Georgian gala
The signature event of the year
Georgian’s biennial gala event, hosted at Casino Rama Resort, welcomes 300 guests and has raised more than $1 million to support scholarships, awards and bursaries for talented and deserving Georgian students since its inception in 2006. Guests experience a gourmet, five-course dinner with wine pairings, participate in an exciting electronic and live auction, and enjoy amazing entertainment and special remarks.
On this page:
About the gala
Here’s your chance to make a real difference and spark student success!
All proceeds from this signature event benefit Georgian’s awards, scholarships and bursary program.
Your investment will open doors, remove barriers and support the delivery of an unrivaled student experience at Georgian. Help ensure that financial hardship doesn’t prevent aspiring students from pursuing their dreams.
Master of ceremonies and host
James Cunningham
Musical entertainment by
Dwayne Gretzky
Dwayne Gretzky is a curated nostalgia trip that captures the unique joy of turning a radio dial and being surprised by the familiar. A 10+ piece juggernaut that brings to life the greatest songs of all time, this talented group of Toronto musicians ignites audiences with their charm, fidelity and theatrical flair. Celebrating classic pop and rock, from Fleetwood Mac to Fatboy Slim, Dwayne Gretzky has delivered electrifying renditions of over 600 songs.
Gala auction
By donating items or services to Georgian’s gala you are helping to ensure student success.
Choose one of the following options:
Create a gift basket
Choose a theme, ask department members to contribute towards basket items and send to our team to be included in the auction.
Check out some basket ideas to spark your creativity.
Please email our team the theme you have chosen to avoid duplicates.
Amazon wish list
No time to shop? Check out our Amazon wish list, purchase an item and it will be shipped directly to our team to be included in the auction.
Meet the 2023 gala committee
Ali Khonsari, Co-chair
Owner and Vice President, Image Dental Laboratory
Past Chair, Georgian College Board of Governors 2022-23
Business Marketing Administration (class of 1997)
Addison Wallwin, Co-chair
Controller, Wallwin Electric Services Ltd.
Pre-health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees (class of 2015) and Business Administration – Accounting (class of 2019)
Chris Adams
Founder and Managing Director, Adams Hamilton
David Bell
Associate Vice President, Advancement and Alumni Relations, Georgian College
Patty Bradley
Senior Presidential Advisor and Government Relations, Georgian College
Tourism Management (class of 1995)
Alex Cardno
Wealth Advisor, Scotia Wealth Management
Paulo Cardoso
Chief Partnerships Officer, JKR Agency
Business – Marketing (class of 2018)
Melissa Cardoso
Chief Marketing Officer, JKR Agency
Travel and Tourism (class of 2018)
Parker Coulter
Broker of Record, Parker Coulter Realty
Sheila Delaney
Community leader
Marilyn Nigro
Faculty, School of Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation, Georgian College
Cathy Turner
Community leader
Mary-Anne Willsey
Operations Oversight, Mariposa Market Stores
Vice Chair, Board of Governors, Georgian College
Get inspired
Our last gala, Georgian’s Crystal Ball, presented by BMO Bank of Montreal in 2019, was a resounding success, raising more than $200,000 to support student success initiatives at Georgian College. The event, which was hosted at Casino Rama Resort, welcomed close to 300 guests and brought the total amount raised by this event to more than $1 million since its inception in 2006.
This biennial event was cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are excited to welcome our friends and supporters back to the gala in 2023!
Thank you to our generous 2023 sponsors
Presenting sponsor
Venue sponsor
Radio and media sponsor
Impact-level sponsors
Combustion-level sponsors
Blaze-level sponsors
Ignite-level sponsors
Spark-level sponsors
Friends of Georgian sponsors
