Mary Prefontaine is the Executive Director of the Institute for Career Advancement Needs, Inc. (ICAN) – a leadership development organization helping companies nationwide to develop their next generation of leaders. Ms. Prefontaine has over 20 years of experience in senior executive positions in marketing and business development in both non-profit and for-profit organizations. Prior to joining ICAN in 2006, Mary was the Vice President of Marketing for the Omaha Symphony, the leading performing arts organization in Nebraska.

Prior to moving to Omaha from Vancouver, Canada in 2004, her career was in tourism and destination development. She served as Director of Tourism Communications for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Bid Corporation and as a destination management consultant for the government of British Columbia. She also served as Director of Business Development and Government Relations, and Director of Sales and Market Development, with the Greater Vancouver Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Ms. Prefontaine has served on the board of directors of the Fraser Academy; the International Relations committee for the Professional Convention and Meeting Planners Association based in Chicago; and on the Asia and European Marketing Committee for the Canadian Tourism Commission. She has traveled to more than 14 countries, and in 2007 she spent a month in Africa working for the Kenyan Children’s Foundation helping build a better community for children suffering due to AIDS. Mary is driven by her passion to help make the world a better place through her love of the earth and humanity. She shares her love of travel, diverse cultures, music and nature with her life partner, Rob and their children Ian and Jocelyn.

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