Instructor Biographies 

Anyone who meets Don Waltho would immediately notice his unique dedication for the floral trade. There’s a reason for it. Waltho has a lifetime of experience in the floral industry and he brings all of his versatility, enthusiasm and expertise to his role as the Founder and President of the Canadian Institute of Floral Design.

Waltho comes by his talent naturally. Son of floral master Bill Waltho, he found himself drawn to the family business at age eight, eagerly assisting with every chore at the Toronto-based Avenue Flower Shop, from filling Floralife envelopes to making deliveries by bicycle.

In 1976, he made his career choice official by taking floral training with design expert Bob Ross, now on CIFD’s faculty — as well attending the design schools of FTD, UFC and Flowers Canada. He naturally benefited from years of his father’s expertise: in 1981, Waltho Sr. was honored as Teleflora’s Florist of the Year and then went on to the UK to place second in the world competition. The Waltho family subsequently operated three successful flower shops in Sydney, Australia.

Since 1976, Don Waltho has created for himself one of the most well rounded careers in the Canadian florist industry, one that serves him well in his leadership of the CIFD. He worked five years as a retail florist in Mississauga, then as a highly successful sales rep for wholesale florists with Highland Evergreen & Supply and Dales’-William Corrigan.

Throughout the years, he has continued as a freelance floral designer, incorporating The Waltho Floral Collection. He has done floral design for performances by Harry Belafonte and Red Skelton at the O’Keefe Centre in Toronto (now the Hummingbird Centre) and he worked with the prestigious design team at Toronto’s highly regarded Eaton’s Flower Shop on countless society weddings and events.

In 1984, Waltho decided to share his enthusiasm for floral design with students, becoming a floral instructor with the Toronto School of Floral Design. In 1988, he founded the Canadian Institute of Floral Design, a private career college registered and approved by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Waltho, a member of the National Flowers Canada Education Committee, the National Association of Career Colleges, is proud to have recently joined the prestigious AIFD, American Institute of Floral Designers as an Educational Partner.

The Canadian Institute of Floral Design is proud to welcome Monica Schut to our teaching faculty: an extraordinary businesswoman blessed with equal parts creativity. She brings three decades of professional floral design and business management experience to her role as instructor for this essential course. Her rare blend of business savvy and artistry is strengthened by a career-long commitment to educating herself on all facets of establishing a successful small business.

For almost twenty years, Schut and her husband David owned and operated a florist business which steadily grew to three successful locations spanning across the Greater Toronto Area. They carved a niche for themselves by excelling at relationship marketing, distinctive designs and staff training. In recognition of her leadership role in the floral industry, Schut was asked to sit on the Retail Floriculture Program Board at Humber College in Toronto. In 1994, the business was sold it to one of their long-term employees and it still thrives today.

Since that time, Schut has been in demand as a design consultant and small business coach in the development of others’ floral businesses. Throughout the years, she has assisted many fledgling floral business owners in the preparation of complete business and marketing plans, as well as the development of systems for accounting and staff sales training. She has maintained her creative connection to the profession by teaching community floral design courses and courses for larger design centres.

Schut's leadership roles have extended well beyond the floral industry. A few highlights include employment by the Province of Ontario as a Small Business Advisor for the Guelph Business Enterprise Centre, and, generating the highest sales ever as the Marketing and Sales representative for Erin Newspapers Limited.

Her obvious aptitude for combining design with nature is evidenced by her early career choice of floral design. It has led her full-circle to her current career as visual artist. Years of study in clay art and decorative finishes at Sheridan College and the Haliburton College of Fine Arts have led her to create her own sculpting and freize technique using indigenous rock and minerals. A number of her unique works are now in private collections and exhibits. Her studio "Croi Go Lamh" (Heart to Hand) www.croigolamh.ca also showcases many pieces.

Schut shares her business acumen with the arts community, chairing the Strategic Planning Committee for the Future of Art in the Headwaters Region, representing the Arts Sector or the Erin Economic Development Committee, and, sitting on the Regeneration Committee for the Ontario Craft Council.

Nova Scotia native Emily Mays brings a true down-to-earth perspective to Canadian Institute of Floral Design (CIFD) her appreciation for organics began at a very early age with a grass roots exposure to parents and grandparents with their “hands in the dirt”. Academically, Emily earned her bilingual certificate and became an award-winning public speaker.

In 1995, she pursued her post-secondary education in technical theatre studies at Acadia University. In her first semester, she was granted second-year status with the Acadia Theatre Company. In 1998, she commenced her fresh and faux flower training as a junior designer with Jungle Interiors. She later accepted a position with upscale home and garden boutique Garden Argosy in Sarasota, Florida.

A natural leader, Emily has also assisted red carpet operations for world-renowned Cirque du Soleil, who continue to inspire her to “think outside the box”. Upon her move to Toronto in 2001, Emily was inspired to expand her design knowledge through the Interior Design Program at George Brown College. She soon enrolled at the Canadian Institute of Floral Design where she is now a successful graduate of their Professional Floral Program. In 2005, she proceeded to study advanced design at the prestigious Judith Blacklock Flower School in London, England. Upon her return, Emily was pleased to join the CIFD education faculty. Don Waltho, President of CIFD has stated that ‘Emily’s natural creativity and strong group facilitation skills make her a valuable addition to our instruction team’.

Most recently, Emily was invited to participate as a creative team member for the 2005 FTD Conference. She was subsequently asked by Universal Weddings to create an arrangement for New York designer Preston Bailey on his visit to Toronto. In 2006, Emily holds a position as instructor of floral design at the Toronto Botanical Gardens.

Nemo Nauta is a Floral Art Dutch Master from the Netherlands.

Nemo has established diverse floral experiences and coveted floral design awards, spread over thirty years in the industry. Traveling and consulting in far-flung destinations such as China, Taiwan, Greece, Poland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Spain, Ecuador, Bogotá, Australia and England. Owning and managing high-end flower shops in Holland, establishing dignified corporate floral accounts, renowned for trend setting floral exhibition designs, attained championships in Holland for rarefied hand-tied bouquets, also for creating outstanding floral art pieces. His designs have an eclectic quality, which is married with a skill level that is rarely seen in this part of the world.