Contact Us: Innovate Canada 2022

Chantal Sturk-Nadeau arrived at Destination Canada in January 2017 with an intrepid spirit and an open mind. For nearly 18 years before joining DC, Chantal fostered deep relationships across Canada, and around the world, in her role as Senior Vice-President of Tourism Winnipeg – a division of Economic Development Winnipeg.

As a leader, Chantal has a proven track record for consistency, authenticity, and unabashed Canadian pride. As Executive Director of Business Events at Destination Canada, Chantal leads the business events strategy to leverage Canada’s leading economic sector strengths and legendary incentive experiences to attract global business events to Canada. Chantal and her team inspire, provide insights, introductions and facilitate connections between organizations considering Canada and our business events partners.

Some defining moments in Chantal’s career include; leading Destination Canada’s new approach to business events with an economic sector strategy that focuses on attract meetings to Canada that will have an impact beyond tourism, guiding the Canadian business events industry through the global COVID-19 pandemic, the co-creation of a Master Tourism Plan for the City of Winnipeg, an integrated tourism development model that has since been adopted globally as a best practice in destination management. Chantal completed the Certified Destination Management Executive designation from Purdue University and holds an Advanced Diploma in International Business and a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Chantal’s glowing hearts moment includes attending a conference in St. John’s, Newfoundland and taking part in a sunset reception. We sailed through The Narrows, watching the city’s colorful houses blend with the horizon. As our hosts entertained us with stories and songs, a pod of humpback whales unexpectedly emerged from the depths of the Atlantic to swim alongside our boat — watching us as closely as we were watching them. It felt as though they were answering the call of the music; coming from the Prairies, I was completely captivated.

Having lived and worked in Asia, Africa and Europe before moving to Canada in 2010, Virginie is the Senior Director of Business Development – Economic Sectors for Destination Canada Business Events (DCBE), Virginie is responsible for leading the development and implementation of DCBE’s global economic sector strategy and team to increase overnight visitations to Canada by attracting business events from international markets in alignment with economic sectors and strengths identified in Canada’s international trade priorities.

Thought leader and game changer, Virginie is a bio-engineer (from the Universite Catholique de Louvain in Belgium) and a Certified International Trade Professional (CITP). She has an extensive background in business development and international operations. Prior to joining Destination Canada, her past positions included Director of business development at Economic Development Winnipeg, responsible for attracting meetings and conventions business through local influencers as leader of the Bring it Home program; and the Director of International Trade for the World Trade Centre Winnipeg. Prior to her relocation to Canada, Virginie worked in commodity export and processing, as well as in the technology sector in Africa and Belgium.

With over 15 years of experience in business development, sales, and account management, Pamela is a Business Development Manager – Economic Sectors for Destination Canada Business Events (DCBE). She is responsible for developing opportunities in target international markets while working with local stakeholders focusing on Life Sciences, Natural Resources, and Advanced Manufacturing.

Pamela graduated from the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) with a double major in Marketing and International Business. Prior to Destination Canada, her past positions included a management role with Voyageur Aviation Inc, a Chorus Aviation Company (TSX: CHR), and a director role with AeroVision International, focused on technical and commercial facilitation to a global customer based. Prior to that, she held business development and client support roles with StandardAero, working across various business units. Pamela also spent a brief time within the Performing Arts sector as a corporate liaison for Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She has focused on building strategic, long-term relationships between organizations and clients while connecting with an international network.

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