Meet Canada’s 2026 Effie Awards Co-Chairs

With the two-year terms of Effie Canada co-chairs Adam Reeves and Kate Torrance coming to an end, there was a lot of curiosity about who would be stepping in to take over this role ahead of the 2026 programme cycle. However, earlier this month, the local industry officially received its answer: Sophie-Annick Vallée (partner and chief strategy officer at LG2) and Jonelle Ricketts (head of marketing at IKEA Canada) would be next up on deck.

In many ways, this was an exciting announcement. Aside from their arrival facilitating a new era for the Effie Canada Steering Committee, both appointees brought incredible resumés to the table. On the brand side of things, Jonelle’s experience at the likes of BlackBerry, Sephora Canada, and most recently IKEA – across multiple international markets – promised a worthy successor to the position, in someone who understands exactly what it takes for a brand to be effective. Meanwhile, Sophie-Annick stepped into the role not only with seven years of experience guiding LG2’s strategy practice, but with the 2025 Grand Effie under her belt. Someone who can now lead the jury by example, and who understands precisely what it takes to win an award of this calibre, it all comes together to create a pairing that will be worth watching in the two years to come.

To learn more about their shared mandate, ambitions, and gain a little insight into how they’ll be evaluating work this year, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Jonelle and Sophie-Annick for a chat.

LBB> Sophie-Annick, Jonelle, congratulations on being appointed co-chairs of the Effie Awards Canada. What does this opportunity represent to each of you?

Jonelle> It is an incredible honour to be co-chair for Effie Awards Canada, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity. I’ve wanted to work in marketing since I was 10 years old, and was always curious about how creative ideas come to life and how they influence people’s thoughts and behaviours. So, having the opportunity to support the programme’s development for 2026-2027 is truly a childhood dream come true.

Sophie-Annick> It’s a tremendous honour, both personally and professionally. I was genuinely excited by this opportunity, as roles like this don’t come along often, and allow you to help shape something that truly matters to the industry.

Being appointed co-chair of the Effie Awards Canada feels like a recognition of the work and values we champion at LG2, where effectiveness is inseparable from creativity and strategy. As chief strategy officer, I see this as both a validation of that belief, and an opportunity to give back while helping elevate the standards of effectiveness across the Canadian market.

LBB> Why was this an endeavour each of you were interested in undertaking? And, coming into the position, what are you hoping to accomplish during your two-year tenure?

Jonelle> I was invited to be a judge for the Effie Awards last year, and I found the experience really interesting. I learned a lot from the moderators and fellow judges; their ideas and perspectives really challenged my way of thinking about what makes good and effective creative.

When I was approached about contributing as a co-chair, I thought it would be a great opportunity to use my voice to shape the experience for future entrants and judges. It’s also a great way for me to continue to learn from other respected marketers in the industry.

Sophie-Annick> I’ve always believed that effectiveness is where creativity really finds its purpose. This role gives us the opportunity to help shape how effectiveness is defined, challenged, and celebrated across the country. We don’t talk about it in all the same ways!

I would also like to contribute toward positioning the Effies not just as a competition, but as a place where the industry comes to learn. If entrants, judges, and the broader community walk away with a clearer understanding of what truly drives impact, then we’ve done our job. Sharing this knowledge matters more than ever as our industry and clients go through a period of rapid and profound transformation. And just as importantly, I’m really excited to keep learning along the way, alongside so many inspiring leaders.

LBB> Let’s talk about this year’s awards first! Given that you’ll be overseeing the judging, what sort of work will you be hungry to see?

Jonelle> I’m hungry to see work from brands and agencies that we don’t typically see, from all over the country. There is so much effective creative being developed across Canada that deserves to be in the spotlight!

Sophie-Annick> I’m hungry for work that shows real strategic courage. Not just strong execution, but ideas rooted in sharp insights and clear choices, where creativity clearly drives real business impact. Big or small, from anywhere in the country, what matters most is the strength of the strategy and the results.

LBB> Building on this, how will you work to promote fair process and thoughtful discussions within the judging phase? Are there particular things you’re hoping the jury room will keep in mind?

Jonelle> It is extremely important for us to ensure integrity in the judging process. Within the steering committee, we have been discussing how we can provide more clear guidance for judges, including frameworks and examples that will help throughout the judging process.

It’s also really important for judges to recognise their own biases (we all have them, whether we want to admit it or not). To help with that, we’re exploring bias training opportunities for judges to help prepare for their individual judging and moderated discussions.

Sophie-Annick> A fair process comes from thoughtful, open discussions where different points of view are welcomed and challenged with respect. I hope juries give themselves permission to be surprised by an unfamiliar category, a brand they don’t usually see, or work that doesn’t look traditionally commercial. What matters most is the impact it creates, often through different approaches and business levers. If we stay focused on the fundamentals, the problem, the insight, the strategy, and the results, and approach the work with curiosity rather than judgement, the strongest and most effective ideas will rise to the top.

LBB> Sophie-Annick, notably, your agency won the Grand Effie last year. What lessons did you learn in the process, and is there any advice you can offer this year’s agency entrants?

Sophie-Annick> Just putting together an Effie case is an achievement in itself. It requires a tremendous amount of rigour and clarity to truly demonstrate the value and impact of the work. It’s probably the award that makes strategists sweat the most, and that’s a good thing! The process forces you to stay focused, be clear on the problem you were solving, and show the real correlations between strategy, creativity, and results.

My advice would be to embrace that discipline, resist the temptation to impress with innovation for innovation’s sake, and build the case closely with your client. The stronger the collaboration, the stronger the case. Judges value clarity and honesty far more than overstatement.

LBB> Similarly, Jonelle, your track record with IKEA in the Effies is very impressive. From a brand perspective, what should participants this year be cognisant of?

Jonelle> I think brands often feel that they need to submit their big-budget brand campaigns to catch the attention of the judges. The Effie Awards reward effectiveness, not just big creative ideas. So think about entering different types of campaigns, with different investment levels. If it was based on solid insights with strong strategic thinking, and delivered real business results (sales growth, market share, brand health lifts, behaviour changes, etc.), it’s worth entering.

LBB> You’ve also both been tasked with amplifying the impact of winning work across the country. What does this part of your mandate represent to you?

Jonelle> For many brand-side marketers, the investment you make in marketing is considered a cost. There is a constant battle to be able to show that the work you develop is making a difference and delivering actual business results. Amplifying the impact of Effie-winning work helps to show value for the work we do and creates inspiration.

Sophie-Annick> For me, it’s about showing the real value of our work and making sure winning ideas are shared, discussed, and learned from across the industry. When effective work is amplified, it inspires and reinforces the credibility of what we do.

LBB> Especially at a time of rapid industry change, how will you be working to emphasise the values and core tenets of the competition? Will there need to be some evolution in this regard?

Jonelle> Despite what is happening in the rapidly-changing industry, it’s important that we stay true to what sets the Effie Awards apart and what has helped it to gain international credibility. Ultimately, it is about marketing that actually works.

That being said, we recognise the need to evolve the programme, so we have already made some adjustments this year by adding some additional categories (Cannabis and International Marketing), and have also refined several categories with updated definitions to better reflect changes in the industry and provide clarity.

Sophie-Annick> It starts with staying grounded in what has always made the Effies relevant. At the end of the day, it’s about effectiveness and impact, not trends or tools. As the industry evolves, the fundamentals still matter: clear problems, strong insights, smart strategy, and real results.

At the same time, like Jonelle said, evolution is necessary. The way impact is created today can look very different than it did even a few years ago. Our role is to make sure the programme continues to reflect those changes without losing its rigour, so the Effies remain a place where the industry can measure what works and learn from it.

LBB> Speaking broadly, what are you most looking forward to about working together? How are you hoping to define your collaboration?

Jonelle> I’m really looking forward to learning from Sophie-Annick. She brings so much experience and knowledge from the agency side, and has had an incredibly successful career. I hope that together we will be able to make positive changes in the programme, while ensuring that the entrants and juries are more diverse and inclusive to truly reflect the diversity of our country.

Sophie-Annick> I truly admire Jonelle’s work and perspective, and I’m really excited to work as a team with her. I love the balance our collaboration brings. We both aim to open perspectives and create a space where knowledge and questions are shared. We’re already off to a great start.

LBB> Finally, what are you most excited about for this year’s Effies?

Jonelle> I’m excited to see this year’s entrants. Since moving back home to Canada a few years ago, I’ve been so impressed with the incredible creative developed across the country that is delivering business results and being recognised on the global stage. We have so much to be proud of, and I can’t wait to see more!

Sophie-Annick> I’m really looking forward to diving into the cases. It’s time consuming, but incredibly rich in learning. The Effies offer a rare opportunity to dissect the thinking behind the work and better understand what truly drives impact. I love seeing the intelligence and ingenuity behind the work. I’m eager to discover a diversity of thinking and approaches, and to be struck by new brands from across the country. And I’m very much looking forward to the debates in the jury room.