Speakers

Valeriya Ionan – Deputy Minister for Eurointegration, Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

Presentation – “Ukraine’s Digital Transformation Vision and The Diia Ecosystem”

Biography:
The Ministry of Digital Transformation (MDT) was established in 2019 to implement the «State in a Smartphone» vision, an essential part of the president Zelenskyy Election Program.

Within the Ministry, Valeriya is in charge of the national program of the development of digital literacy, promoting digital transformation for SME’s, developing regional digital transformation, and leading the Eurointegration team as well as international relations team in the Ministry.

Dr. Yolanda Martinez – Overall Lead GovStack Initiative, Digital Development Bureau, International Telecommunications Union (United Nations)

Presentation – “Overview of the GovStack Program”

Biography:
Yolanda is a Digital Government and Development Expert, passionate about public sector innovation, digital inclusion, #ICT4SDG´s, govtech, the convergence use of emerging technologies for social good, girls & women in tech.

Yolanda works for the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as overall lead for GovStack Initiative (https://www.govstack.global), helping governments accelerate the digitization of government services and #ICT4SDGs

She has extensive experience in digital development, digital government, open data, and digital skills. I have led multiple interdisciplinary teams for digital service design and delivery at the local, federal and international levels. I have advised multiple public, private, and international organizations on digital transformation.

Yolanda has a PhD (in Knowledge and the Information Society – Catalunya), has a Masters in Public Policy and Management (Carnegie Mellon – Fulbright Scholar) and a Bachelor in Information Technology.

Catherine Luelo – Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Canada; Deputy Minister, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Presentation – “Digital Transformation in the Government of Canada: Overview and Lessons Learned”

Biography:
Catherine Luelois a Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Chief Information Officer of Canada.

Prior to her appointment as CIO in July 2021, Catherine was the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Air Canada, where she was responsible for the Information Technology systems that support and enable Air Canada’s global business. In this role, she additionally led innovation in the artificial intelligence space while managing the security and reliability of Air Canada’s worldwide systems in an operational landscape that substantially shifted during the global pandemic.

From 2001-2017, Catherine held senior management and executive roles at major Canadian companies, including Enbridge Inc., WestJet Airlines Ltd., and TELUS Communications.

Catherine holds an MBA from Athabasca University in Alberta and a BSc from the University of Alberta.

In June 2022, she was appointed to the MaRS Discovery District Board of Directors – North America’s largest innovation hub – located in downtown Toronto. In line with her deep interest in cleantech, she also became a member of the Climate Economy Strategic Council – advocating the importance of cleantech adoption to lead in the climate economy.

From 2018-2021, she served on the Board of Directors for scale ai, the Montreal-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) supercluster that aspires to increase competitive advantage for Canada globally in AI . She has also served as a Board Member for Creative Destruction Labs, as well as serving as Chair for Health Canada’s Industry Advisory Roundtable on COVID-19 Testing, Screening, Tracing and Data Management.

Catherine is a proud mother of two children and is a fierce advocate for mental health. In March 2020, she was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation and participates regularly as a panelist and speaker on Mental Health in the workplace.

João Ricardo Vasconcelos – Senior Governance Specialist – GovTech Initiative, World Bank

Presentation – “Overview of the GovTech Initiative”

Biography:
Joao is a Senior Governance Specialist in the Governance Global Practice – Public Administration and Institutional Reforms unit of the World Bank. I’m based in Vienna supporting the development of the GovTech Global work.

His areas of expertise include: governance of digital government; service design and delivery; digital-by-design; data-driven public sector; digital identity, emerging technologies; digital democracy and citizen engagement.

Before joining the World Bank, he was a digital government policy analyst at the Open and Innovative Government Division, Public Governance Directorate of the OECD. I was the lead coordinator of several cross-cutting activities in the Digital Government team, namely the OECD Working Party of Senior Digital Government Officials (E-Leaders), the E-Leaders Thematic Groups and numerous OECD Digital Government Reviews (e.g. Luxembourg, Slovenia, Lebanon, Panama, Brazil, Chile, Morocco, African Portuguese Speaking Countries and Timor Leste).

Hani Eskandar – Head, Digital Services Division, International Telecommunications Union, United Nations

Presentation – “GovStack Architecture & Content Creation”

Biography:
TBD.

Vikash Madduri – GovStack Digital Government Specialist, International Telecommunications Union, United Nations

Biography:
TBD.

Jac van Beek, FCMC – Executive in Residence and Director of Graduate Programs in Engineering Management at Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ottawa

Presentation – “Leading Digital Transformation”

Biography:
Jac van Beek has worked in senior leadership roles in national science and engineering institutions, international consultancies, emerging special purpose enterprises, and as CEO of a national certifying body. Throughout his career, he has served on advisory boards, worked with national boards, and presented at several national and international technical, professional, and policy-oriented conferences. He has also blogged about issues related to leadership, contributed chapters to an annual review entitled Innovation, Science, Environment: Canadian Policies and Performance, organized and presented at national conferences, and provided key national community input to ISO 20700, the international standard for management consulting organizations. In his capacity as a leader, he has created and led national workshops, designed and orchestrated critical direction-setting initiatives, advocated on behalf of business, appeared before parliamentary committees, and funded international Big Science installations.

Professor van Beek has regularly shared his experiences with future leaders through his work with AIESEC, as a part-time professor at University of Ottawa for the past 25 years, through social media, and currently as director of graduate programs in engineering management at the University of Ottawa.

Ing. Pavel Hrabě, PhD – Chief Methodologist of the National Architecture of Czech Public Administration (Czech GEA)

Presentation – “Criticality of Business and Technology Collaboration: Applying Enterprise Architecture as Common Sense to the Digital Transformation of Public Administration Services”

Abstract: This presentation describes the experience of the Czech Republic using Enterprise Architecture as a management method in managing the development of digital services, at different levels of the hierarchy of state administration and local government. The presentation focuses in particular on:

• Digital service should no longer be just a “legal obligation”, but a real service with added, perceived value for the client.
• Orientation to external clients, client segmentation about the management of external services and service channels
• The principle of internal service.
• The legal role of “IS Administrator” by Czech ICT Law
• Transforming the public organization including gathering the necessary resources.
• The transformed organizational logic is an outcome of the EA

Biography:
Ing. Pavel Hrabě, PhD, NAKIT / DIA & University of Economics, Prague (VSE), completed studies in Technical Cybernetics at the ČVUT FEL Prague in 1989. After graduation, he began working as an IT analyst at the University Hospital in Prague. He was the branch manager in one Czech retail bank and sales/ marketing manager in various companies. Since 1995 Pavel has worked at SAP ČR as a consultant, later as a solution architect and management consultant for key customers. Since 2007, Pavel has specialized in advising on IT strategy and EA.

In 2009, Pavel started his doctoral studies on EA at the University of Economics, Prague, completed in 2015 and continued to teach EA here. In 2015 he started also to work as an external advisor of the Czech Ministry of Interior and new Czech Digital and Information Agency, in the role of chief methodologist of the National Architecture of Czech Public Administration (Czech GEA). He is co-author of Digital Czech strategy (in 2018, 2020 and 2022).

Lieutenant-Colonel Josh A. Klemen – Deputy Director of Military Digital Operations, Department of National Defence (DND), Canada

Presentation – “The Defence Digital Literacy Initiative”

Abstract: The presentation discusses how the Canadian Armed Forces can undertake digital transformation to conceive of future concepts, develop new processes, incorporate digital technologies, prepare the workforce and implement culture change to provide operational advantage in the Battle Space, improved stewardship in the Corporate Space, and re-imagine the defence workforce.

Biography:
Josh Klemen joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1999 and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 2003. Following graduation from the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Control Operations he was posted to the 19 Wing Comox control tower.  He then completed numerous postings and deployments providing tactical air support for the Canadian Army and various allied/coaltion forces in Afghanistan and the Middle East as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller and Air Weapons and Tactics Instructor.

He completed Staff College at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB in 2015 earning a concurrent Master’s degree. He remained in place for two more years as a faculty member teaching Airpower Theory, Leadership, and Close Air Support history while also completing the USAF Air War College Program. He was promoted to his current rank and posted to 1 CAD HQ in 2017 in Winnipeg followed by a posting to Rome, NY as the Commander of the Canadian Detachment at the Eastern Air Defense Sector. He completed a Master of Science in Data Science from Eastern University (St. Davids, PA) in 2021.

Dr. Daniel Amyot – Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of the University of Ottawa

Presentation – “A Graduate Program for Digital Transformation & Innovation”

Biography:
Daniel Amyot is Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of the University of Ottawa, and Co-Director of the graduate programs in Digital Transformation and Innovation. His research interests include software engineering, scenario-based and goal-based requirements engineering, business process modelling and mining, regulatory compliance, smart contracts, and healthcare informatics. Daniel led the standardization of the User Requirements Notation, which combines goal and process modelling, at the International Telecommunication Union. He is now heavily invested in the development of Symboleo, a language for specifying, verifying, and monitoring (smart) legal contracts. He was general chair of the Requirements Engineering Conference in 2015 and program co-chair in 2018. Daniel is on the editorial boards of the SoSyM and REJ journals. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Ottawa (2001), and is a professional engineer (OIQ), I.S.P. (CIPS), and a Senior Member of IEEE.

Guy Pearce – Director, IT Governance and Audit, ISACA Ottawa Valley Chapter, Canada; President DEGi Inc.

Presentation – “Rwanda: A digital transformation benchmark, with learnings for Canada”

Abstract: Rwanda, the Singapore of Africa. For its small size and its low income economy, Rwanda has realized extraordinary digitally-driven outcomes by almost any measure, easily comparable to those of far richer countries. Realizing these outcomes from a zero base after the harsh reality of 1994 is staggering; barely 20 years from zero to regional and increasingly global digital competitiveness. The evidence is there for all to see about why digital transformation as a driver of economic growth in the absence of significant natural resources for a small, landlocked country was a clear winning bet. We also present what we believe to be core take-aways for Canada as it pursues its own digital transformation journey. This presentation tells some of the story of Rwanda’s digital transformation, accompanied by a brief look into our work in the digital transformation of healthcare in Rwanda.

Biography:
Guy Pearce has expertise in enterprise digital transformation and governance. Member of the Global ISACA Emerging Trends Working Group. An IT and Data Governance Expert in the Government of Canada’s International Technical Assistance Program. Achievements include being awarded the prestigious ISACA Michael Cangemi Global Award for published contributions to IT. Through dozens of published thought leadership articles, extensive board experience, and having served as CEO, CIO, and CDO (Digital and Data), Guy brings a well-rounded approach to digital transformation He works with enterprises to optimize organizational value creation, with accomplishments including reducing IT operating costs, generating revenue by data science and BI, and leading risk-managed transformations. Guy also help build future digital leader capability through knowledge transfer and by training.

Christopher Yeomans – Project Director, Global Affairs Canada – Technical Assistance Program (TAP)-EDM, Alinea International

Biography:
Chris Yeomans is a leader in the international development sector for more than 25 years, Christopher Yeomans has experience at the helm of several long-term overseas postings. He specializes in capacity development with a background as a Results-based management (RBM), Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+), Triple Nexus facilitator with the Centre for Intercultural Learning. Chris serves as Project Director on the TAP-EDM Project. Previously, he was Project Director of CISAL for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities – a six-year municipal strengthening capacity development project in the Americas. Chris is trilingual – English, French and Spanish – and leads teams from a participatory and inclusive perspective to inspire and maximize development results accountable to project beneficiaries and stakeholders alike.

Dr. Danica Marsden – Principal Data Scientist, Bank of Canada

Presentation – “Women in STEM, A Question & Answer Session” (Panel Discussion)

Biography:
Dr. Danica Marsden is a Principal Quantum Computing Scientist at the Bank of Canada. She has over 20 years of experience in maximizing the impact of new technologies. In her role at the Bank of Canada, she developed the first Quantum Strategy for the Bank, as well as internal training materials on quantum computing. She defines and oversees projects in applying quantum computing to central banking research and advises on post-quantum cryptography solutions.

Dr. Marsden received her PhD in physics from the University of Pennsylvania and was a Keck Institute for Space Studies postdoctoral fellow at Caltech. She also holds a certificate in project management from UBC’s Sauder school of business.

Murray Kronick, FCMC – Part-Time Professor (Long-Term Appointment), Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Canada

Presentation – “Digital Transformation is NOT about Transformation – It’s About Getting the Results”

Abstract: Why do we undertake any Digital Transformation?  Is it to implement the latest technology? Is it to spur program innovation?  There’s nothing wrong with these intentions, but that shouldn’t be the “raison d’être” for any transformation initiative.  The intended results should be along the lines of increased service availability, faster processing times, greater uptake by program participants, and so on. By undertaking a results (aka outcomes) first approach, you will better understand the effect on stakeholders, any unintended consequences, and the risks to achieving those results.  This session will give you a primer on how to drive towards outcomes, build a stronger business case and achieve a truly successful initiative.

Biography:
Murray Kronick is a Part-Time Professor (Long-Term Appointment) with the Telfer School of Management.  He recently retired as a Vice President with BDO Consulting with over 30 years of experience in management consulting. In his consulting practice, he led notable projects for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, including developing the Business Case Guide, the Outcome Management Guide and the key elements of the Policy on the Management of Projects, namely the Organizational Project Management Capability Assessment (OPMCA) and the Project Complexity and Risk Assessment (PCRA).

Murray was a Past President of the Performance and Planning Exchange (PPX) and a Board Member for over 10 years, where he taught the Results-Based Management-101 and -201 courses.  He was editor of the monthly Performance Management column for Canadian Government Executive (CGE) Magazine for 5 years.

Murray is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and a Fellow Certified Management Consultant (FCMC) and is a national instructor for both the Essentials of Management Consulting and Ethical Behaviour for Management Consultants courses since 2009.

Sharat Sahai Mathur – Group General Manager, Centre for Railway Information Systems, Ministry of Railways, India

Presentation – “Indian Railways – Driving Digital Transformation through Enterprise Architecture”

Abstract: The Enterprise Architecture for Indian Railways, named Vistar, is being developed to drive digital transformation in the organization. With the increasing emphasis on creation of an efficient logistics ecosystem in the country, Vistar promises to improve the information flow within the Indian Railways and with its logistics partners. This session will touch upon the process of development of Vistar.

Biography:
Sharat is the General Manager, Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), New Delhi. He joined the Indian Railways as an Assistant Mechanical Engineer in 1986. Since 1988, he has worked in various roles in Information Technology in the Railways. He was part of the team that worked on the Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) project of the then newly set up Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala from 1988 to 1994, one of the pioneers of factory floor networking and integration. I was the CIO of the Container Corporation of India from 1997 to 2000, a key player in the Logistics Sector. From 2002 to 2006, Sharat was Director (Computerization and Information Systems) in the Ministry of Railways, where he was involved in formulating the IT policy of the Indian Railways, apart from conceptualizing, initiating, and monitoring enterprise-wide IT projects.

Since 2006, Sharat worked in the Centre for Railway Information Systems as General Manager / Group General Manager. There he worked in different areas of IT including Enterprise Architecture, Project Portfolio Management, Learning and Development, Datacentre Design and Management, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, RFID technology, GIS systems, and IT Security. Sharat has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE), Jamalpur, and an M. Tech. degree in Computing Systems and Infrastructure from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani.

Priya Srivastava – Chief Architect, Centre for Railway Information Systems, Ministry of Railways, India

Biography:
Priya is an accomplished Enterprise Architecture Professional with 28 years of work experience. She has expertise in IT Application Development, Project Leadership, Solution Design, Stakeholder Liaison, and Team Building. Priya is currently designated as Enterprise Architect (EA) with Centre for Railway Information Systems.

She has an M.Sc.(Computer Science) + MBA (IT) + TOGAF Certified EA +  CISA (Certified Information System Auditor – till January, 2023) + Certified Archimate 3 Practitioner.

Dr. Jay Liebowitz – Executive-in-Residence for Public Service at Columbia University’s Data Science Institute.

Presentation – “Expanding the Digital Talent Pipeline in the U.S. Government”

Abstract: As part of digital transformation efforts, it is crucial to have the appropriate talent in order to develop and implement these initiatives.  The talk will focus on some of the work being done to infuse data analytics into the U.S. government and further develop the digital talent pipeline in the federal government.

Biography:
Dr. Jay Liebowitz has recently served as the inaugural Executive-in-Residence for Public Service at Columbia University’s Data Science Institute. He will be joining the Data Analytics program at Tufts University as Professor of Practice in Data Analytics. He was previously a Visiting Professor in the Stillman School of Business and the MS-Business Analytics Capstone & Co-Program Director (External Relations) at Seton Hall University. He previously served as the Distinguished Chair of Applied Business and Finance at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Before HU, he was the Orkand Endowed Chair of Management and Technology in the Graduate School at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC). He served as a Full Professor in the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University. He was ranked one of the top 10 knowledge management researchers/practitioners out of 11,000 worldwide, and was ranked #2 in KM Strategy worldwide according to the January 2010 Journal of Knowledge Management. At Johns Hopkins University, he was the founding Program Director for the Graduate Certificate in Competitive Intelligence and the Capstone Director of the MS-Information and Telecommunications Systems for Business Program, where he engaged over 30 organizations in industry, government, and not-for-profits in capstone projects.

Prior to joining Hopkins, Dr. Liebowitz was the first Knowledge Management Officer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.  Before NASA, Dr. Liebowitz was the Robert W. Deutsch Distinguished Professor of Information Systems at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Professor of Management Science at George Washington University, and Chair of Artificial Intelligence at the U.S. Army War College.

Dr. Liebowitz is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of Expert Systems With Applications: An International Journal (published by Elsevier; ranked as a top-tier journal; Thomson Impact Factor from June 2021 is 8.665). He is a Fulbright Scholar, IEEE-USA Federal Communications Commission Executive Fellow, and Computer Educator of the Year (International Association for Computer Information Systems). He has published over 45 books and a myriad of journal articles on knowledge management, analytics, financial literacy, intelligent systems, and IT management. Dr. Liebowitz served as the Editor-in-Chief of Procedia-CS (Elsevier). He is also the Series Book Editor of the Data Analytics Applications book series (Taylor & Francis), as well as the Series Book Editor of the new Digital Transformation: Accelerating Organizational Intelligence book series (World Scientific Publishing). In October 2011, the International Association for Computer Information Systems named the “Jay Liebowitz Outstanding Student Research Award” for the best student research paper at the IACIS Annual Conference. Dr. Liebowitz was the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Business at Queen’s University for the Summer 2017 and a Fulbright Specialist at Dalarna University in Sweden in May 2019. He is in the Top 2% of the top scientists in the world, according to a 2019 Stanford Study. As of 2021, he is the Visiting Distinguished Professor at the International School for Social and Business Studies in Slovenia. His recent books are: Data Analytics and AI (Taylor & Francis, 2021), The Business of Pandemics: The COVID-19 Story (Taylor & Francis, 2021), A Research Agenda for Knowledge Management and Analytics (Elgar Publishers, 2021), Online Learning Analytics (Taylor & Francis, 2022), Digital Transformation for the University of the Future (World Scientific, 2022), and Cryptocurrency Concepts, Technology, and Applications (Taylor & Francis, April 2023). He has lectured and consulted worldwide.

Dr. Ott Velsberg – Chief Data Officer, Government of Estonia

Presentation – “Building a Data-Driven Government: Lessons Learned from Estonia’s Journey“

Abstract: In this presentation, attendees will gain a strategic overview of Estonia’s government digital and data transformation journey, presented by the country’s Chief Data Officer, Ott Velsberg. Estonia has emerged as a leader in e-government and has undergone a significant digital transformation journey.

Estonia has leveraged AI to achieve its goals, with more than 100 AI use cases already implemented in government and an ambitious goal of implementing over 130 AI use cases by 2023. The country’s AI strategy aims to make public services easier to use and more accessible while creating a seamless and proactive citizen-centric government.

During the presentation, Velsberg will share the successes and challenges of Estonia’s digital and data transformation journey, drawing on his experience as the Chief Data Officer. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the lessons learned throughout this journey and receive practical advice on how to embark on their own digital and data transformation journeys. Highlights of Estonia’s data initiatives, including the citizen virtual assistant Bürokratt, data stewardship, citizen-centric data governance, data tracker, will also be presented.

Biography:
Ott Velsberg is a renowned Estonian IT specialist and government official, known for his expertise in data governance and data science. As the current Chief Data Officer (CDO) of Estonia, he is responsible for driving the country’s data policy and initiatives related to the use of data in the public sector. Velsberg has a wealth of experience in coordinating data governance and data science, with a focus on domains such as artificial intelligence, open data, citizen-centric data governance, data management, and digital transformation. Under his leadership, Estonia has gained a reputation as a trendsetter in data governance, open data, and artificial intelligence.  With his passion for technology and data, he is making significant contributions to Estonia’s digital transformation and shaping the country’s future in data governance.

Ima Okonny – Chief Data Officer at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

Presentation – “Managing Data in a Large Government Department”

Biography:
Ima, the Chief Data Officer at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), has over 23 years of experience in the field of data.

She has extensive experience with building the evidence base through the development of analytical databases, building analytical tools, implementing departmental data reporting and release strategies, data management, data privacy protocols and with forward-looking policy development and research.

Ima has an educational background in Mathematics, Computer Programming and Public Management and during her time with the Government of Canada, she has received several nominations and awards for her leadership and results.

She is passionate about helping organizations develop the capabilities required to ethically and intentionally unleash concrete business value from data.

Biographie d’Ima Okonny:
Ima, la dirigeante principale des données d’Emploi et Développement social Canada (EDSC), a plus de 23 ans d’expérience dans le domaine des données.

Elle a acquis une vaste expérience en matière de développement de données probantes, que ce soit pour le développement de bases de données analytiques ou la création d’outils analytiques, la mise en œuvre de stratégies ministérielles de communication et de diffusion des données, la gestion des données, les protocoles de confidentialité des données, ainsi que l’élaboration de politiques et de recherches prospectives.

Ima a une formation en mathématiques, en programmation informatique et en gestion publique. Durant sa carrière au Gouvernement du Canada, elle a reçu multiples nominations et prix pour son leadership et ses accomplissements. Elle se passionne pour l’autonomisation des équipes multidisciplinaires pour qu’elles tirent une valeur opérationnelle concrète des données.

Julie Champagne – Managing Director of Corporate Services and Data (CS), Bank of Canada

Presentation – “The CDO Leadership Role in Digital Transformation“

Abstract: The presentation will cover:

• The role of Canada’s central bank, its mandate and strategic priorities
• Harnessing the power of data and our journey to date
• Enabling and empowering a data-driven organization
• Data Science use case in Currency
• Lessons learned

Biography:
Julie Champagne was appointed Managing Director of Corporate Services and Data (CS), effective 5 March 2018. In this capacity, she is responsible for the Bank’s Information, Data and Analytics Services (IDAS), Facilities, and Corporate Security Services (CSS), including the Bank’s continuity of operations.

Ms. Champagne has an extensive background in operational and financial auditing, management consulting, strategic business planning and enterprise risk management. She joined the Bank in 2009 as Deputy Managing Director of Internal Audit and served as Chief Internal Auditor from 2012.

A native of Sudbury, Ontario, Ms. Champagne holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Laurentian University. She is a Fellow of Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA, FCA) and holds Certified Internal Auditor designations.

Biographie:
Julie Champagne est devenue directrice générale, Services généraux et données, le 5 mars 2018. À ce titre, elle est responsable de la Section de l’information, des données et de l’analytique, des Services des installations et du Service de sécurité de la Banque, ainsi que du programme de continuité des opérations de l’institution.

Mme Champagne possède de solides antécédents dans les domaines de l’audit opérationnel et de l’audit des états financiers, des services de conseil en gestion, de la planification stratégique des activités et de la gestion des risques d’entreprise. Elle est entrée à la Banque en 2009 en tant que directrice générale déléguée de la Vérification interne, puis a assumé les fonctions de vérificatrice interne en chef à partir de 2012.

Originaire de Sudbury, en Ontario, Mme Champagne est titulaire d’un baccalauréat spécialisé en commerce de l’Université Laurentienne. Elle détient également les titres de comptable agréée et d’auditrice interne certifiée.

Eric Sweden, MSIH MBA CGCIO – Program Director, Enterprise Architecture & Governance, National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO)

Presentation – “State IM/IT Priorities for Digital Transformation“

Abstract: “Digital transformation” is the key term anymore. But what states and territories have been doing for decades is “continual transformation” to stay in step with what our citizens and businesses need. NASCIO’s first video on “digital transformation” was published in 2001 – “2001 NASCIO Future of Government” and is available here.

That video production was the culmination of significant discussion, brainstorming, and future thinking for state government.

The title for this presentation is borrowed from our 2021 Annual State CIO Survey. This presentation will summarize the findings from that report and three top ten lists for 2022. These include our Top Ten Strategies, Top Ten Technologies and our first ever Top Ten Enterprise Risks for state and territorial government in the United States.

Biography:
Eric Sweden possesses 40 years of experience in senior technical and management positions within IT, business, and public & occupational health with substantial experience in business architecture, information architecture, business process enhancement, and strategy development. He has held a variety of technical and managerial roles in chemical manufacturing and telecommunications corporations and has been serving the state government CIO community since 2003.

Eric is an experienced presenter and author of a long list of guidance documents related to industry and state government IT management including enterprise architecture, enterprise IT governance, records management, digital preservation, information sharing, organizational transformation, business intelligence and analytics, cloud computing, cyber disruption response planning, government transparency, blockchain and multi-sourcing.

Eric holds an MBA from the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota; and a Masters of Science from the School of Public Health, University of Michigan. In 2016 Eric completed the PTI / Rutgers University Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO™) Program with Honors.

Dr. James Denford – Professor of Management Information Systems, Royal Military College of Canada (RMC)

Presentation – “A Global Assessment of National AI Policies”

Abstract: Different countries are implementing their national artificial intelligence (AI) strategies in quite different ways. Based on examination of 34 countries AI strategies and policies, we examine how various countries view AI, analyze their plans for evidence to support their goals, discuss who is winning and who is losing in the race to national AI governance, and identify how countries group or are differentiated based upon their strategic AI investments. We pay specific attention to how two leaders in AI – the U.S. and China – are taking different paths to AI dominance and how other nations, including Canada, are following.

Biography:
Dr. James S. (Jim) Denford is a Professor of Management Information Systems at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering and MBA from the Royal Military College of Canada and a PhD in Management from Queen’s University.

He had a 24-year career in the Canadian Armed Forces as an officer in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, working in communications and information systems at the tactical, operational and strategic levels. Upon retirement from the CAF, he started a second career in as a civilian professor at RMC in 2012, where he served as a Department Head and Faculty Dean for ten years.

Jim’s research focuses on knowledge management and the strategic use of information technology (IT), particularly in public sector contexts. He has been published in top academic journals and practitioner outlets and presented at top conferences in his research disciplines.

Dr. Stenio Fernandes – Assistant Director for Data Science Innovations, Bank of Canada

Presentation – “Digital Transformation and Innovation Value Stream in Data Science”

Abstract: In this talk, I will share insights on shaping the Data Science Innovation Value Stream at Canada’s Central Bank. We will start by clarifying and demystifying some definitions and rationales related to digital transformation and innovation and then will explore the pillars that underpin a strong Innovation Value Stream in Data Science. We will also dive into practical considerations, including strategic actions regarding applied research framework for developing and adopting emerging technologies, with a particular emphasis on AI. We focus on having thought-provoking discussions so the audience can gain valuable insights into how to shape their organization’s digital transformation journey.

Biography:
Dr. Stenio Fernandes is the Assistant Director for Data Science Innovations at the Bank of Canada, where his primary focus is to shape the Data Science Innovation Value Stream and guide research and development of cutting-edge technologies such as Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence. He is also an Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University and has previously worked in the industry (Element AI, Service Now), leading teams of AI researchers and developers.

Dr. Fernandes holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UFPE (Brazil) with Post-Doctoral experience at the University of Ottawa and has also completed a Professional Education Program on Leadership and Innovation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has published more than 140 research papers and patents in reputable peer-reviewed conferences and journals. He is an expert in the performance evaluation of computing systems and has substantial experience in building, validating, and testing AI models and systems. He is a Senior Member of the Institute of the Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a certified PMP, and a member of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) Committee on Artificial Intelligence.

Sahar Nezami-Tafreshi – Senior Director, Analytics, and Insights – Bank of Canada

Presentation – “Establishing an Analytics Strategy and Practice: Considerations for your Next Strategic Plan”

Abstract: Whether you are just embarking on a data management & analytics journey, or have already made progress and are now refreshing your strategy and operating model, there are challenges and opportunities ahead that are relevant and applicable to almost all of us in this field. Understanding the situations and planning for the opportunities will help create a forward looking 3-year strategy that can focus your priorities, investments, and talent development activities.

Biography:
Sahar Nezami is a senior director at the Bank of Canada where she heads the Analytics & Insights practice. She has more than 18 years of experience building, growing, and leading data and analytics teams in various lines of business and different industries, from professional services, to retail banking, and now with central banking.

Sahar is an advocate of self-serve analytics and augmented decision support and believes in the value of data as a product and analytics as a service. She is a mentor and a volunteer and works on providing opportunities and support networks for women and newcomers, in particular.

Analytics strategy, data governance, talent development, and automating insights are some of the topics Sahar is interested in and speaks about.

Sahar is a software engineer with an M.Sc. in Economic Systems Engineering and an MBA. She lives in Toronto, Canada, and you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Deniz Susar – Governance and Public Administration Officer – Digital Government Branch, Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government, United Nations Dept of Economics and Social Affairs

Presentation – “UN E-Government Survey Overview”

Abstract: The session will focus on the methodology behind the bi-annual survey and answer questions from attendees.

Biography:
Deniz Susar’s main work areas include e-government, internet governance, smart cities, artificial intelligence, ICT indicators and in general using ICTs for sustainable development in general. He takes active role in preparation of annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) meetings and its inter-sessional work. He also leads UN DESA activities on World Summit on Information Society (WSIS). He coordinates the work on smart cities with the Local Online Service Index (LOSI) as part of the United Nations E-Government Survey. Deniz represents UN DESA in the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development and works on ICT indicators to track progress in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He holds a Master Degree on International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University, New York, and a Computer Engineering degree from the Bogazici University of Istanbul.

Dorothy Eng – Executive Director at Code for Canada

Presentation – “Technology and Design for the Public Good”

Abstract: A major contributing factor to the breakdown of trust in government here in Canada is despite our shared beliefs in providing equitable, inclusive, and responsive digital public services, public service delivery is not keeping pace with an increasingly digital public’s needs and expectations.

And yet, this is the same country where with a few exceptions you can get best-in-class private products and services — from taxi rides to dinner on-demand. Leaving many in Canada asking ‘why can’t our public services be that intuitive and seamless?’

In this session, Dorothy Eng – Executive Director of Code for Canada – will be talking about the nonprofits mission to build the digital capacity of governments to deliver public services that are equitable, inclusive and responsive, meeting people where they are at.

Biography:
Dorothy Eng is passionate about using technology and design to positively impact everyday people’s lives.

At Code for Canada, Dorothy works with governments, nonprofits and corporations to develop public-interest technologies which make the delivery of services to the public more effective, efficient and better meet people where they are at. She is passionate about putting users at the center of public service design/development and policymaking, using data and metrics to inform decision-making and running small experiments to help scale up the right solutions that make real impact — whether those are digital technologies or those deemed to be ‘low-tech’.

Dorothy writes and speak out about civic technology and the importance of digital inclusion in our society — which includes past pieces in the Daily Hive, appearances at FWD50, Canada’s conference on digital government, and CBC News Network’s panel on technology. Prior to her career in civic technology, Dorothy worked in various roles at different tech companies — from sales to consulting to product management — designing and building enterprise and consumer-facing software. She holds an undergraduate degree in materials engineering from McMaster University and an MBA in social sector innovation from the Schulich School of Business.

As a working mother herself, Dorothy is a strong advocate for equitable and inclusive workplaces that enable people to do their best work. She is on a journey to look after her own mental health and look out for the mental health of her family, friends and surrounding communities.

Eric Balodis – Director of Analytics and Decision Support, Bank of Canada

Presentation – “Data Fluency at the Bank of Canada; a Learner-Centric Approach”

Abstract: Like all leading organizations, the Bank of Canada has been investing in its capacity to leverage data in all aspects of its work. Data Fluency (also known as Data Literacy) has been a cornerstone of all public sector data strategies, but it presents several challenges. Most organizations’ workforces have a high degree of heterogeneity in their data fluency – that is, knowledge of basic data and statistical concepts that allow people to “read” and “speak” data in their day-to-day work. Addressing this heterogeneity by taking a “leaner-centric” approach has been at the core of the Bank of Canada’s Data Fluency Program. This presentation covers the strategic drivers for investing in data fluency, the Bank’s approach to addressing varied audiences across the organization, and our strategy for delivering a wide range of options for learners.

Biography:
Erik Balodis has over 15 years of experience working in the Canadian public sector, with a focus on applied science, product development, and analytics. He’s had the privilege of working on the Bank of Canada’s first data strategy, and led a program team to oversee its implementation from 2019-2021.  In 2022, Erik became the Bank’s first Director of Analytics and Decision Support, with a mandate to progress analytic adoption at the Bank of Canada and to deliver innovative data and analytic solutions to all parts of the organization.  Erik holds an M.Sc. in Physical Chemistry, and an M.B.A.

Dr. Meng-Chyi Mickey Harn – EA Director of the City Digital Innovation Office, City of Taipei

Presentation – “Transforming Taipei into a Smart City via Taipei GEAF”

Abstract: Taipei City Government promotes smart cities, in line with the vision of Livable and Sustainable City and the concept of Living Lab. We hope that through the mechanism of empirical testing in open field, smart technology can be implemented into action plans for solving urban problems, which leads to a better quality of urban lives for citizens.

At the same time, it will drive the development of Taiwan’s smart city industry, and meet the needs of the global market, and facilitate industrial globalization.

In addition, Taipei’s experience in promoting smart cities is not only conducive to the development of internationalization of Taipei City, but also creates opportunities for Taiwan to expand its international relations through city diplomacy.

Taipei City Government promotes the development of smart city and digital transformation by building a dual-core driving strategy, including the public-private cooperative smart city mechanism for Technology Driven Innovation and the data application for Data Driven Governance.

At this stage Taipei City Government has also formulated the 1+7 field promotion framework, with smart government as the core, to promote Smart Building, Smart Transportation, Smart Education, Smart Health, Smart Environment, Smart Security, and Smart Economy. This framework enables further actions across four major areas spanning Open Government, Civic Participation, Open Data, and International Engagement. After 2021, the individual programs were directed by the white paper on industrial digital transformation policy in the post epidemic era in Taipei and collected in the action plan.

The Taipei City Government was the first government to introduce Enterprise Architecture in Taiwan. In 2021, the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) of the Taipei City Government embarked on the adoption of Enterprise Architecture to support the Taipei Smart City plan. The EA group created an innovative mechanism, the Taipei Government Enterprise Architecture Framework (Taipei GEAF) that is based on the TOGAF® Standard and refers on the common method of the FEAF, to solve some crucial issues coming from stakeholders.

Biography:
Dr. Meng-Chyi Miceky Harn is currently the EA Director of the Taipei Digital Innovation Office (DoIT), Taipei City Government. He joined the EA Group to help agencies plan and realize the IT projects of Taipei Smart City using a viable EA method, Taipei Government Enterprise Architecture (Taipei GEAF).

He has engaged in the study and education of Information Technology and Management for 35 years, since 1986. After receiving a PhD in Computer Science at the Naval Postgraduate School, USA, in 1999, he worked in the Graduate School of National Defense Information, the National Defense Management College, National Defense University, ROC. His research interests include architecture theory, SBC architecture, DoDAF, the TOGAF Standard, C4ISR systems, software evolution, formal methods, and network-centric applications.

In 2004, he retired from the military system and continued his career as Associate Professor in the Department of Information Technology and the General Director in both the computer center and the C4ISR research center at the Takming University of Science and Technology (TMUST) in Taipei. As Dean of College of Informatics at TMUST, he participated in and hosted The Open Group Taipei 2011 in Taiwan.

After that, he was the main planner and instructor, training the senior leaders of national science and technology R&D programs as EA Chief Architects at Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI); in seven years, about 170 EA Chief Architects have been born by his hand. In the meantime, he successfully achieved several EA and DoDAF projects from the government. He wrote down some lessons learned and published an important book: Enterprise Architecture Guidance: Blue Ocean Layout and Practice Strategy which is based on the Structure-Behavior Coalescence (SBC), TOGAF Standard, and Semantic Networks via ArchiMate (SNA) invented by him in 2015.

Currently, he is the Honorary Chairman of Association of Chinese Enterprise Architects, a|CEA, and the Deputy Chairman of Association of Enterprise Architects, Taiwan Chapter (a|EA Taiwan Chapter).

Boitumelo Molete – Senior Manager, Enterprise Architecture, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Biography:
Boitumelo joined the University in 2017 to setup and implement EA portfolio in the University. EA provides architectural guidelines, standards and Enterprise Wide Strategic Leadership for Information Systems and Information Technology Strategy. The EA unit also defines and manages the Architecture Processes and Governance Structures to Assure Sustainability and realise long term Business Benefits. Before joining Wits, Boitumelo worked as a Senior Advisor Business Architect at ESKOM Holdings SOC Ltd, South Africa’s primary electricity supplier for 9 years.

She is also a serving member in the TOGAF_Agile WG and Government EA WG. She is a certified TOGAF Practitioner, also certified Project Manager and certified Business Analyst.

Don Clysdale – Chief Technical Architect, Federal Government & The Open Group / Fujitsu

Biography:
Don Clysdale, a Fujitsu Distinguished Engineer, is currently working as Chief Technical Architect on modernization and transformation projects for the Government of Canada, including the implementation of commercial off-the-shelf products and cloud hosting.

Don has worked in some of the largest Canadian federal government departments, agencies, and crown corporations as Technical Lead, Integration Architect, and/or Data Architect for implementation and integration of large solutions. His recent focus has been architecting the building blocks for information sharing and processing using microservices, opensource schemas, and technology platforms.

Don has developed computer simulations of large-scale systems and applied optimization and statistical analyses to work force, workload, and workflow problems. Leveraging address and demographic data with GIS technology, he has improved client data processes and implemented value-added services. Don is a member of The Open Group Government EA Working Group.

Rachel Porteous – Chief Information Officer – Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC)

Presentation – “Overcoming Digital Transformation Challenges“

Biography:
Ms Porteous is a distinguished Senior Executive with over 30 years of IM/IT experience; proven track record of successes in developing solutions that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of IT and business operations. Strong leader able to drive transformations and service delivery while developing high performing teams.

Ms Porteous has been the Chief Information Officer at FINTRAC since January of 2019. She was the Chief Information Officer at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) from 2017 to 2019.

Prior to IRCC, Ms. Porteous occupied the position of Director General/Chief Technology Officer at Public Services and Procurement Canada where she was responsible to lead the advancements in Enterprise Architecture and Innovation, IT Security and Product Management.

Ms. Porteous has extensive experience in leading and supporting the development and implementation of Departmental IT products and programs, as well as multiple multimillion-dollar projects across many departments. As the Executive Director and Acting Director General of Enterprise Services at Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Director of Information Management and Enterprise Resourcing Planning Systems at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).

Ms. Porteous has developed, led and maintained consultative and collaborative partnerships, networks and projects. She started her career at Indian and Northern Affairs Department where she excelled in multiple IM/IT positions over 17 years.

Ms. Porteous holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, with a Major in Computer Science from the Université du Québec en Outaouais. She is a mother of 2 daughters and volunteers in two non-for-profit organization, the Association of Public Sector Information Professionals (DPI) and the CIO Association of Canada.

Yvonne Gallagher – Director Digital Corporate Group, United Kingdom National Audit Office

Presentation – “Evaluating UK Parliament’s Digital Transformation Delivery of Value for Money“

Biography:
Yvonne has over 25 years’ experience in IT, business change, digital services, and cyber and information assurance. She has had senior roles in the private sector in large organisations such as the Prudential and Network Rail. Yvonne was CIO in two government departments, as well as Chief Digital Officer and CIO in the private sector prior to her move to the National Audit Office (NAO).

Yvonne is also a Fellow of the British Computer Society (BCS) and previous chair of their Organisation and Employer board. Yvonne’s role in the NAO over the past 7 years is to support the NAO’s work for Parliament evaluating how well Digital and associated business change programmes are implemented to deliver value for money.

Dr. Raul M. Abril – Officer of the European Commission and a research fellow at KU Leuven, Public Governance Institute

Presentation – “Interoperable Europe Act: An Architecture Perspective”

Biography:
Raul M. Abril is an officer of the European Commission since 2013 and a research fellow at KU Leuven, Public Governance Institute. He is responsible for a portfolio of European programs including the European Interoperability Reference Architecture, EIRA, the eGovERA Portfolio Decision Making support and the eGovERA Digital Transformation Roadmap support.

He has +35y of IT professional services experience, most of them in the private sector and holding several senior positions including R&D Portfolio manager in a major USA IT vendor.

His knowledge domains are Research Methods (Quantitative & Qualitative Analysis), Marketing (Research, IS), IT R&D (Portfolio Mgmt, Product Mgmt), Project Mgmt, and IS & Technology (Knowledge Management, DSS, BI, Data Warehousing, DBMS, IS Design). Raul has been professor in several universities and been active publishing his research.

Raul holds a doctoral degree (Henley Management College, UK), a European PhD Certification (European Doctoral School on Knowledge Management, DK), an Ing. Sup. Informatics (UAB, ESP), and a Master’s in Project Mgmt (The George Washington University, USA).

Dr. Kimiz Dalkir – Director of Information Studies, McGill University

Presentation – “Knowledge Management in a Post-Truth World“

Abstract: In a post-truth world, objective facts have less influence on opinions and decisions than emotions and personal beliefs. People deliberately select those facts and data that support their preferred conclusions and classify any information that contradicts their beliefs as “false news.”  This is not a recent problem but the Internet and social media allow information sharing at an incredible speed (practically real-time) and over a much greater geographic range (almost worldwide).

There is also increasingly a crowd-sourcing approach to gathering information.  Today, most people read news through their social networks rather than independent news reports. This creates an overall false balance, as people tend to seek out information that is compatible with their existing views and values.

How can Knowledge Management (KM) help in a post-truth world?  KM can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of fact checking (e.g. through a news filtering agents that identify false news much as we identify junk email). KM can also provide a framework where credibility and trust are critical to sharing information and knowledge with others.  Finally, KM can ensure relevant experiential knowledge as well as validated information is created, shared, disseminated and preserved in order to better inform decision and policy-making.

Everyone needs to improve their metaliteracy skills and organizations need to implement policies and tools to help knowledge workers better navigate fake news, alternative facts and misinformation in the post-truth world.

Biography:
Dr. Dalkir is an Associate Professor and Director of the School of Information Studies at McGill University.  She wrote Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice (MIT Press, 4th edition forthcoming May 2023), which has had an international impact on KM education and on KM practice for over two decades.  She also co-edited Utilizing Evidence-Based Lessons Learned for Enhanced Organizational Innovation and Change (with S. McIntyre) and Navigating Fake News, Alternative Facts and Misinformation in a Post-Truth World. (with R. Katz).

Dr. Dalkir’s research area is primarily tacit knowledge sharing and organizational learning. Her current research focuses on the loss of tacit knowledge during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also working on a new book, Inclusive Knowledge Management (CRC Press), that will highlight the need to improve diversity, inclusivity and equity in all KM activities.  Prior to joining McGill, Dr. Dalkir was Global Practice Leader KM for Fujitsu Consulting and she worked in the field of knowledge transfer and retention for 17 years with clients in Europe, Japan and North America.

Youngseok Kim – Senior Governance Specialist, World Bank

Presentation – “Interoperability Towards a Data-Driven Public Sector”

Biography:
Youngseok Kim is a Senior Governance Specialist in the Governance Global Practice (GGP) of the World Bank. He is currently working in the GovTech team for supporting GovTech projects and contributing to several GovTech activities such as GovTech case studies, GovTech Maturity Index, GovTech Academy, and policy/how-to-notes in the areas of service delivery, CivicTech, Interoperability, and Greening GovTech. Prior to joining the World Bank, Youngseok worked in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of the Republic of Korea. At the Ministry, he has contributed to establishing and developing major policies, including Korea’s Government Innovation Plan and Digital Government Strategy. He also worked on policies to support the administrative innovation of local governments. He has a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Southern California.

Joanne Martins – Technology and Innovation, World Bank

Biography:
Joanne is a Technology and Innovation specialist/architect at the World Bank Group leading the exploration and operationalization of 4IR technologies in the context of international development. Prior to joining the World Bank Group, she led large-scale digital and business transformation projects for public and private sector clients across Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa (EMEA). She holds a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science and MSc in System Engineering with management from the UK.

Larry Stoddard – Senior Security Architect – Canadian Centre for Cyber-Security (CCCS)

Presentation – “Analytical Software for Threat Assessments (ASTRA)”

Abstract: The Canadian Centre for Cyber-Security (CCCS) Cyber Centre has developed the Analytical Software for Threat and Risk Assessment (ASTRA) tool to guide government and private sector enterprises in assessing the threats and risks in their cyber space.  ASTRA has the ease of use of turbo tax software for TRAs, asking users to input information from their environments, then providing them with an assessment of the status of their cyber security.  Risks are ranked and recommendations are automatically provided to mitigate those risks.  The ASTRA tool is nearing its final test phase and will be made available to the public shortly.

The CCCS Internal Audit group has prepared a cyber security audit program that is organized based on CCCS’ publication the TOP 10 Cyber Security Threats.  The audit program is an entry level program that includes a cyber security governance section and a risk management section, as well as audit tests for each audit sub-criteria.  The audit program also denotes those audit criteria that are mandatory under Government of Canada policy.

The CCCS cyber security audit tool suite also includes:

(1) a one-page placemat;

(2) a Cyber Security Audit Guide on how to approach and conduct an internal audit of cyber security, and

(3) a Preliminary Survey Tool (PST) to guide auditors in gathering key information and ranking audit entity risks at the start of the audit planning phase.

The ASTRA software tool can also be used by auditors in the planning or examination phases of an audit to assess cyber threats and risks.

Biography:
Larry Stoddard is the senior security architect in the Security Architecture unit of the CCCS. He is a retired Communications Officer from the RCAF and has worked at CSE since 9/11. He is one of the authors of ITSG-33 and leads the development of the functional requirements for ASTRA. Larry has a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta.

Brian Thompson – Lead Developer of ASTRA, Canadian Centre for Cyber-Security (CCCS)

Biography:
Brian Thompson is the lead developer of ASTRA. He is a graduate of the Algonquin College Computer Engineering Technology program. He was part of the original team of students that developed ASTRA as a class project and was hired by CSE after graduation to continue its development.

Dr. Kimiz Dalkir – Director of Information Studies, McGill University

Presentation – “Future Trends in Knowledge Management“

Abstract: The history of KM is often categorized into three early eras: the first focused on KM containers (tools and technologies) or the “what” of KM to ensure valuable knowledge could be shared with present-day colleagues as well as with future (often unknown) knowledge reusers.  The second era focused on knowledgeable people or the “who” of KM to create knowledge networks to help identify who possessed what type of expertise within the organization (and sometimes, outside it).  The third era focused on content and, more importantly, being able to find valuable content when it was needed.

What came after?  The growing interdisciplinarity of knowledge management and its symbiotic relationship with big data, analytics and artificial intelligence, the need for greater knowledge sharing in the wake of 9/11, a new ISO KM standard and how the role of KM became much more visible during the pandemic.  What is next and what are some current trends?  Some key trends include KM governance, KM metrics, KM roles/competencies, integration of KM and AI, more scalable KM and more inclusive KM.  

Biography:
Dr. Dalkir is an Associate Professor and Director of the School of Information Studies at McGill University.  She wrote Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice (MIT Press, 4th edition forthcoming May 2023), which has had an international impact on KM education and on KM practice for over two decades.  She also co-edited Utilizing Evidence-Based Lessons Learned for Enhanced Organizational Innovation and Change (with S. McIntyre) and Navigating Fake News, Alternative Facts and Misinformation in a Post-Truth World. (with R. Katz).

Dr. Dalkir’s research area is primarily tacit knowledge sharing and organizational learning. Her current research focuses on the loss of tacit knowledge during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also working on a new book, Inclusive Knowledge Management (CRC Press), that will highlight the need to improve diversity, inclusivity and equity in all KM activities.  Prior to joining McGill, Dr. Dalkir was Global Practice Leader KM for Fujitsu Consulting and she worked in the field of knowledge transfer and retention for 17 years with clients in Europe, Japan and North America.

Justin Osmond – Sr. Policy Analyst in Regulatory Affairs, Standards Council of Canada

Presentation – “Standardization for Digital Credentials and Digital Trust Services”

Abstract: During this presentation, Justin Osmond, Sr. Policy Analyst, Regulatory Affairs at the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), and Paul Jackson, Director of Technology and Innovation at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) will explain the policy and regulatory implications of a forthcoming accredited conformity assessment program for digital credentials and digital trust services.

This program will provide third-party certification for products and services for issuing, verifying and holding digital credentials, as well as trust registries. It is being built through the four-phase consensus process overseen by the Standards Council of Canada.

Justin and Paul will situate this work in a broader understanding of the National Standardization System and the role of the Standards Council of Canada. They will then explain the consensus process that led to the publication of DGSI/TS 115 Technical Specification for Digital Credentials and Digital Trust Services, and the on-going pilot certification program that is evaluating the market and policy impact of the Technical Specification. Emphasis will be placed on the need for government representation in the pilot and future standards development. During the presentation, regulators and policy makers will learn how to shape the accredited conformity assessment program, and how to evaluate the program for use in future policy and regulatory development.

Biography:
Justin Osmond is a Sr. Policy Analyst in Regulatory Affairs at the Standards Council of Canada. He is responsible for supporting federal government stakeholders in the use of standards and conformity assessment for policy and regulatory objectives. His work includes analysis and project management for the development and implementation of standardization tools. He specializes in digital credentials, artificial intelligence, TBS Regulatory Reviews, and regulatory experimentation. Before joining the Standards Council of Canada, Justin worked in project management and regulatory affairs for the in vitro diagnostics industry. He supported product development and global regulatory market authorizations for human and environmental genetic testing platforms.

Paul Jackson – Director, Digital Credentials, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Biography:
Paul Jackson is the Director of Technology and Innovation for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Digital Credentials Program. He is leading several initiatives to enable the use of digital credentials across Canada and with trading partners, with particular focus on:

• Domestic and international standards for digital credentials and interoperability for digital credential solutions;
• Infrastructure and enabling services for digital credentials, including working through the innovation ecosystem to pilot test potential infrastructure and service approaches; and
• Key digital credential use cases, including exploring, designing, implementing, testing and aligning those uses cases.

Before his work on digital credentials, Paul led the migration of more than a dozen federal departments to the Managed Web Service for Canada.ca, as part of the Web Renewal Initiative; development and maintenance of the Web Experience Toolkit, an open-source front-end framework for websites that is deployed across much of the Government of Canada; and co-authoring and supporting implementation of the Government of Canada web standards.

Marina Van Koughnett – Manager, Asset Management System Governance and Compliance, TransAlta

Presentation – “Operations Management and Cyber-Compliance in the Energy Sector”

Abstract: Change is hard. Programs that aim to deliver organizational changes often fail.  Many reasons exist for these failures; however, there is one thing all organizational changes have in common – the need for people to change their behaviours and adopt new practices.  Through an exploration of personal successes and failures we will reflect on how people were engaged and how this contributed to the desired outcomes.  Join Marina in her exploration of technical program implementation challenges and reflect on how your own programs are addressing the most important element of delivering change – people.

Biography:
Marina Van Koughnett has 19 years’ experience in the power generation industry most of which has been focused on delivering organizational change.  These changes range from process improvements to a Generation Business Operating Model implementation and subsequent governance of its’ policies, standards, processes, and technologies.  Today Marina is responsible for Asset Management Systems Governance and Compliance, which includes cyber-security compliance for electrical generating assets (NERC & NERC CIP).

Marina holds a degree in Computer Engineering from Queens University.

Caleb Walker – Senior Vice President of Strategic Pursuits, WithYouWithMe

Presentation – “Upskilling People for the Workplace of the Future – SFIA”

Biography:
Leveraging a 20-year career in the Army and a strategic mindset, I’m a Business Developer known for driving significant growth through high-value partnerships. Expert in military readiness, technology, human resources, and cultural transformations, I utilize the skills frameworks (#SFIA) to fuel efficiency and innovation.

My collaborative sales style has generated $10M+ in annual sales, while my multi-million dollar real estate investment company showcases my multifaceted business acumen. I’ve spearheaded the employment of thousands from diverse backgrounds, highlighting my commitment to inclusion and diversity.

Once a soldier ‘blowing stuff up,’ now I lead growth and transformation from behind a desk. A curious, creative problem-solver, I’m a devoted family man and a lifelong learner, perpetually ready for the next challenge.

Greg Lane, MBA, ISP – CEO, Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS), Executive in Residence at the University of Ottawa’s eHub program

Presentation – “Upskilling People for the Workplace of the Future – SFIA”

Biography:
Greg Lane MBA, I.S.P. (ret) has over 30 years of leadership experience in IT. He did his master research report on Customer Service and Outsourcing. He has worked on product sales with Microsoft and Cisco and in consulting with Deloitte and Accenture.

His leadership experience includes volunteer activity with CIPS, ICTC and ITAC (now Technation). He has published on the topic of building relationships in a digital world and portals. He has lectured at both Algonquin College and University of Ottawa on Relationship Building and IT Governance.

Greg is currently an Executive in Residence at the University of Ottawa’s eHub program and the national CEO of CIPS, Canada’s Association of IT Professionals.

Najah Mary El-Gharib – Ph.D. Candidate in Digital Transformation and Innovation at the University of Ottawa

Presentation – “Data-driven Robotic Process Automation Exploiting Process Mining”

Abstract: The presentation will start with a useful problem definition followed by an introduction to Process Mining and Robotic Process Automation. This will be followed by research questions, methodologies and the approach adopted in the research. Concluding material will include a description of the Canadian Process Mining Community.

Biography:
Najah Mary El-Gharib is a Ph.D. Candidate in Digital Transformation and Innovation at the University of Ottawa. Her research area focuses on process mining and robotic process automation, and on how the two technologies can be integrated within organizations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (2017) from the same university, where she also received her master’s degree in 2019 and her thesis topic was “Using Process Mining Technology for Understanding User Behavior in SaaS Applications”. Since 2016, Najah has been involved with several organizations in Ottawa and nationally to teach high-school girls computer science and inspire girls to consider a STEM education. She is a computer science high school educator and mentor. Najah is an IEEE student member since 2015.

Bruno Ouellet – Director, Enterprise Architecture, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

Presentation – “CBSA Architecture Program: a Digitalization Enabler”

Abstract: Over the last decade, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has evolved its enterprise architecture program to the point that it is now seen as one of the most mature within the Government of Canada. The CBSA Architecture Program (CAP), grounded in TOGAF, is a business architecture driven program that encompasses all key architecture domains: Information/Data/Privacy, Applications, Technology and Security architecture domains. The CAP mandate is to provide modern architecture services to fully supports the Agency optimization and digital transformation agenda. As such, the CAP tracks societal and governmental innovations, develops related strategic architecture direction in alignment with GC direction and industry best practices, develops and maintains a CBSA digital twin (CBSA Reference Architecture) used to understand the CBSA architecture structure and assess transformational impact and, finally, assesses/guides the compliance of all transformational initiatives as they are being realised. The CAP also has its own governance mechanism up to the CBSA Architecture Review Board. The aim of this presentation is to expose how the CAP operates and support digital transformation.

Biography:
Bruno Ouellet completed a 26-year career in the Canadian Forces as Army Signal Officer. During that period, he served in multiple land and static signal positions, was employed in some cyber security positions and has also spent over 10 years as project director and project manager in the delivery of major projects related to land communication systems. As Major, he was also appointed commandant of the Canadian Forces Crypto Support Unit and as LCol he was appointed Commandant of the Canadian Joint Operational Command Headquarters. In Dec 2013, he retired from the Canadian Forces and joined CBSA as the Director Enterprise Architecture until now. Bruno completed a bachelor’s in computer science (with Dean’s mention), and a master’s degree also in Computer Science with a specialization in ad hoc wireless networking from Université du Québec in Outaouais.

Philippe Johnston – Chief Information Officer, National Research Council of Canada (NRC)

Presentation – “Creating a Digital Vision for Federal Research“

Abstract: The presentation addresses the

• development of a digital transformation strategy that drives business success;
• the selling of your vision to enable digital acceleration;
• best practices and lessons learned and
• the delivery of value through the execution of digital transformation strategy.

Biography:
Philippe is currently the Chief Information Officer for the National Research Council and the President of the CIO Association of Canada.  At the NRC he is leading a Digital Transformation to enable better innovation for Government of Canada Researchers.

As the President of the CIO Association, he is leading the growth of the CIO profession across Canada.  He is growing its’ members, the number of Chapters and the brand of the CIO within Private, Not for Profit and Public sector organizations.

Prior to joining the NRC in April 2021, he managed the IM/IT Operations for Transport Canada.  In this role he managed over 400 IM/IT Professionals and a $75M budget and his teams received numerous awards for their innovation and digital leadership.  He was one of the first CIOs to push for Citizen Development and also wrote a paper on how CIOs need to thrive in the 4th Industrial revolution, which he has been asked to present at numerous conferences and events.

He also held the CIO position at the granting councils, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) from 2017-2019.  He was at the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) from 2011-2016, where he led all parts of the internal IM IT organization, including the Deputy/CIO position for the last two years.    In both of these positions he was viewed as visionary for the delivery of better digital services including being the first to move fully to the Cloud, including S4 Hana.

Prior to joining TBS, Philippe helped establish the Cyber Defense program at the Communications Security Establishment, while creating partnerships with academia, vendors and with key international organizations in the realm of cyber security.

Philippe is an experienced IM/IT Executive who has been innovating and creating value for organizations for over 20 years and continues to create digital value for organizations to lead them to greater successes.

Yvan Gauthier – Head of Artificial Intelligence Accelerator at National Research Council Canada

Presentation – “The Benefits and Risks of AI in Governments”

Abstract: The increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the public sector creates numerous opportunities and will lead to a wide range of benefits for governments and citizens.  Using concrete examples, this presentation will describe some of these benefits, as well as the risks posed by certain uses of AI.  Particular attention will be given to generative AI, which presents a new set of opportunities and challenges for the public sector.

Biography:
Yvan Gauthier is a senior research council officer with the National Research Council of Canada’s Digital Technologies Division, where he leads the AI Accelerator for the Government of Canada. The AI Accelerator delivers impactful and responsible AI solutions to other federal departments and agencies and supports them in their digital transformation.

Before joining the NRC, Yvan worked for 20 years as a defence scientist with the Department of National Defence (DND), where he became the first-ever Director of Data Science and established a new enterprise data science team supporting DND’s Chief Data Officer.

He also chaired a NATO Specialist Team on Advanced Analytics and AI and has led several operational research projects while being embedded with various branches of DND and the Canadian Armed Forces.

He has an MSc (Carleton University) as well as graduate certificates in Management (London School of Economics), Data Science (Harvard University) and Public Policy (Harvard Kennedy School).

Benoit Deshaies – Director of Responsible Data and Artificial Intelligence, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Presentation – “Canadian Government AI Policies and Plans”

Biography:
Benoit Deshaies is the Director of Responsible Data and Artificial Intelligence for the Office of the Chief Data Officer of Canada, located within the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). In this role, he oversees the development of the Directive on Automated Decision-Making and the Algorithmic Impact Assessment (AIA). These policy tools aim to ensure that the use of automated decision systems by the federal government prioritizes transparency, accountability and fairness, leading to more efficient, accurate, consistent, and interpretable decisions.

Dr. John Halligan – Professor, Centre for Change Governance, University of Canberra, Australia

Presentation – “The Relationship between Digital Era Governance & Public Administration”

Abstract: The paper examines the relationship between public administration and digital transformation from several perspectives: debate about the relevance of models of public administration, including digital era governance as a reform model, and how to account for variable progress towards digital government. One type of analysis is to examine the effect of the government structure and administrative traditions on country systems. Digital agendas feature in government strategies, but their priorities may include efficiency, supporting the economy, inclusiveness, citizen engagement, and be influenced by ideological contagion about using technology for detecting benefits fraud. Institutional factors shape the pattern of change for digital government, in particular civil service systems and public administration constituted in ways at variance from digital agenda for new business models and external relationships (one ubiquitous obstacle being the reluctance of governments to fast forward the demise of legacy). There is a diverse line-up of contending positions on inter alia policy design, data management, business model renewal, models of holistic government, and institutional change through conversion (or displacement) of traditional mandarins. Finally, the implications of current debates and scenarios are reviewed.

Biography:
Emeritus Professor of Public Administration and Governance, Faculty of Business, Government and Law, University of Canberra. Research interests are comparative public management and governance, particularly Anglophone countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. His major current project is the development of digital government and transformation with a focus on the digital and comparative perspectives.

Select books (with colleagues): Policy Advice and the Westminster Tradition: Policy Advisory Systems in Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand, Cambridge University Press, 2020; Public Management and Governance: Impact and Lessons from Anglophone Countries, Edward Elgar, 2020; Performance Management in the Public Sector, 2nd ed., Routledge, 2015; Crossing Boundaries in Public Management and Policy, Routledge, 2013; Public Sector Governance in Australia, ANU Press, 2012; The Centrelink Experiment: Innovation in Service Delivery, ANU Press, 2008.

Dr. Guy-Vincent Jourdan – Co-Director, uOttawa Cyber Range and Professor

Presentation – “Contested Cyberspace: Employing Cyber Ranges for Collective Security and Resiliency”

Abstract: Cyber attacks have become big business for nefarious actors the world over.  At the same time the Canada has made bold international statements that have drawn the attention of sophisticated threat actors.  In this contentious climate, organizations must focus on their most valuable assets; their people. Cyber Ranges have become a popular way for organizations to provide a simulated environment where testing and training of their personnel can be conducted without the constraints of production environments.

The goal of Cyber Range is to not only increase the skills of individual analysts, but to build a collective capability that brings the teams in your organization together as a coordinated, tested and effective cyber defensive capability.  Beyond the internal capability, Cyber Ranges are a key enabler for bringing together multiple teams for collective training, and driving interorganizational collaboration.  With today’s Cyber climate, we truly cannot stand alone.

The uOttawa-IBM Cyber Range focuses on the principle of “Train Like You Fight,” emphasizing the importance of realistic training scenarios to enhance Cyber security preparedness, response capabilities, and the adaptability of both internal and external teams in the face of cyber threats. This talk will explore some of the key concepts in Cyber Ranges and how they can be a powerful enabler of your cyber capabilities.  Join us to learn how the University of Ottawa and IBM are building a capability to bring students and security professionals together to improve the collective security posture of the Canadian Cyberspace.

Biography:
Guy-Vincent Jourdan is a Full professor of Computer Science at the school of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) , which he joined in 2004, after 7 years in the private sector as C.T.O. and then C.E.O. of Ottawa based Decision Academic Graphics. He is currently co-director of the UOttawa-IBM Cyber Range and the director of the microprogram in Cyber Security. He received his PhD from l’université de Rennes/INRIA in France in 1995. For the past decade, his main research area has been cybersecurity, specifically, cybercrime detection and prevention. He has published over 100 scientific papers and co-authored 18 patents.

Dr. Iosif-Viorel (Vio) Onut – Co-Director, UOttawa Cyber Range and Professor, IBM

Biography:
Vio Onut is passionate about curriculum and product innovation acceleration through R&D. In the past decade, he has managed more than 150 research projects involving 35 universities, led by over 90 professors, over 360 students and over 330 IBM staff. He specializes in cybersecurity and cybercrime. He has been in this space for 20+ years in various technical, academic and management roles.  Currently, he is co-Director of the University of Ottawa and IBM Cyber Range; Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa; Senior Manager, R&D Strategy at IBM Canada Lab and IBM Master Inventor at IBM Security. He completed his PhD degree at the Faculty of Computer Science, University of New Brunswick and specializes in topics related to application and network security. In recent years he turned his attention to analyzing Phishing and scam attacks.

Brad Stocking – Associate Partner Security Services, IBM

Biography:
Brad Stocking is a security practitioner with over 22 years’ experience in security program development, and security engineering, testing and operations.  Brad served in CAF for 17 years largely in security engineering roles and then as the Principal Security Architect for the Bank of Canada and then Payments Canada.  He brings deep experience to security architecture, threat modeling, application security and cloud security projects.

BGen (Retd) David Anderson – Senior Advisor Digital Transformation to Chief Combat Systems Integration

Presentation – “Canadian Armed Forces Digital Campaign Plan”

Biography:
Mr Dave Anderson is the Senior Advisor Digital Transformation to Chief Combat Systems Integration, who in turn is a direct report to the Vice Chief of Defence.  Involved in the Canadian Armed Forces Digital Transformation file since 2018 as a General, a Public Service Executive, and now a consultant, he was a key contributor to the design and writing of the CAF Digital Campaign Plan.

Dave commanded 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and served in postings world-wide (Cyprus, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, UK, Washington D.C. and retired after serving as Chief of Staff Readiness at the Canadian Joint Operations Command where he led the team that produced the Pan-Domain Force Employment Concept.

Mr Anderson holds a Bachelor of Military Arts and Science from Royal Military College, and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University in Washington DC.

Dr. Robert Weisman – Professor, University of Ottawa; Chair, 4th DTiG Conference; CEO, Build the Vision Inc; President, ISACA and AEA Ottawa Chapters

Presentation – “Welcome Message” / “Conference Wrap-Up”

Biography:
Robert Weisman, PhD, PEng, PMP, CD1 is a professor at the University of Ottawa in the Digital Transformation and Innovation (DTI) Program, where he created the Enterprise Architecture (EA) and Enterprise Modeling courses at the graduate and undergraduate level.

Robert spent 30 years in government starting as a civil and military engineer specializing in Plans and Operations and was in the forefront of the digital transformation of Canadian Forces command and control. He ended his career in Strategic Direction of the Defence Information Services Organization. Subsequently he spent 10 years at CGI as an executive management consultant where he founded the global EA practice and consulted with governments in the US, Canada, Europe / NATO, and Australia.

Robert re-retired and returned to academia to complete a PhD in DTI in 2019, as a tribute to life-long learning! Aside from teaching at UOttawa, he is also the CEO of Build The Vision Inc. where he works closely with The Open Group Architecture and Archimate Forums as well as the cross-Forum “EA in Government” WG. He volunteers as president of both the ISACA Ottawa Valley and the Association of Enterprise Architects Ottawa-Gatineau Chapters as well as Chairing the Annual DTiG Conferences in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.