Victoria Mahoney, 37, is the head of marketing and partnerships for Harmony Marketing. She's based in Toronto. A quote from her nomination: "One of the most capable marketing executives I have worked with over my 30+ years in the marketing and sponsorship industry. Victoria is passionate and dedicated, and is a strong leader who guides, teaches, and encourages her team at all times."
My career journey: "After graduating from McMaster with an HBA in communications, I wanted to learn more about public relations and media. I decided to enhance my education with a postgraduate diploma in communications and public relations from Centennial College, which required an internship as part of the program. I interned at a large PR agency in Toronto and was proud to be hired on as an account coordinator after the internship. I was fortunate to work on major brands like SUBWAY Canada, CBC, Budweiser, and Pfizer. This experience taught me the fundamentals of media relations, event management, and client service.
I liked PR but didn't want that to be my only specialty. I wanted to learn more about all aspects of marketing and communications, which led me to a contract position at Harmony Marketing in 2013. Who knew that a six-month contract would turn into over a decade with Harmony?
Over the years, I've worn many hats—progressing from manager to director, and now leading all client relationships and co-producing two major annual events on Toronto's Waterfront: the Toronto Waterfront Festival and Sugar Shack TO. What I love about my role is that it combines all my passions: experiential marketing, sponsorship sales, public relations, media relations, and event production.
After 12 years at Harmony, I've become a relationship broker and experiential marketing specialist who thrives on connecting brands with unique opportunities and turning creative concepts into reality. PR is still my first love—there's nothing quite like crafting the perfect story and seeing it resonate with media—but what truly excites me now is the ability to weave together all aspects of marketing and events into impactful experiences." 
For Sugar Shack TO in 2024, Mahoney and her team secured 58 million marketing and PR impressions, as well as the highest attendance to date at 14,000 people.Photo: Courtesy of Victoria Mahoney
What inspires me: "l really like the process of seeing a festival from concept to execution. To go from talking around a table with the team about what we want to bring to next year's Waterfront Festival to actually standing on site at the event, seeing the crowds enjoying a program that I had a part in bringing, really gives me a buzz and inspires me to do it again.
I also like the feeling once the festival is over and I go into the post-event haze where I feel a sense of accomplishment and relief that it's over and all our hard work has paid off. Especially when the attendees, sponsors, and stakeholders are happy." 
Mahoney and her team manage PR for the Canadian International Air Show.Photo: Courtesy of Victoria Mahoney
My greatest career accomplishment: "Traveling around Ontario with the World's Largest Rubber Duck in 2017. Humblebrag, but it was my idea to bring the duck on the Ontario 150 Tour, which was set to travel around Ontario the summer of 2017 to celebrate Canada's 150th. The duck would join other programs, including the West Coast Lumberjack Show, the Royal Canadian Navy, and a bespoke Indigenous hip-hop and music show that was created specifically for the Ontario Tour.
The duck's visit sparked significant controversy, igniting a media firestorm in the months leading up to her arrival in Ontario. However, when Mama Duck finally made her debut in Toronto to kick off the tour, she was an undeniable sensation. Her presence not only captivated the city but also delivered an economic impact of over $11 million for the province of Ontario. Witnessing Ontario embrace Mama Duck with such enthusiasm and seeing the Tour's resounding success was truly a career highlight. It was also such a great learning experience for me with crisis communications and media relations, as I managed interviews on every top-tier broadcast and radio in the months leading up to the event as well as on site at the event." 
"A personal highlight was being able to go inside the duck, which was a very unique experience that I won't soon forget!" she says.Photo: Courtesy of Victoria Mahoney
The advice I would give my younger self: "Life is hard, life is messy, but you are a lot stronger than you think. Trust your creative instincts and don't be afraid of bold ideas, even ones that might seem ridiculous at first. Those unexpected concepts can create the most memorable impacts and define your career. Controversy can transform into triumph when you believe in your vision and handle the challenges professionally.
Build strong, lasting professional relationships. That small but mighty team you've worked with for over a decade didn't happen by accident. Find people who share your work ethic and values, and invest in those relationships.
Keep feeding your wanderlust; travel has shaped who you are. The perspectives you gain from experiencing different cultures and places will inform your creativity and problem-solving in ways you can't imagine. Having strong roots and amazing people around you makes it easier to take bigger professional risks and handle the intense periods of festival planning and event management."
What's next: "I truly enjoy speaking at conferences and am passionate about refining my public speaking skills. Delivering a TED Talk is a dream of mine, and I’m excited to speak at three upcoming event conferences in 2025. I look forward to honing my abilities, learning new ways to captivate an audience, and making each opportunity a memorable experience.
My team is already working on 2026's Waterfront Festival and some unique 'spins' (pun intended) we can put on the event with FIFA coming to Toronto in June 2026."
