Ven Adamov
Senior Coordinator, Fraud
Suncor Energy Products Partnership
Ven Adamov is currently leading Suncor’s Fraud Department in managing fraud risks and investigations across Suncor’s network of over 1,600 Petro-Canada Retail and Wholesale sites. During his tenure with Suncor, he has led the redesign of processes, roles and responsibilities and the implementation of advanced analytics to successfully combat payment fraud and asset misappropriation. Ven has also coordinated and led fraud risk management strategic initiatives both within and outside of Suncor, and successfully engaged industry peers and Law Enforcement to mitigate fraud risks across the Oil & Gas industry in Canada.
Prior to his current role, Ven had extensive experience across North America and a variety of industries in the development and implementation of effective anti-fraud and auditing frameworks for the enterprise, in the development of strategies for analysis and reporting of fraud risk information to enterprise executives, and in the application of advanced analytics for the detection of fraud, bribery, corruption and non-compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements. His experience in this capacity includes senior roles with Ernst & Young and RBC. Ven is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and holds an MBA degree from University of Connecticut (UConn) in the United States. He and his wife Nelly have two wonderful children.
Corey Adams
Vice President of Global Client Services
Sysrepublic/The Retail Equation
Corey Adams is the Vice President of Global Client Services at Sysrepublic. He has more than 25 years of experience in retail and Loss prevention in both field and corporate positions. For the last 10+ years, he has worked in assisting retailers in the installation and development of analytics tools and analytics programs, around the world. His goal has always been to assist retailers in transforming data into actionable information. Corey has been with Sysrepublic for more than five years and has a BA in Sociology and Criminal Justice.
Don Berezowski
Divisional Vice President Loss Prevention & Safety
Sears Canada Inc.
Don Berezowski has worked with Sears Canada for 26 years and is currently the Divisional Vice President for Loss Prevention & Safety supporting all business channels of the corporation. Don has had many roles during his career including sales, operations productivity and presently in Loss Prevention. Don along with his team are responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring Loss Prevention programs that reduce corporate shrinkage and loss, as well as reduce workplace injuries. Don has been an active member of the RCC Loss Prevention committee promoting excellence in the profession as well as developing strong relationships with industry partners sharing and developing best of breed strategies to reduce loss.
Kevin C. Krinke
Sr. Software Developer, Systems Architect
Digital Security & IT Professional
Kevin Krinke is a seasoned, "in the trenches", software developer and consultant with 15+ years of practical hands-on experience in projects ranging from e-commerce and digital marketing to forensics, reverse engineering and even full-scale platform solutions for a wide breadth of clientèle and employers. Through his natural talent for exploring the details of complex systems, Kevin is able to maximize and stretch the capabilities to their fullest potential. Often brought onto projects for the purpose of disaster remediation and emergency rescue efforts, Kevin is able to quickly assess the situation and mitigate the issues in an effective and timely manner. Using his combined experiences as an early age entrepreneur and ongoing practical developer; Kevin has the unique experience necessary to bring effective digital security to all facets of a business's operations.
Kristen Cory
National Business Development Manager
Hikvision
Kristen Cory is the National Business Development Manager for Hikvision Canada – the world’s largest video surveillance product manufacturer. Kristen has had the privilege of providing and designing security solutions for numerous industries over the years, and her expertise touches upon retail, education, health care, border services, and corrections. Her criminology background coupled with her widespread physical security experience has led her to hone in on specialized security threats – in particular cybersecurity.
Dean Dolan
Counsel
Baker & McKenzie
Dean Dolan is Counsel to the Toronto office of global law firm Baker & McKenzie. Previously, he was in-house counsel at Walmart Canada Corporation, where he held the position of Vice-President, Associate General Counsel, and Privacy Officer, and was the senior lawyer responsible for data privacy, litigation, and employment and labour law matters. Mr. Dolan is a well-known and highly regarded privacy practitioner in the Canadian in-house legal and privacy professionals community. Mr. Dolan has served on the Executive Committee of the Ontario Bar Association’s Privacy Law Section, the Advisory Board of the Conference Board of Canada’s Chief Privacy Officer’s Council, the Executive of the Retail Council of Canada’s Privacy Committee, and the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers. He is an author, and frequent speaker on privacy, labour and employment, and litigation matters.
Rita Estwick
Director, Enterprise Security Development
Canada Post
Rita Estwick is with Canada Post Security & Investigation Services. In her capacity as Director, Enterprise Security Development, Rita is responsible for mitigating risks and creating positive customer experiences through collaborative partnerships, education and security thought leadership. She has recently undertaken the responsibility of working on the company’s Postal Security 2020 roadmap which is intended to enhance security capabilities within supply chain management.
Throughout her career at Canada Post, Rita has established strategic partnerships with both the business and law enforcement communities where focus on information-sharing, communication, preventative strategies and best practice application have been effectively maximized to support risk and fraud reduction. These efforts have resulted in her being recognized twice on the cover of Canadian Security Magazine and participation at various educational conferences throughout Canada.
As a result of her leadership, Rita was the recipient of Retail Council of Canada’s inaugural Retail Loss Prevention Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2015.
Waël Hassan
Founder
KI DESIGN
Dr. Waël Hassan is one of North America's leading advisors on privacy and cybersecurity innovation. He serves as an advisor for both political and industry organizations for privacy and cybersecurity technology and adoption. He brings in-depth knowledge of privacy laws across Canada and the US, and holds the first Canadian PhD in Validation of Legal Compliance.
Waël is the founder of KI DESIGN (kidesign.net), a company dedicated to data protection. He engages with a variety of partners on issues including privacy law, cybersecurity, risk management, breach mitigation, security and loss prevention solutions, data liberation, and product certification. Waël regularly shares his insights through KI DESIGN Magazine, (magazine.kidesign.net). His highly anticipated book, Privacy in Design: A Practical Guide to Corporate Compliance, will be released in 2016.
Read Hayes
Director
Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC)
Read Hayes, PhD is a Research Scientist at the University of Florida, and the Director of the industry group Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC). UF’s Crime Prevention Research Team conducts research to provide organizations with evidence-based crime and loss control methods. The independent LPRC was founded by major retail chains in 2000 to help them scientifically improve their loss prevention results.
Today, the LPRC includes over 95 major corporate members (40 retail chains) working together with scientists in 11 working groups on significant crime and loss control issues. The LPRC also conducts an annual Impact conference for 200 asset protection executives, provides monthly research webinars, a weekly news email, and has assembled over 70 LP technologies for integration in its Crime and Loss Control Innovation Lab, as well as over 300 keyword-searchable research reports in its Knowledge Center. LPRC members include Bloomingdales, Home Depot, Target, Walgreens, Best Buy, P&G, Publix, Office Depot, Walmart, Macy’s, Best Buy, Kroger, Kay Jewelers, Lowes, CVS, eBay, TJ Maxx/Marshall’s, and AutoZone.
Dr. Hayes started as a store detective in retail loss prevention, and has over 30 years’ of hands-on crime and loss control experience working with organizations worldwide. Read co-founded the University of Florida’s globally used National Retail Security Survey in 1989, and has conducted over 100 crime control research projects.
Dr. Hayes has spoken at over 120 conferences, and is the author of more than 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, 150 magazine articles, and four top selling books including Retail Security and Loss Prevention, 2nd Ed. Dr. Hayes also provides crime prevention expertise to LP Magazine, The New York Times, FoxNews, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, NPR, Oprah, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg/BusinessWeek, Forbes, Fast Company, Discovery Channel, Entrepreneur Magazine, USA Today, and the BBC.
Caroline Hubberstey
Head – External Affairs
Interac
Words matter. Civility, honesty and respect matter. In the world of communications and government affairs, Caroline views these principles as sacrosanct. This perspective helps her to convey ideas and messages, advocate positions and build consensus and deliver strategies, solutions and results regardless of the complexity and challenge of the situation.
It is how Caroline tackles her job as Head of External Affairs, Enterprise Strategy with Interac Association and Acxsys Corporation. She is responsible for leading and championing an integrated approach to corporate communications, issues management, and government and stakeholder relations activities for Interac, Canada’s leading payment brand. Caroline is an executive leader with over 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector.
Prior to joining the organization, Caroline held several senior management positions over her 10 years at the Canadian Bankers Association, including, federal and provincial government relations, policy development, and leading public affairs functions. She also spent 4 years in Ottawa working on Parliament Hill. She started her career in retail and commercial banking.
She graduated from the University of Waterloo, specializing in psychology with focus on social psychology and deviant behaviour.
Suzanne Kernohan
Principal and Co-Founder
Investigative and Corporate Evaluation (ICE) Inc
Detective Suzanne Kernohan, a 29 year veteran of the Toronto Police Service retired from the Sex Crimes Unit in August of 2013. In her early days as a uniform officer working the streets of downtown Toronto, Suzanne developed and nurtured her relationships with street youth and women engaged in the sex trade. She later worked in an undercover capacity specializing in crimes involving prostitution and the exploitation of women.
Suzanne continued her career in an investigative capacity. She was regularly called upon to investigate sensitive crimes against women, specifically sexual assault and domestic violence in nature. Suzanne became a member of the V.I.P. Squad of the Intelligence Bureau where she provided protective services for visiting dignitaries and high profile members of the community. This included body guarding and motorcade driving. She most recently worked on the Michelle and Barack Obama protection team during the 2010 G20 Summit.
Suzanne’s specialized training and investigative expertise led her to become a member of the elite sexual assault squad. After several years of investigating high profile sexual assaults, Suzanne became the Sexual Assault Coordinator for the Service. This role was multi-faceted and began with Suzanne forming the Sexual Assault Advisory Committee. (SAAC) The SAAC is a group of individuals from the legal profession, health care profession, and community agencies who meet regularly to work on a common goal to improve how a system responds to sexual assault. The SAAC is still operating today.
As the Sexual Assault Coordinator, Suzanne liaised with members of the Sex Crimes Unit and Divisional Investigative Units to ensure uniformity in approach to sexual assault investigations. This included updating content and adherence to Service Policy and Procedures, ensuring compliance with Adequacy Standards and necessary training. One of Suzanne’s greatest career accomplishments was her involvement with the Auditor General’s review of the “handling of sexual assault cases by the Police.” At the time of the initial 1999 audit, no such audit had been conducted anywhere in North
America. Suzanne was instrumental with the implementation, ongoing monitoring and compliance of 60 Recommendations made within the policy and procedure of the Toronto Police Service. This undertaking was groundbreaking and received significant media attention and interest among law enforcement agencies throughout Canada and the United States.
Recognizing that her knowledge and skills were transferrable, Suzanne co-founded Investigative and Corporate Evaluation Inc. (ICEInc.) and now assists organizations and private corporations with their challenging and sensitive issues.
David S. Lipkus
Partner
Kestenberg Siegal Lipkus LLP
David S. Lipkus received his JD from the University Of Detroit Mercy School Of Law in 2008. He became a member of the New York State Bar in March, 2009 and was called to the Ontario Bar in January, 2010. He has been a member of Kestenberg Siegal Lipkus LLP on a full-time basis since August, 2008, becoming a partner in January, 2015.
Since joining the firm, Mr. Lipkus manages all internet based counterfeiting investigation and enforcement. He also regularly conducts web based training of law enforcement throughout the year on behalf of several brand holders. He is active in educating law enforcement, customs, investigators and others about the impact of piracy\counterfeiting; particularizing ways in which to distinguish between authentic and pirated\counterfeit products; outlining techniques to assist law enforcement in obtaining criminal search warrants; and assisting law enforcement on behalf of brand owners in identifying and prosecuting criminal cases.
This year, Mr. Lipkus was selected by the World Trademark Review 1000 (Silver Band) Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Lawyer and selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers of Canada – Intellectual Property.
Sean McCormick
Sr. Account Executive, Enhanced Payment Solutions
Moneris
Sean McCormick is a risk management specialist at Moneris, focused on loss prevention tools that ensure tightened POS processing and controls for Canada's largest national retailers. Sean's professional background includes ecommerce, entrepreneurial and political projects, and a successful first career as a national television broadcaster.
Colleen Merchant
Director General of National Cyber Security
Public Safety Canada
Ms. Merchant has a rich background in science, technology and security. She began her career in 1986 at the Johnson Space Centre, where her time was spent in the Mission Control Centre as a flight controller specializing in multi-body trajectory analysis and rendezvous flight dynamics.
In 1993, she moved to the Canadian Space Agency where she was responsible for the development and implementation of their manned space flight control centre and integration of civilian and military space programs at DND.
Ms. Merchant moved to the Communications Security Establishment of Canada (CSEC) in 2004, and then joined the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s (TBS’s) Chief Information Officer Branch in April 2011 as the Executive Director of Government Security.
Ms. Merchant returned to the Canadian Space Agency in September 2013 where she was the Director of Programs and Integrated Planning, and is now the Director General of National Cyber Security at Public Safety Canada.
Colleen received her Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Florida and completed graduate studies in Theoretical Physics from Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht, the Netherlands and the University of Houston.
Robert Miller
Vice President of Retail Sales and Operations
Tyco / Sensormatic Canada Inc
Robert Miller has over 25 years of experience in multiple facets of Retail Asset Protection. He is the Vice President of Retail Sales and Operations for Tyco Retail / Sensormatic. Sensormatic is the recognized world leader in Loss Prevention, supporting technologies such as EAS, CCTV, Traffic Counting and RFID, geared to help mitigate losses, improve operational efficiency and provide insight into store inventory.
Robert lives in Montreal, with his main office situated in the GTA.
Stephen O Keefe
Loss Prevention Advisor
Retail Council of Canada
Stephen O’Keefe has 30 years of experience working directly with some of the largest retailers in Canada such as Sears, Hudson’s Bay and most recently with Walmart for the last 15 years. Stephen held the role of Vice President of Loss Prevention and Risk Management with Walmart Canada, and was also a key member of a Global team dealing with Mergers and Acquisitions which exposed him to many different countries and in turn different Loss Prevention programs and philosophies.
Stephen acts as an advisor to the Loss Prevention network of professionals in areas such as refund fraud, organized crime, restorative justice and the various legislative issues that come up over time. Most recently he helped retailers with a very restrictive piece of the law dealing with Privacy that was key to the Loss Prevention community: for a number of years organizations were not allowed to share details related to criminal activity. In June 2015 with his help, a law was passed allowing for the sharing of information under specific guidelines now outlined in PIPEDA (Personal Information and Electronic Documents Act).
Occasionally retailers will request information about the operational practices recommended to comply with what might appear to be complex legislation. With Stephen’s experience and current network of professionals, best practices are easily communicated to retailers who may not have the infrastructure to create their own program from the ground up. Stephen is also an external consultant on contract with Retail Council of Canada to advise on the many aspects of loss prevention affecting shrinkage and profitability for retailers.
Colin Peacock
Group Coordinator
ECR Shrink & OSA Group
Colin is an Honorary Visiting Fellow at the University of Leicester and the Group Strategy Coordinator for the ECR Community Shrinkage & On Shelf Availability Group. He holds a similar post in America with the RILA (Retailers Industry Leaders Association) Asset Protection Leaders Council. Prior to these appointments, Colin had a thirty-year career at Gillette and Procter & Gamble, where in his last fifteen years he held responsibility for the global leadership of their on-shelf availability, brand protection and shrink prevention capability. In this role, he was responsible for delivering new thief, counterfeiter, shopper and store manager insights, an innovation pipeline of new solutions, including RFID, and finally, the oversight and delivery of successful collaborative “sell more, lose less” profit improvement projects with P&G’s major customers and distributors around the world. Colin has published on the subject of loss prevention in the academic and trade press, including an article in the Harvard Business Review. In 2009, he co-authored a book entitled: New Loss Prevention: Redefining Shrinkage Management, published by Palgrave Macmillan. He is a regular speaker at conferences around the world.
Matthew Robertson
Corporate Manager – Loss Prevention - Inventory & Investigations and ORC
Sears Canada Inc.
Matthew Robertson has been with the Loss Prevention Team at Sears since 2009 and currently holds the role of Corporate Manager – Inventory & Investigations. Matthew began his career at Sears as a Loss Prevention Investigator and has worked in several different field LP roles over the years including managing the flagship location in Toronto, and most recently Matthew was a District LP Manager responsible for all stores in the GTA. Part of Matthew’s current assignment involves overseeing inventory, as well as all investigations throughout the organization, both internally, and ORC (Organized Retail Crime). In recent years, Matt has been focusing on specializing in Data Analytics and the use of such data to be able to make improvements throughout not only the LP department, but the entire organization. Prior to joining Sears, Matthew began his career in Computer Forensics industry, as well as the Private Investigations industry. Matthew is also a member of the Professional Advisory Committee at Sheridan College for their Public and Private Investigations program and has been on the committee since 2014.
Sean Ryan
Loss Prevention Specialist / Inspector
Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation
Sean is a 26 year veteran of the corporate security and loss prevention fields and has a passion for reducing the risk of harm to people and other assets. He currently serves as Loss Prevention Specialist / Inspector for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation based in Halifax. Prior to joining the NSLC, Sean served with Sobeys Inc. as a Security Manager and also led a regional investigation firm, supporting clients in the insurance and litigation sectors. Sean became a Certified Fraud Examiner in 2001, and is currently pursuing his CPP and LPC designations. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlantic Canada International Air Show and the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum, and is pursuing a pilot’s license in his spare time.
Daryl Seidman
Manager, Consumer Products
National Football League
Daryl is responsible for all day to day management of the NFL’s consumer products business in Canada. Entering his 5th season with the league, Daryl focuses a lot of his efforts not only aiding the success of the NFL’s key licensing partners in Canada but also on driving more impactful initiatives at retail.
Daryl graduated from Brock University’s Sport Management program back in 2006. He has since had career stops with the NHL, Acushnet and IMG before landing his role at the NFL.
Tom Shebrek
Leader, Enterprise Crisis and Business Continuity Division
Canadian Tire Corporation
Tom Shebrek has been in the field of Emergency Management, Business Continuity, Risk Management and Disaster Recovery for more than 15 years. Tom is currently leading the Enterprise Crisis and Business Continuity division at Canadian Tire. He has taught at York University and is currently instructing at Mohawk College. In addition to leading his own company, Advanced Resilience International (ARI), Tom has held senior positions at Walmart, Research in Motion (RIM)/BlackBerry and Sun Life Financial.
Tom has been a long-standing executive member of the Disaster Recovery Information Exchange – Southwestern Ontario (DRIE-SWO) chapter and currently sits as the board’s president. He is the co-chair of the Private Sector Partnership Working Group supporting Canada's Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (sanctioned by the United Nations) and participates in several related events and conferences throughout the country each year.
Choose a scenario - Tom's been involved in some capacity. With vast experience in emergency management, continuity planning, risk management, logistics and supply chain, retail, vendor management, facilities operations, telecommunications, IT, infrastructure operations, financial institutions, banking and pandemic planning, Tom is held in high regard among colleagues and industry elite.
Ravi Shukla
Partner
Fogler, Rubinoff LLP
Ravi Shukla is a Partner with Fogler, Rubinoff LLP who specializes in internet and information technology law. He regularly advises on a range of commercial, computer, intellectual property, information security (including cybersecurity), regulatory, governance and privacy rights issues. With over 25 years of extensive experience, Ravi is widely recognized for his expertise acquired while working in partnership with major institutions and leading Canadian corporations, often via long term relationships. Capable of successfully navigating in dynamic technological environments, Ravi astutely combines knowledge and precision when assessing legal matters underlying critical business issues.
Ravi is a trusted advisor to in-house counsel, Chief Privacy Officers and Compliance Officers as he helps clients navigate complex issues. Much of his varied experience has been gained from negotiating agreements involving sophisticated information technology system deployments requiring expertise in intellectual property ownership and licensing issues as well as with outsourcing and other service provider arrangements. Clients also rely on Ravi to advise corporate boards and executive levels of management in complicated matters involving the security of confidential and personal information. His 7-Step Compliance program has been crafted to assist decision makers in implementing comprehensive and robust data breach risk management initiatives.
David Speights
Chief Data Scientist
The Retail Equation
Dr. David Speights is the chief data scientist for The Retail Equation. He has 20 years of experience developing and deploying analytical solutions for some of the world’s largest companies. Throughout his career, he has managed massive amounts of data using big data tools. He has been with The Retail Equation since 2000. Speights holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics from the University of California, Los Angeles and has several patents.
Kevin Spreekmeester
Chief Brand Officer
Canada Goose
Kevin Spreekmeester is the Chief Brand Officer for Canada Goose. With a background in marketing, advertising and photojournalism, he brings a unique skillset to the position and one that’s helped him elevate awareness of the Canada Goose brand on a global stage.
Storytelling is at the heart of everything Kevin does: his approach to marketing is richly influenced by the years he spent behind the lens, documenting everything from Arctic landscapes to African wildlife. Whether it’s through strategic partnerships and sponsorships or innovative campaigns, Kevin has defined the Canada Goose voice across multiple content channels and counties. He’s harnessed the company’s unique heritage and “Made in Canada” commitment and helped make it relevant for markets in Scandinavia, the United States, Europe and Asia. In 2015 Kevin was named Ad Age magazine’s Creative 50 list.
Kevin has a Bachelor of Communications Studies from Concordia University and a Certificate of Marketing from McGill University. Prior to Canada Goose, he worked in advertising in Montreal and Toronto with such brands as Ford, KFC and NFL Canada. He is a published author and his award winning photography has appeared in a range of publications, including National Geographic, Maclean’s Magazine and the Globe and Mail. Kevin also serves as a board member of Polar Bears International.
Neil Sutton
Editor
Canadian Security Magazine
Neil Sutton, editor of Canadian Security magazine and SP&T News, has more than 20 years experience in business-to-business publishing. He has written about IT and physical security issues throughout his career, with a recent focus on the forces that are making those two disciplines more closely aligned than ever before.
Neil is an active member of the security industry, participating in thought leadership events across North America.
Wilfredo Toro
Manager, Product Support
Tyco/ Sensormatic Canada Inc
Wilfredo Toro has over 20 years of experience in multiple facets of Retail Asset Protection and Store Performance Solutions. He has worked with retailers around the globe with technologies such as EAS, Traffic Counting and RFID, geared to help mitigate losses, improve operational efficiency and provide insight into store inventory.
Wilfredo is based out of the Tyco Retail Solutions headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida and currently manages the Sales Support team for the Americas.
Deborah Vittie Pagliaro
Principal and Co-Founder
Investigative and Corporate Evaluation (ICE) Inc
Detective Deborah Vittie-Pagliaro retired in June of 2012, following a 31 year career with the Toronto Police Service. Her career path led her from front line and community patrol duties, to what would be her true passion: criminal investigation. Deborah is an accredited investigator in the area of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence. Deborah worked in a busy downtown Toronto division where she specialized in the investigation of sensitive, sexual assault and domestic violence cases. Deborah was involved with a Justice based Diversion Program as a regular guest presenter at “John School”, and “Choices”; a proactive holistic seminar delivered to those involved in the sex trade.
Deborah was a member of the elite Sexual Assault Squad where she spent 4 years investigating numerous serious, sexual assault investigations. In addition, Deborah was a member of 2 separate, high profile child homicide investigation task forces as both family liaison and investigator.
Deborah left the Sexual Assault Squad to serve as the Domestic Violence Coordinator, where she was responsible for overseeing the model for police response to domestic violence, ensuring that the policy was in constant alignment with provincial adequacy standards, and legislated responsibilities. She coordinated and delivered requisite training to investigators and uniformed officers on a regular basis in this regard. Moreover, Deborah delivered presentations to international police agencies interested in the Toronto Police model as their own gold standard. As the Domestic Violence Coordinator, Deborah represented the Toronto Police Service on numerous committees; most notably, the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee, chaired by the Office of the Chief Coroner and made up of professionals representing the health, academic, legal and community advocate sectors. Deborah also was an active participant of a co-location project committee working toward the creation of a Family Justice Centre. Deborah was regularly called upon as a guest presenter at conferences, justice panels and community town hall forums on the issue of violence against women.
She engaged the partnership of York University and Seneca College in a community awareness campaign aimed at domestic violence within cultural communities, and participated in a town hall forum presented by CBC’s Matt Galloway on domestic violence within the South East Asian Community.
Deborah retired from the Professional Standards Unit where she investigated complaints of police misconduct, workplace harassment and worked in partnership with the Office of the Independent Review Directorate (OIPRD). She delivered training to the rank and file on professional compliance as a risk management strategy including Bill 168.
Deborah continues to contribute to the work aimed at violence against women and children, as a volunteer Director on the board for Kid Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA) and the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness (CCAA).
Phil von Finckenstein
Partner & Co-Founder
Maple Leaf Strategies
Phil is a public affairs expert who is well-known for developing innovative approaches to getting results. He specializes as strategic counsel to C-level executives of some of the world’s leading and most innovative companies. In that role he has developed a track record of success in building and delivering clear, concise and compelling campaigns in Canada and the U.S.
In over twenty years as a public affairs professional, Phil has served national leaders in areas as diverse as biotechnology, education, energy, environment, finance, renewable energy, mining, media, public policy, and softwood lumber. He also counsels leading federal and provincial elected officials on policy, strategic communications, media management and crisis management.
Formerly the Director of Communications for Canada’s Leader of the Official Opposition, Phil developed his leadership skills in senior roles on Parliament Hill and national marketing experience as a senior campaign aide in two federal election campaigns.
As the son of a Canadian diplomat, Phil was educated on four continents. He holds a degree in History & Political Science from McGill University, and has completed Executive Education courses at Harvard Business School and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Executive program.
He is a member of the Board of the Ronald McDonald House of Ottawa and the Ashbury College Foundation. Phil and his wife Vanessa have five children. Phil is a founding partner of Maple Leaf Strategies and is a Hill Times ‘Top 100’ Lobbyist. (www,mapleleafstrategies.com)