advisory panel
Meet the people helping shape the event, define its objectives and goals, and guide NAGIS as we Build What’s Next.
Mark Darrah
Industry Consultant
Mark Darrah — a veteran game developer who worked at BioWare (1997–2021), starting as a programmer on titles including Baldur’s Gate I & II and Jade Empire, later moving into project leadership and ultimately leading the Dragon Age franchise; he now runs a YouTube channel focused on leadership and development advice and works as a consultant helping teams ship their games
Bob Cooney
Founder of LEXRA
Bob Cooney, founder and executive director of LEXRA, has been at the forefront of immersive entertainment since launching the world’s first VR arcade product in the early 1990s. Today, he leads global efforts to scale and unify the XR ecosystem for sustainable industry growth. Bob is widely referred to as one of the foremost experts on location-based virtual reality
Fedor van Herpen
Co-Founder MeetToMatch
Fedor van Herpen is the Co‑Founder and Director of Strategic Partnerships at MeetToMatch, driving growth with deep industry knowledge in Games & Tech and an expansive network in the B2B premium event space. He brings extensive expertise and invaluable connections to accelerate partnerships and scale NAGIS in its first year.
Berkley Egens
Chief Marketing & Growth Officer, Xsolla America
Berkley Egenes is the Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla specializing in creating and building marketing campaigns and go-to-market strategies for interactive and engaging brands. His focus at Xsolla is to create programs and brand engagements aimed at launching the tools and services to help our partners reach more players and earn more revenue around the world. He is a creator of successful partnerships, collaborations, communities and campaigns for brands and organizations elevating their awareness, perception and experience in the global marketplace. With over 25 years of marketing and product integration experience, he brings his talents to Xsolla from the esports industry where he most recently helped build the Ghost Gaming brand, sales, media relations, social presence and online store, prior to its acquisition. An agency and global brand veteran, he has led marketing organizations focused on driving engagement and results at the intersection of brands, technology, sports & entertainment genres having represented blue chip organizations. A graduate from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a certificate of international business. He also earned his master of business administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. He just recently completed the Emerging CMO: Strategic Marketing Leadership program from Stanford University in August 2023. Recently recognized by the Los Angeles Times LA Executive 2025 Chief Marketing Officer Honoree and USA Today CMOs to Watch in 2024.
Brent Bushnell
CEO & Co-Founder, Two Bit Circus
Brent Bushnell has been building attractions, viral stunts, learning experiences and large-scale productions for 25+ years. He's led multidisciplinary teams of engineers, artists, and storytellers to design and produce experiences for brands, venues, and events both in real life and virtually in VR/AR/XR. He’s cofounder of DreamPark deploying downloadable theme parks. He's cofounder of Two Bit Circus, a live entertainment incubator that builds and exhibits all-ages, social attractions. Brent is passionate about using games and play as a catalyst for learning. He is Chairman of Two Bit Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit that deploys play-based programs to inspire students about invention. Brent is a Sir Edmund Hillary Fellow, a Shark Tank alumnus, founding board member of LEXRA.org, a mentor in entrepreneurship, and a supporter of Clowns Without Borders. Many projects he’s participated in have garnered awards, including Cannes Lions, Clio, AUREA, a World Record, TripAdvisor’s Top 10% of Global Attractions and Fast Company's Most Innovative Game Company. He publishes on social media @brentbushnell.
Luke Azevedo
CEO Edmonton Screen
From 2007 to 2025, Luke served as the Commissioner for Film, Television, and the Creative Industries at Calgary Economic Development. During this tenure, he worked extensively with studios, government agencies, unions, guilds, and producers to facilitate local projects and attract major foreign film, television, and digital media productions to Alberta. Before joining Calgary Economic Development, Luke held several leadership roles at The Banff Centre, including Director of the Creative Electronic Environment, Director of the Banff New Media Institute, and Acting Director of Literary Arts. In these capacities, he developed and directed television and interactive media facilities and personnel. Earlier in his career, Luke was the owner and operator of VisionWorks Commercial Productions. He also established a strong background in sports media, working with Hockey Canada through four Olympic Games and numerous Junior and Women’s World Championships. During this same period, he served as the broadcast liaison for the Calgary Flames hockey operations. His leadership within the global industry was further solidified in 2024, when he was elected Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI), a consortium representing over 300 film commissions across six continents. The years 2023 and 2024 coincided with significant international recognition for the region. In May 2023, Calgary was awarded Location of the Year and named a finalist for the City of Film award at the Cannes Film Festival Global Production Awards. In August 2023, Calgary was recognized by the Location Managers Guild International Award for Outstanding Film Commission. Early 2024 saw further success as two locally filmed productions, The Last of Us and Prey, earned a combined nine Emmy Awards from 31 nominations. In recognition of his commitment to the province, Luke was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023. This honor acknowledged his dedication to elevating Alberta’s reputation as a global production center for content creators across all platforms and genres. In April 2025, Luke began his current chapter as the CEO of Edmonton Screen, where he continues to promote Alberta as a premier destination for bringing creative ideas to life.
Chris Meilleur
CEO Meibel Consulting ltd.
Chris Meilleur is the CEO of Meibel Consulting and Co-Founder of Game Con Canada. With over 20 years of experience in business consulting and management, he leads his team in business development, strategic partnerships, event management, sales and marketing, all with a client-first approach.
Marc Belisle
VP Meibel Consulting ltd.
Marc Belisle serves as VP of Meibel Consulting and is the Co-Founder of Game Con Canada. With more than 15 years of experience in sales and marketing, he oversees global partnerships, sales strategy, media production, graphic design, website development, and mobile app design for all events under the Meibel Consulting portfolio.