We are a company of ideation, organization and planning of corporate and private events based in Toronto and Montreal. The VDL Events team is bold, engaged, passionate and multilingual event experts. Our team will work with yours to create an interactive event that will focus on your company’s values and mission. Whether you ARE entertaining clients or hosting important meetings, our experienced, dynamic and innovative team will work to uncover your goals and offer creative solutions to translate your vision into reality.
The VDL Events team is comprised of charismatic individuals that take pride in executing our events with the utmost professionalism and efficiency. Event planning is an art and we ensure flawless execution and strive to exceed all of our clients’ expectations. From pre-event strategy to post-event communications, our team of creative experts create CUSTOM, unforgettable events that drive results for our clients.
KATHY DIMITRAKOPOULOS
SENIOR EVENT CONSULTANT
Kathy is an event specialist, a leader and collaborator, with an emphasis on internal and external communication. With over 24 years of meeting and event management experience, she oversees and ensures the delivery of all aspects of your program. Kathy specializes in event management and design, creating critical paths, purchasing and product development, budgeting, and attendee registration. She is an expert in logistics, overseeing work distribution between multiple departments, site sourcing, negotiating vendor contracts, training and leading teams, and creating exclusive itineraries.
Kathy is recognized for her work with key stakeholders, delivering project status reports, and post-event analysis presentations. She maintains strong relationships and works with countless hotels all over the globe, while managing air and ground transportation, strategy and communication plans, accommodation, AV, food and beverage, decor and entertainment. She holds a PM certification and is known for consistently achieving results while balancing multiple projects. Over the course of her career, she has worked with event budgets ranging from $250,000 to $12 million and with 50 to 2,500 attendees.
MARK JOHN STEWART | ADVISOR
Mark John Stewart a serial entrepreneur, the founder of FlyPrint, a print and full service marketing agency supporting a global client base. He is the managing director of Wentworth Strategy Group, a management consultancy focused on small and medium enterprises. Mark John serves as an executive advisor to Empowerment Squared, a Canadian charity dedicated to empowering newcomers, refugee, marginalized youth and communities in Canada and across Africa. He is currently an instructor in strategy and marketing management at the McMaster-Syracuse Master of Communications Management program.
Mark John is the former President of the McMaster Alumni Association, an associate Director of Advancement (Development and Outreach) at the DeGroote School of Business and a member of the Board of Governors. Mark John has been recognized as one of CBC's Top Five Young Professionals to Watch, one of Hamilton-Halton's Top Forty Under 40, and Hamilton’s Chamber of Commerce 2018 Young Professional of the Year. In 2019, he received the Business and Professional Excellence Award at the Reverend John C Holland Awards, and was awarded the McMaster Alumni Association Hamilton Community Impact Award. He is an active public speaker who presents to diverse audiences on strategy, governance, leadership and professional development.
GABRIELLE SPANTON | STRATEGIC PARTNER
GAB & CO Consultants
Gabrielle also known as Gabby is Managing Partner of GAB & CO Consultants. With 30+ years experience in various areas of the meeting, incentives and events industry she is regarded as an expert in Destination Management, business relationships, thought leadership, customer service engagement and communication. Her expertise ranges from event production, transportation, logistics, CSR, SMMP consultation to all DMC services.
Gabby was inducted into the Canadian Meeting and Incentives Hall of Fame in 2010, was nominated and awarded 2019 Visionary Award from Smart Women in Meetings. She sits on the Board for Meetings Mean Business Canada and is the current President of SITE, (Society of Travel Excellence), Canada.
AMY PIGEON | MBA
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Amy Pigeon has a decade of experience communicating brand messaging across a multitude of dynamic industries. She has a degree in Psychology from McGill University and an MBA from DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, which has allowed her to tap into the mindset of consumers in uniquely authentic and meaningful ways. With over six years of experience as a brand consultant at Canada’s premiere design agency, Pigeon Branding, Amy managed client relationships and project deliverables of various Fortune 500 clients in both the CPG and retail categories.
She spearheaded various marketing and branding events with a focus on content development and new business initiatives. Some of her past clients include Kraft Heinz, Tim Hortons and IKEA. Amy is also the owner of Cru6 Beauty—an agency where she leverages her client services, marketing and business development knowledge to represent freelance makeup artists and hairstylists. She is a well-known marketing consultant who currently works with various brands on their content development, influencer relations and communication tactics to increase her clients’ brand value.
HANNAH ROSS
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Hannah Ross is a multi-award winning journalist and communications advisor. She is the Founder of FAJO Magazine, Canada’s leading digital fashion publication. Over the course of her 18-year career, Hannah has worked in North America, Europe and the Middle East. A graduate of Carleton University‘s renowned school of journalism, Hannah speaks four languages and has lived in six different countries. Prior to FAJO, her career highlights included working for the National Post, Postmedia newspaper network, Estée Lauder and OK! Magazine (Dubai edition).
She also has extensive experience working for corporate and not-for-profit organizations, including senior roles at Plan International, Canadian Association of Journalists and Society for International Development. Hannah’s specialty is in brand development, marketing engagement and communication strategies. Over the years, she has partnered with top industry brands such as LG, Dove, Ford, Toronto and Los Angeles Tourism Boards, Rogers, Holt Renfrew, Nespresso, Kleenex, Four Seasons Hotels and others.
ANNIE MAILLOUX
QUEBEC SENIOR EVENT COORDINATOR
Annie is Quebec based entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience in event production, marketing, communications, and experiential brand activations. She obtained her DEC in Fashion Marketing from Montreal’s LaSalle College and a Certificate in Promotional Marketing from the University of Montreal. She is known to be innovative, adaptable, solution-oriented, and resourceful. Throughout her career, Annie has led teams that designed and managed marketing campaigns and produced events for multinational and public companies within Canada and abroad. She focuses on developing relationships that build trust and camaraderie with her clients and team. She is dedicated to creating memorable attendee experiences that connect and drive people closer together.
Annie is regarded as an expert in marketing and communication strategies, operations and logistics, training and leading teams, and developing creative experiential brand activations. She has organized and produced hundreds of events, managed budgets from $10,000 to $1.5 million and with 30 to 2,500 attendees. During her years at Mood Media she trained in Versailles and Paris on sensory marketing. Some of her notable clients include Bell, National Bank, SAQ, Radio-Canada, Aldo Group, Hydro Quebec, and V Media Group.
ANDRA BALACI
QUEBEC EVENT DESIGNER
Andra is an innovative Quebec based event designer, who is known for her attention to detail and creative way of bringing our clients vision to life. She graduated from John Molson School of Business at Concordia University with a BCom in Business Administration. Andra has designed marketing strategies for jewelry brands, such as William Henry, SoHo Enamel and Thomas Sabo. She has worked with a variety of retail stores across Canada to train their staff on product knowledge and on how to enhance the in-store consumer experience.
Andra is known for designing creative events that have increased sales and her clients brand footprint. She is passionate about consumer psychology, technology trends and the everchanging applications. She utilizes her creative flare for design and meticulously combines these fields in order to create meaningful lasting experiences for all attendees.
LEILA NAIMA VINCENT
QUEBEC OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
Lelia is a Quebec based event planning and operations specialist with 10+ years of experience.
She obtained her B.A. in Marketing from HEC Montréal and has extensive expertise in media, telecom, advertising and the hospitality industries. She is an expert at producing large scale events while managing logistics, budgeting, and staffing. She prides herself in consistently meeting her client’s objectives and providing an extraordinarily memorable experience for all attendees.
Lelia is known for assisting her clients with implementing new creative solutions to bring their vision alive. She is versatile, innovative, business savvy and shines when working with and leading teams. Throughout her career, she has organized and managed budgets from $10,000 to $1 million and with 50 to 2000 attendees. She excels in communications, vendor management, contract negotiations, and on-site production. She specializes in acquiring all necessary permits and licenses, inventory management, and sourcing of AV, entertainment, catering and decor. Some of Leila’s notable clients include Quadbridge, Heineken, Tomahawk, and The Mural Festival.
JULIA GARCIA PRAT | MBA
QUEBEC PHOTOGRAPHER
Julia is a marketing and communications specialist and a coveted Quebec based photographer. She earned an MBA Master of Business Administration from Caen Business School in France and a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the Superior School of Advertising in Paris. She also completed a technical degree in Commercial Photography from Dawson College in Montreal. Following her photography studies, her work was awarded several prizes for her series “Les Montréalaises” and her wedding photography work was featured in international publications such as Martha Stewart Wedding, Rock n’ Roll Bride and 100 Layer Cake.
Julia is known for assisting her clients with increasing revenues via targeted, engaging, and personalized digital marketing experiences. Over the past decade, through various roles in three different countries, Julia has created numerous digital marketing strategies, shaped brands and visual identities and produced events for corporate clients, public organizations and small local businesses.
ADA YAKOBI
EVENT CONSULTANT
Ada Yakobi has over 12 years of experience in event production and management in Montreal. She graduated with a B.A. from Canada’s leading institution, McGill University and transitioned into the event planning industry with a bang. Ada is an expert in event design and production, consulting, management and client communications. She is regarded as a trendsetter among a high-profile social and corporate clientele and is considered a pioneer in the Montreal event industry.
Having lived in Dubai and now Canada, Ada is capable of executing spectacular events while working in three different languages, Russian, English and French. Ada approaches every project with meticulous attention to detail and the upmost precision. Regardless of size and scope, Ada approaches all events with clear strategic goals, defined milestones, and a comprehensive plan to ensure that your event is delivered on time and on budget. Having produced flawless events for a discriminating roster of clients, including Facebook, FedEx, Yale University, Electronic Arts, Chubb Insurance and many others.
“I have worked with Jennifer and the VDL team for two years in a row and without a doubt, I would work with them again every time we are in Montreal! They are efficient, organized, timely and are all amazing at their craft. I can depend on them to execute with style and ensure quality for all our guests. Having Ada on-site to produce our event while I was in LA made my job worry-free and so much easier. ”
