Agenda

As President and CEO of the Canadian Telecommunications Association Robert Ghiz provides overall leadership and direction to an organization that is the authority on wireless issues, developments, and trends in Canada. Robert has served in this role since 2017, helping the Canada Telecoms team represent and promote companies and service providers that collectively contributed more than $70 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product in 2020 alone. Prior to joining the association, Robert had a successful career as a political leader. He was twice elected Premier of Prince Edward Island from 2007 to 2015, successfully stewarding the province’s economy through the 2008 global financial collapse and contributing to its record-setting economic growth following the recession. While Premier, Robert also led successful trade missions in Europe, Asia, South America and the United States. In addition to his role today with the association, Robert is the Chair of Mobile Giving Foundation Canada, and the Chair of the Medavie Health Foundation. He also serves as an Advisor on numerous Boards including the Prince’s Trust Advisory Council, the True Patriot Love Foundation, and as PEI Representative of the CN Community Board.

Rob has an unsurpassed technical knowledge and understanding of the rope and fall protection industries. He is an active committee member of the CSA Z259 Committee on Fall Protection, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Cordage Institute.  His ability to develop superior life safety lines comes from hands on experience as Lieutenant and Training Officer at a large Fire Department, an instructor in Cave Rescue, and countless hours using Cancord ropes in real world life safety applications.

Justin Sousa, CET, is a dedicated Project Manager with over a decade of expertise in fall protection systems. Since joining Gravisys Inc. in 2011, Justin has successfully managed numerous complex projects, ensuring safety, compliance, and efficiency. His Certified Engineering Technologist (CET) designation underscores his technical proficiency and commitment to excellence. Justin also contributes to industry standards as a member of the CSA Standards Z259 Fall Protection Technical Committee, since 2017, where he helps shape safety regulations and best practices. Known for his leadership, attention to detail, and collaborative approach, Justin continues to drive innovation and safety in fall protection, making a lasting impact on both his company and the industry. 

Eman Abou Arab is a Senior Advisor on Bell's National Wireless Construction Standards team. She joined Bell in 2014 after graduating from Concordia University with a Civil Engineering degree. Her current responsibilities include managing Bell's National Construction Standards, Health and Safety and Vendor Qualification programs. In a previous role at Bell, she managed National Maintenance and Capital Sustainment Upgrade programs.

Eman is a highly accomplished and results-oriented professional with 11+ years of experience at Bell, demonstrating a proven ability to lead and manage complex projects, teams, and budgets effectively.

Dominique Valdez is the President of eSystem Training Solutions. In the fifteen years since the inception of the company, Dominique has spearheaded the development of training courses and software applications geared specifically towards the Telecommunications Construction industry.  These safety solutions aid companies in creating an effective and efficient safety and training program.    

Dominique is active is several industry initiatives in both the US and Canada.  She serves on the STAC Workforce Health and Safety committee, participates in the NWSA Written Exam committee, and the ANSI ASSP A10.48 standards committee.  

Chris Dickson is a seasoned safety professional with over 15 years of expertise in regulatory enforcement, occupational health and safety, and risk management. As the Director of Safety & Compliance at Wesbell Communications Inc., he has developed and implemented strategic safety programs across North America. Chris brings a strong background in operational leadership, emergency and rescue response, stakeholder collaboration, and public accountability. Certified in health and safety, emergency response, and rescue techniques, Chris is committed to fostering safe workplaces and regulatory compliance.

Colin LeGrow owns and operates Technical Rope & Rescue Inc. He specializes in working in areas where access is challenging, and the risk is considered high. He is an instructor in a number of disciplines including fall protection, confined space entry and high angle rescue.  He has more than 20 years experience and actively participates in many related standards organizations including CSA, STAC, & NFPA. Beyond work, Colin loves outdoor adventure, spending time with family & hiking with his two staffordshire bull terrier dogs.

Eman Abou Arab is a Senior Advisor on Bell's National Wireless Construction Standards team. She joined Bell in 2014 after graduating from Concordia University with a Civil Engineering degree. Her current responsibilities include managing Bell's National Construction Standards, Health and Safety and Vendor Qualification programs. In a previous role at Bell, she managed National Maintenance and Capital Sustainment Upgrade programs.

Eman is a highly accomplished and results-oriented professional with 11+ years of experience at Bell, demonstrating a proven ability to lead and manage complex projects, teams, and budgets effectively.

From starting out in production on a bandsaw cutting steel, to roles in Quality, Safety, and Operations, Jeff's journey at Trylon has been nothing short of remarkable. Now, he’s stepped into his new role as National Account Manager ready to take on new challenges with the same passion and dedication that have defined his career.

If you ask Jeff, he’ll tell you there’s never been a day at Trylon where he hasn’t learned something new or loved what he does.

Jeff is excited to work closely with Trylon's clients, ensuring that priorities are aligned and resources are strategically placed. His goal? To ensure targets are met with Speed, Quality, and Consistency the Trylon way.

Veronica started her telecommunications career as a newcomer on a civil crew, with limited industry knowledge. Progressing to a foreperson role, she amassed diverse experiences across various work sites, reveling in the industry's dynamic nature.

A personal workplace accident involving a family member had a profound impact on Veronica, driving her to delve deeper into safety practices to protect workers. Despite her admiration for the telecom sector, she acknowledged its inherent risks. Thus, Veronica took on the Safety and Fleet Coordinator position and obtained her NSCO certification.

Maintaining her dedication to workplace safety, Veronica enrolled at BCIT to pursue an Associate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. Her fervor lies in elevating safety standards and preventing others from enduring the dire consequences of workplace accidents.

Tracey Walsh is the National Senior Manager of Asset and Lease Management, Real Estate Transactions, within the Media Technology and Infrastructure division at CBC/Radio-Canada. With nearly 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Tracey oversees a multimillion-dollar portfolio and leads a high performing team, responsible for the lease and let of broadcast facilities by and for the Corporation. This includes over 500 communication sites and 1000 revenue and expense agreements. 

As a visionary leader, Tracey excels in driving strategic negotiations and fostering collaboration across stakeholders and partners in Operations and Project Engineering.  Her personal leadership approach emphasizes teamwork, innovation, and commitment to achieving shared goals.

A passionate advocate for continuous growth, Tracey holds an MBA in International Business, a Bachelor of Commerce undergraduate degree, and is a Certified Leasing Officer with the Real Estate Institute of Canada. Tracey is also co-chair of the Women of STAC Committee.

From starting out in production on a bandsaw cutting steel, to roles in Quality, Safety, and Operations, Jeff's journey at Trylon has been nothing short of remarkable. Now, he’s stepped into his new role as National Account Manager ready to take on new challenges with the same passion and dedication that have defined his career.

If you ask Jeff, he’ll tell you there’s never been a day at Trylon where he hasn’t learned something new or loved what he does.

Jeff is excited to work closely with Trylon's clients, ensuring that priorities are aligned and resources are strategically placed. His goal? To ensure targets are met with Speed, Quality, and Consistency the Trylon way.

Cheyenne is a dynamic Senior Planning Manager at Shared Tower, where she manages a diverse and expansive portfolio of sites, projects, and municipal partnerships across Canada. With over 10 years of experience in the real estate, manufacturing, and servicing industries, Cheyenne brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership expertise to her role. Since joining in 2022, she’s excelled in leading with a collaborative approach, always fostering a culture of creative problem-solving and innovation.

Passionate about continuous growth, Cheyenne is currently pursuing her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to deepen her expertise and further elevate her contributions to the industry.

Outside of her day-to-day role, Cheyenne is an active member of the Women of STAC Committee’s Projects and Programs Team. For the past two years, she’s embraced leadership and networking opportunities through this vibrant community. Currently, she’s engaged in a leadership development initiative as part of the Committee’s partnership with Women in Communications and Technology, participating in their Change Agent Program to enhance her impact as a leader.

As President and CEO of the Canadian Telecommunications Association Robert Ghiz provides overall leadership and direction to an organization that is the authority on wireless issues, developments, and trends in Canada. Robert has served in this role since 2017, helping the Canada Telecoms team represent and promote companies and service providers that collectively contributed more than $70 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product in 2020 alone. Prior to joining the association, Robert had a successful career as a political leader. He was twice elected Premier of Prince Edward Island from 2007 to 2015, successfully stewarding the province’s economy through the 2008 global financial collapse and contributing to its record-setting economic growth following the recession. While Premier, Robert also led successful trade missions in Europe, Asia, South America and the United States. In addition to his role today with the association, Robert is the Chair of Mobile Giving Foundation Canada, and the Chair of the Medavie Health Foundation. He also serves as an Advisor on numerous Boards including the Prince’s Trust Advisory Council, the True Patriot Love Foundation, and as PEI Representative of the CN Community Board.

Lee Bragg has played a pivotal role in shaping Eastlink into one of Canada’s leading telecommunications companies. Supported by a team of more than 1,300 across the country, Lee’s leadership has helped nurture Eastlink’s growth over the past decades, expanding from a regional cable TV service provider to the diverse telecommunications provider it is today, offering contemporary and ever-evolving internet, TV, mobile and business services. 

A champion of innovation, Lee has guided investments in cutting-edge technologies and strategic decisions that balance discipline and opportunity while reflecting the company’s customer-first approach to business. He also serves on the boards of Nova Scotia Power and Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Management, contributing to the leadership and growth of business and technology in Atlantic Canada. Eastlink has been recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies for the past 18 years.

Craig is a Master Electrician with 26 years of experience, with 17 of those in Telecommunications.  Before Telecom, Craig worked in commercial and industrial power environments on the tools, as a Foreman, Project Manager and Estimator.  

Upon entering the Telecom environment Craig worked as a Field Technician, Manager and Construction / Project Manager before transitioning his skills and mantra of "doing it right" to the Telus Mobility Standards & Best Practices Team, where he writes and reviews procedures and best practices for the company in the areas of AC / DC Power, and Construction Standards.

As President and CEO of the Canadian Telecommunications Association Robert Ghiz provides overall leadership and direction to an organization that is the authority on wireless issues, developments, and trends in Canada. Robert has served in this role since 2017, helping the Canada Telecoms team represent and promote companies and service providers that collectively contributed more than $70 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product in 2020 alone. Prior to joining the association, Robert had a successful career as a political leader. He was twice elected Premier of Prince Edward Island from 2007 to 2015, successfully stewarding the province’s economy through the 2008 global financial collapse and contributing to its record-setting economic growth following the recession. While Premier, Robert also led successful trade missions in Europe, Asia, South America and the United States. In addition to his role today with the association, Robert is the Chair of Mobile Giving Foundation Canada, and the Chair of the Medavie Health Foundation. He also serves as an Advisor on numerous Boards including the Prince’s Trust Advisory Council, the True Patriot Love Foundation, and as PEI Representative of the CN Community Board.

Isabela Jimenez started her career as the STAC Program Coordinator in 2019 and has been involved in the telecommunications industry for over five years. Now working as the Industry Events & Special Projects Manager, Isabela oversees the planning and development of the annual STAC Conference & Exhibition. In addition to her role supporting events at the Canadian Telecommunications Association, Isabela also oversees the Women of STAC Committee and committee activities.

Candace Carnahan is a leading safety advocate who hails from Halifax, but is frequently travelling to clients in the manufacturing, transportation, energy, and production industries. With wisdom and wit, Candace presents a new way to think about safety. Through the power of stories, she demonstrates how to use your voice - to see safety as an opportunity not just an obligation. 

Having experienced a traumatic workplace injury at the age of 21, Candace knows too well the impact it has not only on the worker, but also on everyone around them. For over 20 years Candace has been taking the stage sharing stories to companies of all sizes – and already more than half a million people have been moved by her personal experience of injury, resilience, and strength. The way she weaves safety seamlessly into storytelling that is relatable and memorable is what resonates and provokes real change in attitude and action.

Working in industry since 1987. Electrical bachelor degree and project management master. Working for Vidéotron since 2010 with a background on civil projects and company civil and engineering standards.

Yannick Lauze brings over 23 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, with a proven track record in operations, project management, and leadership. He began his career as a tower rigger, steadily advancing to project management, where he spent 13 years overseeing client-side operations at Bell Mobility and Vidéotron Ltée. His entrepreneurial expertise was further demonstrated as President of PPT Adventure, where he successfully led the company until its sale. Since January 2024, Yannick has been with Erivan Gecom, overseeing all national service operations. His deep industry knowledge and strategic vision drive operational excellence and long-term business growth.

Mr. Turcot is an experienced structural engineer with over 13 years of experience in several areas, including buildings and telecommunications towers. As part of these activities at CIMA+, Mr. Turcot acts as a project manager for various private and public clients who has field experience and is a reference in Occupational Health and Safety in his field. Familiar with industry standards and codes, he is aware of issues related to the design, verification and inspection of steel structures with concrete foundations, especially telecommunications structures. He also has extensive experience in building telecommunications sites, including rooftop equipment shelter design and structural building verification.

Tony is the Manager of Training for St. John Ambulance in NS and has been in this position for 20 years.  He has been teaching First Aid and CPR programs since 1997.  He is a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves, serving from 1991 – 2023 as a Medical Assistant for 35 and 33 Field Ambulance. Over that time has participated in three domestic deployments and gained years of experience as a Medic. He is certified to teach a number of safety programs including Advanced First Aid, Remote Wilderness First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, and Marine Advanced First Aid. 

Sergio Palladini is the Industry Manager for Telecommunications with Esri Canada, a global leader and supplier of Geographic Information System software. Working within the utilities practice at Esri Canada, Sergio is focused on illustrating the importance of geospatial technology as it applies to the telecommunications industry and how geospatial technology can be used to support the OSS and BSS landscape of a telecom operator and the build partners who are delivering telecom network projects. Prior to joining Esri Canada, Sergio spent 16 years of his career working with Enghouse Networks, a Canadian-based software company focused on the development and delivery of geospatial telecommunication solutions for wireline network design and management. Sergio holds an undergraduate degree from Queen's University, Kingston Ontario and a Master's Degree in Geographic Information Systems from the University of Calgary, Calgary Alberta.

Wendy Olsson is the National Director of Occupational Health & Safety for Eastlink. Initially pursuing a career as a CPHR in the tourism industry, she transitioned into health and safety as OH&S Supervisor of BC’s Whistler Blackcomb ski resort before moving on to manage workplace safety at the municipal level. In her years in the field, she has gained experience in everything from avalanche control to pole top rescue to manhole entry. Wendy prides herself on a “get your boots-on-the-ground and listen” approach, travelling across the country to connect with employees. Since joining Eastlink, she has facilitated the organization’s WCB Nova Scotia Safety Certified accreditation and is responsible for a variety of programs, including workplace violence prevention and lone worker safety.

As part of her dedication to professional development, Wendy recently completed her Associate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from BCIT.  Her passion for workplace safety is driven by a commitment to make sure employees go home to who and what they love at the end of every day. Wendy is proud to be a member of Women of STAC.

Working in industry since 1987. Electrical bachelor degree and project management master. Working for Vidéotron since 2010 with a background on civil projects and company civil and engineering standards.

Marc Patry    Stantec    Driven by a passion for telecommunications innovation and project management, Marc Patry has developed expertise covering every phase of infrastructure projects, from design to implementation. A structural engineer with 28 years of experience in civil engineering, he graduated from the École Polytechnique de Montréal in 1996. His career has spanned roles such as engineer-inspector, design engineer, project manager, and construction manager for a cellular operator, allowing him to master the full life cycle of telecom infrastructure projects. Since 2011, he has been part of Stantec, where he now serves as Senior Director and Project Manager, leading Stantec Quebec’s telecom team.

Outside of work, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys sport fishing, running, cycling, and hiking. A craft beer enthusiast, he has also been brewing his own beer for several years.

Ryan Dillon – Manager Environment 

Mr. Dillon brings a wealth of expertise to his role as Environmental Manager, with an impressive 19-year track record in the field. He possesses a comprehensive understanding of environmental compliance regulations and best practices. Throughout his career, he has led numerous Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments, Excess Soil investigations, demolition monitoring, and landfill monitoring for a diverse range of industrial, commercial, and residential properties across Ontario.

Mr. Dillon has extensive knowledge and experience in ensuring environmental compliance with various federal and Ontario regulations. He is an experienced liaison with regulatory authorities and stakeholders, including the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), Environment Canada and Climate Change (ECCC), and First Nations.

In his pivotal role as Environmental Manager for Ontario, Mr. Dillon's responsibilities extend beyond project management. He also serves as a client manager for several prominent clients, ensuring their needs and expectations are met with the highest standards of professionalism.

Dave Jolly, B.Sc., BHA, ISA certified Arborist

Dave Jolly is a senior Ecologist with Vertex Ltd.  He has acquired over 35 years of experience in wetland and terrestrial ecology studying birds, plants, bats, primates, reptiles, insects and small mammals.  As a practicing ecologist he has been exposed to a number of environmental hazards ranging from working in confined spaces to diseases carried by vectors such as mosquitos and small mammals.  Subsequently, Dave has become proficient at identifying these environmental hazards and how to avoid negative impacts associated with them.

Brendan brings over a decade of experience in tower inspection, site management, and occupational health and safety within the tower industry. Uniquely, he is the only card-carrying biologist climbing towers in Canada. His role extends beyond hands-on inspection, as he also takes a leadership role in developing environmental and OHS policies and procedures to ensure TEP and its clients meet ecological and regulatory requirements.

Brendan is a strong advocate for "leave no trace" principles and has experience in developing regulations and industry programs like ISO 14001. He adopts a "Green Productivity" approach, ensuring that ecological impacts are managed as carefully as economic concerns.

As moderator, Brendan will present firsthand observations from his inspection team and share insights into available programs and funding for businesses aiming to address ecological aspects and impacts, which will be discussed in detail by the expert panel

Rob has an unsurpassed technical knowledge and understanding of the rope and fall protection industries. He is an active committee member of the CSA Z259 Committee on Fall Protection, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Cordage Institute.  His ability to develop superior life safety lines comes from hands on experience as Lieutenant and Training Officer at a large Fire Department, an instructor in Cave Rescue, and countless hours using Cancord ropes in real world life safety applications.

Cheyenne is a dynamic Senior Planning Manager at Shared Tower, where she manages a diverse and expansive portfolio of sites, projects, and municipal partnerships across Canada. With over 10 years of experience in the real estate, manufacturing, and servicing industries, Cheyenne brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership expertise to her role. Since joining in 2022, she’s excelled in leading with a collaborative approach, always fostering a culture of creative problem-solving and innovation.

Passionate about continuous growth, Cheyenne is currently pursuing her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to deepen her expertise and further elevate her contributions to the industry.

Outside of her day-to-day role, Cheyenne is an active member of the Women of STAC Committee’s Projects and Programs Team. For the past two years, she’s embraced leadership and networking opportunities through this vibrant community. Currently, she’s engaged in a leadership development initiative as part of the Committee’s partnership with Women in Communications and Technology, participating in their Change Agent Program to enhance her impact as a leader.

Isabela Jimenez started her career as the STAC Program Coordinator in 2019 and has been involved in the telecommunications industry for over five years. Now working as the Industry Events & Special Projects Manager, Isabela oversees the planning and development of the annual STAC Conference & Exhibition. In addition to her role supporting events at the Canadian Telecommunications Association, Isabela also oversees the Women of STAC Committee and committee activities.