| Our Speakers - Charlottetown (Nov 4, 2025) |
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Our Speakers - Charlottetown:
David Chaundy - Opening Remarks From Our CEO David Chaundy is President and CEO of the Atlantic Economic Council, a role he was appointed to in November 2018. David joined the Council as an economist in 1999, taking on increasingly senior roles, including research projects, member-only publications on Atlantic Canada’s economy, and our annual business Outlook conference. David has over 25 years experience researching Atlantic Canada’s economy, sharing his insights and ideas in numerous publications and presentations to business, government and other stakeholders. As someone who lives and works in the region, he is keen to ensure a healthy, inclusive and sustainable Atlantic Canadian economy. He is passionate about the Atlantic Economic Council’s vital role as the source for independent research, insights and ideas to advance these outcomes. David is a Director and Past-President of the Atlantic Association of Applied Economists and a Director of the Atlantic Canada Economics Association. He was an inaugural member of the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council, an inaugural member of the National Stakeholder Advisory Panel for the Labour Market Information Council, and was previously Vice-President of the Canadian Association for Business Economics. He holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Cambridge and a M.Sc. in economics from the University of York, England.
Lana Asaff - Presenter, Economic Outlook
Lana is a Senior Economist at the Atlantic Economic Council. She contributes to regular analysis on the region’s economy and is the Council's lead on net-zero research. She is currently heading a multi-year research project on improving the region’s growth potential and productivity.
Kim Griffin is the Director, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Official Corporate Spokesperson at Maritime Electric. She holds a Bachelor of Public Relations degree from Mount Saint Vincent in Nova Scotia and a Master of Business Administration degree with distinction from Strayer University in Washington.
She has held progressive roles in the Company for over fifteen years as well as her most recent work with subsidiary affiliate FortisAlberta as part of the 2025 senior leadership Wildfire Management team.
She has received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Atlantic Canada, awarded the inaugural 2024 Face of the Industry Award from Electricity Canada with five other Canadians and most recently the King Charles III Coronation Medal for outstanding contributions in public service in 2024 in Canada. She has also received three international business communicator awards from the International Association for Business Communicators.
Currently, Kim serves as a Director on the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Board as well as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation. An active community volunteer she has held many executive leadership roles including the Past President of the Great Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (including Chair of Human Resources, Chair of Governance), Chair of Junior Achievement Board of Directors and Vice Chair of the PEI Liquor Control Commission. She is a fifth generation Islander and proud Canadian.
Jason Cleaversmith - Business Panel Moderator As Executive Director, Incubation and Infrastructure, Dr. Jason Cleaversmith is responsible for Emergence, as well as holds strategic responsibility for the various BioAlliance facilities and equipment initiatives currently underway and planned. He is no stranger to the PEI Bioscience Cluster community and has an extensive network both nationally and internationally. Most recently he was VP Health and Nutrition for the Center for Aquaculture Technologies and General Manager of Canadian Operations. He has also served as Managing Director of AKVA Group Scotland, Director of Operations and Business Development at the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Center, and Head of Novartis Aqua Health in PEI overseeing manufacturing and R&D. He was also an industry expert with HATCH Blue, an innovative aquaculture accelerator supporting a cohort of 13 technology companies on three different continents.
Bryan Inglis - Business Panelist Bryan Inglis is a seasoned business leader with over three decades of experience driving growth and transformation in Atlantic Canada’s food and agriculture sectors. As CEO of Food Island Partnership, he champions innovation and collaboration to build a stronger regional food economy. Previously, Bryan held senior roles at Co-op Atlantic, including Vice President of Agriculture, where he led major organizational transitions and strengthened member and stakeholder relations. His insights bridge strategy and execution, making him a trusted voice on navigating change, building resilient organizations, and fostering sustainable growth.
Sam MacPhail - Business Panelist Sam MacPhail is a twenty-eight-year-old executive passionate about public affairs and professional writing. He serves as CEO for Golf PEI, a not-for-profit marketing agency representing all golf courses on Prince Edward Island. He previously worked for the Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce as policy and communications manager and as executive assistant to the 32nd Premier of PEI. A published author, Sam has raised over $15,000 for local breakfast programs through his book on one of PEI’s longest-serving politicians, Ron MacKinley. Sam is highly resourceful and entrepreneurial-minded, having been selected as one of Atlantic Canada’s 30 Under 30 by Atlantic Business Magazine and a part of The Peak’s Emerging Leaders List. He graduated from UPEI as valedictorian for the Faculty of Business. He is an avid golfer, reader, and writer.
Katelyn Godfrey - Business Panelist
Katelyn Godfrey is a Senior Relationship Manager at Farm Credit Canada, specializing in financing and advisory services for businesses in the food processing, agribusiness and bioscience sectors across Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. With 15 years of experience as a commercial lender, Katelyn brings extensive expertise and a deep understanding of the unique financial needs of the region’s industries.
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