Know Your Worth. Tell Your Story.

An intimate evening of professional development, connection, and confidence for women shaping the future of rural tourism.

Thursday, April 23, 2026

You have built something. You have shown up, navigated challenges, delivered results, and shaped your corner of this industry. But when it comes to talking about it — really owning it out loud — most of us hold back.

Know Your Worth. Tell Your Story. is an intimate professional development evening for tourism and hospitality professionals across the Explorers’ Edge region — Algonquin Park, Almaguin Highlands, Loring-Restoule, Muskoka, Parry Sound, and South Algonquin. This is your space to stop underselling yourself and start telling your story with the confidence it deserves.

The evening is warm, focused, and thanks to our facilitator Jen Richardson — genuinely funny. Expect real conversation, a few laughs, and two hours that could change the way you talk about yourself.

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Doors open: 5:00 – 8:00pm
Program: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Venue: Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame, Bracebridge, Ontario

$15 per person
Two tickets: $25 (Know someone who should be in this room? Two tickets for $25 – because the best things are better with a colleague by your side.)

Who Is This For

Designed for women and gender-diverse professionals in tourism, this evening welcomes anyone who wants to be part of building a stronger, more visible industry for women in our region — regardless of role, seniority, or how long you’ve been in the industry.

What to Expect

An Exclusive Experience at the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame
The evening begins with exclusive access to the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame, hosted by General Manager Ann Curley.

Building Your Elevator Pitch with Jen Richardson
Led by comedian and professional connector Jen Richardson, this is the centrepiece of the evening and it’s nothing like the professional development you’re used to. Expect laughs, honest conversation, and a room that feels more like good company than a workshop. Together we’ll work through building two pitches — one personal and one organisational — designed to bring out the accomplishments you’ve been leaving out. You’ll leave with words that actually sound like you.

Connect
You’ll get the chance to use your new pitch the best way possible — in real conversation with people who get it. A warm, guided networking exercise where you’ll meet peers from across the Explorers’ Edge region, connect on who you are and what you’ve built, and dig into real conversations about what it means to work in tourism today.

Meet Your Host — Autumn Smith

Autumn Smith is a director, curator, professor, and community builder based in Muskoka. As the Artistic and Executive Director of TimberBeast Productions, she creates immersive live performance rooted in the stories of this region. A conservatory-trained actor from the Oxford School of Drama, holder of an MFA in Theatre Direction from York University, and a 2026 nominee for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for the District of Muskoka, Autumn brings warmth, presence, and deep roots in this community to everything she does.

Meet Your Facilitator — Jen Richardson

In June 2025, comedian Jen Richardson was told by a psychic that she was a phoenix. She thought it was a figurative expression. Six weeks later her house burned down. Jen’s charming, awkward, and somewhat dark and flirty material hits audiences in a shockingly relatable way. She’s so sad she’s hilarious. She’s sold out shows in Toronto and all over Windsor, she performs all over Michigan and genuinely enjoys people, connecting with them and laughing with them. 

In her other life she’s a professional networker and connection maker, with a unique ability to reach and connect with industry leaders and change makers. Leveraging her natural inquisitiveness, her professional background in sales, headhunting, hospitality, and account management in advertising, to form and build real relationships on a human to human level. 

Recently, Jen left 55 Rush (Parent Life Network & Student Life Network) so she could better support her daughter. 

Questions about the event?

Contact Rachel Dawson at Explorers’ Edge — [email protected]

Why Explorers’ Edge Invest in Women in Tourism

By investing in women’s leadership, skill development, and wellbeing, Explorers’ Edge is helping build a stronger, more resilient tourism economy — one where diverse perspectives shape decision-making, innovation flourishes, and every visitor feels the welcoming and authenticity of a region that truly values the women who make it what it is.