Where cross-sector Xchange becomes commercial action

Brice W. Penaud is Chief Strategy Officer and a member of the Investment Committee of a $2 billion Single Family Office, where he works across investment strategy, private capital markets, and direct investment opportunities.

He is also a General Partner at Water Bear Ventures, where he has led investment diligence, portfolio construction, fund modeling, and capital deployment across over 30 private investments.

Originally a technology founder and CEO, Brice has spent his career at the intersection of venture capital, fintech, AI, company building, and growth strategy. He has held two Board of Directors seats and three Board Advisor roles, with experience spanning governance, executive hiring, fundraising, product strategy, and commercial growth.

His work is heavily informed by behavioral science, organizational psychology, and combinatorics theory, with a particular focus on how human behavior, decision-making, incentives, team dynamics, and the interaction of multiple variables shape investment and business outcomes.

Scott Stewart is the Vice President, Finance & Controller for ATCO Frontec Ltd., providing financial leadership and oversight in support of the company’s operations across Canada, the U.S., and Europe. He is responsible for all aspects of Frontec’s Accounting, Finance, Corporate Development and Commercial functions, ensuring strong financial controls with disciplined transparent guidance for the business.

Over his 17-year career with ATCO, Mr. Stewart has held progressively senior finance leadership roles in Treasury, Corporate Development, Risk, and Accounting, before assuming his current role.

From successful bidding through to operational delivery, Mr. Stewart has played key leadership roles in several of Frontec’s largest and most successful projects. These include BC Hydro’s Site C Workforce Housing Camp (2015), the rebid of the $1B Iqaluit Fuel Management contract (2020) with Uqusq Corporation, and most recently the North Warning System rebid with Nasittuq Corporation. He is passionate about fostering true equity partnerships with Indigenous groups which has made him a trusted advisor and long-standing member of most of Frontec’s Indigenous company Boards of Directors since his first appointment in 2012.

A born and raised Calgarian, Mr. Stewart has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Brigadier-General Brendan Cook joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1991. He attended Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, BC, graduating in the last class of Royal Rodents in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Oceanography and Earth Observational Science. After earning his Air Navigator Wings in 1996, he was posted to 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron in Comox, BC and served as an Acoustic Sensor Operator.

On completion of his first operational tour in 2000, Brigadier-General Cook completed his Master of Physics in Underwater Acoustics at the Royal Military College and was later posted to the Acoustic Data Analysis Centre (Pacific) in Victoria, BC where he assumed the position of Acoustics Research Officer. In 2005 he was posted to the Maritime Proving and Evaluation Unit where he oversaw the testing, evaluation and procedures development for Block III Aurora acoustic system, contributed to the development and testing of the Overland Equipment Mission Suite, and participated in the testing and procedures development of the Heron UAV system in Afghanistan in 2009.

He was promoted to the rank of Major in 2008 and completed his tour with MPEU as the DCO in 2010 and subsequently attended the Joint Command and Staff Program at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, ON. In 2011, Brigadier-General Cook was posted to the Strategic Joint Staff at NDHQ Ottawa. During his time at the SJS he worked in Western Hemisphere Operations, J3 Coordination and later as EA Director of Staff SJS, where he participated in the planning and conduction of operations at the strategic level.

In 2014 he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and assumed command of 405 Squadron. Later that same year, he deployed as the Long Range Patrol Detachment Commander for Op IMPACT Roto 0. Brigadier-General Cook was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his time at Op IMPACT leading the training, deployment, activation and execution of overland Aurora combat missions that provided intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities over Iraq. He returned in 2015 to complete his command tour of 405 Squadron, after which Brigadier-General Cook assumed duties as Director of Air Requirements 3, responsible for managing Maritime Air Requirements for RCAF until his promotion to Colonel in April 2018.

In 2019 Brigadier-General Cook graduated from the United States Air War College and assumed command of 14 Wing Greenwood later that year. In 2021 he deployed to the Combined Air Operations Centre Qatar to serve as a Battle Director, before returning to complete his command tour at 14 Wing. In 2022 he assumed the role of Special Advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff. In 2023 he was promoted to his current rank and was designated the Chief of Staff to the Chief of Defence Staff. In 2024 he was posted to his current position as the Director General Space, Combat and Support within the RCAF focused on the Force Development and modernization of the RCAF.

Brigadier-General Cook and his wife have two children.

Erik Fleming is a chief executive and global operations leader with more than two decades of experience driving transformational growth, operational excellence, and innovation across technology, mobility, and advanced manufacturing. As Chief Executive Officer and President of Yazaki Innovations, he led an organization of more than 8,000 employees generating over $500 million in revenue across multiple global facilities, turning around financial performance from negative profit to positive EBIT. Amid a market downturn, he spearheaded a diversification strategy that secured more than $800 million in new business within 14 months and established the company’s venture capital arm to invest in AI, robotics, and supply chain technologies.

In parallel, since 2018 Erik has advised organizations on operations and supply chain strategy through his firm, ERF Consulting, and as Senior Operations and Procurement Consultant to Brookfield Asset Management, leading procurement due diligence for Brookfield’s $13.2 billion acquisition of Clarios and a $100 million cost-reduction roadmap. Earlier in his career, he served as President and later Chief Operating Officer of Romeo Power Technology, directed purchasing and supplier performance for a 70-person team and 1,300+ suppliers at SpaceX (saving $20 million annually through inspection efficiencies), built Faraday Future’s battery and powertrain sourcing organization from the ground up, and held senior sourcing roles at Tesla, Sun Microsystems, and Apple. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Maine Maritime Academy and is based in Newport Beach, California.

Megan Lee is Managing Director of Quantum City, where she leads efforts to accelerate quantum innovation, commercialization and ecosystem growth in Calgary and beyond. With nearly 20 years of experience spanning research, investment and entrepreneurship, Megan has a proven track record of translating emerging technologies and bold ideas into real-world impact. She brings deep expertise in strategy, commercialization and entrepreneurship, having led a growth-stage biotechnology company through pharmaceutical development and record growth. Megan holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Technology Commercialization and a PhD in Biochemistry. She was named to the Quantum Top 100 in recognition of her leadership in shaping the future of quantum technology.

Robert Dimitrieff is the Chief Executive Officer of Patriot Forge Corporation, Canada’s largest independent metal forging company, supplying high-integrity forged and machined components to the defence, nuclear, energy, mining, aerospace, and critical infrastructure sectors.

Robert has over 20 years of leadership experience within the Dimitrieff family of companies. His career has included senior management roles in manufacturing, project management, and operations in both Canada and the United States. He played a key role in the development of the US$85 million North Jackson Project, overseeing commercial risk and the installation of North America’s first hydraulically driven rotary forging machine and a VIM/VAR melting operation.

In 2010, Robert became Vice President and General Manager of Niagara Energy Products, supporting Canada’s nuclear industry, including CANDU reactor facilities and nuclear waste management. He remains Vice-Chairman and co-owner.

Since becoming President of Patriot Forge in 2015 and CEO in 2022, Robert has led the company’s expansion into strategic defence and critical infrastructure markets.

He serves on the Defence Policy Implementation Advisory Committee (CADSI), chairs the Canadian Committee of the Forging Industry Association, and is a member of the C.D. Howe Institute’s International Economic Policy Council. Robert is a CPA, CMA, Chartered Director (C.Dir.), and MBA graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business.

Skye Nipshank is the Founder and CEO of Kaskitew-Maskwa Consulting Inc., an Indigenous-owned Canadian company working at the intersection of defence, aerospace, workforce development, Indigenous economic participation, and industrial strategy.

His work focuses on a practical question: how do Canada’s major industrial ambitions translate into real capability, real workforce capacity, and real economic opportunity for the communities and companies needed to deliver them?

Skye has spent much of his career building and delivering workforce solutions across highly technical sectors, with particular experience in aviation, aerospace, defence, engineering, technology, and skilled trades. His work has included recruitment and workforce strategy for major Canadian organizations, the development of Indigenous aviation and employment pathways, and collaboration with industry, training institutions, Indigenous communities, and government partners.

Through Kaskitew-Maskwa, Skye is increasingly focused on Canada’s defence industrial base and the opportunities created through the Industrial and Technological Benefits and Indigenous Participation Plan frameworks. His approach goes beyond participation for its own sake. He is interested in building the workforce, supplier relationships, intelligence, partnerships, and long-term commercial capability that allow Indigenous businesses and communities to become meaningful contributors to Canada’s defence, aerospace, infrastructure, and sovereign industrial capacity.

A Cree-Ojibwe and Métis entrepreneur with Treaty 6 family roots, Skye’s family lineage includes Chief Black Powder (Mukitoo), father of Mistahi-Maskwa (Chief Big Bear). Skye brings an Indigenous perspective to these conversations without viewing Indigenous and industry interests as opposing sides. His philosophy is that Canada becomes stronger when Indigenous Nations and communities, industry, government, and institutions are able to work together while retaining their own authority, responsibilities, and commercial realities.

That philosophy sits behind Kaskitew-Maskwa’s broader Built Together approach: strong communities and strong industries are not competing outcomes. Done properly, they reinforce one another.

Skye is particularly interested in the conversations where workforce, procurement, defence readiness, Indigenous economic development, and Canadian sovereignty intersect — and, more importantly, in turning those conversations into something that can actually be executed.

Honourable Joseph Schow was sworn in as Alberta’s Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration on May 16, 2025. In this role, Minister Schow leads the provincial strategy for attracting investment, creating jobs, and building a strong economy. Under his leadership, Alberta is increasing its position as a hub for Canada’s defense industry, which means greater protection for our country along with jobs for Canadians.

He continues to serve as Government House Leader and previously served as the Minister of Tourism and Sport.

Prior to his service as an elected official, Minister Schow worked as a legislative coordinator with the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and as a parliamentary assistant with the House of Commons of Canada.

Minister Schow speaks conversational Russian and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian from Dalhousie University and a master’s degree from George Washington University.

He and his wife, Nicole, have 3 children.

Major-General (MGen) McKenna joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1994, initially as an Army Reservist, and then attended the Royal Military College of Canada receiving his degree in Chemical and Materials Engineering in 1999. He also holds a Master’s degree in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada (2013).

MGen McKenna earned his RCAF Pilot wings in 2002 and served as a Rotary Wing Tactical Aviation and Special Operations Aviation pilot in the RCAF. He has commanded at the Flight, Squadron, Wing, and Task Force level and has served in a variety of command and staff positions including postings in CANSOFCOM units, RCAF HQ and in the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) HQ.

MGen McKenna deployed twice to Bosnia in 2003/04 as part of NATO’s Stabilization Force (SFOR), and twice to Afghanistan; with CANSOFCOM in 2005/06 and as Officer Commanding (OC) Chinook in 2010/11, flying in support of Canada’s combat mission. In 2018/19, he deployed to Africa as the Commander of Canada’sAir Task Force (ATF) in Mali as part of the UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

MGen McKenna commanded 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS) from 2014 to 2016 flying the CH147F Chinook and he commanded 1 Wing, the RCAF’s Tactical Aviation Wing, from 2020 to 2021. From 2021 to 2024, he served as the RCAF’s Director General of Air and Space Force Development, working to set the requirements and coordinate the acquisition for several key new RCAF capabilities such as the CC330 Husky MRTT, the P8APoseidon, and the MQ9B RPAS.

MGen McKenna has over 2600 flying hours in both Special Operations and conventional rotary wing aircraft. He is a graduate of the Canadian Army Command and Staff College, the Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP), the National Security Programme (NSP), and he has earned US Army SeniorAviator Wings.

Mark Summers is Vice President, Strategic Industries at Alberta Innovates, overseeing the organization’s investment strategy across a portfolio of established and emerging industries, including energy, aerospace, defence, advanced materials, bioindustry, construction engineering, circular plastics, food, agriculture, and environment. The Strategic Industries name signals a mandate to be adaptive, aligning with industrial and provincial priorities that will shape Alberta’s long-term prosperity.

Mark has more than 15 years in Alberta’s innovation ecosystem, including executive roles at Emissions Reduction Alberta and Alberta Innovates. He serves on Team Edmonton in the current cohort of MIT’s Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (REAP), which partners with regional teams to develop high-performing innovation ecosystems.

Mark has advanced innovation initiatives and has served in volunteer roles across Alberta’s post-secondary and innovation community. He is a Professional Engineer with a BSc in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Nanostructured Engineering from the University of Alberta. His background in advanced materials research helps shape his approach to innovation strategy.

Jeff LaFrenz is Co-Founder and CEO of VizworX Inc., a Canadian technology company developing advanced software products and custom solutions for complex, mission-critical environments. A serial entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in technology commercialization, Jeff has worked across industry, government and academia to translate emerging technologies into practical business and operational outcomes. He is also Vice-Chair of Alberta Aviation, Aerospace and Defence (AAAD), contributing to the growth and development of Alberta’s aviation, aerospace and defence ecosystem. An international speaker and experienced industry leader, Jeff brings a broad perspective on innovation, commercialization, strategic partnerships, and the adoption of emerging technologies across complex industries.

Dame Kimberley Van Vliet is a leading voice in Canada’s innovation and defence ecosystem, known for bridging commercial and military sectors across aerospace, defence, security, energy, mining, agriculture, construction, and advanced technologies.

Over 16 years ago, she founded WāVv, a group of companies accelerating cross-industry innovation worldwide. She’s also the creator of ConvergX Xpand, a global consulting practice, and ConvergX Global Congress, the world’s first Congress to unite decision-makers across industries to solve problems they didn’t know they had, with solutions from sectors they never expected could help.

Kimberley serves as Deputy Chair for NIAG’s Community of Interest with Allied Command Transformation (ACT), focusing on Innovation, C4ISR, and Logistics & Sustainment, and works closely with NATO divisions including NCIA, NSPA, STO, and DIANA, regularly engaging with NATO HQ, NORAD, and USNORTHCOM.

Recognized among Canada’s Top 20 Women in Defence and a 2022 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference delegate, Kimberley brings a strategic, cross-industry perspective to Canada’s defence and security priorities globally.

Outside of work, she’s a proud Mum, a licensed private pilot, and a certified Divemaster.

Colorado’s first female fighter pilot and among the first women globally to fly fighter aircraft. A combat mission-ready F-16 pilot, leadership expert, and resilience coach. A retired Lieutenant Colonel with 22 years in the U.S. Air Force and Colorado National Guard, she flew worldwide missions, including post-9/11 presidential protection and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and Air War College, Tracy earned numerous military honors and logged 3,300+ flight hours as a pilot and AWACS Air Weapons Director.

Today, she is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, executive coach, and 4X Emmy-nominated PBS host, helping leaders and teams build accountability, resilience, and high-performance cultures. Tracy has worked with Fortune 100 companies, spoken at Harvard Business School, and shared stages with a U.S. President.

Dr. David Perry is the President of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, host of the institute’s Defence Deconstructed Podcast and a co-director of the Triple Helix MINDs Collaborate Network.

He is the author of multiple publications related to defence budgeting, transformation and procurement and a columnist for the Canadian Naval Review. He received his PhD in political science from Carleton University where his dissertation examined the link between defence budgeting and defence procurement.

He is an adjunct professor at the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary and a research fellow of the Centre for the Study of Security and Development at Dalhousie University.

He was previously the Senior Security and Defence Analyst of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute and Deputy Director of Dalhousie University’s Centre for Foreign Policy Studies. Embassy Magazine and The Hill Times has named him one of the “Top 100 Influencing Canadian Foreign Policy.”

Dr. Susan Skone is a researcher and innovator with over 25 years of experience in space-based technologies, specializing in space environment threats to satellite navigation systems, non-terrestrial networks, and high-frequency applications across aerospace and maritime domains.

As a Professor of Geomatics Engineering and Associate Vice-President Research at the University of Calgary, she has led more than 50 international and government-sponsored research projects. Her pioneering contributions include globally adopted licensed software for secure satellite services, and the founding of companies delivering electromagnetic spectrum management and quantum-resistant satellite signal technologies under NATO DIANA.

She led the development of low-cost GPS payload solutions for the CanX-2 nanosatellite, now deployed in missions worldwide, and has shaped policy on space domain awareness for U.S. national risk strategies and action plans.

In parallel, Dr. Skone served for 27 years as a Maritime Surface Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy (Reserves), holding key operational roles aboard minor warships. As co-lead of Space-Defence Technologies Alberta, she now drives collaboration between academia and industry to advance dual-use technology readiness and grow capacity of Alberta’s aerospace sector.

Chris Lohmann leads innovation and market development for aerospace energy systems and sustainability in Canada for Boeing. Over a twenty-year career he has worked on energy transition challenges in renewable fuels, waste-to-energy, energy storage, EV infrastructure, and microgrids.

Prior to Boeing, he led the performance warranty group at Energi Insurance, underwriting and insuring the technical and engineering risk of emerging energy technologies to support project financing. At the U.S. Department of Energy he served as a Senior Finance Policy Advisor, addressing the hurdles faced by technologies bridging the gap between government R&D funding and private capital. He began his career in the US Marine Corps as an F/A-18D Weapons and Sensors Officer.

He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California, earned a BA from Yale University, and graduated high school at Lisgar Collegiate in Ottawa.

Christine Hanson has had a distinguished career spanning over two decades in public service, both in Canada and internationally. As an international lawyer, diplomat, and senior government executive, she brings expertise in Canada-U.S. trade, foreign policy, and intergovernmental affairs. Christine is known for shaping public policy, negotiating international agreements, and fostering collaboration among global leaders and governments.

Christine’s early professional work was with Global Affairs Canada, where she held a variety of diplomatic roles. She served as a senior diplomat at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., managing Canada’s relationship with the U.S. Congress. She provided strategic advice to Canadian ambassadors, ministers, premiers, and parliamentarians on key trade and foreign policy issues related to the American political landscape. She also worked at Canada’s Mission to the United Nations in New York.

After many years of living and working abroad, Christine returned to her home province of Nova Scotia. She served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission from 2016 to 2021. Later, she took on a significant role as Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer of the Mass Casualty Commission, a federal and provincial public inquiry into the mass casualty event in Nova Scotia in April 2020. Christine most recently served as the Regional Director of International Trade for Atlantic Canada at Global Affairs Canada. In this role, she led a team across the region that helped Canadian businesses expand into global markets and promoted economic growth through exports.

In addition to her professional roles, Christine has been serving on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Red Cross since 2020. Christine earned degrees in law, public administration, and political science from Dalhousie University in Halifax. She later earned a graduate degree in international law from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. From 2015 to 2016, she was an International Women’s Forum Global Leadership Foundation Fellow at Harvard Business School and INSEAD in France.

Christine was appointed to be the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) Regional Director for North America in 2025.

Mark Norton is an industry veteran in advanced manufacturing and currently serves as the Executive Director for the Northwest I-90 Manufacturing Alliance (NIMA) and Principal of Norton Strategic Consulting. His expertise is deeply grounded in business development for advanced manufacturing, economic development for industry, and workforce pipeline development for the trades. He is a thought leader on LinkedIn, frequently writing about emerging technologies and markets in manufacturing, and issues related to workforce development for the trades and industry.

Joy Romero is a metallurgical engineer with over 30 years of experience in the energy sector. She is currently Executive Advisor, Innovation at Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Past President of the Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN), member Co-Lead for the Pathways Integrated Emissions Strategy Working Group, advisor at the University of Alberta and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and serves on the Boards of Calgary’s Heritage Park.

She is an inductee of the Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame, was recognized by Foresight Canada as one the top 20 women leading clean tech in Canada, a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal, an Honourary Doctor of Science from Athabasca University, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Dr. Jonathan M. Morris is a Professor in the Departments of Radiology, Otolaryngology, Neurosurgery, Radiation Oncology, and Anatomy at Mayo Clinic. He earned his M.D. from Howard University College of Medicine, followed by an internship at Washington Hospital Center and research fellowships at NIH/NINDS/NLM. He then completed his radiology and neuroradiology fellowships at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Morris serves as the Medical Director of the 3D Printing Anatomic Modeling Unit and the Center for Biomedical and Scientific Visualization, as well as the Executive Medical Director of Immersive and Experiential Learning at Mayo Clinic. His expertise spans Point-of-Care manufacturing for digital twinning, preoperative and virtual surgical planning, and the development of patient-specific surgical devices.

A recognized leader in extended reality (VR/AR/MR), Dr. Morris is driving innovation in medical education, clinical applications, intraoperative navigation, workforce training, and medical capital equipment training. His current focus is on creating AI enabled photorealistic digital twinned humans to serve as medical experts. Clinically, he specializes in minimally invasive thermal ablation of tumors affecting the neuroaxis and musculoskeletal system. With over 270 published articles, multiple books, and book chapters, Dr. Morris is regarded as an international authority in his fields. He has been married to his wife, Trina, since 1996, and together they have four sons.

Dr. Emma Spanswick is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Geospace Dynamics & Space Plasma Physics at the University of Calgary. She is an international leader in the development of space remote sensing infrastructure, with her science and space weather collaborations spanning the globe, involving national agencies such as NASA, ESA, the Canadian Space Agency, DRDC, DND, and the US Navy.

She has delivered on >$75M worth of sponsored projects related to dual-use technology development, autonomous remote sensors for northern environments, satellite sensor design, operational system development, and key scientific outcomes. She currently operates more than 120 sensors across Canada’s north, Alaska, and Greenland designed to remote sense the space environment and support strategic applications related to Canada’s needs in the Arctic.

Dr. Spanswick is also co-lead of Space-Defence Technologies Alberta, an initiative that aims to increase technology readiness within the academic research environment, supporting commercialization of relevant technologies in the space and defence sector.

Christopher Coates is a former senior Canadian military leader with extensive experience in defence, security, and allied operations. A helicopter pilot specializing in tactical and special operations aviation, he served in senior command roles in Canada and overseas, including as Deputy Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and as Commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC), leading to his focus on continental defence and the Arctic. Following military service, he worked in defence advisory roles both in Canada and internationally and now leads defence, security, and foreign policy programming at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, a leading Canadian public policy think tank.

Major-General Stéphane Masson began his military career in 1991 as a reservist with the 6e Régiment d’artillerie de campagne in Quebec City. In 2003, he transferred to the Regular Force.

Over the course of his service, he has held a variety of command and staff appointments. In 2008, as a Major, he commanded Q Battery, 5e Régiment d’artillerie légère du Canada at CFB Valcartier. Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 2012, he served as Commandant of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School at CFB Gagetown. He later served in several staff and leadership roles, including at Canadian Joint Operations Command Headquarters and as Commander of Canadian Forces Base Kingston.

In 2024, he concluded his tenure as Commander of 5th Canadian Division, known as the Army’s “Mighty Maroon Machine”. He subsequently served as Chief of Staff Army Strategy at Army Headquarters. Promoted to his current rank in 2026, he now serves as Chief of Army Force Development and as the Senior Serving Gunner in the Canadian Army.

Major-General Masson has deployed operationally to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Afghanistan, and Egypt, and has supported a number of domestic operations. He is a graduate of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, the Joint Command and Staff Program, and the National Security Program. He holds a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Defence Studies, and a Master of Public Administration.

Outside of his military duties, he values time with his wife and their three children.

Joshua is the CEO of Kalashnikov USA (KUSA), an all-American firearms and munitions manufacturing powerhouse that brings AK-pattern precision to the modern battlefield and commercial market alike. Under his leadership, KUSA delivers operational excellence with a sharp edge (literally and figuratively) in defense manufacturing, product innovation, and national security support. KUSA’s strives to build better firepower, in America and always pursue innovation.

As a retired military officer, Josh completed over 27 years of servant-leader experience, culminating as a Colonel with U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), where he orchestrated global operations, led elite teams, and helped shape the modern doctrine of unconventional warfare. He served in over 47 countries (some of which are still trying to figure out what just happened) and specialized in Special Forces, Civil Affairs, PATRIOT missile defense, and multi-domain reconnaissance.

Josh earned five Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart (the enemy marksmanship badge) and has not worn a watch since 2006. He also established the Department of Defense’s first cybercrime and business intelligence fusion unit, because sometimes the best weapon is knowing what your enemy had for breakfast, digitally speaking.

In his “retirement,” he took up the light hobby of directing multimillion-dollar security and intelligence contracts, managing a $760M pipeline, forming strategic joint ventures, and writing proposals that won over $1B in federal awards. He also serves as Deputy Executive Director of the International Coalition Against Illicit Economies (ICAIE), where he assists global leaders and policy makers in cutting off illicit trade at the knees. He balances his time providing national security solutions and benefits for those customers in the government and commercial sectors, who require specialized security assistance programs.

Armed with two master’s degrees, a mild caffeine addiction, and vorpal sense of humor, Josh loves puppies and hates Hezbollah. He has served as an executive-level director in multiple disciplines and programs including firearms and munitions design and manufacturing, advanced technology integration, strategic planning, community development, full-spectrum security, intelligence, counter terrorism, counter threat finance, anti-money laundering, and special operations. He has successfully run organizations of over 500 employees across a distributed territory with a solid sense of purpose and excellence.

Rob Huebert is a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Calgary. He also is the Director of the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies.

He was appointed as a member to the Canadian Polar Commission (now renamed Canada Polar Knowledge) for a term lasting from 2010 to 2015. He is senior fellow with the Laurier MacDonald Institute; a fellow with the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies; a research fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute; and a senior fellow with the Conference of Defence Associations Institute. Dr. Huebert has taught at Memorial University, Dalhousie University, and the University of Manitoba.

He publishes on the issue of Canadian Arctic Security, Maritime Security, and Canadian Defence. His work has appeared in International Journal; Canadian Foreign Policy; Isuma, Canadian Journal of Policy Research and Canadian Military Journal. He was co-editor of Canada and the Changing Arctic: Sovereignty, Security and Stewardship; Commercial Satellite Imagery and United Nations Peacekeeping and Breaking Ice: Canadian Integrated Ocean Management in the Canadian North. He also comments on Canadian security and Arctic issues in both the Canadian and international media.

Anton Sestritsyn is a VOSAVIS Principal based in Ottawa, bringing extensive experience in federal politics, public affairs, and strategic communications. His experience spans senior roles including Legislative Assistant, Campaign Manager, Strategic Communications Advisor, International Parliamentary Friendship Group Coordinator, and Manager of Stakeholder Relations for two Leaders of the Official Opposition.

With a strong background in foreign affairs, human rights, and multilateral engagement, Anton has advised international delegations at the United Nations, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. State Department, as well as Canadian parliamentarians and party leaders. His professional background also includes journalism and NGO work focused on international policy issues.

In the private sector, Anton has held executive and consulting positions, including Director of Public Affairs Strategy, Executive Director of Canadian and international organizations, and a Vice-President role within a Canadian defence company.

Anton holds a degree in Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University. He is fluent in three languages and has working proficiency in three others.

John Sheehan is a seasoned executive leader with more than 25 years of experience across the defense, aerospace, and technology sectors. He currently serves as CEO of AVX Defense Technologies, leading a 35-person team focused on developing disruptive capabilities for the warfighter and deepening AVX’s partnership with the US Army Aviation community; before AVX, he was VP of Corporate Strategy at Booz Allen Hamilton, led go-to-market for AWS’s Aerospace & Satellite Division, and spent 20 years at Lockheed Martin (including 10 years with Skunk Works) in engineering, strategy, and technology-program leadership roles.

He holds master’s degrees in Strategic Foresight (University of Houston) and Aeronautical Science (Embry-Riddle), bachelor’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering (University of Arizona) and Finance, summa cum laude (University of Connecticut), and is an FAA Certified Flight Instructor and Commercial Pilot with more than 2,000 flight hours.