Richard Saillant is a Moncton-based economist and public policy consultant. Richard is former public sector executive with twenty years of experience in government and academic circles. He has written or directed four books, including Over the Cliff? Acting Now to Avoid New Brunswick’s Bankruptcy and A Tale of Two Countries: How the Great Demographic Imbalance is Pulling Canada Apart.

David is the former Chief Economist for the New Brunswick Jobs Board and founded his own economic development consulting and research firm, Jupia Consultants Inc., in 2008. Based in Moncton, he is one of Atlantic Canada’s leading economic development consultants. He has worked with more than 80 local, provincial and national economic development agencies, industry associations and government departments in six Canadian provinces and two American states. He holds a certificate in economic development from the University of Waterloo in Ontario and a master’s in business administration from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Herb Emery holds the Vaughan Chair in Regional Economics at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) since July 2016.  Herb is Program Chair for the J.D. Irving (JDI) Roundtable on Manufacturing Competitiveness in New Brunswick, and Director, Atlantic Institute for Policy Research. He holds an Masters (MA) and a Doctorate (PhD) in Economics from the University of British Columbia. His academic career began at the University of Calgary where, from 1993 to 2016, he established a track record of excellence in research, teaching and leadership. Herb focuses his research on the development of the Canadian economy and the persistence of long-standing regional disparities. Aside from understanding the economic fundamentals of growth in a small open economy, Dr. Emery’s work incorporates political, historical, cultural and other institutional factors that have shaped Canadian development processes.

First elected to the Legislative Assembly on September 27, 2010, Blaine Higgs served as Minister of Finance from 2010 to 2014. He was re-elected in 2014 and again in 2018 representing the riding of Quispamsis.

On October 22, 2016, he was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.

Mr. Higgs was sworn in as Premier of New Brunswick on November 9, 2018.

Born in Woodstock, he graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. Following university, he joined Irving Oil Ltd., where he held numerous positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, refining operations, and in the transportation sector. Prior to retirement in May 2010, he was Director of Logistics and Distribution, with overall responsibility for the transportation and bulk storage requirements for the reliable supply of refined products to customers throughout Eastern Canada and New England. He also served on the Board of Directors for Canaport LNG and the New Brunswick Gateway Council.

He has travelled extensively for both business and pleasure. The insight learned through this interaction with different cultures provides him with an appreciation for the challenges that New Brunswick faces in the global economy.

A long-time resident of Quispamsis, he is married to Marcia, and the couple has four daughters: Lindsey, Laura (Reid Gilmore), Sarah (Jeff Wilkinson) and Rachel (Matt Hiltz). They are also blessed with four grandchildren: Nadia, Alexander, Samuel, and Sadie.

Cathy Simpson is an Atlantic Canadian IT leader who has dedicated her career to building the region's tech capacity. She is the CEO of TechImpact, an organization with a mission to help the Atlantic region embrace and accelerate IT adoption and innovation as the cornerstone of its economic future.  She is the Board Chair of the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, an independent non-profit corporation that specializes in venture capital and research investments.  Cathy mentors and advises start-up entrepreneurs in the region.  She has spent 30 years in the tech industry with companies like NBTel, Innovatia, and T4G Limited and has worked with numerous clients on digital transformation projects. 

Following one of her passions, In 2015, she created her own company, UP+GO which is focused on cultivating the next generation of female leaders who will join our STEM, business, government, not for profit and social enterprises.  She delivers leadership programs and events exposing high school girls to amazing female leaders in their communities empowering them to see how they can change the world through the power of STEM and entrepreneurship.

Jean-Guy Finn taught political science and public administration at l’Université de Moncton before serving in several senior positions in the Canadian public sector.

He was Parliamentary Intern in the Canadian Parliament (1970-71). He became Special Advisor in the Canadian Privy Council Office during the ‘patriation’ of the Canadian Constitution (1981 to 1983).

He went to the provincial government of New-Brunswick in 1983 where he served as deputy minister of Advanced Education and Training (1983 to 1988), deputy minister of Health and Community Services (1988 to 1998) and Secretary to Cabinet and Clerk of the Executive Council (1998 to 2001). 

He sat on the board of directors of several organizations, including the Health Council of Canada, Forum for Young Canadians, the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, the Institute for Research in Public Policy and l’Université de Moncton. He is currently a consultant in public sector management. Over the years, he has advised governments on public sector organization and management in Canada and abroad. He has been involved in public sector assignments in several countries including South Africa, Qatar, Ethiopia and Jordan.

In 1979, Mr. Finn co-chaired the Committee on the Organisation and Boundaries of School Districts in New-Brunswick which led to the establishment of school districts on a linguistic basis in the province. Appointed Commissioner on the Future of Local Governance in 2007, he is also the author of Building Stronger Local Governments and Regions: An Action Plan for the Future of Local Governance in New-Brunswick (2008).

Karina LeBlanc is the Executive Director of both the Pond-Deshpande Centre (PDC) at the University of New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Social Policy Research Network (NB-SPRN). With a passion for supporting the growth and development of motivated, systems change-makers, Karina is invested in fuelling the growth of the Impact Economy in Atlantic Canada and creating the connections between sectors necessary to drive evidence-based public policy and programming. She is working to build a more equitable and sustainable economy with the creation of such initiatives as NouLAB, a Public and Social Innovation Lab, noulab.org, the Be.For.Change Social Venture Accelerator, b4c.ventures, the Change Maker Seed Funding Program, changemakerfundingprogram.com, and the New Brunswick Social Innovation Research Fund, nbif.ca/social-innovation-research-fund.

Karina has a degree in engineering from Western University and an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business. She has worked in both manufacturing and brand management for Procter & Gamble before being recruited into the start-up/innovation community in Fredericton, NB. She has worked for, and as a consultant to, six different technology start-up companies in Atlantic Canada before taking on the inaugural role of Executive Director for the PDC and the NB-SPRN.

Karina is a mom to three teenagers and is passionate about social innovation, systems change, gender equality and being a lifelong student.

Pierre Zundel is President and CEO of the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB). Before becoming the CEO of CCNB, Mr. Zundel was, among others, Rector of the University of Sudbury, Acting Rector of Laurentian University in Sudbury, Vice-Rector of Studies at the same university, and Chairman of the Board of Administration of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Mr. Zundel has over 35 years of experience in the field of post-secondary education. Among his other experiences and achievements, Mr. Zundel was President of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities of Canada, President of the Consortium of Universities of Ontario's Francophonie, and Director of the Board of Directors of the Development Society of Greater Sudbury. In 2003, he received the 3M National Award for Teaching Excellence from the Society of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and in 2002, the Teaching Leadership Award from the Atlantic Association of Universities. He was also the Founder and Dean of Renaissance College at the University of New Brunswick. A graduate in Forestry from the universities of Toronto (bachelor's and master's) and Laval (doctorate), he has lectured in this field at the University of Moncton, Edmundston campus and at the University of New Brunswick.

Louise directs the Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s climate change and energy program. She also is an honorary research associate and instructor at the University of New Brunswick and consultant. Dr. Comeau has almost 30 years’ experience in analyzing and developing climate change policy, communications, and solutions-related programming. She holds a doctorate in environmental management, focused on environmental ethics and behaviour change from UNB. Louise lives in Keswick Ridge with her partner Tom where they homestead and engage with students through site visits and teaching and research at the University of New Brunswick. She has received two Queen’s citizenship medals for her work in international climate negotiations and creation of Green Municipal Fund and other sustainability programming at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

During his career, Mr. Roy has participated in many committees at the Université de Moncton. These include the Labour Relations Labour-Management Committee, the Faculty Observatory Joint Advisory Committee, the Instructional Administrative Assessment Joint Committee and the Promotion and Tenure Labour-Management Committee. Mr. Roy’s peers have recognized his contribution to the engineering profession by awarding him the title of Fellow of Engineers Canada Mr. Roy holds a Doctor in Mechanical Engineering degree from Université Laval (1997), as well as a Master of Applied Sciences (1992) and a Bachelor of Applied Sciences (1990) from the Université de Moncton.

Elected as Mayor in May 2016, Dawn Arnold brings a vision to move Moncton forward by building a stronger, more transparent and economically sound city. She was first elected in 2012 as councillor-at-large and quickly earned the reputation of being one of Moncton’s most active, involved and accessible councillors.

In her mandate as Mayor, Dawn, in collaboration with Council, will see through the responsible completion of several key projects. She has also committed to keeping City Hall open for businesses and making it easier for local businesses to grow and thrive.

A strong advocate of transparency and community engagement, Dawn encourages dialogue with residents on important issues with the goal of building a city where individuals of all backgrounds and income levels can live, work and play.

Dawn’s passion for her community has also been evident through her leadership in and contribution to numerous events and groups. She was one of the driving forces behind the Hildegard Beautification Project, helped get the new La Fête du Lobster Roll food festival going and has played an instrumental role in a wide variety of fundraising campaigns.

Dawn is a recipient of the Order of New Brunswick, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Award and most recently, two Paul Harris Fellowships. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto and has done further education at Harvard, Université Paul-Valéry and Saint Mary's University (ICD.D).

Husoni Raymond is a recent graduate of St. Thomas University. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica he served as President of the St. Thomas University Students' Union and Vice-Chair of the New Brunswick Student Alliance which represents over 12,000 post-secondary students. Husoni is passionate about helping others and making a positive impact on his community through compassion and dedicated advocacy. During his time at St. Thomas, he organized numerous inaugural Black History Month events and served on the Board of the International Student Association, helping to plan events that enhanced relationships between students from around the world making the campus a more inclusive space.

Originally from the Edmundston region, Lise Ouellette has been a city councilor in Edmundston since 2016. During her professional career, she worked in economic and community development in several capacities, including the management of the Edmundston campus of the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB), the general management of the Association francophone des municipalités du N.-B. from 2004 to 2011, the establishment of the Coastal Zones Research Institute in Shippagan and the NB Botanical Garden Society. She was also involved in different community projects and social movements.

Dr. Paul Mazerolle is the 19th president and vice-chancellor of the University of New Brunswick. An internationally recognized criminologist, Dr. Mazerolle holds degrees from the University of New Brunswick, Northeastern University and the University of Maryland. In addition to his role as president, Paul is a professor in the department of sociology. Dr. Mazerolle is a proud native of New Brunswick and alumnus of UNB who has maintained close professional, family and personal ties to the province over his entire career. Dr. Mazerolle spent his early career in the United States at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Mazerolle relocated to Australia in 2000 where he served as the head of the Criminology program at the University of Queensland and served as Director, Research and Prevention for the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission. In 2006, he moved to Griffith University where he took on the Directorship of the Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance and subsequently, in 2009, he was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) for the Arts, Education and Law (AEL) disciplines.

Dr. Manju Varma has worked in the area of inclusion for the past 30 years in academia, private industry and for the Federal Government. She has published nationally and internationally on issues of diversity in Atlantic Canada. She is currently co-owner of Engage! , a consulting firm that focuses on mental health, wellness, conflict management and engagement within the framework of inclusion. An immigrant herself, Dr. Varma grew up in New Brunswick and currently resides here with her family. 

A native of Kedgwick, Frédérick Alain Dion completed a degree in forestry technique in 1998 before undertaking, in 2000, studies in Political Science at the Université de Moncton, Moncton campus. He joined the ranks of the Association francophone des municipalities du Nouveau-Brunswick in 2004 where he held the position of project manager until 2009. His academic and professional development then led him to Montreal and he acted as a policy advisor to the Union of Quebec Municipalities from 2010 to 2011. Holder of a master's degree in Public Administration, focused on urban management analysis, from the National School of Public Administration of Quebec, he was Executive Director of the Association francophone des municipalities du Nouveau-Brunswick from November 2011 to February 2019, before returning to this same position in January 2020. Passionate about the challenges of governance and community development, Frédérick seizes every opportunity that presents itself to participate in the public debate and put forward ideas, projects or collaborations that contribute to the development of the Acadian and Francophone community and the advancement of the municipal world.

Haley Flaro has served as the Executive Director of Ability New Brunswick since 2006. She has over 20 years of management and administration experience in the non-profit sector, specifically with health and disability sector organizations. Haley believes strongly in in the value of the non-profit sector as New Brunswick’s third economic pillar. Haley is a community developer with extensive experience in program development and evaluation, a passion for social policy and community-based research, and serves on several government committees and Boards related to health and disability. Haley is the Vice-Chairperson of WorkSafeNB and a New Brunswick representative on the Labour Market Information Council, National Stakeholder Advisory Panel.

Marc Henrie manages the development, administration and ensures the proper functioning of the Coopérative de développement régionale-Acadie (CDR-Acadie). He oversees and develops several projects of the organization. Mr. Henrie holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the Université de Moncton as well as a master's degree in cooperative management and community development from the Université de Sherbrooke. He is well equipped in community animation. In addition, he specializes in governance structures, financial plans and cooperative education. He has helped the growth of more than thirty organizations and cooperatives (COOP, ONBL and Corporation). In 2006, Marc is best known for becoming the youngest president of the Regional Service District (RSD) in New Brunswick history. In 2012, he was elected the first president of the new Kent Regional Service Commission (KRSC). Mr. Henrie has fifteen years of experience in community economic development. Recognized for his dedication and commitment to various important community files, he is involved in many community files, he believes in the integral development of communities and regions of New Brunswick. Focused on results, Mr. Henrie is dedicated to the growth of CDR-Acadie and the economic development of Acadie.

Lucky Kasendwe holds a degree in biology-chemistry. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, she recently graduated from the University of Moncton in the Bachelor of Social Work program in which she was External Vice-President, representing 5th year students and ambassador of the National Consortium for Health Training (University of Moncton component) between 2018-2020. A former Dialogue Plus Moncton project officer, Lucky was in charge of coordinating and carrying out activities aimed at raising awareness against racism and discrimination. In addition to her former position as coordinator of the bridging program at the Université de Moncton, she is also in charge of communications for the Association des Congolaises et Congolais de l'Atlantique and volunteers in organizations in her region such as the le Centre d’accueil et d’accompagnement francophone pour les immigrants du sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick, Woven Culture, Crossroads for Women, and the Regroupement Feministe du Nouveau-Brunswick.

Animated by feminist struggles, Lucky is an activist involved in activities that promote the gender equality of people in all their diversity. These numerous implications have earned her the prize of Champion of cultural diversity for the 2019 edition in the student category, but also the 2020 Merit Award from the School of Work.

Dhirendra is Professor and the Dr J Herbert Smith ACOA Chair in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), Canada. Dhirendra utilizes his expertise from the telecom sector and extensive academic background in the areas of entrepreneurial finance, masters of business administration, and engineering, to promote a bright future for New Brunswick. Passionate about entrepreneurship, design, engineering, innovation, and leadership, Dhirendra ignites this same passion in others through his teaching at UNB, local entrepreneurial community outreach, and the creation of programs such as the Masters of Technology Management and Entrepreneurship (MTME) program, Technology Commercialization Program, Summer Institute and Energia Ventures. Recognition of his tireless efforts and vision are demonstrated through UNB’s 2014 award from Startup Canada as “Most Entrepreneurial Post-Secondary Institution of the Year”, his nomination as a finalist for Industry Champion by KIRA, and his nomination as a finalist for Progress Media’s Innovation in Practice award. Dhirendra was nominated for the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award and selected by a panel of judges as a Top 75 finalist. Most recently, he received the Entrepreneur Promotion Award by Startup Canada (2017), as well as the Outstanding Educator Award by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick in 2018.

Nathalie graduated with a diploma in Business Administration - Accounting from NBCC Bathurst and is an active member of the ECHO1 Group of the Wallace McCain Institute. Nathalie’s experience with Groupe Savoie Inc began in 1999 in the company’s accounting department, a position she held until 2005. She also held the position of Assistant manager of the company’s kitchen cabinet component plant located in Kedgwick. Nathalie also served as assistant manager of quality and continuous improvement and later on as Director of Organizational Development. She serves on the board of the Hector Savoie Foundation; a non-profit organization whose mission is to support people in need in the Saint-Quentin, Kedgwick area since 2003. In April 2016, Nathalie was named Chair of the board of directors at Groupe Savoie Inc. In August 2016, she was also named Vice President, Human Resources.

Réjean Després is VP, Atlantic Provinces at National Bank since 2015. A financial services professional with more than twenty-five years of experience, Réjean is mainly interested in human resources, motivation, mobilization and talent development. Before National Bank, Réjean worked in other large Canadian financial institutions where he mainly held positions in management and business development. His education and interest in personal and business finance have allowed him to develop his career in this area. Réjean sits on the board of directors of various organizations and is particularly interested in community organizations that center around health, education and entrepreneurship. He also volunteers in various other areas.

Amy is Partner and Vice President Recruitment at Royer Thompson, a talent management firm committed to helping leaders succeed. Amy has spent her 18 year career dedicated to recruiting talent and strengthening organizations across the Atlantic Region. With a focus on executive recruitment and onboarding, Amy is passionate about working closely with organizations to ensure they are hiring the right leaders, at the right time and in the right seats and she acknowledges the critical role of leadership in rebuilding the economy given the challenge of COVID in placing a higher premium on leadership skills. Prior to Royer Thompson, Amy spent 13 years with a national recruitment organization and 50 Best Managed Company as Vice President, Atlantic Region. Amy graduated from Saint Mary’s Sobeys School of Business with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Majoring in Human Resource Management, as well as a Certificate in Human Resource Management. She also holds a Professional Recruiters Designation from the Institute of Professional Management.

André Leclerc is University Professor Emeritus of Economics at Université de Moncton and a consultant. He was Professor of Economics at the Edmundston campus of Université de Moncton from 1980 to 2016 and director of the Chaire des Caisses populaires acadiennes en gestion des coopératives from 2005 to 2015. He is associate researcher with the Research Group on the Management of Co-operatives of the Faculté d’administration of Université de Moncton. He is a member of several boards of directors of cooperatives and community organizations.

Colleen joined the Atlantica Centre for Energy as President, in a role that helps to foster the exchange of information and dialogue on energy opportunities and challenges. Energy literacy and education has become a priority of the organization. The Atlantica Centre for Energy works with partners to engage the public and community leaders on energy topics to help them make informed decisions that are appropriate for this region. In a collaborative effort between The University of New Brunswick and The Atlantica Centre for Energy, Colleen directs the Energy Fundamentals for Leaders certificate program. This program does a deep-dive into all aspects of the energy sector, including treaty rights, renewable electrification, environmental permitting, energy diversity and energy security as well as overviews of the challenges being faced to adopt new business models to compete in the coming decades. Colleen also serves on the Advisory Board to the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New Brunswick, and on the Editorial Board of Natural Resources Magazine. Colleen has a bachelor’s degree from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, and studied at the graduate level at the University of New Brunswick.

President and Chief Operating Officer of Groupe Savoie Inc. located in St-Quentin in New Brunswick. Mr. Bossé is undertaking his 33th year with this organization involved in the transformation of hardwood. This is a very dynamic organization striving toward the fabrication of value-added products. This organization employs over 600 individuals within his sawmills located in St-Quentin, Kedgwick and Moncton in New Brunswick and Westville in Nova Scotia.

Marie Chamberland has been the President of the Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick since 2016. She represents French-speaking businesses in the province with the conviction that they are the engine of New Brunswick communities. An independent entrepreneur in consultation since May 2016, she also teaches at the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB), Dieppe campus. She previously acted as owner of two Second Cup franchises in Moncton and Dieppe from 2011 to 2016 and worked as a manager in human resources as well as in finance at a financial institution.

She was involved in various international initiatives with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, either as a member of the selection committee and member of the jury for the youth entrepreneur competition. She was also a delegate at the International Women’s Conference in Romania, as well as a delegate at the Forum économique d’Erevan. Marie is completing a master's degree in management at the Université de Moncton and holds a diploma in business administration and management from the CCNB, in addition to a certificate in andragogy from the Université de Moncton. She is the mother of two children and is from the corner of Kedgwick / St-Quentin.

Tim Ross is the Executive Director of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada. CHF Canada is a national membership association of housing co-operatives, representing over one thousand members, and home to over a quarter of a million people. Tim’s is a nationally recognized non-profit, community, and co-operative housing policy expert. Through his work with the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, he’s forged partnerships across the housing spectrum, and has been a leading voice towards the creation of the federal government’s National Housing Strategy. He is also founding President of the Community Housing Transformation Centre, a $68.6 million pan-Canadian initiative designed to drive transformation, sustainability and growth in the non-profit and co-operative housing sector. He has deep professional and personal roots in New Brunswick. Prior to moving to Ottawa, he served as the Executive Director of the New Brunswick Non-Profit Housing Association, and previously led the Community Action Group on Homelessness in Fredericton. He studied at the University of New Brunswick and grew up in Stanley, NB.

A graduate in political communication, Nelly Dennene holds a Master's degree from the University of Quebec in Montreal in political analysis and theory. She has developed a solid expertise on various issues of social justice and equality, in particular on intersectionality, the participation of women in public space, gender-inclusive analysis (GBA +) and francophone immigration. As executive director of the New Brunswick Feminist Group, she has led multiple projects focused on raising awareness on inequalities, calling for concerted action.

Jeff White is the lead visionary at New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF). He’s a technology industry veteran, and a seasoned corporate financing expert. He has worked with some of our region’s biggest start-ups: Radian6, Q1 Labs, and Genesys Laboratories Canada, and was co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of East Valley Ventures. That experience gives Jeff a unique perspective to see and understand the growth potential in New Brunswick’s start-up and research innovation sectors. As a bonus, he’s very passionate about it too!

As an educator and entrepreneur, Mary believes lifelong learning is a catalyst for individual and collective growth. Mary has worked in both the public and private education sector in multiple jurisdictions in Canada and the United States, and has worked with learners at all stages from pre-school through primary, secondary and now post-secondary education. Central to her values and practice is her commitment to every individual’s right and opportunity to reach their full potential. Joining the NBCC family in 2011, Mary led the creation and growth of several new initiatives in applied research and innovation, entrepreneurship and community leadership. She initiated, and continues to champion, the transformation of NBCC’s long-standing academic model to better meet the needs of students, the labour market and communities. A native of Louisiana, Mary immigrated to Canada in 1999 and has been a Canadian citizen since 2004. An active member in her chosen community, Mary is a long-time volunteer with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program. She is also a representative on numerous Boards and committees at the provincial, regional and national level including the Board of Directors of Colleges and Institutes Canada.

Robert Moreau is Chief Executive Officer of UNI Financial Cooperation, the largest francophone financial institution in New Brunswick. As a visionary leader, Mr. Moreau is as inspiring as he is well-rounded, with both strategic intelligence and practical know-how. Under his guidance, UNI Financial Cooperation has undertaken a major shift with the objective of maintaining sustainable benefits for its clients. Solidarity and sustainable development—notably the capacity to support people from one generation to the next—are central to his vision.

Resolutely committed to this intergenerational perspective, Mr. Moreau seeks to have New Brunswickers of all ages choose UNI as a driver of economic, social and environmental development in their province. Conscious of the invaluable contribution of local businesses to the New Brunswick economy, he is actively involved in the business community. He currently sits on the boards of the New Brunswick Business Council and the Canadian Credit Union Association and acts as Atlantic delegate to The Co-operators.

He served formerly as president and CEO of the Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick from 2013 to 2016. He also served as co-chair of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference in 2008, as well as chair of the New Brunswick study tour for the 2012 conference. Robert Moreau is a graduate of the business administration program at Université Laval as well as the Directors Education Program at McGill Executive Institute. He holds the ICD.D. designation since 2015, granted by the Institute of Corporate Directors. In 2019, CPA New Brunswick honoured him by awarding him the prestigious title of Fellow. 

Vicki Wallace-Godbout was born and raised on the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation in New Brunswick. A lawyer and entrepreneur with extensive experience in business development and management, Ms. Wallace-Godbout is known for her efforts in economic development with First Nations communities.

Among her businesses, Mrs. Wallace-Godbout is co-owner of the Truck Stop + Edmundston established in 2012; co-owner of Frontière FM, the only commercial, French-speaking, private radio station in Canada outside Quebec; co-owner of the Burger King Edmundston located on the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation and co-owner of the Truck Stop + Moncton newly established since April 2020.

Ms. Wallace-Godbout served on the board of directors of the Madawaska Maliseet Economic Development Corporation, whose mandate is the development and management of the Gray Rock business park located in northwestern New Brunswick. She also sat on the board of directors of the Edmundston Chamber of Commerce, on the National Committee of the IX Games of La Francophonie 2021, on the Board of Directors of New Brunswick Power where she sat on the audit and security, environment and human resources. She is currently active with the Evolution of the Université de Moncton fundraising campaign.

Ms. Wallace-Godbout received the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Ulnooweg Atlantic Aboriginal Council, the 150th anniversary medal of the Senate for her active role as a woman entrepreneur in her community and the Coup de Coeur Award, Northwest region, awarded by the Economic Council of New Brunswick, for her Truck Stop + Edmundston business.

Keith Parlee has 30 years of progressive and varied executive experience. From ownership of privately held firms, to leadership roles working for, or with, fortune 500 companies. In 2010, Keith joined Apex Industries a multi-divisional Atlantic based manufacturer, distributor and solutions provider. The company manufactures and ships products globally in various business sectors including Aerospace and Defence, Oil and Gas, Mining, Marine, Optical, Construction and Consumer Products. Keith is a graduate of Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, holding a Bachelor of Public Relations. He began his business career in the packaged goods industry, holding posts in Halifax, St. Catharines, and Toronto with General Foods, Kraft and AC Nielsen. Keith relocated back to Atlantic Canada in 1995, where he spent ten years as the President/co-owner of a privately held industrial products company, which was later divested to a public company. During the transition, Keith was appointed VP & General Manager of Wolseley Industrial Products responsible for Canada. Concurrently, he sat on the Board of the parent company - Wolseley Canada, a multi-divisional firm with revenues north of $1 Billion mark. Keith is also the Board Chair of Harvest House Atlantic, a nonprofit for the homeless.

Myriam Mekni is the Executive Director of the Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area (MAGMA), chair of the Greater Moncton Local Immigration Partnership (GMLIP) and a member of the New Brunswick Women's Council. Originally from Tunisia, Ms. Mekni has degrees in MPCI (Applied Mathematics) from the University of Science and in British Literature from Université des Lettres in Tunis. Fluent in English, French, and Arabic, she has held many key roles with high-profile organizations. These experiences, combined with her personal one, have given her the drive and insight necessary to guide MAGMA towards fulfilling its mission.

Eric’s career includes over 25 years of leadership in the application of science and technology in sectors including advanced manufacturing, space science, aerospace, and wireless communications. Eric has participated in numerous federal and provincial innovation policy initiatives including assessments and expert panels. He is, or has been, an active board member for organizations including Genome Canada, the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, Innoventures Canada, the Center for Nuclear Energy Research, Genome Atlantic, and the New Brunswick Environmental Industries Association. Passionate about market-led innovation, Eric emphasizes the need to generate economic or social value for invention to become innovation. Eric’s accomplishments include serving as the Project Engineer for Canada’s first interplanetary space instrument (a mission to Mars), and the General Manager of an internationally recognized visual factory, COM DEV Wireless. His education includes a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering and a masters of business administration, a combination that has served him well in seeking science-based solutions for business problems and opportunities.

Andrée Savoie is President and Executive Director of Adelin Properties Ltd., a real estate development and commercial property management firm in Dieppe, NB. She managed and was President of Construction Acadienne, general contractor in commercial construction, which worked in the Atlantic provinces until 2015. Ms. Savoie sits on the Board of Directors of Assumption Vie since 2011 and was elected Chair of this board and chair of the governance committee in February 2019. In addition, Ms. Savoie sits on the Board of administration of the National Bank of Canada since 2015. Involved in her community, Ms. Savoie is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Moncton Foundation and co-founder of an annual fundraiser for Carrefour pour femmes de Moncton. She holds a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from McGill University and a Master's degree in Applied Science from the University of Ottawa.

Martin Mallet did his master’s degree in biology at the Université de Moncton, after which he began his research and development work at the Maritime Fishermen’s Union as Director of Special Projects. In 2004, Martin became head of Homarus Inc., the new scientific subsidiary at the time of the Maritime Fishermen's Union involved in R&D projects related to the optimization of the lobster resource. It is in these functions that Martin, with the help of his team and various collaborators, has been able to mount a range of projects such as the stocking of lobsters, the creation of artificial reefs, a program of evaluation of the resource for the 'UPM, various projects to better understand the interaction between lobsters and their environment, the development of alternative baits and the creation of an educational component with the creation of the Homarus Ecocentre in Shediac. Since 2016, Martin has taken on the role of Director General at the Maritime Fishermen’s Union, a role which brings him closer to fisheries management and its many challenges.

Pierre-Marcel Desjardins enseigne l’économie à l’Université de Moncton depuis 1990 où il est professeur titulaire et directeur de l’école des Hautes études publiques. Pierre-Marcel détient un Ph.D. en économie de la University of Texas (Austin). Il a obtenu son baccalauréat et sa maîtrise en science économique à l’Université de Moncton. Sa thèse de doctorat portait sur l’impact régional de la libéralisation des échanges. Il détient la désignation IAS.A de l’Institut des administrateurs de sociétés, administrateur, Ses recherches actuelles portent sur le développement économique régional et rural, les politiques publiques et le commerce. Il a agi en tant qu’expert en développement économique pour les gouvernements du Canada, du Vanuatu et du Nouveau-Brunswick, ainsi que pour les Nations Unies et l’Organisation de coopération et développement économique (OCDE). Pierre-Marcel est membre du conseil d’administration d’UNI coopération financière depuis 2008 et son président depuis 2012. UNI est la première caisse populaire au Canada à obtenir une charte fédérale. Il siège au conseil d’administration du Conseil Économique du Nouveau-Brunswick comme conseiller économique depuis 2017. Il a présidé le panel des premiers ministres du Canada atlantique sur les impacts de la réforme de l’assurance emploi et a été membre du groupe de travail sur les pensions de la province du Nouveau-Brunswick. De 2001 à 2012, il fut le président du conseil de gestion du Pays de la Sagouine.

Matt George is a passionate entrepreneur with experience in program development, economic development and immigration.  He is the Founder of the Unsettled Media Podcast Network, an Atlantic Canadian based podcast production business and operates The Navi Group, a consultancy based in New Brunswick.  Matt is a host at heart with extensive experience moderating and facilitating events.

François Poirier is a Young Entrepreneur from Shediac already in his 3rd business. Proud of his region, he launched Viva Shediac, a local tourism experience company in 2019. A 3rd year Marketing student, he is passionate about the business world. François is currently Co-Coordinator of the Université de Moncton delegation for the Commerce Games. Last year his team won a 2nd position in public speaking at the largest university competition in eastern Canada.