As President and CEO of CADSI, Christyn Cianfarani leads Canada’s national defence and security industry association, representing over 1,000 member companies that employ more than 81,000 Canadians. A Royal Military College graduate and former Royal Canadian Navy officer, she brings more than two decades of leadership experience in the aerospace, defence, and security sectors. A recognized voice in defence procurement and diversity advocacy, Christyn has served on the Jenkins Panel on Military Procurement and Canada’s Defence Industry Advisory Group. Under her leadership, CADSI has expanded its impact, influence, and representation across Canada’s industrial and innovation base.

As Vice President of Government Relations and Communications, Nicolas Todd leads CADSI’s advocacy and policy engagement with federal partners. Drawing on extensive experience in government, politics, and public affairs, he guides CADSI’s efforts to shape defence policy and promote industry priorities. Nicolas has served in senior roles across federal and provincial governments, international institutions such as NATO, and private-sector consulting. His background in high-pressure diplomatic and policy environments has honed his ability to navigate complex issues, build consensus, and deliver impactful advocacy on behalf of Canada’s defence and security industries.

As the Vice President of Finance and Corporate Comptroller for CADSI, James is responsible for ensuring the association’s performance against the Annual Operating Plan, preparing the monthly and quarterly financial statements, working closely with auditors at year-end, as well as managing other back-office operations at CADSI such as human resources. Prior to joining CADSI in 2025, James spent a decade at Canada Post Corporation’s head office, finishing his employment there as Director, Finance Business Partner. James is also the Board Chair for Ottawa Grace Manor, a not-for-profit long-term care home. James is an alumnus of Carleton University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.

As Vice President of Business Development, Steven Hillier drives CADSI’s revenue growth, partnership strategy, and international expansion. Since joining CADSI in 2010, he has played a key role in transforming the association’s business model and creating the CADSI International Program, now a major platform for showcasing Canadian capabilities abroad. Steven’s leadership has been central to growing CANSEC’s global footprint and strengthening CADSI’s financial foundation. A graduate of Carleton University and Sheridan College, he brings strategic insight, industry experience, and a deep commitment to supporting Canada’s defence community, both professionally and through his charitable work with Soldier On and True Patriot Love.

As Vice President of Operations, Lesley Musker leads the planning, management, and delivery of CADSI’s flagship events and member operations. With over two decades of experience in hospitality and large-scale event management, she oversees operational excellence and stakeholder engagement across all CADSI programs. Named Event Planner of the Year (2021) by MPI and one of Canada’s Top Event Planners (2020) by BizBash Magazine, Lesley brings creativity, precision, and strategic oversight to CADSI’s most visible platforms. A Georgian College graduate, she also mentors emerging event professionals at Algonquin College, reflecting her commitment to the next generation of industry leaders.

Bernard Mills is the CEO and Managing Director of Stelia Aerospace North America, an advanced aerospace and space composites subsidiary of the Airbus Group, with significant sites in Nova Scotia and Quebec.
 
Alongside this role, Bernard serves as a non-executive Director on the board of TSX-listed Canadian innovator Kraken Robotics. He is also Director of Quinzieme Holdings, an investment vehicle through which he supports and advises high-technology start-up companies.
 
Bernard was previously President of Ultra Sonar Systems, a position in which he held until Ultra's acquisition by Advent Capital.  He led Ultra's international underwater warfare capability including managing significant teams and facilities in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. 
Earlier in his career, Bernard worked in strategic and industry policy roles within the Australian Department of Defence and related agencies. His 15 years in defence industry since then has included senior roles with Thales in both Australia and France, as well as leadership of global civil engineering firm GHD's defence activities.
 
Bernard holds a BComm (Economics) from the University of Western Australia, an MA (Strategic and Defence Studies) from the Australian National University, and an MBA from HEC Paris. He is also an alumni of the George Washington University's United States Foreign Policy Institute and of the Executive Leadership Program at Duke University. Bernard is fluent in both English and French.

Michael Adamson is Telesat’s Senior Director of Defence Strategy and Business Development. He is responsible for expanding and executing the company’s go-to-market and business development strategy for the Telesat Lightspeed Low Earth Orbit (LEO) network, with an emphasis on Canada, the U.S. and Allied nations.

Prior to joining Telesat, Michael had a distinguished career in the Canadian Armed Forces, retiring at the rank of Brigadier General. Most recently he served as the inaugural Commander of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) 3 Canadian Space Division and the Joint Force Space Component Commander, working with Canadian and Allied Partner stakeholders to operationalize the Space Domain and determine CAF space operational requirements. Prior to that, he held command roles at 14 Wing Greenwood and 405 (Long Range Patrol) Squadron.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University and a Masters in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College. He is also a graduate of the Canadian Forces College National Security Program.

As the President of CCX Technologies, Chris is responsible for global business development, operations, sales, and marketing. The company is currently focused on making the aircraft a safer environment through innovative engineering solutions including onboard cybersecurity and avionics and radio testing.

Throughout his career, Chris has built and led global, high-performance teams in established, startup and virtual environments. Before co-founding CCX, Chris served as the Vice President of Business Development at TrueNorth Avionics where he increased the company’s market share establishing the company as the leader for aircraft cabin communications.

Chris studied Mechanical Engineering Technology at Georgian College prior to earning a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wales.

Since starting at Logistik Unicorp in 2000, Karine Bibeau’s trademark, throughout the organization, has been her consummate leadership and continuous improvement initiatives. Her in-depth knowledge of the company and of its vision led her to Austria and Australia where she successfully implemented and managed multiple uniform programs. 
 
Now, more than ever, as Vice President Client Experience, Karine proudly contributes to innovative projects focused on the needs of a large clientele. She leads her teams in offering illustrious service through an approach based on human factors. 
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Karine is an ardent advocate for domestic manufacturing consistently seeking new avenues through which Logistik will fulfill its dedication to foster economic benefits for Canada.

Outside of Logistik, she serves the community on several industry and non-profit boards of directors. Karine is committed to a number of social and sustainability initiatives such as the total life cycle of uniforms, the development of eco-friendly textiles and the economic development of First Nations entities within the textile and apparel industries.

Chris brings to the CADSI Board 25 years of Defence Industry experience in both the domestic market and export markets. He has conducted numerous senior level engagements across several Canadian Government departments on various defence procurement, export and industrial policy initiatives.

Mr. Brown is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, the Royal Military College of Canada, and The Citadel.  He has national security certifications from both the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Canadian Forces College.

Mr. Brown holds the rank of Colonel and has been an active member of the Canadian Army Reserve for thirty-five years.

Derek is a Partner with IBM Consulting in Canada. He has 35 years of global experience in the defence industry as a military officer, consultant, and technology leader. Derek served in both the British and Canadian Armed Forces with multiple operational tours in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Sierra Leone, and Iraq.  
 
In his current role he is responsible for the delivery of digital services that empower government and industry partners to deploy, secure and sustain mission essential technology solutions. In 2007 he was inducted to the Order of the British Empire for services to defence digitization. 
 
He holds master’s degrees in arts and business administration from the University of Edinburgh and the Open University. He is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Joint Command and Staff Programs at the UK Defence Academy and the United States Marine Corps University.

Cheryl Hacking is the Chief Executive Officer of IMT Group, an integrated manufacturing company comprised of six divisions with multiple manufacturing facilities across Canada and the United States. IMT serves a range of industries including defence, aerospace, oil & gas, and transportation.

With more than 20 years of experience in advanced manufacturing and the defence sector, Cheryl brings broad operational and strategic leadership to the industry. Her expertise includes corporate growth initiatives, operational leadership, acquisitions and divestitures, and strategic partnerships, providing strong insight into the evolving needs of defence manufacturing and industrial supply chains.

In 2025, she led the expansion of IMT's Ingersoll, Ontario facility to support increased demand for 155mm artillery projectile bodies. The expansion incorporates advanced manufacturing technologies and automation to strengthen Canada's defence industrial capacity.

She also serves as a Volunteer Director with The Military Casualty Support Foundation, a registered charity supporting wounded Canadian soldiers and their families.

France Hébert is Division President of Defence & Security (D&S) Canada, and Global Operations Lead for CAE. She leads over 1,900 employees globally and is shaping the operational strategy for both CAE’s divisions, Civil Aviation and Defence & Security.

Ms. Hébert joined CAE as Vice President and General Manager of D&S Canada in 2019. In her previous role, she executed a strategy that led to significant growth in CAE’s D&S business in Canada. As the President of SkyAlyne, a joint venture between CAE and KF Aerospace, France’s success also included the award of the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) Program for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The transformative initiative, set to last 25 years with a value of $11.2 billion, reimagines training for the RCAF. Under her leadership, CAE Defence & Security was also selected as a strategic partner to the Government of Canada.

Ms. Hébert has over 35 years of experience working primarily in defence and aerospace. From becoming an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces and to her civilian career with major defence contractors, she has extensive leadership experience and a proven track record of winning and executing complex programs.

Ms. Hébert is the President of CAE Military Aviation Training (CMAT) and is a Professional Engineer who holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Physics) from the Royal Military College of Canada. She has also earned a certificate in Business Administration from McGill University and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) designation.

She currently sits on the boards of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), the True Patriot Love Foundation and Invest Ottawa, where she is the Vice-Chair.

Patrick Houston is a Chartered Professional Accountant with more than 15 years of experience and an extensive background in corporate finance, international operations, mergers and acquisitions, and public markets.

As CFO, he oversees the accounting, business support, financial planning and analysis, treasury, and tax functions at Calian. Patrick places an emphasis on the continuous development of a finance function that enables the company to achieve its profitable growth ambitions and maintain a high level of integrity and transparency.

Prior to joining Calian in January 2019, Patrick began his career in public accounting with Deloitte, before moving on to DragonWave, a Canadian-based high-tech company listed on the Nasdaq and TSX.

Michael is the CEO of Ben Machine Products, a manufacturer of cutting-edge defence and aerospace components in the GTA. After building the company over several years with his partners, they sold the company and became a division of Exchange Income Corporation, a TSX listed public company (TSX:EIF).

Michael is the Chair of the Board of Directors at Humber River Hospital. He is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Aerospace Council, holding the office of Secretary, and is the Chair of the SME Committee at CADSI. Michael holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Michael has been a lawyer for 25 years, centering his practice on the areas of corporate law and commercial litigation before moving into corporate managerial positions and becoming an expert in manufacturing for the military and aerospace industries. He is the author of three published legal books and has taught at various institutions.

Being dedicated to healthy active transportation, Michael is the Co-Founder of the York Region Cycling Coalition and a committee member of the Humber River Hospital Foundation’s Team Revolution.

Benoit Lemay has been Vice-President and General Manager of Cambli Group since October 2018. With a solid background in management and marketing, he has built an impressive career spanning nearly ten years at Thomson Reuters, where he held key positions, including Director of Global Operations.

Before joining Cambli Group, he was Executive Director of the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Hot Air Balloon Festival, where he orchestrated various events that contributed to the event's renown. As Executive Vice President at Cambli, he oversees all manufacturing operations, customer service, and sales for the organization, implementing innovative strategies to optimize efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Actively engaged in his community, he is also a member of the Board of Directors of the St-Jean-sur-Richelieu International Balloon Festival and a member of CADSI's Small and Medium Businesses Committee.

He holds a certificate in management from McGill University (2003). Throughout his career, he has developed proven skills in operations and team management on an international scale, having worked in countries such as Canada, the United States, Belgium, and India. Among his notable achievements, he has led team acquisition and integration projects in Germany and London.

Amy has shaped and led strategic communications for more than 25 years across the technology and defence sectors. Prior to joining MDA Space, she held senior roles at Seaspan Shipyards, Mitel Networks, General Dynamics Canada, Alcatel-Lucent and Newbridge Networks. She began her career as a political staffer on Parliament Hill.

An active speaker on women in business, Amy was named as one of Esprit de Corps’ 2021 Top Women in Defence and served as Mitel’s first Corporate Diversity Officer.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Political Science from the University of Waterloo. She also completed a Diversity and Inclusion certification at Cornell University and the Executive Development Marketing Program at Queen’s University.