Janelle Janis is the Executive Director of Event & Business Development at Explore Edmonton, Edmonton’s Destination Management and Marketing Organization. She leads the attraction of major sport, cultural, and business events and oversees the community activations that bring these major events to life.
As a proud Edmontonian, Janelle is deeply committed to building a thriving future for the region and its people. Her love for the city fuels her mission to attract transformative events—events that tell Edmonton’s story to the world, strengthen its social prosperity, and bolster its economic resilience. With a visionary and dedicated team by her side, Janelle is determined to shape a brighter future for Edmonton, one event at a time.
Janelle is honoured to be recognized in Edify’s Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2021 for her exceptional contributions in building Edmonton into a premier event destination. As a strong believer in giving back, she has served on numerous community and professional boards and committees - she currently serves on Destination Canada's Business Events Advisory Committee and is Past Chair of the NorQuest College 1000 Women Committee.
She earned her Bachelor of Commerce as an Academic All-Canadian while competing with the University of Alberta’s varsity soccer team and completed her MBA in 2021. While Janelle is a passionate city builder, her greatest passion in life is being the mother of two young boys and teaching them the power of paying it forward.