Our Staff Team
Our Staff Team
Tracy Van Kalsbeek
Executive Director
Tracy joined K-W Oktoberfest as their new Executive Director in July of 2023. Before that, she spent five+ years as the Executive Director of the Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area (BIA) after three and a half years as the Executive Director at the Stratford Perth Community Foundation. She has also been a project Manager for Manulife’s Philanthropy & Sponsorships team, Manager of Marketing & Communications at the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF) and Program Manager for Junior Achievement. Tracy is an avid volunteer within the community and has chaired and sat on many Boards and Committees over the years. Her current positions include: Trust and Council member of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, IWF Waterloo Chapter Membership Chair, WCT Mentoring Circles Mentor, Grant Committee member for the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Board member and Chair of Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation. When not learning to become a better polka dancer, Tracy can be found spending time with her life partner Jay, twin daughters Katelyn and Cassidy and adorable grand babies Clayton, Huntleigh, TJ and Angus. Or walking her dogs Georgie and Daisy too!
Carol Tucker
Volunteer & Administration Manager
Carol was delighted when she joined the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest team many, many years ago. Over the years, she has worked in many areas including not one but two office relocations, participating in the Night Parade (1993) and had the honour to tap the keg at the President’s Rally in 2011. Carol recognizes and values the importance of our volunteers and has been known to lend a hand if a committee is shorthanded. Currently, she works with the Parade, Volunteer Services, and various Event Supports Teams. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family & friends, reading, retail therapy, and travelling.
Laurie Davison
Business Development Manager
Laurie has held an unofficial role of Oktoberfest tour guide since she was 19 years old. This role was completely self-appointed and involved recruiting dozens of university students from three different cities to come to KW to experience the festival (and then crash at her parents’ house). She joined the K-W Oktoberfest team in an official capacity in 2008 when she moved back to Kitchener after 10 years in Ottawa. She showed up at the Oktoberfest office and refused to leave. Eventually the team gave her the role of Marketing & Events Coordinator. In 2010, Laurie began working with festival sponsors in a supporting role, and over time and many years of learning, evolved into the role of Business Development Manager. During her years in Ottawa, Laurie worked for the Ottawa Marathon and the Embassy of Taiwan, in both event management and marketing roles. Career highlights for Laurie include working on a Grey Cup, volunteering for the Ottawa Young Professionals Gala and the time she got to lower a keg of beer from a helicopter. In her spare time Laurie volunteers at her daughters’ school, assisting with organizing book fairs and other school events and fundraisers.
Cassie Melo
Marketing & Communications Manager
Cassie loves good stories, creative ideas and the challenge of turning both into something people can connect with. With a background in marketing, communications, events and hospitality, she’s spent the last five-plus years bringing campaigns, content and ideas to life. She’s happiest when she can be creative, think strategically and be involved in the details. She loves figuring out how all the pieces come together to create something people can enjoy and remember. When she’s not working, she’s probably spending time with her dog, watching game shows or reading a thriller she can’t put down. And if there’s a pretzel involved, even better.
Hayley Press
Outreach & Events Manager
Hayley is an experiential event strategist who specializes in designing and delivering events and experiences that foster meaningful engagement and lasting impressions. With a decade-long portfolio spanning event management – from interactive trade shows, festivals, and fundraising galas, to conferences, concerts, and pop-up activations -, community engagement, and experiential marketing, she approaches every opportunity with a focus on crafting solutions that feel cohesive, immersive, and intentionally executed from start to finish.
Canada Summer Jobs Team Members
Esther Timm
Events & Administration Assistant
Esther started volunteering with K-W Oktoberfest in September of 2025 as part of their marketing committee, and fell in love with the festival. Now she can be found doing all things Oktoberfest (usually dressed in Tracht). Having freshly graduated from college, she was excited to join the organization as one of their Canada Summer Jobs students. She loves getting to know new people, connecting them with Oktoberfest and figuring out how they can best get involved. When she’s not telling anyone and everyone to come out to the festival, she can be found competing or teaching kung fu. She can also be found hiking, walking with her dog Pippin, cozied up with a book, enjoying a new film or tv show, screaming her heart out at a concert, getting overly competitive playing board games with her family or spending time with her friends.
Mya Rock
Graphic Design & Marketing Coordinator
Mya Rock is a multidisciplinary designer from Kitchener who mixes creativity and storytelling. She specializes in Print, Branding, Social media and Photography. She is excited to be apart of the Oktoberfest team this summer as their graphic designer.
K-W Oktoberfest Inc. Staffing Team Mission & Values
View the Mission and Value Statement here.
