Graham Chittenden

Comedian, Writer & Canadian Screen Award Winner

Graham is the winner of five Canadian Screen Awards for his work on Still Standing on CBC. He's the former host of Showtown on MTV Canada, a writer and guest star on Mr. D, a frequent debater on CBC Radio's The Debaters, and a regular at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.

He’s played theatre from coast to coast to however many coasts there are in Canada. He appeared on Canada’s Got Talent during the pandemic. His album, Graham Chittenden: Defeated, is available just about everywhere, and his Crave special, Graham Chittenden: Reluctant Adult, is available on CraveTV.

Peter G. Volpe, CFP^®, FCSI

Chair of the Board of Directors – Canadian Institute of Financial Planners (CIFPs)

Fred Demers

Head Strategist, Multi-Asset Solutions – BMO Global Asset Management

Before joining BMO GAM, Fred was Chief Macro Strategist for Canada at TD Securities since 2017. Prior to that, he was at Credit Suisse Asset Management in New York where he worked as a Portfolio Manager focused on systematic, global-macro trading strategies. Before moving to capital markets in 2008, Fred was a Principal Researcher at the Bank of Canada, building various short-term macro forecasting models for the Canadian economy and wrote several working papers documenting his empirical research. Fred also worked as a quantitative analyst at Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec where he built and managed systematic macro strategies. Fred holds a B.A. in Economics from Concordia University and M.A. in Economics from the University of Ottawa.

Robert Armstrong, CFA, MBA, MSc

Head, Multi-Asset Strategies – ATB Investments

Robert Armstrong is Head of Multi-Asset Strategies at ATB Investment Management Inc. (ATBIM). A seasoned investment professional with over 25 years of experience, Robert has a proven track record of success in building and managing multi-billion dollar investment portfolios. He is responsible for leading and overseeing ATBIM's diverse suite of multi-asset investment solutions.

Prior to joining ATBIM, Robert served as Director and lead portfolio manager at BMO Global Asset Management’s asset management division, where he oversaw more than $40 billion in client assets across a broad range of mandates. His extensive experience also includes investment director roles at an independent fund company.

Robert holds a Master of Business Administration from Laurentian University and a Master of Science in International Securities, Investment and Banking from the University of Reading. He is a CFA Charterholder.

A recognized thought leader in the investment industry, Robert frequently shares his insights with a wide audience through television, radio, print, and digital media appearances. He is a sought-after speaker at investment conferences and seminars.

Client-focused and results-driven, Robert is passionate about developing customized investment strategies that meet the unique needs of each client. His deep understanding of the global macro environment, combined with sophisticated risk modelling and a commitment to continuous learning, enables him to deliver exceptional investment outcomes.

Having lived in four different countries, Robert has a passion for travelling and experiencing different cultures with his family. His other interests include investment reading, being outdoors, and golfing. Robert has recently moved to Calgary and looks forward to living by the mountains.

Dennis Mitchell, MBA, CFA, CBV

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer – Starlight Capital

Dennis Mitchell joined Starlight Capital in March 2018 as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer. He has over 25 years of experience in the investment industry and has held executive positions with Sprott Asset Management, serving as Senior Vice-President and Senior Portfolio Manager, and Sentry Investments, serving as Executive Vice-President and Chief Investment Officer.

Mr. Mitchell received the Brendan Wood International Canadian TopGun Award in 2009, 2010, and 2011 and the Brendan Wood International 2012 Canadian TopGun Team Leader Award. He also received the Afroglobal Television Excellence Award for Enterprise in 2020 and the Black Business and Professionals Association’s Harry Jerome President’s Award in 2021.

Mr. Mitchell holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Business Valuator designations and earned a Master of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business at York University in 2002 and an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1998.

Mr. Mitchell currently sits on the Board of the Toronto Foundation and is Co-Founder and Director of the Black Opportunity Fund.

Humza Hussain, CFA

Vice President & Director, Commodities – TD Asset Management Inc.

Humza is a Portfolio Manager on the Commodities team, managing commodity allocations and offering products within the commodity space to the firm’s clients. He joined the firm in 2022 and began his career in 2008.

He gained experience as a Manager of Trading with a large international corporation, where he managed a portfolio of foreign exchange and commodities. Humza holds an M.Sc. from the National University of Singapore and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

John L. Connell

Founder and CEO of Focal AI

John began his career at Microsoft, where he managed a $1B P&L within Office 365 and contributed strategically to the company’s acquisition of LinkedIn. After relocating to San Francisco, he joined a video conferencing startup that was later acquired by Dialpad.

He went on to invest in enterprise SaaS and AI/ML at a $5B AUM venture capital fund before becoming the first business hire at an AI-driven compliance startup, helping scale the company from pre-revenue to $36M in funding within three years.

He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with studies in Finance and Management Information Systems, and had early-career touchpoints across wealth management at Merrill Lynch and equity trading at Jefferies in New York.

Focal AI is the industry’s most secure AI note-taking platform for financial planners, helping individual advisors save up to 15 hours per week and teams expand client capacity by 30%.

Michelle Munro

Director, Tax and Retirement Research – Fidelity Investments

Michelle Munro is Director, Tax and Retirement Research for Fidelity Investments Canada ULC. Michelle advises on complex tax issues that affect Fidelity’s mutual funds and their investors. She is a leading member of Fidelity’s research team that specializes in issues around planning for and living in retirement with a special interest in women and wealth, estate planning and planning for life’s unexpected events. She is frequently interviewed by the media and speaks about both tax and retirement to investors and financial advisors across Canada.

Before taking this role, Michelle served as Director of Corporate Tax at Fidelity Investments Canada ULC for 10 years. As Director of Corporate Tax, she oversaw all corporate tax issues that impacted the Fidelity Canada organization. Michelle is also the past co-chair of Fidelity’s Women’s Leadership Group, an internal employee resource group aiming to develop and support women leaders.

Before joining Fidelity in 2008, she was a senior manager in the tax department of Ernst & Young. She holds the Chartered Accountant (CA) designation and obtained a BMath from the University of Waterloo.

Amanda Richards

Senior Director of Sales Strategy – Chartwell Retirement Residences

Amanda Richards is the Senior Director of Sales Strategy at Chartwell Retirement Residences.

A recognized thought leader in senior living sales, Amanda shares expert insights on trends, customer engagement, and the shifting expectations of today’s older adults. She delivers continuing education programs that help professionals in other industries understand the senior living market and effectively connect with aging consumers.

As a strategic leader, Amanda drives enterprise initiatives that leverage data and digital tools to align sales and marketing, unlock insights, and scale performance across Chartwell’s national portfolio.

Amanda holds both undergraduate and post-graduate degrees, as well as professional designations as a Certified Professional Consultant on Aging (CPCA) and an Elder Planning Counselor (EPC).

Nic Hutzul

Vice President of Sales – Maximizer

As Vice President of Sales at Maximizer, Nic Hutzul leads global sales strategy and execution, driving predictable growth, scaling high-performing teams, and strengthening Maximizer’s position as a trusted CRM partner. Her focus is on building empowered, aligned teams across Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Product to deliver a seamless client experience.

With more than 20 years of global sales leadership experience, Nic brings deep expertise in transformational sales, management training, and revenue generation strategies. Her strengths-based leadership approach helps teams uncover and leverage individual talents, foster peer mentorship, and achieve both professional and organizational success at scale.

A sales leader with a proven framework for driving results, Nic has consistently improved pipeline qualification, velocity, and conversions. At Maximizer, she’s helping evolve a long-trusted CRM brand with modern technology and a relentless focus on customer success.

Dale Barrett

Founder, VIP Family Office

Dale Barrett operates as the structural architect within the family office model, focusing on the legal and tax frameworks that ultimately determine how wealth is preserved, transferred, and controlled. As an estate and tax lawyer with nearly two decades of experience, his work centers on designing and implementing advanced strategies such as estate freezes, family trusts, pipeline planning, and corporate reorganizations. These are execution-driven structures that directly reduce tax leakage and create long-term planning certainty for business owners and high-net-worth families.

His mandate is straightforward: eliminate structural inefficiencies before they become tax liabilities. Without proper planning, estates are exposed to capital gains tax, double taxation, and forced liquidation of assets at death. Dale’s approach addresses these risks at the foundation—locking in value, enabling controlled intergenerational transfers, and aligning corporate and personal planning into a cohesive, defensible system. This is the legal infrastructure everything else depends on.

Pierre Tomiczek, Chartered Financial Planner^®, RRC^®, CFP^®, MBA, CIM

Senior Instructor – Canadian Institute of Financial Planning (CIFP)

Pierre Tomiczek, MBA, CFP, CIM, RRC, is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) with the Tomiczek Financial Team, a small business entrepreneur and an educator, who also teaches at both George Brown College and Humber College Business School.

Pierre is a results-driven financial planning sales management professional with over 30 years of experience in the Canadian financial services industry, namely at Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC).

He has also been teaching future financial planners for over 20 years at the collegial level and at various financial institutions in their journey to obtain their CFP, QAFP, RRA, RRC, LLQP, CSC and IFIC designation.

Michael van Lierop, B.A. (Hons), FDFS, RWM

President & Founder – New Outlook Wealth

Michael brings nearly 25 years of experience in the Canadian insurance and financial services industry to bear as he relentlessly advocates for disruption in the wealth management space, a space dominated by Big Mutual, Big Banks, and Big Insurance.

In 2020, Michael founded and launched New Outlook Wealth (NOW), a firm that empowers advisors to focus exclusively on financial advice and client relationship management by de-registering and choosing to outsource client investments to a curated shelf of trusted third-party portfolio managers. Originally from Quebec, Michael now calls Winnipeg home.

Sharon Hill, Ph.D

Portfolio Manager – Vanguard

Sharon Hill, Ph.D, is a senior portfolio manager and head of the Global & Income Active Equity investment team within Vanguard’s Quantitative Equity Group. Her team manages active equity global and income-oriented mandates using quantitative methods. Before joining Vanguard in 2019, she was Head of Equity Quantitative Research & Analytics at Macquarie Investment Management.

Before spending 19 years at Macquarie, she worked as a fixed income software developer at Bloomberg L.P., and taught mathematics at Rowan University. She earned a B.S. in mathematics from City University of New York at Brooklyn College and an M.S. and Ph.D. in mathematics from University of Connecticut.

Pier-Alexandre Drouin

Vice President, Business Development – Wealth Management at Fidelity Wealth

Pier Alexandre Drouin is Vice President, Business Development – Wealth Management at Fidelity Wealth, where he specializes in supporting wealth management professionals through the complexities of succession planning. With nearly two decades of experience working closely with advisors, he has developed a deep, practical understanding of the business, personal, and structural challenges they face when preparing for transition.

Darrell Jacobsen

President – Advisor Hunt

Darrell leads the entrepreneurial team at Advisor Hunt^™, bringing decades of M&A experience across multiple industries to the specialized world of financial advisor successions. He has led complex transactions globally—from billion-dollar cross-border deals to the seamless transition of boutique advisory practices.

An expert in deal structuring, Darrell designs transactions that align buyer and seller interests, reduce transition risk and maximize practice value on both sides of the deal. He is the creator of Optimal Practice Succession^™—Canada’s leading program for advisor successions—designed to preserve legacies, ensure client continuity, and deliver superior outcomes for all parties, including, and especially, your clients.

Johnathan Ciliberto

Vice-President – Advisor Hunt

Johnathan is a trusted expert in facilitating advisor successions, specializing in the sale and acquisition of client books while promoting seamless transitions into superior dealers. With a deep understanding of financial planning principles, he helps advisors differentiate themselves, ensuring clients are placed in the most capable hands possible.

Johnathan is dedicated to guiding advisors through the complexities of their profession, helping them thrive while better serving their clients. He consults on comprehensive succession planning, guiding advisors in identifying established senior professionals to collaborate with and oversee client relationships in preparation for retirement or unforeseen circumstances. He also empowers advisors to confidentially explore industry opportunities, equipping them with the tools to remain competitive and relevant in an evolving marketplace.

Lawrence Lynch, Chartered Financial Planner^®, Fellow of FP Canada^™

Instructor – Fanshawe College

Lawrence Lynch has been teaching and developing credential and licensing course materials since 1995 for personal finance programs as well as FinTech programs.

He has worked with FP Canada on several projects, including work with the CFP Board in Denver developing a framework for a comprehensive plan course, participating in developing financial planning definitions, presenting at annual educator conferences, and testing Capstone cases.

Lawrence was recognized with the FP Canada^™ Fellow distinction in 2013. Prior to Fanshawe College, he worked as a financial advisor/planner with Scotiabank and as a trainer for credential and licensing for new hires. He also served as VP Education for the London Chapter of what was then the Canadian Association of Financial Planners.

In his free time, he enjoys sailing, racing, camping and hiking.

Jonathan Rivard, CFP^®

Principal, Wealth Management & Field Management – Edward Jones

Jonathan Rivard has spent more than two decades in the financial services industry, beginning his career as a Financial Advisor in Toronto, where he built a highly successful practice and was consistently recognized among the firm’s top advisors. He became a General Partner with Edward Jones in 2014.

Over his 23 years with the firm, Jonathan has led multiple regions across the GTA, helping to grow businesses, develop teams, and support advisor success. Last year, he transitioned from his advisory practice into a full-time leadership role, where he now leads advisors and their teams across Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

Originally from Sault Ste. Marie, when he isn’t working to help clients and teams, he enjoys cooking, reading and being outdoors.

Scott Sullivan, CFA

Principal, Canada Business Segment Leader – Edward Jones

Scott Sullivan is Principal, Canada Business Segment Leader at Edward Jones. Scott leads the strategy shaping how Edward Jones Canada grows, how advisors are supported, and how clients and their families are served.

His work centers on giving advisors the tools, platforms and products they need to deliver tailored financial advice to more than 190,000 Canadians.

He oversees the end-to-end strategy, profitability, and operational execution of the Canada business segment; works across functionally aligned teams to deliver on strategic priorities; and turns the needs of Canadian clients and branch teams into clear, actionable business plans aligned with firm-wide goals while addressing Canada-specific market, regulatory and competitive considerations.

Scott joined the firm in 2019 after more than two decades at TD Bank, where he held multiple executive positions in Wealth and Asset Management. He holds a CFA and a degree from Western University. Scott lives in Oakville with his wife and three kids.

Julie Petrera, CFP^®

Director, Financial Planning – Edward Jones

As the Director of Financial Planning, Julie leads the development and execution of the firm's Canadian financial planning strategy. She oversees initiatives such as advice and guidance, financial planning processes, and tools that support Canadian investors.

Julie provides informed guidance on complex wealth management topics with practical and accurate advice that is aligned with clients’ evolving needs. She leads cross-functional projects, contributes to firm-level decision-making, and mentors the next generation of leaders.

As a key spokesperson, Julie amplifies the firm's voice by regularly sharing insights with branches, at client-facing events, and through media, communicating clear, purposeful financial advice to empower Canadians to achieve lifelong financial fulfilment.

Since joining Edward Jones in 2021, Julie has brought more than 20 years of experience in advice, compliance practices, practice management, and strategy from prior roles at Dundee Wealth and MD Financial. She supports the development of future wealth managers by partnering with leading financial education institutions including CSI Global Education, FP Canada, the Schulich School of Business, and the CISI in the U.K.

Julie holds a bachelor’s degree from Western University, an MBA from Dalhousie University, and a Certificate in Corporate Communications from the University of Ottawa. She holds the CFP^® designation and CIM^® designation and is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI^®).

Dana Hicks, CFP^®

Financial Planner and Financial Advisor – Edward Jones

The relationship Dana builds with clients, and the trust that develops along the way, is the foundation of her work. She focuses on understanding what matters most to clients, assessing their current position, and helping create a plan that leads them toward their goals with confidence.

Dana joined Edward Jones because its values align with her own: clients come first in every decision. She works with clients to look at the full picture, balancing short-term needs with long-term goals and helping them build and protect wealth over time.

Retirement planning is one of the most common goals among her clients. She has helped many clients move through this major life transition by evaluating savings, adjusting portfolios for income, and answering the questions that naturally arise.

Her interest in financial guidance began at a young age. Twenty-five years ago, she began her career as a bank teller, and that experience sparked a passion for helping people feel informed and empowered about their finances. Since then, she has worked in advisory roles focused on building clarity, stability, and long-term success for clients.

Andrew Cairns

Business Development Manager – Home Equity Bank

Andrew Cairns, a 30-year veteran of the Wealth Management industry, has a recognized track record of both managing existing and opening new national distribution channels. A strong communicator with extensive public speaking experience, Andrew has fostered an extensive network of both head-office and leading advisor networks.

Andrew is known nationally by accomplished financial planners and investment firms for having pioneered several creative, new and innovative financial solutions. Andrew engages wealth management advisors primarily in the Toronto area and other select markets.

Kate Wolfe, CPA, CFP^®

Director, Tax & Estate Planning – IG Wealth Management

Prior to joining IG, Kate spent nearly a decade at a prominent national accounting firm, where she earned her Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and completed CPA Canada's In-Depth Tax Program. Her background includes extensive experience in personal, corporate, and estate tax planning.

In her current role, Kate collaborates with IG Advisors to support the development of tax-efficient strategies that complement clients’ broader financial and estate planning objectives. She brings deep technical expertise to the planning process, helping ensure that strategies are well-informed, thoughtfully structured, and tailored to each client’s unique circumstances.

Kate is committed to continuous professional development and obtained her Certified Financial Planner (CFP^®) designation in 2025.

Daniel Asper

CEO and Co-founder – Continuum

Daniel Asper is CEO and co-founder of Continuum, the AI client intelligence system built for Canadian financial advisors. Continuum gives advisors an operating layer that turns scattered notes and follow-ups into a clear view of every relationship, so they can spend less time on admin and more time doing the work that compounds trust.

Before Continuum, Daniel spent eight years at Shopify as a product leader across the financial services team, and holds an MBA from Cornell Tech.

Anthony Williams, Chartered Financial Planner^®, RRC^®, CFP^®

President – Canadian Institute of Financial Planners (CIFPs)

In his role as the President and CEO of CIFPs, Anthony is actively engaged in representing the views of CIFP members and promoting financial planning more broadly as the chief liaison with regulatory and oversight bodies.

As the VP, Academic Affairs, Anthony oversees the Academic Department of CIFP. This involves the development, maintenance and supervision of the core education curricula and supporting continuing education tied to the various professional designations on offer from CIFP.

Anthony is also CIFP's head instructor for preparatory bootcamps for industry certification examinations and facilitates events including the Professional Days and Ethical Conduct sessions.

Jennifer Botterill

Three-Time Olympic Gold Medallist, Broadcaster and Peak Performance Coach

She’s a multiple Olympic Gold Medalist and a Peak Performance Coach helping audiences Excel in Life! Jennifer Botterill is one of Canada’s most adored sports broadcasters and decorated athletes. She is a Three-Time Olympic Gold Medallist with the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team, earning her induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Jennifer played an integral role on the team highlighted by assisting on the gold medal winning goal at the Vancouver Olympic Games. Today she helps others “Excel in Life” and is broadcast analyst for Hockey Night in Canada.

Cheryl Zhao, MBA, CFA

Investment Director, Mackenzie GQE Team – Mackenzie Investments

Cheryl Zhao is the investment director for the Global Quantitative Equity Team at Mackenzie Investments. Cheryl began her career in the financial services industry in 2016 at Questrade Financial Group.

Prior to joining Mackenzie Investments in March 2021, Cheryl worked as an analyst in Marketing Intelligence & Service at TD Greystone Asset Management and in the External Management Group at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.

Cheryl graduated from Simon Fraser University in 2015 with a BBA in Finance and International Business and earned an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2020. She is a CFA charterholder.

Marty Minshull, CFP, CLU

Senior Vice President, Financial Services – IG Wealth Management

Marty is a Senior Vice President, Financial Services at IG Wealth Management. In his current role, he contributes to corporate direction and strategy initiatives while leading a team of Regional Vice Presidents and their advisors who oversee $50B in client assets.

Passionate about solving complex financial problems, he has completed both his CFP and his CLU specializing in Corporate Taxation and Estate Planning. In his current role, he fulfills this passion through coaching and partnership with advisors in acquiring and planning for these clients.

With over fifteen years of experience in the industry, he prides himself in his ability to motivate clients and advisors alike to design goals and create plans to fulfill them. Keeping an eye to the future, and carrying a strong appreciation of the industry’s roots, he comes to work focused on creating long-term value for clients and advisors at IG.