Trade Routes to Export Markets
📅 September 18, 2025 | 📍 The Bond, 364 9 Ave SW, Calgary, AB
Speaker Information:
Steven Kroeker
Chief Investment Officer, Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation
Featured Session: Discover innovative financing solutions to fund the next generation of pipelines, ports, and trade corridors—and ensure Canada’s resources reach new markets efficiently and competitively.
Steven Kroeker has over 28 years of financial experience in Alberta. He is currently Chief Investment Officer of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation where he has responsibility for investment and engagement. Prior to joining AIOC, he was with Keyera Corp. and its predecessors for 14 years. Keyera Corp. is a publicly traded energy infrastructure company with assets largely located in Alberta. For almost half of his time at Keyera Corp., he was Vice President, Corporate Development, where he was responsible for evaluation and execution of acquisitions and divestments. He then became Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Keyera Corp. where in addition to being responsible for Corporate Development, he became responsible for Accounting, Tax, Treasury, Investor Relations, Information Technology and Supply Chain Management. Prior to Keyera Corp., Steven spent nine years as an investment banker in Calgary with Scotia Capital. At Scotia Capital, he worked on various mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, as well as on various equity financings. Prior to Scotia Capital, Steven worked at Gulf Canada Resources Limited for over four years, including in Corporate Development where he worked on various strategic and economic evaluations of acquisitions and divestitures.
Steven has a Master of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business of The University of Western Ontario, and a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction from The University of Calgary. He enjoys spending time with his wife and four children and enjoys various water sports and going on volunteer trips abroad. Steven’s volunteer commitments currently include serving on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of World Vision Canada and serving on the Calgary Advisory Board for The Salvation Army.
Paul Lalonde
Partner & Lead of Regulatory Practice Group, Dentons Canada
Featured Session: breakout conversation exploring the future of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
Paul Lalonde is a partner and lead of the Regulatory practice group at Dentons Canada. He focuses on government contracting law, international trade, anti-corruption and international arbitration. Mr. Lalonde is a recognized expert on government procurement and international trade law, with deep experience in anti-dumping and countervail investigations, customs, appeals, import and export controls, international sanctions, anti-corruption compliance and investigations, and international business. He regularly advises clients on Canada’s international investment treaty commitments and has played a key role in some of Canada’s highest profile trade disputes and negotiations including those on softwood lumber, steel and agricultural products.
Throughout this year, Paul has been leading Dentons Canada’s efforts to closely monitor developments in the evolving U.S. political landscape and their potential impact on Canadian businesses. To help clients navigate these growing complexities, Dentons Canada has launched a number of thought leadership insights, and a new webinar series called Border Talks, specially designed to keep them informed on key issues, including tariffs.
Chris Dambrowitz
Founder & CEO, Actuo Consulting
Featured Session: Explore how strategic trade corridors can overcome infrastructure challenges, connect Canada’s resources to new markets, and unlock the full potential of our global export capacity.
Chris is founder and CEO of Actuo Consulting, a boutique strategic advisory & technical services firm serving Western Canadian industrial, institutional, nonprofit and Indigenous organizations. Actuo's network of technical, business and policy experts support clients' business expansion objectives through technical and customer-development projects that explore and secure novel channel partnerships. Through Actuo's work with clients such as Kee Tas Kee Now Sawmills Ltd (KSL), the Canada West Foundation, Novem Digital, AMII and others, Chris has established strategic initiatives linking industry, Indigenous organizations, policymakers, and technical and economic experts in emerging low-carbon industrial initiatives and trade-corridor development across Western Canada.
Prior to consulting for clients across the region's technology, energy-transition, construction and natural-resources sectors, Chris served as AVP - Research and Innovation with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), where he was instrumental in the development of NAIT’s Industry Solutions capabilities. He was the founding Program Director of the Alberta Prion Research Institute, and later served as Director of Planning and Development with the Alberta Research & Innovation Authority (ARIA) Secretariat. Chris has a PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Alberta.
Bryan Helfenbaum
Vice President, Clean Energy, Alberta Innovates
Featured Session: Examine how Canada can grow as both a clean and conventional energy leader while meeting environmental commitments and managing land and water responsibly.
Bryan Helfenbaum is the Vice President of Clean Energy at Alberta Innovates, where he oversees programs in Clean Technology and Advanced Hydrocarbons with key initiatives in hydrogen, CCUS, digital energy, hydrocarbon recovery, methane emissions reduction, energy storage, grid modernization, critical minerals, geothermal, and bitumen advanced materials. Prior to joining AI, he spent 20 years in a variety of technical, business, and innovation roles in the private sector. Bryan has been a theme lead for the Clean Resources Innovation Network and a Fellow/Ambassador with the Energy Futures Lab. Bryan’s passion for innovation extends outside the office, where he has taught courses at the University of Calgary and worked on innovative community residential development projects. Bryan has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Waterloo and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a specialization in Global Energy Management & Sustainability, from the University of Calgary.
Mike Zolandz
Chair, Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs practice, Dentons Canada & Managing Partner, Dentons Washington, DC office
Featured Session: breakout conversation exploring the future of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
Mike Zolandz is the chair of Dentons' Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs practice, and serves as the Managing Partner for Dentons’ Washington, DC office. Mike focuses his practice on advising clients on their most critical and complex trade compliance and foreign investment projects, specializing in cross-border transactions and regulations related to international commerce.
Mike offers clients practical expertise and guidance in advising on US export controls, US trade sanctions programs, anticorruption program development, and notification procedures before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Mike also brings decades of policy experience in Washington to offer clients insight into the legislative and regulatory process beyond purely technical expertise.
Mike has led internal investigations and regulatory disclosures under US export control and sanctions programs, and managed complex compliance enhancements and program development for US and multinational companies across industry sectors. Mike’s compliance expertise also extends to experience with federal and state campaign finance and ethics law, lobbying disclosure requirements and pay-to-play restrictions, as well as registration requirements under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Tayler Amatto
Associate Principal, Energy Practice, Charles River Associates
Featured Session: Examine how Canada can grow as both a clean and conventional energy leader while meeting environmental commitments and managing land and water responsibly.
Tayler Amatto is an Associate Principal in the Energy Practice at Charles River Associates. She has nearly a decade of experience in the energy sector, spanning roles both private equity and consulting. Her work at Charles River focuses on strategy, supporting utility clients with resource adequacy planning, investment decisions, and broader market and policy analysis.
Tayler brings deep experience in low-carbon fuels and gas sector innovation, with a particular focus on CCS, hydrogen, ammonia and Sustainable Aviation Fuels. Prior to Charles River, she was a Senior Vice President at a private equity firm (AUM $5.8 billion), where she led fundraising efforts, investment origination, and capital deployment for a fund focused on low-carbon fuels and baseload energy infrastructure. Her development work included a hydrogen with CCS project in Louisiana for conversion into ammonia and methylcyclohexane, where she led market and techno-economic analysis and supported commercial negotiations for offtake agreements and equity participation with international counterparts.
Tayler holds a BA in Economics from the University of Calgary, has completed graduate-level coursework in Project Finance through the University of Wyoming, and is a CFA Level II candidate.
Jack Crawford
President, J.R. Crawford & Associates
Featured Session: Discover innovative financing solutions to fund the next generation of pipelines, ports, and trade corridors—and ensure Canada’s resources reach new markets efficiently and competitively.
Jack Crawford is a seasoned Board Director and professional engineer with over three decades of leadership in the oil and energy sector. He is currently President of J.R. Crawford & Associates, a private consultancy he founded in 2009. Previously, he served as President and CEO of Altex Energy Ltd., and as Executive Vice President and COO of Alliance Pipeline Ltd., where he played a pivotal role in the development and operation of one of North America’s largest pipeline systems. Jack holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA in Finance from the Haskayne School of Business, and is ICD-certified. His board experience includes serving as Chair of the Audit Committee for Pacific Northwest LNG, contributing deep insight into LNG infrastructure in Western Canada. Jack has also served on numerous boards, including the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, the Van Horne Institute, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Society, where he was Chair in 2007–2008.
Robyn Reside
Director, Investment Banking, TPH&Co.
Featured Session: Discover innovative financing solutions to fund the next generation of pipelines, ports, and trade corridors—and ensure Canada’s resources reach new markets efficiently and competitively.
Robyn Reside serves as a Director in the Investment Banking division of TPH&Co. in Calgary. Previously, Robyn was on the commodities sales desk of Goldman Sachs in Calgary. Before that, he was an investment banking associate at GMP FirstEnergy. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of Calgary.
Mira Gauvin
Partner, Environmental Law, Dentons Canada
Featured Session: Examine how Canada can grow as both a clean and conventional energy leader while meeting environmental commitments and managing land and water responsibly.
Mira Gauvin is a partner in the Corporate Group, with a focus on Environmental law. She is a member of the Environment and Natural Resources and Climate Change Strategies groups. Based in the Firm’s Montréal office, she advises clients in all industrial sectors, including mining, manufacturing, chemical, oil and gas, renewable energies, pulp and paper, agro-food, marine terminal, transportation and waste management.
Her practice comprises analyzing the impacts of jurisprudential and legislative developments on her clients’ activities, advising on compliance with environmental laws, cap-and-trade regulations, environmental assessment and permitting issues, land rehabilitation and remediation projects, the implementation and closure of industrial sites. She also negotiates and drafts environmental contractual clauses of commercial transactions and land rehabilitation agreements, and supervises environmental due diligence of business transactions. Her practice also involves working on environmental questions in territories governed by land claims agreements.
First recognized in 2013, Mira has been commended for her extensive knowledge and experience in a variety of respected publications, including Chambers Canada (Environment), The Best Lawyers in Canada (Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law),The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Environmental Law, Indigenous Law, Mining), Lexpert Special Edition – Canada’s Leading Lawyers (Global Mining, Energy), The Legal 500 Canada (Environment) and Expert Guides Women in Business Law (Environment).
She is a Past Chair of both the Québec Branch of the EENRLS of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) and of the Executive Committee of the CBA's National Environment, Energy and Resources Law Section (NEERLS). She is also a former Programs Vice-Chair of the International Environmental and Resources Law (IERL) Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA) Section on Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER).
Sandy Walker
Partner, Environmental Law, Dentons Canada
Featured Session: breakout conversation exploring the future of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)..
Sandy Walker is co-Chair of Dentons' Competition and Foreign Investment Review group. She is recognized as one of Canada’s leading competition and Investment Canada Act lawyers. Sandy's practice focuses on securing government approvals for mergers and acquisitions from the Competition Bureau, Investment Canada and other regulatory agencies, including navigating complex “net benefit to Canada” reviews and the national security review process on behalf of foreign investors, both stateowned and private sector. Sandy also provides strategic advice to clients on compliance issues arising from pricing, distribution and trade practices. She represents clients in a wide array of industries, including financial services, technology, mining, oil and gas, power, automotive, media and entertainment, food and beverage, manufacturing, transportation and retail.
Sandy was recently Chair of the Executive Committee of the National Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA). As Chair, Sandy led the Section’s participation in the Canadian government’s 2023 consultation on proposed changes to the Competition Act and appeared before the Parliamentary committee reviewing proposed amendments to the Investment Canada Act. Sandy has also been the Chair of the CBA Competition Section’s Mergers Committee and the Foreign Investment Review Committee as well as Vice-Chair of the International Antitrust Committee of the American Bar Association's International Law Section. Sandy frequently speaks on competition law and foreign investment topics in a variety of forums in Canada and elsewhere, including the American Bar Association, the CBA, the Alberta Chamber of Resources and the China Institute.
Sandy is recognized as a leading lawyer by publications and rankings directories, including Chambers Canada, Lexology – Canada, Canadian Legal Lexpert, The Legal 500 Canada and Best Lawyers in Canada.
Al Hyndman is a Canadian engineer who played a pivotal role the development of Canada’s oil sands to secure Canada’s energy future. Al started his career with Syncrude Canada Ltd. when it was still in its planning and development stage. He was with Syncrude through its early operations proving the viability of the oil sands as a global energy resource. Al’s passion for technology and policy helped Syncrude expand its production 400% by the time of his retirement from Syncrude. Al was a critical player on the National Oil Sands Task Force, working tirelessly to get provincial and federal government fiscal support for increasing not only Syncrude production, but that of the entire oil sands industry. Al capped off his career at Syncrude by obtaining regulatory approvals for the Aurora Mines with the unanimous support of indigenous groups and without the need for any hearings. Following his retirement from Syncrude, Al began a long career as a consultant stewarding or advising many oil sands projects, including the Muskeg River and Fort Hills mines, through their development and regulatory approvals phases. For the past decade, Al has focused on oil sands tailings policy and technology development. He played a key role in turning around oil sands regulatory policy from the unsustainable approach taken by the ERCB in Directive 074 to Directive 085 which is in place today. He has been instrumental in advancing sustainable tailings technologies and promoting cross-industry collaboration through Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA). Al has contributed to joint research initiatives aimed at improving tailings treatment and accelerating reclamation, with a strong emphasis on transparency and long-term environmental stewardship.
Al Hyndman
Featured Session: Discover how the National Oilsands Task Force transformed Alberta’s oilsands industry through federal–provincial collaboration, and how this model can guide today’s resource development strategies.
Bernard Roth
Partner, Environmental and Indigenous Law, Dentons Canada
Featured Session: Examine how Canada can grow as both a clean and conventional energy leader while meeting environmental commitments and managing land and water responsibly.
Bernard Roth, KC (Bernie), is a partner at Dentons and leads the firms Energy Regulatory, Environmental and Indigenous Law practices. He advises clients on major facility applications, pipeline, and oil sands projects, and appears regularly before regulatory tribunals and courts. Bernie is widely recognized in Chambers, Legal 500, Lexpert, and Best Lawyers, and brings over three decades of experience navigating Canada’s evolving energy landscape. He also frequently publishes and speaks on energy policy, regulatory trends, and infrastructure development, offering strategic insight to clients across the conventional and emerging energy sectors.
James O’Sullivan
Partner, Corporate Securities Group, Dentons Canada
Featured Session: Discover innovative financing solutions to fund the next generation of pipelines, ports, and trade corridors—and ensure Canada’s resources reach new markets efficiently and competitively.
James O’Sullivan is a partner and department lead of the Corporate Securities group at his firm, based in Calgary. His practice is focused on advising private and junior public companies in the energy sector, with additional experience in mining, healthcare, consumer products, and technology. James provides strategic legal counsel on corporate, securities, and commercial matters, including financings, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, and corporate governance. He is known for his hands-on approach, often acting as an embedded advisor to management teams. James also has deep experience supporting emerging energy technologies and has been actively involved in complex transactions across the traditional and evolving energy landscape.
Naomi Tercier
Board Chair, Alberta Chamber of Resources
Featured Session: Discover how the National Oilsands Task Force transformed Alberta’s oilsands industry through federal–provincial collaboration, and how this model can guide today’s resource development strategies.
Born and raised in Alberta, Naomi spent her early years in Edmonton and Bonnyville before moving to Quebec for her final year of high school and CEGEP. Growing up in a franco-family, she has a deep connection to the boreal landscape where she spent many magical summers.
Naomi studied at the University of Calgary, where she obtained degrees in Archaeology and Communications. She is currently working on completing the CMT program at the Smith Faculty of Engineering, specializing in Mining. With over two decades of experience in industrial business, she has held significant positions in the transportation sector, specializing in strategic marketing for commodities such as coal, grain, and fertilizers. Currently, Naomi is the Director, Sales & Distribution for Western Canada and the US, at Graymont, a global leader in lime-based solutions, catering to various market segments such as Mining, Pulp & Paper, Oil & Gas, Steel, and Construction.
Beyond her professional life, she is actively involved in volunteer and board work with the Alberta Chamber of Resources and the Parsons Creek Aggregates Board. She also previously served as the board chair for NUTV at the University of Calgary and volunteered in Kathmandu. Naomi currently resides in Calgary with her partner and their three children. She finds relief in spending quality time with my family at their cabin.
Brian Humphreys
President, Alberta Chamber of Resources
Featured Session:
Brian Humphreys was appointed President of the Alberta Chamber of Resources (ACR) in August 2025. Working with members, stakeholders and partners he leads the organization’s relevance and growth at a time when the importance of developing Alberta and Canada’s needed resources, commodities and their markets has reached unique levels in the face of new global trade realities.
Brian brings more than two decades of private sector experience as a corporate, government, and external affairs professional across multiple industries in Canada, the U.S., and abroad. His strategic acumen, leadership, and strong relationships with governments and stakeholders have led to a distinguished record of policy and regulatory outcomes. Supplementing this background are three years in operations at the C-suite level, as well as early career positions in government at both the ministerial and departmental levels.
Brian has also served on multiple provincial, national and international business association Boards in dedication to the principle of advancing common, sector-wide interests like those of the ACR. He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal awarded in January 2025 for Service to Community/Country as nominated by Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Brian’s passion for the ACR stems from a deeply held belief that caring for our communities depends on ensuring an ever-growing economy to sustain and expand our essential public programs and services. Responsible, sustainable, competitive, and community-minded development of Canada’s uniquely abundant and diverse resource sector is critical to such growth – and needed more than ever amid our new global trade challenges. ACR plays a vital role in advancing this cause.
Brian holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton University, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Alberta, along with other business-related accreditations. He resides in Calgary, Alberta.