Speakers & Session Descriptions

“It’s Show Time”- How to Develop a Five Star Distinguished Member Club Experience

Discover how to create a five-star club experience that captivates members and guests by turning every interaction into a magical experience. Learn practical strategies to enhance member engagement, boost operational success, and achieve a distinguished status amongst members with style and energy.

John Formica

John, “Ex-Disney Guy” is a former Disney leader, internationally known speaker, coach and author of the top selling book, “Making The Customer Experience Magical Now!” John has inspired audiences with over 3,000 presentations and keynotes across the globe. He has appeared on all major TV networks and featured in business journals and magazines as Australia’s Top Five Best Customer Experience Speaker. John was also selected as one of the Top 10 World Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Customer Loyalty in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Prior to speaking, John acquired over 30 plus years of experience in top leadership positions with hospitality industry giants like Hyatt, Hilton, and over a decade with the Disney Company. During his time with Disney, John opened and managed their top luxury hotels, to lead his teams to achieve the highest guest satisfaction ratings among all WDW Resort Hotels.

Today, John is “America’s and Australia’s Customer Experience Coach” and one of the World’s Foremost Disney Philosophy Experts on business growth, leadership, team culture and creating magical customer/visitor experiences. He continues to present and coach professionals, teams, tourism communities, leaders and small businesses of all industries throughout the world in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Romania, and the UK. John mixes his contagious enthusiasm, experiences and insight with motivational stories to deliver a high content message that will have you “laughing, learning and inspired!”

Get the latest insights from superintendents tackling real-world challenges and discussing trends in sustainability, technology, and innovation.

Difficult Conversations - Ending Employment

Explore how to handle difficult conversations when employees leave—whether through resignation, retirement, or termination. This session provides practical guidance to ensure departures are managed with professionalism, empathy, and compliance.

Cassandra DaCosta 

Cassandra is a Senior Associate at Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP, specializing in labour and employment law. Her practice encompasses a wide range of workplace issues, including collective bargaining, labour disputes, grievance arbitration, human rights, wrongful dismissal litigation, employment standards, and workplace policies. Cassandra’s background includes addressing complex issues in unionized environments, navigating human rights concerns, and managing wrongful dismissal claims, which equips her to guide employers through both formal dispute resolution processes and informal negotiations. Her experience in multiple jurisdictions also allows her to provide nuanced advice that considers political, cultural, and socio-economic factors, helping employers resolve disputes efficiently while maintaining compliance and fostering positive workplace relationships. She is a frequent speaker and author on employment law topics and is actively involved in professional associations within the field.

This panel dives into the latest wellness trends and explores what’s working, what’s next, and how to stay ahead in wellness-focused facilities.

Making Sense of the People Puzzle

Understanding the Model of Human Behaviour is essential to building stronger personal and professional relationships. DISC, a time-tested behavioural modality, has empowered millions to recognize personality styles and improve how they connect with others. This dynamic, action-oriented keynote engages multiple senses—hearing, seeing, and doing—to maximize retention and impact. Attendees will gain a clear, practical overview of the four personality types in an entertaining and eye-opening way, transforming the mystery of human behaviour into meaningful insight.

Caroline Rochon

Caroline is a bilingual International Speaker, Transformational Trainer, DISC Certified Human Behaviour Consultant – In association with Personality Insights, Inc., Success Coach, Professional Organizer, Certified Facilitator and Premiere Partner with Appreciation at Work™. She is dedicated to inspiring and empowering individuals and groups so that they can achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams. She was trained by Jack Canfield (co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® Series and the Success Principles™) on how to facilitate individual and group transformation.  A TEDx speaker and award-winning entrepreneur, Caroline has inspired audiences globally—from India to Mexico. She’s also a bestselling author, columnist, and passionate storyteller. Let yourself be transformed by Caroline's passion and authenticity!

From Tee Time to Bottom Line: Demystifying AI for Club Management Professionals

Artificial intelligence moves fast, but the goal is timeless: happier members and healthier margins. In this interactive session, AI marketing strategist Scott Rawcliffe breaks down the newest, no-code tools shaping club marketing and day-to-day operations; from marketing to member communication to tee-sheet demand forecasting. Everything we go over will be paired with a short “your turn” exercise and open Q&A, so you can test ideas on the spot and see how they fit your club. You’ll leave with an adaptable framework, a starter checklist, and the confidence to keep experimenting long after the convention.

Scott Rawcliffe

Scott is an AI-driven marketing strategist with 24 years of entrepreneurial experience. Having overseen eight-figure Meta ad spends and advised businesses worldwide, he blends real world experience with friendly, actionable guidance. A seasoned keynote speaker across North America, Australia, and New Zealand, Scott joins CMAC’s National Convention to show golf-club managers how generative AI can boost member acquisition, loyalty, and spend.

Culture by Design: Leading with Positivity and PASSION

Leadership is not simply about directing teams—it’s about cultivating an unshakable culture of trust, purpose, and resilience. This interactive session brings together two powerful leadership philosophies—Jon Gordon’s The Power of a Positive Team and the PASSION framework pioneered by Passion Graham, CCM—to ignite deeper understanding and intentional action among today’s club leaders.

Through real-world application, participant activities, and tangible takeaways, this session explores how positivity and intentional leadership foster a thriving team culture. We’ll challenge attendees to evaluate their current culture, align their leadership styles, and create an action plan to reinvigorate their teams from the inside out.

Passion Graham, CCM

Passion has traversed the road less traveled throughout her almost 30 year hospitality career.

It has been more of a lattice as opposed to a ladder to success with forays in restaurants, hotels and most prominently in the private club sector before taking the entrepreneurial leap & focusing on Passionate Productions full time in 2024.

While she has held many roles, titles and has accolades for days, she claims her most consistent role as a "server" to be the one she holds most dear as she now endeavors to serve those who serve others on a daily basis. 

Lori LeBard, CCM

Lori, honored as the 2024 Gary Player Educator of the Year and a Certified Club Manager (CCM), brings over 20 years of expertise to her position as Assistant General Manager at Atlantic Fields, a premier Discovery Land Company property. Starting her hospitality career at the age of 15, Lori has evolved into a leader renowned not just for her dedication to team culture and service excellence, but for elevating the member experience to its highest potential.

In addition to her leadership role at Atlantic Fields, Lori travels across the United States, speaking at various clubs, ACCP events, CMAA conferences, BMIs, and industry panels. She shares her expertise on culture, team building, and leadership, inspiring others to develop stronger, more effective teams. Lori is eager to extend her influence to Canada, aiming to disseminate her passion for cultivating dynamic teams and impactful leadership to an even wider audience.

An advocate of a culture-first leadership philosophy, Lori firmly believes that a strong, positive team culture is essential for achieving success. As a seasoned food and beverage professional, event planner, and program leader, Lori excels at creating unforgettable experiences for both members and team members, skillfully combining her excellent listening skills with innovative thinking. Outside of work, she enjoys running, walking her dogs, traveling, reading, and savoring exceptional dining experiences.

Lori embodies the pinnacle of excellence in the private club industry, where an exceptional mix of lifestyle, golf, dining, and genuine connections play a pivotal role in enriching the member experience.

Breaking Barriers and Building Confidence

In a world where even the most accomplished leaders grapple with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, confidence becomes a skill – not a given. Drawing from my experiences as a hockey player and coach, investment industry leader, and business founder, this keynote explores how we can strengthen our inner voice and step into challenges with greater confidence. Together, we’ll delve into:

• How to navigate challenges and uncertainty while keeping your confidence intact
• Why imposter syndrome shows up (even for the most successful) – and how to reframe it
• Practical strategies to project confidence, take smart risks, and lead with authenticity
• Real-life lessons and insights drawn from my journey across high-performance environments

This talk is for anyone ready to break through internal barriers and build lasting self-assurance in work and life.

Lindsay Zubek, SHRM-SCP, CPHR, CPCC, ACC

Lindsay is an executive coach, leadership strategist, and co-founder of Plum Leadership Group. With over 20 years of experience across corporate, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial sectors, she works with organizations to build confident, capable leaders who can lead with both clarity and emotional intelligence.

Through Plum’s development programs, including the Manager Essentials program, Lindsay helps leaders strengthen technical leadership skills while also developing the soft skills essential to team performance, such as communication, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. She works closely with professionals in the club industry, coaching, training, and developing their future leaders to succeed in fast-paced, people-centered environments.

Lindsay holds senior-level HR and coaching credentials in both Canada and the U.S., including SHRM-SCP, CPHR, and CPCC & ACC. She is a graduate of the University of Waterloo and is known for her warm, grounded facilitation style and ability to turn insight into action for leaders at all levels.

Outside of work, you can find Lindsay still playing ice hockey or volunteering at her children’s schools. She also serves as the Professional Development Board Chair for her local Human Resources association.

Club Roundtables

This is Day One: Creating Cultures of Leadership

When a group of prominent researchers first set out to discover how effective leaders behave, they found those individuals consistently engaged in a series of exemplary daily practices. They also concluded they scored 110% higher on measures of overall leadership effectiveness; were ranked 140% higher than those who didn’t demonstrate the same practices; and scored 135% higher on measures of trust by the people who worked for them.

In this presentation, Drew Dudley teaches audiences an actionable process to model these exemplary practices and achieve the same measured results. Targeted at “culture creators and enablers” within an organization, audiences will gain a clearer picture of how to use values and action-driving questions to make normally unconscious behaviors a more consistent part of their lives and careers. In doing so, they will be better equipped to engage with their lives and work in a more positive, meaningful, and impactful manner.

Honest, engaging, and above all useful, audiences will leave this presentation having gained clarity on how to lead with purpose and move the leadership narrative away from power and influence towards a more inclusive form centered upon who they are and how they

Drew Dudley

Fifteen years ago, Drew was the head of Canada’s largest leadership program at the University of Toronto when a group of his students secretly nominated him to deliver a TED Talk that went on to be voted one of the “15 Most Inspirational TED Talks of All Time” and gave Drew the opportunity to travel the world trying to redefine leadership for as many people as possible.

Now a Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, speaker and educator, Drew is on a mission to help people unlearn some dangerous lessons about leadership. With clients that have included some of the worlds most dynamic organizations--including the United Nations and over 100 colleges and universities--Drew draws on over two decades of experience to blend humor, storytelling and easy-to-implement strategies into some of the most engaging and practical leadership presentations in the world. Both TIME and Business Insider have identified his work as “one of the ten speeches that will make you a better leader.”  Drew currently teaches at the University of California Irvine, acts as co-host of the “Good Company” podcast and splits his time between Toronto, Canada and Washington, DC.