Board Executives

Jeffrey Elliott Interactive Ontario Board Chairman

Jeffrey Elliott

CEO, TableRock Media
Board Chair

Jeffrey Elliott has over thirty years of strategic and creative experience in broadcasting, production, and digital media – and always at the forefront of emerging technologies in broadcasting and new-media and is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TableRock Media. Jeffrey was also the founder and CEO of GlassBOX Television. Glassbox Television became one of Canada’s leading multiplatform media companies. One of GlassBOX channels; Bite TV, the world’s first Interactive and multiplatform television channel, was awarded an International Emmy for Interactive Broadcasting and won the best in Cross Platform Broadcasting at the DIGIS (Canadian New Media Awards).

Glassbox Television was purchased in 2012 by Blue Ant Media. In 2015 Jeffrey received the Digital Media Trailblazing Award by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.

Jeffrey lives in the country with his family and tries to find as much time for his passions of photography and flying, having been a pilot for thirty years.

Lydia Sani

Managing Partner, Redwood Performance Group

Vice-Chair

Lydia Sani is Redwood’s Managing Partner. She has spent over 20 years in the corporate communications industry and has worked extensively in the for-profit, not-for-profit and government sectors. In 1986 Lydia founded Invisions Productions and then Redwood e-learning systems in 2003 (now Redwood Performance Group) to address what she saw as gaps in the online learning market.

Redwood’s mission is to advance skills by having learners engage with immersive environments and social media.

Jamie Barron

Partner, Technology & Life Sciences, BDO Canada

Treasurer

Jamie is a CPA and a Partner with BDO Canada. He has 20+ years of experience in the accounting and finance world, having worked with key players in the innovation space such as Communitech, The Accelerator Centre, Haltech RIC, Shad, The Stiller Centre and others. Jamie is “all-in” when it comes to tech, media and telecom. Jamie has held senior leadership positions in these sectors and is heavily invested in the innovation ecosystem as a whole.

Jamie has worked with many organizations in this ecosystem over the years and is currently on the Angle One board and past-Chair of Haltech Regional Innovation Center, which is part of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs. Jamie spends all of his professional time working with innovation-based companies and advising them as they follow their journey from ideation and discovery to validation, growth and scaling mode, all the way to mature stage. He is frequently called upon to advise growth companies with their funding strategies, having worked extensively with angel, VC and PE-backed companies, including those involved in M&A and capital raise deals.

Max Rothschild

Stohn Hay Cafazzo Dembroski Heim Finlay LLP
Secretary

Max practises in the areas of entertainment, music, digital media and intellectual property law. Before joining Stohn Hay Cafazzo Dembroski Richmond LLP, Max worked as in-house counsel for the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd. (CMRRA) and as an associate at Bereskin & Parr LLP. With experience both as in-house counsel and in private practice, Max brings a practical and business-oriented perspective to legal matters.

Max works with a wide variety of clients, ranging from emerging and established artists to music publishers and copyright collectives. He assists them with negotiating and drafting agreements, intellectual property enforcement, licensing and royalties, and provides general copyright law advice. Max has prepared legal and policy submissions for various levels of court and government, including the Copyright Board of Canada, and the Departments of Canadian Heritage (PCH) and Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED).

Max has always been passionate about the arts, and has been involved in projects including a variety of garage bands, film programming and production. More talented with a pen than a guitar or a camera, he became a lawyer to support creators. Max is an advocate for the arts and accessible legal resources, and is a board member with the Artists’ Legal Advice Services (ALAS), a group of volunteer lawyers and students providing summary legal information to artists.

Board Directors

Ryan Andal

President & Founder, Secret Location & Partner, Illuminarium at the Distillery District

Ryan Andal has been an entrepreneur working at the intersection of entertainment and technology for over 20 years. Working at the bleeding edge of mobile gaming, virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, he introduced new ways of storytelling as these technologies entered the entertainment landscape. In 2008 he Co-Founded Secret Location, a production studio that has been honoured by hundreds of awards including 2 Emmys, 11 Canadian Screen awards, and a Peabody.

Ryan led the company through 2 acquisitions, first when he and his partners sold Secret Location in 2016 to Entertainment One, a global film, TV, and music studio and distributor, and second in 2019 when eOne was acquired in a $4B deal by Hasbro, the play and entertainment giant. He did this while adapting the business to keep up with the rapid changes in the entertainment industry. In 2022, after a change in CEO at Hasbro, Secret Location was subsequently shut down with a few departments and assets being reallocated. Ryan subsequently orchestrated a deal to purchase a number of assets to relaunch Secret Location as an Immersive Entertainment Studio at the start of 2023 along with a group of former Secret Location employees. Working with his partners at Illuminarium Experiences, they opened a brand new immersive entertainment venue Illuminarium at the Distillery District located within the Distillery Historic District in his home city of Toronto, Canada. Ryan continues to innovate in the industry as both the Founder of the newly relaunched Secret Location and as a partner at Illuminarium at the Distillery District.”

Denise Cooper

Denise Cooper

Principal, Denise Cooper Legal

Denise Cooper is a lawyer and strategic advisor for media, entertainment and technology clients, with expertise in the areas of corporate/commercial, mergers and acquisitions, film and television production and distribution, employment, broadcast, telecom, e-commerce, privacy and intellectual property law.  Prior to entering private practice, Denise was Vice President and General Counsel for Virgin Mobile Canada.  Prior to that, she spent 14 years at CHUM Limited, where she served as Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.

Denise received her Bachelor of Laws Degree from Osgoode Hall at York University  (Toronto) (1990) and a Masters of Law Degree from Columbia University (New York) (1993).  She is a member of both the Ontario and New York State Bars.

Rob Elsworthy

Rob Elsworthy

Game Director, Resistr Interactive

Rob Elsworthy is a highly accomplished professional in the media industry, with an impressive career spanning two decades. With over 15 years of experience in the Games industry, he has worked on a variety of acclaimed projects, including Metal Gear Solid, Max Payne, Grand Theft Auto, and Red Dead Redemption, bringing his expertise as an Animator, VFX Artist, Director and Game Designer. With a mission to promote diversity and social awareness in the gaming industry, Rob founded his own videogame company, Resistr Interactive. Additionally, he currently serves as the Program Director for Video Game Design and Animation at Toronto Film School.

Beyond his professional work, Rob’s dedication to inspiring the next generation of game creators is evident in his role as a speaker, panelist, and advisory board member for various workshops and events, including Tedx, Interactive Ontario, CODEX and the Black Youth Design Initiative. Through his involvement, he seeks to empower aspiring game creators to pursue their dreams and drive positive change in the industry.

George Geczy

Co-Founder and Technical Lead, BattleGoat Studios

George Geczy is Co-Founder and Technical Lead of BattleGoat Studios, an independent interactive digital media/video game development studio established in February 2000.  BattleGoat’s releases include a number of successful PC-based strategy games within the “Supreme Ruler” game franchise, sold worldwide through publishers such as Paradox Interactive and independently through Steam.

George has been an advocate for the development and support of digital media studios in Ontario and Canada, and has actively helped organise local industry events as well as participating in industry committees and focus groups.  Through BattleGoat he has worked with local educational institutions and supported talent development through the creation of co-op and student positions.  George has also taught computer science and programming at Mohawk College, and helped create their new Cyber Security diploma program. In the local community, George has volunteered with organisations such as the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the Hamilton Public Library, the Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair, the Hamilton Children’s Aid Society, and many others to help support tech industry development, community initiatives, and youth and children’s development and learning opportunities.  In 2020 George received the Order of Hamilton award as recognition for his community service.

Mojdeh Gharbi

Co-Owner/VP of Marketing and Operations, Certain Affinity

Mojdeh oversees the business and operational success of Certain Affinity, the largest independent AAA game developer in Austin, Texas with a second studio in Toronto, Canada. She ensures CA hits overall business, people and revenue goals as well as long term objectives. An Iranian American who grew up in Austin, she has a diverse background with over 20 years of experience in tech, gaming, advertising and real estate –most of that time focused on sales, marketing and operations at Microsoft. She has a passion for mentoring and empowering others, helping her community and advocating for local businesses and economic initiatives.
Vikas Gupta

Vikas Gupta

CEO, AVARA Media

Vikas Gupta is a charismatic leader who defines himself as a seasoned executive with an entrepreneurial DNA. He has an insatiable passion for start-ups and emerging growth tech companies. Vikas is the co-founder & CEO of AVARA Media, a company focused on the creation of an immersive Augmented Reality technology platform that experientially connects people to the biggest environmental and ecological issues our planet is facing.

Formerly as the CEO of Big Blue Bubble, Vikas established the company as the largest independent mobile gaming company in Canada and ranking among the 50 fastest growing technology companies in the nation.

In addition to his professional activities, Vikas enjoys working with entrepreneurs and does a great deal of mentorship and coaching work. He also sits on a variety of boards ranging from the University of Waterloo, University of Waterloo Stratford Campus, Interactive Ontario, and was on the former Premier’s digital advisory board. Vikas is also a member of the prestigious YPO (Young President’s Organization) and served as the Chapter Chair for YPO Toronto.

Mark Laframboise

Co-Founder & President, Lightning Rod Games

With over a decade of design and project management experience, Mark Laframboise provides business and creative direction for the team at Lightning Rod Games, an award-winning studio that has been operating remotely throughout Ontario since 2013. The studio’s first commercial project, A Fold Apart, drew inspiration from Mark’s own personal experience with a long-distance relationship and earned him an invitation to speak at the Experimental Gameplay Workshop at GDC in 2017.

A Fold Apart successfully launched on eight platforms in sixteen languages and has received numerous awards and accolades, including winning Best Mobile Game at the 2021 Canadian Game Awards.

Jim Lamoureaux

Sr. Director, Public Policy & Govt. Affairs, Electronic Arts

Jim is Sr. Director, Public Policy & Govt. Affairs at Electronic Arts. He develops, manages, and advocates EA’s public policy positions with policymakers and within the industry in North America, LatAm, and APAC.

Jim has been a regulatory and public policy professional focusing on tech, telecom, internet, and media issues for nearly 25 years.

Prior to joining EA, Jim was head of public policy and government affairs at Roku. Before that, he was at Microsoft, addressing global communications and media regulatory and policy issues for various Microsoft business groups. Prior to that, he was at AT&T, where he held various positions as a state and federal regulatory attorney. Before joining AT&T, he was with the law firm of McKenna & Cuneo in Washington, D.C., handling general civil and administrative litigation matters.

Jim also has taught as a law school adjunct at George Washington and George Mason law schools in the D.C. area, and St. Mary’s in San Antonio.

Jim has an undergraduate degree from Northwestern and his law degree from UCLA.

Julien Lavoie

Director of Corporate Affairs, Canada, Ubisoft

Julien is Director of Corporate Affairs at Ubisoft in Canada. Julien has a long association with the video game industry having worked as Vice-President, Public Affairs for the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) where he advocated on behalf of the sector in Canada. He successfully positioned the industry with decision-makers at the federal and provincial levels and aided member companies with regulatory challenges on the intellectual property, immigration, and skills development fronts.

Julien also honed his skills as an effective public affairs practitioner working for one of Canada’s top consulting firms, helping clients in a variety of sectors to overcome challenging reputational crises. No stranger to the collaborative efforts performed by industry associations, prior to joining the video game industry, Julien worked for trade associations in Ottawa in the industrial and media sectors. A proud Franco-Ontarian from northern Ontario, Julien now lives and works in Toronto.

Trang Nguyen

Trang Nguyen

Head of Operations, Soft Rains

Trang Nguyen is a sustainability-focused leader who has over 15 years of experience working in the fields of legal (criminal and immigration), human resources, and operations. From working in multinational corporations to small-scale startups, Trang understands the drivers of success as well as the pain points that these organizations uniquely face. Trang’s passion is advocating for positive change that supports the workers of the tech industry. Ultimately, Trang seeks to help build a strong, diverse, and inclusive community of players and game developers in Ontario.

Trang is the Head of Operations at Soft Rains, a newly founded video game company based in Toronto, Ontario. In this role, she aims to build a healthy operational foundation that supports the growth of Soft Rains and its people. A generalist at heart, prior to joining Soft Rains, Trang worked at Ubisoft Toronto overseeing the Global Mobility team before joining the department of Corporate Affairs.

Ramona Pringle

Professor, Ryerson RTA School of Media; Director, The Creative Innovation Studio

Ramona Pringle is an Associate Professor in the RTA School of Media at X University (formerly Ryerson University,) and Director of The Creative School’s Innovation Studio, a creative network comprised of multiple incubators, including the Transmedia Zone, Design Fabrication Zone, and Fashion Zone, as well as the Global Campus Studio, a unique digital studio devoted to fostering international co-productions through the use of contemporary collaboration tools.

She is the 2021 recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. As a writer, producer, researcher and journalist, Ramona’s work examines the evolving relationship between humans and technology. She was the executive producer of “Communities Create,” writer and director of the interactive documentary “Avatar Secrets, the interactive producer of PBS Frontline’s “Digital Nation.” Ramona was editor in chief of “Rdigitalife,” has edited and guest edited several “IEEE” publications, and has been a technology columnist for CBC, tackling current affairs and the impact of technology and social media on all aspects of people’s lives, from work to relationships. Ramona’s projects have been featured at festivals and conferences including i-docs, Power to the Pixel, TFI Interactive, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Hot Docs, SXSW, NXNE, Social Media Week, TEDx, and in publications including the New York Times, Mashable, Cult of Mac and the Huffington Post. She is a member of the City of Toronto Film, Television and Digital Media Board, board member with Media Smarts, Interactive Ontario, and SIRT (the Screen Industries research and Training Centre) .Ramona has a Master’s Degree from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.

Sean Skelton

Sean Skelton

MTS Software Development Engineer, AMD

Sean Skelton is a programmer with over 20 years of game development experience with a focus on graphics and performance. Sean has always been interested in the challenge of pushing real time rendering techniques to deliver stunning visuals. He has been at AMD Markham since 2009 where he is currently researching future rendering techniques. Previously Sean worked in game development where he has contributed to over 10 shipping titles.
Mary Sorrenti

Mary Sorrenti

Vice President, Game Pill

As Vice President of Game Pill, Mary oversees finance, business affairs and production, ensuring her teams stay motivated, and client care remains paramount. As a CPA, Mary spent the first half of her career providing business and tax advice to some of Canada’s most successful enterprises before finding her place in the interactive space in 2011. She has over 15 years of experience leading teams and managing projects from concept to final deliverables. Mary has a love for learning and is always looking to get involved. She has earned a producer certificate, sits on Interactive Ontario’s board of directors, and chairs its Advocacy Committee, helping ensure that the IDM industry has a strong voice.

Jean-Sylvain Sormany

Studio Head, Snowed In Studios Inc.

Jean-Sylvain Sormany is the Studio Head of Snowed In Studios Inc. and Regional Director for Keywords Studios. Graduated from the Polytechnic School of Montreal with a degree in Computer Engineering, Jean-Sylvain was team lead at Ubisoft and Director of Technology for Fuel Industries before co-founding Snowed In Studios in 2010, which is now the largest game development studio in the Ottawa region. He is a 40 under 40 recipient and sits on various advisory boards including Ontario Creates Industry Advisory Committee, the Ottawa Game Makers and Colleges and Universities advisory board. In 2022, he was awarded Best Boss In Canada by GameIndustry.Biz because of the company culture he fostered at Snowed In.

Rémi Weiss

Deputy Head of Legal, Gameloft

As Deputy Head of Legal at Gameloft, Remi manages a team of in-house lawyers in Montreal and is responsible for the smooth running of all legal operations for Gameloft studios in North, Central, and South America, from the development of video games to labour and employment matters, as well as marketing and advertising issues.

Joining the industry in 2017 was a lifelong goal and dream for Remi and, since then, he has tried to be as active as possible in the industry.

Remi has been serving as an administrator for La Guilde des Jeux Vidéos du Québec (and formerly the Alliance Numérique) since 2019 and has had the privilege to be a jury member for the ESAC’s Student Videogame Contest 2020 and for the 2021 Numix videogame prizes.

Prior to joining Gameloft, Remi worked for an international law firm, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, in Montreal, advising clients in all areas of Canadian intellectual property law. Remi also had the opportunity to work for the Canadian Olympic Committee during the Rio 2016 Summer Games and preparing the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games, helping him transition from the role of a private practice attorney to that of an in-house counsel.