PASSPORT MUSIC EXPORT SUMMIT 2023
Manager
Summit
Participants
Kelsey Assad
Birthday Cake Records, Field Guide
Hailing from the booming northern metropolis of Geraldton, ON, Kelsey began her career with the Geraldton Music Jamboree and received an Advance Diploma from the Music Business Management program at Durham College. Since graduating in 2009, she has spent time as an ultimate problem solver with companies such as RGK Entertainment, CARAS / The JUNO Awards & MusiCounts, and Paquin Artist Agency. Over the past year, Kelsey has been a part of the Birthday Cake/Mighty Cypress team as an Operations Manager, and working closely with management clients such as The Bros. Landreth, Begonia, and Field Guide.
Esther Teman
Agene Hôtel Particulier, Soran
Co-owner of l’Agence Hôtel Particulier since 2018, Creative producer of La Voix and of Star Academie for many years, Esther has extensive knowledge of both the TV and Music Industries. She has worked in the music industry since 1996 on different levels: manager (Soran, Elliot Maginot, Fanny Bloom, Les soeurs Boulay, Matt Holubowski…), singer (in her former band, ?Alice!), executive record producer (Productions J, Musicor Productions Déferlantes), Radio Host (CIBL), all of which led her to become a specialist in Music/TV Shows in Québec. Her varied work experience enabled her in meeting numerous artists, both locally and internationally, as well as many influential people of the musical industry. She has also acquired a good understanding of the different departments of the music Industry. As the Creative Producer of La Voix, she won 3 Felix (Best TV Music Show) and one Gémeaux. She also as 2 Gold Records (La Voix 2 & La Voix 4) and one Platinum (La Voix 4) for a job as an executive producer and a gold record for Matt’s Holubowski Solitudes.
As a manager, she gives direction to their longterm career, coordinates the work of the other team members, guides and gives advice to the artist with his career plan and choices at all levels.
Her agency has been nominated at le Gala de l’Adisq as Best Managing Agency in 2021, only 2 years after its creation.
Daphne Nolasco
UWIDO, Desiree Dawson
Daphne Nolasco is a Scarborough-based emerging artist manager who is passionate about creation, expression, and storytelling of all forms.
She works with UWIDO, a BIPOC-focused community-informed artist support (management, services) company representing many emerging Western Canadian artists such as JUNO-nominee Desirée Dawson, Kimmortal, Dakota Bear and Francis Arevalo among others.
Daphne is thrilled to be able to combine her passion and diverse background with community advocacy and, ultimately, she hopes to create a world in which creative spaces are equitable and accessible to all. She has recently participated in Canada’s Music Incubator’s Artist Manager program and is an active member of MMF (Music Managers Forum) Canada.
Prior to her transition into the arts, she was a deafblind intervenor, and a movement instructor with a focus on yoga and Pilates.
Carly McFadden
Victory Pool, Meisha and the Spanks
Carly McFadden is the Executive & Artistic Director at Folk On The Rocks and an Artist Manager at Victory Pool. She got her start in live events as the Production Manager for Eco Fashion Week Vancouver while at the same time putting on small music shows with friends in the city. Music was always at the heart of her work and personal life, so the progression to working in the music industry was a natural one. Since 2016 she has been at the Folk On The Rocks Music Festival and she joined the team Victory Pool in the summer of 2020.
Coralie Daigneault
House of Supercool, Barber For The Queen
Coralie Daigneault, twenty-five, has been a partner at House of Supercool with Fannie Crepin and Dorothée Parent-Roy since the merger of Supercool and La Swell in 2022. Coralie has been working in the industry for more than 6 years, fueled by her passion for shows, she founded Ic3y Mag, a popular music blog, in 2017. As an interviewer, journalist, producer and photographer, Coralie worked with several names in music, both local and international. In 2020, Coralie joined Supercool Management and brought the promising acts Fraud Perry and Barber For The Queen to the company. She is also the co-founder of the non-profit music promotion initiative Musique Bleue and on its board of administrators since 2021.
Elliott Gallagher-Doucette
Victory Pool, Cj Wiley
Elliott Gallagher-Doucette is a producer, songwriter and artist manager from Toronto, ON.
His role both on and off the stage has seen him work with noteworthy acts like the Juno-Nominated band OMBIIGIZI, as well as emerging artists like CJ Wiley and Cam Kahin.
Specializing in project administration, Elliott has secured grant funding for over 20 Canadian artists from FACTOR, Toronto Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council and SOCAN.
Patrick Twaddle
Patchwork Services O/A Ptchworks, Estyr
Patrick Twaddle, AKA 'Patch', has spent 18 years as a professional performer, songwriter and arts organizer. Based primarily in Toronto, he runs his own artist management, consulting and pitching company, Ptchworks, while also acting as a music reviewer and post-secondary educator. He has advised and managed events for Imogen Heap’s Mycelia for Music and was the lead for a music rights project for British start-up JAAK. Having received an MA in Musicology, an MBA, and a Certificate in Entertainment Law, he returned to the Schulich School of Business, York University, as a part-time course instructor in media and entertainment in 2020. He is passionate about adding fuel to emerging artists, growing audiences, expanding into new markets, and creative collaborations and partnerships which break down barriers and cross cultures.
Marc-Evans Jeannot
Freedohm Records
Music manager and consultant with more than 20 years in the music business including 13 years as Promotion and marketing representative for Universal Music Canada. Passionate about the music and entertainment business, I love to connect with people all around the world and make things happen. Throughout the years, I evolved in a context of fusion with great flexibility, adaptation and new creativity. I’m always looking to learn new things and also to create opportunities to build solid relationships within my network.
Sean Bussiere
Halftime Management
Halftime Management, based out of Edmonton, is focused on developing and advising Canadian artists and talent to exceed their artistic goals. Founded in 2020, Sean along with his business partner Nick launched their first endeavour into the music industry alongside their trusted mentor to carve their way into the music business with their first artist, Kuzi Cee out of Calgary Alberta. Since 2020, Halftime Management has been part of over 50 live shows and entertaining over 300,000 spectators.
Halftime Artists have shared stages with Michael Buble, Mario (Grammy Nominated), Boslen (juno rap album of the year), Roy Woods, Tyga, and have performed in Five provinces.
Guests & Mentors
Matt Maw
Red Music Rising
Matt Maw (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation) is the Director & Lead Artist Manager at Red Music Rising. Matt brings over a decade of multi-faceted music industry experience to RMR, along with a passion for artist development and a mission to amplify Canada's Indigenous artists on the global stage. Throughout his career, Matt has worked with some of Canada's most celebrated artists, Indigenous and otherwise, and now oversees a label and management roster including Boogey The Beat, Nimkish, Wolf Saga, Logan Staats, Sebastian Gaskin, and Kristi Lane Sinclair among others. A graduate of the Harris Institute for the Arts, Matt has previously worked alongside organizations including Arts & Crafts Productions, Six Shooter Records and New Constellations.
Eleanor McGinness
Playbook Artists
Eleanor is Director and Booking Agent for PlayBook Artists Agency, who represent artists such as Angel Olsen, Arooj Aftab, Andy Shauf, Beverly Glenn Copeland, Son Lux, Weyes Blood among many more. Eleanor first immersed herself in the Dublin music scene in 2002, promoting acoustic nights & booking national tours for Irish artists. Soon thereafter advancing to promoter & booker for POD Concerts which included bookings for Electric Picnic among other festivals and alongside live bookings for a premier music venue in Dublin. Finally joining Pitch & Smith Agency in 2011 helping to develop their roster and strategy across Europe, before setting up PlayBook Artists in 2021 alongside friends and colleagues from the industry
Kurt Dahl
Coal Harbour Law
Kurt is one of the preeminent entertainment lawyers in Canada and has been actively involved in the music industry for the past two decades, as a lawyer, musician, public speaker and artist advocate. His clients range from Juno Award-winning artists, record labels, publishers and managers, to the smallest up-and-coming songwriters. He is considered a thought leader in the music industry and has been featured in Canadian Musician, Canadian Lawyer, SOCAN Magazine, VICE Magazine and more, and is interviewed often on music industry podcasts around the world.
Kurt is passionate about utilizing his knowledge as both artist and lawyer to help others in the music industry. For more information, check out Kurt’s website lawyerdrummer.com
Kate Rogers
Programs Manager, Canada’s Music Incubator
Kate joined the team at Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI) in 2017 and through her current role as Programs Manager, she designs and executes several of CMI’s core and custom professional development programs, and actively contributes to the successful rollout of all CMI programming. Notable programs include PASSPORT: Music Export Summit, Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class and the Women in Music Canada Accelerator Program. She also plays integral role in funding and sponsor relationships; Board of Directors engagement; marketing; analytics tracking; and strategic planning. Kate understands the needs of Canada’s emerging music industry and strives to help all creative entrepreneurs to reach their definition of success. A performer at heart, Kate holds a Bachelor of Music Degree and a Post Graduate Certificate in Arts Management, both obtained at Humber College.
Anton Teichmann
Mansions and Millions
After working for several German indie labels (Sinnbus, Morr Music) and as a project manager for Initiative Musik and Sound Diplomacy, Anton started the label Mansions and Millions in 2015 which has since won the award for Best German label at the VUT Indie Awards. In 2020, he co-founded the management agency A-Okay together with Amande Dagod, working with acts such as Albertine Sarges, Better Person, COMA, Discovery Zone and John Moods.
Brooke Morgan
The Orchard
Brooke Morgan is a Toronto-based “music suit,” for lack of a better term, wearing a number of hats in the industry. Brooke joined the wonderful music distribution team at The Orchard in 2021 as a Label Manager, working with a wide range of clients such as Birthday Cake Media, Dine Alone Records, R&B artist Dylan Sinclair, and country icons High Valley. Brooke brings her previous experience as Label Director at Paper Bag Records to this role and to the development of Wavy Haze Records, the independent label she co-founded with Born Ruffians and Huxley Management. And to add one final music hat, Brooke previously delved into the world of artist management, working with the acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer and indie up-and-comers Ice Cream.
Stephen Carroll
Manitoba Music and Film
Stephen Carroll is the Director of music programs for Manitoba Film and Music.
Stephen achieved international recognition as a member of the JUNO-nominated band The Weakerthans (Epitaph/Anti Records). After joining the group in 1998, he managed all of the business affairs and helped steer the group to fame. In 2009 he began managing the Manitoba band Imaginary Cities and went on to form Empirical Artist Services Inc. Stephen was awarded Manager of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2013, after garnering nominations for the award the two previous years. Stephen was a member of the Board of Directors for FACTOR and currently serves on the Board of Manitoba Music.
Ana Rodriguez
Relatable
Change agent in the Latin American musical ecosystem with experience in management, communication, and business management; She represents Troker, a Mexican jazz-rock band, and is President of the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF).
Ana is involved in mentoring, community-building projects, learning processes, and networking initiatives. She is the founder of Relatable, a knowledge-building company around the music industry that has two learning platforms: MúsicaLab focusing on music and social change, and MudAL, dedicated to digital marketing in partnership with UK-based company Music Ally.
Relatable promoted the Música México initiative during the pandemic, which supported the sector by facilitating a rescue fund, association processes, and industry recognition.
Hallie Anderson
Rareform
Hallie Anderson began her career at AEG Live NW and then moved to New York in 2013 to work in tour marketing at Foundations Artist Management. She joined Mom + Pop Music in 2014, where she spent nearly seven years rising to Head of Marketing and Co-GM alongside Jessica Page in early 2019. During her time at Mom + Pop Music, Hallie helped run global marketing and release strategy for many successful campaigns including Courtney Barnett, Flume, Alice Merton, Alina Baraz, Sleater-Kinney and many others. In July 2021, she joined forces with Jessica Page and Hana Mogulescu to launch Rareform, where they work directly with artists, managers, labels, and distributors on marketing, digital, and release strategies with a strong focus on artist development and artist fan base growth. While at Rareform she has worked with artists including Ocean Alley, Genesis Owusu, Faye Webster, Julia Jacklin, Windser, The Blaze among others.
Jodie Ferneyhough
CCS Rights Management
In 2011, Jodie founded CCS Rights Management with a vision of a dynamic global independent company that puts artists and songwriters first, providing individualized attention and a full range of services to maximize income, elevate careers, and protect the value of their works.
Under his leadership, CCS has experienced continuous growth and significantly expanded its global reach and scope of services provided to a growing roster of award-winning and up-and-coming songwriters, artists, musicians, producers, and labels, as well as major corporate brands and other rights holders.
The company manages more than 150,000 copyrights and specializes in publishing administration, royalty collections, creative services, neighbouring rights administration, and music licensing for film, TV advertising, games and other media. CCS is also the exclusive, worldwide music publishing and neighbouring rights administration company for leading global children’s entertainment company Spin Master Ltd., including PAW Patrol, a top preschool series airing in 160 countries.
Donna Branston
Entertainment Group, DMCL CPA
Donna has over 10 years of experience providing accounting and taxation services to the entertainment industry with a focus on musicians. Donna has in-depth knowledge and experience in Canadian and worldwide tour accounting and taxation as it applies to artists.
Donna is proud to work with artists at various stages of their careers such as Tegan and Sara, Bryan Adams, Dan Mangan, and Hollerado. Donna is passionate about promoting Canadian music. She currently volunteers with the Tegan and Sara Foundation. Donna previously served as a board member of the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society and has volunteered with the Sarah McLachlan Foundation.
David Schellenberg
Signal Noise Marketing
David Schellenberg started booking DIY shows for independent touring bands when he was a teenager. He fell in love with the feeling of watching bands make fans and that feeling would end up guiding his 15 years (and counting) in the music industry. David has been fortunate enough to be involved in a variety of projects that range from booker, promoter, musician, artistic director, guest speaker, consultant, venue owner and most recently as a digital marketer and strategist with his own agency, Signal Noise Music Marketing. Since its inception in 2020, Signal Noise has been behind the social media marketing for acts such as Iron Maiden, The Bros. Landreth, ACTORS, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Leathers. When he's not helping band's make fans, David can be found punishing crowds around the world fronting his noise rock band Tunic.
Jonathan Li
Prosody Digital
Jonathan Li is a data-driven and growth-focused digital marketer with over 15 years of experience working for agencies such as Critical Mass (Omnicom) & Evans Hunt. He has led digital work for clients such as Nissan USA, Dell, AT&T, Infiniti USA / Global, Hewlett Packard, Electronic Arts, and CBC Music. His consulting agency, Prosody Digital, works with businesses and marketing agencies to improve their eCommerce, SEO, paid advertising and analytics capabilities.
As a mentor/speaker he has worked with multiple organizations such as Canada's Music Incubator, The Juno Awards, Music NB, Music BC, Manitoba Music, and Music Nova Scotia. He is also a part of the teaching faculty for The Songwriting Academy. A faculty that encompasses a group of songwriters, producers and music professionals with combined sales of over one billion records dedicated to equipping songwriters and artists. Altogether, Jonathan has mentored over 800+ artists, songwriters and music managers over the last 6 years.
In his past artist life, Jonathan was a Western Canada Music Awards and Gospel Music Awards nominated singer/songwriter. Alongside marketing, he works as a songwriter for both independent & major label artists and has recently moved into the world of sync, garnering placements with the NFL, NBC/Universal and Peacock.