mesh Panelists: Leila Boujnane
Leila Boujnane is Co–Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Idée Inc. Leila has been instrumental in making Idée the leader in visual search and image recognition technologies for the digital imaging, media and entertainment industries. She is responsible for all aspects of the company’s strategy and operations.
Leila brings over a decade of experience in the technology sector to her CEO role. Leila is characterized by her peers and colleagues as a passionate and determined entrepreneur with exceptional leadership skills. She regularly speaks at industry conferences and is an active mentor for young women in technology. Leila can be found blogging at hyperbio.net and she is also an avid long distance runner.
Tags: Idee, Leila Boujnane, mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Web 2.0
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mesh Panelists: Philip de Vellis
Philip de Vellis is the creator of the “Vote Different” ad, which he posted online under the pseudonym ParkRidge47. The ad, which mashed up Apple’s iconic “1984″ spot with footage from Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign website, has received more than 3 million views on YouTube and was featured on every major US television network, cable news channel, newspaper, and political blog. The San Francisco Chronicle called it “a watershed moment in 21st century media and political advertising.”
De Vellis previously worked as a senior strategist at Blue State Digital, a progressive internet consulting firm. He was director of Internet communications for Sherrod Brown’s successful 2006 U.S. Senate race in Ohio, deputy internet communications director for Wal-Mart Watch, and was deputy field director for Cuyahoga County, Ohio on the Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign. Prior to his full-time work in politics, he was a freelance video editor and motion graphics designer in his home town of Los Angeles. De Vellis graduated from UCLA with a BA in history.
Tags: mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Philip de Vellis, video, Web 2.0, YouTube
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mesh Panelists: Nancy Peterson
Nancy Peterson is the founder of HomeStars.ca, where consumers can read other people’s home improvement stories or write their own.
Nancy started HomeStars in Toronto after living through several lengthy home renovation projects. She saw an opportunity to vastly improve the decision making process for homeowners when searching and selecting home improvement companies, by harnessing the power of word-of-mouth in an online medium. The team is currently working on HomeStars 2.0 to build out a stronger community of user content.
Prior to HomeStars, Nancy spent her career in marketing at Kraft Foods in Toronto and Procter & Gamble in The Netherlands. She has an International MBA from RSM Erasmus University in Rotterdam and a BA from University of Western Ontario.
Tags: Homestars, mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Nancy Peterson, Web 2.0
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mesh Panelists: Scott Feschuk
Scott Feschuk wrote this bio himself – let’s just come right out and say that. He doesn’t have “people” to do that kind of thing for him. So why is he using the third person? Hmm. That’s a good question. Hey! Look over there – Bigfoot! [sounds of footsteps running off]
Aww, screw it: I’ve worked as chief speechwriter to Paul Martin and as a writer on This Hour Has 22 Minutes (though not, alas, simultaneously). I’ve written a couple books (which sold tens of copies — combined) and worked for the Globe and Mail and National Post. I’m a partner in a speechwriting firm, Feschuk.Reid, which is based in Ottawa and Toronto. And I write a column and blog for Maclean’s.
There. Whew. I think Scott Feschuk pulled that off okay.
Tags: mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Scott Feschuk, Web 2.0
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mesh Panelists: Michael Masnick
Mike is the visionary behind Techdirt, building up the core idea into reality and recruiting the management team. In addition to providing the strategic direction for the company, Mike oversees all editorial aspects of the Techdirt’s public and customer sites. Mike’s insight into the realms of business and technology are the basis for his frequent posts to the award winning Techdirt blog. The widely followed, often quoted blog was launched in 1997.
Prior to founding Techdirt Inc., Mike worked in business development and marketing at Release Software, an e-commerce startup, and in marketing at Intel. Mike has a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations and an MBA — both from Cornell University.
[Editorial note: Congratulations to Mike and the rest of the Techdirt crew for being nominated for a 2007 Webby in the Business Blog category.]
Tags: mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Mike Masnick, Techdirt, Web 2.0, Webby
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mesh Panelists: Christine Herron
Christine Herron is a director at Omidyar Network, where she invests in both participatory content and communications infrastructure. Prior to Omidyar Network, Christine held operational roles with Mission Research, NetObjects, and Microsoft, and co-founded both Cycle Partners and Mercury2.
Christine started as an investor with Geocapital Partners, where she funded early Internet and network infrastructure businesses such as Netcom and AXON Networks. Her current board participation includes Backfence, Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD), Common Sense Media, Digg, Nickel Tour Productions, and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures. Christine was ranked among the Top 20 Women in Technology in 2000 by AltaVista and holds degrees from Stanford University and Columbia University.
Tags: Christine Herron, mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Omidyar Network, Web 2.0
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mesh 2007 Meetup, Part Two – This Time, It’s Political
Come out with the mesh guys and get your political blog on, Toronto!
We had a great time at the first mesh meetup, but there are still a few weeks left to mesh ‘07 and we’d like to get together again. And this time, it’s political.
Blogger and National Post columnist Andrew Coyne, blogging M.P. Garth Turner, former Paul Martin speechwriter (and of late writer, humourist and blogger) Scott Feschuk and Phil de Vellis, the creator of the “Vote Different” Hillary ‘08 YouTube sensation, will be doing a panel at mesh ‘07 on what’s happening now with Politics and the Web, but let’s get the conversation started early!
Whether you’re a political blogger, party stalwart, consultant or media observer, or like us just plain fascinated by the impact that the Web is having on the way we discuss, organize and create political change, come on out and join us and folks from the Toronto Web 2.0 community on May 9 for snacks and libations at The Charlotte Room – details and signup at the Upcoming site, and please help to get the word out by forwarding this post to someone you can beat at eight-ball. Worst case, you can settle your political differences the way we were meant to – over libations and pool tables.
Tags: Andrew Coyne, conference, Garth Turner, meetup, mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Paul Martin, Phil de Vellis, Scott Feschuk, Toronto, Web 2.0
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mesh Panelists: Loren Feldman
Loren Feldman, one of the Web’s leading video bloggers, is president of 1938 Media where he is responsible for directing the overall operations of the company as well as corporate development and strategic planning. Prior to founding 1938 Media, he founded and published NY Hotshot magazine. and was a creative director with MusicVision, an interactive advertising agency, where he developed online advertising campaigns for companies such as Nokia and Scion.
Tags: 1938 media, conference, Loren Feldman, mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, video, Web 2.0
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mesh Panelists: Hon. Garth Turner, P.C., M.P.
Garth Turner is known and trusted by millions of Canadians as an MP, author, broadcaster, columnist, speaker, successful entrepreneur and opinion leader. Over the past decade, Turner has authored seven best-selling books on business and finance, hosted the country’s most-watched business television show, and traveled nationally as a much in-demand public speaker.
In addition, six years ago Turner founded Toronto-based Millennium Media Television, which became the country’s largest independent producer of network television programming. In addition, he has owned and operated a string of businesses in the book publishing, commercial real estate, tourism and hospitality sectors.
On January 23, 2006, Garth Turner was elected as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Halton, Ontario. In previous years, Garth served as the Member of Parliament for the former riding of Halton-Peel from 1988 to 1993. During this time, he held more than 70 Town Hall meetings in all corners of the riding – a tradition he continues today – and went on to be a candidate for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party, then federal Minister of National Revenue. As Revenue Minister, he was instrumental in promoting a tax amnesty that allowed tens of thousands of taxpayers to pay their outstanding amounts with no penalty.
Garth is a strong believer in environmental protection, and served as a national director of the Vancouver-based Sierra Legal Defence Fund, which fights to uphold environmental legislation. He has served as national spokesperson for the Alzheimer Society of Canada, and has spoken across Canada on the need for better policies to deal with our aging population.
Turner is the country’s acknowledged leader in “digital democracy,” providing Canadians with the leading interactive political web site, routinely receiving two million hits a month, and featuring daily webcasting through the innovative MPtv, as well as an extremely popular personal weblog.
In October, 2006, Turner was suspended from the Conservative caucus of Stephen Harper over policy and communication differences. He then sat as an independent MP, and distinguished himself as an effective force in Parliament, largely responsible for the government introducing pension-splitting for retired couples.
In February, 2007, he was welcomed into the federal Liberal caucus by leader Stéphane Dion.
Garth Turner is a member of Canada’s Privy Council; was educated at University of Toronto Schools, University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario; and has held positions with the Globe and Mail, Sun Media, Maclean’s, CTV and other major media corporations.
Tags: conference, Garth Turner, mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Toronto, Web 2.0
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mesh Workshoppers: Mark Dowds
Mark Dowds is an original thinker, entrepreneur, coach, and leader. He is known for his deep insight into people, relational dynamics, and his systems perspective on organizational development. His ability to explain and process communicational barriers and opportunities has helped many organizations navigate bureaucracy, retain staff, and create a high performing culture.
Mark has held several executive positions throughout his life and chose to move into consultancy and entrepreneurship to fulfill a vision of workplace democracy and engaged contribution. He works toward this vision by consulting with large corporations and funded start-ups while investing the remainder of his time in making young entrepreneurs successful. He has a trail of success and has launched over 50 new businesses in Canada.
Mark’s soft skills and smile often disarm people and make the space for firm and straight communication. His no nonsense style of facilitation helps clients get to their desired outcome while actively engaging in the process. He typically utilizes a dry sense of wit, humor, and creativity that makes for some great motivational and inspiring communication. He loves to see people’s eyes light up as they discover their passion and place at work and is committed to drawing out the best in each person he meets.
Mark has instructionally designed many eLearning and classroom training experiences and has published several books which gives structure to his hobby of writing. Mark is a certified NLP trainer from the NLP University in Santa Cruz, California and is currently completing his masters in Organizational Psychology focusing on systems psychodynamics. He has a certificate in Business Development and Marketing, a diploma in Care and Counseling, and a degree in Divinity. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Ireland Fund of Canada and Give Meaning Foundation.
Some of the clients Mark has worked with include Amex, Royal Bank of Canada, Rogers Communication, Youth Specialties, CIBC, and many funded start-ups. He hails from Ireland and resides in Toronto, Canada.
Tags: conference, Creation Step, Indoor Playground, Mark Dowds, mesh, mesh07, mesh2007, Toronto, Web 2.0
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