of the best in the industry, these conversations will dig into specific health and safety challenges that we face every day.
Mental Health: On Site, On Tour, and At Home | Megan Potestio
Sponsored By: Palmer (Platinum Conference Sponsor)
Want to learn more about mental health in the entertainment industry? Tired of just talking about the subject, and looking to learn some practical tools that you can use in real life? If so, join Megan Potestio BSW, RSW (Ont.) for an open and frank conversation on mental health in the industry. Using both professional, and personal experience, Megan will walk you through some of the most commonly reported mental health concerns in the industry and ways to access help, or help someone who may be struggling, before ending with the importance of self-care and setting boundaries. Every attendee will leave with new practical skills and resources for future reference.
How and When to Talk to an Engineer (or How Engineers Can Actually Help) | Azra Ross, Adam Atikson, Shawn Thompson
When you have a giant automated set, or need a building permit, it's pretty obvious that you'll need an engineer, but how else can engineering support your entertainment project? In this session, Azra Ross (Epiphany Engineering) will look at when and why to call, how and who to call, and pitfalls of what could happen if you don't make the call.
Conducting a Stage Rigging Safety Inspection | Bill Sapsis
How to safely and effectively conduct an inspection of the stage rigging equipment in your venue.
Training and Exercising Your Crisis Response | Mark Ford
Emergencies, Incidents and Crises do happen! As an event organizer, you may be required to, or should have an emergency plan. However, there is a saying in the field of emergency management, that a plan is only as valuable as the paper it is written on, unless your staff know what to do in a time of crisis. Training and exercising your teams are as equally important as your plan, and all should be part of your Emergency Management Program. Mark will provide a brief overview on the development and delivering of training and exercises for your leadership teams in the context of emergency preparedness.
Party Safer for Event Staff and Volunteers | Megan Francoeur, Hiba Slaibeh, Mark Barnes, Harpreet Grewal
Join us to learn how to identity and respond to an overdose and get free naloxone kits. Ottawa Public Health, Event Central, and our pharmacy partners are teaming up to talk about the impact of Ottawa’s Party Safer initiative and delivering training including how to administer naloxone. This highly successful initiative focuses on learning about commonly used substances at events and overdose recognition and response. Learn how your event can benefit from this no-cost training!
Improv Everywhere: Load In & Load Out When Planning and Curve Balls Meet | Dominic Housiaux
A workshop looking at how plans can be disrupted by onsite realities during load in and load out and how to create a framework for responding effectively when you are in the hazard creation business.
Endurance Endeavours: Lessons Learned from the Long Road | Jordan Myers
“At the finish line, we don’t just measure miles; we measure moments & triumphs” Join us for a session sharing a few lessons drawn from working and producing large scale sporting (& entertainment) events across N America from the Rock n Roll Marathon Series, Lululemon Seawheeze, IRONMAN, and Tough Mudder. From efficient management of resources (volunteers and communication), logistics management, fluid venue (course) integrity across multiple jurisdictions to ensuring participant well-being and enhancing risk mitigation even on the backdrop of increased environmental influences and health risks. Effective planning begins with questions of our own thinking, our assumptions, being aware of the context of the event, history, demographic, and location. This session will provide a few practical pieces of knowledge, some stories, and interactive banter; but hopefully a curiosity of professionals and an industry, that largely remain disconnected from their live entertainment, festivals, and stadium sporting event counterparts.
Clarifying the Ontario Building Code Amendments for Demountable Stages and Support Structures | Cindy Sypher (moderator), Bryan Ellis, Pierre-Luc Rompré
In response to recommendations from a Coroner's Inquiry and from an expert panel on strengthening safety standards in the live performance industry following two stage collapses that resulted in injuries and a fatality in 2011 and 2012, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing amended the Ontario Building Code. Building permits are now required for demountable stages and associated sound and lighting equipment towers. These stages and structures must also comply with specific technical requirements for stage safety. This panel will discuss how these changes have been implanted during the 2023 summer season.
Announcement: New Event Degree Introduction | Sylvia Densmore
This four-year honours degree program prepares students for a career in event management at local, national and international levels, involving entertainment, sport, corporate, tourism, travel, business, non-profit, politics, art, culture and fashion.
I Spy Risk Assessment Rorschach Test | Steve Adelman
Sponsored By: Sword Security (Platinum Conference Sponsor)
Of course we would prefer our event guests to behave, make good choices, be reasonably observant. But we know that some guests will engage in behavior that requires crowd management and event security. Others will require medical attention or even law enforcement to save them from their choices. Hazards that would pose little risk in the clear light of day must be mitigated to avoid a catastrophic cascade of foreseeable consequences. This session will acknowledge the siren song of judgment, then move toward more constructive exercises in risk assessment and risk management.
The Balancing Act | Kevin Tanner
Every day we make decisions based on what we believe is the 'right' thing to do. But how do we know what we're doing is 'right'? Where does 'right' come from, and how is it that my 'right' might be different from yours? Join Kevin Tanner, legal scholar* and Harvard-educated philosopher**, as he leads an exploration of the 3000-year-old principle that continues to ground the moral core of our legal systems and an interactive group discussion to prompt critical thinking about events-related controversies.
*Kevin studies law at one of the UK's most accessible internet-based law schools.
**Kevin bases this claim on a single HarvardX online course he took and passed.
Basics of 'Protective Spaces' at Live Events | Stacey Forrester
A safer night (or day) out is a good night out. Join Good Night Out Vancouver for this interactive session and build your capacity to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault at your event. What constitutes a 'Protective Space' and how can you create one for your guests, staff volunteers and performers? How can you get better at bystander intervention? Come find out! Please note that although this session is focussed on prevention and being proactive, this session may include mention of sexual violence. Resources will be provided.
Presented in collaboration with Canadian Live Music Association. This project is funded in part by FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio broadcasters. It is also made possible with the support of Ontario Creates.
Announcement: CPAWRF Update | Cindy Jennings
An update on the Canada Performing Arts Workers Resilience Fund (CPAWRF) and what are the plans for the future.
Primacy and Perspectives in the Grey Space | Eric Stuart (moderator), Trevor Hyland, Nathaniel Kennedy, Emma Stuart
Have you considered how to manage the “Grey Space” surrounding your event site or venue? This includes both Zone Ex, the area surrounding your event, and Time Ex, the time before and after your event. When does the organizer become responsible for the arriving crowds, and at what time is it fair to say it is ‘business as usual' so we can go home and let normal begin? Drawing on their combined experience, Eric, Nathaniel, and Janet will talk about the challenges we all face when working with different agencies who have different perspectives, and perhaps even different desired outcomes. The police may just want the event to be safe, while the organizer and the city will want the event to be both safe and successful. They will conclude with ideas for building relationships, perhaps through table topping, and understanding others' perspectives rather than a blinkered attitude towards someone else's problems.
What's Next for Event Safety | Janet Sellery (moderator), Sherry Beard, Claire Mocock
Sponsored By: Scene Ideas (Scenic Decor Sponsor)
We’ll reflect on conference learning and look towards the future.
2023 CONFERENCE HOST
| Steve Fleck Steve is one of the leading Endurance Sports Race/Event Announcers & Commentators in North America for cycling, running and triathlon races and events. It's a natural extension of life spent, running, cycling and racing triathlons since his mid-teens and wearing multiple hats in and around the Business of Endurance Sports in Sales, Business Development, Media, Marketing, and Communications. He lives in Aurora, Ontario with his wife, Paolina Allan. |
SPEAKERS
| Steve Adelman Steve Adelman is a sports and entertainment lawyer in the United States and Vice President of the Event Safety Alliance. He has been a standard of care expert for plaintiffs and defendants in some of the most significant lawsuits in the live event industry, including cases arising from the 2011 Indiana State Fair stage roof collapse and the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas. Following the 2021 Astroworld festival disaster, Steve Adelman was a key member of both the Texas and Houston-Harris County event safety task forces. He is principal author of the Crowd Management standard in the United States, ANSI ES1.9-2020, as well as the upcoming Event Security standard, ANSI ES1.40-202x, now in public review. Steve Adelman is described in a 2019 profile as “a lawyer and one of the world’s leading consultants on safety, security, and risk management for live events.” |
| Adam Atkinson Adam is a structural engineer with over a decade of experience in the industrial and manufacturing sectors. He has recently joined Epiphany Engineering and exploring the world of engineering in the entertainment industry. |
| Mark Barnes Speaker Bio Not Available |
| Sherry Beard Speaker Bio Not Available |
| Mark Breen, PgDip, SFIIRSM RSP, F.ISRM, FIPM, TechIOSH Mark is a Director of Safe Events Global, based in Dublin, Ireland. Mark leads on the company’s delivery of services in the Middle East where they develop and deliver comprehensive Health & Safety strategies and programmes for events that regularly have over half a million attendees across a festival weekend. Leading teams comprising professionals from around the globe, Mark also regularly occupies Tactical / Silver roles in the Event Control Rooms on these events. He is extremely active in the training and education spaces, which is a critical element of Safe Events’ activities globally and particularly in the Middle East where the events and entertainment ecosystems are in the early stages of development. Mark’s professional passion is keeping people safe at events. |
| Jennifer Chen Jennifer Chen is an advisor with CBC in the Equity & Inclusion, Learning & Development offices. She has worked as a journalist at CBC for almost 20 years on live breaking news, special coverage and daily current affairs in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Previously, she also reported in Palm Springs, New York and Hong Kong. In her current role, she has collaborated with teams across the country on inclusion and development initiatives. Her outstanding leadership, training and facilitation skills make her a trusted, sought-after facilitator for workshops on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Her special interest is in community-building, mentorship, and finding ways to amplify and empower under-represented voices. She is based in Ottawa. |
| Sylvia Densmore, Coordinator and Professor, Bachelor of Event, Sport and Entertainment Management Sylvia Densmore is the Coordinator of the Algonquin College Bachelor of Event, Sport, and Entertainment Management honours degree. Her experience includes working with a Sports Marketing firm planning and executing events for corporate clients, conference and trade show management, and fundraising events for non-profit and charitable organizations. Early in her career she developed and delivered educational event workshops which lead her to Algonquin College. Since 2020 she has been instrumental in shaping the Event Management Graduate certificate which has graduated numerous event industry professionals. For 10 years Sylvia worked with a dedicated team to create and launch in 2023, the first Event Management Degree in Canada. |
| Bryan Ellis Bryan Ellis, SVP of Mountain Productions, boasts an impressive 27-year tenure, starting his career at 16. As he progressed through the organization, Bryan gained hands-on knowledge in all facets of production from fabrication, engineering, rigging, on-site coordination and client development. Now at the helm of the staging and production division, Bryan collaborates with top promoters and major corporate brands. Armed with extensive experience and a profound grasp of live event intricacies, Bryan seamlessly merges client aspirations with the practicalities of technical and crew operations, making him an indispensable force behind every successful event. |
| Megan Francoeur RN, BScN (she/her) Addictions and Substance Use Health Team Megan Francoeur is a registered nurse on Ottawa Public Health’s (OPH) Addictions and Substance Use Health Team. Her experience in harm reduction and sexual health fields has meaningfully shaped her practice and passion for community outreach and public health project management. As a member of the City of Ottawa’s Special Events Advisory Team, OPH’s Addictions and Substance Use Health Team works alongside many community partners and event organizers to reduce harms related to substance use at events, and deliver trainings to event and festival staff, volunteers, and attendees through the Party Safer initiative. |
| Mark Ford Mark has spent over 35 years in the public safety and security field. As a member of the Ottawa Police Service, 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. This has included time overseeing and instructing in these fields. Mark retired from the OPS in 2021 in the role of Acting Deputy Chief to work with the Shopify security team, in the areas of Executive Protection, Event Planning, Travel Safety, Security Training and Emergency Management. Mark currently works with RHEA Group, where he currently oversees and leads security and emergency planning projects. Mark has used his extensive experience in event security and emergency preparedness, to volunteer and support the RBC BluesFest since 2013. Each year, Mark helps prepare BluesFest leaders and First Responders through the review of their emergency plans and procedures and conducting tabletop exercises to contribute to a readiness posture. Mark is currently the Chair of the RBC BluesFest Board of Directors. |
| Stacey Forrester Stacey Forrester (she/her) is the education director of Good Night Out Vancouver. Stacey is a former community health nurse and community planner and consultant, with a passion for creating safer, more equitable arts and culture communities. Stacey is the co-founder and Education Director of Good Night Out Vancouver (founded in 2016), facilitating interactive and engaging workshops about sexual violence prevention and response for the nightlife, hospitality and live music sectors. She is also the Harm Reduction Manager for Bass Coast Music and Arts Festival, a position she has held for 10 years. Stacey was recently nominated for a Live Music Industry Award in the area of Community Impact. |
| Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds (she/her/elle) is a Dominican-Canadian wardrobe technician and stagehand with IATSE Local 471 in Ottawa, and serves as the Secretary for the International IATSE DEI Committee. She started as a performer in live entertainment, and transitioned over to the Dark Side with the crew after looking at the numbers. She believes that diversity, equity and inclusion are paramount for safety in the backstage and live entertainment environments, and necessary for cast and crew to realize their full potential in every show. Long working hours, labour strife, mental health, disabilities, gender identity, racial identity, and addictions are important social issues in all communities, and must be tackled with compassion and thoughtfulness in our industry. |
| Harpreet Grewal, RN, B.Sc.N, MN, CCHN (C) Harpreet is a Public Health Nurse with over 35 years of experience as a registered nurse. Currently, she is a part of Ottawa Public Health’s (OPH) Additions and Substance Use Health Team. Harpreet is passionate about her work and enjoys learning from others and supporting initiatives that contribute towards increasing the wellbeing of the residents of her community. In her personal life, she has been married for over 30 years, and is a mom to three adult children and a 7-year-old dog. |
| Red Hauser Red Hauser (They/Them) is a nonbinary technical director and production manager based out of Toronto, Ontario. They live with multiple chronic illnesses, and bring their passion for making theatre work accessible for everyone to their work in management. Red’s recent work history ranges in scope and scale, from casual technician work in independent theaters, to an intern position at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Performance, a Technical Direction Assistant position at the Stratford Festival’s Festival Theatre, and running audio for protest events. When they aren’t working, they are a multidisciplinary artist and avid reader of obscure wikipedia articles. |
| Dominic Housiaux Dominic Housiaux is a founding member of Risky Business Resources. RBR offers safety consulting, training, and operational support for the event and entertainment industry in the US, Canada, Europe, and Worldwide. RBR believes functional improvements to the safety of an event reduce distractions, improve the efficiency of the production process, and help create better experiences for attendees. Dominic’s work focusses on the empowerment of individuals within organizations and how individual participation, the prevailing environment, physical and psychological safety can improve strategic, safety, and operational goals. Dominic is an OSHA 1910 & 1926 Outreach Trainer and works on several ANSI Standards committees for the event and entertainment industry. In Canada he has delivered sessions on risk management, emergency planning, designing for safety, mental health, resilience, COVID safety, and worked closely with Don Parman to deliver sessions for Actsafe. Dominic can be reached at: dominic@rbr.group |
| Bryan Huneycutt Bryan Huneycutt has spent over 35 years in live events and the performing arts in a myriad of performing, and leadership roles. These include stage shows, touring productions, sporting events, music festivals, fireworks and Emmy winning Disney parades. His experience in the industry spans the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He earned his Master of Tourism Administration Degree from George Washington University focused on Event and Exposition Management and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Performance Psychology at Grand Canyon University. Bryan is a Co-Founder of the Safety Advisors Forum-Live Entertainment (SAF-LE), a member of the Mental Health and Suicide prevention steering committee for the Behind-the-Scenes Foundation and has served the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) on the Board of Directors, and as a Commissioner for Safety & Health. Bryan is the Vice President of Operations (North America) for Halo Solutions. |
| Trevor Hyland Trevor has worked for the City of Toronto for nine years, first as a Production Supervisor within City Cultural Events, and currently within Toronto Emergency Management (TEM) as the Manager of FIFA World Cup 2026 & Special Events. He is passionate about the integration of emergency management within Special Events, especially the development of Emergency Action Plans and Command & Control structures. He is a recognized Incident Management System – Level 200 instructor and part of the City’s Incident Management Team (IMT). Trevor has worked within the Canadian event industry for more than 25 years in various production management, concert touring and emergency management roles. |
| Nathaniel Kennedy Nathaniel has worked for the City of Toronto for 12 years in City Cultural Events, first as a Production Supervisor and currently acting as Manager of the unit that produces various projects including: Nuit Blanche, Invictus Games, Panamania, Canada 150 Celebrations, Canada Day, Cavalcade of Lights and New Year's Eve. His recognition of the importance of collaborative crowd management planning between emergency services and event producers came into stark relief while planning Toronto’s memorial for the victims of the 2018 van attack, TorontoStrong. As a passionate introvert, Nathaniel would probably rather be safely at home. |
| Claire Mocock Speaker Bio Not Available |
| Jordan Myers Jordan is the City of Vancouver’s Film & Special Events Public Safety Project Manager. He is also a project management consultant for a number of events in the US and Canada, and a senior consultant for Odyssey Medical. He has 18+ years as an event professional, with a diverse track-record of producing and supporting large & small scale events, multi-agency deployments, clinical teams, field hospitals and community/ art based projects, in his local, domestically and internationally. Before moving to Canada, Jordan was a teacher in Australia & South Korea. Prior to that, he worked as a Wilderness Ranger/Firefighter with the US Forest Service (based in Oregon) across the Rockies/ Western States. He currently lives with his wife and daughter in Vancouver, BC. |
| Megan Potestio Megan Potestio BSW, RSW (Ont.) is a graduate of York University and a registered Social Worker with over 10 years experience in the field of adult mental health and substance misuse. A strong advocate for the importance of early intervention and prevention, Megan has been recognized for her work with multiple awards including the Kaiser Foundation’s National Award for Excellence in Youth Leadership in 2010 for her work with students in reducing the stigma around youth mental health. She has since turned her focus and passion to increasing the overall mental wellness of those in the Canadian entertainment industry. This comes after her experience working in the entertainment industry and through her experience being married to an entertainment professional for over 12 years. Megan understands the impact a career in the industry can have on both the worker and the family unit. Most recently, Megan worked at The AFC as a Program Worker. There she worked in the Emergency Financial Aid Program and assisted with the development and implementation of their new Navigator program, while also providing various workshops regarding mental health and wellness in the industry. Currently, Megan oversees the daily operations of the Creative Reality Group, Inc (CRGI) that provides technical support to the Canadian live entertainment industry. In her free time Megan enjoys reading, running, and spending time with her husband and two children. |
| David Price David is a highly experienced leader and expert in high-risk journalism and news safety. He is the head of the CBC High-Risk and News Safety Team, empowering journalists to bring stories from challenging environments quickly, confidently, and safely to Canadians. With over 30 years of experience in the Canadian Armed Forces, David has worked extensively throughout the country and worldwide, including Europe, South-East Asia, North Africa, and the Caribbean. Fluent in both English and French, David has worked closely with government departments, such as Global Affairs Canada, on numerous occasions. His exceptional leadership, training, and project management skills have enabled him to effectively plan, coordinate, and manage capacity-building projects in different countries. David is a role model for many in the industry and has inspired and empowered journalists to bring critical stories to Canadians that would not have been told otherwise. |
| Pierre-Luc Rompre In his 17 years with Stageline, Pierre-Luc Rompré has seen it all in the staging world —and made sure it was all safe for others to see as well. Educated in a combination of engineering and business, he has a truly complete understanding of the whole industry of event staging, from the technical to the administrative side. Accordingly, he’s the guy clients ask about how to turn a piece of their imagination into an event that audiences will remember. Does the client want a mobile stage they can set up in the middle of a stadium in under twenty minutes? How about a stage they can ferry out by barge to a festival on an island—would that work? Can the client hoist a stage into an amphitheatre with a crane? Pierre-Luc’s the guy with the answers and the details about how to make the client’s plan happen smoothly and safely. His far-reaching vision encompasses the entire landscape of Stageline’s possibilities, from minuscule local productions to the biggest stage set-ups in the world. He’s worked with every major producer in North America and many others around the globe to create stunning spectacles that wow crowds without ever compromising on the safety of technicians, performers, or audiences. |
| Azra Ross Azra Ross, B. Eng Scty, P.Eng (ON) is a licensed Professional Engineer and Owner/Principal Engineer of |
| Bill Sapsis 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. 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). Do not get him started talking about his place in Vermont. Or his kids. |
| Janet Sellery, ESAC Board Chair & Programming Commitee Chair Janet Sellery is one of Canada’s leading experts in health and safety and the arts. She started her career in stage management and moved into health and safety after a critical injury involving an actor. Janet pioneered the health and safety program at the Stratford Festival, Canada’s largest repertory theatre, and one of her favourite projects was working as the Health & Safety Manager for the Opening, Closing and Victory Ceremonies at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Prior to her work with Event Safety Alliance Canada, Janet was a co-founder of the Canadian Event Safety Summit (2016-2018). Janet is an active volunteer with the Ontario Ministry of Labour Live Performance Health & Safety Advisory Committee, the Scott Johnson Working Group, the Board of Directors for the Event Safety Alliance and the Event Safety Working Group. Janet is a graduate of the Theatre Technical/Production program at Toronto Metropolitan University and certified as both a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and a Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC). She has been awarded the “Ron Epp Memorial Award for Professional Achievement” (Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology) and “Canada’s Safety Manager of the Year” (Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine). As a Health & Safety Consultant (Sellery Health + Safety), Janet focuses on customizing programs, training, and resources to reflect the constantly evolving and unique demands of the live event environment. |
| Hiba Slaibeh Hiba Slaibeh is a Senior Advisor with the City of Ottawa’s Event Central unit, the first point of contact for event organizers wishing to host an outdoor event. Event Central assists organizers by facilitating permit approvals and coordinating integrated planning efforts with members of the Special Events Advisory Team. Hiba has spent a number of years in the event industry, with extensive experience in both organization and advisory roles and has a particular interest in risk mitigation and regulatory compliance. |
| Emma Stuart Emma is an Event Manager with over 14 years of Event and Emergency Planning experience. Emma has worked for local authorities, charities and within the private sector, giving her a wide breadth of experience.. She has qualifications in Crowd Management, H&S, Crisis Management and has a particular interest in the Grey Zone space. Her most recent roles have involved working as the C3 and Comms Delivery Lead for the King’s Coronation and as a “Zone Ex” and Crowd Management consultant for venues and major events in the UK. Emma spent a number of years working in Canada and is currently on contract with the City of Toronto for The FIFA World Cup 2026. |
| Eric Stuart, QPM, FDa, BA Director: Gentian Events Eric was involved in the crowd planning for Operation London Bridge, HM The Queens funeral plans for over ten years. He was a witness at the Manchester Arena Inquiry. He was the author of three aspects of the Baroness Casey Review into the Wembley Euro 2020 Finals disorder and is currently engaged in the multi-agency investigation into the double fatality at the O2 Academy Brixton in December 2022. He is also the author of the 2019 safety review for the Toronto Raptors Victory Parade reporting to The City of Toronto for the findings and recommendations. He is a Crowd Safety Manager for events ranging from summer festivals and is engaged with crowd management at many complex ‘crowded space’ environments including large shopping centres and religious gatherings across the US, Canada, Europe and the UK. He holds a FdA and BA degree in Crowd Safety Management and was the co-author of the 2015 UK Good Practice Guide to working in Safety Advisory Groups. He also authored the UK Government Cabinet Office ‘Working in Safety Advisory Groups’ and its rewrite and re-launch in 2023. He has been involved in Crowd Safety for 22 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. He was awarded the Queens Police Medal for dedication to duty, leadership and professionalism during his 33 years’ service. He delivers Crowd Safety Management training in UK, Europe, the USA and Canada and Safety Advisory Group Training to multi agency groups across the UK and is developing the concept in the US and Europe. |
| Cindy Sypher Cindy Sypher, President of Sypher & Associates Field Engineering Ltd., is a licensed engineer in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. She holds bachelor’s and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Waterloo. With a diverse consulting portfolio, her expertise spans temporary structures, mechanical and structural design, fire and life safety, emergency preparedness, rigging, public safety initiatives, amusement rides, risk management, machine guarding, and playground design and inspection. Cindy currently chairs the Technical Standards and Safety Authority's (TSSA) Amusement Devices Industry Advisory Council and is the Vice Chair of ASTM F24.80 Harmonization Task Group. She's an active member of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) North American Safety Committee and has played a pivotal role in standards development for the CSA N289 series, relating to seismic design and qualification of CANDU nuclear power plants. With 28 years of experience in the industry, Cindy Sypher is a sought-after expert, frequently invited as a guest speaker and consultant for safety litigation and mechanical and structural engineering matters. She is affiliated with leading industry associations, demonstrating her commitment to safety and innovation. |
| Kevin Tanner, ESAC Board Treasurer and Governance & Nominations Committee Chair Kevin Tanner is a production and venue management leader, with the bulk of his experience in the public sector and post-secondary venues. Most recently, Kevin was the Managing Director of Production at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Before that, he served in production leadership roles at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (Queen’s University), Kingston Grand Theatre (City of Kingston), and Thousand Islands Playhouse. Passionate about promoting a strong safety culture in the arts industry, Kevin holds a certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from Ryerson University. He is a graduate of the Master of Arts program in Arts Leadership from Queen’s University and is currently studying law at the University of London (UK). In Fall of 2022, Kevin began serving another community that he cares deeply about as a board member of the Ontario Curling Association (CurlON). |
| Shawn Thompson, P.Eng Shawn has always been a fan of special effects-heavy entertainment. After earning his B.A.Sc in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, his very first job was working as a junior designer developing mechanical effects for Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure Theme Park. Over 25 years later working in the entertainment industry, he still truly enjoys using his technical background to collaborate with his pears and colleagues. Ensuring designs are well built, efficient, code compliant with safety at the core, all the while respecting the original artistic vision. |