Team
Welcome to the 2024 BRC Conference where we bring together a diverse group of influential speakers.
Our speakers are experts in their fields and are excited to share their knowledge and experiences with you. Get ready to be inspired and gain valuable insights from our lineup of thought leaders.
Click on their photo to learn a little more about who they are.
We are looking forward to hearing what they have to say, and learning, sharing and applying all the new information
Steve Newton
President / CEO
Innomergence Solutions
Steve Newton has over 37 years of operational emergency management experience in British Columbia. 23 of those years were in wildfire operations incident command, where he also ran the Aviation Management Section and participated in international program training and development. He then spent 7 years in the provincial government as a Regional Manager in EMBC, now the Ministry of Emergency Management & Climate Readiness. For the last 6 years Steve has operated a small consulting firm specializing in strategic and operational emergency management planning for First Nations, local governments and private sector clients. Steve currently appears to be the most active operational practitioner of the PPOST methodology for disaster recovery planning in British Columbia, and possibly in Canada. Steve also has an active play in the application of technology for emergency management and has a new company that is developing some artificial intelligence based tools. He is very proud of the fact that he has been called “rogue” and “innovator” and “disruptive” and “influencer” by leadership and peers in his career. To him, these are very necessary traits in the pursuit and early adoption of innovation.
Sharmalene Mendis - Millard
Director, Partners for Action
Sharmalene Mendis-Millard is the Director of Partners for Action, an initiative of the Faculty of Environment at University of Waterloo that aims to empower Canadians to become flood resilient through applied research with an equity lens, and by promoting awareness and preparedness actions that are inclusive and evidence-based. A mixed-methods geographer by training, She has worked for several interdisciplinary research centres that aim to advance community well-being and social justice through partnerships, program evaluations, and learning programs. She is passionate about community engagement, applied research, and the not-for-profit sector, with experience that includes being the Board Vice Chair and serving on the Equity Committee of Reep Green Solutions after having been an employee. Sharmalene's focus is now on multi-hazard resilient retrofits, community engaged preparedness, and equity in climate risk reduction and adaptation strategies such as managed retreat.
Carie- Anne Hancock
Senior Geoscientist,
BGC Engineering
Carie-Ann Hancock, M.Sc., P.Geo. (BC, AB), is a geoscientist with expertise in airphoto and lidar interpretation, debris flow and debris flood geohazard and risk assessment, post-wildfire assessments, terrain interpretation, and glaciated soil engineering geology. Her focus is on landslides and floods and the risk they pose to First Nations, local governments, and infrastructure. Carie-Ann completed the aerial damage surveys and infrastructure mitigation triage during the November 2021 flooding in British Columbia.
Steve Mark
Director of Operations
Integraded Cadastral Information Society
Steve Mark is the Director of Operations at the Integrated Cadastral Information Society (ICI Society), where he passionately leverages geospatial data and social connections to drive transformative change. With a commitment to fostering collaboration, Steve is dedicated to facilitating the sharing of location intelligence, empowering better decisions and outcomes for members and communities across British Columbia.
As the leader of the Operations Team, Steve manages the Society’s business and staff, ensuring a safe, secure, and productive workplace. He oversees the overall management and administration of the ICI Society and is responsible for successfully delivering the strategic plan set by the Board of Directors. Reporting directly to the Chair of the Board, Steve plays a crucial role in guiding the organization’s operations, ensuring alignment with the strategic priorities while enhancing positive external relations to meet members’ needs.
In addition to his operational responsibilities, Steve oversees communications and stakeholder engagement, developing innovative approaches to create improved value for the Society and its members. He believes in the power of collaboration and invites connections to explore how the synergy of data and teamwork can shape resilient communities.
Cameron Baughen
Consultant
Baughen Consulting
Cameron Baughen worked with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) for over 16 years coordinating garbage, recycling and composting programs. He worked in the Emergency Operations Centre dealing with multiple fires, floods and landslides serving in various sections with a focus on Information Officer. In 2021 he starting his own consulting service and contracted for the Thompson Nicola Regional District managing fire and flood debris. This included sitting on the Integrated Project Management team for debris management for the Village of Lytton and developing curbside collection of debris for the City of Merritt. In 2023 he held a full day workshop bringing together solid waste and emergency managers for the City of Victoria and Capital Regional District on disaster debris management. Cameron has presented on disaster debris management for Provincial and international solid waste associations. He was a board member for the Recycling Council of BC and currently the administrator for the BC Product Stewardship Council which engages with solid waste staff for every Regional government in BC. He lives in Penticton and continues to contract with the RDOS EOC.
Jason Brolund
Fire Chief
City of West Kelowna
Jason serves as the Fire Chief for the growing community of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nations. Jason led hundreds of firefighters through the devastating McDougall Creek wildfire in the summer of 2023, evacuating over 25,000 residents and saving thousands of homes from destruction. Previously, Jason served as Deputy Fire Chief with the Kelowna Fire Department. Jason has been involved in emergency services for the past 28 years. He was directly involved in the emergency management component of major wildfires and floods in British Columbia and as a Venue Fire Commander during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in technology with a specialization in Emergency Management. He has been awarded the British Columbia Provincial Fire Services Long Service Medal, the Canadian Fire Services Exemplary Services Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. In 2022, Jason was named West Kelowna Citizen of the Year. Jason is passionate about protecting communities from Wildfire and serves on the board of the Fire Chiefs Association of British Columbia and FireSmart BC.
Hannah Swift
FireSmart Program Lead
FireSmart BC
Hannah works as the Program Lead for the FireSmart BC Program and Chairs the BC FireSmart Committee. She has been with the BC provincial government for eight years, most recently as a Regional Manager with Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, and previously as a Training Analyst, Information Officer, and Wildland Firefighter with the BC Wildfire Service. Hannah holds a Bachelor of Commerce and is passionate about creating and sharing public education campaigns that can help communities learn about wildfire resilience and prepare for wildfires.
Greg Baxter
Senior Researcher
FPInnovations
Greg is FPInnovation’s lead research for Post Fire Documentation research across Canada. Greg’s area of focus is firefighter safety, fire behaviour analysis and community protection.
Tim Conrad
President
Butterfly Effect Communications
Tim is a seasoned public relations professional who excels in difficult and high-pressure work. Tim has worked
in various industries, including natural resources, municipal utilities, dental services, construction, pet
services, finance, and events.
He has held leadership roles in emergency management, communications and post-disaster engagements in
some of Canada’s largest emergencies. These include record-setting 2023 wildfires in BC’s Cariboo,
Squamish-Lillooet and Columbia Shuswap regions, three record-setting British Columbia wildfire seasons from
2017 to 2021, health care and post-secondary education during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2013
southern Alberta floods. His work in emergencies has been studied by academics worldwide and adopted in
California, New Zealand and Australia.
Tim received the prestigious Shield of Public Service Award from the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS)
for his exemplary efforts during and after the 2017 wildfires and the Lamp of Service Award in 2022 for
distinguished and dedicated volunteer service leading CPRS professional development nationally for nearly a decade.
Brittany Seibert
Regional Emergency Manager
City of Kelowna
With over 15 years of experience in the emergency management field, I’ve had the opportunity to wear many hats—beginning my career in 2008 with the BC Wildfire Service, where I served as both support staff and as a firefighter. This foundation sparked a passion for community resilience, leading me to transition into private consulting, where I specialized in FireSmart education and programming for local governments. From there, I joined the City of Penticton as the FireSmart Coordinator, later stepping into the role of Emergency Program Coordinator.
In 2024, I embraced a new challenge as the Regional Emergency Manager for the Central Okanagan, and now oversee an emergency program that protect a growing and dynamic region. In addition to my professional commitments, I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management, which continues to deepen my understanding of the complexities and evolving nature of emergency management. I also remain involved with the BC Wildfire Service, moonlighting as a Structure Protection Specialist.
My approach to emergency management is grounded in the belief that collaboration, adaptive management, and innovation are key to addressing the ever-changing risks our communities face. I’m passionate about finding practical solutions and building partnerships that empower communities to thrive in the face of adversity. I’m excited to be attending the Building Resilient Communities Conference, where I look forward to sharing my experiences and lessons learned with others. My hope is to inspire fellow practitioners to take action and contribute to building more resilient and adaptive communities.
I acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded and traditional territories of the Syilx people of the Okanagan Nation. As an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking and exploring the natural beauty of the Okanagan with my dog, I am grateful for the privilege of spending time in these incredible landscapes.
Sarah Desrosiers
Social Development Coordinator
City of Penticton
Sarah Desrosiers is the Social Development Coordinator at the City of Penticton. She received her Master of Social Worker with the University of British Columbia in 2022. With the City, her work focuses on partnerships, strategy, cross-sectoral collaboration, program management, and evidence-based research, evaluation and development. Her portfolio includes accessibility, truth and reconciliation, equitable access to food, inclusive safety
and well-being, community services for at-risk youth and seniors, and much more. She has worked with seniors and non-profits to enhance the emergency preparedness of older adults in Penticton and is curious about weaving equity into emergency management processes. She’s grateful to be in a role where her personal and professional interests can intersect, such as climate change, anti-racism, food security, politics and accessibility. Originally from Quebec, she’s been in the Okanagan since 2015, having previously lived in the Lower Mainland and Saskatchewan. She’s an avid camper, paddleboarder and snowshoer, and enjoys attending community events, playing video games and reading in her down time.
Edward Matley
Crisis & Resilience Lead
PwC Canada
Neha Nat, Senior Manager, PwC, Crisis & Resilience
Neha is a Senior Manager with PwC’s Crisis and Resilience practice in Vancouver where she leads large-scale projects for the Western Canada region. She specializes in Business Continuity Planning, Crisis Management, including Crisis Communication, and Emergency Management.
Neha has helped private and public sector clients enhance their capability for managing and responding to disruptions. She has advised and coached leadership teams across all major industry sectors, including financial services, energy, insurance, utilities, real estate, and not-for-profit, to design and implement their crisis and continuity programs.
Neha sits on the Board for the Building Resilient Communities Society, which is a non-profit organisation designed to connect local governments, First Nations, emergency response agencies, and BC businesses together to build stronger, more resilient communities.
Leila Daoud,
Media Relations and Crisis Communications Specialist, Dynamite Public Relations
Leila Daoud is a media relations and crisis communications specialist with more than 18 years of experience. She is a media trainer, published author, and panellist. Leila holds a double major from the University of Alberta and a post-graduate public relations certificate from Mount Royal University.
After several successful years as a public safety spokesperson with law enforcement and disaster management organizations, Leila founded Dynamite Public Relations. Through her consultancy, she has helped a diverse portfolio of clients enhance their reputation, land millions in earned media coverage, and navigate complex media landscapes.
Sybille Sanderson
President, Sybille Sanderson Collaborative Consulting
Sybille Sanderson has been active in the world of Emergency Management since 1998 and in 2004 became the Emergency Support Services Director for a regional Emergency Program and in 2009 also took on the role of Emergency Program Coordinator. During that time, we responded to floods, smaller wildfires, landslides, gas leaks, numerous apartment fires, and planned events such as the North American Indigenous Games.
Dealing with communities in crises heightens our own stress response and we often struggle with experiencing vicarious trauma. There are numerous support systems like Critical Incident Stress Management, Disaster Psychosocial Services, Debriefing, Defusing, Counselling, Resilient Minds, etc. working to help those impacted directly or indirectly by emergencies or disasters. Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is unique in several ways:
a scientifically proven system that teaches us how to turn off the stress response, create safety for ourselves and process traumatic events effectively
can be used individually anytime and without expensive training
works in group settings to help reduce cortisol and elevate decision-making
quickly helps defuse stress before, during and after significant events
As a certified Clinical EFT Practitioner, Sybille coaches individuals and groups how to reduce the stress response and process traumatic events effectively and quickly using EFT techniques.
On a personal note, I have four grown children and 11 wonderful grandchildren. I enjoy knitting, reading and walking in nature.
Steve Newton
Sharmelene Mendis-Millard
Carie - Ann Hancock
President/CEO
Innomergence Solutions
Director
Partners for Action, University of Waterloo
Steve Mark
Cameron Baughen
Hannah Swift
Greg Baxter
Jason Brolund
Tim Conrad
Senior Geoscientist
BGC Engineering
Consultant
Integrated Cadastral Information Society
Director of Operations
A/ Firesmart Program Lead
Senior Researcher
Fire Chief
City of West Kelowna
Baughen Consulting
President
BC Firesmart Committee Chair
FP Innovations
Butterfly Effect Communications
Brittany Seibert
Regional Emergency Manager
Sarah Desrosiers
Social Development Coordinator
City of Kelowna
City of Penticton
Edward Matley
Consultant
PwC Canada
Neha Nat
Senior Manager
PwC Canada
Leila Daoud
Senior Media Relations Director
Dynamite Public Relations
Sybille Sanderson
President
Sybille Sanderson Collaborative Consulting
Deb Borsos
Community Recovery
Partners for Action, University of Waterloo
Sumana Mitra
Research Assistant
Dean Monterey
Principal
Monterey Management Consulting Co.
Rebecca Bishop
Program Officer
Union of BC Municipalities
Paul Gipps
Chief Admnistrations Officer
District of Lake Country
Jan Mansoor
Commander & Director
Animal Lifeline Emergency Responose Team
Daryl Meyers
President & Information Officer
Animal Lifeline Emergency Responose Team
Lynsay Pacey
Program Officer
Local Government Program Services
Mark Stephens
Manager of Emergency Programs
Regional DIstrict of Kootenay Boundary
Dale Wheeldon
President
Naomi Yamamoto
President
Christine Buttkus
Executive Director
BC Economic Development Association
President
BC Earthquake Alliance
BC Earthquake Alliance
Katie McPherson
Principal & Founder
Resilience and Foresight Services
Darren Lee
Fire Chief (Director of Protective Services)
District of Lake Country
Chelsea Powrie
News Director
Castanet South Okanagan
Roger Kyikavichik
Elder
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
Rodney D'Abramo
Director of Policy
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
Jeremy Fyke
Coordinator
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Anthony Moore
Penticton Indian Band
Emergency Operations Coordinator
Tracy Hughes
Communications Coordinator
Columbia Shuswap Regional District
Kayla Pepper
Principal
Colliers Project Leaders
Dawn Russell
Policy Analyst & Emergency Management Coordinator
First Nations Leadership Council
David Hutton
Director of Provincial Psychosocial Services
Health Emergency Management BC
Graham Watt
Manager of Strategic Innitiatives / Flood Recovery
City of Grand Forks
Ben Stevens
Director of Capital Projects
City of Grand Forks
Christina Kelly
Emergency Program Manager
Regional Director ESS for Nations
Leq’á:mel First Nation
Jenna Noppen
Disaster Recovery Manager
Co-Founder - Regional Director ESS for Nations
Sumas First Nation
Charmaigne Pflugrath
Emergency Management Coordinator
Kari Tyler
Derek Sutherland
Community and Protective Services
Cathy Semchuk
Emergency Program Coordinator
Columbia Shuswap Regional District
Kari O'Rourke
Communications Officer, Regional Emergency Program
Regional District of Central Okanagan
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip
Kyle McGhee
Emergency Programs Coordinator
Erick Thompson
Manager of Communications and Engagement
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen
Chloe Watt
PwC-'sDigital Forensics & Incident Response
Nicole Cahoose
Mental Health Emergency Management
Emily Pletsch
Climate Emergencies & Mental Health Advisor
Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division
Jodie Boyle
Health Emergency Management BC
Kate Stene
Mental Health & Psychosocial Response Manager
Kristi Rintoul
Director of Community Impact and Investment
Leah Schulting
Canadian Mental Health Association – South Okanagan Similkameen Branch
John MacLean
Chief Administrative Officer
Chelsea Mottishaw
Tourism, Emergency & Climate Readiness Manager
Shane Skarnulis
Manager of Response Operations,
Government of Yukon
Emergency Measures Organization
