GO WEST 25 CONFERENCE
February 2-4, 2025 | Edmonton, Alberta
Our Regional Programming Co-Chairs Aaron Billesberger and Brad Hicks presented at this years GO WEST 25 Conference in Edmonton, Alberta. Their session 'Event Safety by Design' focused on identifying and overcoming challenges to delivering safe and successful events in today's evolving landscape. Participants gained insights into advanced risk identification and mitigation strategies as well as the critical elements of safe event planning.
More information about Aaron and Brad's session, including other presentation session details for GO WEST 25 can be found on the GO WEST 25 Conference Website.
| Aaron Billesberger – Vancouver, British Columbia Aaron Billesberger is an accomplished crowd safety manager with over 29 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. His expertise encompasses event crowd safety planning and management as well as incident, emergency and crisis management and response. He currently serves as the Regional Programming Co-Chair for the Event Safety Alliance of Canada and Director of Special Projects & Training at Guardteck Security Co. Aaron is a certified Crowd Safety Manager through both the Square Meter Group (UK) and the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM). He is also an active member of the Event Safety Alliance of Canada (ESAC), Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA), and the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM). Throughout his career, Aaron has worked with multidisciplinary teams in every stage of planning and delivering for over 1200 special events across western Canada. He is currently contracted as the Director of Security & Crowd Safety for several major Live Nation festivals and events in Western Canada as well as various other live music, sporting and special events. Aaron has played a key role in designing and facilitating training and mentorship programs for security teams, commercial tenants, property managers, and emergency managers. As a lifelong learner, Aaron continuously seeks opportunities to expand his knowledge, which he shares with others. He has most recently presented on event safety topics at the Actsafe Safety Association Conference (2024) and the Event Safety Alliance of Canada Conference (2024). |
| Brad Hicks – Toronto, Ontario Brad’s journey in the live event industry began in his teenage years as an independent promoter, managing local bands and booking tours. His relentless drive and innate passion for production propelled him to the top, where he now serves as Founder and Director of Production at Projects by 91 Inc. In this role, Brad oversees high-profile festivals, cross-country tours, and a wide range of live events. Clients include industry leaders such as Live Nation Canada, Boots & Hearts Music Festival, Ontario Place Corporation, and The Glorious Sons, to name a few. In addition to his production expertise, Brad is the Regional Programming Committee Co-Chair for the Event Safety Alliance Canada. Through this role, he is dedicated to advancing safety standards within the event industry, leveraging his vast experience to ensure that events are not only memorable but also secure. |
