A photo of Tina Portillo and Barb Boyd

Getting back to in-person feels so good!

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As we embrace and plan for our new fiscal year at AMA Toronto, we recognize the significant impact of the pandemic on our people, priorities and programs. While our reality has changed, our commitment to our members has not.

As the new president of AMA Toronto, I’m eager to invite our marketing community together again to return to in-person fun, programs and events. The prospect of seeing friends, colleagues and peers in “real life again” is very exciting. I’m honoured and thrilled by the opportunity to lead and work more closely with the chapter’s Board of Directors, Advisory Committee, and the many partners and sponsors who support AMA Toronto.

Certainly, getting back to in-person events feels good! In April, I attended the AMA Leadership Conference in Chicago and was inspired by the calibre, creativity, and involvement of the leaders from chapters across North America. For the first time, I got a sense of the scale and benefit of being part of a larger organization.

And I was elated when AMA Toronto was recognized as a chapter that continues to thrive, despite the pandemic. We were honoured with a Silver Chapter Excellence award, recognized for our DEI actions with a DEI Response Award, and Craig Lund, a long-standing Toronto member and leader, was named AMA’s Volunteer of the Year. These AMA awards were all firsts for a Canadian chapter.

Incredible People

A key to our success as a chapter is the incredible team of talented and dedicated board members who guide the planning and execution of the programs throughout the year.

I’m pleased to welcome back many of last year’s board members, and am delighted to announce Heather Purcell is joining us as our new VP of Finance, and that Jessica Zuckier is stepping up as our new VP of Marketing Communications. You can find a complete list of the Board of Directors on our website.

My experience with AMA Toronto since 2019 has shown me that volunteers are the lifeblood of our marketing community and everything we do. As a professional organization, we’re entirely volunteer-run, with a dedicated Board of Directors, Advisory Committee, and over 80 additional volunteers running our programming, administration and operations.

In spite of the effects of the pandemic, the diversity, talent and commitment of our volunteer community remains a core strength and is something we’re being recognized for internationally.

 

Our Priorities

I like to say that we empower the leadership potential of our members.

As a professional association, AMA Toronto provides opportunities for our members to build professional connections, develop leadership, and accelerate professional knowledge and growth. Our goal is to help transform individual marketers into successful business leaders.

This priority guides the development and investment in our programs. All our undertakings, our flagship events, programming and the DEI initiatives that shape our activities, uphold this defining focus.

 

Industry-leading Programs

Incredible programs are at the heart of what we do at AMA Toronto!

Our chapter is popular for its networking, CMO and agency panels events, an industry-leading mentorship program, and one of the country’s most prominent marketing business award shows, Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends.

To add to our Mentor Exchange and Career Accelerator programs this year, we’re excited to expand our lineup with a new Executive Coaching program. This first-of-its-kind industry offering features 10 highly accomplished certified executive coaches with accomplished careers in marketing and advertising. The complete suite of programs is ready to help companies and individuals grow throughout their careers.

 

The Year Ahead

As we emerge from virtual living and working, I look ahead with optimism and excitement, knowing there will be significant changes and opportunities. With a continued focus on our people, priorities and programs, we’ll continue delivering relevant events, networking and leadership opportunities.

I can’t wait to see you in person soon!

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