Keynote Speaker | Josh Bowen
We invest enormous time and resources into plans, systems, and infrastructure, but when disaster strikes, those alone aren’t enough. Without trust between organizations, with communities, and responding teams, even the best-prepared efforts can fall short.
In this keynote, Josh Bowen, VP of Organizational Excellence for Team Rubicon Canada, explores how real readiness is built from the ground up: through empowered volunteers, lasting partnerships, and relationships built in a shared drive to serve those in need.
This talk makes the case for a shift from performative response to transformative action using real-world examples. It reveals how trust isn’t just the foundation of effective response, it’s what turns recovery into resilience, and communities into active participants in shaping what comes next.
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JOSH BOWEN, CD, MBA, MADEM
Vice President, Organizational Excellence | Team Rubicon Canada
Josh Bowen is a crisis leadership and emergency management professional with over 20 years of experience across humanitarian, military, and academic settings. He currently serves as Vice President, Organizational Excellence at Team Rubicon Canada, where he leads the People Operations, Finance, and Risk portfolios. He also teaches crisis leadership in the University of Alberta’s MBA program.
Josh has advised the Government of Canada on national risk and climate adaptation strategies and has testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence. His previous roles include Senior Director of Emergency Planning at the Canadian Red Cross and founding the Centre for Applied Disaster and Emergency Management (CADEM) at NAIT.
A former infantry officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, Josh served in five domestic disaster operations, including the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto, York, and Alberta, and is an alumnus of Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative.
Workshop Facilitator | Paul Riopel
Join Paul Riopel of ERMCAlberta for an engaging workshop where you'll learn to create an emergency response plan tailored to your situation. This isn't a generic template—it's a step-by-step process to develop a plan that's logical, comprehensive, and user-friendly.
What You'll Learn
Why Attend?
Paul's process, honed over 40 years, has been successfully applied in various settings, from small businesses to large communities, NGOs, hospitals, and universities. With nearly 45 years of experience, Paul brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insights.
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is perfect for those who want a straightforward, effective emergency response plan. If you prefer simplicity and effectiveness over complexity, this is for you.
Come prepared to work and leave with a framework you can immediately apply!
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PAUL RIOPEL
Owner | ERMC Alberta
The owner of a growing company that is leading in the field of emergency preparedness in North America and internationally, Paul has over 40 years of experience in Emergency Preparedness and Response. He is recognized as an industry leader in Emergency Response and is the Chief Executive Officer of ERMC. Paul’s professional experience includes delivering Emergency Planning and Preparedness consulting to literally hundreds of clients in industry and government. His areas of expertise include: hazardous material audits, risk identification, plan development, plan audits, training, exercises, and full-scale simulations. He also consults organizations on crisis communications, incident command, emergency operations centres, and equipment requirements for emergency response.
Workshop Facilitator | Brad Spence
This workshop will assist you in learning about Indigenous peoples in Canada and help non-indigenous Canadians and Indigenous peoples move toward reconciliation. Presented in the context of emergency management and business continuity, and collaboration among communities and organizations, the training is designed to foster a new understanding, respect, and meaningful engagement between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Incorporating the two-eyed-seeing approach, participants will learn about the histories and contemporary realities of Indigenous peoples, reconciliation frameworks, treaties, cultural teachings, and best practices to advance reconciliation and intercultural competency.
Applicable to all types of organizations and all levels within them, participants will develop understanding of how to apply these concepts in the fields of emergency management and business continuity and beyond.
The Indigenous Awareness Training addresses the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action and the United Nations Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) frameworks.
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BRAD SPENCE
Principal, Indigenous Advisory and Inclusion | Trace Associates Inc.
Brad Spence is the Principal, Indigenous Advisory, with Trace Associates Inc. (Trace) and joined Trace in 2022. With over 24 years of experience working in the Indigenous Inclusion sector, Brad is responsible for providing senior technical support and direction to Trace’s internal and external Indigenous Advisory projects. Brad’s experience lies within the four components of Indigenous Inclusion: Engagement, Employment, Business Partnerships, and Education and Awareness. Brad has extensive experience as an integral part of Indigenous Relations for various major projects within the upstream oil and gas industry. Brad supports Trace across multiple market sectors and practice areas.
Brad develops and facilitates Indigenous awareness training sessions and Trace’s internal Indigenous Engagement and Employment Strategy and provides strategic support to Trace’s clients. This includes providing Indigenous relations advisory, Indigenous consultation, workforce development, and community engagement. Brad aspires to work towards a certificate in Indigenous Leadership, Governance and Management Excellence from the Banff Centre of Arts and Creativity.
Workshop Facilitator | Vasie Papadopoulos
In a VUCA world – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity – there is nothing more important than strong and consistent leadership. An organization may get along without it in a status quo environment – but the moment a crisis emerges, leaders are expected to project strength, communicate clearly, show empathy, and read the room. These are the ones that will also succeed in the protection of their brand and reputation.
To further compound this, the emergence of AI has upended how we understand and leverage this new technology in emergency and crisis management.This workshop will have participants:
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VASIE PAPADOPOULOS, MSC, MBA
Founder and CEO | KLEO L.L.C.
Vasie is a seasoned communications leader with deep expertise in executive coaching, crisis and issues management, and stakeholder communications for both public and private sector organizations. Vasie has experience both in the public and private sectors developing strategic communication plans, data-driven business strategies and campaigns, and creating unique company initiatives. She has led, guided, and trained organizations and executives on thought leadership, media training, public outreach, and crisis communications in complex and highly regulated sectors, working at the Government of Canada, Metrolinx, the Financial Services Commission of Ontario and Philip Morris International. She has lived and worked in Canada, Switzerland, and the US, giving her a global view on corporate communication.
She has an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Ottawa, a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and an executive MBA from Ivey School of Business.
She also designs shoes and is an accomplished travel photographer. In 2020, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women through the Women’s Executive Network.
Session Speakers | Caitlin Miller (with Katherine Severson)
With the world's eyes on Kananaskis, Alberta, during the 2025 G7 Leaders Summit, the regional Directors of Emergency Management collaborated to prepare to respond to any hazard that might have occurred during the Summit dates. This included preparation and participation in exercises that supported Summit planning and participating in a Regional Emergency Coordination Centre for monitoring during the event itself. Participation in the G7 Leaders Summit provided local authorities with several learnings to support the emergency management programs in the Bow Valley.
This presentation will speak to some of the learnings observed from a regional perspective in preparing for the event, along with the takeaways that have helped guide and strengthen regional preparedness in the Bow Valley.
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CAITLIN MILLER, MPS
Manager of Protective Services, Director of Emergency Management | Town of Canmore
Caitlin Miller is the Manager of Protective Services and Director of Emergency Management for the Town of Canmore. Caitlin has a Masters of Public Safety with a specialization in Emergency Management from Wilfrid Laurier University and has combined her education, experience working in other municipalities, and local knowledge of the area to enhance Canmore’s and the region's emergency management programs.
Session Speakers | Katherine Severson (with Caitlin Miller)
Session description above.
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KATHERINE SEVERSON
Director, Emergency & Protective Services | Town of Banff
Katherine Severson (she/her) is the Director of Emergency & Protective Services for the Town of Banff supporting the Banff Fire Department, Municipal Enforcement and Emergency Management programs.
She found her way to the Bow Valley in 2023, after retiring with 26 years of experience in law enforcement with the Calgary Police Service, including over a decade as the emergency management team leader. A member of CANTF2’s Disaster Response Team since 2016, Katherine has been fortunate to deploy in various incident management team positions to many disasters across Canada. As an adult educator and facilitator for 25 years, she now specializes in building incident management skills through teaching ICS, interoperability/integrated response and emergency coordination center operations. She is both grateful to work in public service and humbled by the challenges and pressures from the increased frequency and complexity of climate change-related incidents.
Besides hiking, biking or paddling in the mountains with her family, Katherine’s greatest enjoyment comes from working with partners across the emergency services throughout the region.
Session Speaker | Michael Higgins
Extreme weather events are striking Canadian communities with greater frequency and severity — especially First Nations, where the impacts can be long-lasting and deeply disruptive. Beyond the immediate damage, disasters often halt progress on critical infrastructure like housing, roads, and clean water systems.
This session will explore why building resilience starts well before a disaster occurs — through community-led recovery planning, early mitigation strategies, and robust Business Continuity Planning that ensures services, operations, and governance can continue even in the face of disaster.
Drawing on lessons from real recovery efforts in British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and Alberta, attendees will gain practical tools and strategies to enhance emergency preparedness, strengthen recovery capacity, and ensure business continuity.
Key messages include:
This session is ideal for those involved in disaster preparedness, recovery, and community resilience. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to help First Nations better navigate — and recover from — climate-related disasters.
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MICHAEL HIGGINS
Project Director, Practice Excellence, National Climate Readiness, Risk and Recovery | Colliers Project Leaders
Michael is a seasoned leader and operational response planner with more than 35 years of experience in community, public safety and emergency management. He has worked with diverse organizations, from small communities to federal governments, demonstrating strong attention to detail, solid leadership, and crisis communication skills. His expertise extends to various domains, including public safety volunteer, search and rescue, wildland fire responses, and strategic leadership in emergency management and 9-1-1 public safety projects.
Michael is known for his big-picture thinking, challenging the status quo, and fostering sustainability and resilience in a changing climate. His ability to integrate complex technologies and provide sound decision-support assessments makes him a valuable asset during emergencies. Michael currently works with Colliers Project Leaders as Project Director, Climate Readiness and Community Recovery.
Session Speakers | Ryan Bernier (with Karthik Tamarapalli)
This session frames cyberattacks as disasters in their own right — events that can paralyze operations, disrupt communications, and erode public trust as quickly as a flood or fire. Drawing on examples from Alberta (Fort McMurray wildfire, Calgary flood, Bearspaw water main break) and global cases (the Hawai'i missile alert, Colonial Pipeline), we’ll show how digital incidents unfold like traditional disasters and what leaders should expect when systems fail. Key takeaways will include continuity planning without technology, out-of-band communications, the role of cyber insurance, and how reputation, legal liability, and public trust can become the true long-tail costs of an incident.
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RYAN BERNIER
Cyber Security Lead | H&R Block Canada
Cyber Security Lead at H&R Block Canada with 20+ years in IT and over 10 years dedicated to cyber security. He holds multiple expert level Industry Certifications: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), and VMware Certified Professional (VCP) designations. Ryan’s experience spans financial technology, oil and gas, utilities, and Amazon, giving him a broad perspective on how digital risks play out across critical industries.
Session Speakers | Karthik Tamarapalli (with Ryan Bernier)
Session description above.
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KARTHIK TAMARAPALLI
Information Security Analyst | H&R Block Canada
Information Security Analyst at H&R Block Canada with a Master’s in Information Systems Assurance Management from Concordia University of Edmonton and a Bachelor’s in Computer Science. He holds the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) designation and is a seasoned speaker at BSides conferences, where he has shared practical approaches to security and risk management.
Session Speaker | Dave Brand
Emergency managers are expected to perform under pressure, make critical decisions, and guide their teams through moments of crisis. But the greatest challenges to resilience aren’t always found in the incident itself - they’re often rooted in organizational stress, fatigue, and disconnection.
In this session, Dave Brand shares practical tools from his new book Beyond the Call, based on his unique blend of operational expertise and coaching insight. Participants will learn how to build personal resilience and manage stress in high-demand environments, strengthen connection and trust within teams, shift from command-and-control toward collaborative leadership, and apply simple strategies that increase well-being and performance beyond the call.
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DAVE BRAND, P.ENG. CPC ELI-MP
Certified Professional Coach | Apex Approach Professional Coaching and Red Deer County
Dave Brand is the Director of Emergency Management for Red Deer County, the founder of Apex Approach Professional Coaching, creator of the IGNITE Leadership Framework, and author of the recently released book Beyond the Call: Tools for Public Safety Resilience and Leadership. With more than 20 years of experience in leadership - including wildfire and flood response, emergency management, and team development - Dave has built a career helping responders thrive and lead under pressure.
Session Speaker | Brenda Dhillon
In the midst of a state of emergency, the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization (EMO) faced a critical challenge: delivering trusted, real-time public information across a province where every hour mattered. At the same time as the fires were raging and EMO was choosing to stand up a communications warning system, more than 18,000 people were being evacuated from northern Manitoba — escalating to over 32,000 by August — in the largest evacuation in the province’s history. Partnering with Genvis, Manitoba stood up MB Ready in just 36 hours — a pace rarely seen in government technology deployments — while simultaneously managing the coordination of this wildfire event.
This session shares the inside story of MB Ready’s rapid rollout, lessons learned in reaching rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, and how the platform continues to evolve with integrations such as 511 road conditions and Environment Canada feeds. Participants will leave with practical insights and replicable strategies for accelerating digital readiness in their own jurisdictions.
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BRENDA DHILLON
Country Manager (Canada) | Genvis
Brenda Dhillon is the Country Manager for Genvis in Canada, specializing in technology solutions that support victim services, emergency management, law enforcement, and frontline agencies. With over 14 years of experience in management consulting and enterprise software implementation across public, private, and non-profit sectors, she brings a deep understanding of how digital tools can enhance service delivery, incident response, and inter-agency collaboration. Brenda is dedicated to leveraging technology to improve public safety and victim support, working closely with organizations to develop solutions tailored to the unique challenges of frontline service providers in Canada.
Session Speaker | Sheri Raines
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) provides the strategic lens through which organizations identify, assess, and determine policies and practices required to manage risks that can significantly impact the organization’s operations and objectives. This session will focus on how ERM sets the foundation for resilience by helping leaders make informed decisions, anticipate challenges, and align resources and efforts to the areas of greatest impact.
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SHERI RAINES
Director, Risk Management | ROMA Solutions
Sheri brings over 15 years of experience in the risk management field, working with both public companies and as an external consultant. Her advisory and audit expertise centers on delivering strategic solutions that drive enterprise-wide improvements. Throughout her career, she has helped organizations across multiple industries identify their critical risks, strengthen internal processes and controls, establish robust governance frameworks, and align risk management practices with organizational goals and strategies.
Panel Moderator | Scott Cameron
Moderated by Scott Cameron (EMLCanada), this panel invites delegates into a dynamic, conversation-style session that highlights innovative, community-rooted approaches to emergency management in Alberta municipalities. Featuring Clint Sime from the Stettler Regional Emergency Management Agency and Mark Pickford from the City of St. Albert Emergency Management Agency, the discussion will explore how each community is reimagining preparedness by leveraging local strengths.
From Stettler’s asset-based approach—detailed in Emergency Manager magazine—which mobilizes existing community resources through trust and local leadership, to St. Albert’s forward-thinking neighbourhood mapping and preparedness initiative that empowers residents at the block level, these examples offer practical, scalable insights for building resilience from the ground up.
Together, the panel will share real-world lessons, challenges, and tools that support cross-sector collaboration and deeper community engagement in emergency planning. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas and inspiration to apply in their own jurisdictions.
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SCOTT CAMERON
Co-Founder | Emergency Management Logistics Canada
Scott Cameron is the Co-Founder of Emergency Management Logistics Canada, a new and innovative tool for EM resource management. EMLCanada views the the role and function of EM Logistics Sections as an “interface” with community, including businesses and community organizations.
Scott is the former Manager of Social Planning for the City of Red Deer, where he was also responsible for the Emergency Social Services (ESS) program.
In this role, he had the opportunity to be activated on numerous occasions within the City, deployed to the Slave Lake and Wood Buffalo wildfires, and facilitated a two-day ESS debrief following the Southern Alberta Floods. His exposure to disaster response and recovery started while in his role of Executive Director for United Way of Central Alberta during the Pine Lake Tornado.
Scott has a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) from Royal Roads University with a specialization in Sustainable Community Development. He understands community and social development deeply – a passion he furthers through his role as President/CEO of his consulting firm, bassa Social Innovations Inc.
Panelist | Clint Sime (with Scott Cameron)
Panel description above.
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CLINT SIME
Regional Director of Emergency Management | Stettler Regional Emergency Management Agency (SREMA)
Clint Sime is the Regional Director of Emergency Management for the Stettler Regional Emergency Management Agency (SREMA) and Manager of Protective Services for the County of Stettler. SREMA looks after the emergency management program for the County of Stettler, Town of Stettler, Village of Big Valley, Village of Donalda, and the Summer Villages of Rochon Sands and White Sands. Clint is also one of the three Co-Leads of the Alberta Central Region All-Hazard Incident Management Team (CRAHIMT), where he has deployed several times to incidents across the province since joining in 2019. Clint holds diplomas in Police and Investigative Studies from Grant MacEwan and another in Disaster and Emergency Management from NAIT. Clint is a an advocate for collaboration and cooperation in Emergency Management and believes Private and Public Sectors need to work together to boost local resilience.
Panelist | Mark Pickford (with Scott Cameron)
Panel description above.
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MARK PICKFORD, CD, AEM, ABCP
Manager of Emergency Management | City of St. Albert
Mark Pickford is the Emergency Management Manager and D.E.M. for the City of St. Albert, where he leads initiatives that strengthen community resilience and ensure preparedness for a wide range of challenges. With a background spanning 12 years in public safety, municipal leadership, technology, emergency management, and 24 years of military service, Mark brings a unique, multidisciplinary perspective to building safer and more adaptive communities.
Mark’s contributions to emergency management have been recognized at provincial, national, and international levels. In 2016, as a field officer with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, he received an award from the Premier of Alberta for his role with the Wood Buffalo Wildfire Response Team, one of the largest and most complex disaster responses in Canadian history.
Mark has spoken to audiences of industry professionals, government officials, and community leaders, where his ability to connect broad strategy with on-the-ground realities consistently inspires meaningful dialogue and drives positive change.
Session Speakers | Thomas Culbertson (with Jack Bailey)
No matter what business or industry you’re in, you have to expect the unexpected. Because no matter how creative we get, we can never anticipate every challenge or catastrophe. That’s why your organization needs a technology recovery plan. Even if you have a plan in place, how long has it been since you updated and tested it?
During our session, we’ll walk you through what a strong, modern technology recovery strategy looks like — one that’s more than just a document on a shelf. Whether you’re a seasoned technology recovery pro or just starting to think about resilience, you’ll leave with actionable insights you can take back to your team.We’ll cover:
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THOMAS CULBERTSON
Channel Territory Manager | 11:11 Systems
With over a decade of experience in IT and cybersecurity, Thomas brings a practical, partner-focused perspective to his work at 11:11 Systems—helping organizations strengthen resilience, safeguard critical data, and modernize their approach to disaster recovery and business continuity.
Session Speakers | Jack Bailey (with Thomas Culbertson)
Session description above.
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JACK BAILEY
VP of Enablement | 11:11 Systems
With a 20-year background in VMware administration, cloud architecture, and solution design, Jack leverages his experience in his role as VP of Enablement for 11:11 Systems to provide education and guidance to IT organizations on how to optimize spend and reduce risk.
Guest Speaker | Barry Moore (with Thomas Culbertson and Jack Bailey)
Session description above.
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BARRY MOORE, ABCP, ITIL, CSE
Principal, Business Continuity and Technology Resilience | Trace Associates Inc.
Barry Moore is Principal, Business Continuity and Technology Resilience at Trace Associates Inc. (Trace). Barry has worked in the fields of business, technology and risk management since 1999. At Trace, Barry is responsible for senior technical oversight, client liaison, successful project execution, and senior-level advisory services related to IT disaster recovery, business continuity, and risk management. He is an expert resource ready to help clients seeking to mature their resilience and response programs.
He is an accomplished senior business leader with cross-industry expertise in resilience planning, risk management, operations, technology, business growth, people management, and service delivery. He has been recognized for demonstrating a natural aptitude for spearheading impactful projects, leading cross-functional teams, and driving continuous improvement.
Processional focal points include IT management, disaster recovery, partner/vendor management, roadmap development, business continuity management, continuous improvement, resilience planning, IT service availability, governance, risk management, audit, and more.
Session Speakers | Tara Tobler (with Loida Sinclair)
Business Continuity is the critical link between strategy and recovery — the discipline that translates enterprise risk insights into actionable plans and provides IT with the priorities needed for effective recovery. In this session, we’ll explore how Business Continuity serves as the bridge between Enterprise Risk Management and IT Disaster Recovery, ensuring that resilience strategies are not only aligned but practical and achievable.
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TARA TOBLER, MBA, CBCP, PMP, CIA
Business Continuity Consultant | Tobler Consulting
Tara Tobler is a leader in the business continuity field. She has 20 years experience developing business continuity programs for organizations of all sizes across various industries. She is also an instructor with DRI Canada, NAIT and University of Victoria.
Session Speakers | Loida Sinclair (with Tara Tobler)
Session description above.
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LOIDA SINCLAIR
Business Continuity and Emergency Management Professional | Tobler Consulting
Loida Sinclair is a business continuity and emergency management professional. She has 6+ years of experience developing, implementing and managing programs for various organizations.
Session Speaker | Dr. Cassidy Rankine
In an era of escalating climate volatility and increasing natural disasters, timely and actionable information is critical. This keynote will explore the transformative role of Planet Labs’ daily global satellite imagery and extensive historical archive in supporting emergency and disaster risk management. From rapid damage assessments and situational awareness during wildfires, floods, and earthquakes, to long-term risk monitoring and resilience planning, Planet’s unique Earth observation capabilities empower governments, humanitarian organizations, and first responders with near real-time insights.
Drawing on real-world case studies and global partnerships, this session will highlight how high-frequency, high-resolution imagery is reshaping the way we anticipate, respond to, and recover from disasters — saving lives and strengthening communities worldwide.
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DR. CASSIDY RANKINE
Canadian Public Sector Business Lead | Planet Canada
Dr. Cassidy Rankine is an Earth Observation evangelist, a global change scientist, and remote sensing solutions connoisseur. He has worked all over the world building satellite calibration and validation sites and developing geospatial data products and platforms to help solve remote monitoring need for our vanishing natural capital resources.
His current role as a Sr. Account Executive at Planet Labs Geomatics based in Western Canada brings together expertise in geospatial technologies to help business and government adopt new strategies for digital transformation and sustainability problems by leveraging emerging EO capabilities.
Session Speaker | Jason Curry
In high-pressure situations, individuals may behave unpredictably, sometimes illogically, or inadvertently overlook critical information. Research sheds light on how our brains handle stress in turbulent environments, revealing a limited capacity for processing information.
This lecture examines human factors in after-action reviews, the gap between actual and perceived situational awareness, narrow and wide bias, and the impact of stress on decision-making. We will discuss strategies to enhance decision-making in chaotic conditions and emphasize the importance of goal-oriented training and non-technical skills.
By gaining a deeper understanding of how decisions are made under stress, we can better equip personnel with the necessary tools and resources for success.
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JASON CURRY
Captain and Training Officer | Calgary Fire Department
Jason Curry is a seasoned emergency management professional with over two decades of leadership experience in the fire service. As a Captain and Training Officer with the Calgary Fire Department, he leads the development and delivery of strategic Incident Command programs, focusing on operational readiness and leadership. Jason is completing a Master of Arts in Disaster and Emergency Management from Royal Roads University. He has been a key figure in advancing training standards and mentoring emerging leaders across the department.
His background includes leading government relations campaigns, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and advocating for firefighter and public safety at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. A recognized leader, Jason has received numerous honours, including the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and was a 2022 delegate to the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.
Session Speaker | Mauricio Ortiz
In a service economy, where every organization's business is service-driven and digitally enabled, IT Disaster Recovery (ITDR) is the critical safeguard for the organizations’ digital backbone. This session will explore how in support of, and alignment with, Enterprise Risk Management and Business Continuity, ITDR uses risk assessment and management techniques to:
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MAURICIO ORTIZ
Sr. IT Disaster Recovery Analyst | WestJet
Mauricio is a business-focused IT leader specializing in Disaster Recovery and IT Service Continuity. With deep expertise in IT Service Management, strategic stakeholder relations, and service resiliency, Mauricio excels at delivering and supporting cost-effective solutions for complex, business-critical IT environments.
Panel Moderator | Mike Hoff
The impact of artificial intelligence in our industry is being felt in planning, operations, and critical response. Join Disaster Recovery expert Mike Hoff with a panel of industry experts as we explore how Artificial Intelligence is being applied in emergency management, business continuity, and disaster/crisis management.
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MIKE HOFF
Senior Manager, IT Resilience | TransLink
For almost 40 years, Mike has been active in all areas of IT operations, design, and management, including key roles at BlackBerry, The Forzani Group, ATB, the Calgary Health Authority, and TransLink. He specialized in Disaster Recovery programs, and regularly speaks at events in support of the Google Developer Group and other organizations. Mike is also an avid movie buff, offering his opinions on-air and online in Canada and the US.
Feature Speaker | Vasie Papadopoulos
Session description above.
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VASIE PAPADOPOULOS, MSC, MBA
Founder and CEO | KLEO L.L.C.
Vasie is a seasoned communications leader with deep expertise in executive coaching, crisis and issues management, and stakeholder communications for both public and private sector organizations. Vasie has experience both in the public and private sectors developing strategic communication plans, data-driven business strategies and campaigns, and creating unique company initiatives. She has led, guided, and trained organizations and executives on thought leadership, media training, public outreach, and crisis communications in complex and highly regulated sectors, working at the Government of Canada, Metrolinx, the Financial Services Commission of Ontario and Philip Morris International. She has lived and worked in Canada, Switzerland, and the US, giving her a global view on corporate communication.
She has an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Ottawa, a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and an executive MBA from Ivey School of Business.
She also designs shoes and is an accomplished travel photographer. In 2020, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women through the Women’s Executive Network.
Session Speaker | Speaker from Commvault
Join Commvault and experience a pseudo cyber-attack along with an intimate group of your peers, where you will be assigned a role on the leadership team of a large organization, working through the critical hours of a ransomware negotiation. You’ll be faced with challenges and critical decision points as you participate in an action-packed agenda that has a crafted story pulled directly from today’s news headlines of known network breaches that have hit some of the biggest companies globally this past year. You will navigate regulation, communication leaks, employee issues and as a team discuss and decide options for recovery.
How confident are you in your company’s disaster recovery plan? Can it protect your company’s data, your customer and employee private data? Can you get your systems up and running? What risk does your organisation face?
You’ll be guided through your journey by Commvault Security experts, and you will leave this session with recommendations to review against your own company’s cyber resilience plan.
Our goal is to make you and your fellow attendees simulate being the center of a unique, complex story that is ripped from today’s news headlines. You’ll navigate the cyber-attack demands and determine the next steps to save your company’s data and get your business up and running.
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COMMVAULT
Speaker from Commvault
Featuring | Representatives of the Bow Valley Interagency Wildfire Panel
Bow Valley agencies have established a team of experts to coordinate wildfire mitigation efforts across the region and maintain training and planning in preparation for emergency response in the Bow Valley.
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Bow Valley Interagency Wildfire Panel
Session Speakers | Jon Gardiner (with Dan Zent)
A look at the CPKC ER communication systems, challenges to adapt existing systems to fit our needs during emergent and non-emergent activities. Some of the challenges we face are multiple languages, countries, response agencies, geography issues, to name a few. There will be a presentation of the Cobra – ICS Management Tool.
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JON GARDINER
Manager, Emergency Management and Hazmat for Central/Western Canada | CPKC Railway
Jon is the Manager for Emergency Management and Hazmat for Central/Western Canada for CPKC Railway. With over 20 years of experience responding to hazardous materials incidents across North America.
Mr. Gardiner started his career as a hazardous materials emergency response contractor. As a contractor, Mr. Gardiner responded to all TDG classes of dangerous goods ranging from fixed facility and roadway to water incidents and railway response. Mr. Gardiner accepted a position of Hazardous Material Officer with CPKC (CP Railway) in 2017 and in 2023 accepted his current position. In his current role, Mr. Gardiner is looked upon as a leader in industry providing mentorship and advanced training to contractors, fire departments, and other various emergency services.
With a high regard for safety, diligence, and overall compliance, Mr. Gardiner is a highly trusted and an exceptional leader in the industry of hazardous materials and emergency response.
Session Speakers | Dan Zent (with Jon Gardiner)
Session description above.
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DAN ZENT
EM/Response SME | Dynamis Inc.
Dan Zent is a Senior Principle for Emergency Management. He became a Dynamite in 2018 and is currently the Program Manager and Implementation Manager for the Dynamis powered COBRA common operation picture software and supports multiple government exercise programs. He is an Emergency Management professional with over 35 years of hands-on leadership experience and national defense and homeland security expertise.
Prior to coming to Dynamis, Dan served for 27 years as a United States Air Force Emergency Manager. Dan’s final military assignment was as the Air National Guard Command Emergency Manager, ultimately responsible for the life safety of 105,000 Air National Guard personnel across the 54 states and territories.
He has been instrumental during state level COVID pandemic response by providing virtual surge capability for numerous Air National Guard Wing Emergency Operations Centers. He transitioned his knowledge and expertise to assist an international railroad customer with creation of an organization specific training program that supports their Incident Management Team during times of crisis and has been called upon to support their real-world incident response activities.
Session Speaker | Mike Hoff
Your organization has been hacked and you've recovered - now what? Mike's presentation will focus on the changing planning needs of an organization that's been through a disaster, and how to help your team manage expectations and activity in a post-recovery landscape.
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MIKE HOFF
Senior Manager, IT Resilience | TransLink
For almost 40 years, Mike has been active in all areas of IT operations, design, and management, including key roles at BlackBerry, The Forzani Group, ATB, the Calgary Health Authority, and TransLink. He specialized in Disaster Recovery programs, and regularly speaks at events in support of the Google Developer Group and other organizations. Mike is also an avid movie buff, offering his opinions on-air and online in Canada and the US.
Session Speaker | Chris O’Connor
In an era dominated by digital disruption, the evolving threat landscape has forced organizations to reevaluate their cybersecurity posture. The surge in ransomware attacks, with their unpredictable patterns, has underscored the urgent need for a resilient data protection strategy by costing organizations both big and small millions of dollars in downtime and data loss.
In this presentation, join Chris O’Connor in discussing the importance of deploying Cyber Vaults as a linchpin in fortifying your data's defenses. This presentation will address the current trends and challenges encountered by many organizations in cyber protection and recovery, uncover the best practices related to the design and architecture, and how to integrate this essential element to create a cohesive approach to remaining resilient against cyber threats.
Explore the imperative of Cyber Vaults in the modern cybersecurity landscape, shedding light on proactive measures to safeguard data and stand resilient against the rising tide of ransomware.
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CHRIS O’CONNOR
Solutions Architect | Zerto, an HPE company
Hi there, my name is Chris O’Connor. I am a Presales Solutions Architect at Zerto, an HPE company. I am passionate about IT and working with customers to achieve the best possible end-user experience and outcomes. Over the past decade, I have worked to improve IT systems and data protection for everyone.
When I am not on the job, I can be found playing with my adorable son, working on my motorcycles and cars, riding dirt bikes in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia or taking a quick road trip with my family.
If you would like to learn more, please feel free to reach out.
Session Speaker | Brian Kelly
As climate-driven wildfire risks intensify, electric utilities are turning to Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) as a proactive measure to protect lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
Join us for an in-depth look at the critical success factors behind effective PSPS implementation, including:
Through examples and expert insights, conference delegates will gain a deeper understanding of how PSPS is not just a shutoff strategy — but a cornerstone of modern wildfire resilience planning.
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BRIAN KELLY
Emergency Response Program Manager | AltaLink
With over 40 years of operational and emergency experience in the utilities sector, Brian Kelly brings deep expertise to his role as Emergency Response Program Manager at AltaLink—Alberta’s largest regulated electricity transmission provider. Over the past 14 years at AltaLink, Brian has held key leadership positions including Manager of High Voltage DC Operations, overseeing $1.2 billion in assets, and Control Centre Manager, where he led critical system operations and response initiatives.
Session Speaker | Speaker for the Government of Alberta in the Public Safety and Emergency Services Ministry
The Government of Alberta in the Public Safety and Emergency Services Ministry are working towards keeping Alberta communities safe and secure, and ensuring our province is prepared for and resilient to the impacts of disasters. The presentation will include an introduction to Alberta’s Provincial Security and Intelligence Office (PSIO), their collaborative role in sharing intelligence with Albertan communities and businesses, and recent changes in Alberta’s critical infrastructure protection program. This includes an exploration of the shift from a centralized Provincial threat level to a proactive interchange of information with Alberta’s communities and private industry to inform a holistic threat assessment process that extends beyond narrow definitions of “critical infrastructure” and "terrorism." A case study will be presented outlining the successes and challenges associated with information sharing, and demonstrating how multi-agency collaboration can enhance emergency preparedness and overall situational awareness from a public safety perspective.
The Government of Alberta's PSIO collaborates with security and law enforcement partners within and outside of Alberta to enhance subnational information sharing and analysis across the spectrum of contemporary public security issues. Having evolved significantly from our initial critical infrastructure protection origins in the early 2000s, the PSIO network currently consists of members representing provincial government ministries, law enforcement, national security, private sector security, and emergency management interests.
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GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA
Speaker in the Public Safety and Emergency Services Ministry
Session Speaker | Dan Pearson
On June 5, 2024, the City of Calgary faced an unprecedented challenge when the Bearspaw South Feeder Main (BPSFM), the largest drinking water feeder main at the City of Calgary, suffered a catastrophic failure. This infrastructure transports drinking water from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant and supplies roughly 60% of Calgary’s water demand. This failure triggered the largest water-related emergency response in the city’s history. To help manage this incident, the City of Calgary’s Water Tactical Operations Centre (H2OC) was opened for 111 days and worked closely with the Municipal Emergency Operations Centre.
Attendees will discover how the City of Calgary responded to this unique event, and the innovative strategies and solutions it employed to enable the rapid coordination and response required for the resolution of this unique incident. Join us to explore the key lessons learned from this emergency, and how they are shaping the future of emergency preparedness and response at the City of Calgary.
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DAN PEARSON, ABCP
Business Continuity and Emergency Management (BCEM) Planner – Supporting Water Utility, Operational Excellence, Operational Services Department | The City of Calgary
Dan Pearson, ABCP, is a seasoned Emergency Management professional with over 20 years of experience in the public sector. He began his career with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, serving as both an Inspector and Investigator, before transitioning to a long-standing role as an Emergency Response Officer with the Provincial Government. Currently, Dan contributes his expertise to the City of Calgary as a Business Continuity and Emergency Management Planner.
Throughout his career, he has played key roles in managing major incidents, including the 2013 Calgary floods, the Fort McMurray Wildfire, and the Bearspaw South Feeder Main Incident. Dan holds the Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) designation and is a certified ICS Instructor. He has also contributed nationally as a member of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Emergency Response Working Group, demonstrating his commitment to advancing emergency preparedness and resilience across jurisdictions.
Panel Moderator | Peter May
Join us for a dynamic closing session, facilitated by Trace, featuring speakers and delegates who embody leadership in all its forms. Drawing on stories and innovations shared throughout the conference, panelists will offer forward-looking insights and lessons to leave you inspired, encouraged, and connected.
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PETER MAY, MBA, MEDES, P.BIOL., CRSP, ABCP
Partner and Practice Area Lead, Organizational Resilience | Trace Associates Inc.
Peter May is the Practice Area Lead, Organizational Resilience with Trace Associates Inc. (Trace). Peter has worked in the organizational resilience and health, safety, and environmental (HSE) risk management field since the 1990s. At Trace, Peter is responsible for senior technical oversight, client liaison, successful project execution, and senior level advisory services related to organizational resilience: health and safety, emergency management, business continuity, and related risk management. Peter also contributes to environmental and sustainability projects based on extensive experience in those fields.
Peter delivers results, improves performance, and reduces risk in organizations from local to global in a range of sectors, including energy, regulatory, telecommunications, agribusiness, financial, recreation, government and public. He brings influencing capability and Board-level leadership experience to his work along with technical competence in several disciplines.
Peter has the proven capability to build teams, elevate culture and performance, build regulatory confidence, ensure compliance, execute leading edge projects, anticipate and mitigate risks, reduce incident rates, and achieve safety certifications, awards, and sustainability rankings. He aims to deliver exceptional value and exceed expectations through effective and efficient solutions.
Feature Speaker | Josh Bowen
Session description above.
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JOSH BOWEN, CD, MBA, MADEM
Vice President, Organizational Excellence | Team Rubicon Canada
Josh Bowen is a crisis leadership and emergency management professional with over 20 years of experience across humanitarian, military, and academic settings. He currently serves as Vice President, Organizational Excellence at Team Rubicon Canada, where he leads the People Operations, Finance, and Risk portfolios. He also teaches crisis leadership in the University of Alberta’s MBA program.
Josh has advised the Government of Canada on national risk and climate adaptation strategies and has testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence. His previous roles include Senior Director of Emergency Planning at the Canadian Red Cross and founding the Centre for Applied Disaster and Emergency Management (CADEM) at NAIT.
A former infantry officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, Josh served in five domestic disaster operations, including the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto, York, and Alberta, and is an alumnus of Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative.
Program elements are expected to include keynote speakers, numerous breakout sessions, and panel discussions focused on practical, solutions-based perspectives. While the deadline for submissions has passed, if you have an idea for our program committee please contact Peter May, Partner and Practice Area Lead, Organizational Resilience, Trace Associates Inc.
Over two full days, beginning at noon on Tuesday, delegates will have the opportunity to learn from and engage with leaders in Emergency Management and business continuity from multiple industries across Canada. Tailor your own conference experience through the selection of concurrent workshops and presentation sessions that will complement the keynote speakers and a moderated panel discussion.
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