Filling the Gap is a podcast that brings honest conversations about personal growth, tech, and entrepreneurship to the forefront.
Through a mix of live recordings from our Toronto-based events and original studio episodes, the show puts you in the room with industry leaders sharing real stories, surprising insights, and tried and true recipes for success.
Cybernet-ish: The Mixed-Up World of Semi-Automation
We're not in the old world anymore, but we haven't arrived in the new one either. The factory still has workers, but the workers have co-bots. The office still has managers, but the managers have agents. The therapist still has patients, but the patients also have apps. We're living in hyphenated times, and this event is for everyone who's been trying to figure out what the rules are while the rules are still being written.
Join us for this discussion about how leaders and companies are navigating this in-between stage of our AI Singularity journey.
Speakers:
Janet Lin - SVP & CIO of EQ Bank
Christian Wolters - President of Intrepid Canada
Oppi Virdi - Senior Partner at Deloitte for Finance & AI
Moderated by Abby Yew, Head of Growth at Crowdriff.
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out our website: https://www.fillingthegapto.org (https://www.fillingthegapto.org)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/)
7 Jun 2026
Female Icons: Breaking Through Male Dominated Industries
Breaking through male-dominated industries.
How far have we actually come? And how far is there still to go?
Four groundbreaking women share their journeys through male-dominated industries, from their own challenges and triumphs to the rare insights that will reshape your own path.
Moderated by Bettina Heimrath (President, Hearts & Science)
Speakers include:Rebecca Wu (Marketing + Sales, Toyota)Dileshni Jayasinghe (Software Engineering)Elizabeth Dipchand (Lawyer + IP Strategist)Shana Alexander (Biomedical Engineering)
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out our upcoming event: https://luma.com/dmk34vxq (https://luma.com/dmk34vxq)
Website: https://www.fillingthegapto.org (https://www.fillingthegapto.org)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/)
26 Apr 2026
Becoming a Loved Brand: The Secrets to Creating the Ultimate Connection
We all have brands we love, but how are those brands actually built?
In this panel from the Filling the Gap Winter Series, five Canadian marketing leaders break down what it really takes to become a brand people actively choose, trust, and advocate for. Through real-world case studies, they share the wins, the missteps, and the hard lessons behind building lasting customer relationships.
From navigating cultural moments to earning trust before a crisis hits, this conversation is packed with practical insights on what to do, and what to avoid, when building a brand that is truly loved.
Moderated by Beth Thomson (Hearts & Science)
Speakers include:
Brian Neumann (Kraft Heinz)
Sarah Chamberlin (CAMH Foundation)
Jeff Topol (Creative Strategy Director)
Maria Acevedo (formerly Greenhouse Juice Co.)
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out our website: https://www.fillingthegapto.org (https://www.fillingthegapto.org)LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/)
26 Apr 2026
Travel Outlook
Travel has always been one of our most essential ways to unwind.
Yet, in an age powered by AI, endless data, and hyper-connected tools, the journey to that sense of ease often feels anything but relaxing. Planning, booking, optimizing - what should be intuitive has become fragmented and, at times, overwhelming.
So the question becomes: how do we harness this vast ocean of data not to complicate the experience, but to humanize it?
In today’s conversation, host Michael Grabowski (Hearts & Science) and Deborah Wilson, VP of Communication and Public Affairs at Toronto Port Authority, explore how technology can help craft journeys that feel effortless, meaningful, and truly inspiring.
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out our website: https://www.fillingthegapto.org (https://www.fillingthegapto.org)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/)
23 Feb 2026
CMO: State of the Nation
It’s 2026, and marketing leaders are facing the new world of automation, AI, bot shopping, and more.
In this episode of the FTG Event Series, leading CMOs explore the decisions, trends, and shifts that will define their craft and business in this uncharted frontier.
Moderated by Dan Sorotschynski (Founder, dialed)
Speakers include:
Candy Lee (CMO, NiaHealth)
Bart Molenda (CMO, HelloFresh)
Mary MacIsaac (CMO, Loblaw Companies Ltd)
Caley Adair (CMO, Embark)
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out our upcoming event: https://luma.com/kry8hhkl (https://luma.com/kry8hhkl)
Website: https://www.fillingthegapto.org (https://www.fillingthegapto.org)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/filling-the-gap-toronto/)
15 Jan 2026
From Data to Delight
Data—the fundamental unit of today's marketing systems. As marketers, we are the experimenters who merge atomic insights into many unified frameworks. The question is: how do we catalyze experiences that matter, while shaping systems that are as human as they are data-driven?
In today's conversation, Beth Thomson (Hearts & Science) and Jing Zhao (Pet Valu) ask how cold, hard data points can be transformed into human, value-driven, and emotionally resonant shopping experiences.
Join us as we explore the journey from data to delight.
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out our upcoming event: https://www.fillingthegapto.org (https://www.fillingthegapto.org)
15 Jan 2026
Data Pipeline Disasters: When Your Data Turns Against Your Business
Every marketer depends on data. But how many marketers realize how fragile their data systems truly are?
Beneath the surface lie mismatched schemas, duplicate records, and endless “temporary” fixes that quietly become permanent, leaving organizations one failed sync away from chaos.
In this session, Faye Pang (FreshBooks), Matthew Bennett (Tangerine), and Danitha Kanagavaratha (Loblaw) trade war stories and practical strategies for tackling the hidden technical debt in marketing data systems, so your insights don’t collapse under their own weight.
Hosted by Shilbee Dhalla-Kim.
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out our upcoming event: https://www.fillingthegapto.org (https://www.fillingthegapto.org)
15 Jan 2026
Making it Personalized: Unlocking the Power of Personalization in AI
AI is transforming personalization into one of the most powerful, and debated tools in modern marketing.
Liam Thurston (Loblaw Digital), Jing Zhao (Pet Valu), Sarah Bugeja (Certn), and Jennifer O'Brien (Sitecore), along with host Saad Uddin (Native Touch), join to explore whether personalization is truly driving incremental revenue and building stronger customer relationships, or simply meeting baseline expectations.
Through rapid-fire insights and deeper discussion, we unpack the opportunities, risks, and future of personalization in an AI-driven world.
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out out our website: https://www.fillingthegapto.org ( https://www.fillingthegapto.org)
13 Jan 2026
The President's Dilemma: Leadership in the Workforce Revolution
Three visionary leaders - Cheesan Chew (President of the Canadian Club Toronto), Christine Saunders (CEO of dentsu Media), and Stewart Lyons (Co-CEO & President of Bird) - will gather to address a compelling question:How do you lead and grow a company in a world without precedent?
Moderated by Jake Hirsch-Allen, this conversation dives into navigating rising automation, managing commoditization, and building sustainable profitability while fostering engaged teams in rapidly evolving environments.
Interested in joining the conversation? Check out our upcoming event: https://www.fillingthegapto.org (https://www.fillingthegapto.org)
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