Michael Serapio is a renowned television anchor and reporter, whose broadcasting career has spanned more than two decades of covering some of the most challenging news stories in real time. In addition to being the face of CPAC’s live programming, he hosts the channel’s nightly political round-up, PrimeTime Politics, and is the first Filipino-Canadian male to anchor a national newscast in Canada. In 2023, Michael was recognized with a Canadian Screen Award for his work anchoring a breaking news special on the Ottawa occupation in February 2022.

Prior to joining CPAC in 2022, Michael spent 12 years as a host and anchor with CBC News Network. Before that, he was a reporter with CTV British Columbia and CityNews Toronto.

Dr. Birol took up his position after rising through the ranks of the IEA over two decades. He joined as a junior analyst in the mid-1990s and rose to the position of Chief Economist responsible for the IEA’s flagship World Energy Outlook among other topics. Throughout his career, Dr. Birol has pioneered and passionately supported efforts to expand access to electricity and to clean cooking technologies and fuels in Africa and beyond.

Dr. Birol has been included in the TIME100, TIME’s annual list of the world’s most influential people, and named by Forbes as one of the most influential people in the world of energy. He is the recipient of numerous decorations, including the French Legion of Honour bestowed by the President of France, the Japanese Emperor’s Order of the Rising Sun, the highest Presidential decorations from Germany, Italy and Austria, the Order of the Polar Star from the King of Sweden and the highest Emirati decoration bestowed by the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh bin Zayed.

Prior to joining the IEA, Dr. Birol worked at the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). He earned a BSc degree in power engineering from the Technical University of Istanbul and received an MSc and PhD in energy economics from the Technical University of Vienna. He has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science from Imperial College London. He chairs the World Economic Forum’s (Davos) Energy Advisory Board and is an honorary life member of Galatasaray Football Club.

JP Gladu is the Principal of Mokwateh and is dedicated to creating innovative partnerships and solutions that unlock equitable opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous business communities. An Anishinaabe leader from Sand Point First Nation on Lake Nipigon, Ontario, JP brings nearly 35 years of experience in the natural resource sector, working with Indigenous communities and organizations, environmental non-government organizations, industry, and governments across Canada and internationally.

JP completed a forestry technician diploma from Sault College and an undergraduate degree in Forestry from Northern Arizona University. He holds an Executive MBA from Queen’s University and an ICD.D designation from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He has been recognized with an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Carleton University (2024) and an Honorary Doctor of Commerce from Lakehead University (2025).

He currently serves on the boards of Suncor and Superior Plus. He also sits on Domtar’s Sustainability Committee, BHP’s Forum for Corporate Responsibility, and the Major Projects Office Indigenous Advisory Committee. He previously served on the boards of Broden Mining, First Nations Major Projects Coalition Advisory Centre, the Institute for Corporate Directors, Ontario Power Generation and Noront Resources and is the past Chair of the Mikisew Group of Companies. JP is a senior fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and served as Chancellor of St. Paul’s University College at the University of Waterloo from 2017 to 2020. From September 2012 to April 2020, he served as President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB). His leadership has been recognized by the Public Policy Forum as a 2024 Honouree and through the 2024 Premier’s Award for outstanding Ontario college graduates in business.

Inez Jabalpurwala is a distinguished leader in public policy and non-profit management.

Before joining PPF, Inez was the Global Director of VINEx, a brain health research organization. Inez built VINEx during the pandemic to explore how SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses impact brain health, including Long COVID. After co-leading the development of a pan-Canadian action plan to address Long COVID, Inez broadened VINEx’s focus to better understand how the environment impacts our health. She is also co-leader of the Brain Health Nexus, a multidisciplinary effort to unleash science and technology to optimize brain health and prevent brain disease.

Prior to these roles, Inez was Founding President and CEO of the Brain Canada Foundation from 2001 to 2020, building a globally recognized health charity that brought together fragmented research and policy communities, and accelerated Canada’s excellent research on the brain. Under her leadership, Brain Canada raised more than $130 million, initiated and executed more than 100 partnerships across sectors and disbursed more than $250 million in grants.

Inez has been named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network on three occasions — in 2007, 2016 and again in 2022 for “women in STEM roles who are challenging the status quo for knowledge and female empowerment.”

She holds a BA and MA in English literature and an MBA from McGill University and has completed the Master of Management program for voluntary sector leaders.

Rob Annan has more than a decade of success leading research and innovation organizations. As President and CEO of Genome Canada, he combines a background in genomics research with deep knowledge of science and innovation policy and a proven track record in corporate strategy. Rob is committed to translating ideas into impact. A strong believer that science and innovation—when equitably applied—can make life better, he works with researchers, policy leaders and industry across Canada and internationally to help realize the economic, environmental, and social benefits of genomics.

Rob has been involved in Canadian science policy in numerous capacities, including through executive leadership at Mitacs where he served as Chief Research Officer. He is currently a member of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council and has also served as a fellow of the Public Policy Forum as well as a Director of Let’s Talk Science.

Rob has a PhD in biochemistry from McGill University and two undergraduate degrees: one in English from Queen’s University and another in biology from the University of Victoria.

Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin is Chief Executive Officer of Nukik Corporation, with extensive experience in the energy and electricity sector. She is leading the development of a first-of-its-kind southern Canada-Arctic electricity intertie, delivering renewable power and broadband to Nunavut through the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link.

Her work centers on advancing clean energy infrastructure, strengthening energy security, and building durable cross-jurisdictional partnerships with federal, provincial, and Inuit partners. She also led the corporate restructuring of Nukik — a 100 percent Inuit-owned corporation — into three core divisions: Transmission, Generation, and Services, positioning the organization for long-term growth and delivery. Previously, she served as President and CEO of WaterPower Canada.

She was appointed by the Government of Canada to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation’s Joint Public Advisory Committee and was elected Chair in 2025, promoting trilateral collaboration on climate and environmental protection across North America.

Dr. Anderson Chuck is the current President and CEO of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), where he is spearheading a bold transformation to modernize how CIHI delivers on its mandate.

Before joining CIHI, Dr. Chuck served as chief health economist at Alberta Health Services (AHS), where he worked closely with the Ministry of Health, health delivery leaders, clinicians and other system stakeholders in shaping strategy for health system transformation, sustainability, financial performance and value.

He holds a Master of Public Health and a Doctor of Philosophy from the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta. He is a firm believer that the future of health care — and the key to a high-performing, sustainable system — is not a race to the bottom in costs but a race to the top in value.

Ehren Cory, CEO of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), is a leader in sustainable finance and infrastructure investing in Canada. He joined the CIB in 2020 with a focus on accelerating new infrastructure investment through partnerships with the private and public sectors.

Previously, he was the CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, one of North America’s largest public infrastructure developers. Ehren also serves on the Boards of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships and Unity Health Toronto and is involved in several leading sustainable investment organizations including the Institute for Sustainable Finance at Queen’s University.

He received an MBA from INSEAD and an Honours BA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.

Joel Dickinson is the Clerk of the Executive Council and Head of the Public Service with the Government of New Brunswick (GNB). He began his career in the private sector and later worked at both the University of New Brunswick and Service New Brunswick.

Joel joined GNB in 2011 as part of the first cohort of the Lean Six Sigma transformation program and went on to serve as a Master Black Belt before becoming an Assistant Deputy Minister at the Executive Council Office.

Since then, Joel has served as both Deputy Clerk, under three clerks, and as President of the Regional Development Corporation. He played a pivotal role in leading the province through COVID-19, as well as spearheading transformation and accountability initiatives across GNB. His leadership is grounded in high-performing government and delivering on major priorities.

Michelle DiEmanuele, Secretary of the Cabinet of Ontario, has spent her career leading large-scale service change and cultural transformation across public and private sectors. She introduced online birth certificates in Ontario and North America’s first “Money Back Guarantee” for government services.

Secretary DiEmanuele returned to the Ontario public service in 2021 after more than a decade as President and CEO of Trillium Health Partners, where she led Canada’s largest voluntary hospital merger and guided the organization through a global pandemic. She also established the Institute for Better Health, Can Health Network and Partners Community Health.

Her career includes senior roles at CIBC, Brookfield Properties and serving as CEO of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

Inducted into Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame, she holds the Order of Ontario, King Charles III’s Coronation Medal and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Toronto Metropolitan University.

With a strong interest in global issues, Robert Greenhill has combined a career in international business with a commitment to public policy.

Robert is Executive Chair, Global Canada Initiative, and Professor of Practice at the Institute for the Study of International Development at McGill University. Previous roles include Managing Director and Chief Business Officer of the World Economic Forum, Deputy Minister and President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and President and Chief Operating Officer of the International Group of Bombardier Inc. Robert started his career with McKinsey & Company.

He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the KBF Canada Foundation and of the Advisory Board of the Banff Forum. Robert has a BA from the University of Alberta, MA from the London School of Economics, and MBA from INSEAD.

Dale McFee most recently served as the Chief of Police of the Edmonton Police Service for six years before joining the Alberta Public Service. Prior to moving to Edmonton, he served as a police officer in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, for 26 years, with nine of those as Chief of Police. He also served with the Government of Saskatchewan as the Deputy Minister of Corrections and Policing in the Ministry of Justice, and was the lead deputy on transformational change.

He has previously held the positions of President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, President of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police, President of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, President of the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers, Director of the Canadian Police Association, and was recently a Director with the Major City Chiefs Association (MCCA) comprised of U.S. and Canadian large cities.

Dale was appointed an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by the Governor General of Canada, received a provincial leadership award and has been recognized as a Governor General Leadership alumnus.

Gordon C. McCauley was appointed President and CEO of adMare BioInnovations in 2016 after four years on the Board. Gordon has demonstrated leadership in various roles, notably executive and investment management in public and private biotech companies and venture capital firms. Additionally, Gordon was a senior advisor to several prominent Canadian political leaders and has integrated this experience into his work within the life sciences sector.

Gordon is currently the Chair of CGEn, Canada’s national genomics enterprise. He is an independent Director of Forus Therapeutics and Montreal InVivo. Gordon Co-Chairs the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Life Science Council and is actively engaged with the Public Policy Forum’s Life Sciences Leadership Table.

Previously, Gordon has been Chair of BIOTECanada, LifeSciences British Columbia, Acetech and The Toronto Rehab Foundation. In 2008, he was the first Canadian to join the Board of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) in Washington, D.C., serving in leadership roles until 2013.

Gordon holds a B.A. in Political Science from McMaster University, an MBA (with honours) from IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland, and earned the ICD.D certification from the Institute of Corporate Directors and the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto. He is currently a doctoral candidate at Grenoble École de Management in Grenoble, France.

Mark Podlasly (POD‑LASS‑LEE) is the Chief Executive Officer of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition, a national alliance of 184 Canadian Indigenous nations advancing First Nations equity ownership in major projects, including pipelines, electric utilities, and mining‑related infrastructure. The Coalition is currently supporting Indigenous communities in negotiating equity positions in 18 major projects with a total capital expenditure of $45 billion.

He also serves on the boards of CIBC, a national bank, and Hydro One Inc., Canada’s second‑largest electric transmission company, and is a Trustee of his Nation’s Nlaka’pamux (EN‑KLA‑CAP‑MUUK) Nation Legacy Trust, a $106 million mining revenue fund.

In 2017, Mr. Podlasly (POD‑LASS‑LEE), was awarded the Governor General of Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal for Indigenous leadership in establishing Teach For Canada — Gakinaamaage, a non-profit organization that works with northern Canadian First Nations to recruit and support committed teachers. He has advised many leading international companies on corporate education, strategy, leadership, and globalization programs. Mr. Podlasly (POD‑LASS‑LEE),  is a regular speaker at global business and governance events.

A member of the Cook’s Ferry Indian Band of the Nlaka’pamux (EN‑KLA‑CAP‑MUUK) Nation in British Columbia, Canada, Mr. Podlasly holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University and is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Mr. Steve Verheul is a Principal with GT and Company Executive Advisors as well as President of Steve Verheul Consulting Inc. He co-chairs the Coalition for North American Trade and is a Fellow of the Public Policy Forum. Previously, Mr. Verheul held a number of senior level positions in the Government of Canada, including: Chief Trade Negotiator and Assistant Deputy Minister of the Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch at Global Affairs Canada; Canada’s Chief Negotiator for the Canada-US-Mexico Trade Agreement (CUSMA); and Chief negotiator for negotiations between Canada and the European Union for the creation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. From 1989 to 2009, Mr. Verheul worked in international trade policy at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and was Canada’s Chief Agriculture Negotiator (2003 to 2009) for international trade negotiations on agriculture.

Avery Shenfeld is Managing Director and Chief Economist of CIBC Capital Markets. He has been with CIBC since 1993 and is widely recognized as one of Canada’s leading economists for his perceptive analysis and insight on economic developments and their implications for financial markets.

He is a repeat winner of the Dow Jones Market Watch forecasting award and has received awards for forecast accuracy on the U.S. and Canadian economies by Bloomberg Markets. He has also been consistently ranked as one of the top Canadian economists by institutional investors.

His prior background includes experience in management consulting. He was on the economics faculty at the University of Toronto and in the summer program at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has addressed numerous business groups and has been quoted in the media in the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe.

Dr. Stephen Lucas was appointed CEO of Mitacs, which supports business-academic collaboration through post-secondary student internships, in October 2024.  He is an accomplished public policy leader with more than 35 years of experience with the Government of Canada, including 10 years as a Deputy Minister. He served as Deputy Minister of Health Canada from 2019 to 2024, and was previously Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Deputy Secretary of Plans, Consultations and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Privy Council Office.  

Dr. Lucas has a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Geological Engineering from Queen’s University, and a Ph.D. from Brown University in structural geology and tectonics. In 2025, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada and received the Vanier Medal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada for his public service contributions and leadership, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Entrepreneur, economist, and global strategist, Dr. Andrew S. Nevin is a  

Research Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas and the Inaugural  

Director of the Brainomics Venture at Center for BrainHealth, where he is  

positioning the Center as a global authority on the economics of brain health.  

After 15 years in Nigeria as a public intellectual and nation-builder, he brings  

more than 35 years of experience in a wide variety of roles, including line  

manager, strategy consultant, investor, economist, entrepreneur, author, and  

public intellectual across four continents. Andrew is also a leader in the  

emerging concept of Flourishing, which focuses on shifting public policy from  

a GDP lens to a broader Flourishing lens. He is the co-author of Flourishing in  

Canada: How to Get the Good Life and serves on multiple nonprofit and  

corporate boards while investing in innovative startups globally. Andrew holds  

a PhD in economics from Harvard, an MA in philosophy and politics from  

Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and degrees in computer science and  

mathematics from Western University.

The Honourable Erin O’Toole, P.C., C.D., is President and Managing Director of ADIT North America and a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute. A former RCAF officer, lawyer, cabinet minister and Leader of the Official Opposition, he brings deep experience in foreign policy, trade and national security. 

Puja Subrun is the Regional Vice President for Canada/LATAM at Intuit leading a team that is passionate about powering the prosperity of Canadians. Puja has 20+ years as an innovative and transformation leader with a proven track record of leading high-performing teams to deliver critical priorities for our customers, employees and business 

Susannah has worked for more than 20 years in the energy sector and is known for leading change within organizations as it relates to integrating value and building collaborative partnerships with private and public sector actors, customers, partners, indigenous and non-indigenous communities. She has a strong public policy, advocacy and project development background that has advanced projects across the energy sector spectrum including renewable and non-renewable power, oil and gas production, pipelines, carbon capture and sequestration, low carbon hydrogen, nuclear, geothermal and liquified natural gas (LNG). She has worked in the US, Canada and Europe managing global and local teams.

Most notably, Susannah is recognized for her leadership in driving two of Canada’s most significant nation building projects including Keystone Oil Pipeline and LNG Canada, the largest private sector investment in Canadian history.

In her most recent role as Shell Canada Limited President and Country Chair, she represented the integrated lines of business in Canada including upstream oil and gas, downstream, renewable energy solutions and Shell Trading. Along with division leadership, she created the business case for ongoing investment across the Canadian portfolio including Shell’s most recent investment in Polaris CCS – a carbon capture sequestration project designed to capture 750,000 tonnes of CO2 per year at full build out.

Prior to joining Shell, Susannah held senior roles at TC Energy, based in Washington, DC and at MicroStrategy and Accenture based in New York City and Washington, DC, respectively.

Susannah is an active member in her professional and personal communities serving on numerous boards, councils and advisory committees.

Susannah has been recognized with a number of distinctions including the Order of British Columbia, the King Charles Coronation Medal, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year, The Ellis Island Medal of Honor and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the Fraser Valley.

She is a passionate advocate for anti-human trafficking and along with the Lieutenant Governor of BC Janet Austin, established the BC Network for the Prevention of Human Trafficking in 2024.

She is the proud mother of two young adults Gabriela and Robert.

Mr. Michael Sabia was named the 26th Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet on July 7, 2025. 

Prior to becoming Clerk, Mr. Sabia served as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HydroQuébec since 2023. He previously served as Canada’s Deputy Minister of Finance from 2020 to 2023. 

Mr. Sabia’s other notable roles include Chair of the Board of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, as well as Director of the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, in 2020. 

He was previously President and CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) – a role he served in from 2009 until 2020. During his tenure, he led the rebuilding of the CDPQ into a global financial institution. 

Prior to joining the CDPQ, Mr. Sabia was CEO of Bell Canada Enterprises and CFO of Canadian National Railway. He began his career in the federal public service, serving principally in the Department of Finance Canada and the Privy Council Office, where he was Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans). 

In addition to serving on government advisory groups in Canada, he has participated in a number of international initiatives, including the United Nations Net Zero Alliance and as Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s working group on infrastructure and development. 

In 2017, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

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.)

J. Simpson is the Premier of the Northwest Territories and Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. As Premier, he is focused on 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 in roles including Deputy Speaker, 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. His professional background includes experience in both the public and private sectors.

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

Candace’s career spans more than two decades, with roles in 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. Notably, Candace worked for more than ten years at Nutrien, most recently as the organization’s Chief Human Resources Officer.

Candace 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 became President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber in September 2024.

Jonathan Price was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Teck in September 2022. In that time, he has
led the transformation of Teck into a pure-play global critical minerals champion.

He has also held the roles of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Price joined Teck
in October 2020, having brought extensive experience in the resources sector through a variety of
finance, commercial and business development roles spanning Europe, Asia and Australia, with a focus
on strategy, transformational change, and business improvement.

He also serves as Vice Chair of the International Council on Mining and Metals; Chair of the World
Economic Forum Mining & Metals Governors; and a UN Women HeForShe Champion.

Prior to joining Teck, Mr. Price was employed by BHP from 2006 to 2020, where he was Chief
Transformation Officer; Vice President, Finance; and Vice President, Investor Relations; working in Asia,
Australia, and the UK.

He holds a Master of Engineering (Honours) in Metallurgy and Materials Science from the University of
Oxford and a Master of Business Administration from Cardiff University

Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty was first elected Grand Chief of the Tłı̨chǫ Nation in 2021 and re-elected in 2025. Before serving as Grand Chief, he represented the Mǫwhì constituency in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories for over 16 years, serving in senior cabinet positions including Deputy Premier and Minister of Justice.

Throughout his career, Grand Chief Lafferty has been committed to advancing education, youth development, language revitalization, and cultural preservation. He envisions the Tłı̨chǫ Nation built upon the principles of unity, language, and sustainable development.

Prior to entering politics, Mr. Lafferty worked with Rio Tinto at the Diavik Diamond Mine, where he played a pivotal role in the implementation of the mine’s Participation Agreement with northern Indigenous groups.

With his extensive experience across many sectors, he remains committed to advancing Tłı̨chǫ self-governance, fostering collaboration across governments and industry, and ensuring responsible resource development.

Dr. Stéphanie Michaud is President and CEO of BioCanRx, Canada’s Immunotherapy Network, a not-for-profit organization investing in the development of made-in-Canada immunotherapies for the clinic. She brings over 20 years of experience across the public, government, and private sectors in research, science, technology, and innovation policy and program delivery.

A committed contributor to science policy in Canada, Dr. Michaud works to build partnerships between government, not-for-profits, academia, and industry to maximize the impact of cancer immunotherapy research on the lives of patients and families affected by the disease.

Dr. Michaud holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry from McGill University and began her career as a synthetic organic chemist with a university spinout, where her work resulted in several patents. She currently serves on the Boards of Research Canada and CQDM, the Advisory Board of the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance, and the Public Policy Forum Life Sciences Leadership Table.

Louise Blais is a former Canadian Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2017–2021), where she led on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Canada’s campaign for UN Security Council seat and served as Vice President of UNICEF’s Executive Board.

A career diplomat, she held senior postings in Washington, Tokyo, and Paris, and served as Consul General of Canada in Atlanta, representing Canadian interests across the Southeastern United States.

She began her career at Interpol before joining Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs in 1996. Her experience across multilateral institutions and key bilateral relationships has given her a strong grounding in global governance, international negotiations, trade policy and promotion and economic development.

Today, she works at the intersection of geopolitics and government and corporate decision-making. She is a Senior Advisor to the Business Council of Canada and Strategic Advisor to Quebec’s QG100. She also sits and has served on several corporate and advisory boards, including Invest in Canada.  She lectures and collaborates with Laval University, Georgia Institute of Technology and is a distinguished Robson Lecturer at Emory University in Atlanta.

Louise Blais advises business leaders and institutions navigating geopolitical risk, while contributing regularly to public debate through media appearances, speaking engagements, and op-eds. Her work focuses on the real-world economic implications of global developments particularly supply chains, energy, competitiveness, and North American integration.

Bridging diplomacy, economics, and public discourse, Louise Blais occupies a distinctive space as a strategic interpreter of global events for decision-makers in government and business.

Caroline joined BHP in 2014 and was appointed Chief Legal, Governance and External Affairs Officer at BHP in 2020.  She sits on BHP’s Executive Leadership team and Global Investment Review Committee and reports to the CEO.  

Caroline leads a suite of global functions focussed on external relationships and insights and non-financial risks, including Legal, Governance, Compliance, Ethics and Investigations, Global Corporate Affairs and Communications, Indigenous Relations and Sustainability and Social Value.

Before joining BHP, Caroline was a Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, specialising in cross-border transactions, disputes, public inquiries and regulatory investigations. She began her legal career at Osler Hoskin & Harcourt in Calgary and clerked for Judges at the Alberta Court of Appeal and Court of Queen’s Bench.

Caroline holds a Bachelor of Laws (gold medallist) and a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) from the University of Alberta, and a Masters of Law from the University of Oxford (with Distinction).

Gitane De Silva is a respected public policy leader with executive experience at the provincial, national and international levels. She previously served as the CEO of the Canada Energy Regulator and as Alberta’s Deputy Minister for International and Intergovernmental Relations.

Gitane is also a seasoned diplomat and a specialist in Canada-U.S. relations, having represented Canada in the U.S. three times, including as Alberta’s Senior Representative in Washington, D.C. during the first Trump Administration, and as Canada’s Consul General in Chicago. She was involved in the negotiation of several trade and environmental agreements, including the Canada U.S. Mexico Agreement and the Canada Free Trade Agreement.

Gitane is now the Founder & President of the consulting firm GDStrategic, where she shares her expertise as a sought-after speaker and strategist who is known for her ability to explain complex issues in an accessible way.

Brett House is Professor of Professional Practice in the Economics Division at Columbia Business School. His research and writing are focused on macroeconomics and international finance, with interests in fiscal issues, monetary policy, international trade, financial crises and debt markets. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and international media.

Brett is also a PPF Fellow and a Senior Fellow with the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and Massey College. Earlier in his career he held teaching and research positions with McGill University, the Earth Institute at Columbia University, Keble College Oxford and the University of Cape Town.

Previously, Brett was Deputy Chief Economist at Scotiabank, Canada’s third largest and most international universal bank. Earlier, he was Chief Economist at a Toronto-based asset-management start-up and Global Strategist at a New York-based global macro hedge fund. He cut his teeth in financial markets at Goldman Sachs and the World Bank.

In policymaking roles, he was an Economist at the International Monetary Fund for nearly a decade, where he worked on emerging-markets financing. He was also Principal Advisor on Economic Issues in the Office of United Nations Secretary-General during the global financial crisis.

Zabeen Hirji is a strategic advisor to business, government, academia and NGOs. As Executive Advisor, Future of Work at Deloitte Canada, she advises clients on  leadership, talent and culture — issues key to their transformation agendas and long-term success. An influential thought leader, Zabeen speaks and writes on leadership and work in the age of AI, emphasizing the importance of human capabilities, purpose, and the elevated impact of HR. Drawing on her decade-long tenure as Chief Human Resources Officer at RBC, she leverages deep global experience to help organizations navigate complex change. Now in her “Purposeful Third Act,” Zabeen strives to create impact by activating her purpose: “to unlock human potential and build inclusive prosperity.”  Active in the not-for-profit sector, she serves on several boards, including the Public Policy Forum and Junior Achievement Worldwide. Recently announced as the incoming Chancellor-Designate for Trent University, Zabeen is also the recipient of numerous honours, including the Order of Ontario, the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal, and the Canadian HR Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.

Vivian Abdelmessih joined Export Development Canada on March 31, 2023, as Chairperson of the Board of Directors for 4-year term. Previously, she held leadership roles at TD Bank, including most recently as Executive Vice-President and Chief Risk Officer of Canadian Banking, Wealth, and Insurance. She has also served in leadership positions at the Royal Bank of Canada. A long-time champion of inclusivity and promoting diversity, Ms. Abdelmessih is a member of the board of Scientific Games Inc. and LEAP at the Pecaut Centre for Social Impact. She has also served as board member of First Nations Bank of Canada, the TD Entreprise Women in Leadership Committee, as well as organizations such as Greenwood College School, Canadian Business Growth Fund (CBGF), and the United Way Toronto & York Region. Ms. Abdelmessih has a Political Science and English degree from the University of Toronto and a Master of Business Administration from Western University. 

Graham Flack is a recently retired federal public servant who held deputy minister positions in five different departments.

He joined the federal government to work on the Quebec referendum and Secession Reference. He contributed to issues ranging from Canada’s first National Security Policy to the international response to the Global Financial Crisis to the provision of timely supports to Canadians during COVID.

He serves on the boards of Grand Challenges Canada, the Public Policy Forum and the University of Kings College.

He received degrees in political science and economics from Dalhousie and Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He is a former law clerk of the Supreme Court of Canada and has an LL.B. from Dalhousie and an LL.M from Harvard.

Jay Khosla is currently serving as Executive Director, Economic and Energy Policy with the Public Policy Forum, bringing decades of experience as a senior public service leader with specific emphasis on maximizing Canada’s economic advantage. He is one of the country’s leading experts on the energy sector, including the areas of hydro, nuclear, oil and gas, electricity, energy efficiency and clean technologies.

Jay has held several senior executive positions spanning complex national and international files while working with numerous cabinet ministers and engaging countless private sector and international stakeholders, as well as Indigenous and provincial partners.

Jay has a proven track record of successfully delivering on core government mandate priorities and strategies. Most recently, he was with the Privy Council Office as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) in Intergovernmental Affairs, where he worked on strengthening federal-provincial relations while implementing post-pandemic economic recovery, western and eastern infrastructure projects, climate change and energy transition, environmental legislation/regulation, investment attraction, innovation initiatives and internal trade policy. Previously, he served in various senior ADM positions at Natural Resources Canada, where he advanced Canada’s energy interests on both the national and international stage.

Jay holds a degree in history from the University of Ottawa and a master’s in public administration from Dalhousie University.

Jay joined PPF in 2024.

Dr. Paul Hébert was appointed as the President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) on January 2, 2025.  Dr. Hébert is a proud Acadian, is a clinician scientist and health leader, as well as a practicing palliative care and former critical care physician. He is a professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa and was previously professor at Université de Montréal. 

During his career, he has had the opportunity to be the Canadian Medical Association Journal’s Editor-in-Chief, publishing over 80 editorials in Canada’s leading medical journal. He chaired the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group, the world’s top critical care research network. As Physician-in-Chief and Director of Clinical Research at the Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal he mounted major programs while leading more than 400 physicians. In addition, Dr. Hébert served as Chief Medical and Science Officer at the Canadian Red Cross and Scientific Director of Ontario’s Public Health Emergency Taskforce.  

Dr. Hébert has had a long relationship with the former Medical Research Council and now with CIHR, and he attributes much of his success to funding from MRC/CIHR. Dr. Hébert led a clinical trial transformation initiative for MRC, was a member of an inaugural Institute Advisory Board, served on many peer review panels and developed the vision for the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research as its original Executive Director. Dr. Hébert is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and was also the recipient of a number of career awards, including the Landsteiner-Alter Award for his groundbreaking work in transfusion medicine. 

Nick Taylor-Vaisey is POLITICO’s Ottawa bureau chief and the lead author of Canada Playbook. From 2021 until 2025, he anchored Ottawa Playbook, the must-read morning newsletter on Parliament Hill. He has spent most of his career obsessed with the Canada-U.S. conversation.

He spends his days with the people behind all the politics: senior politicians, seasoned campaigners, ambitious lobbyists, parliamentary geeks, curious diplomats and the political aides who clock the most hours.

For more than 15 years in journalism, he has built massive spreadsheets, filed hundreds of access-to-information requests and interviewed key players in politics and policy — all in pursuit figuring out what’s about to happen next on the Hill and what makes governments tick.

He’s on a mission to tell insiders what they need to know as they roll out of bed.

Nick comes to POLITICO from Maclean’s magazine, and has bounced between Toronto and Ottawa for his entire adult life. He once interviewed a federal cabinet minister on an airplane (they were both passengers in coach, and a deadline loomed). He’s so far managed to visit 49 states (not that he’s counting). He also served a three-year stint as president of the Canadian Association of Journalists from 2015-2018. He lives in Ottawa with his wife.

Shingai Manjengwa is a leading voice in AI education, adoption, and governance. She is Head of AI Education and Development at the Mila Quebec AI Institute, one of the world’s foremost AI research centres, where she designs and delivers programs that build AI fluency across government, industry, and underserved communities. She is also the Founder and CEO of Fireside Analytics Inc., an AI education and consulting firm whose programs have reached over 500,000 learners globally. Her clients span IBM, the Government of Canada, and international institutions. Shingai is the former Director of Technical Education at the Vector Institute for AI and she is a beloved children’s book author. A sought-after speaker, she serves on advisory boards and councils focused on AI safety, productivity, and governance.

Shingai is a Public Policy Forum fellow and recipient of the Emerging Leader Award, 2020.

Michael R. McAdoo has worked at the nexus of corporate strategy, public policy, and international geopolitics for more than 25 years.

For more than a dozen years, he was a Senior Executive with Bombardier, where he worked mainly on international trade and industrialization. He has lived and worked in all three NAFTA countries, including running a Mexican manufacturing site with 225 unionized employees.

Michael began his career as a staffer in the Parliament of Canada, where he rose to become Executive Assistant to the Prime Minister. In this role, he participated in trade and diplomatic missions to 22 countries.

He holds master’s degrees in international Affairs and Journalism from Columbia University, and received his undergraduate education at Queen’s and Harvard. He teaches part time as an Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia, and a Course Lecturer at McGill.

Michael is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.

André Beaulieu is a senior business executive and Board member. From 2015 to 2024, he was Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services for BCE, responsible for one of the largest procurement portfolios in Canada, and the Strategic Business Transformation team which leads all major restructuring initiatives as well as the integration of BCE acquisitions. He was also in charge of Real Estate operations, Corporate Security — including cyber-security and corporate responsibility, including ESG, for BCE.

Between 2012 and 2015, André served as Senior Vice-President for Wholesale, a business unit serving 700 telecommunications customers in 180 countries. During the same period, he was President of BCE Nexxia, the entity that owns and manages Bell’s network in the U.S. Between 2007 and 2011, André occupied a series of executive functions, including VP Corporate Strategy.

Before joining Bell, André was a strategy consultant with Kearney and Bain & Company in Paris and Boston. His main areas of client service were in private equity investment on the buy side and strategy for large technology companies. Previously, André worked with the Privy Council Office of the Government of Canada and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. He sits on the Boards of CORIM, Equitas, the Azrieli Foundation and the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation.