Director Profile: A former Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board of Canada, President and CEO, who now leads Microsoft’s global strategies for government cloud adoption Prior to this he led the national digital transformation practice at a Big Four firm, Alex Benay is an expert in the digital economy, digital strategy, and digital policy. Alex is known for his ability to lead and execute complex transformations, uniting diverse stakeholders from multiple levels and industries, often with divergent interests, to drive results quickly. Fluent in English and French, as well as a published author, he is a recognized global leader in digital transformation with senior level experience in both the public and private sectors. Alex serves on the board of the World Wide Web Foundation, an international not-for-profit organization established in 2009 by Sir Tim Berners-Lee (the inventor of the web). The World Wide Web Foundation, is the leading advocate for a web as a public good and basic right for everyone and its initiatives include the Contract for the Web, the Alliance for Affordable Internet, and the Women’s Rights Online network, For more information, see https://webfoundation.org/. Finally, he is also the co-founder (alongside Jim Balsillie), of the CIO Strategy Council, a group of 70+ CIOs from various industries, which helps to shape the national technology agenda of Canada, including national technology standards to increase global competitiveness in banks, governments, and other sectors.

Background: Alex currently serves as Global Lead, Government Azure Strategy at Microsoft where he helps governments around the world adopt cloud technologies. Prior to this, he was a Partner with KPMG, where he led the national digital transformation practice helping governments and Fortune 500 companies in multiple industries to pivot to the digital economy in the areas of technology, people and strategy.

Previously, Alex was a Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Chief Information Officer of Canada, where he managed a $7b (CDN) budget and led the government’s plans in areas of technology, people and business change. The role is fundamental to the country’s national digital agenda and to a strong Canadian digital economy, and includes oversight of digital standards, policies and guidelines, as well as key initiatives in artificial intelligence, national privacy, and cyber-security.

Prior to his appointment as Deputy Minister, Alex was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation, a federal Crown Corporation. In this role, he managed over $275M in capital projects, re-launching a national museum in record time, as well as pioneering new digital partnerships with companies such as Nintendo, which produced global games on its platform using Corporation content and expertise.

From 2009 to 2014, Alex was a Vice-President at OpenText, Canada’s largest software company, where he oversaw several portfolios ranging from industry marketing to global public sector sales. Throughout his time with the company, he played a leadership role in Canada’s digital industry, as well as in promoting the global shift to digital in organizations such as the G20, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Olympics. Before joining OpenText, Alex managed various teams and programs at Global Affairs Canada where he focused on international trade and development in the information, communications and technology sector.

In 2018, Alex was named to Apolitical’s international list of the 100 most influential people in digital government. He is also the author of Canadian Failures, an anthology of essays from prominent Canadians openly talking about failure, and Government Digital, an in-depth look at how modern governments are tackling digital change.

Laura is a design strategist and communications professional focused on helping exceptional organizations tackle meaningful challenges. At Code for Canada, Laura advises on strategic initiatives, marketing, and program growth. In addition to her work at Code for Canada, she supports other non-profit organizations, including Civic Tech Toronto as a Co-Organizer and The Starfish Environmental Society as their Director of Operations & Leadership. Prior to her work in civic tech and digital government, Laura held a number of positions in the tech start-up and marketing space, working with a diverse range of institutional and Fortune 500 clients.

Dr. Wendy Cukier is the Diversity Institute Founder, Academic Director of the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and Research Lead of the Future Skills Centre. She is the co-author of the bestseller, Innovation Nation: Canadian Leadership from Java to Jurassic and former VP of Research and Innovation. The Diversity Institute has 75 research staff, 100 research associates from around the world, 200 industry partners and focuses on dimensions of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, future skills, and entrepreneurship and innovation. Harnessing the power of innovation, it promotes the advancement of underrepresented groups. The Diversity Institute is also a research lead for the $300 million Future Skills Centre and the $8.6 million Women Entrepreneurship Hub. Wendy has been recognized with the Harry Jerome Diversity Award, the Bob Marley Award, the Canada-Pakistan Business Council’s Female Professional of the Year, the Metropolis Research Award, the CATA Alliance, Sara Kirke Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and 100 Most Powerful Women by WXN. She has been named a YWCA Woman of Distinction and one of the International Women’s Forum 2020 Women Who Make a Difference, a Woman of Influence and one of the “100 Alumni who shaped the Century” by the University of Toronto. Wendy holds a PhD, an MBA, an MA, and honorary doctorates from Laval and Concordia.

Melanie is an Associate Partner focused on the Canadian Federal Public Sector since August 2019. She is responsible for the delivery and growth of some of IBM Canada’s largest services engagements.

She is known for her thought leadership with respect to disruptive technologies. As the IBM Canada Public Sector Blockchain leader, she helps her clients understand what makes a good Blockchain use case and how to deploy projects that deliver real business results.

Melanie is passionate about how disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain can improve citizen centric experiences and change the way governments engage with private industry, other governments, and its citizens. As such, she is a frequent public speaker on these topics.

Melanie is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Emlyon, France where she teaches “AI and Disruptive Technologies Applied to Commerce” within the Masters of Science (MSc) in Digital Marketing and Data Science department.

Syed Hasan is the Manager of the Innovative Procurement Methodologies Division at Public Services and Procurement Canada. He managed the development and implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Source List and is currently managing the Professional Services Modernization Initiative, the development of Agile Procurement, and other key initiatives related to innovation and procurement. In his career, Syed has had the opportunity to work at PSPC’s Office of Small and Medium Enterprises as well as at a number of other government departments including Indigenous Services Canada and the Department of National Defence.

Philippe is currently managing the operational and capital IM/IT portfolio for Transport Canada.  Since Jan 2019 he has been digitizing and enhancing the safety, security, and efficiency of Canada’s transportation sector.  Prior to this role he held the CIO position at the granting councils, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).  He was at the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) from 2011-2016, where he led all parts of the internal IM IT organization, including the Deputy/CIO position for the last two years.

During this time he helped establish the Secret Network for the Government of Canada, as well as developing and implementing a comprehensive Front Office strategy for TBS.

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

Philippe was a proud member of the Canadian Navy where he obtained his Combat Systems Engineering Head of Department qualification before his retirement.

David is an 19 year veteran of the WCAG authoring team, the longest standing Invited Expert on the working group. He is currently working on WCAG 2.2 and 3.0. He contributed to the WCAG2ICT on document accessibility, the WCAG Evaluation Methodology, and is an editor of Using ARIA. He was consultant to the GC for Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act and the high profile Donna Jodhan case. David taught WCAG to the Prime Minister’s office and was lead accessibility strategist for the House of Commons. He audited websites under the jurisdiction of the CTA (Air Canada, Westjet, ViaRail, etc.) and CRTC (Bell, Telus, Rogers, etc.). He trained 80 web/mobile developers, managers, and designers at the CBC. He has worked with many Fortune 500 companies in the US and Europe including Bayer and Intel. He is on the Certification Committee for the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).

Derek is leading the establishment of a Digital Academy within the BC Public Service to ensure that effective, cohesive training is delivered in a manner that builds public service digital and data capability. Prior to his work with the Academy, Derek was the Director of Innovation Methods with the Innovation Hub, tasked with supporting innovation across the BC Public Service. He is a self described change agent with a predilection for tackling difficult social and environmental challenges in creative and non-traditional ways that on occasion, achieve results that were not thought possible. He is an Associate Faculty member at Royal Roads teaching in the areas of leadership, sustainability and governance.

Andrew is currently an Innovation Specialist working for Transport Canada. In addition to receiving a Master of International Business with a specialization in Disruptive Innovation, he is a certified Blockhain Expert. Over his career he has worked for organizations in both the public and private sectors spanning North America, Europe, and Asia (Middle East) . Prior to his current role at TC, Andrew had the opportunity to present strategic innovation initiatives to IM/IT executives of numerous multi-billion dollar organizations.

My career has been divided between Canada’s airline industry and the Public Service. The focus for most of my work has been business transformation to improve service delivery, increase efficiency and create more fulfilling experiences for customers and staff.

Whether it’s justice, social services, finance or transportation, big change usually includes technology, business process and organizational redesign. To get there I’ve used service design, agile, citizen engagement and strategic planning. Plus a bunch of listening, sticky notes and sharpies.

Sheri Ostridge is the Chief Audit Executive and Chief Risk Officer at Employment and Social Development Canada. Sheri has 20 years of experience with the Government of Canada, having worked previously at Veterans Affairs Canada, Fisheries and Oceans and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

Sheri worked in the academic and private sector before joining the Government of Canada. She is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and has a Master degree in Education from the University of Prince Edward Island (2002) and a Bachelor degree in Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University (1994).

Andee Pittman is a human-centred designer with a focus on building capacity and co-designing solutions. Sustainability and social justice are lenses they include when designing solutions for today and the future. Andee joined the civic tech community through the Code for Canada Fellowship and stayed in government to demonstrate the power of asking the tough questions, listening, prototyping, testing, and iterating. Andee is currently working in the Office of the Chief of Human Resources Officer (OCHRO) to lead design processes that will inform policy, programs, services and products for the future of work.

Val has over a decade of experience leading“first of its kind” culture shifting initiatives in the Government of Canada. Val was one of the original members of IN.spire – the Government of Canada’s first Innovation Hub and is currently the Lead of Talent Mobility for Talent Cloud – an experimental staffing platform reimagining a new talent engine for the Government of Canada. She is pushing boundaries to develop a dynamic skills recognition ecosystem that allows individuals to; record, validate and signal the vastness of what they are capable of in a way that can be easily understood between people and systems. She is driven by her passion to reduce barriers and empower individuals to have stronger control of their data.

Jonathan Vinet is currently Acting Sr. Director of the Innovation Procurement Directorate (IPD).  Jonathan has been, for the last year, the director leading multiple Innovative PSPC projects, such as the recently launched PSPC Innovation and Agile Procurement Center, the Innovative Solution Canada program (ISC) and the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS). Jonathan has led the agile procurement team for the past 3 years and conducted multiple agile procurement process. Jonathan has a degree in business from the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), specialized in entrepreneurship. He has over 10 years of experience in procuring IM/IT solutions and more than 5 years in procuring professional services (including R&D).

Bryan is a product manager with the Canadian Digital Service responsible for the GC Notify platform. a fully cloud based notification solution for the Government of Canada developed with the latest digital standards. He brings over 10 years experience from the private tech sector. He came to the Canadian Digital Service after working as an agile product manager for startup companies in Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario. Starting his career in IT management, he transitioned to managing a client support team. This focus on users helped him become an agile user centric product manager.