Who we are

Dame Kimberley Van Vliet is a leading voice in Canada’s innovation and defence ecosystem, known for bridging commercial and military sectors across aerospace, defence, security, energy, mining, agriculture, construction, and advanced technologies.

Over 16 years ago, she founded WāVv, a group of companies accelerating cross-industry innovation worldwide. She’s also the creator of ConvergX® Xpand™, a global consulting practice, and ConvergX® Global Congress, the world’s first Congress to unite decision-makers across industries to solve problems they didn’t know they had, with solutions from sectors they never expected could help.

Kimberley serves as Deputy Chair for NIAG’s Community of Interest with Allied Command Transformation (ACT), focusing on Innovation, C4ISR, and Logistics & Sustainment, and works closely with NATO divisions including NCIA, NSPA, STO, and DIANA, regularly engaging with NATO HQ, NORAD, and USNORTHCOM.

Recognized among Canada’s Top 20 Women in Defence and a 2022 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference delegate, Kimberley brings a strategic, cross-industry perspective to Canada’s defence and security priorities globally.

Outside of work, she’s a proud Mum, a licensed private pilot, and a certified Divemaster.

Jessilyn Forigo is a strategic leader with a gift for bringing people, ideas, and partnerships together to create meaningful, lasting impact. She serves as Executive Director of the ConvergX® Global Solutions Foundation, the education, advocacy, and convening arm of ConvergX®, where she brings together industry, government, academia, and innovators to accelerate collaboration, commercialization, and cross-sector solutions.

Before becoming Executive Director, Jessilyn spent more than a decade as Vice President, Operations & Communications at ConvergX®, helping build the organization while leading its operations, strategic partnerships, communications, and internationally recognized convenings.

Her career has spanned senior leadership roles across the nonprofit, post-secondary, public, and private sectors in philanthropy, partnerships, communications, stakeholder engagement, and organizational growth. With more than two decades of experience, she is known for turning connections into action.

A committed community volunteer, Jessilyn is a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal and was named Canadian Event Industry Volunteer of the Year.

Outside of work, she’s a proud wife, mom, dog mom, theatre enthusiast, and enjoys exploring the culture and hidden gems of the destinations she visits through her international work.

As the Director of Enterprise Development at ConvergX® Global Solutions Foundation, Carrie Fanai has built a career advancing innovation, technology development, and commercialization across industries. Recognized for bringing clarity to complex challenges, she combines deep sector knowledge spanning energy, agri-food, petrochemicals, clean tech, and emerging technologies.

With a talent for bringing together diverse stakeholders, and navigating unknowns, Carrie builds unlikely partnerships, and helps organizations navigate the technical, commercial, and operational barriers to innovation. Looking beyond industry boundaries and conventional thinking, her cross-sector perspective enables her to uncover opportunities, derisk solutions to accelerate commercialization, and translate emerging technologies into practical commercial outcomes.

Carrie is a Professional Engineer and equally fluent in the needs of solution providers and enterprise organizations, helping bridge the gap between innovation and adoption.

Katja Boutou is Director, Strategic Growth & Industry Engagement at the ConvergX® Global Solutions Foundation. A strategic relationship builder with a talent for turning opportunities into action, she brings more than 20 years of international experience in business development, investment attraction, trade, and strategic partnerships across four continents.

Throughout her career, Katja has worked at the intersection of government, industry, and innovation, leading initiatives spanning the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Her experience includes building international partnerships, leading trade missions, securing government funding, supporting market expansion, and helping organizations navigate the adoption and commercialization of emerging technologies, including AI and IoT, across the defence, aerospace, energy, and advanced technology sectors.

At ConvergX®, Katja focuses on strengthening industry engagement, cultivating strategic partnerships, and connecting organizations with the people, opportunities, and ecosystems that help accelerate innovation and growth.

Outside of work, Katja is a proud mom of three, a former ice hockey goalie, and an avid salsa dancer who brings the same energy and determination to life as she does to her work.

Lindsay Robertson has a knack for taking complicated, technical work and turning it into something people can get behind. As Senior Manager, Marketing, Communications and Commercial Readiness at the ConvergX® Global Solutions Foundation, she leads the organization’s messaging and drives the cross-sector collaboration needed to bring new products and technologies to market, in brand-new verticals.

With a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, an MBA from both Cornell and Queen’s Universities, and over 15 years of experience on both the client and agency sides, Lindsay has built a career around clarity: crafting brand strategies and go-to-market plans that bring diverse stakeholders (often with very different priorities) onto the same page.

When she’s not immersed in strategy, you’ll likely find Lindsay renovating a mid-century home, out on the ski hill, hiking a new trail, or planning her next trip abroad.

A Subject Matter Expert and Project lead at ConvergX® Global Solutions Foundation, Chris was born and raised on a family farm in Edmonton, Alberta. He graduated with Honors from Brentwood College School and the University of Alberta before serving nearly 25 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force, followed by a second career as a pilot at WestJet Airlines.

His RCAF career took him from Alaska to Texas and from the Comox Valley to Turkey, flying aircraft from helicopters to jets; he was a member of the Snowbirds, Canada’s Military Air Demonstration Team, later serving as Canada’s Senior National Representative to the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program at Sheppard AFB, Texas, as an advanced jet training instructor and instructor trainer, with roles including Snowbird Squadron Operations Officer and Commander of the RCAF Flight Instructor School.

He speaks Spanish and French in addition to English, and for the past 17 years has advised, and now consults for ConvergX® Global Solutions Foundation in Defense and Aerospace. Chris has been married for over 40 years, and they have two adult children.

Sean Secord, the Senior Advisor, Strategic Partnerships & Northern Initiatives for ConvergX® Global Solutions Foundation, brings more than three decades of broad, dynamic experience across Canada’s health system; spanning clinical care, remote and northern health leadership, health technology commercialization, federal health policy, and large-scale infrastructure transformation.

His clinical background ranges from multi-organ transplant, critical care, and emergency medicine to public health, remote care delivery, and teaching. On the leadership side, he has established an air ambulance program, overseen the construction and the opening of new hospitals, and managed quality improvement, risk management, accreditation, and infection control across multiple hospital sites.

A Certified Health Executive, Sean holds two MBAs, two healthcare degrees, and a science degree, a testament to his lifelong commitment to learning and to strengthening the systems that keep communities healthy.

Brigadier-General (Ret’d) Sylvain Bédard serves as Senior Advisor, Strategic Partnerships & Government Relations with the ConvergX® Global Solutions Foundation. A trusted advisor to ConvergX® for nearly a decade, he brings more than 35 years of leadership experience spanning military service, government, strategic partnerships, Indigenous engagement, and international affairs.

Throughout his distinguished career, Sylvain has led at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels, serving in senior command, policy, and executive leadership roles while participating in multiple international peacekeeping, peacemaking, and combat operations. Following his military service, he has advised organizations on government relations, Indigenous partnerships, governance, and complex stakeholder engagement, helping organizations navigate some of Canada’s most challenging strategic environments.

At ConvergX®, Sylvain provides strategic counsel, strengthens relationships across government, industry, and institutional partners, and supports business development and partnership opportunities that advance the Foundation’s mission of fostering collaboration and innovation across sectors.

Known for his thoughtful leadership and ability to build trust among diverse stakeholders, Sylvain is passionate about creating partnerships that deliver meaningful, long-term impact.