Dr. David Rice is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto, Canada. He has published extensively in scholarly journals and has presented his research at conferences in over 20 countries. Over the past 35 years, Dr. Rice has provided market research services and consulting to both Fortune 100 and 500 companies. His consulting experience includes successful market research projects for Microsoft, Intel, Dell, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Ford Motor Company, Eli Lilly, Canon and the World Bank.

Dr. Rice was the Founder and President of SurveySite Market Research in Toronto. SurveySite was one of the early companies conducting online market research. SurveySite was sold to ComScore in 2003. Today, Dr. Rice continues to teach and offer market research consulting services to companies in Canada and Worldwide.

Martin Waxman, MCM, APR, writes a popular Digital Marketing Trends newsletter, conducts AI research and leads digital and AI training workshops. He’s a LinkedIn Learning instructor, adjunct professor at the York Schulich School of Business and associate director of the Future of Marketing Institute.

Martin also co-founded two agencies, is president of a consultancy and a member of the Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Research Center. He regularly speaks at events across North America. Martin received the Institute for Public Relations Best Master’s Thesis Award in 2019 and the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Outstanding Achievement in PR Award in 2020. He has a Master of Communications Management from McMaster-Syracuse Universities.

With a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Guelph and over three years of industry experience in content and digital marketing, Jenna Aiello is growing her knowledge of how emerging technologies will shape the future of marketing. Currently pursuing a Master of Marketing at the Schulich School of Business, Jenna thrives on creative projects that enable her to combine strategic thinking with fresh ideas and develop innovative marketing strategies.

Christina Stewart is a Master of Marketing candidate at the Schulich School of Business with a strong interest in brand management and emerging marketing technologies. As a Marketing & PR intern at Sola, Christina is pivotal in driving brand development and increasing audience engagement across multiple platforms. Passionate about artificial intelligence and marketing innovation, she is dedicated to using her expertise to build meaningful connections between brands and their communities.

Leore Barkai is a fourth-year BBA student at the Schulich School of Business, specializing in Marketing and Strategic Management. With experience as a Marketing AI Transformation Intern at EY and as Conference Co-Chair for the York Marketing Association, she has developed a strong foundation in strategy, communication, and digital innovation. Passionate about the evolving marketing landscape, she is continuously expanding her knowledge of how emerging technologies are shaping the future of the industry.

With a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from McGill University and hands-on experience in content creation, digital marketing, and business development, Defne Gurcay is exploring how consumer behaviour and technology intersect in the evolving marketing landscape. Currently pursuing a Master of Marketing at the Schulich School of Business, she brings a unique perspective to creative projects, blending strategic insight with curiosity and empathy to build impactful, human-centred marketing strategies. 

Klara Nemaric is a BBA candidate at the Schulich School of Business, with a deep-seated interest in corporate strategy and analytics. With a specialization in strategic management and economics, as well as prior experience in data-driven roles, Klara is interested in exploring how technologies like agentic AI, can be used to optimize business processes and drive consumer growth in measurable ways.

Chantelle Saldanha is a Master of Marketing (MMKG) candidate at the Schulich School of Business with a decade of experience in digital and social media marketing. She has guided leading advertising agencies like Publicis and Saatchi & Saatchi in developing content strategies across new and emerging platforms. Chantelle is driven by a curiosity about the “why” behind innovative technologies like AI, AR, mixed reality, and how they intersect with the marketing industry. Her marketing expertise fuels her enthusiasm for leveraging cutting-edge technologies to develop personalized and data-driven strategies. 

Aishani Sehdev is a Master of Marketing candidate at the Schulich School of Business with a flair for content creation, brand storytelling, and creative strategy. At FMI, she drives Instagram and multi-platform engagement, curating fresh, insight-driven content on emerging marketing and tech trends. With roots in retail entrepreneurship, Aishani is passionate about blending bold ideas, AI innovation, and inclusive branding to shape what’s next in marketing.

Asvika Sriharan is a BBA candidate at the Schulich School of Business focusing on marketing and supply chain and operations management. She has a keen interest in how technology can be leveraged to enhance business strategy and drive efficiency. Asvika values data-driven insights as a catalyst for solving complex business problems and fueling innovation and growth. With a purpose-driven mindset, she is committed to creating meaningful, scalable impact across both business and community spaces.