1. Who We Are
This Privacy Policy applies to theinterculturalexchange.com (the "Site"), operated by John Edward McGraw in connection with Hiyaku Coaching™, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Intercultural Exchange™ is a live storytelling event series owned, created, and produced by John Edward McGraw.
We are committed to protecting your personal information in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).
Questions about this Policy may be directed to: [email protected]
2. Information We Collect
We collect personal information only when you voluntarily provide it. The table below summarizes what we collect and why:
| Source | Information Collected | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker application form | Full name, email address, phone number (optional), story title and summary, reasons for applying, speaking experience, bio (optional), accessibility needs (optional) | To evaluate speaker applications, coordinate event logistics, and contact selected speakers |
| Newsletter signup form | First name, email address | To send event announcements, storytelling opportunities, and community updates |
| Event ticketing (via Eventbrite) | Name, email address, and payment details (processed directly by Eventbrite) | To facilitate ticket purchase and event attendance. Payment data is handled exclusively by Eventbrite and is not stored on this Site. |
| Website analytics (if applicable) | Anonymized visit data (pages viewed, referral source) | To understand how visitors use the Site and improve content |
We do not collect sensitive personal information such as financial account details, health records, or government identifiers through forms on this Site.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information you provide to:
- Evaluate and respond to speaker applications
- Coordinate logistics with selected speakers (prep calls, scheduling, event day details)
- Send newsletters and event announcements (only with your express consent under CASL)
- Promote the event series, including featuring selected speakers' names, bios, and story themes on the Site and social media (subject to your consent at the time of selection)
- Improve the content and usability of this Site
- Comply with applicable legal obligations
We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
4. Speaker Story Content & Promotional Use
Speaker applications include story summaries, bios, and personal narrative details. This content is used exclusively for:
- Applicant evaluation by the organizer (John Edward McGraw)
- Event promotion if you are selected and confirm your participation — in which case your name, biography, and story theme may appear on the website, event materials, and social media
Applicants who are not selected will have their application data retained for up to 12 months for consideration for future events in the series, unless you request deletion. Applications will not be shared publicly in any form.
Selected speakers who perform at an event provide media and promotional consent through a separate agreement during the onboarding process. This consent covers recording, editing, and distribution of your performance for promotional purposes. You may withdraw future use of recorded content by written request to [email protected].
5. Newsletter Consent (CASL)
When you sign up for the newsletter through this Site, you are providing express consent under CASL to receive commercial electronic messages from The Intercultural Exchange™ / John Edward McGraw. Each newsletter includes an unsubscribe link. You may withdraw consent at any time by clicking that link or emailing us directly.
Newsletter signups are processed through Google Apps Script and stored in MailerLite. By subscribing, your name and email are stored in both systems. MailerLite's privacy policy is available at mailerlite.com.
6. Third-Party Services
This Site uses the following third-party services that may process your data:
- Eventbrite — Ticket sales and attendee management. Eventbrite Privacy Policy
- MailerLite — Email newsletter delivery. MailerLite Privacy Policy
- Google (Fonts, Apps Script, Sheets) — Font delivery, speaker application form processing, and data storage. Google Privacy Policy
- Netlify — Website hosting. Netlify Privacy Policy
Each of these services has its own privacy policy governing their data practices. We encourage you to review them. John Edward McGraw is not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party platform.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law:
- Newsletter subscribers: retained until you unsubscribe
- Speaker applications (not selected): retained for up to 12 months for future event consideration, then deleted — unless you request earlier deletion
- Speaker applications (selected and confirmed): retained for the duration of the event relationship and for up to 3 years for record-keeping purposes, then deleted
- Event correspondence: retained for up to 2 years, then deleted
8. Data Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Speaker application data is stored using Google's infrastructure, which employs industry-standard security practices. Newsletter data is stored with MailerLite, which maintains its own security standards. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Cookies & Tracking
This Site does not use first-party tracking cookies. Third-party services embedded in or linked from the Site — including Eventbrite and Google Fonts — may set their own cookies in accordance with their respective privacy policies. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences.
10. Children's Privacy
This Site and its associated events are not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Speaker applicants must be 18 years of age or older. If you believe a child has submitted information to us, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
11. Your Rights Under PIPEDA
Under PIPEDA, you have the right to:
✓ Access the personal information we hold about you
✓ Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
✓ Withdraw consent to the use of your information (subject to legal or contractual restrictions)
✓ Request deletion of your personal information where it is no longer necessary
✓ File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your rights have been violated
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.
12. Related Site
This Site is a companion property to johnedwardmcgraw.com, the personal and professional website of John Edward McGraw. The Privacy Policy at johnedwardmcgraw.com governs data collected through that site. If you engage with both sites, your data is managed under each site's respective policy. Neither site shares your personal information between its separate data systems without your knowledge.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.
Privacy Questions & Requests
For any questions, access requests, or concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact our privacy officer directly:
John Edward McGraw
The Intercultural Exchange™ · Toronto, Ontario, Canada
[email protected]
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.