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IN CONVERSATION WITH SOCAN'S: JENNIFER BROWN, ANNITA LALA AND ANDREA KOKONIS
5:00 - 7:00 PM (ET) - Stream beginning at 5:30 PM (ET)
Host: Tasha the Amazon
Join us for an evening of conversation with SOCAN’s Jennifer Brown, Annita Lala and Andrea Kokonis. 
Key executives at SOCAN, Jennifer, Annita and Andrea have had very different career paths from each other, leading them to their current executive level roles at SOCAN. This conversation will explore career journeys, learned lessons and tips to ensure you are heard when high level decisions are being made. An open conversation on successes, challenges and arriving at their current roles from different career trajectories.
Join us for the third of this series of inspirational career conversations, guaranteed to inspire woman and gender diverse leaders and aspiring leaders in music.
JENNIFER BROWN
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
With more than two decades of strategic experience in rights management, licensing, advocacy and support for music creators and publishers, Jennifer started her career with SOCAN in 1995 as a representative in the company’s Membership department. She has held progressive leadership positions, including Vice President of SOCAN’s Licensing department, before taking on the role of Senior Vice President of Operations & Reproduction Rights in 2018. Jennifer’s accomplishments include establishing SOCAN Reproduction Rights presence, guiding the company’s Licensing department to record-setting results, establishing SOCAN’s cost-effective and strategic re-structuring, and the introduction of new and innovative customer-facing tools, all of which have resulted in improved licensing collection efforts and increased royalties distributed to SOCAN’s songwriter, composer, and music publisher members. The SOCAN Board of Directors appointed Jennifer Brown to Chief Executive Officer on June 29, 2021, after she held the Interim CEO role for a year.
 
ANDREA KOKONIS
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER & GENERAL COUNSEL
Andrea E. Kokonis oversees SOCAN’s legal team.  She has been with SOCAN for more than a decade and during that time has been involved in all aspects of SOCAN business, including music licensing, copyright enforcement and tariff matters before the Copyright Board of Canada.
Prior to joining SOCAN, Andrea practised at Torys LLP. and Fasken Martineau LLP., specializing in intellectual property law.  While in private practice, Andrea represented a range of clients in intellectual property and commercial litigation.
Andrea has appeared before the Federal Court of Canada and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.  She is a registered trade-mark agent.  Andrea is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, where she sits on the Copyright Policy Committee.  She is a current member of the CBA National Copyright Committee and she formerly served on the Editorial Board of the Canadian Intellectual Property Review (CIPR).  Andrea is also the Chair of the Law Society of Ontario’s annual in-house counsel summit (2017–2020) and Course Director for the IPIC/McGill Copyright Master Class 2021 (Assistant Course Director for 2020)
Andrea received her law degree from Queen’s University, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto (Victoria University).
 
ANNITA LALA
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Annita Lala is SOCAN’s Chief Operating Officer. She is responsible for aligning our operational focus to optimize member service through change management and leadership of cross-functional teams. She has more than two decades of experience leading significant business transformation initiatives in various organizations, in both the public and private sector (notably financial, telecom, security, government and not- for-profit). Annita has a track record of successfully executing complex programs to deliver on strategic imperatives. With her entrepreneurial nature, business acumen, and common-sense approach, she ensures the facilitation of practical, value-driven solutions. Annita holds a Master of Arts degree in translation (French/English) and is PMP-certified for project management.
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In conversation with CMRRA’s: Ingrid Crozier and Veronica Syrtash
5:00 - 7:00 PM (ET) - Streamed conversation 5:15 - 6:00 ET

Host: Denise De’ion

Join us for an evening of conversation with CMRRA’s Veronica Syrtash and Ingrid Crozier hosted by Denise De’ion. Limited tickets available for in person attendance at Starfish Entertainment's Woodshed. 

Veronica and Ingrid hold leadership positions with CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency). This conversation will explore career journeys, learned lessons and tips to ensure you are heard when high level decisions are being made. An open conversation on successes, challenges and arriving at their current roles from different career trajectories.

Join us for this, the first of this series of inspirational career conversations, guaranteed to inspire woman and gender diverse leaders and aspiring leaders in music.

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Veronica Syrtash – Senior Vice-President, Business Affairs and Corporate Development for CMRRA and SX Works

Veronica Syrtash oversees the identification, exploration, and analysis of new business opportunities at SX Works and develops new strategic business initiatives that support the objectives of both SX Works Global Publisher Services and the music publishing community on a global level. She also manages CMRRA’s legal and business affairs, supervises rate-setting negotiations and proceedings, and plays a key role in helping to shape the agency’s strategic growth and development.

Since joining CMRRA in 1999, Veronica has become a leading and respected voice in the industry while overseeing the agency’s legal, business and policy objectives. She has secured licensing deals in Canada with online music services including Apple, Google, and Spotify, among others, as well as industry-wide negotiations with major and independent record labels as well as terrestrial and satellite broadcasters. She received her B.A. (Hons) from Queen’s University, her LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario, and her LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School, with a specialization in intellectual property law. She is called to the Ontario bar.

Ingrid Crozier - Senior Director, Finance for CMRRA

Ingrid Crozier is a CPA, CA with 10 years of experience with the Canadian entertainment and media industries. She is currently the Senior Director, Finance at the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), where she oversees all financial processes, including royalty distributions to music publishers and self-published songwriters. Ingrid has always been passionate about the local music sector and has previously volunteered for events such as the Polaris Music Prize and was a stage manager for Canadian Music Week. During her time at PwC, she helped lead the team of Official Ballot Accountants for The JUNO Awards. In addition, she sits on the task force of Music Publishers Canada’s NXTGEN Committee, aimed at providing junior-level professionals in the industry opportunities to learn, network, and build community. Ingrid holds a Professional Certificate in Artist Management from Berklee College of Music and an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration with Accounting and Co-Operative Options from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Denise De’ion – CMRRA Consultant, Black Music Community

Denise Thomas, professionally known as Denise De’ion works as the Industry Relations Consultant - Black Music Community for CMRRA. Denise is an award-winning producer/artist/songwriter known for her unique blend of R&B, Pop, Caribbean, and Hip Hop. In 2022, she produced Haviah Mighty’s Juno-winning album, "Stock Exchange," and has been mentored by Canadian hip-hop producer Boi 1da. Her music has also been placed in commercials for Bulleit Whiskey and heard on shows like Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia and Kim’s Convenience. Denise is part of The Global Network for Women Music Producers NAC (National Arts Centre) program.