Meet the Speakers

PHATT al (pronounced ‘fat al’) is a Dora and Juno nominated actor, MC, digital visual artist, director, song and sketch writer. He’s a Second City Mainstage alumnus, and now serves as the Artistic Director of the Toronto Training Centre. He was the band leading rapper of the Juno nominated NuFunk band ‘God Made ME Funky’.

He (and/or his voice) has appeared in various commercials, TV shows, and movies internationally. You may know him as the Juicy Fruit Man, or the voice of Wendy’s Canada, Rice Krispies Bars, OLG, and Eggo Waffles. He was a featured performer at the NBC Universal Second City Break Out Comedy Festival in Chicago. Al is also a recipient of the Second City’s Bob Curry Fellowship and Bad Dog Theatre’s Creator program.

Al is also the creator of ‘Yes Yes Y’all’ and ‘Check The Rhyme’, the only longform improv hip-hop classes in Canada, as well as a member of ‘The Untitled Black Sketch Project’ sketch troupe. Big up Heff, Susan, Julie OD, Unky Gary, the awesome cast & crew, and the wonderful Second City staff!!

Follow PHATT al on Instagram: @phattal3000

Dr. Khush Amaria is a Clinical and Health Psychologist and mental health strategist with over 20 years of experience advancing evidence‑based care, workplace well‑being, and system‑level mental health innovation. She currently serves as Director of Clinical Services at GreenShield Health, where she leads the strategic development, delivery, and quality oversight of national mental health programs designed to improve access, outcomes, and psychological safety across diverse populations.

Previously, Dr. Amaria was Vice President of Clinical Services – Mental Health at Kii Health, overseeing a broad portfolio that included Employee and Family Assistance Programs, MindBeacon’s guided iCBT and live therapy services, diagnostic and return‑to‑work assessments, critical incident response, and direct‑to‑consumer care. In this role, she led multidisciplinary clinical teams, strengthened quality assurance systems, and partnered with corporate and community stakeholders to expand scalable, evidence‑based mental health solutions across Canada.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Amaria spent eight years at The Hospital for Sick Children in the Good 2 Go Transition Program, leading an interprofessional team focused on improving the transition of youth with chronic health conditions from pediatric to adult care. Her work contributed to the program being recognized as a Leading Practice by Accreditation Canada for its innovative, patient‑centred approach.

In addition to her clinical and operational leadership, Dr. Amaria brings significant governance experience. She recently joined the CCMH Board of Directors as a Trustee, contributing her clinical, strategic, and governance expertise to strengthen community mental health systems. She previously served for six years on the Board of Directors at Jack.org, where she supported national youth mental health advocacy and helped guide the organization’s growth in programming, partnerships, and impact.

A widely respected speaker, Dr. Amaria presents across sectors on a broad range of mental health and well‑being themes. Her work explores emerging trends, practical strategies for individual and organizational resilience, and the evolving landscape of mental health in Canada. She frequently speaks about the future of mental health for Canadians, emphasizing the importance of innovative, integrated models that bring together public and private sector opportunities to expand access and improve outcomes. Her talks blend clinical expertise with clear, actionable insights, grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and a commitment to making mental health support accessible and rooted in evidence.

Bridgitte Anderson is the President and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade – Western Canada’s most active and influential business association. Bridgitte is the first woman to lead the Board of Trade in its 139-year history. Her focus is on building a more competitive and sustainable economy, through better public policy that increases prosperity, productivity, and investment in our region.

Bridgitte serves as the current Chair of the Canadian Global Cities Council (CGCC), representing Canada’s largest urban Chambers and Boards of Trade, and is a representative on the Invest Vancouver Management Board. Prior to Bridgitte’s current role, she was the Vancouver General Manager for Edelman, a global public relations firm. She also served as Press Secretary to BC Premier Gordon Campbell, managing communications during the 2010 Winter Olympics, following a 20-year career in journalism.  

Recognized for her impactful leadership, she has received numerous awards including BIV’s Influential Women in Business Award, the King Charles III Coronation Medal, YWCA’s Woman of Distinction Award, and Vanmag’s Power 50.

Nahlah Ayed is the host CBC Radio’s IDEAS and a veteran of foreign reporting: first, in the Middle East where she spent nearly a decade covering the region’s many conflicts. And later, while based in London, she covered many of the major stories of our time: the rise of authoritarianism, the return of war to Europe, and the worldwide refugee crisis.

Nahlah’s work has been recognized through numerous national and international awards and honourary degrees. She is the author of two books, both national bestsellers.

Noel Baldwin has been the Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre (FSC) since June, 2024. He brings nearly two decades of experience in leading strategic initiatives and policy development in postsecondary education, adult learning and skills development.

Since joining FSC in 2019 as Director of Government and Public Affairs, Noel has provided leadership in navigating the complex skills ecosystem and working with diverse stakeholders to foster innovation in skills development that addresses the evolving needs of the workforce and promotes inclusive economic growth. FSC has successfully forged strong relationships with federal departments, provinces, territories, municipalities, and international organizations like the OECD. His efforts drove FSC’s early strategic initiatives, including targeted investments addressing critical gaps across regions and sectors.

Prior to joining FSC, Noel was the Coordinator of Postsecondary Education and Adult Learning at the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC).

Ritu Banerjee is the Interim Head at Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC), formerly the Office of Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Readiness (OLSBR) at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Prior to that she was the Executive Director of the Results Division, Expenditure Management Sector at the Treasury Board Secretariat. Ritu has also worked at Employment and Social Development Canada on youth policy and has held various executive positions at Public Safety Canada, primarily working on national security policy issues.  She started her career in the federal government at the Department of Justice.

In addition to a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University, she has a Master of Arts in Political Science from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and a Law degree from the University of Ottawa. She has been a member of Ontario Bar since 2000.   

Dave Barkley brings over 40 years of hands-on farming experience to his role at Area One Farms, where he oversees all Ontario-based farm partnerships. A Guelph agriculture grad and a director in his local OSCIA club, Dave has farmed on his family’s operation his entire life and has deep roots in the province’s agricultural sector.

Before joining Area One, Dave was one of the founders and owners of Agripartners Crop Centre Limited, a crop input and consulting business that supported progressive growers with agronomic advice and products. He has also been a Certified Crop Advisor for over 25 years, combining technical expertise with practical knowledge to help farms thrive.

Cinzia Bazzo is the Managing Director of Canada and serves as a Board Associate at Sage, driving impactful initiatives that empower the businesses forming the backbone of Canada’s economy. 

Cinzia brings a wealth of experience to Sage having led transformative growth across the technology sector throughout her career. Before joining Sage, she served as Country Leader for Workday Canada, where she helped businesses unlock the power of data to overcome challenges, seize new opportunities, and streamline operations. 

Additionally, in her successful six-year tenure at Salesforce, she advanced to become Canada’s Country Leader for Service Cloud, a leading customer service platform. Further, she has held key leadership roles at top technology companies, including Oracle, Infor, and SAP. 

A passionate advocate for the Canadian tech industry, Cinzia is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of talent and fostering digital skills among youth. 

H.E. Tjorven Bellmann has served as German Ambassador to Canada since September 2024. She will share this position with her husband – they will alternate every 8 months. She previously held the position of Assistant Deputy Minister at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. In this role, her responsibilities included bilateral relations with Canada, the United States, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Central Asia, the Western Balkans, EFTA countries and Russia, as well as the G7, NATO, Arctic Policy, the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

Before that, she was Director for Security Policy and served in various roles in the field of security policy, in the Press Division at the Foreign Office as well as at the German Embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran.

She has been awarded the Lithuanian Medal of Honour “Lithuanian Diplomacy Star” and the Polish award ”Bene Merito”. She studied Islamic Studies and European Political Studies.

H.E. Tjorven Bellmann is married to Matthias Lüttenberg. They have three children.

Thomas Benjoe is an Indigenous Business Leader and Entrepreneur from Muscowpetung First Nation. He is currently a Founding Partner & CEO of Flowing River Capital, an Indigenous Private Equity Firm, and Founding Partner at OneHoop, an Indigenous Advisory firm based in Saskatchewan. Through his leadership, he has grown several multi-million dollar investments across multiple sectors using his unique business models and strategy. Those investments were often made with limited resources and capital and in one such investment he started, scaled and sold Saskatchewan’s first Indigenous tech company for an 1,150% return. Thomas also leads several strategies in Indigenous Engagement, Procurement, Indigenous HR, and Investments. Through the strategies he has built he has helped to unlock many new opportunities for Indigenous business to thrive and Indigenous talent to be built sustainably.

Thomas currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Board of Director of Economic Development Regina, Member of Regina Growth Board, and member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders Indigenous Task Group. He also serves on the board of Pathway Supply, Reconciliation Education and Marshall Land Systems. Thomas received the King Charles III Coronation Medal & Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for contributions to Business & Commerce, was a finalist for the 2023 CANDO Economic Developer of the Year Award, was recognized in The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Magazine as a Top 50 Changemakers in Canada, and was recognized as one of the Top 10 Most Influential Economic Developers by Treaty 4 News.

Thomas also served as United Way “Community Champion”, the recipient of the Crowning Achievement Young Alumni Award from the University of Regina, recognized by CBC’s “Future 40”, the Red Cross’ “Young Humanitarian of the Year”, and a “Top Performer” Convention Winner which recognizes the top 1% of RBC employees. 

Angelique Berg is the President & CEO of CAPDM, the Canadian Association for Pharmacy Distribution Management, the nation’s trade association for pharmaceutical distribution and their trading partners, which together form Canada’s pharmaceutical supply chain.

Angelique brings more than 25 years of experience across the pharmaceutical supply chain and the health system it supports. Her career spans quality, importation, and trade in active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing, market access for finished pharmaceutical products, and senior executive roles at organizations including the Canadian Orthopedic Foundation, Diabetes Canada, and Hypertension Canada.

She has contributed to multi-sector initiatives advancing health system performance and patient care, including the Wait Times Alliance, Bone and Joint Decade Canada, and Health Quality Ontario’s Hypertension Quality Standards Advisory Committee, and has served on Health Canada’s Multi-Stakeholder Committee on Health Products Shortages since 2020.

Her board experience includes the Best Medicines Coalition, and she currently serves as a director of SCAN Health, a research-based non-profit focused on strengthening healthcare supply chains.

Steve is a CPA by trade and an alumnus of KPMG (Halifax and Victoria).

In the 1990s, Steve transitioned from KPMG to finance, serving as CFO (1993–2000) and then CEO (2001–2008) of the BC Municipal Finance Authority (BCMFA). His duties included managing relationships with the Board of Directors, local government officials and staff, capital markets investors, rating agencies, and the banking syndicate. BCMFA borrows money in the capital markets on behalf of all cities, towns, regional districts, and other government bodies in the local government sector.

In 2008, Steve was hired by the FNFA (First Nations Finance Authority) and tasked with creating a pooled borrowing model specifically for First Nations across Canada. The goals were to have the capital markets recognize First Nations as a level of government, to obtain investment-grade credit ratings, and to access the debenture markets at interest rates similar to those achieved by provinces within Canada. The first debenture was launched in 2014. By January 2025, the FNFA had earned three investment-grade credit ratings, surpassed $3 billion in loans, had 190 First Nations as members, and was borrowing at interest rates just 1/10th of 1% above Ontario’s rate. This $3 billion in loans created over 23,000 jobs across the Canadian economy and generated pathways to equity ownership opportunities.

In January 2025, Steve transitioned to National Bank as Managing Director of Indigenous Relations, with the goals of including Indigenous communities as equity owners in large-scale resource/business opportunities and ensuring these communities are respected as a level of government for day-to-day banking services.

Several times, at the request of the World Bank, Steve has developed and presented the beneficial concepts of pooled borrowing models for developing countries. He has also taught finance courses at colleges in the Vancouver area.

As Director, Strategic Partnerships & Development at the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), Andrew supports BHER’s growth, influence, and long-term sustainability by cultivating partnerships, identifying new opportunities, and advancing strategic initiatives that align with the organization’s mission and strategic plan.

Prior to joining BHER, Andrew led national consultations on work-integrated learning and managed a research portfolio on experiential learning at the Conference Board of Canada. He has previously held senior research roles at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) and The Sustainability and Education Policy Network. You can find his writing on education and skills in the Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, Canadian Journal of Higher Education, Environmental Education Research, Sustainability, and Teachers College Record. You may be interested in his co-authored book, Critical Education and Sociomaterial Practice.

Andrew holds a PhD from the Joint Program in Communication and Culture at York University and Toronto Metropolitan University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Saskatchewan.

Marie-Philippe Bouchard was appointed President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada on October 18, 2024, for a five-year term, effective January 3, 2025. 

From 2016 to 2024, she served as President and CEO of TV5 Québec Canada, whose mission is to promote the diversity of francophone culture by broadcasting French-language content that showcases and connects the francophone communities in Quebec, across Canada and around the world. During her time at the helm of TV5 Québec Canada, she strengthened valuable relationships with many organizations that support French-speaking communities throughout Canada, as well as with international public media that serve French-speaking communities. 

Mr. Boyd serves as the Chair of the Board of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited. Prior to this role, he was the Executive Chair of the Board from February 2022 until his retirement in December 2023, and Vice Chairman and Agnico Eagle’s CEO from 1998 to 2022. Before his appointment as CEO, Mr. Boyd served as the Chief Financial Officer from 1990 to 1998 and Comptroller from 1985 to 1990.

During Mr. Boyd’s tenure as CEO, Agnico Eagle grew from a small, single mine gold producer to a multi-mine international gold mining company. In December 2020, the Globe and Mail ROB Magazine recognized him as its Global Visionary of the Year CEO. He was recognized as The Northern Miner’s Mining Person of the Year in 2007 and 2017 and appeared on the list of The Best-Performing CEOs in the World in the Harvard Business Review in 2010, 2016 and 2017. In 2019, Mr. Boyd was recognized by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario) as a Fellow, the highest honour bestowed upon a CPA within the accounting profession. In 2021, he received the degree Doctor of Laws honoris causa, from St. Francis Xavier University (Nova Scotia). 

Mr. Boyd served on the Board of Directors of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation(2013-2022). He has also served on the Boards of the World Gold Council and the St. Francis Xavier University Board of Governors. Prior to joining Agnico Eagle in 1985, Mr. Boyd was an accountant with Clarkson Gordon (Ernst & Young). He is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA, FCA) and a graduate of the University of Toronto (B.Comm.)

Murray Brewster is senior defence writer for CBC News, based in Ottawa. He has covered the Canadian military and foreign policy from Parliament Hill for over a decade. Among other assignments, he spent a total of 15 months on the ground covering the Afghan war for The Canadian Press.

Prior to that, he covered defence issues and politics for CP in Nova Scotia for 11 years and was bureau chief for Standard Broadcast News in Ottawa.

Gayla joined the Canadian Chamber as Chief Operating Officer in July 2020 bringing more than 30 years of experience in both the private and public sectors.  She has proven herself as a highly effective business leader and relationship builder.  Some of her accolades include building award-winning business teams that earned agency of record status with some of Canada’s biggest companies and brands, and serving as a trusted strategic counsellor for C-suite executives in high stakes situations. 

Gayla’s business network is broad and diverse. She has worked with Canadian and global leaders on national and mission critical mandates in energy, telecommunications, retail, health care, pharma, lifestyle and packaged goods, food, financial and professional services, insurance, technology and more.

From 2004 to 2016, Gayla served as Managing Director and then President of MSLGROUP in Canada, a division of global leader Publicis Groupe. She was also SVP & Partner of the predecessor firm of Advance Planning & Communications from 1996 to 2003.  She led MSLGROUP, Canada, through a period of significant expansion, including new office launches, expanded service offerings, and building a full-service team that won strategy PR Agency of the Year in 2015. Gayla worked with her teams to deliver leading edge PR, corporate communication, social media, influencer and creative campaigns in concert with client executives and partners in Canada and North America. And she was part of the agency’s North American leadership team, working closely with Canadian, U.S. and global colleagues on business building and transformation initiatives.  In 2017, she moved from Toronto to Ottawa to become President of Ensight, a federal public affairs firm.

Gayla began her career as a journalist and holds a MA in journalism from the University of Western Ontario.

Krista has been in the M&C Industry for 27 years and excitedly joined the Encore Canada team in February 2019. Her previous experience includes teaching in South Korea, as Station Chairman for the American Red Cross in Germany, Event Manager for the U.S. Air Force in Europe, and Corporate Events Manager for a Fortune 100 company in California. When Krista returned to Canada, she joined Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in Group Sales and then was the Director of Sales with Destination St. John’s (DMO).

Krista focuses on business development, client connections and industry association partnerships. Some of her current industry involvement includes Past President of the PCMA Canada East Chapter, Chair of CanSPEP’s Business Associates Advisory Council, Board member of the AMC Institute of Canada and Committee member of the CMEE Hall of Fame. In 2015, Krista was inducted into M&IT’s Hall of Fame as Industry Mentor.

As President and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Caprara is responsible for implementing Softchoice’s strategic plan that supports the growth and success of our customers, people, and organization.

Andrew joined Softchoice in 2014, leading sales and business development operations. Andrew has held increasingly senior executive roles focused on supporting the company’s industry leadership position, and nearly doubling Softchoice’s headcount. He most recently served as President & Chief Operating Officer, leading our Go-To-Market, Sales, and Services functions, where he developed and executed our corporate strategy, fostering deep alliances with our technology partners and creating our insight-driven go-to-market approach.

Through his experience, which combines a background in sales with experience in business transformation consulting, Andrew has a proven skillset for planning and executing strategic sales and operational initiatives alongside a track record for building high-performing cultures.

Before joining Softchoice, he served in senior roles at management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Andrew holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an undergraduate degree from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two daughters.

Kevin Carmichael has spent more than two decades writing about economics, business and finance for outlets including Bloomberg News, The Globe and Mail and the Financial Post, where he also served as editor-in-chief. His journalism has been honoured by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing and the National Magazine Awards.

He has worked as a correspondent in Ottawa, Washington, D.C., and Mumbai, and now lives in Montreal.

The Honourable Janice Charette was appointed Chief Trade Negotiator to the United States on February 16, 2026.

Having served at the highest levels of Canada’s public service for over four decades in public policy and diplomacy, Ms. Charette has been entrusted by Prime Minister Carney with guiding Canada’s work in the upcoming review of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

Working closely with the Minister responsible for Canada–U.S. Trade, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, and Mark Wiseman, the Ambassador of Canada to the United States, she is working to strengthen the trade and investment relationship between Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Previously, Ms. Charette served as Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, while also serving as High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, became a Privy Counsellor in September 2023 and was named as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2025.

Not only has she held numerous senior federal government leadership roles, but she has also been a member of the Board of Directors of numerous organizations, including the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa; the Public Policy Forum; the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group; the Commonwealth War Graves and Commonwealth War Graves Foundation; the Imperial War Museum (UK) and the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth. 

Ms. Charette also continues to serve as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Rideau Hall Foundation and a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Research on Public Policy.

She attended Carleton University, where she received a Bachelor of Commerce degree, was granted honorary doctorates from Kingston University, United Kingdom and from Carleton University.  She also received the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Michelle Chawla has led the Canada Council for the Arts as Director and CEO since June 2023. Prior to her appointment, she was the Director General of Strategy, Public Affairs and Arts Engagement, and she had previously served as the Secretary-General for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.  

In May 2025, Michelle was appointed to the Board of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA), providing an avenue to further Canada’s leadership in the arts on a global level. 

Strategist in women’s entrepreneurship, Déborah Cherenfant has passionately multiplied her commitments in economic development and women’s leadership since her arrival in Quebec in 2005. She is greatly involved as an administrator on various boards, including that of the McCord Museum, the Fédération des chambres de Commerce du Québec, Bonjour Startup Montréal, the KANPE Foundation and Humanov-is. Since 2018, she has been a member of the Conseil du statut de la femme du Québec.

An entrepreneur at heart, she has over the years started the blog Mots d’Elles; the fashion brand Atelier Couleur, the concept store Marché Couleur. She also co-founded BiAS, a cultural and artistic think tank, and Cabinet BlindSpot, for more EDI in the business world.

In 2022, Déborah continues her collaborations as a radio columnist for Tout Un Matin on ICI Première and a TV collaborator for Le Fil on Noovo.

Sueling Ching is the President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade. She is a community builder dedicated to innovating and advocating for business. Her connection to the Ottawa business community began in 2016 as she assumed the role of CEO at the West Ottawa Board of Trade, where she played a critical role in the consolidation of three local chambers of commerce to create a unified, influential voice for businesses in Ottawa. 

Sueling has spent over twenty years working in a variety of business, leadership, and community development roles, including as the CEO of the YMCA of Brockville and Area, CEO of the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce. She previously served as a member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. A strong community advocate, Sueling has been involved in many volunteer and charitable causes including 100 Women Who Care, Make-A-Wish, Rotary International and The Royal Ottawa Foundation. More recently, she pursued her interest in entrepreneurship by launching a consulting firm focusing on women’s leadership, community development, and personal wellness. 

First elected in 2018, Minister Cho served as Parliamentary Assistant to the President of the Treasury Board and to the Minister of Finance before being appointed to Cabinet as Associate Minister of Transportation in 2021.

Upon his re-election in 2022, Minister Cho was once again called to Cabinet by Premier Doug Ford.

During his tenure at the Ministry of Transportation, Minister Cho helped modernize the PRESTO system by bringing debit and credit payment options to GO Transit, the TTC, and most other local transit systems across the GTHA. He also laid the groundwork for Ontario’s ‘One Fare’ program and officially set the Northlander train on track for reinstatement by procuring three brand-new trainsets for future service.

In September 2023, Minister Cho was named Minister of Long-Term Care.

At the Ministry of Long-Term Care, Minister Cho broke ground on and opened thousands of new long-term care spaces across the province, delivered historic investments to dramatically increase staffing and care, and launched a new investigations unit to bring greater accountability to the sector.

He was named Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming in June 2024.

Before joining politics, Minister Cho began his career at a leading auto manufacturer, where he worked his way up from an entry-level role to become one of the company’s auditors. It was during this time that he travelled extensively throughout Ontario to communities large and small.

In 2002, he joined his family’s real estate business and worked as an agent for 15 years before taking over as broker and general manager.

Born in Rexdale and raised in Willowdale, Minister Cho proudly holds the distinction of being the first Canadian-born person of Korean descent to hold public office in Canada.

Zita Cobb is a Canadian business leader, social entrepreneur, and Founder/CEO of Shorefast, a Canadian charity dedicated to community-based economic development. She is the visionary behind Fogo Island Inn, a social enterprise and globally acclaimed Michelin Three Key property located in Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada.

Born and raised on Fogo Island, Cobb was part of the eighth generation of her family to live there, until the collapse of the cod fishery, which devastated the community’s economy. After a successful career as CFO of JDS Fitel (later JDS Uniphase), a leader in fiber optics technology where she played a key role in the company’s growth, Cobb retired in 2001 and directed her time and financial resources to philanthropic endeavors.

In 2004, Cobb returned home and founded Shorefast to help build economic and cultural resilience for Fogo Island.

Cobb’s work has earned numerous recognitions and accolades, including honourary doctorates and being the first social entrepreneur to be inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. In 2016 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

With the launch of the Shorefast Institute for Place-Based Economies, Cobb aims to create a network of community, business, government, and other institutional partners to help build prosperous economies for more people in more places.

Chancellor Jonathan Michael Seetal Cornish is a Portfolio Manager with RBC Dominion Securities. A first ballot Canadian Football Hall of Famer, Jon spent a legendary 9 years playing for Calgary Stampeders and continues with the Stamps as Gameday Ambassador. Cornish is a long-standing volunteer with the Calgary Foundation, founded the Calgary Black Chambers in 2019 which has raised over half a million to support black scholars, was selected as 15th Chancellor of the University of Calgary and is the youngest chancellor in Canadian history. Cornish was the winner of the Northern Star Trophy in 2013 as Canada’s most outstanding athlete. In honor of his football career, the Jon Cornish Trophy is awarded annually by Football Canada to the best Canadian NCAA Football player.

Jon is a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder.

Catherine Cullen is host of CBC’s award-winning political program The House on CBC Radio and CBC Listen, and a senior reporter in the Parliament Hill bureau.

Before her time with the Parliament Hill bureau, Catherine worked for nearly a decade at CBC Montreal, covering stories ranging from the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster and Dawson College shooting to the drama of several Quebec provincial elections and joyful stories like the 78 year-old milkman who was still happily making deliveries.

In 2014, Catherine was based in Ottawa, and covered the final months of the Stephen Harper era and the 2015 election that brought Justin Trudeau to power. She has reported on major changes in Canadian law, including cannabis legalization and the legislation permitting medically assisted dying. She’s broadcasted from across the globe, including Beijing, Addis Ababa, London, Brussels and Washington D.C. 

Catherine is a familiar face to viewers of The National and CBC News Network’s Power & Politics. 

Catherine has also worked in Vancouver and Toronto and guest hosted a wide variety of CBC programs, from The Current and As It Happens to World Report.

Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco is a celebrated journalist and the host of CBC Ottawa News at 6. 

Born and raised in Ottawa, with deep Ecuadorian and Lebanese roots, Dabaghi-Pacheco brings a wealth of experience to his role as anchor of CBC Ottawa’s flagship news show. 

As a reporter, Omar is known for his pursuit of documentary storytelling. This work has taken him across Canada and to remote areas in Africa including Malawi and Tanzania.

He joined CBC Ottawa in 2010 and since then he has covered Ottawa’s biggest breaking news stories. In 2010, Omar covered the abduction and killing of an Ottawa-area businessman. In 2016, he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for best local reporting on the 2014 Parliament Hill shooting. In 2018, he covered the 2018 Ottawa tornados which brought a wave of destruction to Ottawa and surrounding communities. 

From his background as a video journalist, to his time as a national breaking news host, to hosting network specials on Radio One – the common thread for Omar has always been his passion for telling stories from a community perspective and his ability to connect with people.

Omar lives in Ottawa with his partner and child. When he’s not chasing the latest breaking news, you can find him giving lessons as a professional paragliding instructor.

Major General (Ret’d) Peter Dawe joined the Canadian Forces in 1990 and served with distinction for 35 years. Commissioned as an artillery officer before transferring to the infantry, he held command roles from platoon to brigade level, including Third Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. He also served in senior positions within Canadian Special Operations Forces, the Strategic Joint Staff, and key training institutions. Peter deployed to Cyprus, Bosnia, and twice to Afghanistan, earning the Meritorious Service Medal and the U.S. Bronze Star Medal. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Military Merit in 2015 and then promoted within the order to the rank of Commander in 2019. He is a graduate of the National Security Program, the U.S. CAPSTONE Program, and Harvard’s Senior Executives in National and International Security Program. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Royal Military College of Canada in Military Arts and Science as well as Master’s degrees in Defence Studies and Public Administration.

From 2016 to 2021, he served as Deputy Commander and then Commander of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. In his final role as Chief of Combat Systems Integration, he led major modernization efforts across the Canadian Armed Forces.

Following his retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces in December 2025, Peter joined BDC as Vice President, Defence Strategy, where he now applies his extensive defence expertise to build a specialized team, strengthen BDC’s credibility in the defence ecosystem, and enhance support for entrepreneurs in this sector.

Denis Dubois has been President and CEO of Desjardins Group since September 2025. He’s a leader who brings people together, communicates a clear vision and demonstrates a deep commitment to Desjardins’s members and clients and Canadian communities.

An actuary by training and a graduate of Université Laval, Mr. Dubois joined the Desjardins team in 2003 and has held a number of strategic roles, including President and CEO of Desjardins Financial Security and Executive Vice-President of Wealth Management and Life and Health Insurance. He’s also been integral to Desjardins’s national growth, playing a key role in the acquisition of State Farm’s Canadian operations in 2015 and more recently, of the organization’s take-private deal for global investment management company Guardian Capital Group Limited.

Denis is very involved in his community, actively supporting social causes and organizations like United Way Centraide, the Canadian Cancer Society and the Desjardins Foundation. He’s a firm believer in the power of collective action and in the ability of every individual to contribute to a society that is more fair and more caring.

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is a entrepreneur, and former NFL offensive player. He played seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom he won Super Bowl LIV, and two more with the New York Jets.

In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, he put his career on hold to lend a hand in long-term care facilities. Through the LDT Foundation, which he co-chairs with his partner, he promotes educational success by offering programs that combine arts and sports. 

Scott Evans is interim CEO of Edelman Canada. This builds on his previous role as National Lead, People and Operations, and General Manager of the agency’s Toronto office.

With nearly 30 years of communications experience, including two decades at Edelman, Scott has led communications programs for a wide range of clients in the private, not-for-profit, and public sectors. Scott played a significant role in Edelman Toronto’s evolution as a communications firm, integrating specialties to elevate the overall capability of strategic thinking and creative product. Leveraging his natural leadership skills, he has been instrumental in driving employee engagement efforts, with Edelman Canada consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work®.

Before becoming GM of Edelman Toronto, Scott led the Health sector for Edelman Canada. In that role, he tripled the agency’s Canadian Health business, driving growth by greatly diversifying the sector’s client base and scope of services. He sits on Edelman’s global Citizenship Advisory Committee.

Harris is a physician, neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and strategist. Harris is credited for pioneering the brain economy transition across sectors and industries. He is dedicated to fostering awareness, data, tools, investment, and leadership to drive the transition.

We are entering a new era shaped by the rise of the brain economy. The brain economy is an economic transition that prioritizes investment in brain capital across the lifespan. Brain capital is an asset that integrates brain health and brain skills to support societal resilience and inclusive growth. Fostering brain capital has the potential to unlock $6.2 trillion in global economic opportunities.

In other words, strong brains mean stronger businesses, economies, and societies —it’s time to invest accordingly!

Harris was the senior author of the first technical paper on the brain economy published in 2021, he co-led the OECD Neuroscience-Inspired Policy Initiative, and supported the development of the Global Brain Capital Dashboard, published via The Brookings Institution. The work continues to proliferate and mature, and Eyre works across the spectrum of research, strategy, movement building, and execution. In 2025, the President of Cameroon endorsed The Yaoundé Declaration on the Brain Economy, the Center for Houston’s Future launched the first city- level brain economy initiative, brain-lens investing was articulated, and brain economy science strategy frameworks were pioneered. In 2026, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and McKinsey Health Institute launched a Brain Economy Insights Report. Multi-national corporations and governments across the globe are collaborating actively.

He is Co-Lead of the Brain & Society Initiative of the Rice Brain Institute, a Faculty Scholar with the Baker Institute for Public Policy, and adjunct with the schools of Engineering and Social Sciences.

Eyre is an alumnus of the Forbes 30 Under 30 and the Fulbright Scholar program.

Heather Exner-Pirot is a Senior Fellow and Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, Special Advisor to the Business Council of Canada, Managing Editor of the Arctic Yearbook, and Research Advisor to the Indigenous Resource Network.

Doug Ford is the Premier of Ontario. He was also elected as the MPP for Etobicoke-North in 2018.

Previously, Doug Ford served as Toronto city councillor from 2010-2014, and was vice-chair of the Budget Committee, where he delivered hundreds of millions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. While on city council, Ford served on the board of Build Toronto, and was a director of the Canadian National Exhibition. He also served on the Civic Appointments Committee and the Government Management Committee at Council.

A dedicated community leader, successful businessman with Deco Labels and passionate advocate for the people, Doug’s commitment to public service runs in the family. Three generations of Fords have served the people of Ontario in elected office.

Doug is a life-long resident of the community of Etobicoke, and lives there with his wife Karla and four daughters. His commitment to public service includes over 20 years of dedicated work with the Toronto West Rotary Club and serving as a proud member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Christiane Fox was appointed Deputy Minister of National Defence, effective January 29, 2026. 

Prior to joining the Department of National Defence (DND), Christiane Fox served as Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, as well as Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Previous to that, Christiane held several deputy minister roles across the public service. She was the Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada from July 2022 to January 2024, the Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services Canada from September 2020 to July 2022, the Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs from November 2019 to September 2020, and the Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth from June 2017 to November 2019. She is also the Deputy Minister Champion of the Federal Youth Network.

Christiane has also held several positions at the Privy Council Office, including Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Communications and Consultations; Director of Operations, Policy, in the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Relations Secretariat; and Director General of Communications.

She started her career as a communications advisor at Industry Canada (now Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada), where she worked in communications and in science policy. She also 

spent a year with the Competition Policy Review Secretariat as Director of Communications and Consultations.

Christiane has a B.A. in Mass Communications and Psychology from Carleton University and is a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Master’s Certificate Program in Public Administration.

Jeff Gaulin is the Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Vale Base Metals (www.valebasemetals.com), the global critical minerals champion who provides mineral security to a world in transition.

Mr. Gaulin leads the company’s global public policy, government and institutional relations. He is a Board member of the Mining Association of Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Critical Minerals Council.

Vale Base Metals is Canada’s largest producer of nickel, copper and cobalt – essential raw materials for the world’s energy and security transformation. Vale Base Metals operates mines and refineries across Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan and Indonesia.

Mr. Gaulin joined Vale Base Metals in June 2023 from Invest Alberta, where he served as the Chief Corporate Development Officer for the provincial investment attraction agency. Mr. Gaulin has previously been a public affairs executive with Philip Morris International (Canada), the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Tervita Corporation, TransAlta Corporation and the British Columbia government. He was also an award-winning journalist.

In his spare time, Mr. Gaulin is a writer and explorer. He is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society and has kayaked with belugas in the Arctic, been chased by killer whales off the coast of British Columbia, camped in the world’s largest cave in Vietnam and climbed to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Mr. Gaulin has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Victoria (2002), a Master of Arts (Journalism) from the University of Western Ontario (1994), and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University (1994). He is of Métis heritage and lives in Toronto. He is the father of two university-students.

Mr. Genest has been Senior Vice-President of Power Corporation since 2016. He was Senior Vice-President of Power Financial from 2016 until 2020.

Mr. Genest has worked in government, academia, business and as a volunteer in the not-for-profit sector. He served in the federal government as director of policy and research for Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. He was also CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities and assistant vice-president of Bell Canada.

Mr. Genest is Chair of the Board of the National Gallery of Canada. He is also past Chair of the Board, Ontario Region of the Nature Conservancy of Canada and a Board Member of Business for the Arts. He serves on the Advisory Council of the Coalition for a Better Future and is board member of the Rideau Hall Foundation. He is a past Member of the Board of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

A champion of diversity, he has been honored for his advocacy for the rights of the LGBTQ community, including serving as the Deputy Minister Champion of OPS Pride. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the King Charles the III Coronation Medal. In June 2022, Mr. Genest was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa.

He holds a B.A., Honors (cum laude) in English and Philosophy from the University of Guelph, an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Ottawa, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from The Johns Hopkins University. He is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School where he was the Valedictorian. He has also completed the Rotman School of Management, Institute of Corporate Directors – Directors Education Program, where he was also Valedictorian.

As a career-long innovator and intrapreneur, Patrick has founded five national projects designed to help Canadian businesses compete and prosper globally. Among these projects, Patrick co-founded the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab (BDL) to democratize data for decision-making and to advance the country’s understanding of Canadian business conditions and trends.

Patrick’s experience has firmly established him as a thought leader often featured in media and think tank publications. Most recently, Patrick authored a study for the BDL on business adoption of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) called “Prompting Productivity.” Patrick holds a master’s in public policy and an advanced certificate in public administration and governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.

As President, JP is focused on growing a more competitive manufacturing sector that supports Canadian businesses so that they can provide good jobs and strong economic growth opportunities for communities across the country.

With over 20 years in manufacturing, JP is focused on ensuring the sector’s future through youth engagement, succession planning, technology and skills solutions, and the adoption of green manufacturing. JP has also overseen EMC’s development of new advanced skills solutions and certification programs for the Canadian manufacturing industry.

On top of all this, he somehow finds time to pursue his other passions of skiing, cycling, and golf near his home in Gatineau, Quebec.

Karen Greve Young is CEO of Futurpreneur, a national non-profit whose proven loan financing with mentorship model has supported the success of 20,000+ young entrepreneurs since 1996. Building on her global finance and strategy experience, Karen is an accomplished leader dedicated to fostering inclusive economic and social prosperity through new approaches and partnerships.

Her pan-Canadian Futurpreneur team is proud of their work helping diverse, young entrepreneurs launch businesses that contribute to sustainable economic development in their communities and for Canada. 

Jenn Harper is not just a name in the beauty industry; she’s a revolution. An award-winning social entrepreneur and international speaker, Jenn is the trailblazing founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics—a brand that has gracefully painted the ideals of sustainability and inclusion onto a global canvas. From its inception in 2015, Jenn has nurtured Cheekbone Beauty into a B. Corp Certified force, now gracing the shelves of Sephora Canada and 550 JC Penney locations across the USA.

Jenn’s journey with Cheekbone began as a digitally native, direct-to-consumer brand that took pride in its commitment to reducing environmental impact and supporting Indigenous communities. Her formidable leadership made sure Cheekbone stood out not only for its stunning products but also for its ethical backbone—it became a symphony of transparency, philanthropy, and support for women and youth. To date, over $250,000 has been donated to philanthropic causes, testament to Cheekbone’s core values.

Cheekbone’s prestige has been hard-earned. In 2019, Jenn Harper made a confident appearance on Canada’s Dragon’s Den, the nation’s equivalency of Shark Tank. While she turned down offers, her unwavering resolution steered Cheekbone towards exponential growth. Jenn’s tactical negotiations led to expansive contracts with major retailers in North America, shining a beacon of inspiration for Indigenous women by placing an Indigenous CEO-led brand on equal footing with global industry giants.

Jenn Harper stands as more than a CEO; she is a voice for entrepreneurship, exerting influence on topics that are reshaping the business landscape: social entrepreneurship, empathy, representation, inclusivity, and sustainability. Regularly sought after for her insights, Jenn weaves her narrative as both a woman and a representative of North America’s Indigenous peoples, substantiating the importance of these values in today’s business ecosystem.

The accolades accruing to Jenn’s name bear the weight of her achievements. In 2022, she was listed among the 100 Women of Influence by Entrepreneur Magazine—a list graced by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. In 2023, Jenn was conferred an Honorary Doctorate degree from the Goodman School of Business at Brock University. This honorary degree recognized her unwavering dedication to community betterment and adamant endeavors in championing sustainability. In November of 2024, Jenn Harper was also named as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. 

Jenn Harper, with Cheekbone Beauty, brings forth a narrative of passion, resilience, and authenticity. Her biography is not just about the ascent of a brand; it’s the story of a vision brought to life, of barriers broken, and of a future envisioned where commerce and charity coalesce seamlessly, all painted with the strokes of an eco-friendly brush.

Ali Hassan is a stand-up comedian, actor, author and broadcaster who has performed for audiences across Canada, in the United States and internationally.

Ali is the host of the hit stand-up comedy radio show Laugh Out Loud on CBC Radio and SiriusXM. He also often appears as a guest-host on the arts and culture shows q and Commotion, and for the past 10 years, he has been the host of Canada Reads – CBC’s “Battle of the Books”.

Ali has also toured across Canada as one of the stars of the Just For Laughs ‘Comedy Night In Canada’ tour with Rick Mercer. A Canadian Comedy Award nominee, Ali has toured his solo show Muslim Interrupted around Canada to great acclaim. He has taken the show to Scotland to perform at the world’s largest comedy festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2023, Ali began touring his latest one man show, based on his decade in the food industry, Does This Taste Funny?

Ali has appeared on the big screen in award-winning films such as French Immersion, the hockey hit Goon and Tammy’s Always Dying. Some of his television roles include Designated Survivor (ABC, Netflix), Odd Squad (PBS Kids, CBBC), Dino Dana (TVOKids), Workin’ Moms (Netflix), Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), Boston Blue (CBS), DOC (Fox) and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+).

Ali was recently nominated for Canadian Screen Awards for his roles in two television shows – Run The Burbs (CBC, Hulu) and the Peabody-Award winning Sort Of (CBC Gem, HBO Max).

Ali recently performed as part of NPR’s The Moth storytelling series in Cincinnati, Chicago and Toronto. His comedic memoir ‘Is There Bacon in Heaven?’ was released with Simon & Schuster and described by Rick Mercer as “perhaps the funniest and most heartfelt Canadian memoir yet.”

StandUpAli.com

As a leader with over 20 years of experience in government, advocacy, and policy, Matt has grown diverse teams across a range of Canadian sectors.

Before joining the Canadian Chamber of Commerce as Executive Vice President, International & Chief of Public Policy, Matt served as Executive Director, Government and Corporate Relations at Queen’s University, where he led the development of a multi-year GR strategy, developed a new framework for private-sector partnerships, and represented the university across all levels of government. Before his time at Queen’s, Matt was President and Chief Executive Officer of Magazines Canada, Executive Director of the Canada Organic Trade Association, and Special Assistant Government Relations to the President at York University.

As a strategic advisor and industry representative, Matt has also served on Canadian and international boards of directors and provided counsel to a number of government bodies. Additionally, Matt has presented at conferences and trade events around the world and has testified numerous times before Senate and House of Commons standing committees.

Matt was educated at Mount Allison and the University of Victoria, and has undertaken executive training with the Ivey Business School at Western and the Smith School of Business at Queen’s.

Susan Holt is a fiercely passionate advocate for the small, but mighty province of New Brunswick. Elected in 2024 as the 35th Premier, Holt leads a government that is focused on delivering a future with better healthcare close to home, a modern and growing economy where every New Brunswickers can live affordably and prosper.

Premier Holt has both local and global business experience having worked in sales, human resources, and global management roles with large information technology firms. She also has experience in community leadership, provincial and national advocacy, as well as experience within government working on economic policy. That experience has shaped her practical approach to leadership—one that puts collaboration, accountability, and results at its core.

Premier Holt places a high value on public engagement. She regularly meets with frontline workers, community leaders, municipalities, Indigenous partners, entrepreneurs and neighbours to ensure government decisions are informed by lived experience. She believes effective leadership starts with respect—respect for people’s time, their perspectives, and their contributions to the province.

Holt represents the people in the riding of Fredericton South-Silverwood. She and her husband Jon have three daughters, Molly, Paige, and Brooke.

As Premier, Susan Holt leads with a deep love for this province and its people, and the belief that government can—and should—make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives.

Brian Huseman joined Amazon in 2012 and currently serves as the Vice President of Public Policy and Community Engagement, overseeing policy, community engagement, and economic development work. Brian joined Amazon after working at Intel Corporation and as Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. He also previously was a federal prosecutor and a judicial law clerk.

Brian currently serves on the Board of the Information Technology Industry Council, is Chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Space Leadership Council, and is President of the Board of Gorilla Doctors, an organization that provides veterinary care to gorillas in East Africa.

John Ibbitson is one of Canada’s best known and most respected writers. His biography of John Diefenbaker and Lester Pearson, The Duel: Diefenbaker, Pearson and the Making of Modern Canada (Signal/McClelland & Stewart, 2023) is a highly praised national bestseller.

As well, he proposed and served as general editor of A Nation’s Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada (Signal/McClelland & Stewart, 2024).

His latest book is Breaking Point: The Big New Shifts Putting Canada at Risk (Signal/McClelland & Stewart, 2025), co-written with Darrell Bricker.

He is also the author of Stephen Harper, the bestselling and award-winning biography of Canada’s twenty-second prime minister.

During his twenty five years at The Globe and Mail, John served as Queen’s Park bureau chief, Washington bureau chief, Ottawa bureau chief, chief political writer and writer at large. He continues to write for the paper, as well as for other publications, on a freelance basis.

He co-authored Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline, which has been published in nine languages and is sold around the world, as well as the national number one bestseller The Big Shift, both with Darrell Bricker.

He is at work on a new book on Canada during the First World War, due for publication in 2028.

His writing for fiction includes The Landing, which won the 2008 Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature. In March 2018, on its tenth anniversary, the book was republished by Kids Can Press.

John Ibbitson lives and writes in Ottawa.

Craig leads economic analysis that informs strategy and risk management across the corporation. He is also a key FCC spokesperson, providing insights on the agriculture and food industry and the macroeconomy.

Prior to joining FCC, Craig led the commodities division at the Bank of Canada. He was also an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and lectured in economics at the University of Victoria. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Victoria, with a bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University.

Sandra Ketchen is the President and CEO of Spectrum Health Care, a leading provider of home care and specialized services in Ontario and Quebec. With a diverse career spanning multiple industries, including global electronics and automation manufacturing, Ketchen has a proven track record of using data and technology to drive outcomes that matter to patients and their families.

She is an advocate for integrated care solutions, particularly for seniors, and has served on several boards, including Home Care Ontario and NGen Canada. Ketchen holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, an M.Eng in Civil Engineering from McMaster University, and a B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. Her commitment to innovation and quality care delivery in the healthcare sector is evident in her leadership roles and advocacy for integrated care solutions.

Michael Kovrig is the Founder of StrategicEffects, a non-profit global research network, Chief Executive of Kovrig Group, a consultancy, and Senior Adviser, Asia for the International Crisis Group. His writing, research, analysis and advocacy deals with the intersections of geopolitics, geoeconomics, global security, human rights and strategic communications, with a geographic focus on China and the Indo-Pacific region.

A former Canadian diplomat and foreign service officer who previously served in Ottawa, at the United Nations and in China, his prior experience includes strategy, communications and change management for the UN system, journalism for various media, and research on China.

He has a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University and is fluent in French and Mandarin Chinese. Michael lived in China from 2014–2021 and is now based in Europe. His published articles are collected at michaelkovrig.substack.com. 

Candace Laing is an executive leader with progressive leadership experience in multiple sectors, including mining, manufacturing, agriculture, education, and healthcare.

Candace’s career spans over two decades, encompassing roles in both private and public sector organizations. She also has a strong entrepreneurial background with a focus on strategic business initiatives that foster long-term value and high-performance cultures. Most notably, Candace worked for more than ten years with Nutrien, leading both the Sustainability and Human Resources functions and serving as a member of the Executive Leadership Team. She played a pivotal role in launching Nutrien’s environment, social, and governance (ESG) efforts and, through her most recent role as the organization’s Chief Human Resources Officer, focused on ensuring people strategies and inclusion initiatives were aligned with business strategy.

She first joined the Canadian Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2019 and served as Vice-Chair from 2021 to 2022, assuming the role of Chair of the Board of Directors in 2022. She was on the Board when the Chamber developed its Chamber 2025 Strategic Plan—a transformational mandate to create a reimagined and renewed Canadian Chamber.

Candace is passionate about ensuring healthy organizations support a strong economy that can serve societal needs. She is proud to have grown up in Saskatchewan, where her family maintains a longstanding farming operation.

Candace is a Fellow of Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (FCPHR). She holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction and a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy Analysis from the University of Saskatchewan. Additionally, she has a Graduate Certificate in Corporate Sustainability and Innovation from Harvard University and a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University.

Rob Lantz serves as the 34th Premier of Prince Edward Island, continuing in the role following his reappointment in February 2026.

A lifelong resident of District 13, Charlottetown–Brighton, Premier Lantz attended local schools and is a graduate of both the University of Prince Edward Island and Holland College. He and his wife, Kelly, have raised their two sons, Brodie and Ronan, in Charlottetown–Brighton. 

Before entering provincial politics, Premier Lantz served two terms on Charlottetown City Council representing Charlottetown–Brighton and has contributed to community organizations such as the United Way and the Colonel Gray Education Foundation. 

In the private sector, he has worked as an advisor, partner, and investor in emerging business ventures in the bioscience, sports technology, and renewable energy sectors, and has provided consulting services in the information technology field.

Premier Lantz was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for District 13 on April 3, 2023. He has previously served as Minister of Housing, Land, and Communities, and in October 2024 he was appointed Minister of Education and Early Years. He first assumed office as Premier on February 21, 2025.

Nancy MacKay is the founder and CEO of MacKay CEO Forums, an organization that provides the highest-impact and least time-intensive peer support groups for over 1,300 CEOs, executives, and business owners across Canada and around the world. Since founding MacKay CEO Forums in 2005, Nancy has been dedicated to fostering inspiring leadership through confidential peer learning and support. Under her leadership, MacKay CEO Forums has built a community of over 1,300 members, facilitated by 60+ Forum Chairs, delivering an ROI of 708% through increased profit, employee retention, and customer satisfaction, as measured by ROI Institute Canada in 2022.  

Nancy is also actively involved in her community, serving on the boards of the Genwell Project and the Rick Hansen Foundation Campaign Cabinet, and co-chairing the Vancouver Committee for Canada’s Great Kitchen Party. 

Mitch Malinsky is the Vice President of Revenue & Strategic Partnerships at PheedLoop, an all-in-one event management platform trusted by associations, non-profits, universities, and enterprise organizations across North America.

 With over a decade of experience in B2B SaaS, Mitch leads PheedLoop’s go-to-market strategy across sales, partnerships, and revenue operations. He works closely with event organizers to help them modernize their event technology stack, improve operational efficiency, and unlock greater ROI from their events.

A frequent speaker and contributor within the event industry, Mitch is known for his candid, operator-first perspective and his ability to translate complex technology decisions into clear, actionable insights for event professionals.

Award-winning broadcaster and educator Duncan McCue is an Associate Professor at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication. A longtime CBC Radio host and CBC-TV news correspondent, he’s the author of Decolonizing Journalism: A Guide to Reporting in Indigenous Communities and The Shoe Boy, a memoir of his time spent on a trapline with a Cree family in northern Quebec. Duncan is a proud Anishinaabe from the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation in southern Ontario.

Matthew McKean is BHER’s Chief R&D Officer. He is a member of BHER’s executive team and oversees the organization’s diverse and growing member-driven research, programming, and thought leadership agendas. 

Areas of focus are all things skills and talent, but especially strengthening alignment between business + higher education and building talent pipelines for Canada’s priority sectors. 

Matthew has authored, co-authored, and directed hundreds of research deliverables, from infographics, briefings, and reports to podcasts, presentations, and op-eds. He writes, speaks publicly, and is a regular commentator and contributor to media. His writing has appeared in The Globe & Mail, The Toronto Star, The National Post, The Ottawa Citizen, The Hill Times, The Conversation (Canada), This Magazine, Exclaim!, and most recently The Hub. 

Prior to joining BHER, Matthew led the Conference Board of Canada’s multi-year Skills and Post-Secondary Education (SPSE) research and convening initiative and the Council of University Executives (CUE), a pan-Canadian network of Provosts and Vice-Presidents. He was also a founding member of the consortium that was selected in 2019 to set up and run the Future Skills Centre (FSC), a multi-year initiative funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills program. 

Matthew holds a PhD in History from Queen’s University, Kingston, and is an Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of History at Carleton University, where he taught for many years. He was a board member of the Ottawa International Writers Festival; a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Education; and is currently on the National Advisory Committee for People for Education.

The Honourable James Moore, P.C., M.A. is a Public Policy Advisor at the global firm Edelman, he sits on a number of corporate boards and has extensive experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.  He is a sought after public speaker and is a regular public affairs contributor on CBC/Radio-Canada, CTV, Global National and BNN Bloomberg.

He previously served in several cabinet roles, including as Canada’s Minister of Industry, Minister of Canadian Heritage & Official Languages, Secretary of State for the Asia Pacific Gateway and Minister for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper over a 5-term, 15-year career as a Member of Parliament.  He was the senior regional minister for the province of British Columbia and is the youngest cabinet minister and Member of Parliament in B.C.’s history.

He served as the national vice-chair of the Canadian Cancer Society, a member of the NAFTA Council for the Government of Canada under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and was the 6th Chancellor of the University of Northern British Columbia.  He is also on the boards of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), the Canada America Business Council and the Business Council of British Columbia.

Fluently bilingual in French and English, Mr. Moore holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Northern British Columbia and a Master’s Degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Political Science.  

James and his wife Courtney live near Vancouver with their 13 year old son Spencer.

Johanne Mullen is a PwC Deals Partner and National Leader of the Real Assets practice.

Johanne has 30 years of experience in capital project advisory, complex procurement advisory, project finance and structured finance. 

Johanne is a trusted advisor to capital intensive organizations in both the public and private sectors, supporting them in structuring and implementing complex projects that drive value and benefits for asset owners and users.  Johanne draws on this experience in leading the Real Assets practice with a cross-functional team that helps clients through every phase of the project lifecycle.   

Johanne is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships and a Governor of Marianopolis College in Montreal.  Johanne holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from Concordia University and a Master of Business Administration in International Business from McGill University.

Alison began her appointment as EDC’s president and CEO in February 2025, returning to lead the organization where she spent 14 years on various teams early in her career. 

Alison’s work life has spanned businesses and continents, from leading EDC’s Asian private equity investment strategy while based in Beijing, to holding several vice presidencies and a senior leadership role at BDC Capital in Ottawa and Toronto. 

Her profound experience in global trade finance, capital markets, risk management, international business development and the innovation economy will be critical as EDC and its customers continue to navigate today’s complexities, challenges and opportunities. 

Just prior to returning to EDC, Alison was CEO at MaRS Discovery District, North America’s largest urban innovation hub. 

Alison earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, in commerce and economics and with Honours, from the University of Toronto, before earning a Master in public administration and public policy from the London School of Economics and her Chartered Financial Analysts Designation. 

She is a founding member of the Private Equity Women’s Investment Network Canada, sits on the board of Toronto’s Good Shepherd Ministries and is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors. 

Natan Obed is serving his fourth term as President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national organization working to ensure that Inuit in Canada prosper through unity and self-determination. He is originally from Nain, Nunatsiavut, and currently lives in Ottawa. A skilled negotiator and consensus builder, Obed is the architect of the Inuit Crown Partnership Committee, a collaborative leadership table devoted to addressing the most urgent policy challenges facing Inuit, and creating conditions for Inuit to thrive.

He has devoted his career to working on behalf of Inuit. Working with Inuit Treaty Organizations, he led the development and implementation of national strategies intended to bring about transformational change in the areas of suicide prevention, research, food security and climate change, and is now forging a path to build an Inuit Nunangat University. He is a graduate of Tufts University, holds honorary degrees from Queen’s University and the University of Northern British Columbia, and is the father of Panigusiq and Jushua Obed, his two teenage sons. 

Greg is a Deals Partner at PwC and leads the Real Assets practice for the Prairies Region. Greg holds multiple roles within the firm including PwC’s Global “Build” Domain Leader. Broadly, Greg’s focus is on building trust and delivering sustained outcomes for PwC’s clients grappling with the financing and development of real assets, in Canada and abroad.

Prior to his current role, Greg spent time overseas working at one of the world’s largest commodity trading firms. Greg is highly collaborative and excels at developing multi-functional solutions for clients across the globe. Greg has over 20 years of experience and has worked in over 15 countries assisting clients and colleagues on large scale infrastructure projects in Africa, Central America, South-East Asia, Australia, Canada and Europe. He speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish fluently.

Since returning to Canada, Greg has executed multiple large mandates for some of the largest Canadian infrastructure investors as well as for Canadian corporates and public sector stakeholders in various infrastructure assets including bulk fuel storage assets, energy storage assets, green fuel assets, LPG export terminals, fuel distribution networks, municipal infrastructure, pipelines, and port terminals.

Outside of the office, Greg is an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia where teaches Infrastructure & Public Sector Finance and he teaches undergraduate and graduate (MBA) level courses on Project Finance at the University of Calgary. He is also an avid skier and an aviation enthusiast holding multiple pilot licenses.

Greg devotes considerable time to his community and in that regard is passionate about contributing on economic development and education-related issues. His work and leadership in the community was recognized with this being awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee and the King Charles III Coronation medals and he is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants of Canada (FCPA).

Laura Pagnotta serves as Vice President, External Affairs for Roche Canada’s Pharmaceutical Division. A member of both the Commercial Division and Mississauga site leadership teams, Laura orchestrates Roche Canada’s comprehensive reputation strategy, acting as the primary conduit between the organization and the public, patients, governments, and the broader healthcare community. A passionate champion for sustainable healthcare reform, Laura has dedicated her career to ensuring Canadians have access to life-saving innovations.

Her diverse portfolio unifies government relations, health policy, internal and external communications, corporate social responsibility, and philanthropy. By aligning these critical functions, Laura ensures Roche Canada maintains a trusted voice in policy discussions, fostering a reputation that resonates with decision-makers and supports the evolution of the healthcare system.

With 25 years of experience across the life sciences, non-profit, and agency sectors, Laura is known for bridging the gap between diverse stakeholders to achieve common goals. She has a long history of uniting government agencies, patient organizations, and professional associations to drive progress. Laura returned to Roche Canada in 2019, having previously served in the company’s Communications and Government Relations departments from 2007 to 2015.

Her leadership background also includes tenures as Head of Communications at Baxter Canada and Director of Marketing & Communications at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton Foundation, as well as over a decade in top-tier public relations agencies. Laura currently sits on the Special Advisory Board to the Dean of Science at York University and is a past Board Director for the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, a post-graduate certificate in Public Relations, and completed the Executive Management Program at the DeGroote School of Business.

Laura is also a proud “sports mom”. She and her husband, Chris, can usually be found at a baseball diamond, a football field, or shuttling their two busy boys to various school and extracurricular activities.

Michael Patterson brings over two decades of facilitation expertise to every room he enters. A Master Facilitator at SNI since 2003, Mike has guided executives through complex negotiations and strategic planning sessions at Fortune 500 companies worldwide. His client roster reads like a who’s who of corporate America—Verizon, Boeing, Sanofi, TEKsystems, Wells Fargo, Philips, Pratt & Whitney along with various other government agencies and non-profits.

Mike’s career started in the Air National Guard as a systems specialist, where he learned that good planning makes all the difference. He brought that discipline to Abbott Laboratories, spending nearly a decade moving from engineer to management and sales leadership roles. There, he discovered his talent for turning technical challenges into practical solutions.

Mike earned his stripes academically with a B.Sc. from Eastern Illinois University and a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois.

When Mike’s not helping Fortune 500 executives close deals, you can find him on the soccer pitch coaching youth teams (three years and counting) or giving back to the community through board roles at Omro Youth Services and Warm Blankets Orphan Care.

Home base for Mike is Barrington, Illinois, where he lives with his wife and three children.

Nathalie Pilon has served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Montreal Port Authority since March 2023.

A nationally recognized business leader, she brings over 30 years of experience in the construction and electrification industries. She previously served as President of ABB Canada, was a member of ABB’s Americas Executive Committee, and held the position of President of Thomas & Betts Canada and Australia. She is widely recognized for her ability to bring people and technology together to drive innovation.

Ms. Pilon has been named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network. She received the Leadership Excellence Award from the Association of Quebec Women in Finance in 2015 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Concordia University in 2018 for her contributions to business innovation.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal and is a Fellow of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec (FCPA). She also serves on the boards of HEC Montréal, Groupe Deschênes, Nouveau Monde Graphite, Kinova, Lassonde and Hammond Power Solutions.

Joelle Pineau is Chief AI Officer at Cohere. She plays a key role in the company’s product strategy and oversees Cohere Labs, Cohere’s research lab. She is also a professor at McGill University and a core academic member of Mila.

Prior to Cohere, she was VP AI research at Meta, leading its Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) team. Based in Montreal, she holds a BASc in Engineering from the University of Waterloo, and an MSc and PhD in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University.

Since 2021, François has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Energy. He has exemplified the next generation of corporate leadership by positioning TC Energy at the forefront of North America’s energy future.

François has been advocating in North America, calling for greater energy integration, pragmatic policy reform and cross-border collaboration. He has consistently championed the idea that a strong continent begins with strong individual nations—a message he has reinforced through trilateral engagement, participation in key energy forums and by signing the Build Canada Now letter. This joint initiative, backed by over 90 energy companies, advocates for urgent regulatory and policy reforms to unlock Canada’s energy potential and strengthen its economic sovereignty.  

Under François’ stewardship, TC Energy has expanded its infrastructure footprint across North America and maintained strong returns for shareholders. As CEO, François has overseen the successful spin-off of the company’s Liquids Pipelines division, a corporate-wide integration of the natural gas business across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, and the completion of two nation-building mega projects: the Coastal GasLink and Southeast Gateway pipeline projects.   

Before joining TC Energy, François spent 25 years in investment banking, consulting and as a Corporate Director. François currently serves as an Independent Director of CIBC, along with the Business Council of Canada and the American Petroleum Institute.    

François’ leadership extends beyond corporate achievements—he has redefined how Canadian businesses engage with the communities where they operate, championing initiatives that drive lasting social and economic impact. He established TC Energy’s Indigenous Advisory Council and led the rollout of company-wide Indigenous awareness training. From embedding a philosophy of ‘hire and buy local’ into TC Energy’s corporate DNA and serving as co-chair of the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2024, François has mobilized resources to support grassroots initiatives and strengthen communities.     

François is a visionary leader who has led with integrity to shape the future of energy. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business at York University and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Operations Research from the University of Ottawa.  

As President of McKesson Canada, Dimitris is responsible for leading McKesson’s portfolio of businesses in Canada including pharmaceutical distribution operations, Specialty Health, and McKesson’s network of independent pharmacies comprised of I.D.A., Guardian, Remedy’sRx, The Medicine Shoppe, Uniprix, and Proxim. 

Dimitris joined McKesson Canada in 2005 following the acquisition of Phase 4 Health, a specialty and manufacturer-facing services company he helped build and grow. This acquisition resulted in the creation of McKesson Specialty Health, which offers a comprehensive range of services to manufacturers. Under his leadership, the group expanded to become Canada’s largest specialty services provider. 

Over the past two decades, Dimitris has held executive leadership roles across every operational business unit within the Canadian portfolio, driving transformational growth across the organization. He is recognized as a strategic business leader committed to customer success, operational excellence, and building high-performing teams. 

Dimitris holds a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Toronto and has served on several boards in the healthcare industry including positions at the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia Pharmacy Programs and the Canadian Association for Pharmacy Distribution Management (CAPDM) as Chair. He is a current board member of the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada (NPAC) and the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA), where he chairs the National Pharmacy Business Council.

An entrepreneur since the age of 24, Simon Poulin began his career in accounting at Deloitte before transitioning into entrepreneurship. He is now co-founder of Upside Drinks, North America’s largest alcohol-free store. This Quebec-based company is in hypergrowth, recognized in 2025 as the 2^nd fastest-growing company in Quebec and #12 in Canada.

The Honourable Bob Rae brings over five decades of leadership at the highest levels of international diplomacy, national politics, and public policy.

Most recently, Rae served as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York from 2020 to 2025. During his tenure, Rae became the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2024-25 and also chaired the Advisory Committee on Haiti. Prior to his diplomatic service, Rae served as Premier of Ontario from 1990-1995 and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2011.

to 2013. He was elected to federal and provincial parliaments 11 times between 1978 and 2013 and has been honoured by the alumni of both bodies for his distinguished service.

Rae also served as Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar in 2017 and was named Canada’s Special Envoy on Humanitarian and Refugee Issues by Prime Minister Trudeau. He was also the Chief Negotiator for the nine First Nations of the Matawa Tribal Council in Northern Ontario from 2013 to 2018 and was appointed to the Security and Intelligence Review Committee by Prime Minister Chrétien.

The Honourable Lisa Raitt joined CIBC Capital Markets as a Vice Chair in January 2020, having previously worked in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Raitt ’s current focus is on senior client coverage and business development with clients in the energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors, which align closely with her deep expertise.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Raitt was the President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. She was elected into the House of Commons in 2008, where she went on to hold three senior portfolios serving as Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Labour, and Minister of Transport. Most recently, Ms. Raitt was the Deputy Leader of the Off icial Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada.

Ms. Raitt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis Xavier University and a Master of Science (Chemistry) from the University of Guelph. She possesses an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School, was called to the Ontario bar in 1998 and was a Harold G. Fox Scholar at the Inns of Court in London, England.

Currently, Ms. Raitt is a Director on the Boards of LFL Group, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO), Baycrest Health Sciences and the Global Risk Institute. She also is the Chair of the Board of Governors of St. Francis Xavier University, Vice Chair of CARE Canada, and Co-Chair of Coalition for a Bett er Future.

In June 2024, Lisa was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Business from the University of Ottawa.

Sandrine Rastello is an independent journalist, writer, and moderator. For two decades she covered business and economics for Bloomberg News, reporting from G7 meetings, garment workshops in Southern India, and dozens of other places as a correspondent based in Paris, Washington, Mumbai and Montreal.

Sandrine has also long been involved in theater, which makes her a particularly attentive and engaging interviewer. She has years of experience moderating panels and leading discussions, including at the Brookings Institution, C2 Montréal, and the Conference of Montreal.

An internationally recognized Montreal entrepreneur, Christine Renaud is the founder of Braindate, a pioneering technology that transforms events into peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing experiences. Built without venture capital, Braindate was named one of the world’s most innovative companies by Fast Company in 2025, and was a finalist for two Webby Awards in 2023. It is now used by global leaders such as Salesforce, TED, SXSW, and NVIDIA.

With a Harvard education in education and guided by deep values of authenticity and community, Christine designs spaces where collective intelligence can fully express itself. Her unique voice inspires those who wish to undertake differently — with boldness, benevolence, and purpose.

A sought-after speaker (SXSW, IBTM, C2 Montreal), she candidly addresses the realities of entrepreneurship, the power of courageous conversations, and the urgency of reinventing success in an era where loneliness must give way to human connection.

David Rheault is Vice President of Government and Community Relations at Air Canada. A lawyer by training, he joined Air Canada in 2007 as Counsel, litigation. Mr. Rheault represented Air Canada before courts and administrative tribunals and advised the company on various litigation files in Canada and foreign countries.

Today, in his current role, Mr. Rheault is responsible for the company’s relationships with all levels of governments and has been involved in many complex regulatory and policy matters. He is also responsible for Air Canada’s community partnership program, which has supported over 350 events and developed partnerships with 250 organizations from the aviation, tourism, and business sectors. Prior to joining Air Canada, he served as policy advisor at the Office of the Premier of Québec and for the Minister of Economic and Regional Development and Research.

After earning a degree from Université Laval Faculty of Law, he was called to the Barreau du Québec in 2000. He practiced commercial litigation and transport law at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg and at Fasken Martineau. Mr. Rheault currently sits on the Board of the National Airlines Council of Canada, the Canada China Business Council, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian American Business Council. He has previously been on the Boards of the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Tourisme Montréal.

Michael Rubinoff is an Olivier and Dora Award winning, Tony Award nominated producer and a leading force in Canadian musical theatre, widely recognized for championing new works. He is the originating producer and visionary behind Come From Away, the most successful Canadian musical in history, a contribution that earned him the Meritorious Service Cross, one of Canada’s highest civilian honours. In 2011, Rubinoff founded the Canadian Music Theatre Project (CMTP), an influential incubator that, over a decade, supported the development of more than thirty new musicals by Canadian and international artists.  

Rubinoff served as Associate Dean of Visual and Performing Arts at Sheridan College from 2011 to 2017. His producing credits include the annual summer production of Come From Away in Gander; It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken featuring music by The Tragically Hip; Maggie by Johnny Reid and Matt Murray; and Grow, scheduled for 2026 at Montreal’s Segal Centre. He also produced The Last Timbit: A 60th Anniversary Musical with Tim Hortons, including its live capture broadcast on Crave, which earned a Canadian Screen Award nomination. 

Rubinoff is Artistic Director of The Musical Stage Company, Canada’s leading charitable music theatre company. He is also a graduate of Western Law and called to the Bar of Ontario in 2002. 

Xavier Roy is Senior Vice President, Membership Engagement and Advancement at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, representing more than 200,000 Canadian businesses. In this role, he leads the team responsible for deploying member engagement strategies across the country and generating the majority of the Chamber’s revenue.

He served as Executive Director of the Festival de Lanaudière (2020–2024), Canada’s largest classical music festival, where he led its national and international repositioning while strengthening its regional roots. Under his leadership, the Festival had its best box-office season and doubled its private revenues. He previously held leadership positions at the Opéra de Montréal and Place des Arts. He began his career by co-founding the group QW4RTZ, with which he performed hundreds of shows across Canada and Europe, including a private concert for state leaders at the 2018 G7 Summit.

A graduate and scholar of the University of Oxford (MBA with distinction), he also holds a master’s degree from HEC Montréal and a bachelor’s degree in classical voice from the Université de Montréal. Recognized for his leadership in cultural management, he received the John Hobday Award from the Canada Council for the Arts (2021) and was named a Young Cultural Innovator by the Salzburg Global Seminar (2018).

He serves as a board member of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (since 2024) and has contributed to several government committees and boards of directors in the cultural sector.

Adrian Schut is a Principal at Cahdco and the Director of Real Estate Development. He is an experienced builder with a background in multi-residential structures and custom homes. As a project lead for the past 12 years, he has developed hundreds of homes across Eastern Ontario. Following his training as a carpenter, he opened a home building business in 2015.

After operating Adrian Schut Construction Inc. for six years, he entered the affordable housing space in 2021, bringing his private sector experience in high-performance buildings. His attention to detail and familiarity with advanced building techniques enable him to build better, faster, and on budget. Adrian lives in Ottawa with his wife and three children. Beyond work, he and his family enjoy running, cross-country skiing and living in a state of perpetual renovations.

Maninder Sidhu has served as your Member of Parliament for Brampton East since 2019. For over four years, he has also been a Parliamentary Secretary at Global Affairs Canada-helping to strengthen diplomatic relations, promoting international trade, and supporting international development. He is a husband, father, entrepreneur, philanthropist and someone who is passionate about making Brampton a better place. Maninder has lived in Brampton for the past 35 years and today, still calls Brampton home alongside his wife and children.

Building on the values that Maninder was raised on, Maninder firmly believes that one should do all the good that you can. Among many philanthropic endeavors, including mentoring aspiring young entrepreneurs, Maninder is the founder of The Kindness Movement Charity. This family charity assists underprivileged school children and the less fortunate in India and here in Canada.

After graduating from the University of Waterloo, Maninder built a successful customs brokerage business, helping businesses across Canada navigate the intricacies of international trade and regulations. Today, motivated by gratitude for the opportunities he has had, Maninder is determined to help young people here find more success, close to home and their families.

Maninder will work to ensure every young person has the same opportunity he has had to live, work and raise a family in our hometown. He feels humbled and grateful to be your Member of Parliament for Brampton East — and he is determined to work even harder for families in our community.

R. J. Simpson is the Premier of the Northwest Territories and Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. As Premier, he is focused on advancing the priorities of the 20th Legislative Assembly: ensuring housing is suitable, accessible and affordable; strengthening the territory’s economic foundation; improving access to health care and addressing the effects of trauma; and supporting safe residents and communities. He also prioritizes strengthening cooperative governance and advancing land claim and self-government negotiations across the Northwest Territories.

He was first elected as the MLA for Hay River North in 2015. During his first two terms in government, he served as Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, Chair of the Special Committee on Transition Matters, and as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Minister of Justice, and Government House Leader.

Simpson was born in Calgary and raised in Hay River. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from MacEwan University and a law degree from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law. His professional background includes experience in both the public and private sectors. During his legal studies, he served as President of the Aboriginal Law Students’ Association and volunteered with the Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre and the Canada-Ghana Education Project.

Matina Stevis-Gridneff became the New York Times Canada bureau chief in the summer of 2024, and leads the paper’s coverage of the country. A career international correspondent, she covered Europe and East Africa for the Wall Street Journal for the best part of a decade, before joining the New York Times as Brussels bureau chief in 2019.

Over the past two decades she has covered financial crises, refugee displacement, conflict, politics and culture from more than 30 countries in three continents. She read Modern History and Politics at the University of Oxford and holds a Masters in Public Administration, Public Policy and Management from the London School of Economics. She was born and raised in Athens, Greece, and lives in Toronto with her husband and two children. 

Kaylie is chief economist at The Canadian Shield Institute – a next-generation policy studio focused on enhancing Canada’s sovereignty and driving economic resilience.  

Before joining Shield, she worked in a range of economic roles, supporting Canada’s largest organizations and institutions, advising negotiations, and developing economic strategy ideas that connect policy goals to people’s everyday lives.

Kaylie holds a Master of Development Economics from Dalhousie University, is a policy fellow at Social Capital Partners and sits on the Board of Kindred Credit Union where she chairs the Technology and Innovation Advisory group.

Daniel Tisch is a business, public policy, and community leader, having held executive roles in government and the corporate sector, and senior governance roles at public institutions and non-profit associations. He is known globally as an expert in corporate communications, public policy, community engagement, crisis and reputation management.

From 2003 to 2023, Daniel was the driving force in building Argyle Communications (now Changemakers) into Canada’s largest management-owned engagement, communication and reputation advisory firm growing to $40M in revenue, 175 employees and ten North American offices by 2023. Earlier in his career, Daniel held senior communications roles in the Canadian government, including serving as Senior Policy Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the latter role, he was a member of the Canadian delegation to the G7 Economic Summit

Daniel has spoken to business audiences on every continent, lectured at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business since 1996, and contributed to leading public relations and marketing textbooks. He appears regularly in print and broadcast media, including weekly commentary on CBC Radio and Global News during the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections. In 2021, Daniel was named one of the world’s “top 100” social media influencers on public relations.

Born in Spain to a Latin American family and raised in Toronto, Daniel speaks English, French and Spanish. He holds two degrees from Queen’s University — a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies and a Master of Business Administration. He is also a certified corporate director, with an ICD.D designation in corporate governance from the University of Toronto. Daniel has served as vice chair of the Queen’s University Board of Trustees, a leader in the international Scouting movement and a board member of Social Venture Partners International.

In 2025, Daniel was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his contributions to his community, the province and the country.

As CADSI’s Vice President, Communications and Government Relations, Nicolas Todd is responsible for the association’s policy development and government advocacy on behalf of its 1,000+ members.

He applies his experience working at the intersection of politics, policy, and communications, having previously held positions as a senior political staffer at the federal and provincial levels, a federal public servant, and a public affairs consultant. Nicolas also currently serves as the head of the Canadian delegation to NATO’s Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG).

Talia Varley, MD, is the Managing Director for Advisory Services at Cleveland Clinic Canada. Dr. Varley has a unique background that combines the rigour of medicine with the corporate training excellence of management consulting.

Dr. Varley holds a Masters of Public Health from Harvard University, a Bachelor of Science from Western University, as well as an MD and a Certification in the College of Family Physicians from McMaster University.

As the Physician Lead of Advisory Services, Dr. Varley drives the Medical Director program to provide non-healthcare organizations with a Chief Medical Director (CMD), backed by the Cleveland Clinic global enterprise. Dr. Varley is a member of Cleveland Clinic Canada’s senior leadership team and complements her management role with ongoing medical practice in the growing fields of addiction medicine and chronic pain.

Known for her leadership skills, Dr. Varley has held strategic roles at Harvard Business School, the University of Toronto, McMaster University and SickKids Hospital. She previously worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company across a broad spectrum of corporate mandates, from due diligence and cost reduction initiatives to employee experience design and digital lab strategy and launch. While there, she helped to build a digital talent engine and launch an enterprise agility transformation.

Dr. Varley has a keen interest in research and has been involved in numerous projects, including patient safety and quality improvement, neuromuscular disease, endocrinology and evidence-based medicine. Her research has been published on topics such as opioid use, surgical reconstruction and osteoporosis. Dr. Varley has also shared her expertise in the Globe & Mail’s Leadership Lab, an op-ed column dedicated to providing career advice and insights for employees. She is actively involved in her community, volunteering her time with the Harvard Alumni Network, and previously at the National Ballet of Canada and Baycrest Center for Geriatric Care.

When she’s not leading Advisory Services, Dr. Varley enjoys sculpture, creative writing, ballet dancing and barre classes, classical piano, scuba diving, sailing and playing volleyball.

Before joining McKesson, David was Vice President Public Affairs at the Montreal office of NATIONAL Public Relations, where he worked for seven years.

David previously served as a director of a firm specializing in public affairs, as a policy advisor in the office of the Minister of Health of Canada, and as a policy advisor in the office of the Premier of Quebec.

David holds a Law Degree from the University of Montreal and an Executive MBA (EMBA) from ESG-UQAM. Recognized for his involvement in the community, David has been very active in various social, political and economic organizations. Among other things, he is a member of the Board of the McCord-Stewart Museum and the Board of the Foundation of the College of Nurses of Quebec.

David Veillette is Vice President, Government Affairs at McKesson Canada since January 3, 2017.

Coleen Volk joined CMHC as President and CEO in June 2024. She brings extensive experience in executive roles within the Province of Alberta and the Government of Canada, and previous experience in the private sector.

Ms. Volk served most recently in the Alberta public service as Associate Deputy Minister, Executive Council; and held Deputy Minister roles with Operations, Intergovernmental Relations, and Alberta Energy.

For more than 10 years, Ms. Volk held executive roles within the federal government, including with Environment and Climate Change Canada, Finance Canada, and Industry Canada. She also served at the Privy Council Office, where she supported the Prime Minister and the Clerk of the Privy Council in governor-in-council appointments, such as for deputy ministers, Crown corporation and agency boards and CEOs, federal commissions and tribunals.

Her appointment as President and CEO marks a homecoming to CMHC where she previously spent nine years in leadership roles from 1996 to 2005, including Assistant Vice-President, Finance; Managing Director, Securitization; and Treasurer.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Volk worked in the banking industry, including six years with CIBC in the Corporate Treasury function. She holds a CPA designation (CPA, CMA), and has a Bachelor of Science with a computer science major from the University of Regina.

Val Walker leads the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that brings together some of Canada’s largest companies and leading post-secondary institutions. As CEO, Val drives BHER’s strategic direction, steers member and stakeholder relations, and leads a high-performing team committed to creating opportunity through collaboration in Canada’s skills, talent, and innovation ecosystems.

Val was inaugural co-chair of the Future Skills Council, a group established by the Government of Canada to advise on national and regional skills development and training priorities. She has also served as a member of the Guiding Coalition to the Government of Alberta’s Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs initiative and of Employment and Social Development Canada’s Advisory Committee on Learning.

Prior to leading BHER, Val was Vice President, Innovation and Skills, at the Business Council of Canada where BHER was founded, and was Director of Policy at Mitacs. She holds a PhD from McGill University and is an alumna of the Government of Canada’s Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program.

Tricia Williams, PhD, is Director of Research, Evaluation & Knowledge Mobilization at the Future Skills Centre, where she leads a portfolio of applied research and innovation projects focused on building a more inclusive and adaptable workforce in Canada. With over two decades of experience spanning academia, government, and the non-profit sector, she has developed deep expertise in skills development, labour market policy, and the future of work.

Her work bridges research and practice, shaping policy and program design to better align education and training with the evolving needs of workers and employers. She has published widely on workforce innovation, equity in employment, and the role of technology in reshaping work.

Tricia holds a Bachelor’s degree and two Master’s degrees in Sociology and Development Economics, as well as a PhD in Sociology and Anthropology. She is a sought-after advisor and speaker on skills and workforce development, bringing a practical, evidence-based perspective to conversations about economic change and social impact.

Alexa is VP Government, External and Environmental Affairs at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority where she is responsible for providing leadership and strategic oversight of government, Indigenous and stakeholder relations as well as internal and external communication activities. She is also responsible for the port authority’s environmental stewardship and project review programs.

She brings 20 years of experience providing guidance to C-Suite executives, developing integrated strategies and building GR, public affairs and sustainability functions and teams across Canada’s leading resource and tech companies. Alexa previously served in leadership roles at Teck, TELUS, the BC Council of Forest Industries and BC Lumber Trade Council and New Economy Canada. In these roles she delivered transformational policy, communications and partnership solutions to support business and partners’ investment, permitting, innovation, procurement, trade, transportation, infrastructure, Indigenous reconciliation and sustainability priorities. She has also worked as a consultant for NATIONAL Public Relations in Vancouver and Summa Strategies in Ottawa.

Alexa is a Member of the Board of Family Services of Greater Vancouver and Vice Chair or North Shore Neighbourhood House. She has previously served on BC Premier David Eby’s Taskforce on Economic Security and Trade, as Member of the Board of the Digital Technology Supercluster, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and US Mining Association, and as a Member of the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining Governance Team. She holds a MSc in Politics and Communications from the London School of Economics and a BAH in Political Science from Queen’s. In 2021, she was recognized as one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40. She is an alumnus of the 2017 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. Born and raised in New Brunswick and Ottawa, Alexa is a proud and passionate pan-Canadian with deep roots from coast to coast.

Rebecca Zandbergen is the host of CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning radio show on 91.5 FM.

Rebecca grew up in rural Ontario and graduated from Carleton University’s journalism program before working at CBC stations across the country. She spent more than two decades working in Halifax, Iqaluit, Whitehorse, Kelowna and London as a journalist and radio host. 

She formerly hosted CBC Kelowna’s Radio West and most recently London Morning for six years before returning to Ottawa in 2023.

She’s taught journalism abroad including at the National University in Rwanda and at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa. Most recently, she taught at her alma mater, Carleton University. 

Rebecca is the recipient of two national Radio Television Digital News Association Awards including best live news special for her work on Learning from London: What will you do to end Islamophobia, which was broadcast in the days following the murder of the Afzaal family in London, Ontario.

When not at the mic, Rebecca is a busy mom of three young kids, an avid runner and a second-hand bargain hunter enthusiast. 

In June 2024, Lisa was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Business from the University of Ottawa.