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Chris Ngabonziza, Sylvie Taillon and Éric Joly Join the Montréal Pride Leadership Team.

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Chris Ngabonziza, Sylvie Taillon and Éric Joly Join the Montréal Pride Leadership Team

Montreal, January 19, 2022 – Simon Gamache, Executive Director of Montréal Pride, announces the appointment of Chris Ngabonziza, Sylvie Taillon and Éric Joly to a renewed leadership team.

Chris Ngabonziza, Director of Programming (he/him) – Singer-songwriter Chris Ngabonziza has been active on the Montreal arts scene for over 10 years. An eclectic creator with an insatiable curiosity, he is known for artistic projects (Ngabo, Dear Denizen, Abakos) that have drawn from indie and electronic music, African musical traditions and Western culture, as well as the French and English languages. A native of the DR Congo, Chris has developed professionally in both North America and Europe. Over the years, he has worked as a production manager, booking and band manager, model as well as a corporate project manager. Involved as much in identifying emerging artists, as in creation and in presenting, he has developed a wide network within the local cultural milieu as well as first-hand knowledge of the issues faced by artists.

Sylvie Taillon, Manager, Talent and Culture (she/her) – With over twenty years of experience in companies of all sizes, Sylvie Taillon is a human resources professional who reinforces the bonds between colleagues and mobilizes the troops to create an inclusive organizational culture focused on individual and collective success. Having evolved mainly in the technology and marketing sectors, she worked at Videotron, CGI, Cossette, FX Innovation and M&H Graphics, among others. Acknowledged for her strong human values, strategic thinking and tactical skills, she skillfully supports employees and managers through organizational transitions.

Éric Joly, Director, Marketing and Strategic Alliances (he/him) – A seasoned manager, Éric Joly has over twenty-five years of experience in the cultural and events industry, both locally and internationally. He has held various positions in sales, marketing and partnerships at Cirque du Soleil, La TOHU and Multicolore, among others. With a degree in sexology, Éric began his career as a community worker with people living with HIV/AIDS, marginalized youth, as well as in STBBI transmission prevention. A team player driven by change and multidisciplinarity, he is recognized for his superior strategic, analytical and problem-solving skills. He is a Board Director of Cirque Hors Piste.

“The arrival of Chris Ngabonziza, Sylvie Taillon and Éric Joly is testimony of the renewal underway at Montréal Pride,” said Simon Gamache, Executive Director of the organization. “They are joining a talented and mobilized team that has delivered two innovative, inspiring and increasingly inclusive editions of the Festival in the context of the pandemic. I would like to thank this team of passionate people, as well as all the others who have collaborated, directly or indirectly, to the success of our events. Together, we will continue to develop an organization that celebrates the power and beauty of diversity by enabling the 2SLGBTQI+ communities to shine.

Montréal Pride is calling today for multiple applications to continue the recruitment of its administrative team.

About Montréal Pride
Since 2007, at the initiative of Montréal’s 2SLGBTQI+ communities, the Montréal Pride Festival has been promoting their rights and celebrating their cultural richness and social advances. The largest gathering of the sexually and gender diverse (SGD) communities in the Francophone world, it works locally on a daily basis while serving as a beacon of hope for people living in 2SLGBTQI+ hostile regions of the globe.

Montréal Pride presents its activities in Tiohtia:ke, on the unceded Indigenous lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation, whom we recognize as the custodians of the lands and waters on which we gather. Tiohtia:ke is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montréal community.

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