Data Conference 2022 Speakers

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Brought to you by Statistics Canada and the Canada School of Public Service with support from the GC Data Community

** DRAFT ** Data Conference 2022: Speakers

Foteini Agrafioti

Chief Science Officer, RBC and Head, Borealis AI

Dr. Foteini Agrafioti is the Chief Science Officer at RBC and Head of Borealis AI, a RBC research institute dedicated to advancing ethical AI capabilities within RBC and our broader society. Foteini oversees a team of over 100 machine learning researchers and engineers in Labs across Canada. Prior to joining Borealis AI, Foteini founded and served as Chief Technology Officer at Nymi, a biometrics security company and maker of the Nymi wristband. Foteini is the inventor of HeartID, the first biometric technology to authenticate users based on their unique cardiac rhythms. She is a TED speaker and serves on the editorial review boards of several scientific journals. Foteini was named “Inventor of the Year” in 2012 at the University of Toronto where she received a Doctorate in Electrical and Computer Engineering and was named one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40” for 2017. Foteini serves as Co-Chair of the Government of Canada’s Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence, advising the federal government on how to build on Canada’s strengths and global leadership in AI.

Participating in Building the future with responsible AI

Chris Allison

Director General and Chief Data Officer, Centre for Data Management, Innovation and Analytics, Corporate Data and Surveillance Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada

Christopher Allison (Chris) is the Director General of Data Management, Innovation and Analysis and Chief Data Officer at the Public Health Agency of Canada. Chris has worked in government for 20 years across operations, policing, immigration, national security, policy, major projects, air travel, open source, data, development and leadership. He is a self-driven continuous learner who is passionate about people, network analytics and systems - seeing the connections between our people, our environments, our systems and our organizations.

Participating in Digital and data transformation (moderator)

Shaida Badiee

Managing Director, Open Data Watch

Shaida Badiee is Managing Director of Open Data Watch, an NGO focused on monitoring and promoting open data in national statistical offices. She brings 36 years of experience in managing global development statistics at the World Bank and the long-time Director of the Development Data Group. In 2010, she led the World Bank’s Open Data Initiative, a ground-breaking program to provide full and free access to the World Bank’s extensive statistical databases. Today she works closely with partners such as Data2X, PARIS21, UN Statistics Division and others to harness the full potential of data for sustainable development.

Participating in Disaggregated data: Equity, diversity, and inclusion)

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Lynn Barr-Telford

Assistant Chief Statistician, Social, Health and Labour Statistics Field, Statistics Canada

Lynn Barr-Telford is the Assistant Chief Statistician of the Social, Health and Labour Statistics Field at Statistics Canada.  Lynn holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from Carleton University and has several years of experience as a senior Executive with responsibility for large, complex statistical programs. The Social, Health and Labour Statistics Field provides accurate, timely and relevant information across a range of social subject matters to decision makers at all levels of government, to non-governmental organizations, to researchers and to the Canadian public. The portfolio includes a number of large survey and administrative data programs such as the Centre for Population Health Data; the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics; the Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion; and the Centre for Labour Market Information, among others.  The Field is also the home for Canadian Census content expertise.

Participating in Health data strategies and data sharing (moderator)

Chantal Bernier

National Practice Leader, Privacy and Cybersecurity, Dentons

Chantal Bernier leads Dentons’ Canadian Privacy and Cybersecurity practice group. She is also a member of the Firm’s Government Affairs and Public Policy group. As Assistant and Interim Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Chantal led national and international privacy investigations in the public and private sectors, as well privacy audits, privacy impact assessment reviews, technological analysis, and privacy policy development and research. Chantal leverages her years in high-ranking positions at the Government of Canada to provide clients with strategic counsel. She is also a member of Statistics Canada’s Advisory Council on the Modernization of Microdata Data Access and of the Standards Council of Canada’s Steering Committee on Canadian Data Governance Standardization Collaborative.

Participating in Privacy Frameworks and data for public good

Stephen Burt

Assistant Deputy Minister, Data, Innovation, Analytics, Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces

Stephen Burt is the Assistant Deputy Minister (Data, Innovation, Analytics) for the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces. He is also an active member of data community of the Government of Canada, and led the creation of the Chief Data Officer Council. As an organization, ADM(DIA) works to ensure that data are leveraged in all Defence programs to enhance capabilities and decision-making, and to provide an information advantage in military operations. Mr. Burt holds an undergraduate degree in history from the University of Ottawa, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Queen’s University.

Participating in Information-enabled data sharing

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Jane Crofts

Founder and CEO, Data To The People

Jane Crofts is the founder of Data To The People and creator of Databilities®, the world’s first evidence-based data literacy competency framework.  She works as a consultant, teacher, and advocate for data literacy across the globe, with clients spanning federal government departments, large private companies, not-for-profits, and healthcare and education providers. In her role as founder of Data To The People, Jane assists these organisations to assess their data literacy and to develop tools and resources to grow their competency in this area. Jane sits on the Advisory Board for The Data Literacy Project - a group of respected visionaries brought together to further the future of data literacy globally.  Data To The People is a founding member of The Data Literacy Project.

Participating in Data literacy

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Benoit Deshaies

Acting Director of data and artificial intelligence, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Benoit studied computer science at Carleton University in Ottawa. He is acting Director of Data and Artificial Intelligence at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). He directs the development of the Directive on Automated Decision-Making and the Algorithmic Impact Assessment (AIA). These policy tools ensure that Automated Decision Systems are deployed in a manner that reduces risks to Canadians and federal institutions, and lead to more efficient, accurate, consistent, and interpretable decisions.

Participating in Building the future with responsible AI

Pierre Desrochers

Director, Office of Privacy Management and Information Coordination, Statistics Canada

Pierre Desrochers is the director and Chief Privacy Officer at Statistics Canada. He provides leadership on programs, projects, services, and administrative policies in information and data. Prior to this position, he held various positions and functions within Privy Council Office, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), and Library and Archives Canada (LAC). He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Montreal in applied human sciences within the interdisciplinary fields of information science and public administration. Dr. Desrochers was appointed in 2019 as a Canada School of Public Service Digital Academy Fellow in artificial intelligence and data science. He is a frequent lecturer at the École nationale d'administration publique and an adjunct professor at the School of Information Studies at the University of Ottawa.

Participating in Information-enabled data sharing

Christiane Fox

Deputy Minister, Indigenous Services Canada

Christiane Fox was appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services in September 2020. She is also the Deputy Minister Champion of the Federal Youth Network. Prior to her appointment, Christiane had been the Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs since November 2019, and the Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth from June 2017 to November 2019. She also held several positions at the Privy Council Office, including Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Communications and Consultations, Director of Operations, Policy, in the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Relations Secretariat, and Director General of Communications. Christiane started her career as a Communications Advisor at Industry Canada, now Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, where she worked in Communications, and in Science Policy. She also spent a year with the Competition Policy Review Secretariat, as the Director of Communications and Consultations. Christiane has a BA in Mass Communications and Psychology from Carleton University, and is a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Masters Certificate Program in Public Administration.

Participating in New perspectives on Indigenous data

Yvan Gauthier

Head, Artificial Intelligence Accelerator, National Research Council of Canada

Yvan Gauthier is a senior data scientist with the National Research Council’s Digital Technologies Centre and the head of the NRC AI Accelerator for the Government of Canada, which delivers AI solutions to other federal departments and agencies and supports them in their digital transformation. Before, he 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 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 parts of DND and the Canadian Armed Forces.

Participating in Artificial Intelligence-driven service delivery for Canadians (moderator)

Chantal Guay

CEO, Standards Council of Canada

Chantal Guay is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), Canada’s voice on standards and accreditation on the national and international stage. SCC works closely with a vast network of partners to promote the development of effective and efficient standards that protect the health, safety and well-being of Canadians while helping businesses prosper. Prior to this role Chantal was SCC’s Vice President, Standards and International Relations where she was responsible for the overall management of the Canadian standardization network. She also served as SCC’s Vice President, Accreditation Services for five years where she led the development of the processes and quality management system that contributed to a renewed business model. Prior to SCC, Chantal was CEO of Engineers Canada. Under her leadership, the engineering profession adopted the 30 by 30 strategy which is aimed at raising the percentage of newly licensed engineers who are women to 30 per cent by the year 2030. Chantal was recognized for this work in 2020 when she was honoured with a fellowship from the Canadian Academy of Engineering. In January 2020, Chantal became the first woman to both lead SCC and represent Canada on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Council. She’s also very active in the international community, holding many positions such as Chair of the Pacific Area Standards Congress. She brings a strong understanding of the importance and value of standardization, quality, and systems management in the private and public sectors. Chantal is the Vice-Chair of the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA). The CCA carries out assessments with the goal of evaluating the best available evidence on particularly complex issues where the science may be challenging to understand, contradictory or difficult to assemble. Chantal is active in her community and has been mentoring young engineers throughout her career. Chantal holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Geological Engineering from Université Laval, and a Master’s in Environmental Management from Université de Sherbrooke. She has also earned an Advanced Executive Certificate in General Management from the Queen’s University School of Business, as well as the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors after completing the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program. Chantal shares her life with her husband Sheldon and her daughter Karina.

Participating in Data governance, beyond data strategies

Sandy Kyriakatos

Chief Data Officer, Canada Border Services Agency

Sandy Kyriakatos Joined the Strategic Policy Branch on Monday, December 2, 2019 as the new Chief Data Officer, responsible for Data Analytics, Data Governance, Data Science, Information Sharing and Access to Information and Privacy. Sandy joined CDO  from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), where in July 2016 she was appointed as the first Chief Data Officer in the GC. While implementing the Data Strategy Sandy spent the last three years maturing the data science capacity, data sharing, and data management at ESDC while championing a broad culture change around data.  Prior to joining ESDC, she held a variety of positions in the private and public sector related to Data Analytics, Data Governance, Business Intelligence (BI) and Information Technology. She began her career in technical and advisory roles to and went on to lead organizational change in Analytics and Data. Her deep expertise across functional roles, industry verticals, and capabilities, brings unique insight into new role. 

Participating in Digital and data transformation

Jeff Latimer

Director General, Health, Justice, Diversity and Populations, Statistics Canada

Jeff Latimer is the Director General responsible for health, justice, diversity and population data at Statistics Canada. He holds a PhD in Criminology and a Master’s Degree in Social Work, both of which focused on the intersection between health and justice. Throughout his 25 year career as a research and executive, Dr. Latimer has held a number of senior positions in the federal government including at CIHR, Justice Canada, and Correctional Services Canada. Dr. Latimer is currently focused on improvements in the quality, accessibility, and analysis of disaggregated data to better serve Canadians.

Participating in Disaggregated data: Equity, diversity, and inclusion (moderator)

Valerie A Logan

CEO and Founder, The Data Lodge, Inc

Founding The Data Lodge in 2019, Valerie is as committed to data literacy as it gets.  With advisory services, bootcamps, and a peer community at The Data Lodge, she is certifying the world’s first Data Literacy Program Leads across commercial, nonprofit and public sectors.  Previously, Valerie was a Gartner Research Vice President in the Chief Data Officer research team. She pioneered the Data Literacy research and the “speaking of data” by creating Information as a Second Language ® (ISL). For this work, she was awarded Gartner’s Top Thought Leadership Award in 2018.  Valerie has more than 28 years of experience, including two decades in consulting and five years in telecommunications.  In 2021, Ms. Logan was included in the Data Power Women List by CDO Magazine, and in 2018, she was named as a finalist for “Data Leader of the Year” at the Information Age Women in IT Awards. She was also recognized as a pioneer in consulting by Consulting Magazine in 2008 as one of 8 top women in global consulting.  Valerie holds a B.S. in Math from SUNY College at Buffalo and an M.S. in Applied Math from New Mexico State.  She is based in the Adirondack Mountains with her husband Brian in Brant Lake, New York.

Participating in Data literacy

Suivez : Twitter | LinkedIn | The Data Lodge

Catherine Luelo

Chief Information Officer of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Catherine Luelo is 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. 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.

Participating in Role of data and the digitization of government

Ima Okonny

Chief Data Officer, Employment and Social Development Canada

Ima, the Chief Data Officer at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), has over 21 years of experience in the field of data. She has extensive experience with building the evidence base through the development of analytical databases and 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.

Participating in Digital and data transformation

Marie-France Paquet

Chief Economist and Director General, Global Affairs Canada

Mme Paquet is the Chief Economist and Director General, Trade Analysis Bureau, at Global Affairs Canada since September 2017. As Chief Economist, she leads a team of analysts in reporting and advising on international trade, investment and economic issues. Current economic research and analysis projects include the impact of trade agreements on labor and gender, the determinants of export for SMEs, the impact of the Trade Commissioner Services on Canadian exporters’ performance, or the impact of foreign direct investment on the economy, the vulnerability of Canadian supply chains, and the impact of COVID19 on trade. Mme Paquet has previously worked in other government departments and in academia. In academia, she taught economics at the School of Management at the University of Ottawa. She worked in the Economic and Fiscal Policy Branch, and in the International Trade and Finance Branch, at Finance Canada. Mme Paquet was the Director of Operations, Economic and Regional Development Policy Secretariat at the Privy Council Office, providing policy advice to the Clerk of the Privy Council and the Prime Minister on a wide range of economic and regional development issues. She also worked at Transport Canada on the coordination of the policy response to the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. Mme Paquet received her PhD in Econometrics from Université Laval jointly with Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Participating in Data-fueled economic recovery and strategic global competitiveness

Daniel Quan-Watson

Deputy Minister, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Daniel Quan-Watson is a proud public servant who is passionate about the role that public institutions play in shaping Canada and the lives of Canadians. His appointment at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Affairs is his fifth appointment as a Deputy Minister, having been Deputy Minister (and previously Associate Deputy Minister) of Western Economic Diversification, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Government of Canada and Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada. Much of his career has focused on work with Indigenous peoples and issues, having been the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister for Policy and Strategic Direction at the former Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Director General of the Aboriginal Justice Directorate at the federal Department of Justice, and Director of Aboriginal and Territorial Relations at INAC’s Northwest Territories Regional Office. With the Government of British Columbia, he was Director of Treaty Implementation and Settlement Legislation where he led the development of the Nisga’a Final Agreement Act (British Columbia) among other major initiatives and, with the Government of Saskatchewan where he was responsible for first negotiations between provincial Department of Education and what was then the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. In the context of these positions, he played key roles in the negotiation of modern treaties, specific claims and many other agreements and processes. He was also the lead for several key legislative initiatives, litigation files and alternative justice programs. He has worked with Inuit, Métis and First Nation governments, communities and entities in every jurisdiction across Canada, and has lived in British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec. Beyond this experience, Daniel has significant background in economic development and innovation issues, federal-provincial-territorial relations, labour relations and human resources issues, and cultural and ecological heritage matters. He has represented Canada on numerous issues at forums around the world and has represented the federal government in several national federal-provincial-territorial forums. Daniel is a pilot, sang for a time with the Regina Philharmonic Choir, has taught firearms safety and hunting courses, and has represented Canada in French, English and Spanish. His record for riding a Harley-Davidson from Ottawa to Edmonton is 46 hours and 10 minutes, one he intends never to repeat or beat.

Participating in New perspectives on Indigenous data

Eric Sutherland

Executive Director, Pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy

Eric is a “Data Guy with personality” and Data Strategist with a passion for enabling trusted insight through implementation of leading information management practices and linking enterprise strategy to practical solutions with business, technology, and data partners. He is the head of the Pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy which envisions the better use of data for health systems, public health, population health, research, and care. This work is led by the Public Health Agency of Canada in collaboration with all jurisdictions. Previously, Eric worked as Executive Director, Data Governance Strategy at the Canadian Institute for Health Information, and Director, Information Management Strategy and Policy at the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. He continues to recover from 20 years at a major Financial Institution, with a variety of roles lead data, business, and technology groups across Finance and Risk.

Participating in Health data strategies and data sharing

Stefaan G Verhulst

Co-Founder and Chief Research and Development Officer, Governance Laboratory @NYU (GovLab)

Stefaan G Verhulst is Co-Founder and Chief Research and Development Officer of the Governance Laboratory @NYU (GovLab) where he is building an action-research foundation on how to transform governance using advances in science, data and technology. Verhulst’s latest scholarship centers on how technology can improve people’s lives and the creation of more effective and collaborative forms of governance. Specifically, he is interested in the perils and promise of collaborative technologies and how to harness the unprecedented volume of information to advance the public good.

Participating in Data technologies and data as a public good

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