Contact Our Team

Dawn Baldwin

Director of Sales

Our Director of Sales, Dawn Baldwin, emits the Halifax Convention Centre philosophy into her work each and every day – bold, simple, fun. Dawn is a part of a likeminded team; each member has a passion for customer service and making it their personal mission to deliver unforgettable event experiences for every client.

Speaking of unforgettable – from the natural light gleaming through elegant glass windows, to the breathtaking panoramic views of the downtown core: these are just a few of the many things that Dawn looks forward to showing guests in our new facility. With Dawn’s leadership, our facility welcomes thousands of new national and international visitors to our province each year.

When she steps away from her day-to-day sales role, Dawn can be found venturing around town – anywhere from the downtown core to Point Pleasant Park; a few of her favourite places just minutes from our doorstep. Dawn is a self-professed Halifax foodie guru. The next time you’re in town, don’t hesitate to ask Dawn about her favourite places to eat in our city!

Susanne MacLeod

Senior Sales Manager, National Market

They say you can take the person out of the East coast, but you can’t take the East coast out of the person – a statement that rings true for Susanne MacLeod, who moved back to her home province of Nova Scotia 15 years ago after spending the previous 20 in Toronto.

Susanne got her start in the hospitality industry in Toronto, working in restaurants to put herself through school. From there she was inspired to dig deeper into the industry, opening her own pub for a decade before making the move back east to focus on sales in the hotel industry.

When she isn’t connecting with clients and forming invaluable relationships with them, you can find her near the ocean, gardening or cooking. She believes her success lies in being passionate about what she loves and putting service first.

The next time you’re in Halifax for an event, Susanne suggests chatting up the locals for the best suggestions on what to do/where to eat; chances are you may end up at their place for dinner!

Are you ready to experience our famous Maritime hospitality in the heart of downtown Halifax? Great, because our sales team can’t wait to connect with you!

Nicole Grimm

Local Regional Sales Manager

With more than two decades in the event industry, Nicole Grimm has great passion and is inspired by her team, which collectively has more than 80 years of shared industry experience.

As Sales Manager of Canadian Associations, Nicole works with a diverse array of incredible clients. One of her favourite elements of the new convention centre is the design – specifically, the engineered bridge trusses incorporated on the Convention Level, used to eliminate sound vibration and make every event experience just right.

A lover of seafood, Nicole’s ultimate day in Nova Scotia includes a visit to historical Peggy’s Cove, and enjoying what we Maritimers call a “feed of the local catch”. Nicole believes that Nova Scotia comes together in Halifax – and that’s what she cherishes most about our province. We’re a small seaside city with a big city feel, and a vibrant province that’s steeped in rich history.

Sonia Corra

Sales & Event System Specialist

Our Sales and Event System Specialist, Sonia Corra, would describe her team’s day-to-day approach as both authentic and truly special. As one of our tech gurus, Sonia plays a key role in the administration and application of the Ungerboeck Venue and Event Management Software.

She loves helping our organization run successful and impactful events by centralizing our internal event communications. This means that our sales and events operations teams are always in-the-know and have a deep understanding of our clients’ needs.

When she’s not buzzing around like a busy bee at the office, Sonia loves to explore the beautiful scenery that Nova Scotia has to offer. Be it a drive down St. Margaret’s Bay Road, a leisurely hike on the Rails to Trails, or trying out new local culinary experience – enjoyment is within arm’s reach from our doorstep.

Genaya Cameron, CMM

Senior Director, Event Operations

Our Director of Event Operations, Genaya Cameron, says that the event industry chose her. She was instantly drawn to the vibrant, exciting, and challenging nature of the business and, together with her team, strives to deliver unforgettable events for our Halifax Convention Centre guests.

Genaya understands that what we do every day impacts the success of our clients. She works with her team to streamline communications throughout the event planning and execution phases, so that we can better anticipate and respond to our guests’ needs. This means that every little detail is taken into consideration!

In between helping to build memorable event experiences for clients, Genaya loves to enjoy all that our walkable city has to offer – friendly Maritimers, access to the ocean, unique shopping, and amazing restaurants all an easy stroll from our doorstep. While she’s travelled many parts of the globe, she’s yet to find a city that inspires her the way Halifax does. This is a place where our guests can connect with the people of our community, and walk away having had an experience different than they’ll find anywhere else.

Jeff Totten, CMP

Director, Event Operations

A wealth of new and exciting ideas – that’s what our Director, Event Operations, Jeff Totten, believes keeps Halifax surprisingly cosmopolitan for a relatively small, East Coast city. Best of all, this goes hand-in-hand with the conferences and events we host and the connections we help build.

Jeff loves his job and industry because the work he does helps make a difference to people near and far. While our new Halifax Convention Centre opens our city to an even bigger world stage than ever before, the most exciting part of Jeff’s every day is the new visitors to our region and the impact for our local economy. For him, it’s rewarding to know that his work improves the community he lives in.

If you couldn’t tell, Jeff’s a big supporter of our famous Nova Scotia culture. He’s also a huge comic fan! On any given day, you can find him at Halifax’s infamous Strange Adventures Comic Shop. Did you know that in 1996, Strange Adventures appeared in two Superman comics, Adventures of Superman #547 and Superman: The Man of Steel #74? That’s just one of the many fun facts Jeff looks forward to sharing with you when he helps you execute your next event in our new Centre!

Jenn Cotterill

Senior Manager, Event Operations

Our Senior Manager, Event Operations, Jenn Cotterill, found her passion for the event industry through the hustle and bustle of live theatre as a stage manager. Whether it was her drive for clear communication or love of meticulous planning, Jenn has remained active as an event planner and stage manager throughout her career.

With two bachelor degrees and a masters in communication, Jenn appreciates the learning process and has an ever-present curiosity to know everything about everything – it’s likely what inspired her to teach event planning, public relations and communication at the college and university level prior to stepping into her role at Halifax Convention Centre.

Originally from Cape Breton, Jenn made the move to Halifax because she liked the combination of the big city and small city feel. Don’t hesitate to ask Jenn for her recommendations of what to see and do if you’re looking to explore that region of Nova Scotia during your next event in our Centre!

Stacey McLaughlin

Event Manager

Having worked in hotels and resorts across Canada for over 10 years, our Event Manager Stacey McLaughlin moved to Nova Scotia in 2016 with the goal of setting down some more permanent roots. With its mix of small-town hospitality within a larger city, Halifax was the perfect location.

With her extensive experience, dedication and passionate drive to execute memorable events, Stacey is the perfect addition to the Halifax Convention Centre team. In fact, she joined us at a pivotal point as we welcomed the first events into our new Centre.

Outside of work, Stacey can be found in the yoga studio or hiking local trails with her Bernedoodle. The Halifax region has plenty of outdoor exploration options within reach – ask Stacey to share her hidden gems with you when you join us for your event!

Melissa Canu, CMP

Event Manager

Melissa has a passion for the events industry that she believes stemmed from the time she was young – after all, she did grow up in an Italian household that placed a strong emphasis on hosting and hospitality.

Helping clients develop their vision, then bringing that vision to life is what drives Melissa professionally. In her experience, a good relationship with the client and internal departments is the base needed for event success and how you truly create memorable experiences for your clients.

After spending so many years in the prairies, Melissa loves how the Halifax Convention Centre is just steps away from the ocean. To get an even better view of it, she recommends heading to the Halifax Public Library for a coffee on their rooftop patio that overlooks the city and the rolling coastline.

For Melissa, Halifax is a friendly, welcoming little-big city where Maritime hospitality shines and where clients can have an experience they won’t find anywhere else.

Andrew Tyne, CMP

Event Manager

A task master at heart, our Event Manager Andrew Tyne loves coming into work every day to help bring our Halifax Convention Centre guests’ goals to life.

He is joined by a diverse team of experienced professionals who encourage our event planner friends to dream big, because we have the people who can make event magic happen. In fact, Andrew would wager that there’s almost nothing that someone on our team hasn’t seen before. Every challenge is an opportunity to showcase the special experience we have to offer.

And that’s not just inside our new, state-of-the-art Halifax Convention Centre. Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Andrew just loves the fact that he can combine a world-class event experience with all the adventure our dynamic and beautiful province has to offer. In the space of a single day, you can have breakfast at an artisan bakery in the morning, go for a scenic hike deep in the woods in the afternoon, and then see talented bands perform at night. Don’t be shy to ask Andrew about Halifax’s best kept secrets when you bring your next event to our city!

Kathleen King

Event Manager

Originally from Fredericton, NB, Kathleen is a proud Maritimer who was drawn to the ‘small town, big city’ feeling of Halifax. While she is quite the globe-trotter, she loves the feeling of coming home to the East Coast.

Meeting clients and delegates from across Canada and around the world has been a highlight for Kathleen in her role at the Halifax Convention Centre, as she loves meeting new people and inspiring them to love local as much as she does.

When she’s not impressing clients with her drive and passion, Kathleen can be found shopping at a local farmer’s market, craft show or getting a taste of new vegan options at local restaurants. If you’re looking for places to explore while you’re here, Kathleen would be happy to provide a recommendation, as she strongly believes Nova Scotia has something for everyone to fall in love with.

Fiona Kerr

Associate Event Manager

Fiona spent more than five years working for Halifax PRIDE organizing large-scale, multi-vendor events – from 4,000-person dance parties to 20,000-person parades. These roles required significant attention to inclusivity and equity, accessibility, sound safety protocols, and emergency response planning. Currently finishing a SMU degree, she also brings experience in promotions, marketing, communications, and fundraising.

At the Halifax Convention Centre, Fiona leads event pre-planning and oversees the delivery of events. As the Associate Event Manager, she supports our operational teams by managing detailed event information and planning.

Hailing from Baddeck, Cape Breton, Fiona is glad to continue living and working in Halifax. She is also excited to be on ‘the other side’ of event planning – as the venue operator rather than the client. After work, you can find Fiona playing The Sims, hanging with her giant orange cat Gildy, or making friendship bracelets.

Colleen Bates

Associate Event Manager

After gaining an abundance of experience in food & beverage service and management throughout Nova Scotia, Colleen joined the Halifax Convention Centre team in 2019. Working directly with our clients, Colleen thrives when she is helping them to facilitate all aspects of their event and she loves nothing more than seeing it all come together.

Colleen loves the excitement of working in an evolving atmosphere and our clients love her ability to roll with the punches!