DAMA Toronto’s flagship annual conference returns on October 22—this year as a single, high‑impact full day designed to bring the GTA data community together for learning, connection, and practical insights you can apply immediately.
From a morning keynote through expert‑led sessions, a panel discussion, and a closing networking reception, DAMA Days delivers a full arc of professional development and community building.
Who should Attend
Data management, Analytics. AI and Data Governance professionals across the GTA, including:
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Practitioners and leaders from private and public sectors
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Consultants, vendors, and solution providers
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Students, early‑career professionals, and CDMP candidates
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Anyone passionate about advancing data management practices
International Guests & DAMA Leaders
This year, we are proud to welcome international data professionals from DAMA International. Their participation elevates DAMA Days 2026 into a truly international gathering of data management excellence
While we are still finalizing the agenda, here is a high level sneak preview of the agenda:
Speaker bios (Work in-progress. Please come back to check out more speakers bio)
| Time |
Speaker |
Title |
Topic |
| 08:30 AM |
|
Doors Open |
|
| 09:00 AM |
Sapna Jain |
President, DAMA Toronto |
Opening Remarks |
| 09:15 AM |
Jennifer Curtis |
VP, Scotia Bank |
TBD |
| 09:55 AM |
Peter Vennel |
Global Head of Data Governance at Finastra and DAMA International speaker |
Building an AI First Data Office: from Intelligent Metadata to Global Compliance at Scale |
| 10:30 AM |
|
Morning Break |
|
| 10:45 AM |
Patrick Cernea and Gigi Lin |
Data Governance Lead, York University |
Implementing an award winning Data Governance Program |
| 11:20 AM |
Multiple speakers |
Panel Discussion facilitated by Rania Waseef (DAMA - I) |
Women in Data |
| 11:50 AM |
Maryam Pourkashani |
Director Data Strategy Enablement - TD Wealth Management |
Dependency-Driven Cloud Migration: Prioritizing Data Assets for Report Modernization |
| 12.30 PM |
|
Lunch Break |
|
| 01:30 PM |
Rogan Vleming |
407 |
Data and AI Governance |
| 02:10 PM |
Kaydeen Tyson |
Enterprise Risk and Data Governance Manager, CIPF |
Data Governance Without the Bureaucracy: A Practical Path to AI Readiness |
| 02:50 PM |
Robert Ambra |
City of Toronto |
AI considerations into Information Management (IM) Assessments of technology projects |
| 03:20 PM |
|
Afternoon Break |
|
| 03:40 PM |
Frank Kadwell |
Co-founder D3 Information Services (DAMA-I speaker) |
Deep Fakes in AI |
| 04:20 PM |
|
Awards - Chapter Award, Peter Aiken, Raffle Prize |
|
| 04:35 PM |
Serdar Kayan |
DAMA Toronto Board |
Closing Remarks |
| 05:00 PM |
|
Networking Mixer and Evening Reception: 5-6:30 pm |
|
.What to Expect in 2026
This year’s program is shaping up to offer even more value, connection, and opportunities for data professionals.
Planned highlights include:
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Keynote and expert-led sessions on best Data Management practices
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Panel discussions featuring leaders across industries
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Vendor showcase with opportunities to explore tools, platforms, and services
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Complimentary professional headshots for all attendees
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Exclusive discounts on literature authored by industry experts
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Networking opportunities with:
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Local data management professionals from across the GTA
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Leaders from both private and public sectors
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Subject matter experts spanning technical and business perspectives
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Local nonprofits and community organizations making an impact in data management
As planning progresses, some program details may be updated. The agenda will continue to evolve as speakers and topics are confirmed.
Pricing & Sponsorship
To learn more about sponsorship packages, please contact sapna.jain@irmac.ca.
