Agenda: Critical Minerals

April 28-29, 2025

All times are in Eastern Time (ET).

Monday, April 28, 2025

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Arrival and Registration
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Breakfast Reception

Emcee: Bryan N. Detchou, Senior Director, Natural Resources, Environment & Sustainability, Canadian Chamber of Commerce 

Speaker:
Matthew Holmes, Executive Vice President & Chief Public Policy, Canadian Chamber of Commerce 
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.Panel | Strengthening Canada–U.S. Collaboration on Critical Minerals 

Moderator: Robert (RJ) Johnston, Executive Director at the Columbia Center for Global Energy Policy 

Panelists:
Ryan Peay, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Resource Sustainability at the U.S. Department of Energy 
Scott Woodard, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of Energy Resources, Department of State 
2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.Panel | The Future of North American Economic Security

Moderator: Alden Greenhouse, Vice President, Critical & Strategic Minerals, Agnico Eagle Mines

Panelists:
Gracelin Baskaran, Director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) 
Sarah Whitten, Senior Vice President, EXIM  
3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Legislative Dialogue | U.S. Congressional Staff Session

Moderator: Mary Anne Carter, Principal & Partner, Earnscliffe Strategies 
 
Panelists:
Carly Sincavitch, Policy Advisor, Office of Congressman Eric Swalwell  
Shawn Rusterholz, Energy & Natural Resources Policy Director, Office of Congressman Pete Stauber  
Clara Tibbetts, PhD, Senior Legislative Assistant, Office of Congressman Paul Tonko 
4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.Legislative Dialogue | U.S. Senate Staff Session

Moderator: Xavier Delgado, Senior Program Associate, Canada Institute 
 
Speakers:
Tom Erb, Senior Policy Advisor, Senator Hickenlooper’s Office 
Sam duPont, Senior Policy Advisor, Senator Coons’ Office  
 
5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.Cocktail Reception with Government and Industry Leaders 
8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.Federal Election Watch Party

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

8:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.Breakfast & Networking
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Panel | A New Era of Trade & Minerals Diplomacy

Moderator: Ruth Demeter Hayes, Senior Director of Policy, Global Energy Institute, U.S. Chamber of Commerce 
 
Panelists:
Abigail Hunter, Executive Director, Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, SAFE 
Hon. Nazak Nikakhtar, Partner, Wiley Rein LLP 
10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.Presentation | Between Two Hills: Canada-U.S. Perspectives in Ottawa and Washington

Speaker:
Christopher Sands, Director, Wilson Center, Canada Institute 
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.Presentation | CSIS | Mining for Defense 

Speaker:
Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Americas Program, CSIS 
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.Panel | From Mine to Mission: Critical Minerals for Defense 

Moderator: Marcella Munro, Head, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Teck Resources  
 
Panelists:
Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Americas Program, CSIS 
Lorenzo Williams, Senior Director, Strategy and Policy, National Defense Industrial Association 
Zach Boykin, Critical Minerals & Materials Portfolio Lead, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (OASD(IBP)) 
2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.Panel | Scaling Mineral Circularity for North American Resilience

Moderator: Alex Tanner, Director of Sustainability & Government Affairs, Cyclic Materials  
 
Panelists:
Emma Bishop, Vice President - Venn Strategies and Battery Materials & Technology Coalition (BMTC)
Tina Jeffress, Group Manager, Energy and Sustainability, Panasonic 
Kristen Hildreth, VP Government Relations & Public Policy, ReMA 
3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.Capstone Meeting & Wrap Up | Embassy of Canada

Speaker:
John Barnwell, Natural Resources Officer, Embassy of Canada 
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