2026 Conference Speakers

keynote speakers

Eleanor Mohammed RPP, FCIP, EP, MTCP

Eleanor Mohammed is a globally recognized urban planner and positive changemaker with over two decades of leadership across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. A Partner at DIALOG, she advances transformative solutions in urban governance and land use planning. Currently the Chair of the UN-Habitat Professionals Forum, an Advisory Board Member of the Arab Urban Development Institute, and a Board Director at Canada’s National Capital Commission, she drives local and global initiatives in sustainable city-building and climate resilience. A former President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners, the Canadian Institute of Planners, and the Alberta Professional Planners Institute, she has spearheaded diverse projects, from sustainable development advocacy and professional capacity building to multilateral international engagement. She was also recognized on the Royal Town Planning Institute’s (U.K.) International Women of Influence list. Eleanor holds a Master of Arts with Distinction in Town and Country Planning from the University of the West of England (U.K.) and an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Environmental Management.

David Campbell

David Campbell is the President of Jupia Consultants Inc., an economic development consulting and research firm based in New Brunswick. He has more than 30 years’ experience as a consultant working with industry, not-for-profit organizations and governments across Canada. He has completed projects in more than 50 Atlantic Canadian communities in all four provinces.  His community work involves economic development planning, population growth, workforce supply/demand and industry development.

From 2015 to 2017, David was Chief Economist with the Government of New Brunswick. In that role, he led the development of economic policy, economic development strategy and people attraction efforts for the provincial government.

In addition to co-authoring Towards Prosperity: The Transformation of Atlantic Canada’s Economy (2025), David writes the It’s the Economy, Stupid! Substack and co-hosts the Insights podcast with Don Mills and David Campbell. He was a long-time columnist with Brunswick News and has been a contributing writer to multiple other publications including the Globe and Mail.  In 2026, he was appointed as a Fellow with the Ottawa-based Public Policy Forum.

David is the Chair of the Board of the Multicultural Agency of the Greater Moncton Area (MAGMA), and a member of the Crandall University Board of Governors.  He has been involved with over a dozen other community organizations over his three-decade career.

Mobile Workshop SPeakers

Mobile Workshop #1: Take a Walk on the Summerside

Sara Barrett

Sara Barrett is a museum and cultural programming professional with over twelve years of experience in the heritage sector and over a decade of experience creating and delivering community programming. She’s worked with Summerside’s Culture Summerside Department since 2018. She supports and leads year-round cultural initiatives, including municipal festivals, exhibitions, educational programming, public engagement, and community partnerships.

Sara holds a postgraduate certificate in Museum and Gallery Studies from Georgian College and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and History from the University of Guelph. Her work is focused on creating meaningful cultural experiences that celebrate Summerside’s evolving story.

Aaron MacDonald

Greg Gaudet

Mobile Workshop #2: Reimagining Food Systems Through Place-Based Planning

Phil Ferraro

We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Phil Ferraro. Phil was a valued leader of this project and brought a deep commitment to place-based planning, food systems, community development, and ecological stewardship to this work. This workshop will proceed in his memory, with two of his colleagues continuing to share the work and ideas they developed together.

Phil Ferraro is Managing Director of the PEI Farm Centre Association and a founding director of the Institute for Bioregional Studies. His work focuses on building resilient, place-based systems that integrate food production, community development, and ecological stewardship. He has led the development of the Legacy Garden in Charlottetown and helped advance therapeutic horticulture and food security initiatives serving diverse communities. Drawing on principles of social ecology and bioregionalism, Phil works at the intersection of land use, climate adaptation, and local economic resilience. He is also the lead organizer of the Bioregional Summer Institute, convening practitioners to explore community-based solutions.

Mobile Workshop #3: Abegweit First Nation Tour – Land Use Planning Overview

Courtney Sark, she/her (presenter)

With a strong commitment to Indigenous land governance and collaborative stewardship, Courtney Sark works in Land Management for her own community, Abegweit First Nation. Her work has included leading the completion of Abegweit’s Land Use Plan and advancing the development of the Nation’s Land Code. In addition to her community leadership, she serves as a Director on the Atlantic Region Aboriginal Lands Association (ARALA) Board and as Co-Chair of the Toquktmekl Co-Management Board, a collaborative initiative with Parks Canada and L’nuey. Her work focuses on strengthening Indigenous land management, supporting community-led planning, and fostering respectful partnerships in land and resource stewardship.

Olive Crane, she/her (Presenter)

Olive has over thirty years of work experience in the public and private sectors. Notably, she worked for AVC Inc. (former private-sector arm of the University of Prince Edward Island and the Atlantic Veterinary School) and was elected for nine years as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, spending a number of those years (2007 to 2013) as leader of the official opposition.  Olive’s focus at AVC Inc. was to work with First Nation communities to offer an array of services from aquaculture training to fishery management plans. Olive joined Abegweit in January 2018 and she has been an invaluable resource to the community ever since. Her breadth of knowledge and experience, especially in intergovernmental affairs, and diverse skill set has helped the community grow at a tremendous pace.

session speakers

Session #1: Public Lands to Planned Community Growth: How Fredericton is Aligning Infrastructure, Funding, and Planning to Deliver Development-Ready Neighbourhoods

Connor Wallace MCIP, RPP (Presenter and Panel Moderator)

Connor is a Principal at zzap, an architecture and planning firm located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At zzap, Connor leads a variety of planning and development projects, ranging from municipal growth plans to site-specific development applications. He leverages his comprehensive knowledge of regulatory frameworks, combined with client goals, to identify and apply best practices that suit each project and its context. He enjoys bringing people together to build consensus through a collaborative approach. Connor was the consultant planner and project manager for the Southeast Fredericton and Cliffe Street / Brown Boulevard growth areas. 

Fredrick Van Rooyen MCIP, RPP (Panellist)

Fredrick is a Senior Planner with the City of Fredericton. Fredrick has been responsible for a wide range of planning processes working within the municipal setting and has developed a strong background and knowledge in development review, planning policies, processes, and principles. Most recently, Fredrick has been actively working on larger policy files at the city, including the Southeast New Neighbourhood Secondary Municipal Plan and Cliffe Street/Brown Boulevard growth area. Fredrick has been with the City of Fredericton for 5 years, and has previous planning experience in rural, suburban, and urban municipalities across Ontario. Fredrick has an Undergraduate Degree in Urban Planning (BES) and a Masters Degree in Economic Development and Innovation (MEDI) both from the University of Waterloo.

Sarah Young P. Eng. (Panellist)

Sarah is a Professional Engineer and Project Manager with over 12 years of experience in procurement, municipal engineering, and urban development. She has led the detailed design and delivery of numerous interdisciplinary land development projects, serving in key roles including project manager, contract administrator, and lead designer. Sarah brings extensive experience in site planning, grading and servicing design, and the development of stormwater management systems, with a strong ability to navigate complex, site-specific constraints through practical and innovative solutions. She was the consultant engineering lead for both the Southeast Fredericton and Cliffe Street / Brown Boulevard growth area projects, supporting the alignment of infrastructure planning with long-term community growth objectives.

Session #2: The North End’s Next Chapter: Secondary Planning for a Historic Saint John Neighbourhood

Sam Burns (Presenter)

A Senior Planner with the City of Saint John, Sam Burns is a project lead for the City’s North End Neighbourhood Plan. Sam is passionate about housing affordability, mixed-use development, and promoting pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to create healthy, diverse, and sustainable communities. Prior to joining the City of Saint John, Sam worked as Project Manager for a consulting firm in the Chicago area and as a Planner for several municipalities in the Twin Cities Metro Region. Sam is a certified member of the American Planning Association and is working towards certification with the Canadian Institute of Planners.

Yeva Mattson

Yeva is a Planner with the City of Saint John, with experience in policy initiatives and development files. Her expertise ranges from shaping community visions through the North Neighborhood Plan to managing technical rezonings, amendments, and subdivisions. She approaches every challenge with a commitment to creativity, transparency, and a collaborative mindset. Yeva is most at home in walkable, cyclable, urban environments where vibrant public spaces meet local amenities, ideally with a coffee shop or bakery just around the corner.

Rejane Padaratz 

Rejane is a Principal, Urban Design at Fotenn’s Ottawa office with extensive experience in architectural and urban design practice in various stages of the design process. She has broad experience working with both private and public clients, with key high lights to leading the Confederation Heights Master Plan for Canada Lands Company and the Manor Park Master Plan both in the City of Ottawa. These experiences have helped Rejane develop a sense of how important it is to develop projects that are not only aesthetically pleasing but are also people-focused, minimize impact on the environment, and are economically viable.

Bria Aird

Bria is a senior planner in Fotenn’s Ottawa office with municipal, non-profit and consulting experience. Through her land development projects at Fotenn, Bria has developed a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in development, providing a strong foundation for her work in policy development, master planning and municipal planning services.  Planning for climate change is a driver for Bria, and she seeks collaborative solutions that align feasibility, affordability/equity and sustainability to achieve better outcomes through planning.

Session #3: Exploring Climate Action in Charlottetown: planning, transportation and adaptation efforts

Stephanie MacDonald (Presenter)

Stephanie has over 10 years of planning experience in the public sector. Currently, she is a Planner for the City of Charlottetown and previously worked in western Canada where she was involved in a variety of long-range planning projects including annexation and redevelopment plans, in addition to large scale development projects. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and is continuing her education in sustainable planning concepts.

Kristen Gore

Kristen joined the City of Charlottetown in 2024, where she works as the City’s Climate Action Officer, leading the implementation of Charlottetown’s Climate Action Plan. Her work connects priorities, fills resource gaps, and brings together departments and initiatives, ensuring effective monitoring and reporting on the City’s progress toward its climate goals. She holds an Honours degree in Environment, Resources, and Sustainability from the University of Waterloo. Passionate about food systems and urban agriculture, Kristen spends her free time tending to her garden and working with the Farmers’ Market.

Anna Keenan

Anna is the City of Charlottetown’s first Sustainable Transportation Officer, with responsibility for Public Transit and Active Transportation. Before arriving on PEI in 2015, Anna worked with climate advocacy organizations like Greenpeace International and 350.org, first in her hometown of Brisbane Australia, then 5 years in Amsterdam – a city that exemplifies sustainable transportation, followed by 2 years in Montreal. As lifelong transit user and avid commuter cyclist, PEI was the first place that she had lived where she needed to own a car to get around, and she wants to change that reality for Islanders.

Session #6: More than a Check Box: Designing Purposeful Community Engagement and Closing the Loop

Courtney Laurence

Session #7: Protecting the Chignecto Wildlife Corridor

Tracey Wade MCIP, RPP (Presenter)

Tracey has more than 25 years of experience in climate change adaptation, recreation/park planning, land use planning, community development, sustainability planning and strategic planning in primarily rural and small communities. As part of We6 Planning Group, Tracey has led several projects including the Wolastoq Priority Plan Land Use Guide and regional projects with the Southeast Regional Service Commission. Living and working on the Isthmus for most of her career, Tracey is a long-time member of the Chignecto Climate Change Collaborative. She has a graduate degree in Rural Planning and Development.

Session #8: Facilitating Growth – A Round Table for Problem Solving our Biggest Challenges

Jennifer Brown

Jennifer Brown is a Planner and Associate at Dillon Consulting Limited. Jennifer works with communities across Atlantic Canada to support their development processes and manage their land use frameworks. She also works with private developers to support their development design and approval processes.

Session #9: Balancing Growth and Conservation: New Approaches to Charlottetown’s Heritage Policy • Includes Mobile Tour

Brad Vince RPP, MCIP (Presenter)

Natalie Munn

Natalie Munn is a Heritage Officer with the City of Charlottetown, where she works to preserve and share the city’s rich history through policy, outreach, and public engagement. A graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island and Dalhousie University, she has been active in Prince Edward Island’s heritage sector for more than 30 years, working as a Heritage Officer, author, curator, archivist, and volunteer on various boards and committees concerning architectural heritage and heritage education.

Session #10: Engaging on Shoreline Management Planning in PEI 

Janice Harper RPP, MCIP

Janice is a Registered Professional Planner with a wide range of experience at all levels of government, both as an employee and as a consultant, with extensive experience at the municipal and provincial levels.   She has worked on Prince Edward Island for over 20 years and currently works as a planning consultant with the We6 Planning Group. She has developed municipal documents, worked on coastal planning, researched conservation and habitat protection, and is co-leading engagement for the Shoreline Management Plan project currently underway.

Samantha Murphy RPP, FCIP

Samantha is a registered professional planner, focused primarily on municipal planning, policy, and governance in PEI and Atlantic Canada. Samantha’s 25 years of experience includes municipal and provincial planning and, since 2020, private consulting. She recently joined with several long-term colleagues to form the We6 Planning Group. Much of Sam’s recent work has been focused on climate resilient communities, parks and trail planning, and housing, and she is co-leading engagement for the PEI Shoreline Management Plan project currently underway.

Session #12: Planning as a key to climate change adaptation…or is it the other way around? Examples, perspectives, questions, and optimism from a regional climate services organization

Stephanie Arnold

Stephanie Arnold is the Associate Executive Director of CLIMAtlantic, a climate services organization delivering free adaptation services. They work alongside communities, sectors, and governments on: using adaptation pathways, building accountability in adaptation, and bringing together different perspectives to address climate, environmental, and social challenges. Born in Hong Kong when it was an active British colony and currently living uninvited on unceded Mi’kmaw territory in Epekwitk, they strive to center reconciliation, community-building, and systems change in their work. Centering “disruptive kindness” has given meaning and purpose to their Chemical Engineering degree (UofT), MBA (UofT), and ongoing PhD studies (UPEI).

Session #13: Start Small, Plan Big: From Community Work to Policy Impact

Katie Lindsay (Presenter)

Katie Lindsay is the Community Development Coordinator at the Capital Region Service Commission. Graduating from the New Brunswick Community College with a diploma from the Human Services Program in 2018, her work has taken across many aspects of community. Her work now with the Commission began in 2024 and is now focused within 3 main pillars pinpointed by the Overcoming Poverty Together 4 put forward by the Economic Social Inclusion Corporation. While working on moving the needle within the three pillars she has continued to connect and collaborate across sectors to convene and connect.

Sarah Hilborn 

Sarah Hilborn is a Planner with the Capital Region Service Commission. She focuses on policy planning for rural communities. Sarah started at the Commission in 2025 after graduating from Dalhousie University’s Bachelor of Community Design Program, with an Honours in Urban Design and Planning and Sustainability with a certificate of Indigenous Studies. Through her education and work, Sarah has come to recognize the interconnected aspects between Community Development and the policy work as a planner.

Session #14: It’s Time to Make Big Plans

Jacob Ritchie LPP, MCIP (Presenter)

Jacob Ritchie is the Managing Principal at Fathom Studio and a licensed professional planner with a career dedicated to solving complex regional challenges. His background spans engineering at Siemens AG and graduate studies in city building at McGill University, providing a unique technical and creative perspective. Jacob has a deep history in public sector leadership, having served as a municipal leader in Halifax and a lead author on HRM’s Centre Plan. He currently manages land development projects at Fathom Studios in Dartmouth, NS and servers on several volunteer boards.

Rob LeBlanc LPP, MCIP

Rob LeBlanc is the founder of Fathom Studio and a seasoned planning professional with decades of experience shaping the Atlantic Canadian landscape. As a visionary leader, he has guided the firm through landmark projects that balance heritage protection with modern development pressures. Rob specializes in complex master planning and urban design, fostering collaborative environments where junior technical staff and senior experts work together to deliver innovative solutions. His leadership on major regional files reflects a career-long commitment to sustainable growth and excellence in the planning profession.

Josh Davies RPP, MCIP

Josh Davies is the Manager of Long Range Policy Planning with the City of Moncton. He graduated from Mount Allison University with a Bachelor of Arts and from the University of Auckland in New Zealand with a Masters of Urban Planning. His career began as a Planner with the Auckland Council, working in both development and policy planning before returning to his hometown of Moncton. Josh was selected to the 2023 Canadian Institute of Planners’ National Emerging Leaders Program. Within his role at Moncton City Hall, Josh is responsible for land use policy planning, urban growth, affordable housing, the CMHC Housing Accelerator Fund, and infrastructure planning.

Session #15: Taking Action to Meet Housing Demand: Impacts of the Housing Accelerator Fund and Next Steps

Stéphane Melanson (Presenter)

As a Senior Specialist with the Municipal Relations team at CMHC, Stéphane works with municipalities in NB and the City of Toronto to support them in their housing journeys. Aside from the delivery of the Housing Accelerator Fund, Stéphane also delivered the cities stream of the Rapid Housing Initiative 3 program.  Before joining CMHC, he worked closely with various municipalities as the Director of Regional Operations for the Province of NB’s Property Assessment Services branch.

Andrew Reid MCIP, RPP

Andrew Reid serves as the Housing Manager for the City of Saint John. In his current role, he leads the City’s housing initiatives, working to develop and implement strategies that address the evolving housing needs of Saint John residents. Andrew has worked with municipalities for over ten years to improve community outcomes through planning. Will present biography of other municipal presenters once confirmed and available.

Isabelle Laplante

Isabelle Laplante est coordonnatrice au logement à la Ville d’Edmundston où elle contribue au développement et à la mise en œuvre d’initiatives municipales visant à répondre aux besoins croissants en matière de logement. Forte de plus de 20 ans d’expérience en développement économique communautaire, dont plus de 10 ans au sein de l’équipe de la Ville d’Edmundston, elle travaille à mobiliser les partenaires, à développer des leviers municipaux et à mettre en place des solutions favorisant la création de logements adaptés aux réalités de la communauté.

Isabelle Laplante is the Housing Coordinator for the City of Edmundston where she contributes to the development and implementation of municipal initiatives aimed at addressing the community’s growing housing needs. With more than 20 years of experience in community economic development, including more than 10 years with the City of Edmundston team, she works to engage partners, develop municipal tools and implement solutions that support the creation of housing that reflects the realities of the community.

Jordan MacDonald

Jordan MacDonald is the Executive Director of Develop West Prince, a non-profit community development organization working to promote growth and prosperity in Western PEI. In this role Jordan has supported the completion of a regional housing needs assessment and supported local municipalities through the CMHC HAF application and administration process. Other areas of work completed by Develop West Prince includes a regional Community Energy and Emissions Plan, tourism Destination Development Plan, and capacity building among individuals and organizations.

Martin Beck

Martin Beck is a Czech national with nearly 20 years of professional experience in urban planning in Canada. Marty holds a degree in Community Design from Dalhousie’s School of Planning and Architecture. He spent 16 years with the City of Calgary where he worked in a wide range of planning and leadership roles. He returned to Nova Scotia in 2023 and now serves as the Director of Planning & Development with the Town of Yarmouth.

Session #16: Cultural Heritage to Public Space: Year-Round Cultural Placemaking as a Planning Strategy

Fabiola Martinez Rodriguez (Presenter)

Fabiola Martinez is a multidisciplinary artist and community planning student at NBCC based in Saint John, New Brunswick. Trained as an architect in Mexico, her work focuses on cultural placemaking, public art activation, and community engagement. She is the founder of Día de los Muertos Saint John, a growing cultural initiative that transforms public space through art, workshops, and performance. Her work is part of the New Brunswick Art Bank Collection and she is a recipient of the 2026 Saint John Arts and Culture Award. She builds cross-cultural collaborations between Canada and Mexico.