Katherine Gougeon
After 6 years as an agency-side writer/strategist, Katherine founded a marketing consultancy dedicated to generating chemistry between brand and audience. For flagship client, IKEA, she created six-years of award-winning national news campaigns and live events. Her work garnered unprecedented media attention, inspiring Marketing Magazine to name IKEA ‘(PR) Marketer of the Year’.
As founder of Top Button, Katherine works with decision-makers across multiple geographies and sectors, including technology, finance, life sciences, cybersecurity, real estate, cannabis, media + entertainment, law, executive search and management consulting. Her powerful process is designed to reveal what makes your offering uniquely indispensable and position it as the clear and only choice in even the most crowded marketplace.
Katherine’s proven approach to brand development is purpose-built to grow businesses, brands and influence and is particularly powerful for companies looking to scale, sell or attract talent or investment. Her method puts you in class by yourself and delivers the strategic communications system to help you stay there.
Katherine also contributes to national publications where she interviews CEOs, scientists, economists, futurists, best-selling authors, cultural icons and media manipulators. She enjoys blogging about marketing and media moments that have an outsized ripple effect.
Pat Pirisi
As an accomplished writer, strategist, and long time Creative Director, Pat has created countless integrated multi-channel campaigns on some of the world’s leading brands. Pat has won hundreds of awards — One Show, D&AD, CA, Cannes, as well as all the Canadian shows — and his work has been featured on CNN, CBC News, Global News, CTV News, Breakfast Television, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, Adweek, AdAge and countless other news and media outlets on multiple occasions.
Pat has judged numerous advertising award shows, as well as having written for the Globe & Mail, National Post, and many other industry magazines on the subjects of advertising and marketing.
As an industry veteran, Pat has world class experience leading brands like Wal-Mart, Rogers Communications, Apple, Chrysler, Nissan, The City of Toronto, Ontario Ministry of Environment, Hershey, Cadbury, Heinz, AB InBev, Under Armour, Home Depot, Pfizer, Shire, CIBC, TD Bank, GE Capital, Unilever, Nestle, and many more. His non-profit work includes the likes of Diabetes Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, Imagine Canada, Alzheimer Society Canada, Kids Help Phone, Concerned Children’s Advertisers, among others.
Pat is a graduate of the University of Toronto having completed a 4-year co-specialist program with a double major in English and Philosophy.