Our presenters

Michael Atkinson was President of the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) from March 1993 to October of 2017. He joined CCA in 1981. In November 1982, he was appointed Secretary to the Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC), a position he held until 1993. Michael has emerged as a leading expert in the area of standard construction contracts and practices in Canada. In 2013, he was awarded one of 38 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medals designated for Canadians demonstrating outstanding service in the construction industry in Canada.

Michael served as the Private Sector Vice-Chair of the Municipal Infrastructure Forum established by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. He was a member of the Federal-Industry Real Property Advisory Council, the Industrial Security Advisory Board, the CORCAN Advisory Board, and a long-time member of the Construction Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association.

Morgan is a Bluebeam Certified Instructor. He has over a decade of hands-on experience in the construction industry, including owning his own construction company and working for one of the largest GC's in North America. He also holds a bachelor's degree in construction management from BYU-Idaho.

Most importantly, he's a trusted expert in using Bluebeam technology on the construction site. Morgan's classes and training have helped some of the top construction companies in North America to improve processes, workflow, and project management with Bluebeam Revu.

Pamela Bragg is the owner of Sarkany Management Inc., a Human Resources Consulting firm, which offers a broad range of HR services. Pamela has a comprehensive background in executive-level human resources and holds a Master's Certificate from Stanford in Diversity & Inclusion as well as a Masters Certificate in Strategic Human Resources & Organizational Change.

Paul is a ground-breaking expert specializing in workplace respect, workplace civility, diversity/inclusion, leadership, and conflict management. Paul uses his skills and experiences as a corporate lawyer, professional speaker, manager, project manager and business leader in his work and is a regular presenter at global conferences and events. Paul is the past Chair of Diversity and Inclusion at the Attorney General Of BC, Legal Services Branch and both a member of the Métis Nation of BC and of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. He is also the author of two books, includingThe Workplace Bullying Handbook. He is represented by the National Speakers Bureau. 

In his relatable, insightful, and entertaining keynotes and workshops, he shares powerful stories that leave audiences inspired to improve their leadership skills, build respectful, inclusive workplaces where both staff and patients/clients/stakeholders thrive and effectively handle conflicts and hard conversations.  Paul’s websites are: pushingpastimpossible.com and http://www.paulpelletierconsulting.com

Paul’s healthcare clients include almost all of Canada’s Dental Associations, dental clinics, optometry clinics and a range of other healthcare providers. His other clients include Intel, AT& T, American Airlines, The American Society of Travel Advisors, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Peel Regional Police, The Travel Institute, Hollyburn Properties, Cora, professional associations, universities, law firms, and the Project Management Institute (PMI). He has presented at conferences all over the world including Dubai, Switzerland, Italy, England, and throughout the United States and Canada. He has over 300 events under his belt. He is fluently trilingual and can offer keynotes and training in English, French and Spanish.

Expert Witness, Claims, ADR, and Commercial Contracts specialist with over 30 years of career in construction in a broad field of infrastructure industries including oil & gas, process plants, airports, rail, civil engineering, and nuclear. Represented a variety of Owners and Contractors and assisted legal counsel in contract negotiations and a variety of ADR forums worldwide.

Successfully worked on a variety of projects and files with responsibility for the commercial management of major infrastructure projects with a value in excess of $1BN. Operating and managing at the executive level of a project structure in a PPP/PFI environment, representing companies in the preliminary and delivery of live projects. Extensive experience on a variety of bespoke and standard form contracts including CCDC, FIDIC, New Engineering Contract (NEC), ICE, and JCT Contracts.

Managed both contentious and non-contentious contractual matters and key concerns within organizations by providing legal and contractual insight and representation in contract negotiations in Europe, South America, Australia, the Middle East, and the Far East; with major owners and contracting companies. Advised on contractual obligations in order to ensure legal compliance and manage contractual risk. Responsible for both the production and review of project claims, the development and implementation of strategies for risk and opportunity management, together with the evaluation and determination of contractor-submitted claims to project and business management and counsel. Personally, responsible for contract drafting and administration, claims identification, evaluation, preparation and management, dispute resolution, and litigation support.

Barrister at Law, Call July 2010. Certified ODACC Adjudicator, Member of The Honorable Society of the Inner Temple, The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors. Published written work, with contributions to 'Introduction to Construction Contract Management' Routledge. Training as a Mediator and Arbitrator and committed to personal and professional development.

Leadership Trainer & Facilitator - Discovery Education Solutions/Facilitate Discovery

Paula Connolly is a Certified Trainer and Facilitator with over 25 years of experience helping leaders and employees develop their strengths and embrace flexible mindsets to improve workplace and personal outcomes. Specializing in leadership and human resources training, Paula has worked extensively with the Canadian federal government, the Ontario Public Service, and private organizations. Her engaging, interactive workshops are delivered both in-person and virtually, using platforms like Zoom, MS Teams, and WebEx.

Safety Management Consultant, Instructor | COR Auditing - Safety Management Services

Pete Durrad is an experienced Safety Management Consultant and Instructor, with over 30 years of expertise across a wide range of industries, including aviation, heavy manufacturing, power, oil and gas, and construction. He currently holds senior health, safety, and environmental (HSE) roles with Amix Group, overseeing safety for diverse operations such as ocean-going tug and barge transportation, ship salvage, heavy crane operations, and concrete production. Pete has an extensive background in leading safety initiatives, conducting audits, and implementing safety management systems (COR). He has worked with a broad spectrum of clients, including municipal governments, utilities, and private enterprises. A passionate advocate for safety, Pete designs and delivers engaging training programs that reflect his belief in collaborative leadership and innovation, helping organizations improve safety, health, and overall performance.

Pete is dedicated to providing practical, tailored safety solutions that ensure compliance with industry regulations, minimize risks, and foster a culture of safety in every workplace. His commitment to education, training, and effective management systems has made him a highly regarded consultant and instructor in the health and safety community.

Phil has worked in construction for 30+ years. For the last 12 years, he’s been teaching Construction Management courses for construction associations across the country.

Phil is also an instructor for University of Alberta Faculty of Extension, and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

In his spare time, Phil is a Master Course Facilitator for a National Sports Organization and chaired their National Coaching/Instructional Program for four years. He was the recipient of the 2018 IG Wealth Management Community National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) Coach Developer Award.

Ralph’s construction career has taken him from estimator to project manager, then to self-employed contractor, and finally to a 30-year career as a professor with the Donald J. Smith School of Building Technology at Fanshawe College in London, ON, where he still teaches part-time. He was a 25-year member of the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyor (PQS - Professional Quantity Surveyor) and is currently a charter member of the Construction and Design Educators Council of Canada (CDECC). Ralph sits on the board of advisors for the CDECC as well as for an Ontario-based construction company. Ralph holds a certificate in Construction Engineering Technology and Management from Fanshawe College, a teaching certificate from St. Clair College and a Professional Gold Seal certification from the Canadian Construction Association.