Speakers

Jim Athanasiou was named President and CEO of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) in July 2024, after holding several senior executive positions in the organization.

Jim’s educational background includes engineering and management studies, and prior to joining the Seaway in 2008, he worked in the pulp and paper industry.

His leadership is currently focused on growth and ensuring the long-term viability of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the many partners and stakeholders who depend on the waterway for their livelihood and their sustainability. 

Chris Avery is the President & CEO of the Arctic Gateway Group (AGG), an Indigenous- and community-owned organization that owns and operates the Hudson Bay Railway and the Port of Churchill. Chris is an accomplished executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in the transportation industry. Since his appointment in July 2024, he has championed Churchill and the railway as a critical Canadian infrastructure that unlocks new economic opportunities for northern Manitoba and strengthens national supply chains. Under his leadership AGG has set a vision to be a major port in Canada and a significant set of trade enabling infrastructure in support of our national goals to diversify our trade, become an energy super power, and assert our sovereignty in the North.

As the former President & CEO of Canadian North and First Air, Chris led the successful merger and integration of the two airlines and guided the organization through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, Canadian North was named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and recognized as Regional Airline of the Year (2022) by Air Transport World. He spent 13 years at WestJet in a variety of senior leadership roles and has also held management positions with Alaska Airlines, Canadian Airlines, and other companies in the travel and transportation sectors.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Economics from Western University and an MBA from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University and serves on the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Board of Directors.

Hannah Bowlby manages Government Relations & Public Affairs at Algoma Central Corporation and is the Chair of the Ontario Marine Council. Hannah has worked at Algoma since 2012 and in January 2025, she was appointed Chair of the Ontario Marine Council. She leads advocacy initiatives to advance strategic goals, influence policy, and strengthen partnerships that support a resilient, competitive, and sustainable marine sector. In both her roles, she engages with all levels of government, represents industry perspectives on key maritime issues, and oversees external communications.

Larissa Fenn is Vice President, Corporate Affairs at HOPA Ports, leading a team responsible for strategic initiatives, public affairs, sustainability reporting, corporate governance and culture.

In progressive roles over 14 years, Larissa has helped to define and execute the strategy that has grown HOPA Ports into Ontario’s largest and most dynamic port authority. Her previous experience includes policy and communications management roles in financial services and municipal government.

Larissa holds a B.A. in Political Science from Queen’s University, and an MBA from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. A champion for the Great Lakes and vibrant waterfront cities, Larissa serves as a Board Member of the Ontario Marine Council and is former Vice Chair of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton/Burlington, Ontario.

Grantly Franklin is a Canadian diplomat serving as Consul for Political, Economic, and Public Affairs at the Consulate General of Canada in Detroit. A proud graduate of the University of Windsor, he spent ten years on Parliament Hill before joining the foreign service. He has previously served at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations in New York and the Embassy of Canada to the United States in Washington, D.C.

Grantly works to strengthen Canada-U.S. ties by engaging leaders and policymakers, supporting intergovernmental coordination, and advancing shared priorities on trade, economic competitiveness, and regional cooperation. Outside of work, he is a dad to two young boys, enjoys exploring local cafés, and cheers on the Toronto Raptors whenever his schedule allows.

Drawing on a rich career in the maritime industry, she brings in-depth knowledge of transportation operations and a strong entrepreneurial spirit to support the strategic mission of the Port of Montreal, a key infrastructure for Eastern Canada.

Since February 2024, she has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montreal Port Authority. Supported by a strong leadership team and an experienced board of directors, she is leading initiatives to enhance the port’s productivity, fluidity, and growth, while integrating principles of sustainability, infrastructure modernization, and respect for neighbouring communities, notably through the City-Port committees.

Dave is a northeast Ohio native and has more than 30 years of experience in transportation and logistics, including senior level operations and business development positions in trucking, intermodal, and third-party logistics. He joined the Port as Vice-President of Maritime & Logistics in 2010, was promoted to Chief Commercial Officer in 2018, served as Interim President & CEO beginning January 1, 2025, and was named Chief Operating Officer on October 15, 2025. His responsibilities include the strategic management of all aspects of the maritime functions at the Port, including business development and operations. He sits on various local and national maritime and logistics committees and boards focusing on marketing and business development in the cargo industry. He graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH with a BA in Economics. He and his wife, Julie, have two grown children and after living in southwestern Ohio in the 1990’s, relocated back to northeast Ohio in 2001.

Chief Executive Officer of Ship and Rail Compensation Canada and Administrator of the Ship Fund and the Rail Fund

Caroline Healey is the Chief Executive Officer of Ship and Rail Compensation Canada. She was appointed Administrator of the Ship Fund and Rail Fund in March 2025 for a five-year term. Ship and Rail Compensation Canada is the joint operating name for the two Funds.

She holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) in North American common law from the Université de Montréal, a graduate certificate in Chinese law from the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, as well as an MBA and a Bachelor of Civil Law (LL.B.) from Université Laval.

With 20 years of experience in the transportation industry, her career includes senior leadership positions at VIA Rail, the Railway Association of Canada (RAC), and Genesee & Wyoming, the largest operator of shortline railroads in Canada, the United States, and globally. She has held various management positions in legal and regulatory affairs, risk management, and government and external relations.

Caroline has also worked as a lawyer at several major national law firms specializing in corporate, commercial, and transportation law. She is a certified commercial arbitrator and previously served as Director of Legal Services at the International Air Transport Association. Additionally, she worked at Bombardier Aerospace, a leading aircraft manufacturer, where she negotiated large-scale procurement transactions.

She serves on multiple boards of directors and is actively involved in numerous charitable and community organizations.

Meredith Lilly, Ph.D., is a full Professor and Simon Reisman Chair in International Economic Policy at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Her research focuses on North American trade relations, Canada’s trade diversification strategy, economic sanctions, and the use of research evidence in policy making. Prior to her appointment at Carleton, she served as Foreign Affairs and International Trade Advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. She was previously appointed at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, and has worked in policy roles in several Canadian government departments.  She engages regularly with foreign governments and diplomats, and is a frequent media commentator on North American trade issues.

She is a member of CD Howe Institute’s International Economic Policy Council, a non-resident scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy in Texas, an Advisory Board member for the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, and serves as the Academic Partner for Canada’s delegation to the North American Forum. 

Expertise: Canada-US relations; international trade policy; free trade negotiations; labour economics; economic sanctions

Steve Salmons is President and CEO of Port Windsor (since 2018), Ontario’s third largest port.  He has held several previous leadership roles including General Manager for the City of Windsor, Director of Community Services and Development at Lakeshore, and CEO of the Windsor Public Library.  For several years, Steve was a senior advisor to several Cabinet Ministers in Ontario, including the Minister of Finance. He began his professional career as Manager of Branch Services and Operations for the Royal Bank of Canada.

Steve is a lifelong resident of Windsor, graduating from the University of Windsor with undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Business (Labour Relations), and an MBA in Strategic Studies from the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor.  Steve is also a graduate of the Policy Governance Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Professionally, Steve serves on several Boards: Association of Canadian Ports Authorities (ACPA), Chamber of Marine Commerce (CMC), and Chair of the Ontario Marine Council (OMC).

Adam Tindall-Schlicht is the Americas Sector Lead for Ports, Transportation, and Infrastructure at Ramboll, where he leads strategy and client engagement across the United States and Canada focused on sustainable port development, resilient infrastructure, and maritime decarbonization. His career has been defined by deep binational collaboration between the U.S. and Canada. Previously, Adam served as Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation within the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he worked to advance the safe and efficient operation of one of the world’s most integrated binational maritime transportation systems. Earlier, he served as Director of Port Milwaukee, where he strengthened cross-border trade relationships and championed Great Lakes shipping as a vital link between U.S. and Canadian industries. Across government and private-sector leadership roles, Adam has been a prominent voice on North American supply chains, port modernization, and the economic importance of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence corridor, helping foster closer collaboration among ports, governments, and industry on both sides of the border.

Ansis Zeltiņš has a Bachelor's degree from Latvian Maritime Academy in Maritime Transport and a Master's degree in Business Administration from University of Salford (United Kingdom).

Previously, he was the Chairman of the Council of theSJSC “Latvijas dzelzceļš” and Member of the Board of “Rīgas Brīvostas flote” Ltd. He has gained diplomatic experience in the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Latvia to the European Union in Brussels,
working as a Transport Adviser. Prior to that, he was the Chairman of the Board of the subsidiary company “LSC Shipmanagement” Ltd. of JSC “Latvijas kuģniecība” and
managed the JSC “Latvijas Jūras administrācija” (Maritime Administration of Latvia) for more than 9 years.

The CEO of the Freeport of Riga since 2017. Ansis Zeltiņš has been involved in the maritime industry for 20 years now, representing the country at various international maritime  industry forums such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International
Hydrographic Organization (IHO), Member of the Board of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the Head of the Shipping Working Group of the Council of Europe.

Member of the Board of the Baltic Ports Organization (BPO) since 2018. Member of the Board of the Employers' Confederation of Latvia (LDDK) since March 2022, has served as Vice-Chairman of the European Sea Ports Organization (ESPO) since November 2022 and was elected Chairman of ESPO in November 2024.

Ansis Zeltiņš has the qualification of a chief mate on ships of 3000 BT and above.