Geneviève Gros-Louis | Composer, Producer, and Violinist

Geneviève Gros-Louis is a composer, producer, and violinist from the Huron-Wendat Nation whose work sits at the intersection of Indigenous storytelling and mainstream entertainment. She has scored projects for National Geographic, AMC, and OPB, recorded at Abbey Road Studios with members of the London Symphony Orchestra, and composed music for a special Cannes event honouring the Osage people ahead of Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Whether working with the Clooney Foundation for Justice or contributing to Paris Fashion Week, Geneviève uses every platform she earns to expand representation and ensure Indigenous stories continue to be told.

Jeff Toyne | Composer

Jeff Toyne is a Canadian composer whose blend of orchestral, jazz, and Latin influences has earned him a place among the most exciting voices in film and television music. His score for Apple TV+'s Palm Royale earned him two Primetime Emmy nominations — winning for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music — along with two Canadian Screen Music Awards, a Music+Sound Award, an SCL Award, and two ASCAP Composers' Choice Awards. Named one of Playback Magazine's "Ten to Watch," Jeff is an alumnus of both the Henry Mancini Institute and the Sundance Composers Lab.

Pete Kasprzak | Visual Artist

Pete Kasprzak is a self-taught visual artist whose vibrant, city-inspired work has taken him from his Toronto high school to the walls of Scotiabank Arena, where his original pieces for the Maple Leafs and Raptors hang permanently. He has shown work across North America and as far as Dubai and Japan, restored originals by Warhol, Banksy, and Picasso, and created pieces for Manny Pacquiao, NBA All-Star Matt Bonner, and Academy Award-nominated actress Jacki Weaver. A People's Choice Award winner at The Artist Project, Pete is a true ambassador of Canadian creative spirit on the world stage.

Arthur Gao | Computer Science Professional and Key Technical Contributor at Pickford.AI

Arthur Gao is a Canadian computer science professional and key technical contributor at Pickford.AI, a Los Angeles-based startup named in honour of Mary Pickford, the Toronto-born pioneer who co-founded United Artists. A former researcher at the University of Toronto and developer for the Bank of Canada, Arthur is now part of a team building an interactive cinema platform that uses real-time emotive voice generation to allow audiences to co-create narratives. Their flagship project, Whispers, was a landmark collaboration with SAG-AFTRA, reflecting a deep commitment to the ethical use of AI in storytelling.

Hayley B. Kristinsson, PsyD | Board-Certified UCI Health Neuropsychologist

Dr. Hayley B. Kristinsson is a board-certified neuropsychologist and Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor at UC Irvine, where she serves as Associate Director of Neuropsychology and Co-Director of the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. She recently joined the Clinical Core Faculty of the UCI Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and her expertise has been recognised across AARP, U.S. News & World Report, and Healthline. What sets Hayley apart is what she does after hours — founding the Diversity in Neurology Academy, seeing patients pro-bono, leading caregiver support groups, and visiting schools on her own time. She is the kind of person who makes everyone around her want to do more.

Nathalie Bonin | Composer, Violinist, and Founder of QOR

Nathalie Bonin is a Grammy-winning composer, violinist, and interdisciplinary creator from Montreal whose work spans music, neuroscience, and immersive technology. Named SOCAN Screen Composer of the Year in 2023, her compositions have been featured on Netflix's Bridgerton, Apple TV+, NBC, and CBS. As the founder of Quantum Organic Reality, she is pioneering a field where real-time physiological data — heart rate, brainwave activity, breath — becomes a creative input, generating responsive visual environments during live experiences. She has performed alongside Stevie Wonder, Luciano Pavarotti, and Wynton Marsalis, and continues to lead cross-disciplinary projects internationally.

Dalia MacPhee | Fashion Designer, Wearable Tech Innovator, and Founder of DALIA MACPHEE

Dalia MacPhee is a celebrity fashion designer, wearable tech innovator, and TEDx speaker whose work proves that fashion can be a force for good. Within a year of launching her brand, her designs were carried in over 1,200 stores worldwide, including Nordstrom and Holt Renfrew. One of the first designers to launch a fully vegan, size-inclusive line, she has dressed Scarlett Johansson, Serena Williams, and Heidi Klum. Her inventions include the world's first light-up denim jeans and a GPS-enabled fire-retardant horse blanket. In a historic milestone, Dalia became the first Canadian fashion designer to reach the Moon, with her work selected as part of the Lunaprise Mission on the NASA Artemis Launch.

John Chiu | Administrator of Nutrition Services for HBUHSD

Since entering the school nutrition sector in 2018, John Chiu has been a driving force in programs that support student well-being across California. At the Huntington Beach Union High School District, he oversees meal service for approximately 14,000 students daily across six high schools, collectively serving more than 1.6 million meals annually. Through culturally relevant menus, chef collaborations, and Farm-to-School initiatives, he has grown participation even amid declining enrollment trends, while actively engaging in state and federal policy conversations around school nutrition funding and modernization.

Kelly Slattery | Founder of Barely Canadian

Kelly Slattery is a social entrepreneur who has seamlessly merged high-end retail with meaningful advocacy. Through her brand Barely Canadian, she has secured partnerships with the LA Lakers, LA Kings, and Neiman Marcus, while dedicating 20% of proceeds to foster youth organizations. Kelly is also the founder of Power Ladies, a global community of over 1,000 women across North America and Europe built around sisterhood, mentorship, and leadership development.

Austin Kranc | Founder of Austin Krance Geography

Austin Kranc, known online as Austin Krance, is revitalizing geography education through digital media and interactive technology. With over 300,000 followers and videos that regularly go viral, his platform covers global history, political geography, and cultural identity. His website attracts thousands of daily users who engage with geography-based games used by students and educators worldwide. Featured in USA Today, Austin also uses his platform to champion Canadian geography and culture for international audiences — proving that one person can meaningfully shape how a generation understands the world.

Evan Goldberg | Co-Founder of Reel Start

Evan Goldberg is the co-founder of Reel Start, a nonprofit dedicated to dismantling financial and systemic barriers for high school students from marginalized communities. Since 2016, Reel Start has provided students in Los Angeles and Toronto with hands-on experience writing and producing short films under the mentorship of industry professionals. Beyond mentorship, Reel Start facilitates internships and job placements for alumni, directly increasing diversity within the Hollywood workforce through partnerships with major studios.

Mary Kitchen | TV Presenter, Journalist, Model, and Philanthropist

Mary Kitchen is a television presenter, entertainment journalist, and philanthropist best known for her work on CityTV, Breakfast Television, and Canada's Got Talent. A New Brunswick native now based in Los Angeles and mother of three, Mary serves on the Board of the Good+ Foundation (founded by Jessica Seinfeld), the Board of Advisors at the UCLA Lab School, and the Terry Fox Foundation. She is a member of the Women's Philanthropy Circle at the Cayton Museum and supports the Hammer Museum's arts access programs. Mary and her husband also sit on the Visiting Committee for Hematologic Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and were honored with the Angels of Inspiration Award in 2015 for their contributions to cancer research.