Kelly J. Ogle

President

Kelly J. Ogle is a senior executive and scholar with more than 35 years of entrepreneurial experience covering several business sectors including oil and gas, agriculture, trucking, residential development and golf course construction and operations. He has also served as a board member for various corporations, both public and private and has experience in all committee types; health and safety, audit, compensation and corporate governance. Mr. Ogle has also Participated in the securing and disbursement of more than $1 Billion in debt and equity funding of oil and gas ventures, managed the clearing of numerous prospectuses, Annual Information Forms and Information Circulars.  As well, he has orchestrated the merger, acquisition, strategic alternatives processes and/or sale of numerous oil and gas corporations as CEO, President and/or Managing Director.

Additionally, for the past 25 years, Mr. Ogle has given numerous presentations to various sized groups as both an industry executive and scholar and has had several journal articles published.

Mr. Ogle is also the Chairman of the board of Silvera for Seniors, a Not For Profit organization in charge of over 1600 residences for low income senior Calgarians. He is also the former Chairman of the Board of Student Energy, a global non-profit organization creating a movement of young leaders committed to transitioning the world to a sustainable energy future.

Mr. Ogle received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1978, a Masters of Strategic Studies from the University of Calgary, Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, in 2014 and in 2010 he earned the ICD.D designation from the Canadian Institute of Corporate Directors. 

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Colin Robertson

Vice President

A former Canadian diplomat, Colin Robertson is Senior Advisor to Dentons LLP working with the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. He is Vice President and Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and Executive Fellow at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy. He is an Honorary Captain (Royal Canadian Navy) assigned to the Strategic Communications Directorate. He is chair of the board of Canada World Youth.

Living in Ottawa, Robertson writes and speaks on international affairs. He writes a regular column every two weeks for the World Insider section of the Globe and Mail. Embassy Magazine named him to their "Top Eighty Influencing Canadian foreign policy" in 2012 and 2013.

Robertson sits on the boards of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute, North  American Research Partnership and the Sir Winston Churchill Society of Ottawa. He is a past president of the Canadian International Council’s National Capital Branch. Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) at Carleton University, Robertson is a former member of Carleton's President’s Advisory Council and a current member of the NPSIA Advisory Council. He is honorary chair of the Canada Arizona Business Council. He is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy and the Retired Heads of Mission Association.

A career foreign service officer from 1977-2010, he served as first Head of the Advocacy Secretariat and Minister at the Canadian Embassy in Washington and Consul General in Los Angeles, with previous assignments as Consul and Counsellor in Hong Kong and in New York at the UN and Consulate General. In his final assignment he directed a project at Carleton University’s Centre for Trade Policy and Law with the support of the Federal and Provincial Governments and the private sector on Canada-US Engagement. A member of the team that negotiated the Canada-US FTA and NAFTA he is co-author of Decision at Midnight: The Inside Story of the Canada-US FTA (1996). He is co-editor of Diplomacy in the Digital Age: Essays in honour of Ambassador Allan Gotlieb (2011). He has taught at Carleton University, Queen's University Public Executive Program and the Canada School of Public Service. He served as president of the Historica Foundation. He was editor of bout de papier: Canada’s Journal of Foreign Service and Diplomacy and president of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers.

Robertson was awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), Alberta Centennial Medal (2005), the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal (2006), the Alberta Motion Picture Industry Association ‘Friend of the Industry’ (2004), and the distinguished alumnus award from the University of Manitoba (2004).

Robertson was given the “Hot Potato Award” for helping to increase collaboration between U.S. and Canada organizations and stakeholders at the 2012 Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) Summit.

His smartest decision was marrying his wife Maureen Boyd, a Vancouverite, former journalist and communications consultant. They have three children, Allison, Sean and Conor. Robertson reads voraciously, runs, swims, cycles, cross-country skis. A series of what Lemony Snicket would describe as 'unfortunate circumstances' have left him with low vision. This  has obliged him to give up  tennis, a sport he enjoyed but played badly.

Colin can be reached by email at cr@colinrobertson.ca or 613-619-1867.

website www.colinrobertson.ca

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David Bercuson

Director of Programs

David Bercuson was born in Montreal in August 1945. He attended Sir George Williams University, graduating in June 1966 with Honours in History and winning the Lieutenant-Governor's Silver Medal for the highest standing in history. After graduation he pursued graduate studies at the University of Toronto, earning an MA in history in 1967 and a Ph.D. in 1971.

Dr. Bercuson has published in academic and popular publications on a wide range of topics specializing in modern Canadian politics, Canadian defence and foreign policy, and Canadian military history. He has written, coauthored, or edited over 30 popular and academic books and does regular commentary for television and radio. He has written for the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the Calgary Herald, the National Post and other newspapers.

In 1988, Bercuson was elected to the Royal Society of Canada and in May 1989, he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at The University of Calgary. In 1997 he was appointed Special Advisor to the Minister of National Defence on the Future of the Canadian Forces. He was a member of the Minister of National Defence’s Monitoring Committee from 1997 to 2003. Since January 1997 he has been the Director of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary. He is also the Director of Programs for the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, which is based in Calgary.

Dr. Bercuson’s newest book is The Fighting Canadians: Our Regimental History from New France to Afghanistan, published by HarperCollins.

Dr. Bercuson is Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 41 Combat Engineer Regiment, a Land Force Reserve military engineer unit of the Canadian Forces.

Dr. Becuson served on the Advisory Council on National Security and is a member of the Board of Governors, RMC.

In 2002 Dr. Bercuson was awarded the J. B. Tyrrell Historical Medal from the Royal Society of Canada. In 2003, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

He received the 2004 Vimy Award sponsored by the Conference of Defence Association Institute (CDAI) which recognizes Canadians who have made a significant and outstanding contribution to the defence and security of our nation and the preservation of our democratic values.

Keywords: Canadian defence policy, Canadian foreign policy, Canadian security policy, the Canadian forces, Canadian military history, Canada-US defence relations, Canada-NATO defence relations

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David Perry

Vice President & Senior Analyst

Dr. David Perry is the Vice President, Senior Analyst and a Fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. He is the author of multiple publications related to defence budgeting, transformation and procurement, published with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, Conference of Defence Associations Institute, Defence Studies, Comparative Strategy, International Journal, and Journal of Military and Strategic Studies and is a columnist for the Canadian Naval Review. He received his PhD in political science from Carleton University where his dissertation examined the link between defence budgeting and defence procurement. He is an adjunct professor at the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary and a research fellow of the Centre for the Study of Security and Development at Dalhousie University.  He was previously the Senior Security and Defence Analyst of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute and Deputy Director of Dalhousie University’s Centre for Foreign Policy Studies.  Embassy Magazine and The Hill Times named him one of the "Top 100 Influencing Canadian Foreign Policy” in 2014.

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Adam Frost

Associate Research and Development Coordinator

Adam Frost is the Associate Research and Development Coordinator at The Canadian Global Affairs Institute. He graduated from the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary with a Master of Strategic Studies in 2016. Previously he completed a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in International Business and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in History, both also from the University of Calgary.

During his studies, Adam spent a semester studying at the University of Economics in Prague, Czech Republic; conducted research with the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency in the Upper East Region, Ghana; and undertook an internship in business development at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. He is also an avid cycle-tourist, having cycled from Vancouver, BC to St. John’s, NL in 2011.    

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Brittany Noppe

Events and Outreach Coordinator

Brittany Noppe is the Events and Outreach Coordinator at The Canadian Global Affairs Institute. She recently completed a Master of Arts in Political Communication from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Her dissertation research focused on the extent of news framing in election coverage in the United Kingdom and Canada.  Prior to that, she worked in Consular Services at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. She also holds a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management from the Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs at Carleton University. She tweets at @brittnoppe 

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Jared Maltais

Digital Coordinator

Jared Maltais is the Social Media Coordinator at The Canadian Global Affairs Institute. He recently graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Social Science, double majoring in Political Science and Criminology. Jared has worked with The Canadian Global Affairs Institute since 2014, and is also an active member of various youth-centred political organizations. He is the former Policy Director of the University of Ottawa Young Liberals, and has contributed to multiple election campaigns throughout the National Capital Region. Jared is originally from Sudbury, Ontario, where he acquired vast practical experience working with technology, social media, and web interfaces byway of various volunteer opportunities. He tweets @jared77 on Twitter.

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Mathew Preston

Outreach Coordinator

Mathew Preston grew up on a farm in north-eastern Alberta, helping raise cattle with his parents and older brother. He lived in Edmonton to complete his Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science, and then in Calgary in order to earn his Masters of Strategic Studies at the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary. He has published on Canadian procurement and air power theory, as well as shorter pieces on geostrategic issues.

Mathew has worked as a Threat Intelligence Analyst on Bay Street, and as a Program Coordinator at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute in Calgary. He has ten years of experience as a fire fighter on the Ashmont Fire Department, and upon moving to Ottawa will end a 12 year career as a lead guitar player in a local country rock band.

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Carri Daye

Administrative Coordinator

Carri Daye is the Administrative Coordinator at The Canadian Global Affairs Institute. She has previous experience as the executive assistant to executives of the Mancal Group, Chinook Valley Inc, and Loram 99 Corporation. With extensive experience as a communication liaison and in office and information management, Carri is an invaluable member of CGAI’s team, contributing to a wide range of the Institute’s projects and events.

Carri is also a sports enthusiast - an active member in softball, golf and curling leagues - and is the proud mother of her two daughters, Ashlee and Melanie.

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