2026 CRHNet Symposium

Tuesday May 12, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Presentation

9:00am MDT

Assessing the Assessment: Finding the Method That Measures Up

Tuesday May 12, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am MDT

PIC 232

As Canadian communities navigate rising disasters and climate impacts, limited staff capacity, and growing expectations for transparent, defensible decision making, the need for fit-for-purpose risk assessment approaches has never been more pressing. Climate and disaster risks are becoming increasingly complex and interconnected. Local governments face pressure to assess risks with accuracy and...
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Speakers

Kari Tyler

Principal, Kari Tyler Consulting

Kari Tyler (she/her) is a climate resilience consultant, facilitator, and educator who believes that change begins with conversation. Her work sits at the intersection of climate adaptation, adult learning, and community development. She blends scientific knowledge and relational... Read More →

Chad Pacholik

Principal, Logic League Consulting Ltd

Chad Pacholik (he/him) is the Principal of Logic League Consulting Ltd and openly identifies as an Agent of Change. His practice explores the tension where disaster risk management, climate resilience, and strategic foresight meet. Chad centers people, imagination, and relationships... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Workshop

9:00am MDT

How Do You Plan for Recovery?

Tuesday May 12, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am MDT

PIC 233

Pre-disaster recovery planning helps communities strategically plan for recovery before a disaster occurs. These efforts facilitate timely and strategic recovery, and helps align investments made during recovery with community priorities. Further, pre-disaster recovery facilitates timely recovery that can reduce the long-term impacts of disasters, minimize costs and support more equitable recovery...
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Speakers

Sophie Guilbault

Sophie is the Director of Partnerships at the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), a multi-disciplinary disaster risk reduction research institute affiliated with Western University.

She is also co-leading the Canadian Centre for Recovery and Resilience, a joint initiative between ICLR and Public Safety Canada and ICLR. Since joining ICLR in 2013, she has developed strong expertise in municipal adaptation, advancing practical strategies to reduce risk at the c... Read More →

Chaka Zinyemba

Senior Policy Advisor, Public Safety Canada & Canadian Centre for Recovery and Resilience

Chaka Zinyemba's strengths lie in relationship building, creating spaces for meaningful dialogue and action, and supporting communities navigate uncertain environments. He specializes in recovery planning and currently works as a Senior Policy Advisor with Public Safety Canada where... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Workshop

9:00am MDT

Reliving the Lessons: Rethinking Emergency Management and Disaster Risk Reduction leadership from an intergenerational perspective

Tuesday May 12, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am MDT

A storytelling session centering on insights in leadership and intergenerational emergency management. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to learn from the lived experiences and intergenerational perspectives of First Nations youth, mentors, and Elders from across Turtle Island. This interactive workshop will cover topics and offer resources to support participants in their...
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Speakers

John Leonard

Mentor, Preparing Our Home

John Leonard has been fighting fires for 40 years. Through the watchfulness that he developed over the years connected to his ancestral relationship to the land, he can read the landscape and fire behaviours in a way one watches an old friend. John is actively involved with the Interior... Read More →

Aaliyah Karyn Paige Calliou

Aaliyah Calliou is an artist, hockey fan, and Youth Leader from Whitefish Lake First Nation #459. They have represented Preparing Our Home during previous conference workshops as a facilitator, including at the 2024 Assembly of First Nations Emergency Management Forum, where they... Read More →

Astokomii Smith

Astokomii Smith is from the Siksika First Nation. Her Blackfoot name means “Calling Thunder.” In 2018, she attended the Preparing Our Home program herself. Following which, Astokomii took the knowledge and skills in emergency preparedness and disaster resilience that she had gained... Read More →

Sheri Lysons

Mentor and Board Director, Preparing Our Home

Sheri Lysons is a Secwepemc leader, Daughter, Mother, Grandmother, and former Fire Chief, Adams Lake Indian Band. As the Fire Chief, she led a diverse Fire Department, made up of youth, women and men, Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples working together. The team was formed during... Read More →

Lilia Yumagulova

Program Director, Preparing Our Home

Lily Yumagulova is a Bashkir woman and an immigrant and settler in Canada. Lily’s academic and professional background includes emergency management, risk analysis, and a PhD in resilience planning. Within emergency management, Lily brings over 20 years of experience in government... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Workshop

10:30am MDT

Nutrition Break

Tuesday May 12, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am MDT

Atrium

Networking and refreshments

Tuesday May 12, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

11:00am MDT

Advancing Minoritised Ethnic Communities’ Understanding of Urban Flood Governance Through Serious Gaming

Tuesday May 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

PIC 232

The session will be structured as a 60-minute interactive workshop in which participants actively play a shortened version of the 'Just' Flood Resilience Co-op (JFRC) serious game. The session will begin with a brief introduction outlining the need for more inclusive and culturally grounded approaches in flood governance, particularly in relation to minoritized ethnic communities. This short...
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Speakers

Blessing Mucherera

Researcher, University of Hull, UK

Blessing just completed his PhD in Human Geography at the University of Hull. His work examines how minoritised ethnic communities in Hull and Calgary understand and navigate urban flood risk. Using walking interviews, key informant interviews, and a serious gaming approach, he explores... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Workshop

11:00am MDT

Examining the landscape of stress in Canadian emergency managers: a closer look at the everyday experiences of EM work to support sustainable positive mental health outcomes for practitioners

Tuesday May 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

PIC 233

Day after day, emergency managers in Canada prepare for, respond to, and help communities recover from and mitigate various types of hazards, some of which overlap or require long-term activation of emergency operation centres. This group of practitioners experience varying types and degrees of stress, require extraordinary coping skills as well as access to enabling systems and helpful...
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Speakers

Jennifer Spinney

Assistant Professor & Undergraduate Area Coordinator, Disaster & Emergency Management, York University

Jennifer Spinney is trained as a sociocultural anthropologist (PhD, Western U 2019) and works as an Assistant Professor and the Undergraduate Area Coordinator in the Disaster & Emergency Management program at York University in Toronto, Canada. Adopting primarily qualitative research... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Workshop

11:00am MDT

Taking vulnerability out of HRVA

Tuesday May 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Previously hazard, risk and vulnerability analyses (HRVA) were primarily focused on the hazards, calculating some sort of probability, and the risk to buildings and infrastructure. As the concept of community resiliency has reached greater acceptance, the need to address the vulnerability of community residents and visitors has also gained prominence. Recent "Requests for Proposals" have stressed...
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Speakers

Laurie Pearce

Associate Faculty, Royal Roads University

Laurie is well-known in the disaster management community as a practitioner, an educator and a researcher. She teaches in the Master of Disaster and Emergency Management at Royal Roads University, and at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. Laurie provides consultation services... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Workshop

11:00am MDT

The role of meteorology in DRR: Integrating Weather Data and Consultation into Community Resilience

Tuesday May 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

This session examines how meteorologists collect, interpret, and translate weather and impact information into actionable insights for emergency managers, municipalities, and the public—supporting disaster risk reduction today and into the future. Through recent examples of weather‑related emergencies, including flooding, extreme heat, and potential wildfire events, we will explore how data...
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Speakers

Alysa Pederson

Warning Preparedness and Senior Program Meteorologist, Environment and Climate Change Canada

I am a meteorologist with experience across several areas at Environment and Climate Change Canada, and I’ve found real purpose in work that blends science, communication, and collaboration. I specialize in communication‑forward, impact‑based meteorology that supports emergency... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Workshop

12:00pm MDT

Lunch

Tuesday May 12, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT

Atrium

Tuesday May 12, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

1:00pm MDT

Lightning Talks: Round 1

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:10pm MDT

This series of lightning talks explores how we understand the systems, structures, and risk perceptions that shape disaster risk reduction. Across two parallel themes, the talks examine both the architecture of disaster risk reduction systems and the ways emergency managers transform information into meaningful action.Theme A: Exploring Disaster Risk Reduction SystemsTheme B: Turning Insight into...
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Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:00pm - 1:10pm MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:10pm MDT

Theme A: Exploring Disaster Risk Reduction Systems

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:10pm - 1:15pm MDT

In Theme A: Exploring DRR Systems, speakers look at how disaster risk reduction systems function in practice, from legislation and municipal barriers to command structures and cascading hazards. These talks surface the challenges embedded in disaster risk reduction systems and consider how deeper understanding can drive more effective outcomes.

Speakers

Paddy Enright

Senior Emergency Management Science Advisor, Health Canada

Paddy Enright is a Senior Emergency Management Science Advisor in Health Canada’s Climate Change and Health Office. Paddy leads efforts to advance heat emergency preparedness and resilience. Paddy previously helped develop the Health and Wellbeing System of Canada’s first National... Read More →

Eric Kennedy

York University

Jen McEachen

Consultant / Public Speaker, JLM Disaster Resiliency and Accessibility Consulting

• Previously employed at “The Canadian Red Cross Society” in HR/VR and “Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging” and volunteered in different departments including EM for over 15+ years
• Sole proprietor of “JLM Disaster Resiliency and Accessibility Consulting”.
Curren... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:10pm - 1:15pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:10pm MDT

Theme B: Turning Insight into Action

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:10pm - 1:15pm MDT

In Theme B: Turning Insight Into Action, speakers focus on how emergency managers convert information into impact. Through AI‑driven intelligence, risk visualization, operational learning, and hazard‑specific education, these talks explore how insight becomes better decisions, stronger programs, and more effective preparedness.

Speakers

Scott Ramey

Founder/CEO, Principal Specialist, thehumanfactor.ca

Scott Ramey is a human factors researcher and applied scientist specializing in naturalistic decision making, AI implementation, and systems improvement in high-risk, high-reliability organizations.

Scott draws knowledge, learning, and inspiration from experience with many large scale incidents through his career; from the Eastern Ontario ice storms, to the Toronto TTC subway crash, losing air ambulance colleagues in helicopter crash, to most recently being the on-call and initial... Read More →

Christine Buttkus

Executive Director, BC Earthquake Alliance Society

Paul Flavell

President, Sandhurst Consulting

David Woodruff

Senior Analyst/Consultant, Darkhorse Emergency

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:10pm - 1:15pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:20pm MDT

Accessibility and the Federal Emergencies Act

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:20pm - 1:25pm MDT

Under the Accessible Canada Act of 2019, Accessibility Standards Canada was created as a national accredited standards council recognized by National Standards of Canada. The organization develops and implements accessibility standards and provides grants for research studies to assist with making Canada barrier-free by 2040. The main standard of discussion will be on the federal standards on...
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Speakers

Jen McEachen

Consultant / Public Speaker, JLM Disaster Resiliency and Accessibility Consulting

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:20pm - 1:25pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:20pm MDT

Research to Reality: AI Emergency Intelligence for Every Agency

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:20pm - 1:25pm MDT

Speakers

Scott Ramey

Founder/CEO, Principal Specialist, thehumanfactor.ca

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:20pm - 1:25pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:26pm MDT

Building a taxonomy: Coding barriers to wildfire mitigation in municipal governments

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:26pm - 1:31pm MDT

Speakers

Eric Kennedy

York University

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:26pm - 1:31pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:26pm MDT

From Exercise to Action: Embedding Operational Learning into Your Emergency Management Program

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:26pm - 1:31pm MDT

Speakers

Paul Flavell

President, Sandhurst Consulting

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:26pm - 1:31pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:32pm MDT

Building Bridges Across Mountains of Expertise

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:32pm - 1:37pm MDT

This lightning talk explores the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) system as a value chain, visualized as a landscape of “mountains of expertise” (such as EMOs, academia, private sector, and community organizations). Each mountain represents significant value … knowledge, capacity, and experience. However, between these peaks are “valleys of death” where value and innovation are...
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Speakers

Rob Honch

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:32pm - 1:37pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:32pm MDT

Community Risk: Advancements in Risk Assessment Visualization

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:32pm - 1:37pm MDT

This tech demo will showcase how modern data tools can help departments move from reactive response to proactive risk reduction—supporting decisions about prevention programs, resource allocation, and community safety initiatives. By making risk visible and defensible, platforms like Darkhorse Risk can help Canadian communities align stakeholders, prioritize investments in prevention, and build...
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Speakers

David Woodruff

Senior Analyst/Consultant, Darkhorse Emergency

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:32pm - 1:37pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:38pm MDT

Leveraging Scenario-Based Stress-Testing to Protect Health from Cascading, Compounding and Combined Hazards

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:38pm - 1:45pm MDT

Using extreme heat as an example of a climate impact that often intersects with other hazards (e.g., wildfires), this presentation will provide an overview of the scenario-based stress-testing method, supporting evidence, practical examples, and tools and guidance available to support its use. Scenario-based stress-testing is an emerging evidence-based method that allows health authorities...
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Speakers

Paddy Enright

Senior Emergency Management Science Advisor, Health Canada

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:38pm - 1:45pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:38pm MDT

Living the Lessons: Earthquake and Tsunami Preparedness Education

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:38pm - 1:45pm MDT

Are you struggling with engagement in emergency preparedness? This presentation will share lessons learned from earthquake and tsunami preparedness education during times of continual change. The presentation will provide visual examples of what we have learned through listening, and how the delivery of new education programs, tools and messaging and has deepened engagement....
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Speakers

Christine Buttkus

Executive Director, BC Earthquake Alliance Society

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:38pm - 1:45pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:45pm MDT

Discussion: Exploring Disaster Risk Reduction Systems (Lightning Talks)

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:45pm - 2:15pm MDT

During the discussions, participants and speakers gather in small groups to explore the provocative questions raised in each theme, including:Is a federal standard the right approach to ensure the diverse needs of people with disabilities are being met before, during and after a disaster?When it comes to the evolving field of EM and DRR: What are the strengths (roots) that we are building on? What...
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Speakers

Rob Honch

Lilia Yumagulova

Program Director, Preparing Our Home

Paddy Enright

Senior Emergency Management Science Advisor, Health Canada

Eric Kennedy

York University

Jen McEachen

Consultant / Public Speaker, JLM Disaster Resiliency and Accessibility Consulting

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:45pm - 2:15pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

1:45pm MDT

Discussion: Turning Insight into Action

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:45pm - 2:15pm MDT

During the discussions, participants and speakers gather in small groups to explore the provocative questions raised in each theme, including:Do you know how to safety integrate AI into your workflows?How much risk reduction opportunity is being missed simply because the data exists but isn’t accessible or usable by decision-makers?How can serious games move beyond engagement to influence actual...
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Speakers

Kari Tyler

Principal, Kari Tyler Consulting

Blessing Mucherera

Researcher, University of Hull, UK

Scott Ramey

Founder/CEO, Principal Specialist, thehumanfactor.ca

Christine Buttkus

Executive Director, BC Earthquake Alliance Society

Paul Flavell

President, Sandhurst Consulting

David Woodruff

Senior Analyst/Consultant, Darkhorse Emergency

Tuesday May 12, 2026 1:45pm - 2:15pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

2:15pm MDT

Cold Brew Coffee Connections: Posters and Networking

Tuesday May 12, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm MDT

Atrium

Connect and network with your peers over poster presentations in this casual yet high energy cafe pop-up in NAIT’s beautiful atrium. Explore new ideas, emerging research, and creative approaches across the emergency management field. Enjoy iced coffees while browsing at your own pace, connecting with colleagues, and engaging with the work on display. Poster presenters and the cold brew coffee...
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Tuesday May 12, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

3:10pm MDT

Lightning Talks: Round 2

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:10pm - 3:15pm MDT

This series of lightning talks explores how communities experience, shape, and are impacted by emergencies. Across two parallel themes, the talks examine both the people‑powered foundations of resilience and the societal, often overlooked, consequences that unfold beyond the immediate hazard zone.Theme C: Community‑Powered Resilience Theme D: Beyond the Yellow Tape — The Societal...
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Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:10pm - 3:15pm MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:15pm MDT

Theme C: Community-Powered Resilience

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:15pm - 3:20pm MDT

In Theme C: Community‑Powered Resilience, speakers explore how resilience emerges from the strengths, knowledge, and relationships within communities. These talks highlight the shared capacities, cultural intelligence, and people‑first approaches that shape how communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. Together, they reveal how centering community experience can...
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Speakers

Amber Rushton

CEO and Founder, Traverse Analytics Incorporated

Amber has 20 years of experience in emergency management, business continuity, and risk management, leading emergency operations centre activations, coordinating tactical operations centre activations, and responding at the Incident Command Post as the Incident Commander, Hazmat Unit... Read More →

Amanda Sobierajski

Amanda Sobierajski is a member of Alberta Emergency Management Agency’s Be Prepared team, having joined in the fall of 2024. Amanda comes to this work naturally, having held various preparedness, operations and operations management roles on the Canadian Red Cross’ national team... Read More →

Tim Conrad

Tim is a public relations and emergency management expert who excels at intense, challenging work. His recent emergency roles include leading information and advanced planning for substantial wildfires across large areas of Canada, as well as during a significant landslide and flood... Read More →

Sherry Greene

Founder, Askiy Eco Distribution Ltd & SafeRoots AI

Sherry Greene is an Indigenous entrepreneur, sustainability advocate, and emerging voice in Indigenous economic development. She is the Founder of Askiy Eco Distribution Ltd., and SafeRoots AI. An Indigenous woman-owned company providing eco-friendly procurement and supply solutions... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:15pm - 3:20pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:15pm MDT

Theme D: Beyond the Yellow Tape

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:15pm - 3:20pm MDT

In Theme D: Beyond the Yellow Tape, speakers examine the human and social dimensions of emergencies that unfold outside the immediate hazard zone. These talks surface the often‑overlooked impacts of disasters on people, communities, and social systems. Together, they invite us to look beyond response operations and consider the broader societal realities that inform disaster risk reduction.

Speakers

Jackie Kloosterboer

Founder & ESS Training Specialist, Survive It

I’m a disaster preparedness and ESS practitioner with 30+ years supporting communities through real emergencies in BC and training teams across Canada. I specialize in Reception Centres, the evacuee experience, and designing realistic, hands-on exercises that build confidence under... Read More →

Sydney Fraser

James Wheeler-Hebert

Master's student, Research Assistant, York University

Former history student, studying Disaster & Emergency Management at York University. Working on a project with Professor Aaida Mamuji to identify gaps and improve coordination for the handling of pets and livestock during an emergency.

Rachael Oliver

Senior Manager, Recovery, Canadian Red Cross

Rachael Oliver is a leading practitioner in community-centered disaster recovery and currently serves as Senior Manager, Recovery at the Canadian Red Cross. She has extensive experience supporting municipalities, First Nations, and Métis communities through Canada’s largest disasters... Read More →

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:15pm - 3:20pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:20pm MDT

Out of the Ark: Rethinking Animal Welfare in Disasters

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:20pm - 3:25pm MDT

Researchers: Dr. Aaida Mamuji, James Wheeler-Hebert and Cheryl RogersDespite animal welfare being tied to human safety, livelihoods, and recovery, animals are often overlooked in disaster planning and response efforts in Canada. And, while the wellbeing of many animals is dependent on human action and inaction, there is currently no formal structure or approach to addressing animal needs in...
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Speakers

James Wheeler-Hebert

Master's student, Research Assistant, York University

York Animals in DEM Presentation pdf

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:20pm - 3:25pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:20pm MDT

The Power of Preparedness: Building a Resilient Community Before Disaster Strikes

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:20pm - 3:25pm MDT

AEMA’s Be Prepared Program uses an all-hazards approach to prepare individuals, households, and the community for disruptions and emergencies. Through a blend of original research and data-driven storytelling, this session will explore tools and tips for planning your own community preparedness programming, specifically as it relates to understanding evacuation and shelter-in-place durations and...
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Speakers

Amanda Sobierajski

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:20pm - 3:25pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:26pm MDT

First Moments Matter: Designing Realistic ESS Exercises That Build Confidence Under Pressure

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:26pm - 3:31pm MDT

Speakers

Jackie Kloosterboer

Founder & ESS Training Specialist, Survive It

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:26pm - 3:31pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:26pm MDT

The Intricate Fabric of Cultural Intelligence and Social Impact

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:26pm - 3:41pm MDT

This lightning talk explores why resilience is not just a technical challenge—but a cultural and social one. Using the Traverse Analytics framework, I briefly describe how climate hazards do not occur in isolation. Instead, they interact dynamically with people, culture, behaviour, and systems of decision‑making. Traditional climate risk approaches often emphasize models, forecasts, and...
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Speakers

Amber Rushton

CEO and Founder, Traverse Analytics Incorporated

TraversePosterCRHNet (36 x 48 in) pdf

CRHNet Presentation pptx

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:26pm - 3:41pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:32pm MDT

Pathways to Preparedness: Accessibility, mental well-being & community resilience – what holds people back?

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:32pm - 3:37pm MDT

Few regions have been hit by disasters as often and as hard as British Columbia’s Cariboo-Chilcotin. Since 2016, they have had over 400 wildfires, major flooding, and creeping and enormous landslides. Yet residents remain uncommitted to preparedness. Why?

Learn what they told us about mental well-being, accessibility and community preparedness.

Speakers

Tim Conrad

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:32pm - 3:37pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:32pm MDT

Strengthening Hospital Resilience Through Multi-Site Emergency Training Design

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:32pm - 3:37pm MDT

Speakers

Sydney Fraser

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:32pm - 3:37pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:38pm MDT

Can AI Help Solve Socio-Economic and Community Safety Challenges in First Nations Communities?

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:38pm - 3:45pm MDT

This lightning talk explores how Artificial Intelligence can be used as a practical tool to support First Nations communities in addressing urgent socio-economic and public safety challenges such as housing shortages, unemployment, food insecurity, youth opportunities, emergency response gaps, addiction, domestic violence, and mental health crises.I will also introduce an Indigenous-led concept...
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Speakers

Sherry Greene

Founder, Askiy Eco Distribution Ltd & SafeRoots AI

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:38pm - 3:45pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:38pm MDT

From Idea to Practice: Creating the Conditions for Community-Led Recovery

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:38pm - 3:45pm MDT

Community-led recovery is widely seen as best practice, but what does it actually take to make it work? This lightning talk explores the gap between the idea and reality, showing how well-intentioned support can unintentionally limit local leadership. Drawing on a wildfire recovery case study from Newfoundland and Labrador, it examines how support can be structured in a way that builds confidence,...
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Speakers

Rachael Oliver

Senior Manager, Recovery, Canadian Red Cross

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:38pm - 3:45pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:45pm MDT

Discussion: Beyond the Yellow Tape

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm MDT

During the discussions, participants and speakers gather in small groups to explore the provocative questions raised in each theme, including:If 50 evacuees arrived at your Reception Centre in the next 10 minutes, what would go well - and where would your team struggle in the first 30 minutes?If community-led recovery is best practice, what does it actually take to make it happen?What are some...
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Speakers

Sophie Guilbault

Jackie Kloosterboer

Founder & ESS Training Specialist, Survive It

Sydney Fraser

James Wheeler-Hebert

Master's student, Research Assistant, York University

Rachael Oliver

Senior Manager, Recovery, Canadian Red Cross

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm MDT
PIC 120 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

3:45pm MDT

Discussion: Community-Powered Resilience

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm MDT

During the discussions, participants and speakers gather in small groups to explore the provocative questions raised in each theme, including:What changes when we treat culture and local knowledge as critical infrastructure for resilience?What if every First Nation had access to AI tools that could help save lives, strengthen safety, create jobs, and empower communities while protecting culture...
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Speakers

Chaka Zinyemba

Senior Policy Advisor, Public Safety Canada & Canadian Centre for Recovery and Resilience

Amber Rushton

CEO and Founder, Traverse Analytics Incorporated

Amanda Sobierajski

Tim Conrad

Sherry Greene

Founder, Askiy Eco Distribution Ltd & SafeRoots AI

Tuesday May 12, 2026 3:45pm - 4:15pm MDT
PIC 122 - Split Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Lightning Talk

5:00pm MDT

Hockey Night Networking

Tuesday May 12, 2026 5:00pm - 9:00pm MDT

The Canadian Ice House

Appetizers providedThere’s no better place to catch the NHL playoffs than in Canada’s hockey capital! Join us at one of Edmonton’s premier hockey pubs in the heart of the ICE District as we cheer on the Oilers in their quest for the Cup.This high-energy, casual evening is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow symposium attendees, build relationships, and unwind over great food,...
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Tuesday May 12, 2026 5:00pm - 9:00pm MDT
The Canadian Ice House The Canadian Ice House, ICE District, 10332 103 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0Y9

Networking

7:30am MDT

Breakfast

Wednesday May 13, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am MDT

Atrium

Wednesday May 13, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

8:30am MDT

Opening Remarks

Wednesday May 13, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am MDT

Opening remarks from Stephen Lacroix, the Managing Director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency

Speakers

Stephen Lacroix

Senior Assistant Deputy Minister / Managing Director, Alberta Emergency Management Agency

Within the Government of Alberta, Steve was seconded as Executive Lead to the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force and the Rapid Testing Task Force. Prior to joining Alberta’s public service, he served as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces for more than 35 years, rising to the rank... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 8:30am - 9:00am MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Presentation

9:00am MDT

Disaster Risk Reduction Roundtable: The Future of DRR in Canada

Wednesday May 13, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm MDT

The DRR Roundtable has long been a place for a national conversation about disaster risk in Canada. As the pace and impacts of disasters accelerate and strain our systems and coping mechanisms, that conversation is needed more than ever.This year’s Roundtable looks ahead to 2040 and beyond, creating space to explore how the world is changing, what that means for disaster risk in Canada, and the...
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Wednesday May 13, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

10:30am MDT

Nutrition Break

Wednesday May 13, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am MDT

Atrium

Networking and refreshments

Wednesday May 13, 2026 10:30am - 11:00am MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

12:00pm MDT

Lunch

Wednesday May 13, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT

Atrium

Wednesday May 13, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

1:00pm MDT

Re-centering Impacted People: A Meta-Analysis of Best Practices for Engaging Disaster-Affected Individuals

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:15pm MDT

PIC 233

Disaster response and recovery are most effective when the people directly affected are meaningfully engaged in decision-making, planning, and implementation. Yet, across Canada and internationally, emergency management systems still struggle to operationalize community-driven approaches beyond consultation. This presentation synthesizes findings from a meta-analysis of current research,...
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Speakers

Kayla Klatt

Student, NAIT Disaster and Emergency Management Program

Kayla Klatt is an emerging emergency management professional with a background in administration, Indigenous advocacy, human rights, and disaster management. Her experience with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency sparked a strong interest in how individuals and communities come... Read More →

Erica Woolf

Director, Central Operations, Alberta Emergency Management Agency

Erica Woolf is the Director of Central Operations with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, where she leads provincial programs in emergency social services, business continuity, and alerting. With over a decade of public sector experience, she has advanced complex, cross-government... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

1:00pm MDT

Researching Wise Practices for Wildfire Management with Remote First Nations

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:30pm MDT

PIC 232

This presentation will explore a research project titled "Learning from Indigenous Perspectives for Wildland Fire Management from Treaty 5 and 9 Remote First Nations"— a collaboration between Keewaytinook Okimakanak Tribal Council (KOTC), Lakehead University, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, aimed at understanding how to better support the values, needs, and resilience of remote...
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Speakers

Ana T. Gonzalez

Community Engagement Research Analyst, Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research (CNFER)

Ana Gonzalez is a Community Engagement Research Analyst at the Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. With a Master of Environmental Studies degree from Lakehead University and a background in social work and social science research... Read More →

Lance Robinson

Research Scientist, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

Lance W. Robinson is a research scientist in the Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. He has more than two decades of experience working on participatory and community-based approaches in natural resource management, both in the... Read More →

Researching Wise Practices CRHNet pdf

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:00pm - 1:30pm MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Presentation

1:00pm MDT

Panel - The evolving profession of Disaster and Emergency Management

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:00pm - 2:10pm MDT

Emergency management practitioners play a critical role in supporting communities before, during, and after major emergencies by helping ensure the continuity of essential government and community services. Yet in Canada, there are no broadly accepted educational requirements or clearly defined stages of professional development for this occupation. This creates important challenges for educators,...
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Speakers

Bettina Williams

Program Director, Justice Institute of British Columbia

Bettina Williams (she/her) is the Program Director, Curriculum Development & Program Credentials, in the Emergency Management Division at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC). Her work is grounded in a strong commitment to public safety, community resilience, and collaborative... Read More →

Michel Dore

Darren Blackburn

Dean, School of Public Safety, Justice Institute of British Columbia

Darren Blackburn is the Dean of the School of Public Safety at the Justice Institute of BC. Darren recently completed a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia, studying professional identity formation in Canadian emergency managers (dissertation available... Read More →

Emma Chong

Emma Chong is Senior Manager of Emergency Management with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services at the City of Edmonton. She leads strategic initiatives that strengthen corporate and community resilience by integrating the efforts of the City and its public safety partners, while modernizing... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:00pm - 2:10pm MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Panel Session

1:15pm MDT

Human-Centered Continuity Planning: Putting People at the Core of Business Resilience

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:15pm - 1:30pm MDT

PIC 233

In an era of cascading crises, interconnected risks, and workforce fatigue, the next frontier of continuity and resilience is not built on plans, policies, or technology alone — it’s built on people. Human-Centered Continuity Planning reframes the traditional business continuity and emergency management lens by putting individuals — employees, students, communities, and leaders — at the...
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Speakers

Claire Mechan

Owner/Principal Consultant, AILM Resiliency Consulting Agency

Claire is a highly experienced business continuity and emergency management strategist and leader with expertise across various sectors, including education and government. She holds the Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) designation, a Master of Arts in Disaster and... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:15pm - 1:30pm MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

1:30pm MDT

Inclusive and Equitable Wildfire Evacuation of Older Adults in Edson, Alberta

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:30pm - 1:45pm MDT

PIC 233

Not everyone is equally affected by wildfires. Little is known about the experiences of older adults with access and functional needs during wildfires. This study examined the needs and challenges of older adults during the 2023 wildfire evacuation in Edson, Alberta. Interviews were conducted with 21 participants, including decision-makers, service providers, older adults involved in the...
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Speakers

Tara McGee

Professor and Associate Dean, University of Alberta

Dr. Tara McGee’s research focuses on individual, community, and organizational responses to wildfire. She has completed numerous studies on the human dimensions of wildfire, including wildfire risk perceptions, prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and evacuation. Most of her wildfire... Read More →

Sumaira Niazi

PhD Student and Research Assistant, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta

I am a Ph.D. student and Research Assistant at the University of Alberta. My research focuses on wildfire preparedness and evacuation, including projects on First Nations wildfire preparedness in British Columbia and inclusive, equitable evacuation planning for older adults in Edson... Read More →

Mahed Choudhury

Assistant Professor, Thompson Rivers University

Dr. Mahed Choudhury is an Assistant Professor in Wildfire Studies, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada. He earned a PhD degree in Natural Resource and Environmental Management from the University of Manitoba, Canada. Dr. Choudhury has conducted research across South Asia... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:30pm - 1:45pm MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

1:35pm MDT

It Takes a Village: How to Scale a Community Wildfire Resilience Program

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:35pm - 2:10pm MDT

PIC 232

Boulder, Colo. (USA) – like much of the Rocky Mountain State – is continuing to face increased threat from wildfire. As Colorado continues to expand its preparedness and pass new laws that mandate that insurance companies take into account mitigation measures, among other new measures, the City of Boulder is also taking critical steps to mitigate risk in their community. Boulder has been...
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Speakers

Jason Brooks

CEO, Fire Aside (USA)

Jason Brooks is the CEO of Fire Aside (USA), a public-private technology platform helping communities adapt and prepare for wildfire. Fire Aside is now used by over 100 local fire agencies, non-profits and home owners’ associations across 12 states and has delivered millions of... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:35pm - 2:10pm MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Presentation

1:45pm MDT

Combining human insight and AI

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:45pm - 2:00pm MDT

PIC 233

When a flood, landslide, or infrastructure failure threatens a community, the decisions made in the hours and days before and after matter enormously. But too often, the tools available to decision-makers are too slow, too siloed, or too technical to translate into action at the right moment.This session explores how WSP Canada and UrbanLogiq are partnering to change that. Together, they're...
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Speakers

Mark Masongsong

CEO, Co-Founder, UrbanLogiq

Mark Masongsong is the Co-Founder and CEO of UrbanLogiq, bringing over a decade of government and political experience to the development of AI solutions for the public sector. He has presented on the future of government and AI at the White House, World Bank, U.S. State Department... Read More →

Wednesday May 13, 2026 1:45pm - 2:00pm MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

2:00pm MDT

Q&A Session with Insight Talk Presenters

Wednesday May 13, 2026 2:00pm - 2:15pm MDT

PIC 233

A facilitated question and answer session with the Insight Talk presenters on human-centered disaster risk reduction.

Speakers

Kayla Klatt

Student, NAIT Disaster and Emergency Management Program

Mark Masongsong

CEO, Co-Founder, UrbanLogiq

Erica Woolf

Director, Central Operations, Alberta Emergency Management Agency

Claire Mechan

Owner/Principal Consultant, AILM Resiliency Consulting Agency

Sumaira Niazi

PhD Student and Research Assistant, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta

Mahed Choudhury

Assistant Professor, Thompson Rivers University

Wednesday May 13, 2026 2:00pm - 2:15pm MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

2:15pm MDT

Nutrition Break

Wednesday May 13, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm MDT

Atrium

Wednesday May 13, 2026 2:15pm - 2:45pm MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

2:45pm MDT

Disaster Risk Reduction Roundtable: The Future of DRR in Canada (Part II)

Wednesday May 13, 2026 2:45pm - 4:30pm MDT

Wednesday May 13, 2026 2:45pm - 4:30pm MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

6:30pm MDT

EM Industry Night

Wednesday May 13, 2026 6:30pm - 9:30pm MDT

Art Gallery of Alberta

Celebrate the emergency management sector in style at this signature evening event. Set within one of Edmonton’s most architecturally striking venues, this after-hours gathering offers a unique opportunity to connect, reflect, and engage with peers from across the field.The evening will feature a brief presentation of CRHNet awards, followed by dinner and an opportunity to explore the gallery in...
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Wednesday May 13, 2026 6:30pm - 9:30pm MDT
Art Gallery of Alberta 2 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, Edmonton, AB T5J 2C1, Canada

Networking

7:30am MDT

Breakfast and Registration

Thursday May 14, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am MDT

Atrium

Thursday May 14, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

8:30am MDT

Keynote Address: Mayor of Jasper

Thursday May 14, 2026 8:30am - 9:10am MDT

Speakers

Richard Ireland

Mayor, Town of Jasper

Thursday May 14, 2026 8:30am - 9:10am MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

9:15am MDT

Identifying and Understanding Drivers of Green Infrastructure for Flood-Risk Reduction

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:15am - 9:30am MDT

PIC 232

Building resilience to flooding begins with the communities who experience these impacts most directly. As cities face mounting pressures from climate change, urbanization, and increasing impervious surfaces, sustainable stormwater management has become crucial for reducing flood risk and safeguarding community well-being. Green infrastructure (GI) has proven effective as a nature-based approach,...
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Speakers

Tarisai Mudiwa

PhD Student in Disaster and Emergency Management, York University

Tarisai Mudiwa is a PhD student in the Disaster and Emergency Management program at York University. She has experience working with organizations such as the South African Red Cross Society, UN-Habitat, and the non-profit the Thrive Project, contributing to humanitarian programs... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:15am - 9:30am MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

9:15am MDT

Panel: Integrating science and local and Indigenous knowledge for climate-related DRR

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am MDT

PIC 233

The IPCC emphasized that effective risk reduction and adaptation strategies must be co-developed with the Indigenous and vulnerable communities, recognizing their unique knowledge and values as essential for building resilience (IPCC, 2023). In this regard, consideration of Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) is critically important (Díaz et al., 2018; Choudhury et al., 2021). Here, “Two-Eyed...
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Speakers

Mahed Choudhury

Assistant Professor, Thompson Rivers University

C. Emdad Haque

Professor, University of Manitoba

Dr. C. Emdad Haque is a Professor at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, Canada. He holds a PhD degree in Environmental and Disaster Management from the University of Manitoba, Canada, and has conducted research across South Asia, Latin America, and North America... Read More →

Mahmood Fayazi

Assistant Professor and Program Head of Disaster and Emergency Management, Royal Roads University

Dr. Mahmood Fayazi is an Assistant Professor and Program Head of Disaster and Emergency Management at Royal Roads University, BC, Canada. He holds a PhD degree in Environmental Design and Planning from the University of Montreal, Canada, and has conducted research across the Middle... Read More →

Jaime Waucaush-Warn

Assistant Professor, Mount Royal University

Jaime Waucaush-Warn is an Assistant Professor in Indigenous Studies at Mount Royal University, Alberta, Canada. She holds an MA and has extensive teaching experience in Indigenous Studies at the University of Lethbridge, the University of Winnipeg, and Mount Royal University. Waucaush-Warn... Read More →

Dr. Ranjan Datta

Canada Research Chair in Community Disaster Research, Mount Royal University

Dr. Ranjan Datta is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Community Disaster Research at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada. He earned a PhD degree from the School of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. Dr. Datta has conducted... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Panel Session

9:15am MDT

Voices from Jasper: Mobilizing Community Agency in a Changing Climate

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am MDT

A single story has the power to change hearts and minds. Our collective stories, when shared, have the potential to shape our futures. Climate-charged disasters are becoming more frequent across Canada, and communities like Jasper, Alberta are navigating the complex impacts of events such as the 2024 wildfire. Stories of Resilience – a signature program of The Resilience Institute – is a...
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Speakers

Dr. Brooklyn Rushton

Adaptation Specialist, The Resilience Institiute

Dr. Brooklyn Rushton is a Postdoctoral Fellow with Carleton University and The Resilience Institute who is passionate about advancing community-centered and transformative approaches to today’s most pressing climate challenges. She holds a Masters in Climate Change from the University... Read More →

Paulette Dubé

Author

Paulette Dubé is a Jasper-based author who has shared her insights on stewardship, environmental responsibility, and our relationship with the natural world internationally. She contributed to Stories of Resilience: Voices from Jasper as both the writing guide and a cohort membe... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Storytelling Session

9:30am MDT

Does Power Shape Resillience?

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:30am - 9:45am MDT

PIC 232

Resilience in emergency management is often described as something communities build from within through preparedness, relationships, and adaptive capacity. However, many communities, especially those in northern and remote regions, experience resilience as something shaped, enabled, or withdrawn by decisions made far beyond their control. This presentation examines how external power dynamics,...
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Speakers

Oghenekevwe Oghenechovwen

PhD Student, Disaster and Emergency Management, York University

Oghenekevwe (Kevwe) Oghenechovwen (he/him) is completing a PhD in Disaster and Emergency Management at York University. His research focuses on understanding data gaps in disaster risk management through governance, power, and institutional perspectives. He has over six years of experience... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:30am - 9:45am MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

9:45am MDT

When Information Is Infrastructure: Rethinking Communications in an Era of Cascading Risk

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:45am - 10:00am MDT

PIC 232

Canada’s disaster risk environment is evolving faster than many of our governance structures, planning models, and communication systems were designed to handle. Wildfires, floods, cyber incidents, public health emergencies, infrastructure disruptions, and societal pressures increasingly intersect to create compounding and cascading impacts across communities. In this context, communication must...
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Speakers

Shawna Bruce

Director/Owner, M.D. Bruce & Associates Ltd.

Shawna Bruce, CD, MA (DEM), is a national thought leader in risk and crisis communications with over 40 years of experience across the Canadian Armed Forces, industry, and emergency management. She works with municipalities, industry partners, and First Nations communities to strengthen... Read More →

Final CRHNet Shawna Bruce pptx

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:45am - 10:00am MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

10:00am MDT

Frontline Anchors: Institutionalizing the Role of Alberta Friendship Centres in Emergency Response

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:15am MDT

PIC 232

As Alberta faces compounding disasters, we must move beyond standard ideas of emergency responders and recognize the important role of community organizations, Friendship Centres, as frontline emergency responders.

Speakers

Jeannette MacInnis

Chief Partnership Officer, Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association

With over 17 years of dedicated service within the Friendship Centre movement across British Columbia and Alberta, Jeannette is a seasoned leader specializing in government engagement, stakeholder outreach, and end-to-end program development. Professional Highlights & ExpertiseS... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:00am - 10:15am MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

10:15am MDT

Q&A with Insight Talk Presenters

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:15am - 10:25am MDT

PIC 232

A facilitated question and answer session with the Insight Talk presenters on a different take on what resilient infrastructure and institutions mean.

Speakers

Jeannette MacInnis

Chief Partnership Officer, Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association

Tarisai Mudiwa

PhD Student in Disaster and Emergency Management, York University

Oghenekevwe Oghenechovwen

PhD Student, Disaster and Emergency Management, York University

Shawna Bruce

Director/Owner, M.D. Bruce & Associates Ltd.

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:15am - 10:25am MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Insight Talk

10:20am MDT

Nutrition Break

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:20am - 10:40am MDT

Atrium

Networking and refreshments

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:20am - 10:40am MDT
Atrium NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 2J3

10:40am MDT

Ready for It': Learning from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour about concert safety

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:40am - 11:10am MDT

PIC 232

Concerts are a venue where popular culture and disaster risk can intersect. The phenomenon of Taylor Swift and the cultural juggernaut of her Eras Tour stops in Canada will be used to illustrate how the emergency management community of scholars and practitioners can situate concerts in the domain of emergency management. The findings presented are based on research work by York University...
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Speakers

Jack Rozdilksy

Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, York University

Jack L. Rozdilsky, Ph.D. is associate professor in the Disaster and Emergency Management program at York University. His professional duties include research, teaching, and service in topics related to disaster social science and emergency management practice. Prior to joining the... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:40am - 11:10am MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Presentation

10:40am MDT

Panel: Beyond the Lot Line: System-Level Debris Approaches for Equitable Recovery

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:40am - 11:35am MDT

PIC 233

Recovery doesn’t have to take years. This session explores how coordinated, community-wide approaches to disaster debris management can help residents return home sooner, reduce inequities, and streamline recovery. Through real-world examples and practical insights, the conversation will unpack how collaboration between government, insurers, and industry can eliminate delays and transform...
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Speakers

Rob de Pruis

Insurance Bureau of Canada

Tim Kenney

COO, Team Rubicon Canada

Michael Higgins

Colliers

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:40am - 11:35am MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Panel Session

10:40am MDT

Systems-Based Approaches Embedding Indigenous Leadership and Cultural Safety in Humanitarian Evacuation Management

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:40am - 11:35am MDT

The objective is to bring together two lived perspectives during Indigenous humanitarian evacuations, Ernie, a First Nations resident and retired police officer, and Tiffany, the Planning Section Chief and Health Lead for Incident Command Teams. Using storytelling and case studies from past evacuations, the presenters illustrate how culturally safe and trauma-informed emergency management...
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Speakers

Tiffany Leung

Evacuation Planning Chief and Health Lead, Investigative Solutions Network (ISN)

Tiffany Leung is a Canadian Emergency Management Practitioner with extensive expertise in Indigenous humanitarian evacuations and major event management planning, serving as a Planning Section Chief and Health Lead. Her diverse portfolio spans across all levels of government, healthcare... Read More →

Ernie Louttit

Indigenous Emergency Management Liaison, Investigative Solutions Network (ISN)

Ernie Louttit was born in Northern Ontario and is a member of the Missanabie Cree First Nation. He is a retired soldier and police officer, and has written two books, Indian Ernie: Perspectives on Leadership and Policing and More Indian Ernie, Insights from the Streets. He resides... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 10:40am - 11:35am MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Storytelling Session

11:10am MDT

Reimagining Recovery: Transforming Community Assets into Resilience

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:10am - 11:35am MDT

PIC 232

Disaster recovery often shortchanges communities by prioritizing quick fixes over lasting resilience, leaving local voices unheard and local capacities untapped. Communities need an approach that strengthens resilience from within. This storytelling session draws on recovery experience from the B.C. atmospheric floods and other events to show how resilience grows when communities lead their own...
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Speakers

Kandy White

Community Recovery Specialist-Western Canada, Samaritan’s Purse Canada

Kandy White is a Community Recovery Specialist with Samaritan’s Purse Canada and has spent the past four years supporting disaster-impacted communities through every phase of recovery. She walks alongside individuals and families, helping them navigate resources, advocate for their... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:10am - 11:35am MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Presentation

11:35am MDT

Panel: Accessibility and Community Connections

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:35am - 12:35pm MDT

PIC 233

During the Panel, emergency management professionals will share lived experiences working with under-served populations, gaps of services to assist in the response and recovery of these individuals or families and knowledge-sharing in community outreach or capacity building.

Speakers

Jen McEachen

Consultant / Public Speaker, JLM Disaster Resiliency and Accessibility Consulting

Jack Rozdilksy

Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, York University

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:35am - 12:35pm MDT
PIC 233 NAIT Producitivity and Innovation Centre

Panel Session

11:40am MDT

Advancing Community Resilience in Hinton: Lessons from Hinton’s Roots for Resilience

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:40am - 12:05pm MDT

PIC 232

In both 2023 and 2024, Hinton supported neighbouring communities during major wildfire events while managing extended smoke and increased demands on local systems. The experience highlighted a common reality for many smaller and rural communities: strong emergency response capacity is essential, but it must be paired with longer-term planning and coordination to strengthen resilience over time. ...
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Speakers

Dr. Brooklyn Rushton

Adaptation Specialist, The Resilience Institiute

Alana Meier

Program Manager, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, Canadian Red Cross

Alana Meier is a Program Manager with the Canadian Red Cross, leading programs and partnerships that strengthen resilience, disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and recovery in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada.

She holds a Master’s in Human Rights from the University of Essex and a Bachelor’s in International Development from the University of Waterloo. Alana is committed to inclusive, community-led approaches that build on local knowledge to support lasting resilience and equitable... Read More →

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:40am - 12:05pm MDT
PIC 232 NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Presentation

11:40am MDT

Climate Change, Governance Gaps, and Rising Indigenous Vulnerability to Wildfires: Lac LaRonge

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:40am - 12:05pm MDT

Indigenous communities in Canada are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate-related extreme events such as wildfires due to several interconnected environmental, sociopolitical, and governance-related factors. The systematic destruction of their land-based resource governance and traditional fire stewardship practices through colonial fire ban policies has disrupted their long-standing...
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Speakers

C. Emdad Haque

Professor, University of Manitoba

Somashree Chattapadhya

Graduate student, Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba

Graduate researcher focused on Indigenous wildfire knowledge, resilience, and governance.

Thursday May 14, 2026 11:40am - 12:05pm MDT
PIC 120/122 - Full Conference Hall NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre

Presentation

12:05pm MDT

"That's not how we'd say it": Stress-Testing an Emerging Mass Care Framework

Thursday May 14, 2026 12:05pm - 12:35pm MDT