meet our guest speakers
david allison
Engagement & Influence Expert, Human Values Research Pioneer, Best-Selling Author & CEO
David Allison is the world’s leading authority on human values, a 2X best-selling author, and the founder of the groundbreaking Valuegraphics Project, the first global inventory of core human values. By transforming values into measurable data, David has created an entirely new kind of human-centric insights that are as practical as they are profound, revolutionizing how organizations understand, engage, inspire, and influence people.
David’s insights, drawn from nearly one million surveys conducted in 152 languages, help global giants like Google, PayPal, lululemon, Amazon, and the United Nations Foundation connect with people on a deeply human level. His groundbreaking research is included in college textbooks and discussed in classrooms around the world. His most recent best-selling book, The Death of Demographics, has been hailed by critics as “convincing, insightful, and revolutionary," and his keynotes have been called “riveting,” “fascinating,” and “life-changing.”
He and his husband Chris (a school superintendent) have been together for 30 years and split their time between Vancouver and the tiny seaside town of Sechelt, where Chris has recently become alarmingly obsessed with sourdough and gardening. They don’t have a dog, but regularly borrow them, sort of like Airbnb for Labradoodles and Huskies.
christina cottell
Christina Cottell is the founding Vice-President and Media Chair of the Mind the Bar Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing mental health awareness and support within the hospitality industry. Grounded in firsthand industry experience, the Foundation focuses on practical education, stigma reduction, and meaningful resources for those working behind the bar, on the line and beyond. After 35 years in Vancouver hospitality, Christina sees the removal of stigmas surrounding mental health awareness as an urgent necessity, not a mild suggestion. The work is human, and purpose-built: healthier people make stronger industries. She also likes Guinness.
julia yang
Julia is an Account Strategist supporting Coast Hotels on Google’s E-Commerce team. Based in downtown Toronto, she partners closely with Coast Hotel’s marketing team to help drive performance across Google’s advertising solutions, with a focus on growth, optimization, and evolving digital strategy. With a strong understanding of the travel and hospitality landscape, Julia brings data-driven insights and practical recommendations to support Coast Hotels’ business goals and enhance their online presence.