Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Materiel of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG)
Director General Future Ship Capability, Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)
President
Dominis Engineering Ltd.
Director, Defence & Aftermarket Business Unit, Gastops
Business Development Director, DNV Maritime
General Manager, Canal Marine & Industrial Inc. (CANAL)
Director of Defence, Kognitiv Spark
Director of Innovation Operations, Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)
CEO, Shift Clean Energy
President, Heddle Shipyards
Mixed Reality Lead for Canada, Microsoft
Senior Consultant, VARD Marine Inc.
Director Naval Information Warfare, Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
A/Director General, Environmental Policy, Transport Canada
Project Director (Cyber), Director Naval Requirements, Royal Canadian Navy
Associate Consultant, CFN Consultants
Senior Specialist — Arctic Species, World Wildlife Fund
Founder and CEO, Lastwall Networks
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Bodo Gospodnetic
President, Dominis Engineering Ltd
Bodo Gospodnetic is a Professional Engineer and Technical Manager with a wide range of experiences in manufacturing and scientific applications. Mr. Gospodnetic is a graduate of Carleton University’s Electrical Engineering Program. In 1985 he founded Dominis Engineering Ltd. with his father, late Dr. Drasko Gospodnetic, Researcher Emeritus of NRC of Canada. Prior to Dominis Engineering he worked on computer applications in the fields of computer communications, radar modelling and image processing.
At Dominis Engineering Ltd., Mr Gospodnetic has been involved in the development of new manufacturing processes and CAD/CAM applications for the machining and measurement of propellers and water jet impellers. In 2015, he initiated a research project to determine the impact of manufacturing tolerances on propulsive, cavitation and noise performance of propellers. This is a collaborative research project between Dominis Engineering, DRDC-Atlantic and Memorial University sponsored by Transport Canada Innovation Centre.
Andy Smith
Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Materiel of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG)
Andy is responsible for providing strategic leadership to realize the renewal of the Coast Guard’s aging fleet within the broader context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. He is also responsible for the in-service support for the Coast Guard’s fleet and shore-based assets.
Andy joined the Coast Guard from Public Services and Procurement Canada where he was the Associate Assistant Deputy Minister of the Real Property Branch. In this capacity he provided national functional leadership for the real property business lines and lead several large-scale change management initiatives.
Andy spent 34 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. He was educated and trained as a Marine Engineer and has extensive operational at-sea time including a 6 month deployment to the Persian Gulf immediately following 9/11 as part of Canada’s effort in the War Against Terrorism. From 2003 to 2005 he was the Commanding Officer of the Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Scott in Halifax. At the time of his military retirement he held the rank of Rear-Admiral and was the Chief of Military Personnel with the Canadian Armed Forces, providing strategic-level direction, policy approval and personnel support for 100,000 military members.
RAdm C.P. Donovan, CD
Director General Future Ship Capability, Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)
RAdm Donovan’s operational experience in the Fleet includes tours of duty on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, serving in HMC Ships VILLE DE QUBEC, Toronto, PROTECTEUR, and ALGONQUIN. He has participated in UN embargo operations from Haiti, deployed for NATO OPERATION SHARP GUARD, off the coast of Yugoslavia, and served on staff in the National Command Element for Operation APOLLO, working alongside US CENTRAL COMMAND Headquarters. He served as HMCS VANCOUVER’s Commanding Officer from 2007-2009.
Following Command, RAdm served the RCN in a Force Development capacity both as the Director of Maritime Requirements (Sea) and as the Director of Naval Strategy. He also deployed to Afghanistan for OPERATION ATTENTION, serving as the Chief of Staff for the Deputy Commander (Police) within the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan (NTM-A) organization. In June 2015, he completed the year-long National Security Programme in Toronto and was assigned to the Privy Council Office in support of the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada. In 2016, he returned to the RCN as Director General Naval Force Development until his current appointment in 2018.
Brennan West
Director, Defence & Aftermarket Business Unit, Gastops
Brennan West received his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Dalhousie University in Canada and is currently registered as a Professional Engineer in the province of Nova Scotia. He has 10 years of experience in the application of reliability centered maintenance to military aircraft. Brennan’s experiences in RCM has helped contribute to the development of Gastops products and services to meet the most demanding military and commercial aircraft condition monitoring requirements.
Jan Hagen Andersen, P.E.
Business Development Director, DNV Maritime
Mr. Andersen has over 25 years of experience in the maritime industry with a focus on propulsion systems and machinery. He has a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington and started his career at a marine engineering and service company in Seattle. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas and Washington State.
In 2005, he joined DNV in the Machinery Section of the Maritime Technical Advisory Group based in Norway. The Advisory group provides consultancy and non-class support services to ship owners, ship yards, manufacturers, designers and other stakeholders. In 2010 he moved to the DNV office in Houston, Texas and is currently a Business Development Director for DNV GL Maritime, Region Americas. In this role, he is focusing on alternative fuels, environmental compliance, energy efficiency, and novel technologies in shipping.
Mr. Andersen is a member of the SNAME M-16 Panel on Propulsion Shafting and is on the North America Environmental Protection Association (NAMEPA) Board of Directors.
Shawn Balding
General Manager, Canal Marine & Industrial Inc. (CANAL)
Shawn holds an Electrical Engineering Degree from the University of Victoria as well as being a Red Seal Journeyman Electrician. He has been in the electrical industry for 18 years with roles including being a patented power supply designer, North American engineering manager, and global offer safety chair for a European Multinational electrical energy and automation equipment manufacturer. Recently, Shawn has been driving electrification within the marine industry and growing the business for CANAL.
Iain Whyte
Director of Defence, Kognitiv Spark
Iain is a former Royal Navy Officer, with a background in defence change programs, operational planning, amphibious operations, and training. He has deployed worldwide, including on exchange with the US Navy, and with NATO.
Prior to joining Kognitiv Spark, Iain was a Principal Consultant for a Leadership and Team Development company, established his own strategy and innovation consultancy, and held an Interim Directorship with the Marine Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at the University of New Brunswick.
He is a graduate of Loughborough University (BA (Hons), MSc.) and Kings College London (MA) in the UK, a former Ridgway Fellow at the University of Evansville, USA, and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management (UK).
Kristina Proulx
Director of Innovation Operations
Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)
Kristina is the Director of Innovation Operations for the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program. She joined the team in March 2020 and is charged with ensuring the operational effectiveness of the Program’s five funding elements that facilitate third-party innovation relating to the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence.
Prior to this role, Kristina worked with variety of government programs and services advising on change management, business renewal and employee engagement. Most recently, Kristina served as the Chief of Staff to the Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence.
Brent Perry
CEO, Shift Clean Energy
Brent Perry is the CEO of Sterling PlanB and a marine battery industry pioneer. Perry defined an industry when he oversaw development of the world’s first battery for marine propulsion. Energy storage systems are now a major – and increasingly important – player on the global marine energy scene. In the years since that first battery, he has become a world expert on lithium energy storage in marine applications. His 30-year history in commercial shipbuilding and deep knowledge of energy systems gives him a unique perspective on the hybrid and electric marine industry.
Shaun Padulo
President, Heddle Shipyards
Shaun has 15 years of experience in the marine and offshore contracting sectors. Starting his career as a deckhand on tugboats sailing on the Great Lakes, Shaun departed Canada in 2011 and held various commercial roles for the Dutch firms Dockwise Shipping B.V. and Boskalis Offshore B.V. During his time at Dockwise, Shaun lived and worked in the Netherlands, where he specialized in logistical management as well as the transportation and installation of offshore production structures. While at Boskalis, Shaun lived and worked in Houston, Texas, and focused on offshore installation projects, offshore decommissioning projects and subsea inspection, repair and maintenance projects.
As President, Shaun leads the Executive Team at Heddle and is responsible for developing, communicating and implementing the company’s strategic plan, culture, values and vision.
Sean Graglia
Mixed Reality Lead for Canada, Microsoft
As the Mixed Reality Lead for Microsoft Canada, Sean helps customers realize value from solutions that blend physical and digital worlds powered by Azure, HoloLens, and mixed reality apps. Sean brings over 25 years of PMP & Prosci certified experience driving value from technology transformations across multiple industries and disciplines.
Bruce Phillips
Senior Consultant, VARD Marine Inc.
Bruce has 45 years experience in the marine and aerospace sectors and is currently Vard Marine’s technical manager for a significant autonomous/minimally crewed vessel program, with focus on propulsion and electrical systems.
Bruce has accumulated approximately 30 years in naval combat systems design and performance analysis, including approximately fifteen years in underwater acoustics, active and passive naval sonar, and naval radar systems. He was the combat systems technical lead for one of the key teams on the recent Canadian Surface Combatant competition.
Bruce also spent 15 years in the aerospace sector on Canada’s Radarsat 1, space shuttle and scientific rocket payloads, aspects of the International Space Station and various airborne systems.
Bruce’s work for Vard Marine has dealt with integrated design of OPVs and light frigates, vessel automation and the design and reliability of propulsion and electrical systems for autonomous and minimally crewed operation. Recent work also includes a study for Transport Canada on echosounder URN impacts and mitigation for cetaceans.
Capt(N) Colin Matthews
Director Naval Information Warfare, Royal Canadian Navy
Capt(N) Matthews began his career in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1998, as part of the Direct Entry Officer Program after graduating with a BA in Economics from Bishop’s University. After completing his professional training at the Canadian Naval Officer Training Center he joined his first ship HMCS Winnipeg. As a junior naval officer, Capt(N) Matthews deployed twice aboard HMCS Winnipeg, in 2000 and 2002, where he served as the Navigating Officer. He was then posted to HMCS Protecteur in 2003 and subsequently served as an Operations Officer and Combat Officer aboard HMCS Charlottetown from 2007 to 2009.
Over the years, Capt(N) Matthews has participated in numerous overseas deployments to the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea regions in support of counterterrorism operations such as Op AUGMENTATION, Op APOLLO and Op ARTEMIS. After assignments to NDHQ, DMPOR and ADM(Mat), he attended Staff College in Toronto and, upon completion of training, was appointed Executive Officer of HMCS St. Johns and HMCS Toronto. At the end of this post in 2014, Capt(N) Matthews was transferred to MARLANT Headquarters N31. A year later, he took command of HMCS Regina, from July 2015 to June 2018.
Commander Corey L.E. Gleason MMM, CD
Royal Canadian Navy
Cdr Corey Gleason enlisted with the Royal Canadian Navy 8 August 1985. He trained as a Naval Signalman in Esquimalt BC and on completion of training was posted to the HMCS PROTECTEUR in Halifax N.S.
In 1991 he was recruited to the West Coast to serve in the Training Squadron in HMCS SASKATCHEWAN and COWICHAN. While serving in Esquimalt B.C. he was crew to HMCS HURON, WINNIPEG, REGINA and OTTAWA where he deployed for OPERATION APOLLO in support of the war against terrorism as OTTAWA’s Senior Naval Communicator.
Cdr Corey Gleason commissioned from the ranks in November 2003 and on completion of formal Officer Training in College militaire royal de Saint-Jean, NOTC VENTURE and HMCS WHITEHORSE, he served as Deck Officer in HMCS CALGARY, Navigating Officer in HMCS BRANDON, HMCS VANCOUVER, REGINA and PROTECTEUR and Combat Officer in HMCS OTTAWA.
Cdr Gleason went on to serve in Sea Training Pacific as Weapons Officer and took up his first Command appointment to Command HMCS YELLOWKNIFE. His next appointment was Executive Officer in HMCS OTTAWA. Further, Cdr Gleason was reassigned to Sea Training Pacific and appointed Executive Officer where he served on both coasts contributing to the RCN’s force generation and employment efforts.
Michelle Sanders
A/Director General, Environmental Policy, Transport Canada
Michelle has recently taken on the role of Acting Director General of the Environmental Policy Group with Transport Canada. Prior to this, she was the Director responsible for the development and implementation of the Whales Initiative within Transport Canada. In this role, she was the executive lead for the government’s work relating to the interaction of vessels and marine mammals, including vessel strikes and underwater noise, as well as other marine transportation and environmental issues. In particular, she led the efforts to return the issue of underwater vessel noise to the agenda of the International Maritime Organization. She has held various positions within the Canadian government focusing on matters of environmental law and policy, including species at risk, oil spill response, environmental enforcement, and environmental assessments.
Lieutenant Commander Dominik Dabrowski
Project Director (Cyber), Director Naval Requirements,
Royal Canadian Navy
LCdr Dominik Dabrowski graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2001 and enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Naval Warfare Officer in 2002. He joined his first ship, HMCS HALIFAX, in 2004 and deployed as part of Standing NATO Maritime Group One in 2005.
In 2008, LCdr Dabrowski was posted to HMCS ATHABASKAN as the Information Management Director. In January 2010 he sailed in ATHABASKAN for OP HESTIA, in support of earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. He completed his Director tour in HMCS IROQUOIS and worked as a Maritime Component Command watch-keeper during OP MOBILE.
From 2011 to 2015, LCdr Dabrowski worked in the Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare Centre C4ISR section. During this time he earned a Graduate Diploma in Information Management from Dalhousie University.
LCdr Dabrowski completed the Operations Room Officer course in 2016 and was posted to HMCS FREDERICTON. There he sailed for several large scale exercises and Global Engagement Visits to Central and South America. During autumn 2017 he sailed in HMCS MONTREAL as part of Fleet Staff for Ex FORMIDABLE SHIELD 17. LCdr was appointed to his current role in 2018.
Dave Hatherall
Associate Consultant, CFN Consultants
Mr. Dave Hatherall joined the Government of Canada in 1986 as a procurement officer at the New Shipborne Aircraft Project. Mr. Hatherall led the procurement of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Project and the Weapons Effects Simulation Project until 2011, when he joined the executive cadre.
As Director, Mr. Hatherall led the Public Services and Procurement Canada team on the successful Halifax Class Modernization Project. Promoted to Senior Director in 2016, he was responsible for the creation of the Marine Sustainment Directorate to support Marine in-service procurement of the Royal Canadian Navy. Mr. Hatherall’s last role in the public service was Director General of the Major Marine Construction Sector with responsibility for major marine construction; and the acquisition and support of new large vessels for Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Mr. Hatherall has worked in the procurement domain for the past 35 years, including negotiating contracts with Israel, Australia, Germany, England, France and the United States. His procurement and project management background has been effective in managing projects for the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. He has also been instrumental in supporting the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Transport Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police through a number of projects over his career.
Dr Melanie Lancaster
Senior Specialist — Arctic Species, World Wildlife Fund
Melanie Lancaster is a conservation biologist and has been with WWF’s Arctic Programme for six years as Senior Specialist, Arctic Species conservation. For the past 15 years since attaining her PhD, she has worked on research and management of the multitude of threats facing species and their habitats. Her work has taken her to the ends of the earth - from the Antarctic to the Arctic – and has involved some of the world’s most endangered animals.
Currently, Melanie works with WWF offices around the Arctic to implement conservation of Arctic species, including polar bears, walrus, beluga and bowhead whales, narwhals and caribou/reindeer. She is particularly engaged in ensuring these species have the conditions they need to adapt to rapid changes taking place in the Arctic. This includes protecting and connecting their important habitats and safeguarding them from impacts of increased industrial activity such as shipping and associated underwater noise.
Karl Holmqvist
Founder and CEO, Lastwall Networks
Lastwall Networks, is a cyber security company that specialises in new types of risk-based access and user authentication systems using machine learning and artificial intelligence. Lastwall, with support from the US Department of Energy and the US Navy’s Office of Naval Research, developed the world’s first identity firewall, which solves remote access based identity issues. Lastwall also works in close collaboration with select partners to help clients design, architect, implement, and test network and operational security in the legal, financial, critical infrastructure sectors, and with security conscious government agencies.
Karl's security interests were sparked by the design of early BBS payment systems in the 1990’s, and his broader security understanding is linked to time building mobile data networks around the world in the mid to late 2000’s. He founded, was the Director of Technology, and later CEO of the Canadian telecommunications carrier Red Ball Internet, which deployed Canada’s first secure high-speed mobile data network on a licensed PCS spectrum. Karl served as a board member of the world wide iBurst initiative, contributed to work on the IEEE 802.20 standard in collaboration with Kyocera Corporation, and later lead the team at an international telecom investment firm that specifically focused on network and software companies.