2026 Spring Meeting Speakers – CWF Spring Meeting

Meet Our Speakers

Christine Leduc

Sustainable Forestry Initiative, VP of Communications and Government Relations

Presenting in Session 1 Celebrating 30 years of innovation and leadership, and looking to the future

Christine Leduc

Sustainable Forestry Initiative, VP of Communications and Government Relations

Christine leads SFI’s binational communications team, which also includes Project Learning Tree and Project Learning Tree Canada. She oversees strategic communications while also developing and implementing a range of government and public relations activities. Christine is a Registered Professional Forester with over a decade of experience in forestry, policy, communications, public affairs, issues management, and Indigenous relations. She is a proud Francophone with a Master of Forest Conservation from the University of Toronto. Outside work, Christine spends as much time as she can enjoying the forests of northern Ontario with her daughter.

Presentation Details:

SFI looks forward to presenting on key successes from 2025 and providing an update on programs such as market relevancy, the SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative, new career resources, and what else you can expect from us in 2026 and beyond! We also look forward to sharing more about what Project Learning Tree Canada is working on this year and how you can get involved. This session is presented by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, an independent, non-profit organization with a mission to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. SFI has expanded its scope beyond standards to include conservation collaboration, community engagement, Indigenous relations, environmental education, and career pathways in the forest sector.

Email:Christine.Leduc@forests.org

Maggie Monday

Cassidy Levy Kent, Associate

Presenting in Session 1 U.S. Trade Policy Update: What Stakeholders Should Know

Maggie Monday

Cassidy Levy Kent, Associate

Maggie Monday is an associate in Cassidy Levy Kent’s Washington office. Ms. Monday advises on a range of issues including trade remedy actions before the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Court of International Trade, and U.S. Customs compliance.

Ms. Monday completed her studies at the George Washington University Law School, where she was an Associate for the George Washington Law Review. During law school, Ms. Monday worked as an intern in the Office of Chair Jason E. Kearns, U.S. International Trade Commission, and as a student attorney for GW Law’s Prisoner and Reentry Clinic. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Monday worked as an international trade specialist for Cassidy Levy Kent, and, during her undergraduate studies, as an intern in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Presentation details:

Providing a broad update on current U.S. trade policy, including how the Trump Administration is approaching the CUSMA Review and what Canadian stakeholders should know about the shifting U.S. tariff landscape.

Email:mmonday@cassidylevy.com

Anthony Robinson

Forestnet Media, CEO

Presenting in Session 2 Canadian Forestry Today: Reality, Resilience, and the Road Ahead

Anthony Robinson

Forestnet Media, CEO

Anthony Robinson is the Owner, Publisher, and CEO of Forestnet Media, the company behind Logging & Sawmilling Journal and TimberWest Magazine. Based in British Columbia, Anthony has spent more than a decade covering the forest sector across North America, working closely with contractors, mills, equipment manufacturers, and industry leaders.

Under his leadership, Forestnet Media has evolved from a traditional print publisher into a multi-platform media and storytelling company, producing industry-trusted magazines, podcasts, mill tours, and video content focused on innovation, resilience, and people. Anthony is particularly passionate about improving public understanding of modern forestry and highlighting businesses that are adapting and investing through challenging market cycles.

He is regularly in industry conversations, hosts long-form interviews, and works with companies to tell credible, high-quality stories that resonate both inside and outside the forest sector.

Presentation Details:

Drawing on firsthand experience from tradeshows, mill floors, logging sites, and conversations with industry leaders across Canada, Anthony Robinson offers a ground-level view of what is really happening in the Canadian forestry sector today. This presentation explores intensifying competition among equipment manufacturers, major consolidation in mill technology and engineering firms, and the growing disconnect between industry realities and government and advocacy structures.

Anthony also examines why some companies are surviving-and even investing-through a challenging cycle, while others struggle to adapt. The session highlights emerging trends in innovation, people-first leadership, and the increasing importance of clear communication and storytelling as strategic tools for long-term resilience in Canada’s forest sector.

Email:arobinson@forestnet.com

Jason Limongelli

Vice President, J.D. Irving, Limited, Woodlands

Presenting in Session 2 Competing from Atlantic Canada

Jason Limongelli

Vice President, J.D. Irving, Limited, Woodlands

Jason Limongelli was born in Montreal, Quebec. In 1997, Jason graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. Jason later earned a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario, Richard Ivey School of Business in 2008. Jason joined J.D. Irving, Limited Woodlands Division in 1998 in the Chipman area after having worked for a year for James Maclaren Industries in Truro, Quebec. Jason has held multiple roles in the Division including Operations Superintendent, Regional Forester, Process Owner for Transportation, Regional Manager and Woodlands Operations Manager. In July 2014, he became Vice President for the Woodlands Division.

Presentation Details:

Details coming

Email:limongelli.jason@jdirving.com

Adam Dick

Director, Collaborative Research, Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service

Presenting in Session 2 Collaboration for Impact: The Role of Federal Research Forests in Forest Innovation

Adam Dick

Director, Collaborative Research, Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service

Adam Dick is a seasoned forestry professional with more than two decades of experience in forest science and operations. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick.

Adam serves as Director of Collaborative Research at the Atlantic Forestry Centre of the Canadian Forest Service, where he has worked since 2018. He leads teams advancing innovation in the forest sector, with a focus on Digital Forest Value Chain Optimization technologies. He also oversees the 10,000‑hectare Acadia Research Forest, a national platform for forest research, technology development, and operational demonstration.

Before joining the Canadian Forest Service, Adam held key roles with the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development, specializing in growth and yield modeling, timber supply analysis, and forest inventory. He helped establish New Brunswick as the first Canadian province to implement a LiDAR‑based Enhanced Forest Inventory.

Presentation Details:

This presentation will explore the critical role that federal research forests play in driving forest innovation, with a focus on the Acadia Research Forest. It will trace the long history of Canada’s research forests and demonstrate how decades‑long trials at Acadia continue to generate the evidence needed to address today’s complex challenges in forest management, productivity, and resilience. The session will highlight the unique natural and physical assets at Acadia that enable collaborative research, operational experimentation, and technology development. It will also showcase recent and ongoing partnerships that are advancing forest science and supporting sector transformation. Finally, the presentation will emphasize the value of research forests as training grounds for the next generation of forest professionals, offering summer students hands‑on experience that builds skills and strengthens Canada’s future forest workforce.

Email:adam.dick@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Darcey MacBain

Director of Operations Services, NS Dept of Public Works

Presenting in Session 3 Wind Turbine Component Logistics in Nova Scotia

Darcey MacBain

Director of Operations Services, NS Dept of Public Works

Currently Director of Operations Services with Nova Scotia Department of Public Works.

Spent most of my career in the field managing and supervising highway maintenance.

Have been heavily involved in recent years in the management of exceptional moves throughout the Province. Very involved in logistics of Wind Turbine components in the last number of years. I am also a small wood lot owner and manage approximately 250 acres in the Musquodoboit Valley.

Presentation Details:

How to move large and heavy components in Nova Scotia including traffic management plans, routing, infrastructure and configurations.

Email:Darcey.MacBain@novascotia.ca

Susannah Banks

Executive Director, NB Federation of Woodlot Owners

Presenting in Session 3 NB Federation of Woodlot Owners

Susannah Banks

Executive Director, NB Federation of Woodlot Owners

Susannah Banks grew up on a dairy farm and working woodlot, in rural NB. Susannah has a BSc. in agriculture from McGill University and has worked as an extension specialist and executive director of two non-profit organizations. She has extensive project management experience with a focus on adaptive research projects and is a Professional Agrologist.

Committed to rural landowners and communities, environmental impacts are critically important to her. She has brought best management practices, educational opportunities, and training to rural landowners for over 25 years. She has worked for the New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners, a provincial not-for profit federation of woodlot owners for 10 years and has been on the board of Canadian Forest Owners since its inception and owners a 100 acre woodlot that has been in her family for 200 years.

Presentation Details:

Canadian Forest Owners (CFO) represents 480,000 private forest landowners across Canada on national issues. Private forest lands are a blind spot in national forestry trade and policy discussions. CFO is working to change this narrative by creating a national survey of private forest landowners and advocating on policy issues as diverse as trade and aboriginal title. CFO is also proud to create a new national woodland owner insurance policy on behalf its members.

Email:ed@nbwoodlotowners.ca

Shawn McGrath

Loupra, CEO

Presenting in Session 3 Connecting the Forest Sector: Digital and AI-Enabled Tools for Woodlot Engagement and Climate-Smart Markets

Shawn McGrath

Loupra, CEO

Shawn McGrath is a forestry and renewable energy professional with nearly 20 years of experience working across forest operations, wood supply chains, and private land management in Canada. He is the co-founder and lead of Loupra, a forestry technology company building practical digital and AI-enabled tools to support forest operations while enabling commercial pathways for climate-smart forestry.

Shawn’s background includes senior operational roles with ACFOR Forestry and Energy, large-scale reforestation management, and leadership within private woodlot marketing boards, where he worked directly with logging contractors, mills, landowners, and public agencies. His work is grounded in real-world forestry systems, with a focus on improving coordination, transparency, and trust across the forest sector while making the climate value of forests measurable and credible.

Presentation Details:

This presentation will demonstrate how digital and AI-enabled platforms can help better connect private woodlot owners, forestry service providers, and wood markets into a more coordinated and efficient forest sector. Drawing on real operational experience, Shawn McGrath will showcase Extend and Fractional Forester, two Loupra tools designed to improve landowner engagement, streamline access to services such as harvesting, planning, and silviculture, and connect forests to emerging market opportunities.

The session will explore how improved data integration and AI-supported workflows can reduce friction across the supply chain while enabling climate-aligned forest management. By making forest activities more visible, measurable, and verifiable, these tools support commercial pathways for climate-smart forestry, grounded in operational realities and market demand.

Email:shawn.mcgrath@acfor.ca

Rob Johns

Canadian forest Service, Forest Insect Ecologist

Presenting in Session 5 Can we suppress spruce budworm outbreaks: A 10-year retrospective on the effectiveness of the Early Intervention Strategy

Rob Johns

Canadian forest Service, Forest Insect Ecologist

Rob is a research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service and has been a project lead in the development of the Early Intervention Strategy of spruce budworm..

Presentation Details:

I will discuss what we have learned about suppressing spruce budworm outbreaks in New Brunswick.

Email:rob.johns@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Lucas Brehaut

Research Scientist, Natural Resources Canada

Presenting in Session 5 Wildfire Futures in Atlantic Canada: Science, Collaboration, and Action (Panel discussion)

Lucas Brehaut

Research Scientist, Natural Resources Canada

Lucas Brehaut is a wildfire resilience research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service - Natural Resources Canada based out of Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Much of his current research focuses on understanding fire risk through fuels availability, as well as how forests recovery after fire.

Presentation Details:

This panel will explore the evolving wildfire landscape in Atlantic Canada and the innovative initiatives underway to strengthen regional resilience. Experts from the Canadian Forest Service, the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, and the Wabanaki Fire Crew will share insights on climate-driven wildfire trends, the 2025 fire season, and emerging approaches to wildfire management. Discussions will highlight the Atlantic Living Laboratory’s experimental prescribed burn project, operational lessons from Indigenous fire crews, and new research on risk assessment and fuel mapping to inform future decision making.

Email:lucas.brehaut@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Raphael Chavardes

Natural Resources Canada, Research Scientist - Wildfire Risk and Resilience

Presenting in Session 5 Insights on vegetation fires and ongoing research in the Atlantic

Raphael Chavardes

Natural Resources Canada, Research Scientist - Wildfire Risk and Resilience

Raphael's interest in fire science dates to his studies at the University of British Columbia, where he reconstructed fire regimes and tested associations between fire and climate in seasonally dry forests of western Canada, including montane forests of Jasper National Park. During his postdoctoral studies at the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Raphael continued his research on fire regimes in similar dry forests of western North America and in boreal forests of Canada. He then joined the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) as a research analyst to reconstruct local fire regimes and model fire spread with estimates of residential structure loss rates in Wabanaki-Acadian forests. Raphael currently works at CFS as a research scientist focusing on wildfire risk and resilience.

Presentation Details:

This presentation will describe wildfire management challenges in the Atlantic region of Canada and ongoing research to address these challenges using a “whole-of-society” approach, namely by highlighting the many actors supporting the effort to conduct the research and minimize impacts on local communities. Presented research will highlight the importance of: 1) assessing vegetation fuel types, forest stand regeneration following fire, and fire regime reconstructions using paleoecology, 2) conducting experimental burns to observe fire behaviour in regional fuel types, fire simulations to test evacuations models, and statistical analyses to document the record breaking 2025 Atlantic region fire season, and 3) applying machine learning to understand how weather patterns influence clusters of lightning-caused ignitions. The presentation will follow with practical solutions to address some of the challenges and knowledge gaps.

Email:raphael.chavardes@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Danny Goddard

Supervisor Predictive Services, Wildfire Management, Natural Resources, NB

Presenting in Session 5 The Atlantic Living Lab

Danny Goddard

Supervisor Predictive Services, Wildfire Management, Natural Resources, NB

I have been involved in Wildfire Management 25 years. From being a crew member on the end of hose to predicting across Canada and the US when Wildfires will impact Values at Risk. I enjoy doing all things outdoors and spend alot of time on my woodlot either making maple syrup of sawing lumber.

Presentation Details:

There was a need for more wildfire research in fuels that occur in the east coast. This project spearhead that problem by conduct experimental burns in that fuel. Primary and secondary outputs of fire behavior will be gathered and formulated into the exitisting national Fire Behavior Prediction System.

Email:danny.goddard@gnb.ca

Michelle Gray

Dean, UNB Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Management

Presenting in Session 6 Digital Forestry: Skills, Partnerships & a Future-Ready Forest Sector

Michelle Gray

Dean, UNB Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Management

Dr. Michelle Gray is Dean and Associate Professor of Environmental Management at the University of New Brunswick’s Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, and a Science Director with the Canadian Rivers Institute. Trained as an aquatic ecologist, Michelle’s work focuses on advancing practical, science-based tools for assessing aquatic ecosystem health and informing environmental decision-making. Her research examines the use of small-bodied fish and freshwater mussels as indicators of environmental change, with an emphasis on applied monitoring and management contexts. Throughout her career, she has worked at the interface of science, regulation, and industry, contributing to the design and implementation of aquatic monitoring programs across diverse resource sectors. As Dean, she aims to provide strategic leadership in research, student education, and experiential learning within the forestry and environmental management fields.

Presentation Details:

The forest sector is changing fast — with big data from remote sensing, data analytics, precision tools, and automated technologies becoming integral to forest management. UNB’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Management is working with the Faculties of Computer Science and Engineering to define Digital Forestry pathways that integrate emerging technologies with forestry and forest science fundamentals.

Our goal is to create structured undergraduate to professional Master of Forestry in Digital Forestry (MF-DF) pathways to equip students from multiple backgrounds with the skills today’s forest sector will need. Over time, these efforts will also strengthen digital competencies within our undergraduate programs and better prepare graduates for careers in a digitally enhanced workforce.

Email:mgray1@unb.ca

Leif Helmer

Director, Nova Scotia Community College

Presenting in Session 6 Centering Forest Training, Innovation and Research for Nova Scotia in a time of Sector Transition.

Leif Helmer

Director, Nova Scotia Community College

Over 16 years of experience as an educator, administrator and learner with Nova Scotia Community College, and within the forest sector for 30 years in government and non-profit leadership. He is trained as a forest landscape conservation biologist.

Leif leads academic teaching and learning innovation Centre of Forest Innovation (Truro campus). He taught for a decade with the Natural Resources Environmental Technology program (Lunenburg campus) interdisciplinary, project-based learning. He ensures NSCC’s values are embedded in his work, and integrates Applied Research and Innovation in his approach.

Leif is a Registered Environmental Professional with ECO-Canada, and past Director with the Maritimes Section of the Canadian Institute of Forestry. He holds a Master of Education (Leadership) from Acadia University. He has a diploma from Community College Teacher Education Program, Master's of Public Administration and Environmental Studies (Dal). Leif has recently completed CiCan’s Summer Institute for College Leaders.

Presentation Details:

The NSCC Centre of Forest Innovation (CoFI) Report to Community for 2020-2025 will be presented. Insights from our journey with key sector partnerships, co-led initiatives and strategic successes will be shared. A look forward to 2030 will be surfaced with key questions and considerations based on the foundational work led by CoFI and its collaborators from across the regional forest sector landscape..

Email:Leif.helmer@nscc.ca

Kerri Marshall

Interim Executive Director, Forestry Sector Council

Presenting in Session 6 Updates from Nova Scotia's Forestry Sector Council (FORSEC)

Kerri Marshall

Interim Executive Director, Forestry Sector Council

Kerri Marshall is an Operations and Project Manager with a strong background in equity-focused outreach, stakeholder engagement, and workforce development. Bringing extensive experience leading cross-sector initiatives that connect individuals to sustainable employment pathways while supporting employers in strengthening inclusive workplace practices.

Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies with Honours in Psychology and a Research Certificate from Cape Breton University, Kerri’s academic foundation informs a structured, research-driven approach to operations, program design, and partnership development.

In her current role, Kerri works closely with staff, employers, and partners to move projects forward in a way that reflects the Forestry Sector Council’s commitment to collaboration, sustainability, and diversity. Turning ideas into practical actions that support workforce growth across the sector, ensuring initiatives are responsive to employer needs and accessible to diverse communities. Through open communication and strong relationships, she builds a skilled, inclusive workforce that strengthens Nova Scotia’s forest industry.

Presentation Details:

How FORSEC is leveraging funding to create mentorship and training opportunities and provide needed business supports to build resiliency and encourage growth in small and medium sized forestry operations.

Email:kerri@forsec.ca

Christy Arseneau

Science Director, Natural Resources Canada

Session Moderator for Wildfire Futures in Atlantic Canada: Science, Collaboration, and Action

Christy Arseneau

Science Director, Natural Resources Canada

Christy Arseneau is Director of Forest Health and Biodiversity at Natural Resources Canada’s Atlantic Forestry Centre, where she supports research spanning forest health, biodiversity, and Canada’s evolving wildfire challenges. Her career includes leadership roles at municipal, regional, and national levels of government, as well as private consulting. She has served as Executive Director of the Canadian Risk and Hazards Network and represented New Brunswick on the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators Board of Directors.

Christy holds a Master of Forest Conservation from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick, along with advanced certificates in local government administration from Dalhousie Universtiy. In her spare time she is an avid barbershop acappella singer and is looking forward to the spring competition season.

Presentation Details:

This panel will explore the evolving wildfire landscape in Atlantic Canada and the innovative initiatives underway to strengthen regional resilience. Experts from the Canadian Forest Service, the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, and the Wabanaki Wildland Crew will share insights on the recent 2025 fire season in the Atlantic region, temporal trends in fire activity, and emerging approaches to wildfire management. Discussions will highlight the Atlantic Living Laboratory’s experimental prescribed burn project, operational lessons from Indigenous fire crews, and new research on fuel mapping and risk assessment to inform future decision making.

Email:christy.arseneau@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

John MacDonald

NS Radiator & Heat Exchange Ltd., Owner and President

Presenting - Parts Unknown: Managing Heat, Risk and R&M Spend in the Forestry Industry

John MacDonald

NS Radiator & Heat Exchange Ltd., Owner and President

John MacDonald is the Owner & President of NS Radiator & Heat Exchange Ltd. as of October 1, 2025. Serving Atlantic Canada since 1992, NS Radiator & Heat Exchange Ltd. is an industry-leading provider of industrial and heavy-duty heat transfer solutions.

Headquartered in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, the company operates a fully integrated sales and service facility, providing in-house sales, repair, recoring, fabrication, and remanufacturing services across a broad range of equipment, including radiators, charge air coolers, oil coolers, industrial heat exchangers, and fuel tanks.

Presentation Details:

Downtime is magnified in the Forestry industry and with overheating being one of the primary causes of heavy truck and equipment failure, knowing your options beforehand is critical to maintaining your profitability when catastrophe strikes.

Email:john@nsradiator.com

TJ Armstrong

Senior Benefits Consultant, Belmont Health & Wealth

Lunch Presentation Parts Unknown: Managing Heat, Risk and R&M Spend in the Forestry Industry

TJ Armstrong

Senior Benefits Consultant, Belmont Health & Wealth

TJ has worked in the benefits and pension field for more than 20 years.

Presentation Details:

A review of the benefits plan available to CWF members

Email:tarmstrong@gobelmont.ca