The Honourable Jill Balser was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly as MLA for Digby-Annapolis in 2021 and was re-elected in 2024.

She has been Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration and member of the Treasury and Policy Board and is currently the Minister of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions as well as Service Nova Scotia.

Tim Houston was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2013 provincial election. He was re-elected in 2017 and in 2018, he was elected Leader of the PC Party of Nova Scotia.He was sworn in as Premier of Nova Scotia on August 31, 2021, and started his second term in office in December 2024.

The Honourable Jill Balser was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly as MLA for Digby-Annapolis in 2021 and was re-elected in 2024.

She has been Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration and member of the Treasury and Policy Board and is currently the Minister of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions as well as Service Nova Scotia.

Bringing different perspectives and experiences together to tackle complex social challenges is Matt’s passion, with prior Collective Impact experience in areas such as Affordable Housing, Education, Access to Healthcare, and Food Security. 

Matt loves being part of a diverse and talented team that is growing GEO Nova Scotia into a major force for digital inclusion across the province. 

Matt lives in Dartmouth with his wife Amy, their three children, and assorted flora and fauna.

Katie Heard is Head of Research and Data Insights at Good Things Foundation.  She is responsible for helping Good Things Foundation understand the progress it is making towards Fixing the Digital Divide in the UK. Experienced in multi method research for health, education and public sector and surfacing seldom heard voices. Her insightful approach has impacted and influenced policy, service and strategy development and plays a significant role in telling the story of excluded populations.

Jacqueline (Jacquie) Gahagan, PhD (Medical Sociology) (They/Them) is a Credentialed Evaluator, the Associate Vice-President Research, and a Full Professor at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jacquie’s program of mixed methods health promotion research focuses on developing and evaluating policies and programs to identity and address structural drivers of health inequities among equity-deserving populations, including 2SLGBTQI+ populations. Jacquie's funded studies include scaling-up of access to innovative HIV testing strategies, improving health outcomes of 2SLGBTQI+ populations through access to safe and affirming housing and healthcare, access to post-secondary education among care experienced youth, and 2SLGBTQI+ end-of-life decision-making.  

Claire Quirion is a senior leader with nearly a decade of experience in the digital and technology sector. For the past five years, she has been part of the leadership team at Digital Nova Scotia, driving projects in digital adoption, workforce development, and innovation. With expertise in marketing, project management, and business strategy, Claire excels at building strong stakeholder relationships and leading teams to deliver high-impact results, supporting the growth of Nova Scotia’s tech ecosystem.

J. Royden Trainor, K.C. is a veteran public policy leader, social action agent, and advocate with three decades of experience shaping governance, innovation, and community transformation. He has advised Premiers ,Ministers , led legislative reform, and guided major institutional change across education, natural resources, and the bioeconomy.

Today, as Executive Director of Greenspring BioInnovation Hub, he works to build inclusive, future-ready systems that connect policy with people. Royden’s credo: “Progress is built on trust, collaboration, and ensuring every voice has a seat at the table — because that is where innovation, creativity, and true community-based problem solving flourish.”

Jahsara Gardner is the Manager of Business Is Jammin’, the youth charity of the Black Business Initiative. BIJ empowers Black and racially visible youth (ages 8–35) across Atlantic Canada through free, accessible, experiential learning in education, career, and entrepreneurship. With a focus on building business acumen, leadership skills and confidence, BIJ works to strengthen the Black business economy and inspire the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.

Jennifer has been with Nova Scotia Health for 25 years. She started out as a Registered Nurse in Critical Care and, for the past 7.5 years, has been a Health Services Manager in Mental Health and Addictions, focusing on Recovery and Integration. She’s currently the Manager of Connections Dartmouth, where she supports clients, team members and community partners in building strong, recovery-focused mental health services.

Norma is an Occupational Therapist and has worked with the Mental Health and Addictions program of Nova Scotia Health for 26 years, initially providing direct support to people with serious and persistent mental illness and later as health service manager with  Recovery and Integration portfolio.  She is currently the manager of Connections Sackville and Halifax. 

Erin (she/they) believes strongly in the importance of deep collaboration and meaningful data to create impact. As the Director of the Quality of Life Initiative at Engage Nova Scotia, her work and studies focus on gathering data to better understand the strengths and gaps present in communities across the province. Erin holds an M.A. in Educational Psychology from McGill University. The fields of community development and adult education also inform her approach and research. 

With over 15 years of experience in the homelessness sector, I bring both lived and professional experience to my work. From street outreach to low barrier emergency sheltering to housing first programs to establishing non-profits, I strive to develop and implement evidence informed, strengths based standards and service delivery. My work is grounded in the belief that housing is a fundamental human right and that everyone deserves safe, adequate and affordable housing.

I am a System Planner specializing in homelessness response in the Lunenburg and Queens County of Nova Scotia. I manage the region’s Coordinated Access system and By-Name List, working to ensure that services are effectively connected and responsive to community needs. Through planning, coordination, and a data-driven approach, I focus on strengthening local housing support systems and fostering collaborative solutions that improve outcomes for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Ernie Chan is a Project Manager at Employment Nova Scotia, where one of his primary roles is overseeing the province's digital employment service platform - novascotiaworks.ca. He combines a keen eye towards service design with a wealth of subject matter expertise on public employment service delivery to ensure that in-person and digital services are seamlessly aligned with user needs.

Currently Executive Director, Atlantic Region with NPower Canada, Fiona is an experienced leader with previous roles in not for profit, corporate and EdTech sectors. She is passionate about workforce development and has expertise in WIL, adult education and digital literacy enhanced by teaching experience at several post-secondary institutions. Fiona’s work currently focuses on employment in the Atlantic provinces and leading a remote team to deliver accessible programs in IT, Data Analytics and Cyber Security.  

M'ikmaw from Wasoqopa'q First Nation, Clayton has been with the Aboriginal Peoples Training and Employment Commission for over three years, first as a Case Manager, and now as Public Relations/ Promotions Coordinator- working to build resources and partnerships across the province that could benefit the rural and off-reserve Indigenous Nova Scotians.

Amin Zribi (Senior Member, IEEE) holds Engineering, M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in ICT, along with a Habilitation from University Tunis El Manar. He has served as Assistant Professor at ISETCom since 2010 and held research and visiting roles in France, Japan, Burkina Faso, and Algeria. Now Project Manager at Digital Nova Scotia, he designs and delivers bilingual ICT, cybersecurity, and data analytics programs, deploying AI-powered training tools and micro-credentials in Generative AI.

Local tech entrepreneur driven by a fiery passion for digital inclusion, I focus on bridging gaps by connecting people and organizations that can create real impact. Believing that access to technology is access to opportunity, I work to empower businesses through innovation, collaboration, and purpose. The word “no” is rare in my vocabulary, because I know that with the right networks and a sprinkle of determination, we can transform possibilities into realities.

Josie’s passion for helping others is what drives her. She has had vast experiences sharing her love and zest for life with people she meets throughout this journey of life. She’s worked in various roles in education, Information Technology, and administration and enjoys helping to find ways to grow and develop organizations our communities need. Josie attended the Computer Technology program at NSCC and completed her certificate in Adult Learning Fundamentals from Dalhousie University. 

My name is Alejandra and I have recently joined the GEO team as the new Partner Support Lead. I bring a few years of experience working in non-profits, and I cannot wait to begin my work in this new role. 

Stephanie Watson is the Executive Director of the Truro Housing Outreach Society (THOS), leading efforts to address homelessness and housing insecurity in Colchester, Truro, and East Hants. Passionate about building strong community partnerships, Stephanie works to create innovative, client-centered solutions that remove barriers and foster lasting stability. With a background in frontline service and leadership, she is dedicated to empowering both clients and teams to create meaningful, sustainable change.