Montreal
Digital Summit

August 4, 2025

Montréal CoWork,
Montreal, QC

A bilingual one-day summit bringing together developers, designers, marketers, and strategists for 30+ sessions on digital strategy, AI, accessibility, open source and more.

EvolveDigital Montreal returns in

45
Days
12
Hours
44
Mins
29
Secs
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Check the agenda and session locations below.

AGENDA

Sessions

Here’s a preview of the sessions you can expect. Check back soon as we’ll be regularly adding more sessions over the next two weeks as we confirm them.

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9:30 am - 10:00 am

Registration & Opening Remarks

10:00 am
-
10:25 am

Customer Stories: How AI + CX is the driver of evolved digital experiences

Tech & AI

Andrew Kumar

Global VP, Technology & Ecosystem

Uniform DXP / CMS + Personalization

Description:
AI + Customer experience (CX) is the driving force behind successful content and commerce strategies. In this session, we explore how businesses can leverage design systems, content reuse, and personalization to create seamless customer experiences across diverse channels (websites, apps, AI powered chats) while aligning with business goals.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Andrew is a global leader of high-performing and diverse technology teams, with a 20-year track record in technology, marketing, commerce and content. These days, Andrew spends a lot of his focus on Integrations, APIs, AI, and he is instrumental in supporting technology platforms, agencies, and integration partners, bringing a wealth of expertise and experience scar tissue to the table.

10:00 am
-
10:25 am

Portal Power: U of T’s Branding Goes Digital

Strategy & Comms

Emma Nguyen

Executive Director, Digital Marketing and Communications

University of Toronto

Description:
When the University of Toronto launched its Defy Gravity brand platform, it introduced its first enterprise-wide Brand Portal to enable consistent brand adoption. This session will explore how the portal was conceived and built to foster strategic alignment in a large decentralized institution. We'll look at the planning process and strategic unpinning's that created the space for a robust, user-friendly and detailed platform to be built. Join us to discover how this flexible, evolving platform is shaping the future of brand management at U of T.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Emma Nguyen serves as Executive Director of Digital Marketing and Communications at the University of Toronto, leading the Brand Hub digital team to advance the university’s global reputation and digital thumbprint. With over 15 years of expertise in digital transformation, fundraising, and brand strategy, Emma drives initiatives that integrate digital channels to enhance alumni engagement and philanthropic impact. A proven leader, she builds high-performing teams and delivers data-driven campaigns that achieve measurable results. Before U of T, Emma worked with North American non-profits, designing innovative fundraising strategies. She is committed to fostering collaboration, inclusivity, and forward-thinking solutions.

10:00 am
-
10:25 pm

Écoconception numérique

Design & Creativity

Jean-François Poliquin

Design Manager

Radio-Canada

Description:
La sobriété numérique dépasse les simples gestes individuels : c’est une prise de conscience de l’empreinte carbone de notre écosystème numérique. Face à des projections préoccupantes, il devient essentiel d’agir de manière éclairée. Il faut comprendre les enjeux, mesurer nos émissions (matériel, données, réseaux) et établir un plan d’action responsable. Comme l’accessibilité, l’écoresponsabilité est une vraie valeur ajoutée. Cette présentation propose 20 actions concrètes pour concevoir des produits numériques durables : réduire le poids des pages, analyser le cycle de vie, adopter une approche "mobile first", réutiliser les systèmes de design, favoriser l’intuitivité, encourager des usages responsables, et utiliser l’IA avec discernement. La transparence est essentielle pour un impact positif.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Jean-François is a digital design leader and currently Head of Design and Digital Interactivity at Radio-Canada, where he leads a team, shapes strategic initiatives, and champions user experience and talent development. Previously, he held leadership roles at Vidéotron, Intact Assurance, and Valtech, and played a key role in the La Presse+ digital transformation. He is also a committed mentor, supporting design professionals through MENTORO and graduate students at L'École de design Nantes Atlantique.

10:00 am
-
10:25 am

Common Bottlenecks in Collaborating on Written Content at Scale

Digital Craftsmanship

Frédéric Harper

Senior Developer Relations Manager

TinyMCE

Description:
When you’re responsible for delivering a flood of high‑quality written content, whether it's blog articles, tutorials, technical docs, or internal knowledge bases, the challenges go far beyond hitting deadlines. As soon as multiple people get involved, collaboration starts to fracture. Who’s reviewing what? Which version is the source of truth? Are editorial standards being respected? Worse, context gets lost, and each round of edits increase delays and diminishes quality. In this talk, you’ll discover the invisible forces that stall your content pipeline or impair the quality of your content. From unclear ownership and misaligned expectations, to improper tooling and inconsistent style, we’ll unpack the core issues that create bottlenecks for teams as they scale. You’ll learn to diagnose the root causes of friction and implement practical tactics. Whether your team is five or fifty, you’ll be equipped to elevate content quality, and boost overall confidence in your content system without stumbling into chaos.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Frédéric Harper is a seasoned Developer Advocate with over 20 years in tech, currently Senior Developer Relations Manager at Tiugo Technologies specializing in TinyMCE rich text editor. Fred has held developer advocacy roles at industry giants such as Microsoft, Mozilla, Fitbit, and npm. He's spoken at hundreds of events globally and authored a book on personal branding for developers at Apress.

10:30 am
-
11:25 am

Vibe Coding: Shipping Features at the Speed of Thought

Design & Creativity

Anton Morrison

Co-Founder

Mogul

Description:
AI-first “vibe coding” turns natural-language intent into trustworthy working code. We’ll demystify the trend, show where it fits (and fails) in modern development, and walk through a live build that starts with a spoken idea and ends with a functional feature. You’ll leave with pragmatic rules, an open-source tool-chain, and a game-plan for safely weaving vibe coding into your own workflow. In this session, you’ll learn how to recognize where vibe coding adds real value—and where it risks becoming technical debt. You'll compare today’s AI-powered IDE landscape, including tools like Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, and Windsurf, to help you choose the ones that best fit your stack. We’ll also demystify MCP (Model-Connected Programming) and explore its transformative potential. You’ll get hands-on with voice-first prompting using Whisper to prototype features without lifting a finger. Finally, we’ll look ahead to upcoming shifts in the field, from agentic IDEs and self-healing pipelines to the rise of continuous AI maintenance.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Anton Morrison is a 25-year UX and software veteran, founder of Mogul Global, and an AI-driven product consultant. He has spearheaded AI, automation, and digital-experience projects for Disney, Air Canada, and other global brands across travel, media, and e-commerce. Based in Montréal, he helps product teams weave AI safely into their workflows—turning hand-coded bottlenecks into rapid, test-driven innovation.

10:30 am
-
11:25 am

The Dramatic and Poetical Tale of the Website Hierarchy of Needs

Tech & AI

Steve Persch

Director, Developer Relations

Pantheon Platform

Description:
What happens when a web team drifts apart? When shared goals fade and each role optimizes in isolation? This session explores the all-too-familiar story of a simple stakeholder request that sparks a chain of miscommunication across siloed teams. Through poetic narrative and practical insight, learn to spot the signs early and realign around shared goals. Reconnect your team before you get lost in the WebOps weeds.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Steve draws on years of development experience—and a past life in theatre—to bring clarity, strategy, and the occasional laugh to the world of web platforms.

10:30 am
-
11:25 am

Revenir à l’essentiel : comment se démarquer à l’ère de l’IA et de la sur-information

Strategy & Comms

Amandine Michaud

Founder, Aria Consulting

Formerly Head of Communications and Chief of Staff of the CEO at Otera Capital (CDPQ)

Description:
Il n’a jamais été aussi difficile de se démarquer en tant que marque B2B. À l’ère des contenus générés par l’IA et de l’attention fragmentée, la majorité des entreprises finissent par se ressembler. Celles qui réussissent vraiment? Elles reviennent à l’essentiel. Dans cette conférence, Amandine Michaud partage comment elle a piloté un plan d’action multidimensionnel qui a permis à Otéra Capital (CDPQ) de rebondir après une crise de réputation. Aujourd’hui à la tête d’Aria Conseils, elle présentera l’approche structurée qu’elle utilise avec ses clients pour clarifier les messages, affiner la stratégie et bâtir des marques qui résonnent.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Amandine Michaud is the founder of Aria Consulting, a communications, marketing and PR agency helping B2B and financial brands shine. Formerly Head of Communications and Chief of Staff of the CEO at Otera Capital (CDPQ), she led the company’s reputational recovery and supported its growth and international expansion. Amandine brings strategic insight, crisis-
tested experience, and a creative lens to every mandate.

10:30 am
-
11:25 am

Digital Learning Reimagined: Hybrid, Immersive, and Virtual by Design

Digital Craftsmanship

Tamara Carver, PhD

Director - Office of Ed-TECH

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University

Description:
Explore how digital tools—e-learning, extended reality, and simulation—are reshaping health professions education. This session highlights how scalable, immersive, and experiential learning experiences are transforming the way we train future clinicians and redefining what digital learning can be.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Tamara Carver, PhD, is Director of the Office of Ed-TECH and Associate Professor at the Institute of Health Sciences Education, McGill University. A leader in health professions education, she explores how digital learning—hybrid, immersive, and scalable—can transform teaching, clinical training, and the learner experience.

11:45 am
-
12:10 pm

OCR to AI: Unlocking Legacy Content

Tech & AI

Shannon Lal

Chief Technology Officer

BCA Research

Maria Parra

Senior Developer

BCA Research

Description:
What happens when you mix OCR, AI, and 75 years of macro insights? At BCA Research, we’re digitizing decades of content using AWS Textract, OpenAI, and MongoDB hybrid search—turning scanned reports into an intelligent chatbot. Learn how legacy content became searchable, semantic, and scalable.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Shannon Lal, CTO
Shannon Lal is the CTO at BCA Research, leading digital innovation and AI adoption. With a background in scaling AI infrastructure and hybrid search at Designstripe, Shannon brings practical experience at the intersection of deep tech and digital strategy.

Maria Parra, Senior Developer

Maria Parra brings 15+ years of full‑stack development experience, 13 years at BCA Research, and expertise in scalable, responsive apps. Working on Drupal and AI initiatives, she's focusing on OCR integration and tooling pipelines that power content digitization and chatbot search interfaces.

11:45 am
-
12:10 pm

Quand la 3D devient concrète – Le WebGL au service de l’expérience

Digital Craftsmanship

Frédéric Lord

Creative Director

Leeroy

Description:
Et si la 3D servait vraiment l’expérience utilisateur ? À travers des projets concrets, on explore comment le WebGL peut enrichir la narration, simplifier la découverte de produits complexes, et faciliter la personnalisation de produits. On y parle émotions, interaction et intention — loin des effets gratuits, proche des besoins réels des usagers.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

As Creative Director at Leeroy, Fred blends design, UX, and technology to craft innovative web experiences. His work particularly focuses on the strategic use of 3D and WebGL in real-world projects.

11:45 am
-
12:40 pm

Panel sur l'évolution des communications et marketing à l'ère de IA

Strategy & Comms

Aurore De Vera

Marketing Manager

Pomerleau

Martin Aubut

CMO

Nesto Group

Geneviève Jacovella Rémillard

Web Manager

Unity (Unity Technologies)

Description:
De la création de contenu à l’engagement des publics, l’intelligence artificielle transforme notre façon de communiquer et de faire du marketing. Assistez à cette table ronde d’expert·e·s pour une discussion sur l’adaptation au changement, l’adoption de nouveaux outils et l’importance de rester humain à l’ère de l’automatisation.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Aurore De Vera, Marketing Manager, Pomerleau
As Marketing Manager at Pomerleau, Aurore is shaping the company’s digital marketing and communications strategy in a fast-evolving, B2B industry. She leads national campaigns and employer branding initiatives to grow awareness across Canada, support recruitment, and shift perceptions of construction to attract more diverse talent.

Martin Aubut, Chief Marketing Officer, Nesto Group

Martin Aubut oversees marketing for nesto, CMLS, and Intellifi. With 25+ years of experience at companies like L'Oréal, Cogeco, and Québecor, he specializes in digital transformation, growth marketing, and AI. He is passionate about startups and driving innovation in fintech.


Geneviève Jacovella Rémillard, Web Manager, Unity

With a background in science and a passion for human behavior, I bring a strategic lens to brand and digital communications. I specialize in building trust through clear, authentic, and insight-driven customer experiences that inform, engage, and deliver results.

11:45 am
-
12:40 pm

Le Design n’est pas une île

Design & Creativity

Marion Isabelle Muszynski

Vice-President, Experience and Service Design, Business Consulting

CGI

Description:
Dans cette conférence, nous explorerons comment le Design avec un grand D, et le service design en particulier peut réellement peser dans l’entreprise lorsqu’il sort de l’isolement pour s’ancrer dans la collaboration active avec les clients, les métiers et les décideurs. À travers des exemples concrets, j’explorerai les postures, tactiques et alliances qui donnent au Design sa crédibilité et son impact. Parce que pour transformer, le Design ne doit pas briller seul, mais agir en collectif.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Marion Isabelle uses design to transform strategies, services, organizations, and processes, and to create engaging and meaningful experiences for clients and users — whether they are citizens, patients, professionals, employees, or customers. She is Vice President within CGI’s business consulting unit.

12:15 pm
-
12:40 pm

From Chatbots to Content Magic: The AI-Driven Future of Drupal

Tech & AI

Martin Anderson-Clutz

Principal Solutions Engineer

Acquia

Description:
Integration of artificial intelligence functionality with Drupal has been on a blistering pace over the past year. From countless individual contributed modules taking initial tentative steps to the rapidly-becoming-a-best-practice AI module ecosystem, the Drupal community has largely embraced the possibilities of leveraging AI on user, site-builder, and developer levels. This presentation will provide an overview of where we are, where we've been, and where we're heading with a focus on the AI module ecosystem as well as AI integration with Drupal CMS. Live demos will showcase existing functionality that you can add to your Drupal sites today.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

In late 2005 Martin started using the Drupal CMS and found it powerful and easy to work with. He began attending meetings of Drupal User Groups in Toronto and Waterloo, Ontario, eventually starting a group in London. Currently employed by Acquia, Martin is now Triple Certified for Drupal as well being certified for a variety of other Acquia products, in addition to being UX certified by the world-renowned Nielsen Norman Group. Martin has spoken at various user groups, local Drupalcamps, and Drupalcons. He has also appeared on the Talking Drupal podcast as a guest and host, and has blogs published on OpenSource.com and a handful of other sites.

12:15 pm
-
12:40 pm

Arguing Semantics: Enterprise Taxonomy Governance

Digital Craftsmanship

Michele Jenkins

Senior Consultant

Dovecot Studios

Description:
Every organization faces the overwhelming challenge of integrating siloed systems in order to support automations, workflows, reporting, and dynamic content delivery. This talk will explain the what, why, and how of establishing a holistic, enterprise wide approach to taxonomy governance.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Michele is an information management consultant specializing in taxonomy-driven content strategy. She has more than 25 years’ experience working with organizations across various industries, including Harvard Business Publishing, EA Games, and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR).

1:45 pm
-
2:10 pm

Building an Accessibility Practice That Sticks

Digital Craftsmanship

Fran Wyllie

Accessibility Specialist, Dev Manager

Northern

Description:
Learn how we built a practical, team wide accessibility practice that developers, QA, and content authors actually use. This session shares real tools, workflows, and cultural shifts that helped make accessibility part of our everyday process—not just an afterthought.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Fran is an IAAP-certified Web Accessibility Specialist and a passionate leader dedicated to advancing inclusive digital experiences. Currently, Fran leads a team of Drupal developers at Northern and spearheads the implementation of accessibility practices company-wide. With six years of expertise creating solutions that not only meet but exceed WCAG standards, Fran advocates for accessible development that ensures equitable, high-quality user experiences for all.

1:45 pm
-
2:10 pm

The Power Users You’re Overlooking Are the Ones Who’ll Stay

Design & Creativity

Chloé Crevier

UX Team Lead

Royal Gramma

Description:
Designing for accessibility isn’t just about compliance—it’s about inclusion, strategy, and business sense. When you exclude users who need your platform to function, you’re not just alienating them—you’re missing out on a deeply loyal, often underserved segment. In this session, we’ll explore how to include accessibility in earlier discussions, and why shared ownership is the strongest way to advocate for more inclusive, sustainable digital experiences.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Chloé is a UX Team Lead with a passion for solving complex problems for B2B & B2C companies by creating intelligent interfaces that focus on usability and performance. Empathetic and strategic, she bases her work on market research and proven best practices to deliver experiences that bring long-term value to the companies she works with.

1:45 pm
-
2:10 pm

Preventing Bias in AI-Supported Communications

Strategy & Comms

Angela Rodriguez

Head of Communications and Marketing

FinDev Canada

Description:
AI is selling us the promise to optimize communications work, but we are realizing that the data available for these tools to learn and create is extremely biased. That means the chances that we continue to perpetuate biases and stereotypes for decades to come is really high, unless we mindfully include processes and training to prevent bias from permeating AI-supported communications products.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Angela is a multilingual, award-winning communications and marketing leader with nearly 20 years of experience across Canada, Latin America, and Europe. She currently leads the communications team at FinDev Canada and has driven results including a 500% audience increase and 400% boost in web traffic. A former journalist and video producer, she has also facilitated marketing workshops for entrepreneurs and holds an MBA from HEC Montréal. Angela sits on the Board of Espace Famille Villeray, supporting young families in the community.

1:45 pm
-
2:10 pm

Drupal au cœur d’un web civique inclusif pour PrinceEdwardIsland.ca

Tech & AI

Pierre-Paul Lefebvre

Associate Director of Technology

Evolving Web

Simon Morvan

Director of Technology

Evolving Web

Description:
Cette présentation explore comment le gouvernement de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard a adopté une approche proactive pour moderniser sa “porte d’entrée” numérique en migrant plus de 100 000 pages bilingues vers la dernière version de Drupal. Nous expliquerons comment Evolving Web a su répondre aux exigences techniques du projet tout en modernisant de façon ciblée le design afin d’améliorer l’accessibilité, la réactivité et les flux de travail éditoriaux. Vous découvrirez également notre approche de migration ainsi que les décisions prises pour réduire les coûts de possession à long terme.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Pierre-Paul Lefebvre, Associate Director of Technology, Evolving Web

A seasoned Drupal and DevOps expert, he previously led the web team at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) and co-founded FIXRS, bringing decades of experience in scaling and modernizing web platforms.

Simon Morvan, Director of Technology Evolving Webà

Simon brings over 16 years of experience in technical leadership. Simon has concurrently managed teams of engineers, working on projects aimed at solving user needs, improving performance, and ensuring security. He has worked on large-scale Drupal projects for enterprise organizations with decoupled architecture, complex integrations, and security, privacy, and accessibility standards, and uses his expertise to guide our clients and our technology choices.

2:15 pm
-
2:40 pm

Marketers' Quick Win Playbook: Five AI-Driven Marketing Wins You Can Implement Right Now

Strategy & Comms

Andrea Cohen

Senior Marketing Manager

HubSpot Canada

Description:
AI is reshaping how marketers attract and convert customers, but few know how to implement it effectively. This session bridges marketing strategy with technical execution, showing developers, designers, and strategists how AI tools deliver measurable results today. Discover 5 actionable strategies: AI data insights, search visibility, video scaling, personalization, and conversion automation.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Andrea Cohen is Senior Marketing Manager at HubSpot Canada with 10 years of experience in demand generation, sales and marketing alignment, and integrated campaigns. She specializes in leveraging AI and data to optimize marketing funnels and drive measurable revenue growth. Andrea works with cross-functional teams to implement data-driven strategies that bridge marketing strategy, technical execution and revenue impact.

2:15 pm
-
2:40 pm

Accessibilité numérique à CBC/Radio-Canada : de la vision à l’exécution

Digital Craftsmanship

Olivier Fortin

Senior Digital Accessibility (A11y) Engineer, Designer

CBC/Radio-Canada

Description:
Comment mettre en œuvre l’accessibilité numérique dans une grande organisation? Olivier Fortin présente la stratégie de CBC/Radio-Canada, qui inclut des pratiques concrètes, l’intégration au sein des équipes produit, ainsi que la mise en place d’un portail de ressources partagées facilitant l’accès et la diffusion des bonnes pratiques.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Olivier Fortin, CPACC (IAAP), is Senior Digital Accessibility Engineer at CBC/Radio-Canada. He had worked on major projects, including the Olympic Games, and specializes in web, mobile and connected TV interface accessibility.

2:15 pm
-
2:40 pm

Rebranding Yourself is Easy (Said No One Ever)

Design & Creativity

Dust Leblanc

Creative Director and Strategist

Locomotive

Description:
In recent years at Locomotive, we embarked on a transformative journey to completely rebrand our agency after a decade of the same look. (Yes, that train track logo...) We knew it was time for a fresh take on our digital presence, so we dove headfirst into reinventing our visual identity. Rebranding yourself is always a wild ride—balancing bold ideas with constant self-critique is no easy feat. To keep our ideas fresh and our brand sharp, we teamed up with trusted friends to create an identity that truly reflects our growth and where we stand today. In this talk, I’ll take you behind the scenes of crafting this unique brand and designing a website that embodies our team’s creativity. From rejected concepts to the deep reflections that shaped our final visuals, I’ll walk you through the journey from day one to day 700 of this fun, yet sometimes challenging, transformation.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Creative Director with Canada's digital-first design agency, Locomotive® — Timeless aesthetics, creative leadership and a problem-solving mentality are my trademarks. Dedicated and positive, I value grind, passion and collaboration above everything. With extensive knowledge crafting user experience and strategies, I've worked on everything from mobile sites and apps dating back to the era of the first iPhones to the device-agnostic websites and platforms Locomotive® builds today.

2:15 pm
-
3:10 pm

How AI is Reshaping the Tech Landscape: A Panel Discussion

Tech & AI

John Doyle

CEO

Digital Polygon

Jean-Luc Sanscartier

VP Data & AI Adoption

SBI Group

Gabriel Laliberté

SVP, Head of Strategy

Valtech

Houda Kaddioui

Customer Engineer AI/ML

Google

Description:
AI is transforming the way we build, work, and interact with technology, and with each breakthrough, user expectations continue to evolve. This panel conversation brings together tech and AI leaders to explore how the industry is responding to this rapid change. Together, we’ll discuss the opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities that come with building for an AI-driven future.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

John Doyle, Founder, CEO, Digital Polygon
In a world where digital has become the norm, John has established his career on “building it better.” With a mission to leave every website better than he found it, John created Digital Polygon to deliver cutting-edge solutions to our client's most challenging business problems.

Jean-Luc Sanscartier, VP Data & AI Adoption, SBI Group

Jean-Luc brings 20 years of experience in digital and IT, having led sales and marketing at SBI Group and helped grow iWeb from its startup days to a $145M USD acquisition. He’s held leadership roles at Virtuozzo in Seattle, Moov AI, and Google Montreal, where he supported AI and data innovation across Canada.


Gabriel Laliberte, SVP, Head of Strategy, Valtech

Gabriel is the Global Head of Strategy at Valtech, where he advises C-level leaders on AI, composable transformation, and experience innovation. He partners with brands to drive growth and develop future-proof strategies around the world.

Houda Kaddioui, Customer Engineer, AI/ML, Google
With a background that bridges machine learning and medicine, Houda brings a unique blend of technical and domain expertise shaped by experience in medtech, biotech, and consulting. Committed to responsible AI, [Name] views inclusion, ethics, and diversity as core principles—not PR strategies.

2:45 pm
-
3:10 pm

De brandbook à playbook : le jeu réfléchi derrière la marque

Design & Creativity

Hugo Joseph

Associate Creative DIrector

K72

Description:
Cette présentation explore comment faire évoluer une marque au-delà de simples lignes directrices statiques pour en faire une expérience vivante, aussi bien pour les utilisateurs que pour les employés et les collaborateurs. À travers le cas de la refonte de l’identité de Jean Coutu, nous verrons comment concevoir des marques qui prennent véritablement vie sur le terrain.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Hugo Joseph is an Associate Creative Director at K72, where he blends bold art direction with strategic thinking to craft impactful brand experiences. With a background in visual identity and campaign work, he brings a sharp eye and conceptual clarity to every project.

2:45 pm
-
3:10 pm

Engaging Communities Through Digital Storytelling

Strategy & Comms

Allison Saunders

Content Specialist

Concordia University

Description:
Developed as dynamic and engaging digital platforms, pages highlighting Days and Months of Significance celebrate diverse voices, histories, and cultures. Designed with accessibility and inclusivity at their core, they not only provide educational experiences but also foster meaningful engagement with a wide range of audiences.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Allison Saunders is Digital Content Strategist at Concordia University. She works on the university’s website and social media strategy, and use her voice to work towards a diverse and inclusive community in which all people feel welcome.

2:45 pm
-
3:10 pm

SEO in the Age of AI: Is it dead?

Digital Craftsmanship

Lindsay Aouled Ezzine

Senior Digital Content Strategy Manager

Telus Health

Description:
The rising use of AI search will impact SEO tactics, but SEO is far from dead. While learning to optimise for AI is an important new tool to add to your SEO toolbox, the fundamentals of your content and search strategy are and will continue to be relevant in this new landscape. Where do the two intersect and how do we navigate hype vs. reality in terms of the impact of AI on SEO.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Lindsay is a seasoned digital content strategist with a passion for creating impactful, audience-centric experiences that seamlessly align business objectives with user needs.Currently serving as Senior Digital Content Strategy Manager at TELUS Health, She leads the organization’s digital content and SEO strategy. Lindsay combines strategic vision with hands-on execution—bringing clarity, creativity, and performance-driven thinking to every aspect of digital content design.

3:30 pm
-
4:20 pm

Chatbot or Mega Menu? And Other UX Choices that Shape your Website Strategy

Digital Craftsmanship

Suzanne Dergacheva

Co-Founder

Evolving Web

Bruna Siqueira-Davis

Product & Digital Strategist

Evolving Web

Description:
What drives investment in your website? For some organizations, leadership sets the priorities. Others conduct user research. Sometimes, we’re simply influenced by design trends and what everyone else is doing. In this session, we’ll explore trends in UX design and content strategy that have likely come up in these conversations. I’ll share tons of examples from real-world projects and help you decide whether it’s worth jumping on the bandwagon. You’ll come away with ideas about how to critically assess design trends and techniques to make design decisions strategically.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Suzanne Dergacheva, Evolving Web

Suzanne is the co-founder of Evolving Web, a digital agency that helps organizations that make a big impact in the world. She helps translate institutional goals and user needs into a tangible digital strategy, often bridging the gap between technology and user experience design. She runs trainings and strategic workshops and has collaborated with teams at Georgia Tech, Princeton University, McGill University and the University of Waterloo.

Bruna Siqueira-Davis, Product and Digital Strategist, Evolving Web

Bruna is a product strategist and UX specialist who helps purpose-driven organizations align user needs with strategic goals. She leads research, content strategy, and service design efforts to shape meaningful digital experiences for leading education, non-profit, and tech brands.

3:30 pm
-
3:55 pm

Déployer une IA d'impact à grande échelle avec les géants du commerce au détail

Strategy & Comms

Gabriel Laliberté

SVP, Head of Strategy

Valtech

Description:
Découvrez comment les leaders du commerce de détail et du divertissement innovent à grande échelle en matière d’expérience grâce à l’intelligence artificielle et aux architectures composables. À l’aide d’exemples locaux et internationaux — de la personnalisation propulsée par l’IA chez L’Oréal au virage de Loto-Québec vers un écosystème composable, flexible et pérenne — cette séance met en lumière comment des choix technologiques stratégiques se traduisent par des retombées concrètes pour l’entreprise et ses clients.
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Gabriel is the Global Head of Strategy at Valtech, where he advises C-level leaders on AI, composable transformation, and experience innovation. He partners with brands to drive growth and develop future-proof strategies around the world.

3:30 pm
-
3:55 pm

AI Development Workflows in WordPress

Tech & AI

Joe Hoyle

Chief Technology Officer

Human Made

Description:
Joe Hoyle discusses how AI is transforming the development process in delivering web projects to clients. He explores how project management, feature development, and testing efficiencies have impacted Human Made's delivery process.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Joe Hoyle is the Cofounder and CTO of Human Made and Altis Cloud, with over 15 years of experience building WordPress-based solutions. A former contributor to WordPress Core via the REST API, Joe remains deeply invested in the platform’s evolution and future. He’s passionate about blending novel technologies with WordPress, often exploring experimental ideas just for the joy of it.

3:30 pm
-
3:45 pm

EvolveUX: Sheridan College UI Workshop

Design & Creativity

Shane Collier

Art Director & UI Designer

Evolving Web

Description:
See how we guided Sheridan College through a collaborative UI workshop grounded in earlier UX research and digital strategy findings. By aligning on brand-driven design principles and using visual territory mapping, we helped stakeholders define a shared creative direction that set the stage for confident and unified art direction. This session is part of EvolveUX — a fast-paced showcase where designers and UX practitioners each have 5 minutes to present a piece of work, whether it’s an app, website, service flow, visual design or a UI workshop. After each presentation, there are three quick rounds of feedback where the audience shares what they noticed, what they loved, and what they might change
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Shane is a multidisciplinary Art Director and UI Designer with experience creating accessible, branded interfaces for large institutions. His designs have earned recognition from Applied Arts, DesignEdge, and the American Design Awards. Shane's work brings visual storytelling, accessibility, and strong brand alignment together across large web platforms.

3:45 pm
-
4:00 pm

EvolveUX: Launch Better: Next Generation WebOps

Design & Creativity

Duncan Schouten

Director of Product (Platform & Developer Experience)

Pantheon

Description:
Discover a Unified Release Workflow: A single collaborative space where changes to code, content, and design come together, ensuring every team member is aligned before going live. This session is part of EvolveUX — a fast-paced showcase where designers and UX practitioners each have 5 minutes to present a piece of work, whether it’s an app, website, service flow, or visual design. After each presentation, there are three quick rounds of feedback where the audience shares what they noticed, what they loved, and what they might change
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

A builder of the web for 30 years, Montréal expat Duncan leads the Platform & Developer Experience area at Pantheon. With a career spanning B2B, B2C, agency, and professional musicianship, there's a pretty good chance he's seen your problem before and possibly wrote a song about it.

4:00 pm
-
4:25 pm

Content Governance in the Age of AI

Strategy & Comms

Joyce Peralta

Communications & Marketing Manager

McGill University

Description:
At McGill University, we manage over 1,000 websites through our centrally supported, Drupal-powered CMS. These sites are maintained by approximately 1,500 site managers, who collectively make between 6,000 and 8,000 edits each week. Content governance in this environment is a continuous challenge, and it's becoming even more complex with the rise of AI. In this presentation, we’ll take a high-level look at the strategies we’re adopting to strengthen and adapt our governance framework in response to the growing influence of AI.
Language:
English
About Speaker(s):

Joyce has been building websites and digital communities for 20 years, including 15 years of experience in post-secondary education. For the past six years, she has worked at McGill University, holding positions in Communications and External Relations and IT Services. Joyce has presented at conferences across North America, including DrupalCon, Confoo, HighEdWeb, #PSEWEB and SEMM Forum about web standards, governance and user experience.

4:00 pm
-
4:25 pm

Climatedata.ca : Allier technologie, science climatique et expérience utilisateur pour une meilleure sensibilisation aux enjeux du réchauffement climatique

Tech & AI

Robin Varenas

Principal Project Manager

Centre de recherche informatique de Montréal (CRIM)

Pierre-Paul Lefebvre

Associate Director of Technology

Evolving Web

Maxime Dieuzaide

Project Manager

Evolving Web

Description:
Le site Climatedata.ca, développé par le CRIM avec le soutien d’Evolving Web et financé par Environnement et Changement climatique Canada, vise à rendre les données climatiques accessibles au grand public comme aux experts. Cette présentation abordera comment les outils numériques et un soin particulier à l'expérience utilisateur permettent de renforcer la conscientisation au réchauffement, tout en explorant l’importance d’une structure de code flexible pour soutenir un projet en constante évolution
Language:
French
About Speaker(s):

Robin Varenas, Principal Project Manager, CRIM

After several years as a professional in the cultural industry, Robin has accumulated 15 years of experience in the information technology field as a project manager, Scrum Master, and product owner. His deep knowledge of agile methodologies, development cycles, and digital strategies has been applied both in software development and in the execution of artificial intelligence projects.

Pierre-Paul Lefebvre, Associate Director of Technology, Evolving Web

Pierre‑Paul Lefebvre is the Associate Director of Technology at Evolving Web. A seasoned Drupal and DevOps expert, he previously led the web team at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) and co-founded FIXRS, bringing decades of experience in scaling and modernizing web platforms.

Maxime, Dieuzaide, Project Manager, Evolving Web
Maxime is a seasoned Project Manager with over five years of experience leading complex digital initiatives in agencies and consulting, including at Accenture. At Evolving Web, he collaborates with project management and sales teams to help clients deliver impactful, long-term solutions. Maxime brings strategic insight, cross-cultural fluency, and proven success managing high-stakes projects for clients like EDC, IFC, BDC, and Blue Cross.

4:30 Pm - 4:45 Pm

Closing Remarks

4:45 Pm - TBD

Reception & Drinks

Highlights from past events

The first EvolveDrupal took place in May 2023. Since then, there has been a few EvolveDrupal summits across Canada and the United States. Scroll through our gallery to relive the energy from past events!

Testimonials

Don’t take our word for it—hear directly from past attendees.

“EvolveDrupal was not just an event; it was a catalyst for inspiration and collaboration, sparking new ideas and forging lasting connections.”

‍John Cloys
Assistant Director of Web & Digital Initiatives

“Possibly the most memorable conference experience I’ve ever had! Leave it to Evolving Web to organize an event so good it was literally out of this world!”

Joyce Peralta
Manager, Digital Communications

"We’re still buzzing from all the energy at EvolveDrupal Toronto last week! The sessions were inspiring, the conversations were meaningful, and the connections we made were unforgettable."

Pantheon Platform

"Honestly, it was so much fun getting to talk about this work. It was nice to deep dive on design and just nerd out. Thank you so much for having me! All the talks were great. Design systems are top of mind right now."

Chris Mantil
Graphic Designer

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Venue

Event location

Located in the heart of the Plateau, Montreal Cowork is Evolving Web’s new home and the ideal venue for EvolveDigital. After two successful editions already held in this vibrant space, we're excited to return for another day of learning, connection and inspiration. After the day’s sessions, head up to the rooftop patio to unwind and connect with fellow attendees at the afterparty.

Address

4388 Saint-Denis, suite 200 Montreal, QC
H2J2L1, Canada

Public Transit

Montréal CoWork is a 5-minute walk from Mont Royal metro station, on the orange line.

Parking

Parking is available behind the building at 4401 Rue Drolet for $15/day.

Airport

Montréal CoWork is a 40-minute drive (sometimes longer depending on traffic) from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.

Our sponsors

About Evolving Web

EvolveDigital is organized by the team at Evolving Web. Our dedicated team of digital experts, event planners, and community enthusiasts work hard to ensure that every event is a success and brings immense value to attendees.