Christopher Crowell, President

Chris Crowell is the Director of Investments with Social Capital Partners, a venture philanthropy organization created to incubate and invest in revenue-generating social enterprises that employ populations outside the economic mainstream in Canada.  The goal of these social enterprises is to acquire scale, to exist without external subsidy, and to create improved social outcomes and financial self-sufficiency for the populations they employ.

Gregory Lam

Gregory brings expertise on developing the community portal, IT infrastructure, and online strategy to the organization. An alumni of McMaster University's Computer Engineering and Management program, he currently is employed as an associate director in Bell Canada's creative agency, District, providing digital media system integration.

Notably, Gregory has coordinated the deployment of next-generation Internet technologies in a regional development project under the Office of the President. Taking place within an isolated northern Ontario community, the express intent of the project was to create new economic, marketing and career opportunities within the local region.

Gregory has also lent a technical perspective on intellectual property matters in the organization and provided strategic insights on emerging technological trends. Recently, Gregory has been granted a USPTO patent on enhanced voicemail systems.

Gregory was born and raised in the Greater Toronto Area where he currently resides with his wife Heather.

Claude Robillard

Claude Robillard is a Managing Partner with Artemis Investment Management Inc. Artemis is an emerging leader in the field of structured products with underlying exposure to alternative assets.

Most recently, Claude was a founding partner of an international asset management company launched in New York that subsequently expanded to Hong Kong and Toronto. He previously held positions within HSBC Bank, RBC Royal Bank, and CIBC, with mandates incorporating alternative asset classes, equity structured products, equity finance and commodity products. He recently co-founded a European-based real estate investment group focused on development and infrastructure projects in Eastern Europe. Claude completed his B. Comm at McGill University and his MBA at TRIUM, an alliance of the London School of Economics and Political Science, HEC Paris, and New York University's Stern School of Business.

Born in Ontario, raised in Nova Scotia, Claude has worked and travelled throughout the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. His favorite destinations are Paris and Chester, Nova Scotia, not in that order.

Erin Michael O'Toole, C.D.

Erin O'Toole is corporate legal counsel at Procter & Gamble Canada, where he is responsible for Canadian litigation matters and serves as legal counsel to the healthcare and beauty business groups at P&G. Erin holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the Royal Military College of Canada and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University.

Prior to a career in law, Erin served as a commissioned officer in the Canadian Forces for eight years. He was trained as an Air Navigator in the Canadian Air Force and flew on the Sea King Helicopter as Tactical Officer. During this time, he sailed with the Royal Canadian Navy, most notably aboard HMCS St. John's. Erin was awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration (C.D.) in 2003.

Erin is a Member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association and serves as a Director of the Albany Club and the Churchill Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy.

Born in Montreal, Erin grew up in Bowmanville, Ontario. He kept his Upper Canadian roots hidden for the seven years he lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia. While living in Nova Scotia, Erin served on the executive of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party and co-chaired the election tour of Premier John Hamm in 1999. He lives in Toronto with his wife Rebecca, who is from Fall River, Nova Scotia. They are the proud parents of their young daughter Mollie.

Jay Dingwall

Jay Dingwall is the founder and principal of Famous Folks Inc., a strategic marketing solutions company with offices in Toronto and Halifax. Jay has developed integrated communications plans and executed successful events in both the United States and Canada. He has worked on Major league Baseball home run record chasing campaigns, NFL Hall of Fame preparations, major Super Bowl events, and the day-to-day managing of many corporations' marketing efforts.

Jay holds a Commerce Degree (Marketing) from Saint Mary's University in Halifax and a Masters of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University.

A native of Sydney River, Nova Scotia, Jay supports the Easter Seals Society in Toronto and is active in supporting grassroots sporting initiatives promoting healthy living.

Kevin McSweeney

A Halifax native, Kevin studied Political Science at Saint Mary's University before working for the Halifax Herald, and receiving his MBA from Dalhousie University in 2000. Following his MBA, Kevin worked for Finance Canada on international trade and capital markets issues, after which he joined Scotiabank's Government Affairs Department, working on key Canadian financial policy issues. Kevin currently works in Scotiabank's Global Risk Management group.

He is a CFA charterholder and resides in Toronto with his wife and daughter.

Megan Hooper

Megan Hooper is a Senior Account Executive in the Consumer & Technology practice at Edelman Public Relations in Toronto. Megan provides strategic public relations counsel and support for a number of technology, corporate and consumer clients at Edelman. She specializes in media and analyst relations, event management, written communications and corporate positioning. Megan has worked with a diverse range of clients in the telecom, enterprise, new media, consumer and financial industries.

As a New Brunswick Ambassador, Megan works to bring news of the business and professional opportunities available in the province and Atlantic Region to the rest of Canada.

Megan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and History from the University of New Brunswick.

Born in Fredericton, N.B., the daughter of a military officer, Megan grew up in Fredericton, London, UK, and Ottawa before returning to Fredericton to complete her schooling and attend university. Living "away" has instilled a sense of pride and passion for her hometown, province and region.

Andy Chabassol

Andy Chabassol is a Senior Vice President with the NuCove Group of Companies. In 2008, he moved home to Halifax after spending the last 10 years working in San Jose, Chicago & Toronto for a mix of Information Technology and Management Consulting companies that included Capgemini & SAP.

Andy holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Saint Mary's University (1993) and a Master of Business Administration from Dalhousie University (2002), that included taking multiple courses at DePaul's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business in Chicago.

Andy is the Chair and Founder of both the Holiday on the Harbour Charity Ball in Halifax (est. 1997) and the East Coast Charity Ball in Toronto (est. 2004). Both events combined have raised over $300,000 for local children's charities. Andy has sat on the board of Daytrippers Children's Charity since 2004.

Andy proudly sports a postal code that starts with a "B", living in Regatta Point with Anaïs & their chocolate lab Taiko.

James Dodds

James Dodds is an Associate Vice President with TD Bank Financial Group in Toronto. Working directly for the Bank’s Deputy Chair, he is responsible for supporting the Bank’s business development efforts primarily in the area of Wholesale Banking.

James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance, both from Saint Mary’s University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Bath, England.

Prior to joining the Bank, James held several senior positions in both the United Kingdom and Canada including Director of Operations to former Prime Minister Joe Clark.

Although born in England, James grew up in Halifax and still very much enjoys returning ‘home’ to the Maritimes.

Angie Morris

Angie Morris is an associate in the Competition Group of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in Toronto.  Originally from Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia, Angie graduated from Acadia University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Economics and Business and Dalhousie University in 2003, where she earned both a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Master's in Economics.  Angie was student president of Dalhousie Law School, a Rhodes scholarship finalist, a Killam scholar, a Godsoe scholar, and winner of the gold medal in Economics.

Angie regularly advises Canadian and international clients on all aspects of competition law, including pre-merger clearance matters, marketing and distribution practices, abuse of dominance issues, criminal and civil investigations, and compliance.

Before joining Blakes, Angie was an associate in the Competition Law Group of McCarthy Tetrault LLP in Toronto.