Karin Schnarr
CEO and Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)
Dr. Karin Schnarr is the Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), where she oversees the regulation of alcohol, gaming, and horse racing in the province. She is also a featured speaker at Global Gaming Expo (G2E), presenting on Ontario’s regulatory model in a session titled "Proven. Practical. Ontario’s Model in Action."
Before joining the AGCO on September 18, 2023, Dr. Schnarr built a career bridging academia, government, and public-sector leadership. She holds a PhD in Strategic Management from the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she served as Associate Professor of Strategic Management and Director of both the BBA and MBA programs. Her government roles include Chair of the Ontario Government’s Task Force on Women and the Economy and Chair of the Board of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. She also served on the ALS Canada Advocacy Committee.
Dr. Schnarr’s appointment was widely covered by industry and financial media, and she continues to represent the AGCO at major events. Her leadership focuses on maintaining a balanced regulatory framework that supports innovation while ensuring public safety and integrity in Ontario’s alcohol, gaming, and horse racing sectors.