EY Americas Mining and Metals Centre of Excellence Advisors

Daniel is a value-oriented professional with Master's degrees in mechanical and mining engineering and 10 years of experience in project engineering, rock mechanics geostatistics, and mine planning. He has worked in basic and detailed engineering for different mining projects in South America and has supported fields with data-based decision tools. Daniel is the inventor of geomechanical models for block-caving mine EI Teniente, which improved safety and strategic plans.

Don has spent more than two decades leading, growing and transforming organizations and businesses, working with multinational companies, tech startups, academic and research institutions, governments and clients around the world. As CEO of NORCAT, he has transformed the organization to become a global, multifaceted enterprise focused on providing programs, services and resources to prepare current and future workers and tech entrepreneurs with the skills, competencies and confidence to succeed. In addition, Don is the founder and co-managing partner of the Sudbury Catalyst Fund, a unique $5m co-investment seed capital venture fund based in Sudbury, Ontario.

Doug is an accomplished and recognized professional with 30+ years of experience in industries including mining, steel, oil and gas, food and manufacturing in local, national and international markets (US, Australia, South Korea, Japan, UK, Egypt, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Tanzania). He has a solid track record in cost reduction and business performance improvement.

Elena is a people-focused business professional with deep industry knowledge and experience in equity, diversity and inclusion. As a founder of Women Who Rock, she has been at forefront of the industry’s efforts to attract and retain the next generation of mining professionals. As a D&I mining professional, she has advised mining companies on strategy, change management and training programs. For her contributions she was named one of the Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining by Women in Mining UK.

Joseph is an accomplished maintenance systems and reliability engineer with a focus on physical assets. With over 30 years of experience in mining, marine, oil and gas, and manufacturing, Joseph is a recognized professional with deep knowledge in engineering maintenance, systems implementation and supply chain business processes.

John is a metallurgical engineer with over 38 years of experience in operations, consulting engineering, and EPCM contracting. John is experienced in a broad range of commodities and has strong technical knowledge in mineral extraction.

Karen Chovan is the founder of Enviro Integration Strategies Inc., a company that’s focused on creating value, reducing environmental risks and eliminating various forms of waste through strategic, systems-based and lifecycle evaluations. She has followed a 20-year career through tailings and mine waste management, project management and strategic planning, sustainability advisement and organizational change. Karen is also the Chair of the CIM Environmental and Social Responsibility Society (ESRS), where she aims to raise awareness and facilitate the uptake of more holistic and sustainable practices across the industry.

Patricia is an enthusiastic, knowledgeable and skilled Maintenance and Reliability professional. Her formal engineering training and more than 15 years of boots-on-the-ground industry experience enable her to translate theory into practical implementation for clients. 

When out of the office or offsite, Patricia is a lifelong competitive athlete and has represented Canada on the world stage in three sports. She brings that team-first attitude and drive to succeed to all aspects of her professional life. She relishes tackling challenges with clients and she continually seeks out further actionable improvement opportunities.

Siri is a seasoned professional in environmental, social and governance (ESG)/sustainability, strategic communications and external affairs, as well as stakeholder engagement strategy. Siri is a lawyer and a mediator, with extensive experience in negotiating agreements, as well as a procurement professional. Her focus has been developing strategies that bring together business solutions with governmental policies, socioeconomic concerns and community priorities. Siri builds bridges between the boardroom, the project world and teams on the ground.

Theresa is an experienced operations and transformation leader with a demonstrated history of delivering impact through planning and implementation in the professional services, mining, retail and defence sectors. She is a results-driven leader with demonstrated success in building effective strategies and fully implementing them to deliver the desired financial outcomes and returns to the business.