About the Event

Join us for an exclusive evening designed to connect emerging professionals with experienced practitioners in cybersecurity.

Hosted by the Canadian International Council (CIC) Mentorship Program, this event brings together industry leaders who will share real-world insights, career journeys, and practical advice to help you navigate and grow in these dynamic fields.

Whether you’re exploring career paths or looking to expand your professional network, this session offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with experts who have been where you are—and know what it takes to succeed.

What to Expect

• Interactive Roundtable Discussions: Engage in small-group conversations with experienced professionals
• Real Career Insights: Learn how experts built their careers in cybersecurity and global trade
• Practical Advice: Ask questions and gain guidance tailored to your goals
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers, mentors, and industry practitioners

This is not a traditional panel event. Instead of passively listening, you’ll have the chance to rotate between mentors, ask questions, and gain diverse perspectives in a more personal and engaging setting.

What you’ll leave with:

• Clearer career direction
• Valuable industry connections
• Actionable insights you can apply immediately

Meet Our Guest Mentors

Hear from professionals across cybersecurity, international development, trade, and consulting. Our speakers bring experience from organizations such as government agencies, global firms, and international institutions.

Valerie Keyes is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience across the Canadian Armed Forces and the Federal Public Service, specializing in policy, security, and intelligence. She has held senior roles in national defence, personnel security, and international relations, and has contributed to strategic initiatives in peacekeeping and government operations. Now President and CEO of GTM Leadership Matters, Valerie focuses on leadership development and mentoring professionals in the security and intelligence sectors. She brings a wealth of expertise in strategic decision-making, communication, and public service leadership, offering valuable insights into careers in cybersecurity and international affairs.

Alana Ali, MMA, CD is a results-driven leader who bridges strategy and delivery across data, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. She holds a Master of Management Analytics from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Social Sciences in International Economics & Development from the University of Ottawa, and recently completed a Cybersecurity Management graduate certificate from the University of Toronto Continuing Studies. With 13+ years across Accenture, KPMG, Gartner, municipal government, and the Canadian Armed Forces, she blends executive advisory depth with hands-on execution.

As the founder of her consulting practice, she translates vision into tangible outcomes for diverse clients and has been appointed to support the federal government’s sovereign cloud program, demonstrating her ability to operate at the intersection of policy and technology. She advises senior executives—CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, and CISOs—on high-stakes initiatives in sensitive environments, turning ambiguity into executable strategies and designing enterprise architectures and data/analytics frameworks that manage risk and deliver lasting impact.

Her expertise spans multi-cloud strategy, cybersecurity resilience, enterprise architecture, and AI/ML enablement, with a proven record of large-scale transformations. She leads with a multidisciplinary, data-driven mindset to align stakeholders and deliver durable roadmaps.

James Nguyen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Quantropi, a Canadian cybersecurity company dedicated to securing data and communications against today’s cyberattacks as well as emerging quantum and AI-driven threats. Under his leadership, Quantropi has grown from an Ottawa-based startup into a NATO DIANA innovator, delivering quantum-secure solutions that protect critical infrastructures across defence, enterprise, and embedded environments.

Drawing on more than 15 years of experience in finance, technology, and international business development, James has partnered with entrepreneurs, investors, and global organizations to bring innovative technologies to market. Before founding Quantropi, he held leadership roles in capital markets and international operations, helping to drive growth and commercialization for companies across multiple industries.

Honoured as CanadianSME Entrepreneur of the Year and named one of Ottawa’s Top Forty Under 40, James is committed to supporting the next generation of professionals in cybersecurity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He actively mentors emerging leaders and champions Canada’s technology ecosystem, with a strong focus on practical, real-world solutions to today’s most urgent digital security challenges.

Michelle Robitaille, MBA, is CEO of Digital Trust Canada, where she leads national efforts to advance secure, interoperable, and sovereign digital infrastructure and strengthen Canada’s digital trust ecosystem. Through this work, she brings together governments, industry, and partners to enable trusted data exchange in support of economic resilience and global competitiveness.

She is actively engaged in international initiatives, including GAIA-X, contributing to the development of federated and interoperable data ecosystems. With more than 25 years of experience across government, industry, and economic development, she works across sectors and jurisdictions to align policy, technology, and implementation in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

Juliana Crema has a background in political science and international relations. She holds a joint Erasmus Mundus master’s degree from Charles University in Prague, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, and Leiden University. She has experience in multidisciplinary fields, with a particular interest in issues related to gender, politics, and geopolitics. Before joining Global Affairs Canada, she worked for a nonprofit organization specializing in cybersecurity, where she conducted research and analysis on how to strengthen the role of international law and norms to promote greater accountability in cyberspace. She is a PhD candidate in political science at York University, with expertise in gender and politics and comparative politics, and is currently the desk officer (foreign policy and diplomacy) for Brazil at Global Affairs Canada.

Save Your Spot

Spaces are limited to ensure meaningful conversations.

👉 Register now to secure your place.

This event is sponsored by Marvin Hough and PAFSO.