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 | Charmaine Alexander
Senior Advisor in Disability Management
Desjardins Insurance Charmaine Alexander is a Senior Advisor in Disability Management at Desjardins. As part of the Best Practice and Innovation team, Charmaine has more than 25 years of experience in group disability management. Her experience spans a variety of industries and includes working for employers as well as insurance carriers. Within her client base, Charmaine promotes a focus on prevention, and challenges employer groups to encourage their employees to take charge of their health. She believes the future of group disability plans will require a collaborative approach between all stakeholders. Charmaine partners with several organizations within Desjardins’ portfolio of clients to deliver educational presentations to employers, employees and union leaders across Canada with an aim to strengthen best practice in their management of disability claims. In July 2018, Charmaine became the first insurer-sponsored Mental Health First Aid Instructor with the Mental Health Commission of Canada. She continues to deliver this course to client organizations and their workforces. Charmaine holds a Fellow in Life and Health Claims (FLHC) from the International Claims Association. She also completed studies at York University (BA, English) and George Brown College (Nursing). |
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 | David Bartucci
Head, CAPSA CAP Guideline committee member
Head, Pension Operations and Regulatory Effectiveness, FSRA David Bartucci is the Head of Head, Pension Operations and Regulatory Effectiveness at the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA). He was formerly the Head of Stakeholder Relations and Special Projects . David first joined FSRA as the director of policy for pensions in 2019. He also spent nearly one year with the additional responsibility as the Director in FSRA’s Consumer Office. Prior to joining the Regulator, he spent more than a decade in progressively senior positions in the Ontario government. His past assignments included Treasury Board, Cabinet Office, and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. During this time, he led the development of new funding programs and policy frameworks to support training, experiential learning for post-secondary students, and the negotiations of new Labour Market Transfer Agreements with the Government of Canada. |
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| | Mélinda Bastien, ASA
Principal, Investment consulting
Normandin Beaudry |
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 | Cara Bourdeau
Sr. HR Consultant
Western University Cara Bourdeau, senior human resources consultant (total rewards) at Western University in London, Ontario, provides leadership on the university’s pension program, integrating member advocacy, governance imperatives, and service provider advancements. Western’s program has considered ESG since 2007 and has recently enhanced its responsible investing approach. With a legacy spanning more than 50 years, Western’s two defined contribution pension plans currently serve 7,000 plan members. Cara has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Certificate in Human Resources Management from Humber College. She has completed the Canadian Securities Course and holds the Certified Human Resources Leader, Certified Employee Benefits Specialist and Registered Retirement Consultant certifications. Prior to joining Western Cara was part of the human resources teams at the CNIB and Foresters. |
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 | Brian Carney, CIM
Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income
Mawer Brian Carney is a fixed income portfolio manager focused on global credit strategies at Mawer Investment Management Ltd., which he joined in 2023. Mr. Carney has over 30 years of experience in the investment industry. Most recently, he spent a decade as a portfolio manager at Canso Investment Counsel Ltd. From 2009-2012, he ran high-yield focused Big Rock Capital Management Inc. Prior to founding Big Rock, Mr. Carney worked at Merrill Lynch from 1997-2008. Brian started his career at Goldman Sachs in 1990. At Merrill and Goldman his responsibilities included corporate research, counterparty risk management, rating agency advisory, syndication, and trading. Mr. Carney has worked in New York, London, and Toronto. Mr. Carney received his Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame. He holds the Chartered Investment Manager designation from the Canadian Securities Institute. |
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 | Andréane Chénier, PhD, CRSP
National Representative specializing in Health and Safety
CUPE Andréane Chénier, PhD, CRSP (Andie) is a CUPE National Representative specializing in Health and Safety. She assists CUPE members in Ontario with a wide range of occupational health and safety issues ranging from workplace violence and harassment to working alone, shiftwork to joint health and safety committees and psychosocial hazards. She is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid and for the Workers Health and Safety Centre and a trained neutral third party for conflict resolution.
Andréane/Andie has presented the public sector worker perspective as a representative on many committees, including the Ministry of Labour’s Prevention Council, as the Labour co-chair on the Section 21 committee for health care and as a member or director on various boards and committees of health and safety organizations. Andréane/Andie has participated in the research, writing and publication of health and safety tools to help workers find answers to their workplace problems. Prior to her work as health and safety specialist, Andréane/Andie was a scientific researcher working in a biological safety level 3 laboratory in the health sciences fields of HIV, immunology and cancer metabolism, a published author and presented her research at provincial, national and international conferences. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in microbiology and immunology from the University of Ottawa and a doctorate in Biomolecular Sciences from Laurentian University. |
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 | Joe De Dominicis
Senior Vice President, Health and Wealth Solutions
People Corporation Joe establishes and leads People Corporation’s member-centric strategy and the development and design of our digital and integrated suite of solutions. Joe establishes and oversees the development, design, and implementation of our digital and integrated suite of solutions that serve our clients. Joe has a successful track record of leading and growing consulting business. He has over 20 years’ experience as a strategic HR consultant with large multi-national consulting firms in various geographies and industries. He has expertise in digital health and retirement and savings arrangements including plan design, governance, risk, and financial. He’s actively involved in the industry, having served on the regional and national councils of the Association of Canadian Pension Management. He also worked with the Society of Actuaries building their Canadian office and was instrumental in elevating their brand in Canada |
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 | Tyler Downey
Secretary Treasurer
SEIU Healthcare Canada Tyler Downey is the current Secretary Treasurer of SEIU Healthcare Canada which is a healthcare union that represents 60,000 frontline healthcare workers in Ontario. The unions membership consists mainly of women with more than half being people of color and new immigrants.
Tyler has spent the last 18 years helping to lead the transformative work that has taken place at the union. He believes that an inclusive, member focused and innovative union is a force that can do so much good within society.
Tyler is also President of the newly formed SEIU Healthcare Training Center where he has successfully led the creation of the first of its kind union digital hiring hall. He is currently working on expanding the work of the training center to include supporting Internationally trained nurses pathway to employment in Canada.
Tyler serves as the President and Board Chair of the union sponsored award winning retirement plan MY65+. He also serves as Board trustee for the Nursing Home Pension Plan and the SEIU Local 1&2 Health benefits trust.
The one thing Tyler is most proud of, is his work to transform the union to become a leader in Organizational Equity & Inclusion. He has been committed and focused on supporting the unions drive to becoming an anti-racist and fully inclusive union.
Outside of his union work, Tyler is a volunteer board member with the Good Vibes Foundation and enjoys supporting community organizations working with youth.
Tyler is an avid golfer, loves to exercise and hang out in his backyard smoking bbq.
He currently lives with his wife of 28 years in Toronto, Ontario. |
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 | John-Paul Dowson
Director, Strategic Consulting
PDCI Market Access, A Division of McKesson Canada Inc. John-Paul is Director, Strategic Consulting at PDCI. He brings more than 25 years of experience working in the health and pharmaceutical sectors. Prior to joining PDCI, John-Paul was the Founder and Managing Director of Roubaix Strategies Inc.(RSI), a market access and negotiations consultancy. Prior to launching RSI, he spent the better part of a decade in market access leadership roles, negotiating drug reimbursement agreements for innovative pharmaceuticals in Canada. John-Paul’s experience and knowledge in market access and negotiation strategy covers an extensive scope of therapeutic and business areas, including strategic insights on how to obtain and maintain reimbursement in both public and private markets. At PDCI, John-Paul leads Pricing, Access and Data advisory services. A sought-after speaker, strategist, and thought leader, John-Paul brings a keen understanding of the inter-relationships between Canada’s public and private drug markets, and the emerging reimbursement pathways for negotiated agreements. |
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 | Carl Elia, CFA
Vice President & Director, TD Asset Management Inc. Carl is a senior member of the Infrastructure Investments team, responsible for investment strategy and execution, operations and client servicing for the TD Greystone Infrastructure Fund. He has experience across infrastructure investing, private equity and investment banking. He was previously Vice President at a private equity firm and Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions at a major Global alternative asset manager. Post-MBA, Carl developed his career as an Associate in investment banking at various securities firms. Pre-MBA, he gained experience in business development at a multi-unit franchise operator. Carl holds a B. Comm. from the Toronto Metropolitan University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. |
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 | Joe Farago
Executive Director, Private Payers and Investment
Innovative Medicines Canada Joe Farago is Executive Director, Private Payers and Investment at Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC). Joe leads IMC’s efforts to take a more proactive, research-based approach to ensuring tomorrow’s workforce has access to strong private market coverage that meets their needs. Joe recently discussed some of the most prominent findings from the association’s 2016-2019 analysis of Private Drug Claim Cost Drivers Report. The report examines the drivers of claims cost growth for private drug plan claims between 2016 and 2019, including the impact of OHIP+ changes in 2018 and 2019, based on IQVIA data. |
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 | Peter C. Fisher
Senior Managing Director, Partner, and Equity Portfolio Manager
Wellington Peter is a portfolio manager on the Dividend Growth Team. He manages equity assets on behalf of our clients, drawing on research from Wellington Management’s global industry analysts, equity portfolio managers, and team analysts. He manages Global, US and non-US portfolios in the Dividend Growth style. He works in our Boston office. Prior to joining Wellington Management in 2005, Peter worked as an equity research analyst at MFS Investment Management. Peter earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and his BA in economics from Davidson College. |
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| Bonnie Foley-Wong
Sustainable Investment Leader, Canada
Mercer (Canada) Limited Bonnie Foley-Wong leads Mercer’s Sustainable Investment team in Canada, supporting institutional investors to achieve their sustainability and impact goals. Bonnie is an investment professional with 25 years of experience, gained in North America and Europe, spanning professional services, banking, asset management, and impact investing. She is the former Head of Investment Strategy at the Equality Fund, and previously founded Pique Ventures and Pique Fund, a fund focused on leadership diversity and women-led ventures. She has also held roles as a real estate investment banker with ABN AMRO, and as a corporate finance advisor with Deloitte. Bonnie served on not-for-profit Boards focused on serving women business owners and on building sustainable, local economies. She is the recipient of a YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is the author of Integrated Investing. |
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 | Addie Greco-Sanchez
President
AGS Rehab Solutions Inc Addie Greco-Sanchez is the founder and president of AGS Rehab Solutions Inc., a leader in disability management and assessment services since 1999 that has grown into a successful company with a head office in Mississauga and a large network of professionals across Canada. Selected as one of PROFIT/Chatelaine’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs, Addie is a passionate and expert advocate for mental health in the workplace and frequent national speaker on the topic of how companies can safeguard employees’ psychological health. She is co-author of the book, The 5-Minute Recharge, 31 Proven Strategies to Refresh, Reset and Become the Boss of Your Day. |
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 | Toni Harrington MSW., MSc.,D.Sc.(c)
Senior Leader, Workplace Intervention and Clinical Services
Homewood Health Toni is a senior leader at Homewood Health within Workplace Intervention and Clinical Services. As an Assistant Vice President, Toni is responsible for providing the vision and leadership required to align and implement strategic planning, and deliver and evaluate quality, accessible, sustainable and integrated mental health and addictions programs across the country. For over two decades, Toni has dedicated her work to change the trajectory of health for working Canadians by ensuring optimal and accountable care through evidence based occupational and organizational health practices. Toni holds a Bachelor and Masters of Social Work from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Toni also hold a Masters of Occupational Health Science from McGill University and currently a doctoral candidate at Queen’s University with an anticipated graduation in 2024. |
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| | Liz Horvath
Manager, Psychological Health and Safety Opening Minds
Mental Health Commission of Canada |
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 | Vincent Houle
Associate Principal Consultant
Linea Solutions Vincent is an Associate Principal Consultant at Linea Solutions and has been in the Pension and Benefits administration industry for nearly 20 years. He has been a strategic partner for a variety of funds, large and small, in North America, guiding them through their modernization journey. He has led multiple exciting initiatives such as defining modernization strategies and roadmaps, re-engineering outdated processes, procuring new Pension Administration Systems, integrating ancillary tools such as Portals, CRM, Workflows, Electronic Content Management, and provided oversight on system implementations. All these initiatives are very complex and not only have a huge impact on your plan’s members but will affect a significant number of stakeholder groups in your organization, Vincent has gained significant experience in maximizing the effectiveness of such modernization initiatives by ensuring all stakeholders are involved at the right level, at the right time and that no one is left behind. Vincent holds a degree in Actuarial Mathematics from Concordia University and has obtain a Change Management certification from Prosci. He is also actively involved in the industry, currently being the Chair of the Strategic Initiatives Committee for the Association of Canadian Pension Management. |
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 | Kyle Kolasingh
Director and Head of Market Services Solutions
RBC Investor Services
Kyle Kolasingh is Director and Head of Market Services Solutions at RBC Investor Services. He oversees lender management for the RBCIS Securities Finance program and is leads a cross-product technical sales and relationship management team covering securities lending, foreign exchange and cash management products.
He has been with RBCIS since 2010 and previously worked for RBC Financial Caribbean. Over the past twelve years Kyle has held various positions including Corporate Actions and Entitlements, Risk & Investment Analytics and Proposal Management. Based in Toronto, Kyle works closely with beneficial owners and internal partners in the provision of securities financing products and solutions to the Bank’s clients and prospective clients.
Kyle is the Coordinator and a Board member of the Canadian Securities Lending Association (CASLA), represents the association at the Global Alliance of Securities Lending Associations (GASLA), and is Chair of the International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Group.
He holds a Bachelor of Administrative Studies with Honours in Finance from York University. |
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 | Chris Lee
Vice President, Employee Experience and Internal Communication
Gallagher Communication Chris Lee is Vice President, Employee Experience and Internal Communication Practice at Gallagher Communication. In this role he helps employers build immersive and experiential internal brands for their employees. Chris is the Executive Vice President on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Business Communicators Toronto Chapter, and has also served on numerous other boards. Chris hosts a podcast called Why Does It Feel So Wrong to be Human at Work? He has also published articles in numerous publications, and is often featured as a speaker on communications, brand, and employee experience. |
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 | William Lindsay
Senior Disability Management Advisor for the Disability Management and Prevention team
Desjardins Insurance
As part of the Best Practices and Innovation team, William brings with him more than 16 years of experience in the field of group disability management. His experience spans a variety of industries and includes working for different insurance carriers. Fully bilingual, his role is to create a true partnership that delivers the best in customer service and disability prevention and management which includes, among many other things, presentations to employers with the goal of strengthening their understanding of Disability Management and incorporating the most recent Best Practice to their internal absence management processes.
William completed his studies at Concordia University (BSc Exercise Science, Specializing in Athletic Therapy). |
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 | Dr. Christine Maheu, RN, PhD
McGill University and Co-Director, Research lead, Cancer and Work Christine Maheu is an associate professor at the Ingram School of Nursing at McGill University and senior cancer program researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, oversees an extensive program of research initiatives in cancer survivorship. A leader in fear of cancer recurrence, return to work after cancer, transition post-cancer follow-up from tertiary to primary healthcare, and coping mechanisms, among other crucial aspects of post-cancer issues. Dr. Maheu has received awards for excellence in the field of nursing research and psycho-social oncology. She co-led the development of FORT and has empirically tested her approach for group psychotherapy for the management of fear of cancer recurrence. In 2016, Dr. Maheu and Maureen Parkinson, a vocational rehabilitation counsellor at BC Cancer, joined forces as co-directors to create the Cancer and Work website, a bilingual platform in French and English. This reliable resource garners more than one thousand visits per week and is acknowledged internationally for its expertise in employment matters following cancer. The website functions as the platform for the pioneering "iCanWork Intervention," a pilot program that assists employers, healthcare providers, and cancer patients in surmounting obstacles associated with return to work after cancer and sustaining employment. With 1,0000 weekly visits, the Cancer and Work website is an invaluable resource for research and dissemination of information. It is integrated into MUHC's (McGill University Health Centre) Opal app for cancer survivors and is recognized as a valuable resource by the international group on cancer survivorship care and endorsed by the Canadian Cancer Society. Dr. Maheu's latest project aims to develop an AI-generated virtual oncology multidisciplinary vocational rehabilitation led model to enhance cancer survivors’ likelihood to sustain employment after cancer. This multifaceted initiative involves refining the AI model, creating a user-friendly virtual assistant interface, and rigorously testing and validating its effectiveness in supporting cancer survivors through their vocational rehabilitation journey following cancer (Phase 1). The subsequent phase aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the virtual assistant in facilitating the support of individuals living with cancer to return to work and sustain employment and considering the user experience and the overall impact on cancer survivorship care (Phase 2). Given the increased acceptance of virtual healthcare highlighted by the recent pandemic, leveraging AI-powered virtual counseling emerges as a scalable solution to address the shortage of professionals capable of providing support to cancer survivors during their return to work. This innovative approach holds the potential to offer personalized assistance, making work-focused cancer survivorship support more accessible and manageable for individuals touched by cancer, the healthcare providers, and employers. |
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 | Janine McInnis
Associate Vice President
HUB International Janine’s career began in HR where she has held a variety of roles in her 20+ year tenure. Janine has been a benefits consultant for over 10 years. As an experienced benefits consultant, Janine works with large national clients to ensure their company benefits plan support their objectives and their people. Janine holds her business degree from Saint Mary’s University, with a major in human resources management. Janine has her Chartered Professional Human Resources (CPHR) designation and has also held various leadership roles with the CPHR Association in Nova Scotia. She most recently finished her 5-year term with the CPHRNS Board. Janine has also obtained her Group Benefits Associate (GBA) designation and completed the Life Licensing Qualification Program (LLQP). |
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 | Sue McNamara, CFA
Senior Vice President, Head of Credit, Fixed Income; Head of Responsible Investing
Beutel Goodman Head of Credit with the Beutel Goodman Fixed Income team, Sue is a portfolio manager and strategist with additional responsibilities for credit analysis and product design. Sue also leads Responsible Investing for the firm, overseeing the governance and consistent application of Beutel Goodman’s responsible investing approach. Beutel Goodman is a signatory of the UN-sponsored Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and supports the main goals of the Paris Agreement, as well as the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD). Sue has provided her expertise to different industry bodies committed to sustainable investing, such as the Canadian Bond Investors’ Association ESG Working Group; Climate Engagement Canada Industry Leaders Advisory Panel; and the Bank of Canada Canadian Fixed Income Forum — Sustainable Finance Virtual Network. Selected as part of Benefits and Pensions Monitor’s inaugural Hot List in 2023, she is a regular speaker at major conferences across North America, including the RBC Capital Markets Sustainable Debt Symposium; the Responsible Investor Canada Conference; and the CIBC Government Finance Conference. As Head of Credit, Sue has also authored research papers on the growing segment of sustainable bonds, including her Insight piece: “What Colour is my Bond?” With more than 30 years of investment experience, Sue has worked as a research analyst for several large brokerage houses, including BMO Nesbitt Burns, and is both a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and a CFA charterholder.
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 | Brad Millson
General Manager
IQVIA Brad Millson is General Manager of the Real World Solutions consulting group at IQVIA. He leads the strategic operations and development of our market access strategy and real-world evidence-based analytical solutions for the pharmaceutical industry and its stakeholders. He joined the company in 2013, bringing his global expertise in pharmaceutical brand management, strong medical science training, and strategic problem solving across government and private sectors to the organization. Brad is recognized as a thought leader for his expertise in RWE, health outcomes research and market access. |
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| Marianne Nguyen
Program Director, Decumulation
Sun Life Marianne Nguyen [she/they] is a Program Director, Decumulation at Sun Life. She leads the decumulation program strategy and execution to give Canadians the confidence they need to prepare for and actualize their retirement lifestyle. Marianne has more than a decade of experience in government affairs, policy and strategy development, and communications in the public and private sector. In her previous role as Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, she led Sun Life’s government relations and advocacy efforts to develop better retirement outcomes for all Canadians and to increase Canadians’ access to mental health supports. Before that, Marianne served as Senior Policy Advisor to former Finance Minister Charles Sousa, where she developed and implemented several significant policy initiatives, including establishing a new financial services regulator. Marianne is passionate about social transformation initiatives that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. She is a Co-Chair of the Sun Life Pride Network Canada and a mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Toronto program. In addition, as a member of the Mental Health Research Canada Board, Marianne supports the mission to improve the lives of all Canadians by advancing mental health knowledge. |
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 | Amar Munipalle
Executive Director - Risk Advisory Hub Amar Munipalle was appointed Executive Director, Risk Advisory Hub (RAH), effective 2022. In this role, Amar leads a team of risk specialists whose mandate is to support Supervision by making capital and liquidity a centrepiece through financial risk assessments of federally regulated financial institutions (FRFIs) and federally regulated pension plans (FRPPs). The RAH is also responsible for developing and implementing OSFI’s Supervisory Framework, as well as providing support to supervisors in the financial resiliency assessment of FRFIs and FRPPs with methods, processes, and tools. RAH also houses the Supervision Institute which provides supervisors and supporting experts with supervision-specific knowledge, competencies, and tools that allow for effective and efficient risk assessment and intervention. Amar joined OSFI’s Regulation Sector in December 2020 as Senior Director, Capital with a focus on banking capital policy development. In this role, he led the domestic implementation of Basel 3 reforms and changes to the insurance capital guidelines (i.e., LICAT, MCT, MICAT) to address the new IFRS 17 accounting standard for insurers which was implemented in 2023. Before joining OSFI, Amar was Director, Capital Markets and Treasury Risk at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and was responsible for second line oversight of securitization, treasury, and investment risks. Prior to the CMHC, Amar worked for a large Canadian life insurer in various roles including asset liability management and asset management risks. Amar is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder and has been a Chartered Alternate Investment Analyst since 2007. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the School of Management at HEC, Paris, and a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from the University of Mysore in India. |
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 | Siobhan O’Brien
Partner
Hicks Morley Siobhan O’Brien is partner in Hicks Morley’s Ottawa office and the firm’s Eastern Regional Lead. Siobhan is an employment, labour and human rights lawyer. She provides strategic, practical and cost-effective advice to employers from coast to coast on a variety of workplace issues. In addition to appearing before courts, human rights tribunals, arbitrators, and labour boards, Siobhan routinely provides advice on wrongful dismissal litigation, human rights law, grievance arbitration, labour relations, collective bargaining and strike management. This work has included advice and assistance to employers regarding notice terminations and dismissals for cause, policy development, restructuring, employment standards, accommodation, attendance management, collective agreement interpretation, discipline and dismissal, management rights, pregnancy/parental leave and restrictive covenants. In addition to being exceptionally responsive and accessible, she is dedicated to understanding her clients’ particular business needs and is committed to recommending the best possible course of action. |
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 | Peer Petersen
Executive Director
Net Zero Lead – Real Estate & Private Markets, UBS
Peer has more than 19 years of experience in various positions in the real estate industry, managing real estate transactions as well as advisory and strategy projects across multiple asset classes and jurisdictions. At UBS, he was appointed Net Zero Lead for Real Estate & Private markets in June 2024. Previously, Peer was Head of ESG for Global Real Estate at Credit Suisse Asset Management (CSAM) since 2022, after being Deputy Head of Acquisitions & Sales Europe at CSAM for six years. Prior to CSAM, he worked at real estate advisory firms Cushman & Wakefield and JLL in several countries.
Peer has been a passionate driver of sustainability initiatives inside and outside Credit Suisse, leading to his appointment as Steering Committee Member of the >2,000 employee strong Credit Suisse Swiss Employees Sustainability Network. He has a PhD in Real Estate Economics from Technical University of Berlin and an MSc in Real Estate Management from Oxford Brookes University. He is a visiting lecturer of International Real Estate Valuation Methods at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences. |
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 | Haripaul Pannu, FCIA, FSA
Deputy Superintendent of Pensions
Government of Alberta Haripaul Pannu is the Deputy Superintendent of Pensions of Alberta. His office is responsible for the oversight and regulation of over 600 pension plans which have assets in excess of $145 billion. Haripaul has been with been with Government of Alberta for the past nine years. His prior roles include Senior Manager, Risk Management; Acting Deputy Superintendent of Pensions; and Director, Pension Policy. Haripaul has been involved with many aspects of pension plan regulation and policy. He was part of a team that was involved in developing the Joint Governance of Public Sector Pension Plans Act, which transitioned three public sector plans to regulation under the Superintendent of Pensions. Prior to joining the Government of Alberta, Haripaul worked at Alberta Pensions Services Corporation and as a actuarial pension consultant with several consulting firms. He has over 25 years of pension experience and is a Fellow, Canadian Institute of Actuaries and Fellow, Society of Actuaries. Haripaul has a B.Sc. from the University of Alberta and a M.Math from the University of Waterloo. |
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 | Maureen Parkinson, M.Ed., CCRC
Vocational and Rehabilitation Counsellor, BC Cancer (also a cancer survivor)
Co-Director, Content lead, Cancer and Work Maureen Parkinson has worked for over 25 years as the Provincial Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor at BC Cancer. She is the co-lead and content lead for www.cancerandwork.ca. a website designed to inform cancer survivors, employers and health care providers on how to help cancer survivors stay, return to and find work. She is a sessional instructor for Pacific Coast University teaching Cancer and Worker Support as part of the Return to Work Coordinator Program. She has co-authored a commission paper for the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology called Cancer and Work: A Canadian Perspective and wrote Cancer and Work: A Practical Guide for Cancer Patients. She has a Masters in Counselling Psychology, is a Canadian Certified Rehabilitation Counsellor, and completed the Certified Return to Work Coordinator Program through the National Institute for Disability Management and Research |
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| Giuseppe Pietrantonio, CFA, MBA
Associate, Client Portfolio Manager
CIBC Asset Management |
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 | Dimitri Poliak
Principal
Normandin Beaudry Dimitri Poliak is a Principal with Normandin Beaudry and provides leadership and guidance for Investment, DC and Savings clients. He has over 15 years’ experience helping multinational organizations strategically manage pension programs and M&A activity. Dimitri is a member of the investment research team and advises clients on strategic direction, fiduciary duty, risk management, plan utility, program design as well as investment manager research. Dimitri is Vice Chair of the CPBI Ontario Council, has served on the FSCO (now FSRA) DC Advisory Committee and has been an advocate for the evolution of DC plans into programs that meet organizational goals today and into the future. Dimitri also holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation and a bachelor of science with honors in actuarial science from the University of Toronto.” |
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 | Dr. Sandra Primiano, Ph.D., Psy.D.
Vice President, Research, Quality and Clinical Practice
Homewood Health Dr. Primiano, VP of Research, Quality and Clinical Practice oversees the development and maintenance of high standards for clinical care while also driving research initiatives to improve treatment outcomes and patient experiences. Sandra has worked in different mental health roles for over 15 years and in the EFAP industry more than 8 years in different leadership positions as well as offering direct client services, developing clinical programs, facilitating workshops. Dr. Primiano graduated from the Université du Quebec à Montréal (UQAM) with a Ph.D. and Psy.D. in Clinical and Experimental Psychology. She previously worked as a Psychology Consultant for Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), where she supported the delivery and coordination of evidence- informed mental health services in the (11) Operational Stress Injury Clinics across Canada. |
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 | Kim Ross
Manager, Benefit Services
Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) With more than 25 years of experience in the group benefits industry, Kim has an extensive background in benefits administration and consulting, group insurance, and most recently as a plan sponsor in the public sector. In her role at the TTC, Kim is responsible for the development, management and communication of benefit programs, while managing the vendor relationships and service provider contracts. Kim draws on her unique background to provide senior management and other stakeholders with expert advice on the benefit programs and works in partnership with Labour Relations during union collective bargaining and grievance arbitration. Kim holds the Certified Employee Benefits (CEBS) designation, is an active member of the Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute (CPBI) and sits on the CPBI Ontario Regional Council. |
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| Noam Sela
Senior Vice President, Pension Services & Technology
OMERS As the Senior Vice President of Pension Service & Technology, Noam Sela is responsible for the operational teams in the Pensions division at OMERS. This includes responsibility for over 300 employees in three areas: (1) our Member Experience team, which is the front-line and back-office support for our over 600,000 members; (2) Our Employer Experience team, which partners with and supports our over 1,000 employers; and (3) our Products and Technology team, which builds, maintains and monitors our Pension systems.
Noam joined OMERS as a pension Lawyer on secondment from a large Toronto law firm in 2010, and returned on a full-time basis in 2012. Between 2012 and 2019 his primary role was as a member of the Pension Legal team, along with part time responsibilities for general corporate support, as well as the role of Privacy Officer for OMERS. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Noam was knee-deep in the emerging world of technology as a web developer, and is thrilled to be in a position to apply his varied experiences over the years across Pension operations at OMERS. |
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 | Kim Siddall
National Vice President, Account Management, Mid-Large Business
People Corporation Kim is responsible for team leadership, consulting operations and client service delivery for medium and large sized groups in across Canada, and consults to a number of group benefits clients. She has worked in the insurance and benefits consulting field for more than 20 years with roles in both a carrier and advisory capacity. Her expertise includes drug plan management, absence and disability management and strategic plan design. She is a contributing writer to Benefits Canada since 2013, and is a frequent contributor to thought leadership in the employee health benefits space. |
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 | Sherry Sheffman
Director, Strategic Communications
BC Pension Corporation Sherry Sheffman is the director of strategic communications at BC Pension Corporation. She leads a team that provides both strategic communications and reputation management to BC’s five public sector pension plan boards of trustees with the goal of inspiring plan members’ trust in the Plans and the boards that steward them. Sherry is a seasoned communicator. Before joining the corporation 12 years ago, she served as a senior public consultation specialist for Enbridge, the director of public affairs for BC Ferries, and had responsibility for communications and community relations for Terasen Gas (now FortisBC). Her career began in Toronto as a publicist and as she moved west, she gained experience as an editor and business reporter. Committed to her profession and her community, Sherry has been on the steering committee for the University of Victoria Certificate Program in Public Relations, and the professional development chair for the Canadian Public Relations Society–Vancouver Island Board of Directors. She was a longstanding volunteer for the Victoria Foundation. Sherry holds a master’s degree in corporate communications from Fairfield University in Connecticut. |
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 | Scott Sweatman
Partner
Dentons LLP Scott helps clients establish and sustain pension, benefit and deferred compensation plans, providing counsel on regulatory compliance, pension, governance and funding issues, as well as the impact of mergers and acquisitions on these plans. From a tax perspective, he works with clients to develop executive and deferred compensation plans, and advise them on issues around stock options, retiring allowances, profit sharing and corporate reorganizations. Scott also assists professional athletes in establishing retirement compensation arrangements. He also acts as an arbitrator in public sector pension plan disputes. Scott also assists national and multi-national clients, as well as multi-employer plan sponsors, with provincial, federal and Income Tax Act compliance. For over fifteen years, he worked as a senior consultant with two major multi national actuarial and accounting firms. With this experience, he is uniquely positioned to provide strategic legal consulting advice in tandem with professionals from the actuarial and accounting professions. Scott is the past Co-Chair of the Alberta-British Columbia Joint Expert Panel on Pension Standards, working with five of Alberta and British Columbia’s leading experts in pensions to review pension legislation in the two provinces and make recommendations to both governments for fundamental reforms to pension legislation. He is past national and regional chair of the Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute, past chair of the Pension, Benefits and Compensation Section of the Canadian Bar Association (British Columbia), past chair of the Corporate Counsel Section of the Canadian Bar Association (British Columbia), former member of the Pension Advisory Council to the British Columbia Government, and former member of the Trustee Act Modernization Committee of British Columbia. Scott also served on the Board of Directors of NAV Canada from 2010 to January, 2022, Canada’s national private sector civil navigation services provider which has pension plan assets in excess of $7 billion. He is a past member and also past chair of NAV’s Pension Committee and past member of their Corporate Governance Committee. Scott is recognized in the 2011- 2023 editions of The Best Lawyers in Canada in the area of Employee Benefits Law & Real Estate Law. He is also recognized by Chambers Global (2013- 2021) and Chambers Canada (2016-2020) as a leading lawyer in the area of Pensions & Benefits. Scott is consistently recommended by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Pensions and Employee Benefits. He has been practising law since 1987.
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 | Sandra Ventin
Associate Vice President, Benefits & Health
Gallagher Canada Everything Sandie does is a testament to the fact that details are important and relationships matter – from her strategic questions, to her appreciation of the nuances of a company’s culture, to her understanding of each client’s individual goals. She has made a career out of fostering close relationships with her clients, and going above and beyond. She has been delivering multi-faceted results for our clients since 1999. Prior to her role here, she had experience in similar roles at a large insurance company and in HR at one of Canada’s largest banks. Sandie continues to provide benefits solutions for many multi-national, fortune 500 companies as well as mid-sized, independently owned Canadian companies. Sandie represents Gallagher by frequently speaking at industry events and is an advisory member to several pharmaceutical partners. Sandie has a BA in Psychology from McGill University, and holds both a CHRP designation and Life Insurance Agent’s License (FSCO). |
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| | Eva Villalba
Executive Director, Coalition Priorité cancer au Québec (Québec Cancer Coalition)
Founding partner – Expertise Valeur en Santé Eva Villalba is the Executive Director of the Quebec Cancer Coalition, an influential Canadian non-profit patient advocacy group dedicated to improving the Quebec health-care system for people affected by cancer. Since 2008, she has been involved in health-care charities, advocacy groups and non-profits. She graduated from McGill University with a double major in Psychology and Applied Linguistics, then completed an MBA from HEC Montréal with the objective to apply best business practices to the non-profit sector. Eva is passionate about good governance, public policy, community impact, health-care reform and social innovation. She is a volunteer board member of the Artificial Intelligence Impact Alliance (AIIA) and sees great potential in applying AI and technological innovations to the health-care sector to prevent and improve health outcomes. Eva is the first Quebecker and Canadian to obtain a graduate degree in Value-Based Health Care (VBHC) with an MSc. in Health Care Transformation at the University of Texas at Austin. She is also the co-chair of the Resilient Healthcare Coalition (RHC), a diverse group of health system leaders across the public, private, and non-profit sectors committed to helping Canadian health care systems enhance patient care and improve health outcomes by becoming faster, nimbler, and better able to adapt to future shocks. Eva is a fierce patient advocate and believes strongly in the potential of the Quebec health-care system to be a world-class leader in Value-Based Care. Eva has an extensive international network of Value-Based Health Transformation Leaders, has a VBHC Green Belt Certification from VBHC Center Europe and is their official Canadian Ambassador. She is also the Founding Partner of Expertise Valeur en Santé, a Quebec-based training and consultancy firm seeking to adapt VBHC concepts and best practices to the unique context and culture of Canadian health care systems. |
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 | Barbara Walancik-Hatch
Counsel
Dentons LLP Barbara Walancik-Hatch) is counsel in the Employment and Labour group in Dentons’ Toronto office, practicing in pension and employee benefits law. She has advised private and public sector sponsors, boards of trustees, administrators, and employee organizations on a wide range of matters, including cyber and information security, risk management, regulatory compliance, restructuring, plan administration and wind-ups. Barbara has also assisted on pensions and benefit matters in corporate transactions, including asset and share transactions. Barbara has experience in pension and benefits litigation, having appeared before the Superior Court of Justice, various appellate levels and the Financial Services Tribunal. |
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| Murray Wright
Associate Partner, Retirement & Benefits Solutions
Telus Health |
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