Ana Bailão is head of affordable housing and public affairs at Dream, a municipal leader and housing expert, a former Deputy Mayor of Toronto, long-time City Councillor.

After establishing a successful career in the private sector Ana was first elected to City Council in 2010. In her 12-year tenure at Toronto City Hall she served on multiple committees, and represented Toronto at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, achieving national recognition for her work as one of Canada’s leading voices for city-building and housing. As the Chair of Toronto Community Housing and the city’s inaugural Chair of Housing and Planning Ana secured unprecedented billions in investment from other governments for housing and championed innovative solutions including historic planning and zoning changes, and established CreateTO to manage city real estate.

In 2023 Ana was a solid second in the largest by-election in Canada’s history with a strong campaign for mayor focused on housing and city services. Today, Ana remains focused on making cities more livable and inclusive, working with partners across all sectors and regions.

As Chief Operating Officer, Jody oversees strategic planning for EllisDon. She works directly with EllisDon’s CEO and Board of Directors to forecast areas of growth and to develop execution plans. Jody prepares EllisDon’s annual strategic planning report and works with all operational divisions to monitor progress with respect to short and long term objectives.

Jody is also responsible for overseeing the Infrastructure Services & Technology division which is comprised of the Facilities Services; Transit Services; Energy and Digital Services; Furniture, Equipment and Design; Project Advisory & Management; and, Sustainable Building Solutions. Jody also oversees EllisDon’s international operations.

As part of EllisDon’s executive leadership team, Jody’s mandate is to transform Ellisdon’s business with a view to making EllisDon the most technologically advanced and environmentally responsible construction services company.

Darla Campbell, P.Eng., brings 30 years of experience in infrastructure design, construction, operation and maintenance. Darla’s career spans from engineering consulting to the Ontario Clean Water Agency and Suez – an international water company. She was the Executive Director of the Ontario Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (OCSI) and today she leads Sustainability and Asset Management for Dillon Consulting Limited.  In her role with OCSI she helped advance sustainable infrastructure by focusing on innovation in municipal procurement, sustainable funding, and communication to convey the value of infrastructure and asset management.  A speaker at various conferences across the country on climate change, sustainability and municipal infrastructure, Darla is adamant that strategic thinking and public engagement are essential in solving the infrastructure deficit.

Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, PhD, is a globally recognized innovator who is passionate about the transformational power of post-secondary education to change lives and improve society. As President and Vice Chancellor of one of Canada’s largest private universities, she has led the creation of Yorkville’s Signature Learning Outcomes; a university-wide commitment to develop the next generation of ethical, highly skilled and socially conscious business leaders, psychotherapists, educators, and creative storytellers and designers.

Under Christensen Hughes’ visionary leadership, Yorkville – which boasts campuses in Vancouver, BC, Toronto, ON, and Fredericton, NB – has become a hub for innovative approaches to “relationship-rich” (Felten & Lambert, 2020), accessible education, with distinctive capabilities in: the creation of an exceptional student experience; high-demand, career-relevant programs; leading student recruitment practices; and high-quality faculty with a commitment to student engagement. 

Before joining Yorkville in 2022, Christensen Hughes  held a number of leadership roles: President of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) while directing the University of Guelph’s Teaching Support Services, focused on “student-centred learning”. Founding dean of the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, establishing its unique vision of “being and developing leaders for a sustainable world”. Under her guidance, Lang’s MBA was ranked in the top ten in the world, by Corporate Knights.  Her published work includes the co-edited books Academic Integrity in Canada: An Enduring and Essential Challenge (2022); Taking Stock 2.0: Transforming Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2022); Her most recent journal articles have focused on the need to better align university rankings and faculty research with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Shatha is a strategic leader who brings over a decade of experience working on climate issues, sustainability, clean technology, and innovation. She has experience managing large scale projects including an $85 million government grant program to drive innovative climate change related technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At Climate Positive Energy, Shatha develops strategies to position the multidisciplinary climate research at the University of Toronto in support of the energy transition. She has secured over $25M in government and industry partnerships to create first of its kind in Canada, Grid Modernization Centre. She is also a mentor at various start-up incubators and accelerators including Cherie Blair Foundation, Women4Climate, and Futurepreneur. She is an active panelist and speaker at climate and industry events. Shatha is fluent in English, French and Arabic and has a PhD in Chemistry.

Michael Conte is the Engineering Manager of the FVB Energy Inc. Toronto office. He is a senior mechanical engineer with over 15 years of energy engineering experience relating to Low Carbon District Energy planning, alternative thermal energy production, power generation, and distribution piping systems. His experience includes working with a variety of energy sources, from natural gas and oil-fired steam to hot water boilers, sewer heat recovery, geo-exchange, cogeneration waste heat recovery, biomass boilers, large scale heat pumps, thermal storage, centrifugal chillers, and absorption chillers.

Michael’s varied experience includes a multitude of concept development studies, feasibility studies, capital and operating cost estimating, detailed design, distribution system planning, energy transfer station design and energy plant design, as well as providing project management and support throughout all phases of district energy projects.

A results-driven leadership, innovation and communications strategist, entrepreneur, speaker, and futurist. A proven track record shaping and implementing forward-thinking design and transformation strategies for Fortune 500, SME,and startup business organizations, communities, and groups around the world. Over three decades of both client- and consulting- side experience across: financial services, technology (IoT, AI, ICT), mining, consumer goods, professional services, commercial and residential real estate, energy (NGOs, Government and Private CleanTech ventures), as well as academic institutions, executive boards, family offices and foundations. Catalyzed by a passion for accelerating the discovery and use of scalable solutions for tackling climate change and other sustainability challenges facing business and society, she founded Rethink Sustainability Initiatives (RSI) in 2011. RSI has connected thousands of senior and next-generation leaders and their ideas and innovations; shaping a better future for all through scalable sustainability and resiliency solutions.

Bala Gnanam is the Vice President of Sustainability, Advocacy & Stakeholder Relations with the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA Canada). Bala brings over 20 years of experience in the energy, commercial real-estate and manufacturing sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in industrial engineering and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in mathematics. He is also a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Certified Demand Side Manager (CDSM) with the Association of Energy Engineers. Passionate about sustainability and climate action through better building performance.

At BOMA Canada he is responsible for managing and facilitating the development and delivery of educational and thought leadership contents, special programs, and initiatives that promote energy efficiency, sustainability, and regulatory compliance to the membership. Bala also leads the association’s advocacy initiatives, working closely with all three levels of governments, local BOMA associations and industry stakeholders contributing to policies and programs impacting the Commercial Real Estate industry across Canada.  

She is well-recognized globally as a digital transformation leader bridging new ways of working, using the most advanced forms of AI, and leading technology innovations. Dr. Gordon and her AI team have been helping numerous Canadian and USA companies in diverse industries advance their AI solution programs and solve complex use cases. She has held senior executive or partnership roles at Accenture, XDLI, a venture capital fund, Xerox, Citicorp, and Nortel Networks. She has been an active angel in commercializing companies like Eloqua, sold for $1.2B, and is currently advising leading AI companies like Emotional Cloud, and Kaji, to name a few.  

Cindy is equally active in the Not for Profit sector and is a former National Chair for CATA for Women in Technology and Co-Chair of Smarter Cities. She currently sits on AI Advisory boards:  the AI Forum, The Forbes Business and Technology Board – The Arizona State University Campus, and The USA Artificial Institute (USAII) where she teaches an AI masters class to Board Directors and CEOs on AI Strategy, Governance, Ethics and Law.  Dr. Gordon is the recipient of numerous awards, most recently the Digital CEO Innovator of the Year Award (Bonhill Award), and also the Governor’s General Award for Innovation and Community Leadership. 

She is recognized by Onalytica as one of the top global AI thought leaders and is also a Forbes AI thought leader, with a regular column. She also teaches AI Strategy, AI Business Transformation, AI Ethics, and Law at USAII and George Brown College. She is the author of 14 books, with a recent publication, the AI Dilemma. Dr. Gordon, most recently received an Honorary AI Doctorate Recognition  from George Brown College.

She is very concerned about the challenges in AI Methods, which do not ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in AI models and methods. She is also a certified board director with her ICD.D designation to help address the governance gaps in AI. 

Academically, she has a doctorate in complexity sciences, leveraging technology methods and integrative organizational design strategies to accelerate growth from the University of Toronto.

He leads a team of political, policy, and planning professionals on some of the province’s most complex and transformative projects. His clients include municipalities, developers and landowners, Indigenous organizations, not-for-profits, community groups, and professional associations. He and his team at StrategyCorp work on a wide range of issues at the intersection of development, planning, municipal processes, provincial policy, and political decision-making.

Aidan has a long history in land use planning, stakeholder management, Indigenous community engagement, public education, and policy development. He has deep experience in the provincial policy, planning, and environmental sectors. Before joining StrategyCorp, Aidan was a manager at the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs, leading a team focused on developing innovative partnerships and stakeholder engagement strategies to support provincial urban growth management policies.

Prior to his time in the public service, Aidan was the planning advisor and water programs manager at Environmental Defence – one of Canada’s most effective and respected environmental organizations. While there he led the analysis and stakeholder outreach on several initiatives, including their advocacy on land use planning matters, Great Lakes shoreline restoration and watershed management, and water conservation programs.

Alec Hay is the founding principal of Toronto-based Southern Harbour Ltd, an infrastructure risk & resilience advisor. He has 35 years of experience as a client, consultant and contractor across the globe, including in some of the most austere environments. His particular passion is community survival through adaptation, resilience and infrastructure rehabilitation. He holds a BSc from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD from the University of Toronto, where he is an adjunct professor teaching and researching infrastructure systems risk and post-conflict rehabilitation. He publishes and speaks on complex infrastructure systems.

Master of Ceremonies

Peter is a connector of people, business and ideas. As President of Ideovation, Peter specializes in bringing business leaders and innovators together to discuss complex subjects, and help participants design new business and brand strategies for success. He has hosted and facilitated future focused leadership forums related to food, climate tech and other topics. Chaired CEO peer groups. And moderated dozens of panels on sustainability, technology and innovation. Built hundreds of profitable brands, products and categories. He is currently on a mission to accelerate the transition to planet-friendly consumption, by helping impactful climate technologies connect more easily with the industries they serve, and vice versa. Prior to starting Ideovation in 2011, Peter held various brand and business building roles with McCain, Nestle, Borden Catelli, Lynch Foods and the Government of British Columbia.

Karen Jalon is the Vice President, Sustainability, Energy & Smart Technology at Cadillac Fairview. Karen has 15+ years of experience as an award-winning pioneer in sustainability and innovation with deep experience in international sustainability standards, global benchmarks, and developing and executing strategies and innovative projects within large corporate environments.  Amongst her other corporate involvements, she is one of the original members of the Ontario Pension Plan’s Sustainable Investment Committee. Prior to joining Cadillac Fairview, Karen held positions in electrical design, commercial real estate development & construction as well as sustainability policy development. Karen holds Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering from Queen’s University and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Chun is the former Corporate Energy Manager for Metrolinx and the City of Brampton as well as the Founder of Tree House Energy Services.    With his 25+ years of client and consulting side experience–most recently with public sector organizations as well as private sector consultancies, he is a recognized expert in building decarbonization.  His energy and decarbonization projects include the municipal, multi-residential, commercial, and institutional sectors.

He is a professional engineer, certified energy manager, LEED AP and net zero expert who has developed an integrated and iterative decarbonization process published by CFE media. This publication that was also peer-reviewed comes from lived experience delivering tangible and scalable solutions as well as evaluating several consultant decarbonization proposals.

In addition to his consultancy, Chun has also been appointed to FCM’s (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) Committee on Community Buildings Retrofits—where he assesses the technical and financial merits of funding applications for energy and emission reductions.

Peter Love provides strategic and policy advice on energy policy issues with a focus on energy efficiency in the built environment.  He currently serves on five boards, including Chair of Toronto 2030 District, Chair of the Centre for Community Energy Transformation and was a former chair of RSI.  After 12 years teaching university courses on energy efficiency policies and programs, he wrote and recently updated a free on-line textbook.  Current activities include leading Foresight’s powerNEXT initiative for early-stage clean tech companies.  Previously: Chief Energy Conservation Officer of Ontario and member of the team at Pollution Probe in the 70’s that developed the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle.  Recently he received the Clean50 Lifetime Achievement award.  He is the proud father of 5 and grandfather of 4.

As the Strategy Director and Principal in Gensler’s Toronto office, Kevin specializes in using placemaking to create inclusive, accessible, and sustainable environments. In his role, Kevin delivers workplace and design strategies to help his clients adapt to disruption and the changing nature of work.

For more than a 20 years, Kevin has worked with innovative companies to help create and implement high-performance, people-focused spaces that capitalize on new technologies and cater to the shifting needs of employees. With a professional background that combines architecture, communications, user research, and business strategy, Kevin also leverages the insights gleaned from the Gensler Research Institute. Since 2023, Kevin has been for the DEI leader for Gensler Toronto.

Bill leads the Smart/Sustainable/Hybrid Building Practice for Cisco Canada. Bill has extensive experience with Architects, Engineers and Constructors and is intimate in the design, construction and integration of IT and OT (Operational Technology) building platforms. He has been intimately involved with the progress of open data communication standards and converged Facility + IT (4th Utility) Networks. Bill has deep knowledge in the areas of Strategy Development, Sustainability, Space Optimization and the Delivery of The Employee Experience. Bill is an honors graduate of the Queens University Electrical Engineering Program and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) with the American Energy Engineers (AEE) Association.

Michelle leads campus planning, real estate services, facilities, sustainability, and design and construction at George Brown College. As a public sector leader, Michelle has spent over 30 years in post-secondary, municipal government, and education administration in the UK and Canada driving key strategic initiatives, capital infrastructure development, and organizational transformation. Michelle holds a Master of Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK, a Bachelor of Science from Edinburgh Napier University, UK and is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. 

As the Director of Climate Action, Julia leads a team focused on helping Toronto Hydro’s customers to decarbonize.

Julia practiced administrative law for 14 years prior to joining the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) in 2006 as Director of Market Transformation. With the merger of the OPA and the IESO in 2015, Julia became the Director of Strategic Engagement & Innovation in Corporate Relations; then led the Internal Audit division where she provided regular assessments of controls through assurance, and consulting services to management and the Board of Directors. In Julia’s last IESO role as Director of Planning Projects & Sustainability, she led IESO’s Pathways to Decarbonization, looking at how to make Ontario’s electricity grid zero emissions.

Currently, Julia is on the Board of Toronto District 2030. Co-director of the Energy and Infrastructure LLM program. A volunteer Board member of the Income Security Advocacy Centre and the Toronto Windsurfing Club. And coordinator of a monthly dance program for people with cognitive disabilities. Mx. McNally has an MSc from the School of Oriental and African Studies, an LLB (UofT) and an LLM (Cambridge University).

Michelle Meehan, Vice President of Marketing at Plum, the revolutionary talent assessment provider, is an award-winning creative professional focused on bringing significant branding and growth strategy expertise to her role. Before this, Michelle served as Plum’s fractional Head of Marketing and operated The Silver Thread, a brand consultancy.

Leveraging her top skills, revealed by her Plum Profile, Michelle brings a wealth of Communication, Innovation and Management skills to her position. Since joining the company, Michelle has achieved significant momentum by leveraging out-of-the-box strategies to differentiate Plum from competitors and educate attendees on Plum’s value at industry-leading events.

Steven Pacifico is an energetic and motivated corporate sustainability practitioner with over 25 years’ experience delivering value driven sustainability and stakeholder engagement strategies for over 60 large North American and Canadian organizations, including extensive experience with government, civil society, and commercial real estate. Steven is currently the Executive Director, Zero Carbon Buildings Accelerator Program for the Toronto 2030 District with a mandate to support the electrification of building heat for mid-tier commercial real estate assets in the district. Before taking this role, Steven served as the VP, Sustainability, Innovation & National Programs, at Epic Investment Services, Director/Leader of Energy Exchange, and Director of Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement, at the Delphi Group. Steven also worked for the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) and the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD). Steven holds a Master of Environmental Studies, with a specialization in business and sustainability, from York University’s Schulich School of Business and a Bachelor of Environmental Science, with honours, from the University of Guelph.

Minsoo has been creating innovative business solutions for over 25 years. He is well known in the industry for his talent in generating big ideas that focus on creativity, usability and measurability. At EY, Minsoo continues to challenge convention by establishing creative problem solving as the new business currency.  Previously, Minsoo held top creative posts at Sparks Grove, USWeb/CKS, Studiocom, Voltage Factory, Modem Media/DIGITAS and TribalDDB At EY, his transformation client experience includes companies such as Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Toyota/Lexus NA, Caterpillar, Xcel Energy and Rheem.   He is also a featured speaker for AIGA, AMA, Georgia State University Robinson School of Business, Georgia Tech and Emory University-Goizueta Business School and is a certified Futurist recently joining the Advisory Board of the World Futures Society.

Mark Rabin is the Founder and Board Member of Portable Electric, which he founded in 2015 when he saw a market opportunity to develop and provide portable, industrial renewable power systems for market applications traditionally powered by gas and diesel generators. The company has since grown into the premier, global portable / mobile power technology innovator, manufacturer, and mobile power as a service provider, with their silent and emission-free Voltstack® e-Generators and solar generators. His first venture, the precursor to PE, was an off-grid power solutions company aimed at tackling energy access in the Global South.

He’s been in the energy industry for over 22 years and holds a BSc. (Hon) in Earth Sciences from Dalhousie University, an MSc. In Energy Economics from the University of Dundee/Center for Petroleum Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP) and Institute Français du Pétrole (IFP), and an MBA in Technology and Innovation from the Technion Institute of Technology.

Mr. Rabin is deeply passionate about applying new energy technologies, resilient mobile power infrastructure, and hybrid power systems in helping guide our energy transition to solve our world’s climate challenges. In addition, Mark is currently consulting on projects ranging from critical battery minerals to vehicle to grid infrastructure.

Tom Rand’s focus is on carbon mitigation as an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author and speaker. He is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of ArcTern Ventures and sits on the board of a number of clean energy companies and organizations. He also developed Planet Traveler, a low-carbon hotel project in downtown Toronto. Tom’s first book Kick the Fossil Fuel Habit (2010) was winner of the 2011 Whitepine Non-Fiction award; his second – Waking the Frog – became a bestseller in Spring 2014. His third – Climate Capitalism: Economic Solutions for a Planet in Crisis was published early 2020.

Tom holds a BSc in electrical engineering (U of Waterloo), an MSc in philosophy of science (University of London and LSE) and an MA and PhD in philosophy (U of Toronto). He is an Action Canada Fellow and has been a member of a number of federal and provincial advisory boards. Tom is a regular contributor on Canada’s leading op-ed pages and television, and you will often see him on stage waving his arms as he speaks passionately about the intersection of climate risk and economics.

As Director – Sustainability for Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, Herb is responsible for all aspects of corporate sustainability vision, strategy and culture, including implementation of Mission Zero, the institution’s ambitious plan to reduce energy consumption, waste to landfill and greenhouse gas emissions. Herb is an energy engineer with nearly 30 years’ experience working in commercial/industrial energy assessment, project management, teaching, and product development. He is a Certified Energy Manager, Certified Measurement & Verification Professional, and Certified Building Commissioning Professional. Herb holds the US Patent for the Distributed Energy Neural Network Integration System, is a Senior Member of the Association of Energy Engineers and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and a Member of ASHRAE. Herb’s passion is driving transformational change throughout organizations of all scale and scope, with a focus to realizing a livable future for all species on earth.

Chris Snider has been in the insurance risk control industry since 1999. Working with two large global commercial insurance carriers, Zurich and ING. 

Specific to buildings, Chris has coordinated large commercial accounts for insurance risk requirements and has conducted site specific insurance-based risk assessments for Property Damage, Business Interruption, Natural Hazards, General & Product Liability as well as Product Recall.  Since 2010, he mostly focuses on performing risk assessments in business resilience – Business Impact Analysis (BIA), Continuity Planning (BCP), Interdependency Analysis, Contingent Business Interruption (CBI) and Supply Chain Risk Analysis to name a few.

Over the years, Chris has helped several organizations navigate their property, liability and business resilience needs to improve their overall resilience and manage their insurance risk profile.  Chris is dedicated to risk identification, risk avoidance and risk reduction through sound, logical, effective and cost-conscious risk improvement actions.

Dermot is a professional Architect, Founder, and President of Sweeny&Co Architects Inc. He is passionate about green building and has put Sweeny&Co at the forefront of sustainable design. He advocates for buildings that reduce carbon footprint, integrate innovative systems, and maintain high performance, while promoting health and wellness for their occupants. Many of the Class AAA office buildings designed by Sweeny&Co are LEED Platinum, WELL Building, and WiredScore Certified. Dermot’s dedication to sustainability has earned his firm numerous awards for their sustainable building designs from institutions such as the Canadian Green Building Council & the Urban Land Institute. 

As the President of Sweeny&Co, Dermot has established a reputation for delivering innovative architectural and urban designs that optimize value, while adhering to client’s capital budgets. His extensive experience contributes inventive and imaginative perspectives to every aspect of the Architectural design process. He excels in recognizing possibilities and addressing intricate demands, for mixed-use, residential, commercial, retail and hospitality, institutional, and life sciences architecture. Dermot’s comprehensive client base is further supported by his expertise in real estate development, sustainability, and development consulting.

Mary, a seasoned Real Estate professional with over 30 years of demonstrated excellence across various real estate disciplines, holds the position of Director of Real Estate Services at TELUS. In this role, she leads a dynamic team responsible for comprehensive portfolio management, encompassing design, construction, operations, and innovative smart space deployments.

Recognized as a strategic leader, Mary has successfully driven transformative workplace strategies and remains dedicated to shaping the future of work by enhancing engagement and fostering evolution in the workspace environment.

Jonathan is the founder and CEO of the Windmill Development Group. He brings vast experience in finance as well as corporate strategy and business development as they relate to green development practices.

Under Jonathan’s leadership, the team has been directly engaged in over $5B in high performing socially responsible real estate outcomes.

Jonathan is specifically interested in creating alternative financing vehicles to create ‘planet fit’ real estate assets. He is a recognized leader in Canada for finding innovative solutions for non-conventional lifecycle financing. These include innovative partnerships to create zero carbon district energy systems and energy services contracts to introduce geothermal and green loans.

Jonathan’s most recent focus has been originating and co-managing The One Planet Living Real Estate Fund, a new real estate impact fund which is driving a $1B pipeline of new One Planet Living communities in Canada.

In 2021, Jonathan was recognized as one of Canada’s Clean 16 for his contribution to clean capitalism in Canada, and in 2018, he received the National Green Building Leader award from the CaGBC. He sits on a number of profit and non-profit boards.