A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Carlie Arbour, Economic Development Officer – Community, Development Services – Economic Development, City of Kawartha Lakes
Carlie Arbour is the Economic Development Officer – Community for the City of Kawartha Lakes. Carlie has led the development and current implementation of four consecutive Downtown Revitalization plans, and the recent launch of the Million Dollar Makeover program.
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Brian Barkley, RPF, OEWC, Barkleyvale Farms
Brian Barkley, RPF, OEWC and Barkleyvale Farms near Chesterville (Registered Professional Forester and graduate of the Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto. His career has included work with the Government of Ontario as a Forester, Forestry Specialist and Regional Forester in southern Ontario. Founding General Manager of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest and formerly President of the Canadian Model Forest Network working to promote sustainable forestry at the local, national and global level. Experience has included serving as board member and advisor to several organizations including the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Ontario East Wood Centre, Eastern Ontario Maple Producers Association and Larose Forest Advisory committee. Life long resident of eastern Ontario producing maple products and practicing sustainable forestry with family members in the multi-generational sugarbush in the Chesterville area.
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Jennifer Barton, Director, Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Jennifer is currently a Director in the Employment and Training Division of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU). She joined MTCU in December 2015 and has been actively involved in all aspects of the operations of the Ministry Offices and the Private Service Provider Network that is run by the ministry. Jennifer has been leading considerable change within the ministry that has promoted a shift in the operations division to become more customer centered through the implementation of service principles and management strategies that focus on outcomes for customers. This refreshed approach to leadership and stakeholder engagement has been producing significant results. Her focus on culture and engagement has allowed her to achieve the highest Employee Engagement scores in the Ministry.
Jennifer has held a variety of other roles in the Ontario Public Service including a recent acting assignment as the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Customer Care Division at the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, also the Director of the Private Service Provider Branch at ServiceOntario and as the Director of Contact Centre Operations and a Director in the ServiceOntario Retail Network. As part of ServiceOntario’s Customer Care Division she was also the Director Prime for change leadership and leadership development.
Jennifer began with the Ontario Public Service in 1998 and her career has been a mixture of strategy development, program design and delivery, economic and partnership development and operational management. She has worked for a number of ministries including, MTCU, ServiceOntario, the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Throughout her career in the OPS Jennifer has been nominated for multiple amethyst awards and she has also won the Secretary of Cabinet’s PRIME award for Inter-Ministerial Cooperation. Jennifer is a Queen’s University graduate and also has a diploma in Economic Development from the University of Waterloo and a certificate in Change Leadership from Rotman School of Management.
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Louis Béland, Consultant, JA Peterborough Lakeland Muskoka
Louis Béland is an entrepreneur focused on helping others follow their dreams. Raised in an entrepreneurial family and immersed in the community from a young age, Louis’s passion naturally rests in igniting the same enthusiasm for business in youth and creating opportunities for budding entrepreneurs. Louis has ventured into many different business sectors, including media production, an integrations startup in New Zealand, and an artisanal roastery and coffee shop for which he earned himself Young Entrepreneur awards two years in a row.
From start-ups to succession planning, from public speaking to mentoring and coaching, Louis loves sharing his experience and passion with anyone who will listen. He now leads youth initiatives and entrepreneurial support initiatives for the Société économique de l’Ontario, a provincial network with an innovative approach to engage all of the Francophone and bilingual community’s stakeholders in fostering the prosperity of Ontario and Canada.
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Olivier Berthiaume, Project Officer, Economic Development Department, Prescott and Russell
Olivier Berthiaume studied communication and business administration at the University of Ottawa and quickly integrated the field working as a Coordinator for the Hawkesbury and Region Chamber of Commerce. Passionate about rural economic development and project management, the move to the Prescott and Russell’s Economic Development Department was a natural fit. Since 2015, Olivier acts as a Project Officer and has since contributed to many initiatives aiming to strengthen Prescott and Russell’s investment readiness and business climate.
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Roddy Bolivar, P.Eng., Water Resources Engineer, Bolivar≈Phillips
Roddy Bolivar is a civil engineer whose background includes a focus on water and water infrastructure. While working with the City of Ottawa for 12 years, his responsibilities included asset management for the City’s stormwater and sanitary sewers, planning for urban “big pipe” water infrastructure expansion and implementation of cost effective water infrastructure solutions in Ottawa’s 26 rural villages. With Bolivar≈Phillips since 2008, Roddy has focussed on helping municipal, business and NGO clients develop and advance the changes needed to sustain both natural and built water infrastructure assets including changes needed to help become resilient to climate change.
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Ronda Boutz, Team Lead, Special Projects, South Nation Conservation (SNC)
Ronda was raised on a small family farm in Mattawa, ON. Ronda attended Sir Sandford Fleming College, School of Natural Resources in Lindsay, ON, graduating with a 3-year Terrain and Water Resources Technologist Diploma.
Her search for work after graduation brought her to Eastern Ontario, where she secured a position with South Nation Conservation. A summer contract led to a full-time position with the Authority. Ronda has been with South Nation Conservation (SNC) for 23 years, and is currently the Team Lead, Special Projects. Ronda has been involved with numerous programs and initiatives over the past couple of decades and has extensive knowledge of stakeholder engagement and facilitating advisory committees.
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Justin Bromberg, Communications and Policy Coordinator, Eastern Ontario Leadership Council (EOLC)
Justin Bromberg is the Chief of Staff and Communications Manager for the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, where he has worked since 2012. For several years, he has also served as the Communications and Policy Coordinator for the Eastern Ontario Leadership Council (EOLC) and the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC). His ongoing work with both organizations have made him intimately familiar with the Eastern Ontario region and its key municipal, provincial and federal stakeholders and policymakers.
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Andy Brown, CAO, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
Andy Brown is the Chief Administrative Officer of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville since February 2012. He has more than 30 years of municipal administration experience, including previous positions as the CAO for the Township of North Grenville, the Township of South Dundas, and the Town of Prescott. He has served twice as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, in both 2012 and 2018, and is also a staff representative on the board of directors for the Eastern Ontario Leadership Council.
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Jean-Frédéric Hübsch, Counsel, Office of the Ontario Ombudsman
Jean-Frédéric (J-F) Hübsch is Counsel with the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman. He provides support to early resolutions and investigations staff through advice, research and training. His most recent work with the Office has focused on education law, municipal law, and administrative tribunals. He also regularly participates in outreach activities for the Office.
J-F was called to the Law Society of Ontario in June 2015. He articled with the Ontario Ombudsman in 2014-2015, after obtaining his B.C.L. and LL.B. at McGill University. He is also a Certified Translator, with a B.A. and M.A. in Translation from the University of Ottawa.
Prior to his studies in law, J-F worked for the federal public service in Ottawa. He worked in translation and program operations at Service Canada; in tribunal administration, training and communications at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and in project and regulatory approvals at the Department of National Defence.
J-F is currently working toward a LL.M. in administrative law at Osgoode Hall Law School.
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Jeremy Burke, Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP
Jeremy Burke is a member of the Corporate/Commercial and Cannabis Groups at Aird & Berlis LLP. In his practice, Jeremy focuses on M&A, corporate structuring and governance, ownership arrangements and commercial agreements of all varieties for both for-profit and not-for-profit clients in many industries, including cannabis. Jeremy also provides regulatory advice to public and private companies, research and government institutions in connection with Canada’s new cannabis regulatory regime.
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Nigel Bellchamber, Amberley Gavel Ltd.
Nigel Bellchamber is the other Principal in Amberley Gavel Ltd, and he and Fred have delivered hundreds of training session, together and individually for over ten years. Also an AMO Honour Roll member, he provides CAO and senior manager recruitment services to municipalities. A former County CAO for two counties and Finance Commissioner for the City of London, he is currently a part-time instructor in the Western University Local Government MPA program teaching Financial Management.
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Heather Candler, Agriculture & Rural Economic Development Advisor, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
Heather Candler is an Agriculture & Rural Economic Development Advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, where she works with rural communities and organizations on community economic development and innovative agricultural initiatives. Candler has worked in economic development for over 20 years with the private, public and not for profit sectors. As General Manager of the Batawa Development Corporation, Candler worked with its residents, business and local government to redevelop an exemplary small town. Candler launched the province’s first non profit CDC in 2004 aimed at recruiting family physicians for the City of Belleville. During her tenure as Manager of Economic Development in Belleville over 1,000 jobs were attracted to the City. Mrs. Candler holds both an M.Sc. in Rural Planning & Development from the University of Guelph and a B.A. from Carleton University.
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Cindy Cassidy, General Manager, Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance
Cindy has been involved with the creation of a trail system within Eastern Ontario for over 20 years. When Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance (EOTA) became an incorporated not for profit charitable organization in February 1999, Cindy took on the position as General Manager which she still holds today.
Cindy has been very successful in many funding initiatives including significant grants from both the Federal and Provincial governments. To date she has been able to raise and manage over $8,500,000.00 Cindy is a super juggler, capable of combining family and work very successfully.
She lives in Tweed with her husband Bill. They have three children Laura, Justin and Tyler.
Her dedication to the success of a shared-use recreational trail system and its benefits to the community are well known throughout the province and a stimulus for all who know her.
Cindy has been involved in discussions about collective action in trails related issues since 1997, and by taking the lead in 2018 found funding through the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Sport, Tourism development fund to support a plan to bring trail groups together to find solutions and a sustainable plan and is a proud contributor to the Recreational Trails Coalition – Ontario The time is now.
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Kathy Chaumont, Chef des services d’entrepreneuriat et communautaires, Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO)
Kathy Chaumont, chef des services communautaires et d’entrepreneuriat au CSDCEO, qui appuie le mise en oeuvre de la stratégie entrepreneuriale du CSDCEO. Elle a également proposé des projets et des activités de nature entrepreneuriale tels que les petits entrepreneurs du CSDCEO, le congrès jeunesse de l’entrepreneuriat, l’accompagnement des projets d’entreprises dans les écoles secondaires. Son parcours en développement économique communautaire et sa fierté francophone font d’elle une personne clé dans le rôle qu’elle occupe au sein du CSDCEO car elle oeuvre principalement au développement de partenariats dans le but que l’école réponde aux besoins de la communauté et que la communauté réponde aux besoins de l’école. Kathy à travaillé au sein des communautés rurales francophones de l’Ontario et du pays en développement économique et à eu la chance de mettre en oeuvre les services d’employabilité dans les débuts du Collège Boréal dans le Nord de l’Ontario.
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Todd Davis, Acting Director of Community Development & Strategic Initiatives, The Corporation of County of Prince Edward
Todd Davis is Acting Director of Community Development & Strategic Initiatives for the County of Prince Edward. Formerly the Community Development Supervisor, he has extensive experience with the municipal process, having been involved with short-term accommodations regulation and licensing, cannabis, green energy development, affordable housing, small business outreach and developing the strategic plan. Todd joined The County in 2012 from Northumberland County, where he was responsible for destination development.
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Fred Dean, Amberley Gavel Ltd.
Fred Dean is a municipal solicitor who provides advice to municipal councillors and staff. A member of the AMO Honour Roll, Fred was formerly City Solicitor for the City of Sudbury, and advises municipalities in all parts of Ontario. He is a principal in the firm of Amberley Gavel Ltd. which is the closed meeting Investigator through LAS for over 130 municipalities, and which has also been Integrity Commissioner for a number of municipalities. Fred has been a member of the Michael J Smither Question Box panel at ROMA for over 25 years and is currently the Chair.
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Craig Desjardins, Director, Office of Strategy, Innovation and Partnerships, City of Kingston | Chair of the regional Workforce Development and Deployment Working Group
Craig will provide an overview of the Working Group’s discussions over the past year, and describe the initiatives that are likely to dominate its agenda for the next 18 months.
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Elizabeth Edwards, Business Outreach Coordinator, Municipality of Port Hope
Elizabeth Edwards is a Loyalist College Alumni currently employed as the Business Outreach Coordinator of the Municipality of Port Hope. With just over a year of Municipal government experience under her belt she has written successful funding applications for Rural Economic Development and Eastern Ontario Development Fund, managed a Digital Main Street Service Squad and a Community Improvement Plan, implemented various community and tourism-based events and is looking forward to another exciting year of working in beautiful Port Hope. Elizabeth loves working collaboratively and thrives in community-building work. When she’s not at work, she enjoys weekly yoga classes, conspiracy theory documentaries and blogging about her favourite small businesses.
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David Fell, CEO of Eastern Ontario Regional Network Inc
David will be providing an update on EORN’s recent — and successful — efforts to secure funding commitments for a $270 million plus mobile broadband/cell gap project. Find out what this could mean for your community, the businesses seeking to grow here, and travellers who come to or through your area.
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Tony Fleming, Partner, Cunningham Swan LPP
Tony Fleming is a partner in the Municipal Group and Land Use Planning and Development Group at Cunningham Swan. The Law Society of Upper Canada has recognized Tony as a Certified Specialist in Municipal Law. As a Certified Specialist, Tony has demonstrated expertise in the fields of municipal law and land use planning and development law.
Tony provides advice on all aspects of municipal governance, procurement, by-law drafting and enforcement, election issues, conflicts of interest, property tax collection and tax sales, freedom of information matters and expropriation.
Tony provides land use planning and general municipal law advice to numerous municipalities in eastern Ontario. A significant aspect of Tony’s practice is devoted to land use planning on behalf of local municipal governments, including appearing regularly before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.
Prior to joining Cunningham Swan, Tony was Senior Legal Counsel with the City of Kingston. Tony focused on providing advice on municipal, land use planning and environmental law with the City of Kingston, building on his experience in private law firms in Toronto where Tony practised as a land use planning and environmental lawyer.
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Sheridan Graham, Director, Corporate Projects & Services, County of Peterborough
Because negotiating municipal procurement processes can be a challenge for organizations wanting to introduce more innovative ways of doing business, Sheridan has been hard at work developing innovation-oriented procurement bylaws that are practical, effective and compliant with related legislation and regulations. Come learn more about this work and take this work back to your municipality.
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Joe Hendriks, Port of Johnstown Management Committee, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada
Joe Hendricks – Joe grew up on a dairy farm near Spencerville, Ontario. He graduated from Carleton University in 1981, with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering (with distinction). Out of university, Joe worked for DuPont Canada Inc. as a process engineer, in 1981 at the Maitland Site near Brockville, Ontario. He held various positions in operations and technical, including technical manager and operations manager until he became the Maitland Site Manager in 2003. Continuing as the Maitland Site manager after the transition to INVISTA Canada in 2004, he held that position until he retired in June 2017 (14 years).
As the Maitland Site Manager, Joe took on two additional roles including Operations Director for Canadian Contract Manufacturing in 2006 (for four years) and INVISTA (Canada) Company Director in 2012 (for five and a half years).
Last year, Joe became a member of the Port of Johnstown Management Committee, as well as a board member of the St. Lawrence Corridor Economic Development Commission (SLCEDC). He is now serving on the Management Team as a commercial science manager for Bioindustrial Canada (BIC)
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Ron Higgins, Warden, Frontenac County
Mayor Higgins was acclaimed as Mayor of North Frontenac Township in the 2018 municipal elections, and is the current Warden of Frontenac County. He was elected as EOLC Co-Chair in 2019. He has served as Board Chair for the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation and is actively involved in the inter-municipal relationship between Frontenac County and the City of Kingston.
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Franklin Holtforster, P.Eng., PMP, ICD., President and CEO, Colliers Project Leaders
Entrepreneur and business leader Franklin Holtforster founded Colliers Project Leaders in 1989. As CEO, he has grown the company into a leading real-property and infrastructure project management firm with offices across Canada and the Middle East. An engineer and Project Management Professional, Franklin has directed major capital projects for private- and public-sector clients.
Franklin serves on the Board of the Real Property Institute of Canada, is a recipient of the Order of Honour of Professional Engineers Ontario and the Province of Ontario Volunteer Award, a Warden of the Iron Ring, and Canada’s Clean50 honouree. Franklin is an in-demand speaker on the topics of business, leadership and sustainability and has delivered variations of his Intentional Leadership workshop to a wide range of audiences.
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Cathy James, Co-owner and Content Manager, Cat’s Cove Communications
Specializes in: writing, editing, social media strategy, marketing plans, and event logistics. You want to bring your ideas to life, and Cathy can do that for you. With words. And maybe some coffee. She’ll help you iron out your message and will write for your audience using your voice. With more than 10 years working in communications after completing a Master of Journalism degree, Cathy can transform your idea into a marketing message that’ll get your audience’s attention. She’s also obsessed with to-do lists. In the Cat’s Cove office, she’s the doer and will take the creative plan and bring it to life.
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Toby James, Co-owner and VP of Common Sense, Cat’s Cove Communications
Specializes in: Business consulting, advertising, marketing strategy, and digital marketing stats. If you’re stuck in your business, then you’re gonna want to talk with Toby. Toby’s background in sales, marketing and fundraising mixed with his ability to ask some really good questions, helps clients define their goals and walk away with some really actionable plans. He loves a good whiteboard session with clients. Toby also has a crazy-good memory and could cite any athletic championship or Simpsons quote.
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Jeanette Johnston, Business Development Coordinator, Leeds Grenville Small Business Enterprise Centre
Jeanette has a long history in Small Business. Starting out as a young adult in the insurance business, eventually having shares in the brokerage. After retiring from the insurance industry at the ripe old age of 30 Jeanette went on to own two businesses over the course of 13 years. Jeanette has also supported her husband‘s small business endeavors for the last 20 years. With a passion for smart marketing and connecting people in the community Jeanette loves her new position at the Leeds Grenville Small Business Enterprise Centre.
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Terrilee Kelford, Owner, Kelford Youth Services
Terrilee Kelford, has been working in the field of Child Welfare for over 22 years as the owner of Kelford Youth Services, a private foster care agency. It is because of this work she has become a passionate advocate for youth experiencing homelessness in Rural communities. She is the Chair of Cornerstone Landing Youth Services, a non-profit charitable organization working to prevent, reduce and end youth homelessness in Lanark County. She is also Co-Chair of the newly established National Alliance to End Rural and Remote Homelessness, a working group of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. Terrilee has a Masters in Counseling Psychology and is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) in private practice.
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Denise Labelle-Gélinas, PRP, CMO, Professional Registered Parliamentarian
Credentialed through the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) as a Professional Registered Parliamentarian, as well as being a Certified Municipal Officer and long serving Member of the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO). Retired City Clerk with over 40 years experience in a municipal environment and a Graduate of St. Lawrence College in Business Management and Administration.
Served the Board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) as Parliamentarian, for 10 years as well as serving a number of Federal, Provincial and Municipal organizations as a Professional Parliamentarian, as well as various non-profit organizations, including AMCTO committees throughout my career as well as serving on their Board of Directors. On line training is part of my current and ongoing credentials in so far as teaching the basics of Parliamentary Procedures. I provide training to municipal employees and other interested individuals on subjects such as parliamentary procedures, minute taking, writing by-laws, marriage officiating – to name a few. I also worked with the City of Toronto and their French Language Advisory Committee. Besides all of the training opportunities, It has been a privilege for me to provide civil wedding services to hundreds of couples since the inception of this program (2005) and have performed an average of 60 services per year.
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Jeremy Laurin, Vice President, Business Development and Commercialization, Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)
Jeremy Laurin is Vice President, Business Development and Commercialization, at Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE). He joined OCE in June 2018 and leads an experienced 40-person team of Business Development Managers to all corners of the province to find out what’s needed by industry and explore the halls and labs of academia for the latest breakthroughs in research. Jeremy’s team helps commercialize innovations, transfer technologies and develop promising talent to grow the Ontario economy.
Prior to OCE, Jeremy was the founding President and CEO of ventureLAB, an innovation hub for Central Ontario and the northern GTA that reaches more than 1.8 million Ontarians. An entrepreneur at heart, Jeremy founded his first of three technology firms in Kingston, Ont., in 1997. Under his guidance, all three were born global. Jeremy’s responsibilities included opening offices in China, Europe, Japan, Korea, and the United States.
In 2000, Jeremy was recognized by St. Lawrence College with its inaugural Alumni of Distinction Award. In 2001, JCI, an international non-profit that encourages young people to be active citizens for global development, named Jeremy Entrepreneur of the Year, and his company earned the Business of the Year Award from the Bank of Nova Scotia.
Jeremy is a featured TEDx Speaker on how his life as an entrepreneur has made an impact on people and communities, and an Adjunct Professor in York University’s Faculty of Health.
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Sandra Lawn, BSc, MPA, OEWC Project Leader, Grenville Heritage Properties
Sandra Lawn, Project Leader for Ontario East Wood Centre and Sandra S. Lawn & Assoc., Inc., is a founding member of the OEEDC,former mayor of the Town of Prescott and empowerment Director for the St.Lawrence River Institute. Further information about her can be found at www.sandralawn.ca.
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Alaina Leslie, B.A., Geomatics Specialist, BluMetric Environmental Inc.
Alaina Leslie is an experienced Geomatics Specialist representing BluMetric Environmental Inc. She has provided geomatics and field support services for a variety of projects throughout Canada, including waste management, environmental site assessment and remediation contracts. She is familiar with high-precision RTK GPS survey equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and general surveying instruments for land and water surveys, including aerial orthorectified imagery, topographical 3D modeling, volumetric, land and bathymetric surveys.
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Dr. Henry Lickers, Department of the Environment, Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne
Dr. Henry Lickers, BSc is presently Director of the Department of the Environment for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. Henry is a biologist who has spearheaded environmental action in respect to the St. Lawrence River and many other environmental concerns. He serves as advisor with the Eastern Ontario Model Forest, Health and Welfare Canada, the Northern River Basin Study (Treaty#8), the Canadian Environmental Assessment Research Council and many others. Henry holds an honorary doctorate form the State University of New York at Syracuse. He has been invited to participate in our panel but we haven’t yet had this confirmed.
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Stacie Lloyd, Regional Economic Development Officer, Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation
Stacie Lloyd is the Regional Economic Development Officer with Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corp, helping new and existing entrepreneurs to innovate and grow through the programs and services Valley Heartland has to offer businesses throughout Lanark County and north Leeds. Valley Heartland provides economic development services to the County of Lanark, so Stacie works with all 9 municipalities in Lanark County, building partnerships and collaborating on projects such as Economic Development Strategic Planning and most recently, a county-wide Business Retention and Expansion project.
Stacie has a background in commercial lending, municipal development, and 10 years’ experience in small business management. Her formal education includes an honours degree from Carleton University in Geography with specialization in Regional Economic Development, and completion of 2 years in the Economic Development Certification program at the University of Waterloo.
Away from work, Stacie and her family enjoy time on their farm in Lanark County.
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Sandra Mancini, P.Eng, Team Lead, Engineering, South Nation Conservation (SNC)
Sandra is a Civil Engineer with specialties in Water Resources and Hydraulics. She has worked at SNC since 2004. Sandra’s responsibilities include managing the engineering department, dam operations, flood forecasting and warning and low water response programs, real-time data collection, the management of the authorities engineering projects. Sandra and her team work closely with partner municipalities in floodplain mapping projects, assessing impacts of extreme weather to infrastructure and providing support for natural hazards reviews. Sandra has also been involved with many committees and working groups including City of Ottawa Hydrology Working Group; Water Erosion Control Infrastructure Committee; Eastern Ontario Flood Forecasting and Warning Committee, City of Ottawa Stormwater Strategy, Conservation Ontario Floodplain Mapping Technical Committee.
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Annie Manion, Town of Greater Napanee
Annie Manion’s career began with the Town of Greater Napanee in 2014 as a summer student and has continued with the municipality in various capacities ever since, whether it was driving an Olympia (type of Ice Resurfacer) or creating an Agri-tourism/local food push for the municipality while covering a maternity leave. Annie received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Nipissing University with a double minor in English and Religion while completing the Orientation to Teaching program and being a member of the rowing team. Annie grew up on a horse farm in Napanee, Ontario and was introduced to the benefits of local food, seeing it come to life first hand on her family’s mushroom farm. Annie currently resides in Newburgh, Ontario with her two dogs, taking in the fresh country air by living beside a pig and chicken farm.
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Sandy Marshall, Executive Director, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada
Sandy Marshall was raised on a farm near Blyth Ontario before graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree (BASc) and Masters of Applied Science Degree (MASc) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He started his professional career in 1984 with Polysar Inc., a Canadian rubber manufacturer. Over his 30 year career in the chemical and polymers industry, he worked in research and process, product development and market development before moving into Operations and General Management. Sandy had two international assignment, one in Germany and a second in Cincinnati USA. Sandy finished his corporate career as President and Managing Director responsible for Canadian Operations of Lanxess Canada.Sandy has been recognized as a leader committed to Corporate Social Responsibility and environmental sustainability in Canada. Sandy is Executive Director of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC), President and CEO of Sustainable Chemistry Alliance. Sandy is chair of the External Advisory board for the Biorefinery Research Institute at Lakehead University and is also member of the Boards of BioTECanada and Soy20/20. He has also had extensive work experience in Eastern Ontario.
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Veronica Mason, Baker Tilly KDN LLP
Duane Potter, CPA, CA, Veronica Mason, CPA, CA and Gloria Raybone, CPA, CA are audit managers at Baker Tilly KDN LLP in Peterborough. Collectively they have 50 years of experience working with municipalities. They manage the audits of 36 municipalities as well as numerous non-profit and other public-sector organizations. Baker Tilly KDN LLP has a municipal team of 20 professionals in our Peterborough office. We have one of the largest municipal auditing practices in the province.
Over the years Duane, Gloria and Veronica have assisted clients in transitioning to new PSAB sections such as tangible capital assets, helped clients set tax rates and have assisted many with accounting system conversions and today they are here to help you learn how to read a financial statement.
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Bruno Massé, M.Sc., Crossborder Development Researcher, Outaouais Development Observatory, Université du Québec en Outaouais
Bruno Massé is the head of crossborder development at the Outaouais Development Observatory (ODO), a research group based at the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) and well rooted in the region’s business and public service community. An expert in the field of territorial analysis, Bruno holds degrees in geography, public management and pedagogy.
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Sally McIntyre, General Manager, Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority
Sally is an environmental planner with over 30-years’ experience. She joined the MVCA earlier this year following a career that included 18 years consulting to municipalities across Canada and internationally, and 13 years in management positions with the City of Ottawa.
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John McNutt, President and CEO, JA Peterborough, Lakeland and Muskoka
Whether it is as a local business leader, a committed volunteer, or a proud father and grandfather, John has made a positive impact on our region, our country, and on the global stage. Today, John is Chair, The Council for Persons with Disabilities and Immediate Past Chair, Heads up For Inclusion, but John’s passion for volunteering can be seen throughout his career. Key volunteer roles have included working with the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, Peterborough/Kawartha Tourism Board, Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Committee, Kawarthafest, Kawartha Choice initiative, and Kawartha Lakes Northumberland Haliburton Training Board (which is now known as The Workforce Development Board). John is a proud and long-standing member of Rotary International, and he has received some of Rotary International’s highest honors in recognition of his work. In addition to his vast volunteer work, John and his wife Sheryl owned and operated Bridgenorth Pharmacy for 27 years. In John’s role at JA PLM, he helps to ensure that students receive access to financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness education to provide them with the knowledge and confidence they need to succeed in school, business, and life.
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Trissia Mellor, Agriculture Manager and Acting OAFVC Manager, Northumberland County
Trissia Mellor is a Manager on the Northumberland County Economic Development team. She develops partnerships to support numerous initiatives showcasing agriculture’s local economic contribution, and to support the growth and development of agri-food entrepreneurship. Trissia was the driver for the Province’s first Regional Local Food BR+E which catalyzed the building of a $2.5M municipally-owned-and-operated food processing facility. She is an active member of the OAFVC leadership team, the County representative on the Board of the Northumberland Federation of Agriculture, and served on the National Board for Habitat for Humanity Canada for the last three years.
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Stephanie Morris-Rashidpourt, Senior Planner, Fotenn Consultants
Stephanie Morris-Rashidpour is a Senior Planner with seven years of experience in the land development industry. She has taken a lead role on a wide range of projects from small-scale residential projects to mixed-use developments. Among other projects, Stephanie has provided planning services for places of worship on behalf of multiple faith groups.
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Alison McDonald, South Nation Conservation (SNC)
Alison is the team lead for the approvals department at South Nation Conservation. She works with municipalities and landowners to bring realize sustainable, well planned development in both urban and rural environments. She was formerly the County Planner for Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry working on Official Plan updates, Regional Incentive Plans, and municipal partnership building.
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Karen McDonald-Hurley, Lead Consultant, Opportunity Group
Karen has worked with hundreds of businesses and loved every minute of it. Once you meet her, it is clear she has the passion and energy to be working as a business consultant where she generously shares her knowledge and expertise. Combining both research and feedback from her business clients, she has developed training that is unique, giving clients a whole new way of looking at their own business and things that are happening around them that may affect their businesses. She knows what will make your business successful and will help you find success by providing understandable and relevant training. Opportunity Group has a long list of examples of businesses doing things that are good, bad and everything in between. Learn by seeing these in action.
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John Mesman, South Nation Conservation (SNC)
John lives in Ottawa and draws from previous work experience instructing biology at Carleton University and working in Health Canada’s Environmental Monitoring Division. John now leads South Nation Conservation Authority’s education, communication and outreach teams and is the provincial Chair of the Conservation Areas Workshop.
John brings a rural, farm-taught perspective to the workplace when developing products and programs. Technical training in science provides foundational knowledge for his work while a passion for the environment keeps him invested in the work of the Conservation Authority.
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Anne Munro, Writer and Communications Strategist, Prince Edward County
Anne is a writer and communications strategist living in Prince Edward County. A devoted foodie, Anne is interested and active in local food issues, including food heritage, culinary tourism and food security. She has experience in educational travel, destination development, speech writing, legislative research and web-based content creation.
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Debra Murphy, CIP, R.I.B.(Ont.), Regional Manager, Eastern Ontario, Frank Cowan Company
Debra Murphy is the Regional Manager for Eastern Ontario with expertise in client/broker relations and business development. Debra started with Frank Cowan Company in 2010 and has over 30 years of experience in the municipal insurance industry.
Debra focuses on client retention and strategic growth within the Public Entity Marketing department. Some key projects that Debra is involved in include presentation of risk management seminars, coverage reviews and council presentations.
Debra is a member of the Chartered Insurance Professional’s Society, a division of the Insurance Institute of Canada and is a licensed broker with the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario.
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Barbara Myers, Urban Planner, SvN
Barbara Myers is an urban planner with Svn in Toronto and Winnipeg. She has 35 years of planning experience, specializing in feasibility studies and operational plans for clients in the non-profit and institutional sectors. Barbara leads the firm’s Place of Worship projects, providing strategic advice to a broad range of religious organizations across Canada.
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Katie Nolan, Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
Katie Nolan is an Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Advisor with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). She is responsible for delivering OMAFRA’s rural economic development programs to the counties of Prescott-Russell, Stormont-Dundas-glengarry, Leeds Grenville, Lanark and Renfrew. She joined OMAFRA in 2008 and works out of the Kemptville Resource Centre.
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Cristy Nurse,B.A. (HONS.), J.D., Associate, Templeman LLP
Cristy Nurse is an Associate at Templeman LLP and a member of the firm’s Labour and Employment Group, focusing on management-side labour, employment, and human rights law for municipal and private sector clients.
Cristy holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Guelph. She subsequently attended the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, graduating cum laude in 2013. While in Ottawa, Cristy completed placements with the Department of Justice and the Adjudication Board of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as well as an internship in the office of the Honourable Michael Chong, Member of Parliament for Wellington-Halton Hills.
Both during and after completing her law degree, Cristy trained and competed with Canada’s national rowing team and is a multiple world medallist, Olympian, and former Rowing Canada athlete of the year.
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Jeff Pajot, Public Services Health & Safety
Jeff is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) and Certified Ergonomist (CCPE) with over 30 years of experience. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo, specializing in Ergonomics. He joined the Public Services Health & Safety Association in 2007.
Jeff worked as an Ergonomist for Canada Post, and then joined the WCB/WSIB where he was an Ergonomics Specialist for nine years. He also operated a private health & safety and ergonomics consulting business for several years, and then joined the health safety associations working in prevention. Jeff has gained experience in a wide variety of industries and specializes in Municipal Government Health & Safety.
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Jeff Passmore, Passmore Group and Scaling Up
Jeff Passmore grew up in Eastern Ontario and has worked in the renewable energy and chemicals space for more than 30 years as a consultant and for 12 years, as Executive Vice President of Iogen Corporation and since 2010 as founder and CEO pf the Passmore Group. From 2016 to the present he has been chair of the internationally acclaimed Scaling Up Bioeconomy Conference. Jeff has been a Frequent Expert Witness for Federal Committees of the House of Commons and Senate (Canada), and House of Representatives and Senate (US), Past Member, International Climate Change Consultative Committee (Environment Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs); and the Technology Table of the National Climate Change Secretariat Certificate, European Union Institutional Relations and Public Affairs, 1999; Post Graduate Journalism program, Carleton University, 1977 and Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Political Science, McMaster University, 1973.
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Kelly Pender, CAO, County of Frontenac | Member, Eastern Ontario Leadership Council (EOLC)
Kelly is the Chair of the Technology Integration and Innovation Working Group. Kelly will describe the journey we’ve taken over the past year to arrive at a new approach to stimulating innovation across the region, providing an opportunity for municipalities — including EDOs — to provide local leadership, and creating a mechanism for innovators to move their yardsticks toward full commercialization… right in their home region.
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Calvin Pol, Township of North Dundas
Graduate of Urban and Regional Planning from John Abbott College. Received his Honours Degree from the University of Waterloo in Urban and Regional Planning. He has 31 years of experience in both private consulting practice and the municipal sector.
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- 2 years with the City of Beaconsfield Building Department
- Worked in a planning consulting firm for 5 years
- For 6 years he operated his own planning consulting company, COMP Consultants
- then in 2001, Calvin returned to the public sector with the Township of North Dundas as Director of Planning, Building and
Enforcement.
Calvin has served on the Planning Advisory Committee in Russell Township for 20 years, and was appointed twice to Russell Township Council (2014 and 2018) as a councillor.
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Duane Potter, Baker Tilly KDN LLP
Duane Potter, CPA, CA, Veronica Mason, CPA, CA and Gloria Raybone, CPA, CA are audit managers at Baker Tilly KDN LLP in Peterborough. Collectively they have 50 years of experience working with municipalities. They manage the audits of 36 municipalities as well as numerous non-profit and other public-sector organizations. Baker Tilly KDN LLP has a municipal team of 20 professionals in our Peterborough office. We have one of the largest municipal auditing practices in the province.
Over the years Duane, Gloria and Veronica have assisted clients in transitioning to new PSAB sections such as tangible capital assets, helped clients set tax rates and have assisted many with accounting system conversions and today they are here to help you learn how to read a financial statement.
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Gary Pritchard , Environmental and Climate Change Sector Manager, Cambium Aboriginal Inc.
Gary Pritchard is our Environmental and Climate Change Sector Manager with over 16 years of experience. In the past, Gary (who is a member of Curve Lake First Nation) has had the privilege to work on behalf of First Nations peoples throughout Ontario. He has travelled and worked in 286 First Nations communities throughout Canada. He has brought a wealth of knowledge to both his Indigenous and non-Indigenous cliental performing a wide variety of services including: Indigenous Community Planning, land-use/traditional knowledge studies, capacity building, mediator between western science and traditional science and peer reviewer on behalf of Indigenous communities. One of Gary’s greatest strength is that he is often able to be the one who acts as the bridge between the Indigenous Community and the western style of government. Gary has successfully collaborated with many stakeholder groups, researchers, institutes, government agencies and Indigenous communities and political organizations to address environmental concerns and identify practical solutions to fisheries or environmental related issues. Gary also serves as a technical advisor and professor at three post-secondary institutes within Ontario.
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Jaime Posen, MCIP RPP, Senior Planner, Fotenn Consultants
Jaime Posen, MCIP RPP is a Senior Planner in Fotenn’s Ottawa office, with experience leading and contributing to a broad range of projects for municipalities across Canada. Through his work with policy and development approval projects, he has gained a breadth of experience planning for places of worship in a variety of communities.
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Nayeeda Rao, Data Analyst, Eastern Ontario Leadership Council (EOLC)
Nayeeda is focused on helping us understand the region’s workforce and related issues affecting its development and deployment. Nayeeda will be sharing highlights of a regional profile of both employers’ demand for talent and the availability of jobseekers to meet that demand.
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Gloria Raybone, Baker Tilly KDN LLP
Duane Potter, CPA, CA, Veronica Mason, CPA, CA and Gloria Raybone, CPA, CA are audit managers at Baker Tilly KDN LLP in Peterborough. Collectively they have 50 years of experience working with municipalities. They manage the audits of 36 municipalities as well as numerous non-profit and other public-sector organizations. Baker Tilly KDN LLP has a municipal team of 20 professionals in our Peterborough office. We have one of the largest municipal auditing practices in the province.
Over the years Duane, Gloria and Veronica have assisted clients in transitioning to new PSAB sections such as tangible capital assets, helped clients set tax rates and have assisted many with accounting system conversions and today they are here to help you learn how to read a financial statement.
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Jennifer Regnier, District Manager for JA Peterborough, Lakeland and Muskoka
As a high school student from Cornwall, Ontario, Jennifer Regnier’s professional goals included working with students and doing work that impacted her community. Through her role with JA and as the Owner and Founder of Unearth Education Éveillée, Jennifer is able to achieve these goals by creating hands-on, engaging and valuable learning opportunities for students, school staff and professionals. Jennifer is currently a District Manager for JA Peterborough, Lakeland and Muskoka, the former Program Manager with JA Ottawa, delivered through the Ottawa Network for Education, and has consulted on several project with JA Canada. She is a bilingual, outgoing, creative and innovative award-winning program manager who has worked with in the non-profit and education sector for over 15 years. Jennifer has received two Gold Global Best Awards from the International Partnership Network, in collaboration with the Conference Board of Canada, for her innovation, program development and partnership building in support of youth entrepreneurship. She is passionate about creating unique and custom learning opportunities and doesn’t believe in ‘one-size fits all’ approach to program development. Jennifer’s ability to understand training needs paired with her ‘out of the box’ approach to program delivery allows her to build learning programs that come together seamlessly and captivate audiences.
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Will Rose, P.Eng., Transportation Engineer, Morrison Hershfield
Will Rose is a Civil Engineer with experience in the design and construction of linear infrastructure projects. He has worked in both the public and private sector on a range of civil engineering projects, focusing primarily on planning and design of roadways, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
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Bonnie Ruddock, Executive Director, South Eastern Ontario Region, RTO 9
Bonnie has been with the RTO9 since the inception of the Regional Tourism Organization in 2011. Bonnie was appointed to Executive Director in 2017 after 6 years as Operations Manager for RTO 9. With a background in finance and marketing and a passion for the tourism industry, Bonnie is a true leader. Prior to her career with RTO 9, she was Executive Director for the 1000 Islands Gananoque Chamber of Commerce for 10 years. Bonnie is currently completing on her MBA in Community Economic Development, through Cape Breton University.
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Jessica Savage, Director, Corporate & Regulatory Affairs, Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)
Jessica Savage is the Director of Corporate & Regulatory Affairs in the Policy, Engagement and Innovation business unit of Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). In this role, she is responsible for implementing and managing the IESO’s relationship strategy with municipalities, customers, media, sector stakeholders and the public to ensure positive and productive partnerships.
In her almost 15 years with the IESO, Jessica has held progressively senior roles within different parts of the organization, including market development, government and regulatory affairs, and operations. This included managing the market rule amendment process for the Renewables Integration Initiative and successfully leading IESO’s fee applications for Ontario Energy Board approval. Her broad range of experience at the IESO means that she brings a customer-focused and enterprise-wide perspective to each role she assumes. Jessica began her career with Ontario Power Generation, working in energy markets leading up to and during the opening of the province’s electricity market.
Jessica has a master’s degree in economics from the University of Guelph.
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Jennifer Savini, B.Sc.(Hons.), J.D., Partner, Templeman
Jennifer Savini (Gibb) is a municipal lawyer with Templeman. Her practice includes planning, municipal and environmental matters.
Jennifer is Certified Specialist in Municipal Law (Local Government/Land Use Planning and Development). She advises clients on development agreements and by-laws, provides legal opinions on municipal, planning and environmental issues, regularly represents clients before the Ontario Municipal Board and advises clients on the newly formed Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.
Jennifer has extensive experience in municipal enforcement proceedings such as zoning and property standards by-law prosecutions and court proceedings relating to the enforcement of statutes such as the Building Code Act, Fire Protection and Prevention Act and the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
Jennifer regularly appears before the Provincial Offences Court and Superior Court of Justice on behalf of Municipalities, Conservation Authorities, Health Units and other government institutions, and has also appeared before the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal.
Also experienced in civil litigation matters, Jennifer represents clients in contractual and property disputes as well as insurance defence matters involving municipal liability issues.
Jennifer has been with the firm since her articles and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2009.
Originally from Campbellford, Jennifer obtained her Specialized Honours Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of Guelph in 2002. After graduating, Jennifer worked at Environment Canada studying vehicle emissions and smog patterns, and as a chemist for a private pharmaceutical testing and consulting company in Toronto. Jennifer attended law school at Queens’s University, where she obtained her J.D. in 2008.
Jennifer is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Bar Association, the Hastings County Law Association, the Frontenac Law Association and the Rotary Club of Belleville, and sits on the volunteer Board of Directors for First Adventure Child Development Centre.
Recent Reported Cases:
Balroop v. Quinte West (City), 2017 ONSC 3352
Dalgleish v. Hastings Highlands (Municipality), 2017 CanLII 72943 (OMB)
Prokopyshen v. Belleville (City), 2017 CanLII 70640 (OMB)
Port Hope (Municipality) v. Drew, 2017 ONSC 275
Cedarwoods Park Association Inc. v. Tolentino, 2017 ONSC 5498
The Corp. of the Municipality of Port Hope v. Arthur Elgasuani, 2016 ONSC 2282 (Div. Ct.)
Quinte West (Municipality) v. Balroop, 2016 ONCA 657
Etherington v. Ignace (Township), 2016 ONSC 3433
Nantuck Invesments Inc. v. Oshawa (City), 2016 CanLII 67453 (OMB)
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Lisa Severson, Communications/Stakeholder Relations Officer, Eastern Ontario Regional Network Inc.
Lisa will join David in providing the update on the ‘next’ phase in making this region incredibly well ‘connected’. Lisa will describe the connection between EORN’s work and the initiatives that are on the Working Groups’ agendas. She will also share information about how presentations at major events outside the region are bringing greater attention to the region as a place to live and grow a business.
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Jamie Shipley, C.E.T.,Knowledge Mobilization Consultant, CMHC
Jamie has 30 years’ experience in the residential construction industry including over 20 years with CMHC. Jamie’s role at CMHC includes sharing technical and social economic information about aging in place and affordable housing design concepts with builders, renovators, planners, and housing design professionals across Ontario. Jamie is also a member of the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists.
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Tracey Snow, Economic Development Officer, County of Lennox and Addington
Tracey Snow is the Economic Development Officer for the County of Lennox & Addington and has been working with the County for 9 years. She has 30 plus years of experience as a business owner and/or business coach, supporting entrepreneurs from various Industries and has been hands on with large, growth oriented organizations in a marketing and operational capacity across Canada. Tracey is very engaged with partners that support business development in Lennox & Addington, such as Academia – both University and College, all funding and resource organizations, federally and provincially, as well as other business partners that support growth and opportunity.
Tracey is a Director on the Board for the Ontario East Economic Development Commission where she, along with other Economic Developers across Eastern Ontario, work together to promote Eastern Ontario as a viable place to start and grow business. She is also a Director on the Board for an impressive start-up called FireRein. Tracey has served on the LACGH Boards, both for the Hospital Board and the Foundation Board, as well as the Board for the Trenton Memorial Hospital. As an investor in many start-ups, Tracey is a big believer in people and companies who are passionate about their product or service.
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Diane Therrien, Mayor, Peterborough
Diane Therrien was elected to city council in 2014, and in 2018 was elected mayor of Peterborough. She has experience in the private, public, and non-profit sectors, and has worked for the former Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network, and Trent University.
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Andrew Wallen, General Manager and CEO of the Kawartha Lakes CFDC | Member, Eastern Ontario Leadership Council (EOLC)
Andrew is the Chair of the Integrated, Intelligent Transportation Systems Working Group. Andrew will lead the session, providing an overview of the Working Group’s activity related to the freight sector, stimulating new services for commuters, and provide an update on initiatives such as VIA Rail’s plans for high-frequency passenger service and the MACAVO initiative related to autonomous vehicles.
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Ann Weir, Economic Development Manager , United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
Ann Weir is the Economic Development Manager for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and Eastern Ontario’s Economic Developer of the Year in 2017. Her role includes managing economic development through a collaborative environment with ten municipalities and four partner communities to positively influence the growth and well-being of the Counties and its communities.
Ann has worked collaboratively across the region for years to build the investment opportunities along the Rideau Canal, Ontario’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world-famous 1000 Islands / St. Lawrence waterways. Recent new investments include Giant Tiger Distribution Centre, Canada Rail and Equipment Works & Services, Advonex, Le Boat, BBL Energy, Windmill Brewery, Kings Lock Craft Distillery plus many others. Business Retention and Expansion has been the focus for 2018-2019 with Workforce Development.
Ann has a very strong belief in the importance of relationships, networks and partnerships. She is visionary with a strong work ethic and passion for results.
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Nicole Whiting, Executive Director, Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization, RTO 11
Nicole has always had a deep appreciation for the value travel experiences bring to people’s lives and communities. Her diverse background as a competitive whitewater kayaker, event manager and entrepreneur, afforded her opportunities to visit, live and work in popular tourism destinations all over the world before settling down in the Ottawa Valley 17 years ago.
In 2010, the Ontario Government, through the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport, created 13 tourism regions across the Province. Each region would be responsible for establishing a separate not-for profit organization that would work with their respective tourism industries towards increasing visitation to Ontario. Over the past nine years as Executive Director of what is now known as Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO), Nicole has had the privilege of working with a fantastic team of staff, Board members and tourism champions to develop partnerships and innovative tourism strategies that seek to inspire visitors to enjoy the many uniquely rural tourism experiences available in the region.
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Michael Wildman, MCIP, RPP, CET, CMO, Dipl. MM, President and Principal Consultant, Municipal Government Wayfinders Ltd. (retired CAO, Town of Arnprior)
Michael Wildman is an award winning former municipal CAO with over 30 years of experience working for small, mid-sized and large municipalities. Michael is also a former member of the Board of Directors with the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks & Treasurers of Ontario. Michael is a Registered Professional Planner, a Certified Municipal Officer and a graduate of the Professional Facilitators Program. Michael is the President and Principal Consultant at Municipal Government Wayfinders Ltd., a municipal management consultancy that specializes in strategic planning, group facilitation and service delivery reviews.
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Lindsay Wilson, Marketing and Economic Development Officer, Town of Arnprior
Lindsay is a University of Guelph Alumni with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree, majoring in Marketing Management and a Certificate in Leadership. Over the past six years Lindsay has worked to assist the Town through a full rebrand, the development and launch of a Town website, the development and launch of one of the first Municipal Apps for municipalities under 10,000, a two year revitalization of the Historic Downtown, and the creation and launch of a highly successful Downtown Sunday Market.
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Brenda Wood, Executive Director, Kawarthas Northumberland, RTO 8
Brenda Wood has spent much of her life in the tourism industry. Working as a destination representative for a large tourism operator in Mexico, Cuba and Spain, she oversaw the arrivals of over 1,200 land and cruise passengers from Canada each week. Once back in Ontario, she focused on marketing and sales for hotels, attractions and themed restaurants and then moved to the technology field with an online reservation system company. Prior to joining RTO8 five years ago, she worked as a DMO in Southern Ontario and specialized in travel trade. This enabled her to build long-term relationships with industry associations and operators throughout the globe.
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Kathryn Wood, Project Coordinator, Eastern Ontario Leadership Council (EOLC)
Kathryn Wood is the President and CEO of Natural Capital Resources Inc. since October 2001, and carries a wealth of knowledge and experience of the Eastern Ontario region, particularly with respect to municipal government and policy decisions with the provincial and federal levels of government. She has expertise in strategic leadership, brand fulfillment, and collaboration development, and was instrumental in develop a targeted regional economic development strategy for Eastern Ontario. In June 2014, this strategy was published as the “Eastern Ontario Regional Economic Development Strategy” in June 2014 and, the following year, served as the basis for the creation of the Eastern Ontario Leadership Council, of which Kathryn Wood is currently the Project Coordinator.
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Martha Woods, Executive Director, Eastern Ontario Training Board
Martha has been working with the Eastern Ontario Training Board for over 10 years ensuring Workforce Development needs are met within the area of Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott, Russell and Akwesasne by conducting localized workforce research and actively engaging organizations and community partners.
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