Effie Canada, which recognizes the most effective marketing work in the country, has appointed two new co-chairs to lead the program for 2026 and 2027.
Sophie-Annick Vallée, partner and chief strategy officer at independent agency LG2, and Jonelle Ricketts, head of marketing at IKEA Canada, will co-chair the Effie Canada Steering Committee, overseeing both the judging of the Effie Awards Canada and the broader program designed to amplify and elevate the impact of the winning work across the industry.
ICA President and CEO and Effie Canada Executive Director, Scott Knox welcomed the appointments, emphasizing the significance of strong leadership in a time of rapid industry change.
“Sophie-Annick and Jonelle represent the best of both sides of the table—creativity and accountability,” said Knox. “Their leadership comes at a time when effectiveness isn’t just a metric, it’s a business imperative. Through Effie, we’re raising the bar on what great Canadian marketing looks like—and who gets recognized for it.”
Together, Vallée and Ricketts bring deep strategic, creative, and client-side leadership experience, reflecting Effie Canada’s continued commitment to effectiveness as a driver of business growth, talent development, client retention, and new business success.
Vallée has led the Strategy practice at LG2 for more than seven years, and has contributed to brand strategies and campaigns for organizations including National Bank of Canada, Hydro-Québec, Air Transat, SAQ, the Royal Canadian Mint, Énergir, and Les Producteurs de lait du Québec. Her work has been recognized with more than 30 national and international awards, and she is a frequent jury member, speaker, and industry spokesperson.
Ricketts leads marketing for IKEA Canada, and her career at the retailer spans more than a decade in Canadian, global, and European roles, including senior leadership positions in media, communications development, and global marketing transformation.
Prior to IKEA, she held senior brand marketing roles at BlackBerry and Sephora Canada. Ricketts was recently named as one of Strategy’s 2025 Marketers of the Year and included on Campaign Canada’s inaugural 2025 More Power list.
Paul Tedesco, the ICA’s Head of Effectiveness and Chair of the Canadian Marketing Effectiveness Council, highlighted the importance of evolving the competition to match the needs of marketers today and tomorrow.
“As the Canadian marketing landscape evolves, so must our definition of effectiveness,” said Tedesco. “These co-chairs bring fresh thinking and hard-earned experience to the table—ensuring that Effie not only rewards what works today, but shapes what will win tomorrow.”
As co-chairs, Vallée and Ricketts will help shape the culture, credibility, and direction of the Effie program, with priorities that include strengthening jury moderation and education, reviewing program partnerships against global best practices, encouraging first-time and regional entrants, and expanding mentorship and guidance for entrants.
The new co-chairs succeed Adam Reeves and Kate Torrance, who complete their two-year term after leading Effie Canada through a period of evolution focused on showcasing new voices, strengthening industry engagement, and expanding learning from winning work.
Sophie-Annick Vallée said: “The Effies celebrate work that does more than turn heads—it moves the needle. In a market like Canada, where creative ideas face real constraints, effectiveness is the multiplier.”
She added: “I’m excited to help strengthen the platform for both first-time and returning entrants—especially those beyond our major markets—so we’re celebrating impact from across the country.”
Jonelle Ricketts said: “At its core, the Effies reinforce what matters most: marketing that earns its place by delivering real, measurable results.”
She added: “I’m proud to help champion a program that bridges creativity and commerce—where marketers and agencies come together to define success.”
The 2026 Effie Awards Canada program is now open for entries and culminates with the announcement of winners later in the year. The 2026 program will also extend the work of the ICA’s The Alchemy of Effectiveness initiative, with support from the Canadian Marketing Effectiveness Council and the Alchemy in Action learning platform, designed to spotlight real-world results and make effective marketing more replicable across the industry.
More information about this year’s competition can be found at effie.org/canada.