Starting on the Friday night, delegates will enjoy a keynote presentation from University of Guelph, Lang Chair in Sport Management in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics  Dr. Ann Pegoraro. Dr. Pegoraro is also the co-director of E-Alliance, the national research network for gender equity in Canadian sport. Summit delegates in 2023 were treated to a glimpse of Dr. Pegoraro’s brilliance during her Future of Soccer panel contribution, and she certainly left the audience wanting more. This keynote opportunity will give her the chance to expand on her panel contributions, and speak to the business of sport, particularly through a gender equity lens.

Saturday morning will welcome back another familiar face in Nick Levett. Last appearing in 2014 at the Ontario Soccer Coaching Conference, Nick is returning with fresh perspective and continued passion. Formerly with the English FA for 17 years and an architect of the Long Term Player Development introduction in the UK, Nick is now working as a consultant in the space of player development, particularly in grassroots. He is a strong believer in supporting people to become adaptable, thoughtful and curious individuals, whether they are in the sports field or business world. He enjoys asking the challenging questions, helping people see new things and make creative connections to allow them to thrive in a healthier and happier way.

Sunday morning’s keynote will be the University of Ottawa’s Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt. Dr. Vaillancourt is the Canada Research Chair in School-Based Mental Health and Violence Prevention. She is a full professor at the University of Ottawa in the Faculty of Education, cross-appointed as a full professor in Counselling Psychology and the School of Psychology, and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance (CIGI), as well as an Ontario Soccer Provincial Xcel Team Coach. Her presentation on Mental Health will shine a light on this very important subject, and will prove a great extension to her inspiring contribution as panelist during the 2023 Ontario Soccer Summit.