| Our Speakers - Saint John (Nov 5, 2025) |
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Our Speakers - Saint John:
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, 2026 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.
Jeffery Callaghan - Moderator, 2026 Economic Outlook Jeffery Callaghan is a Partner based in McInnes Cooper’s Fredericton office. Jeffery regularly provides advice and guidance respecting commercial and business partnerships with and on behalf of Indigenous communities, businesses and entrepreneurs, including the complex work of utilizing reserve lands for business and commercial purposes.
Lisa Hrabluk is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur. She has worked for just about every newspaper chain in Canada, as a reporter, columnist, and editor. Her byline has appeared in Time Magazine, Globe and Mail , National Post, Halifax Herald , New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, Mississauga News, and the Canadian Press. She is a frequent commentator on CBC and is the film and streaming columnist for CBC Radio’s Information Morning, Saint John . She is the co-founder of Side Walks Media, a digital publication dedicated to telling stories about the Atlantic Canadian economy and culture from the ground up. She is the author of New Brunswick Underwater, about the impact of climate change on the St. John River; and is a leader in the North American BCorp movement, for-profit companies that meet the highest standards for social and environmental impact. For over two decades, Lisa has been a strong voice in Atlantic Canada’s movement to drive social and economic change. In 2003 she co-created NextNB/Avenir NB, the UNB-led initiative that spawned the creation of three community-led organizations; the New Brunswick Business Council, the Wallace McCain Institute and 21inc., the latter of which she was the founding executive director.
Harneet Panesar - Business Panelist Harneet Panesar is the North American Lead – Power and Utilities in Hatch’s Advisory Services practice, where he advises global clients on strategy, growth, capital & operating expenditure optimization, and the integration of emerging technologies in the energy sector.
Previously, Harneet was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), where he played a key role in modernizing the provincial regulator and advancing its mission during the energy transition. Before joining the OEB, he spent 13 years at Hydro One in progressively senior roles, culminating as Director of Strategy and Integrated Planning.
In addition to his work at Hatch, Harneet is a part-time lecturer at Toronto Metropolitan University and a frequent speaker at industry events, in the media, and at universities across Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto, an MBA from the Rotman School of Management, and Executive Education credentials from INSEAD and MIT.
Harneet is a Fellow of Engineers Canada, a member of the Professional Engineers Ontario’s Hall of Fame, and serves on the University of Waterloo’s Institute of Sustainable Energy Advisory Board and the Dean’s Advisory Board at Queen’s University.
With over 13 years of dynamic experience in the supply chain industry, Craig Bell Estabrooks has garnered a reputation for excellence. Since taking the helm as President & CEO of Port Saint John in 2021, Craig’s laser focus on delivering prosperity for the community, region, and province has generated record-breaking cargo volumes, revenue growth, and transformative infrastructure investments on the waterfront. Under Craig’s guidance, Port Saint John continues to cement its position as one of North America’s fastest-growing container Ports thanks to an emphasis on enabling partner success, championing innovation, and creating a safe and efficient port of choice.
Joel Richardson - Business Panelist Cooke Aquaculture began in 1985 in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick , has become the world’s largest independent, family-owned seafood company and Atlantic salmon producer. Led by CEO Glenn Cooke, the Cooke Inc. family of companies now includes global aquaculture and wild fishery divisions, with operations in 15 countries and 15,000 employees with over 2,300 in Atlantic Canada. Cooke ships fresh, sustainably certified seafood worldwide. One of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, and one of Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers, Cooke’s core purpose is ‘To cultivate the ocean with care, nourish the world, provide for our families, and build stronger communities ’. With business operations in all four Atlantic provinces, The Atlantic Economic Council has identified Cooke in its annual Major Projects Inventory as one of the largest private sector investors in the region. Joel Richardson leads public and government relations for Cooke from its corporate global headquarters in Saint John. In the community, Joel is a volunteer first responder member of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary – Maritimes Region.
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Lisa Hrabluk 
