CSPS Digital Academy Events/Let's Talk Accessibility First in the Digital Age - Speaker Biographies

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Speaker Biographies

	The Honourable Joyce Murray Minister of Digital Government Minister Murray is a dedicated community leader with a deep commitment to environmental sustainability and democratic engagement. Her federal political career follows a 25-year career building an international reforestation company and four years serving in the Cabinet of the Government of British Columbia. In her earlier role as Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board, Minister Murray championed and helped lead the development of the Centre for Greening Government. Making federal government operations more environmentally friendly and efficient was a natural project for Minister Murray, whose entrepreneurial spirit was reinforced through her reforestation company. The company has planted almost 1.5 billion trees, including more than 500,000 that she planted herself. Minister Murray is a thought leader, driving progressive new policies in government. Whether advocating for strong, smart environmental measures such as a tanker ban on British Columbia’s north coast or for the legalization and strict regulation of cannabis, her ability to envision and deliver on bold new ideas comes from her depth of experience in politics and business. Her interest in environmental sustainability was evident in her master’s thesis on global warming, which contributed to her receiving the Simon Fraser University Dean's Convocation Medal for top MBA graduate of 1992. As a child, Minister Murray immigrated to Canada from South Africa with her family and settled in Vancouver. She has three adult children and five grandchildren, and lives in Vancouver Quadra with her husband, Dirk.
	Taki Sarantakis President, Canada School of Public Service Taki Sarantakis has been President of the Canada School of Public Service since July 2018, having previously served as Associate Secretary of the Treasury Board at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Mr. Sarantakis spent most of his career at Infrastructure Canada, including as Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy and Communications. In 2011 Mr. Sarantakis was awarded Canada's Public Service Award of Excellence in Public Policy, and in 2013 he was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Prior to joining the federal government, Mr. Sarantakis was a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. from York University in Toronto, as well as an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management's Institute of Corporate Directors Education Program, holding the ICD.D designation.
	Samuel Marleau Ouellet Director, AI Hub, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Samuel Marleau Ouellet is the director of Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s AI Hub. His team is in charge of AI-related bilateral and multilateral initiatives, such as the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) and supports the Government of Canada AI Advisory Council. Samuel is also project director of the COVID-19 Exposure Notification App (COVID Alert) Advisory Council Secretariat and interim board member of the International Centre of Expertise in Montréal on Artificial Intelligence. Prior to that at ISED, he was the manager of the trade policy unit and senior industry analyst. He was also a senior trade policy analyst at Global Affairs Canada. Samuel graduated with a Ph.D. in Business Administration from HEC Montreal and a M.A. in political philosophy from Ottawa University. His research interests are in internationalization strategies and cultural management. Before joining the Canadian federal public service, he served as a senior political advisor in the government of the province of Quebec.
	Jim Provost Lead Data Scientist, Lixar IT Jim Provost is the Lead Data Scientist at Lixar. An accomplished speaker, teacher, and developer, Jim brings more than two decades of software development and machine learning experience and passion to his work.