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David Hudson is a capable technology executive with over 30 years total experience in industry. He has worked as a senior executive at Nortel, EMC, and Dell Technologies as well as a technology management consultant in the public and private sectors.
He has a PhD in Management (Carleton) and MASc/BASc in Systems Design Engineering (Waterloo). David is an Adjunct Professor in the Technology Innovation Management Program in the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University where he focuses on the understanding and application of new and emerging technologies in businesses.
Starting in March of 2022, after a decade as Head of Foresight and Futures Literacy at UNESCO in Paris, Riel joined several communities (see list below) seeking to transform why and how people use-the-future.
He has worked as a senior manager in the Ontario public service (Ministries of Finance; Universities; Industry) and at the OECD in Paris (Economics; Science & Technology; Education; Territorial Development; Development Centre; International Futures Programme).
In 2005 he founded a consultancy – xperidox to advise clients on how to use the future more effectively. In 2012 he was appointed Head of Foresight at UNESCO. From the outset of his career, in 1982 at the OECD, Riel has accumulated hundreds of hands-on experiences, all around the world, designing and implementing efforts to think about the future.
He is an experienced and innovative educator, a pioneer of the field of futures literacy and the ‘discipline of anticipation’. He is widely published in academic journals and other media on a range of topics, from the future of education and the Internet to the transformation of leadership and productivity.
He is an accomplished keynote speaker and facilitator. His unflagging ambition is to find ways to put the richness of complex emergence at the service of humanity's capacity to be free.
Driven by a passion for solving impactful problems, Sam Poirier is an entrepreneur and proud two-time graduate of the University of New Brunswick. With a global perspective shaped by a childhood spent in Scotland, West Africa, and the Middle East, Sam launched his venture, Potential Motors, in 2017.
He led the company on a dynamic journey from building its own off-road EV to developing advanced vehicle control software for industry giants like CFMOTO and KTM, securing approximately $14 million in venture capital to fuel its growth.
A graduate of UNB’s Mechatronics Engineering program and the Master of Technology Management and Entrepreneurship (MTME) program, Sam’s achievements have been recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 (2025) and The Globe and Mail's 'Changemakers' list.
Passionate about fostering the region's startup ecosystem, Sam serves as the Entrepreneur in Residence for the J Herbert Smith Centre, sharing insights from his ongoing journey with aspiring entrepreneurs.
Tom Sisk is a native New Brunswicker, graduating from Fredericton High in 1971. He attended the Moncton campus of New Brunswick Community College, graduating with a diploma in Industrial Electronics Technology in 1973.
He worked with NB Power in several capacities as Electrical Technologist before becoming the Electrical Supervisor at Coleson Cove Generating Station.
In 1978 he returned to University of New Brunswick to complete his engineering degree, graduating from the Fredericton campus in 1982. He returned briefly to NB Power before joining RPC, the provincial research organization supporting product development for small and medium sized businesses, under IRAP.
Moving to the Irving Group of Companies in 1987, Tom did electrical design for several forest products projects before starting an internal electrical consulting group. This group provided electrical engineering services for a number of JDI operations including Irving Paper, Irving Tissue and Irving Pulp and Paper.
In the early 2000’s, Tom joined the staff of APEGNB (the provincial regulatory body for Professional Engineers and Geoscientists) as Director of Professional Affairs where he dealt with Discipline and Enforcement issues within the profession.
Partially retiring in 2015, Tom continued to do selected development projects under his own consulting company. He became involved with the J Herbert Smith Center at UNB as an Industrial Mentor with the Technology, Management and Entrepreneurship Program. Subsequently, he continued as Engineer in Residence and Instructor with the J Herbert Smith Center at UNB in the Technology Management and Entrepreneurship program.
David L. Wagner has built a career as a leader in every role he has occupied over the last 45 years. He has held senior management positions in large corporate organizations and has also provided leadership in the startup ICT and energy sectors. In every role, he has grown the organization successfully by listening to his customer and using his can-do attitude and drive to find a “win/win” solution acceptable to all.
As the President and CEO of Atlantic Hydrogen Inc. (AHI), David has led the organization through multiple rounds of raising capital from private investors and strategic partners who support AHI’s vision of addressing climate change with technology solutions like the CarbonSaver. Under his leadership, AHI has raised $50mm from private and public sources including Emera, Shell, EnCana and from both federal and provincial governments.
Wagner was the CEO of Unisys Canada, a subsidiary of Unisys Corporation for six years. Each year under his leadership the company achieved its’ assigned financial goals and objectives. He successfully built a strong management team by setting the example of focusing on the customer.
Wagner has served on the Board of Directors of both not-for-profit and for profit organizations as a Director and Chairman. He has completed governance training programs from the Institute of Corporate Directors.