A social gathering with a purpose, Faces of Fusion is where professional networking and community celebration meet. This signature annual event, hosted by Fusion Saint John on Feb. 6, 2026, shines a spotlight on the individuals, organizations, and businesses helping to move the Saint John region forward.
Here are the fifteen finalists across five award categories that will be celebrated at Faces of Fusion. The award winner in each category will be announced on stage.
Selection process: nominations were open to the public, and finalists and winners were determined by an external jury made up of Fusion alumni and organizational partners.
Vanessa Leblanc (VBYX The Fitness Studio) – Business & Entrepreneur Excellence
Vanessa is the founder of VBYX The Fitness Studio, driven by a lifelong passion for fitness and a desire to inspire others. Her journey into wellness has always been about more than personal health—it’s about building a supportive community where individuals can thrive and reach their full potential. As an entrepreneur and mom, she is passionate about setting a positive example by prioritizing balance, wellness, and leading by action. You’ll find her on the bikes, on the benches, or behind the desk, fully immersed in studio life.
Maggie Bryson & Loretta Landry (Jeremiah’s Deli & Charlotte Street Bakery) – Business & Entrepreneur Excellence
Loretta Landry and Maggie Bryson met in 2011 where they worked together at Jeremiah’s Deli in the Saint John City Market. 8 years later, February of 2019, they established their own corporation, RoseLynn Foods Ltd.
Since then, they have continued to work side by side to grow their business within the community that they love. This led them to expand into the neighboring stall beside Jeremiah’s, opening the Charlotte Street bakery. Their love for the Market and the City as a whole, shows greatly in their dedication. They are working hard to achieve their goals and to carry on the Legacy.
James Mailman (KYC Sports) – Business & Entrepreneur Excellence
James Mailman is the Founder and Director of KYC Sports Ltd., a Canadian performance sports-equipment company redefining accessibility in hockey through innovation, thoughtful design, and community-first values.
Founded in 2023 as KYC Hockey, the company began as a pro-stock distributor before evolving into a fully independent brand designing and manufacturing its own high-performance hockey sticks and equipment. Under James’ leadership, KYC Sports has developed proprietary technologies, expanded internationally, and earned recognition as one of Canada’s fastest-emerging hockey brands.
James leads all aspects of the business, including product development, brand strategy, operations, and global partnerships. His hands-on approach ensures that KYC products meet the performance demands of competitive athletes while remaining attainable for grassroots, youth, and recreational players. The brand’s philosophy challenges the industry norm that elite performance must come with elite pricing.
Beyond commercial growth, James has positioned KYC Sports as a community-driven organization, actively supporting youth hockey programs, university teams, and grassroots initiatives. His work reflects a broader commitment to equity in sport and to building a sustainable Canadian brand with international reach.
The Smart Energy Company – Environmental & Sustainability Leadership
Mark McAloon founded The Smart Energy Company in New Brunswick in 2016, driven by a passion for building smarter, more sustainable energy solutions. His brother, Jeff McAloon, later joined the company, and together they lead Smart Energy as Co-CEOs. At the core of their work is a shared belief in energy independence, rooted in both their family values and the company’s mission. Mark and Jeff are committed to helping farmers take control of their energy costs through practical, efficient solutions. Their long-term goal is bold but simple: help farmers save $1 billion in utility costs.
Samir Yammine (City of Saint John) – Environmental & Sustainability Leadership
“Samir Yammine, P. Eng, is the Director of Asset Management and Environmental Performance for the City of Saint John, NB. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and completed two years Master of Electrical engineering coursework from Dalhousie University. His responsibilities include providing strategic leadership and
direction to the Senior Leadership Team and Common Council in developing and implementing the Corporate Asset Management Program as well as the city community/corporate and Climate Change Plans. The objective of these programs/programs is to ensure the efficiency, effective and resiliency of the City’s infrastructure (estimated to be nearly $3.6 Billion as of 2012) as well as setting priorities, strategies, policies, environmental initiatives and approaches for capital investment and life cycle management.
Samir has developed, implemented, and managed over 100 sustainable energy and climate change projects on new and existing city infrastructure, including the development and implementation of the City Climate Change Action Plan. These projects initiated by Samir have won the City of Saint John many national and regional awards such as the Premiers’ Award for Energy Efficiency and FCM-CH2M HILL Sustainable Community Awards in the Energy Category presented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Notwithstanding, Mr. Yammine has helped secure over $48 Million in funding toward various sustainable environmental initiatives and infrastructure renewal , and has been a guest speaker at many conferences, workshops, and webinars across Canada.
Bloom Funding – Environmental & Sustainability Leadership
Bloom Funding empowers businesses and nonprofits to access funding, scale innovative initiatives, and elevate their social and environmental impact. Bloom’s sustainability services support businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities to turn sustainability goals into measurable, actionable outcomes. Our work spans climate adaptation and applied research, including a recent urban heat island study conducted with ACAP for the City of Saint John. Through Bloom’s Sustainability Bootcamp, organizations address their operational and growth goals through a sustainability lens using NuMetric, an assessment tool designed specifically for SMEs and developed in partnership with The Decency Foundation. We also deliver sector-specific programming, including sustainability-for-export engagements with ACOA’s Launch Export initiative and applied training on sustainability and sales with UNB’s Ponde-Deshpande Centre and Atlantic Growth Solutions.
Lindsay Jacquard – Arts & Culture Achievement
Lindsay Jacquard is an artist and arts administrator from Nova Scotia, now living in Menahqesk/Saint John, New Brunswick. She holds a Master’s in Arts Leadership from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NSCAD University. With ten years of experience working in arts administration across multiple disciplines, she is passionate about encouraging and enabling creative pursuits. She sits on the Saint John Community Arts Board, is Co-Chair of Fog Lit Festival and President of Third Space Gallery, and co-founded Third Watch, a festival of audio-visual works as a part of THIRD SHIFT. Lindsay is currently the Sponsorship & Patron Services Manager at Imperial Theatre, and is excited about her new role as Development Officer.
Claire Ahern (Saint John Swing Dance) – Arts & Culture Achievement
Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Claire Ahern founded Saint John Swing Dance after moving to the city in 2019 to work as a flute teaching artist with Sistema NB. Developing the city’s swing dance scene from scratch, she set out to bring the joy, connection, and community of swing dancing to Saint John.
Ms. Ahern has hosted more than 100 events and has taught over 1,000 (and counting!) Saint Johners how to dance. Building on this work, Claire’s recent ventures include expanding into wedding dance instruction. She is grateful to the Saint John community for embracing her vision of creativity, collaboration, and connection through dance.
Fabiola Martinez (Dia de los Muertos Atlantic Canada Festival) – Arts & Culture Achievement
Fabiola Martinez is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist and cultural leader based in Quispamsis. She is the founder and director of Día de los Muertos Atlantic, a festival celebrating art, culture, and community while fostering international cultural exchanges with México. Supported by local, provincial, national, and international organizations, her work builds cultural bridges, promotes inclusion, and advances creative placemaking.
The Saint John Learning Exchange – Saint John Champion (Community Leadership)
The Learning Exchange is committed to empowering youth and adults in Saint John to reach their education and employment goals. Their mission is to be Saint John’s leading community resource for wraparound support, individualized learning, skill development, and access to employment.
For over 40 years, the Learning Exchange has pioneered innovative programs that meet the needs of the community by providing an alternative and progressive environment focused on individualized learning, employment, and personal development plans that meet the unique needs of everyone who walks through our doors.
Michael Sadavoy – Saint John Champion (Community Leadership)
Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Mike has proudly called Saint John home for the past decade. With over 20 years in the broadcast industry, he transitioned in 2022 to supporting local businesses through his work with the Chamber of Commerce. He is now partnered with a new company dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and organizations grow and thrive.
When he’s not actively involved in community events, Mike spends his time fostering at-risk dogs, hiking the beautiful trails of our province, and passionately advocating for and supporting newcomers in the region.
Karen Cummings – Saint John Champion (Community Leadership)
Karen Cummings is the Executive Director of Centre for Youth Care and President of the New Brunswick Youth Care Association. With more than 15 years of experience, her work spans community-based youth care, youth shelter and supportive housing, and the development of affordable housing for youth. She works closely with frontline staff, community partners, and young people to identify gaps and create practical, real-time solutions that centre lived experience. She is deeply committed to improving outcomes for youth in care and is a passionate advocate for ending youth homelessness, grounded in the belief that lasting solutions are built together.
Ovunda Green – New ‘Johner’ (newcomer recognition)
Ovunda Green is a strategic project manager and community-focused professional based in Saint John, New Brunswick. He works full-time with Black Lives Matter New Brunswick, where he previously supported the Skills for Success Carpentry Program, a workforce development initiative that provides youth with hands-on carpentry training, essential employability skills, industry exposure, and pathways into apprenticeships and construction-related employment.
He currently serves as Program Manager for the Youth Leadership Employment Program, working alongside partners to support youth in building leadership capacity, job readiness, and sustainable employment outcomes. In addition, Ovunda contributes his time in a volunteer capacity as President of the Black Business & Professional Network (BBPN), supporting entrepreneurship, professional development, mentorship, and inclusive economic opportunities within the BIPOC community. He holds an MBA in Project Management from the University of New Brunswick and a PhD in Petroleum Economics and is committed to collaborative, practical approaches that strengthen workforce outcomes and inclusive growth in Saint John.
Dr. Nada Rabie – New ‘Johner’ (newcomer recognition)
Since relocating to Saint John in 2023, Dr. Nada Rabie has established herself as a key
figure in the local entrepreneurship and business growth community. At Envision Saint
John, she works to empower small and micro-businesses by connecting them to vital
resources, breaking down barriers, and enabling their growth and development. As a
strong advocate for diversity, equity, and newcomer inclusion, she mentors women and
newcomer founders across multiple regional and national programs. Nada also
contributes to the academic community as a Contract Assistant Professor at UNB Saint
John and as a judge for entrepreneurship competitions at UNB Fredericton, where she
champions experiential learning and student success. She remains deeply committed to
building a more inclusive, innovative, and opportunity-rich Saint John for all.
Sam Del Duca – New ‘Johner’ (newcomer recognition)
Sam Del Duca is a nonbinary American whose background spans law, hospitality, and nonprofit work. They hold a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center where they served as editor in chief of the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law. During law school Sam worked for NPR and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs during the Obama Administration. After leaving the legal industry to pursue their passion for community-facing work in hospitality, Sam directed front of house operations for the 2023 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant Award winner Friday Saturday Sunday in Philadelphia.
After moving to Saint John with their partner (a born and raised Johner) Sam began volunteering for Chroma NB, hosting Chroma’s monthly intergenerational supper club for the local queer and trans community. Now in their role as program manager for Chroma, Sam provides support for members of the 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Brunswick and serves as a founding member of the board of directors for the Queer Atlantic Business Hub across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland.