Judges
Tanya Kim
ETALK anchor Tanya Kim is the envy of every pop culture junkie. Having interviewed such musical icons as David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Lady Gaga, Diddy, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Coldplay, and Cher, talking music and entertainment is effortless for Kim.
Classically trained as a pianist and dancer, this broadcast journalism graduate started her TV career at MuchMusic. Kim went on to become the music reporter for CTV's THE CHATROOM, then became a special correspondent for the first two seasons of CANADIAN IDOL, reporting on music and style from the IDOL mansion.
Kim's role as anchor of ETALK has given her a slew of exciting opportunities, including hosting red carpets at the JUNO Awards, the OSCARS®, and hanging backstage with the artists at Live 8 Canada. In July 2007, Kim reported live from London during both the Concert for Diana and Live Earth.
Kim's unique interview style and charming personality has made her a media darling in her own right. In 2005, TV Guide ranked Kim second in a list of "Canada's Top 10 newcomers on the verge of a major breakout." Kim has also received a Toronto Sun Readers Choice Award for Entertainment TV Reporter. The film and television world has also taken notice, resulting in appearances in PUPPETS WHO KILL, DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION, INSTANT STAR and Glitter. Kim's voice can also be heard in the upcoming film Antiviral, the directorial debut from Brandon Cronenberg. In February 2010, Kim reported on entertainment news from the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and in April 2011 she headed to London, England to cover the Royal Wedding for CTV.
Kim's passion extends beyond entertainment and celebrity culture. Recognizing the importance of philanthropy, Kim supports a few charities that are close to her heart, including Blessings In A Backpack, a charitable organization headed by Hilary Duff that provides meals for children and youth in Canada and the US, in which she is a director on the board. Kim shares her love for music with Canada's youth through her role at MusiCounts, an organization that provides instruments to schools across the country. She travelled to Zambia in November 2008 as an ambassador for CARE Canada, and Kim, along with ETALK co-anchor Ben Mulroney, has hosted Free The Children's We Day youth empowerment events in both Toronto and Vancouver. An animal lover, Kim is the Honorary Chair for the OSPCA's first-ever "Friends for Life Walk-a-Thon" in Toronto, a role she proudly shares with her beloved Mastiff Miss Louise.
Whether she's at a glamorous event in L.A., meeting high-profile stars, or gracing the covers of magazines, Kim still counts her family as a source of pride and inspiration. "Keeping my parents and my brother happy and proud is what really matters!"
A Sault Ste. Marie, ON native, Kim was honoured with a star on the city's Walk of Fame in 2011.
Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson, CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation, brings a diverse background spanning four decades in business, government and the not-for-profit sectors. He began his career working as a park ranger in wilderness areas throughout British Columbia, where he was decorated for bravery by the Governor General of Canada. After his park career, he worked at BC Housing, a provincial crown corporation, eventually becoming their CEO. Before joining us in January of 2008, he was the CEO of Mountain Equipment Co-op, the country's largest outdoor equipment retailer. During his eight year career at MEC, he led the organization through a period of sustained sales and membership growth across Canada. Since joining the David Suzuki Foundation, Peter has also been appointed a member of the Province of British Columbia's Climate Action Team and the Ontario Premier's Climate Change Advisory Panel.
Peter has a long history of volunteer and humanitarian work, including monitoring prison conditions with the International Red Cross in Rwanda and leading a team that monitored detained asylum seekers in British Columbia. He has served as the Chair of the Board of Governors and the Chancellor of Royal Roads University in Victoria, and with the Board of Governors of the Canadian Red Cross Society. More recently, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Imagine Canada, a national organization that supports charities across the country.
In his spare time, Peter can be found hiking in the Coast Mountains or kayaking among the Gulf Islands.
Tina Daenzer
Tina Daenzer started at Canada AM in 2000 as a story producer and in 2004 was promoted to Senior Entertainment Producer. During her time at Canada AM, she has overseen some of the biggest productions of Canada's most popular network morning program.
Tina created and produced the Canada AM Community Competition involving hundreds of communities across the country giving them the ability to share their spirit with the rest of the country. She has also produced Canada's favourite weather man, Jeff Hutcheson taking him across Canada and around the world.
She has put together many of the major concert events on Canada AM with guests such as Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Diana Krall and Keith Urban.
Sean Moffit
Sean is a well-recognized thought leader in company innovation, brand leadership, social influence marketing and online community building, marrying his passion for grassroots engagement, digital technologies and the brand. He has been an executive-level marketer, agency leader and consultant, in roles bridging the traditional and digital divide for over 15 years.
As an answer to business' future, Sean founded Agent Wildfire in 2004 (www.agentwildfire.com) - a leading marketing, media and research firm dedicated to customer advocacy and innovation, word of mouth, influencer marketing, online communities, social media and buzz-building. Located in Toronto, he now continues and expands that work for startups, Fortune 500s and executive teams by leading the Wikibrands consultancy (www.wiki-brands.com).
Sean has previously led the direction of Canada's best known brands at Molson, Guinness, Labatt, Procter & Gamble and others as a client and agency partner. He speaks frequently on the subject of new marketing and media, chairing national conferences, speaking internationally and commenting in national broadcast and top print media and lecturing at universities across a variety of topics. Sean is also an executive consultant to Don Tapscott's firm nGenera (http://www.ngenera.com/) and helps executive and brand teams power the collaborative enterprise.
Bruce Sellery
Bruce Sellery is a financial journalist, best-selling author, professional speaker and TV host on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.He is the founder of Moolala, a personal finance training company with a mission to inspire people to get a handle on their money so they can live the life they want. Bruce develops customized financial education programs - live and online - for clients across North America.
Bruce is the author of the bestselling book "Moolala: Why smart people do dumb things with their money (and what you can do about it)", published by McClelland & Stewart. He is also host of "Million Dollar Neighbourhood" on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Prior to Moolala Bruce was an anchor at CTV's Business News Network (BNN).
When Bruce isn't on the air or on the podium, he is proud parent, a dedicated cottager, long distance runner and a devout Toronto Film Festival attendee. He has traveled extensively, throughout Central and South America, Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. He is based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Ruth MacKenzie
Ruth MacKenzie is President & CEO of Volunteer Canada, a national not-for-profit, charitable organization with a 30-year history in supporting, promoting and celebrating the volunteer experience in Canada.
Ruth joined Volunteer Canada in 2001, bringing extensive experience in the field of volunteer engagement and development. She led the implementation of the Canada Volunteerism Initiative and has played a key role in establishing national relationships and alliances with all sectors. As President & CEO, Ruth has seen the organization through significant change, establishing partnerships and alliances and developing new programs and initiatives to achieve Volunteer Canada's mission and sustain its future vitality.
Ruth has worked in the voluntary sector for over 25 years, at the grassroots, provincial and national levels and has a life-long commitment to voluntary action.
Prior to joining Volunteer Canada, she worked at the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division, and later the Nova Scotia Division, as Director of Volunteer Development. In between those two positions, she established and ran her own micro-brewery, receiving recognition for her business acumen by being selected as an Entrepreneur of the Year.
Ruth believes that volunteering is more than something we do; she believes it is intrinsic to who we are, as individuals and as caring Canadians. She has been involved in countless volunteer opportunities, from front-line service delivery to community-based activist work and at the leadership level through a variety of boards, committees and advisory groups.
Ruth currently sits on two volunteer Boards: the international Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration and the International Association of Volunteer Effort.
Ève-Marie Lortie
From journalist...to host!
In 1996, Ève-Marie Lortie joined TVA as a reporter for Salut Bonjour and Salut Bonjour Weekend. She joined the news channel LCN in January 2000, where she worked as a journalist and news anchor. Subsequently, Eve-Marie became the main anchor on TVA on weekends as well as on LCN.
Since August 2003, we can see Eve-Marie in Salut Bonjour every morning as the official news collaborator. She hosts the weekly morning show in the Summer as well.
Starting this Fall, Eve-Marie will lead and host Salut Bonjour Weekend.
Daryl Angier
Daryl Angier is the editor-in-chief of Canadian Insurance Top Broker magazine and Corporate Risk Canada magazine, publications of Rogers Media. He oversees the editorial direction and content for the magazines, websites and related conferences. Canadian Insurance Top Broker addresses the issues and concerns of Canada's top producing property and casualty insurance brokers, including business growth and practice management. Corporate Risk Canada is Canada's first publication on risk management for CFOs and senior financial executives, providing information, tools and strategies for managing financial, operational and strategic risk.
Daryl has over 10 years of editorial experience working on various business-to-business and specialty publications.
Laurie Prud'Homme
Laurie Prud'Homme has been working for Aviva Canada since 2003 starting in the Belleville Claims Department handling Auto Claims. In 2008 she moved from Claims to Business Development where she continues to assist all of the Non GTA Business Development staff. Laurie has made the Belleville area her home since 1998 with her husband Chris. One of the things Laurie and her husband are most proud of is the work they have done in memory of their daughter Jamie. They developed the beautiful Jamie PH Memorial Butterfly Garden located at her school - Albert College. With the support of family, friends and the Albert College Community they were able to fund raise and build a wonderful outdoor classroom and butterfly haven. They have recently applied to become a Monarch Waystation which is an effort of Monarch Watch to protect the endangered Monarch Butterfly by encouraging people to set up butterfly habitats such as Jamie's Garden to give butterflies a place to rest, feed and be protected. They also have a Jamie PH Memorial Fund at the school that supports an annual Jamie PH Day where each year a different guest speaker comes in and shares their experiences with the children. The support for Jamie's Garden and the Jamie PH Fund has come from all over Ontario. Laurie has learned the value of working together as a community to make something great happen and this is one of the most appealing things about the Aviva Community Fund.
John Pino
I have been in the insurance industry for the past 18 years and proud to say that I have been a broker for the MacLeod Lorway Group my entire career. I have held a number of positions within the company and currently sit as Vice President and Board Director as well as manager for two sub offices. I am a Past President of the Insurance Brokers Association of Nova Scotia and am currently completing my MBA. I am a strong advocate of lifelong learning.
In my personal life, I try to stay active by playing hockey and golf as well as doing my best to volunteer in the sports and activities life of my two young daughters. I presently sit on the board of the Victoria Highland Civic Center in Baddeck, my current support project.
