Meet the Team
Michelle Weswaldi - Executive Director
Canadian born, Michelle displayed a love of the stage and performance at the age of six. She was one of the first Canadians to compete, and win, in beauty pageants in the United States, gaining such titles as 'Little Miss New York Model' and 'Little Miss North American Model.' She paved the way for Canadians in the American market of children's pageantry. As an actress, model and dancer she appeared in countless magazines, over 40 commercials, 4 of which were aired nationally, numerous TV Series and has performed at several charitable events.
Now in her 30s, Michelle has taken her passion for film/television/fashion and pageantry to another level. She has worked as a Talent Agent for a principal film/modeling agency, a Pageant coach and is now the Executive Director for the Miss Teen Canada - World Pageant, which is the official pageant to send a representative to Miss Teen World Pageant.
Notable title wins include: 'Miss World Canada 1996', 'Miss Intercontinental Canada 2000', 'Miss Earth Canada 2001'.
Marketing Director - Ellen Smith Encourse
Ellen Smith, Principal of EnCourse has brings her extensive marketing and advertising experience in strategic, innovative and concrete solutions to marketers and businesses on both sides of the border.
Ellen, previously Senior Vice President of The MediaCom Canada, is a seasoned senior executive and leader with over 20 years of award winning marketing and communications initiatives on both a global and national basis. Her extensive work in both the corporate and not for profit sectors gives her a rare blend of business experience and expertise. Ellen has had the privilege of working with a wide array of clients including Fortune 500 companies and Government and has first hand knowledge of leadership, successful business development and leading edge strategies. She has many "firsts" behind her.
Ellen and her team at EnCourse are driving the marketing and sponsorship initiatives for MTC-W in concert with dkpr public relations inc., FRANK Ideas and Execution Inc and Smojoe.
Ellen is a published writer and key-note speaker, has enjoyed engaging audiences in Brand, Relevance, creative thinking, and Marketing for Success.
Ellen is a Music Major as well having earned her degree in Business and Administration through the University of British Columbia and her certification as an Adler Trained Business and Leadership Coach. She is also a designated Marketing Coach through JTS Advisors in the U.S.
For more information visit www.encourse.ca
Public Relations - Deborah Knight DKPR
Deborah Knight Principal and CEO of dkpr public relations inc. in Toronto has established the company as one of Toronto's top entertainment publicity and promotion companies. Knight's media contacts, non-profit experience and creative campaigns along with her strong organizational skills make her one of Canada's top public and media relations experts.
With 15 years of hands-on expertise in media relations, event planning, promotions, marketing, and corporate communications Deborah has developed long-term relationships with journalists and producers across Canada and a track record of outstanding editorial coverage in major magazines, newspapers, radio and television programs for her many clients.
Prior to founding dkpr, Deborah Knight worked in a variety of non-profit and entertainment companies and gained extensive experience in the North American entertainment industry, with arts and charitable organizations, corporations, sports, television and film.
Knight holds a post graduate diploma in Marketing and Fundraising from George Brown College, a Specialist in the Arts Bachelors degree from the University of Toronto in Arts Administration and numerous courses in fundraising and marketing for non profits including the Banff Centre School of Management. She is a published writer and guest speaker. For more information, please visit www.dkpr.ca
Sharron MacKay - Account Representative, Sponsorship - MTCW-Inc
Sharron has over 20 years of corporate sales and marketing and marketing research experience. She is certified as a Radiology Technologist and holds a BA in Marketing. Her sales and marketing career commenced in the pharmaceutical industry as a sales specialist for Fuji's Medical Division and subsequently she worked with Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacia specializing in the areas of radiology, cardiology and ophthalmology. Sharron has spent the past 15 years in direct sales/marketing and team leader roles selling and marketing corporate travel and expense management solutions on behalf of American Express and subsequently became Director, Business Development at Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
Since leaving the corporate environment in 2006, Sharron runs her own company SJ MacKay Consulting that specializes in Sales Strategies & Solutions both in corporate and not for profit business sectors.
Shawn Cuffie - Choreographer
Shawn Cuffie has been active in the Entertainment industry from the age of 16. Since then he has appeared in Commercials, Movies, Videos, TV Shows, Live Shows and has toured many cities in Canada and the United States with professional recording artists.
By 18, Shawn skills had developed in training models & talent through dedication in attending many conventions, workshops and seminars in L.A and New York. Since then, he has perfected his trade - justifiably one of the most sought after professionals - called to work with hundreds of talent throughout Canada and the U.S.A. There is a number of talent after having worked with Shawn, had been placed with large international agencies. Among these selected, the work spectrum includes appearances in spectacular commercials and the gracing runways of the world - including work on Cover Girl Campaigns, Nike Advertisements, L'Oreal Commercials, prominent magazine covers, fashion channels around the world, not to mention designer campaigns and recording contracts.
Some of Shawn's direct efforts include large scale Model/ Talent Competitions in the U.S.A (IMTA) having won 20+ awards over a decade, Corporate Shows for Pepsi, TD Bank, Price Waterhouse Coopers, The Toronto Raptors, Concerts for Kiss 92.5, and hundreds of Fashion Shows.
Because of his keen business sense, will and drive to succeed, by 21 Shawn decided that he was ready for the professional side of the industry. Having started with his first dance rehearsals in his sisters' basement over 10 years ago – he struggled. With the help of friends and family, he was offered rehearsal spaces in church basements, shared lofts, then finally community centers.
Currently Shawn operates his entertainment enterprises in his High Park area studio and offices. With 10 years of passion and dedication, he shines in the Toronto and International Entertainment Industry.
Mr. Cuffie has also aligned himself with great friends in the industry such as record companies, international management companies, international models and the list goes on. These are the movers and shakers who manage large international recording artists and models and acts around the world.
‘As a young entertainer and entrepreneur, it is my dream and priority to help put Toronto on the map on an international level with regards to our Entertainment Industry.' Says Shawn.
Shawn's ultimate goal is to create a legitimate avenue to guide talent through their struggle in the industry with the help of the decision makers themselves.
Account Manager - Chris Binet
Chris Binet has a background rooted in the fashion industry, and he has also enjoyed working in the areas of medical, beauty, food and beverage and entertainment categories of the marketing and communications world. His commitment to growth, learning and excellence is exhibited by his return to Ryerson University in 2004 to complete his Bachelor of Design degree in Fashion Communications with a direct focus on Marketing, PR, event planning as well as graphic and web design.
This multi-disciplined expertise is a valuable asset when dealing with the wider range of clients in the En Course branding and marketing roster.
Chris is passionate and dedicated team member who brings insight, clarity and creativity to our clients.
Rob Campbell Social Media Director
Rob Campbell is Smojoe, a community catalyst, multi-platform brand storyteller, and general relevance builder. He writes really interesting content around client goods and services. Smojoe provides cost effective 'white hat' marketing solutions for small to mid size business looking to increase their website's social relevance and boost online traffic and conversion. Smojoe social media marketing practices build rich media backlinks for greater keyword penetration and increased findability.
Years ago at LifeCapture Interactive, Rob pioneered new platforms for distributing branded content. He helped increase the social relevance of eighteen different Alliance Films movie trailer micro pages as Lead Social Media Marketer / Content Producer. From 2007 forward Campbell created effective rich media article marketing campaigns for ethanol and telecom companies. He innovated blog systems for Shawfest and the CBC and developed discussion forum marketing mechanisms for Second City, Harbourfront and Empire Theatres. In 2008, Campbell started Smojoe to offer three types of social media to the rest of the world. Article marketing, blogging and discussion forum marketing shares pictures alongside keyword targeted links. These three types of media combine into powerful 'story funnels' that tempt humans and satisfy robots.
In the spring of 2009 Smojoe started a serial photo contest website called Lenzr that harnesses business advertising dollars to make art. More specifically local photographers submit media in response to a campaign that wins keywords for sponsors. Please investigate this photo contest website and read the Lenzr blog for all the details.
Richard Carmichael
Executive Producer, FRANK Ideas and Execution Inc.
Richard is a creative guy with an analytical mind. He posesses a very rare combination of left and right brain functionality that serves him well and has helped him solve a myriad of marketing and communications problems for a dizzying array of top tiered clients over the past 20 years.
In collaboration with Encourse and MTCW Inc., Richard and his crew at FRANK embraced the challenge of taking the search for Miss Teen Canada-World into the 21st century. Their task was to help design and develop a brand new web site and social media strategy for Miss Teen Canada-World 2009 and beyond. Richard and Rob have been working together to spearhead MTCW's migration into the realm of Web 2.0, social media and the possibilities created by next generation social innovation technologies. The best is yet to come.
Aaron Vegh
Principal, Innoveghtive Inc.
Aaron is a web developer with over ten years' experience in the field. Trained as a publisher at Vancouver's Simon Fraser University, Aaron is an autodidact with a love for learning new technologies and applying them in exciting new ways. As the Principal at Innoveghtive, Aaron has executed projects for a variety of clients, ranging from the financial services industry, to apparel and footwear, to publishing and more. Innoveghtive's solutions provide content management, ecommerce and social networking, to name a few.
Aaron took the brilliant design and strategy provided by the other staff on the project, and built this site.
