Chris Ngabonziza

Multidisciplinary creative and project leader with 20+ years of professional experience spanning cultural programming, creative operations, project management, artist development, partnerships, live events, and multimedia production. Experienced in transforming creative ideas into executable projects by coordinating people, budgets, timelines, partners, and production workflows from concept through delivery. Background includes leading large-scale cultural programming, managing complex multilingual projects, developing international creative partnerships, producing digital campaigns, and building independent artistic ventures across Canada, the United States, Europe, and East Africa. Combines senior-level strategic experience with a highly hands-on approach to execution, problem-solving, communication, and creative production.

• Canva
• Google Workspace
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Photoshop
• Project management
• Stakeholder Management
• Zoom

1. FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR & STORYTELLER

   TONTONCHRIS

   Aug 2023 to Present

   Montréal, QC

   • Lead overall creative and business strategy across music releases, visual identity, content, partnerships, audience development, and artist positioning. • Develop multidisciplinary creative campaigns from concept through delivery, including creative direction, production planning, photography, video, editing, visual storytelling, and digital rollout. • Direct and co-direct music videos and creative assets while collaborating with cinematographers, photographers, designers, producers, editors, stylists, musicians, and other creative partners. • Manage projects across Montréal and Kigali, coordinating collaborators, production schedules, budgets, travel, deliverables, and release timelines. • Build creative collaborations spanning Canada and East Africa, developing relationships with artists, producers, media, cultural organizations, and industry professionals. • Produce original campaigns generating 1M + organic video views while growing audiences across multiple digital platforms. • Develop content calendars and platform-specific strategies across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and other digital channels. • Manage projects from early creative development through production, post-production, distribution, marketing, and audience engagement. • Incorporate emerging AI-assisted creative technologies into visual development and production workflows, including concept generation, previsualization, image development, video production, and creative experimentation. • Manage independent budgets, contractors, negotiations, partnerships, rights considerations, promotional activities, and project logistics. • Build artist positioning around cross-cultural storytelling, identity, belonging, and contemporary African and international creative perspectives.

2. DIRECTOR, PROGRAMMING & ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT

   Fierté Montréal

   Jun 2021 to Mar 2026

   Montréal, QC

   • Led programming and artistic development across multiple stages, events, and cultural initiatives involving 200+ artists and performers. • Managed $800K+ in artistic programming budgets, balancing creative ambition, operational requirements, artist fees, production needs, and organizational priorities. • Developed programming strategy from initial concept through contracting, production, execution, and post-event evaluation. • Negotiated artist offers, agreements, partnerships, and programming opportunities with artists, agents, managers, producers, cultural organizations, and industry partners. • Built and maintained relationships across Montréal, Canada, and international markets to expand artist and partnership opportunities. • Coordinated cross-functional delivery with production, communications, marketing, operations, partnerships, community relations, technical teams, external suppliers, and senior leadership. • Managed competing priorities, changing production requirements, artist needs, deadlines, and high-pressure decision-making during major live events. • Developed community-responsive programming balancing established talent, emerging artists, cultural relevance, representation, audience development, and organizational objectives. • Contributed to long-term artistic strategy and programming development, including cross-city and international collaboration opportunities. • Represented the organization with artists, cultural partners, community organizations, agencies, and external stakeholders.

3. EXECUTIVE & CREATIVE ASSISTANT

   Confidential Private Client

   Feb 2019 to Jan 2020

   Los Angeles, California

   • Served as a trusted right-hand, providing day-to-day executive, logistical, creative, and personal support. • Coordinated domestic and international travel, schedules, appointments, logistics, and evolving priorities. • Contributed to creative brainstorming sessions, helping develop ideas and supporting artistic projects from concept through execution. • Assisted with sensitive personal and family matters while exercising discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment. • Facilitated cross-cultural communication and provided French-language tutoring to the client and their children, adapting lessons to individual learning styles. • Anticipated needs and responded quickly to changing circumstances in a fast-moving creative environment. • Built and maintained a trusted working relationship through initiative, reliability, discretion, and independent problem-solving.

4. BAND MANAGER, BOOKING AGENT & ARTIST MANAGER

   Dear Denizen • ABAKOS • Pang Attack

   Aug 2012 to Jan 2019

   Montréal, QC

   • Directed management, booking, touring, release strategy, and professional development across three independent artist projects. • Produced and coordinated approximately 80+ live performances and tour dates across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. • Secured appearances at festivals and industry events including Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, Francos de Montréal, FME, Osheaga, POP Montréal, The Great Escape, and FOCUS Wales. • Coordinated performances and professional activities in Montréal, Toronto, New York, Berlin, Paris, and other international markets. • Negotiated bookings, artist fees, agreements, travel arrangements, accommodations, technical requirements, and production logistics. • Developed relationships with promoters, venues, festivals, media, booking professionals, labels, cultural organizations, and other industry stakeholders. • Secured multiple travel, research, writing, and promotional grants supporting artist development and international activity. • Led release planning, promotional strategy, media outreach, touring logistics, and partnership development. • Coordinated television appearances including Belle et Bum and Studio 12. • Balanced creative development with the practical business requirements of sustaining independent music projects.

5. ASSISTANT RESTAURANT MANAGER & BARTENDER

   Quai des Brumes & Le Gamelin

   Mar 2012 to Jun 2018

   Montréal & New York

   • Supported daily restaurant and bar operations while supervising teams of approximately 10 staff per shift, including bartenders, servers, bussers, and support staff. • Created staff schedules and helped coordinate shift coverage and operational requirements. • Trained employees and facilitated onboarding for new bartenders and team members. • Managed cash reconciliation, closing procedures, deposits, and other financial controls. • Assisted with supplier ordering, stock management, and inventory. • Acted as manager on duty when required, handling customer issues, staffing challenges, operational problems, and unexpected situations. • Helped manage service volumes reaching approximately 200 guests on busy nights at Quai des Brumes. • Frequently assigned key responsibilities during high-volume periods including New Year's Eve, festivals, and major events. • Recognized for calm problem-solving, fast-paced service, decisive execution, and communication with multilingual clientele.

6. FASHION MODEL

   Giovanni Model Management

   Aug 2006 to Dec 2012

   Montréal, QC

   • Appeared in national and international advertising campaigns. • Worked with brands including ALDO, Honda, Paco Rabanne, Sears, and Hudson's Bay. • Worked across Montréal, New York, Milan, London, Paris, and other international markets. • Collaborated with photographers, creative directors, stylists, producers, agencies, and production teams in fast-paced professional environments. • Developed strong on-camera presence, adaptability, professionalism, interpersonal communication, and confidence working across cultures and international markets.

7. PROJECT MANAGER

   LexiTech International & SDL International

   Jul 2003 to Aug 2006

   Montréal, QC

   • Managed approximately 50+ simultaneous small, medium, and large multilingual projects across multiple clients and subject areas. • Coordinated approximately 30+ local and international freelance and in-house linguists, including translators and revisers selected according to language pair and subject-matter expertise. • Coordinated additional production resources including graphic designers, web designers, and desktop-publishing specialists. • Managed projects for clients including CIBC and Statistics Canada, as well as other private and governmental organizations. • Maintained approximately 98%+ on-time delivery across a fast-paced portfolio of concurrent projects. • Managed project schedules, scope, client requirements, production workflows, resources, quality-control processes, and delivery. • Ensured appropriate technical terminology and specialized lexicons were applied according to project and client requirements. • Communicated between clients, linguists, designers, production specialists, and internal teams to resolve issues and maintain delivery schedules. • Balanced multiple urgent priorities while maintaining quality, accuracy, and client expectations.

8. GRAPHIC DESIGNER

   GLS Design

   Jun 2002 to Jul 2003

   Ottawa, ON

   • Supported graphic design and web-production assignments across a range of client projects. • Assisted with the development and preparation of visual assets, layouts, banners, and other design materials. • Contributed to website layouts, graphic production, image retouching, and design revisions. • Prepared creative deliverables according to established brand and project requirements. • Developed foundational professional experience in client-driven creative production, deadlines, feedback, and collaborative design workflows.

1. Algonquin College

   COLLEGE CERTIFICATE IN MEDIA STUDIES, Media Studies

   Ottawa, ON

   2001 to 2003