Catrina Rorke is Vice President for Policy at the Climate Leadership Council. In this role, she develops the details of the Baker Shultz Carbon Dividends proposal in consultation with four dozen Founding Members, including corporate leaders, environmental nonprofits, and influential individuals. She also manages the Council’s research program and supports the Council’s advocacy and outreach activities. Prior to joining the Council, Ms. Rorke served as Director of Energy Policy and Senior Fellow at the R Street Institute, a free-market and limited government public policy organization, where she founded the Institute’s energy and environment program. She also previously founded the energy program at the center-right American Action Forum, an economic, domestic, and fiscal policy think tank. As a legislative assistant to former U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC), Ms. Rorke helped craft the first Republican-sponsored carbon tax bill. She began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Ms. Rorke has been recognized for her leadership in energy and climate policy by E&E News, The Hill, National Journal, and Grist, and her work has been widely published in national, local, and trade media. She supports center-right policy work by serving on the boards of directors of and in an advisory capacity to several policy-focused organizations. Ms. Rorke received her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina and Master of Public Administration from Columbia University.

Daniel Kolundzic is Vice President (North America) at Nanos Research Corporation as well as Partner | Business Development & Strategy with Blue Cardinal Capital, and President of Blue Cardinal Canada.  Dan is responsible for cultivating and executing business and engagement opportunities for both organizations.

Prior to joining Nanos Research and Blue Cardinal Capital, Dan served 15 years with the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade at the Consulate General of Canada in Buffalo, New York.  With responsibilities for the states of New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, he managed a wide range of political and economic files pertaining to the Canada-U.S. relationship. Dan also served as senior policy advisor to the Ontario Associate Minister for Enterprise, Opportunity & Innovation.  As such, he provided executive level policy analysis and advice on the full range of Ministry responsibilities including trade, investment, economic development and innovation (science & technology) strategies, planning and implementation. While he is presently completing the requirements for a PhD in Political Philosophy from Boston College, Dan has been an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University at Buffalo and Brock University, teaching in the areas of bi-national regionalism, globalization and economic development, and Canada – U.S. Relations.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik proudly represents New York's 21st District in the House of Representatives in her fourth term in office.

In May 2021, Congresswoman Stefanik was elected by her colleagues to serve in House Leadership as Chair of the House Republican Conference.

The Center for Effective Lawmaking ranked her in the top 10 most effective Republican members, and the #1 most effective for commerce policy impacting small businesses and workers.

She is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the Committee on Education and Labor, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. On the Armed Services Committee, Congresswoman Stefanik serves on the new Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems, and as a member of the subcommittee on Strategic Forces. On the Committee on Education and Labor, she serves on the Higher Education and Workforce Investment, and Workforce Protections Subcommittees.

Congresswoman Stefanik was born and raised in Upstate New York. Prior to serving in Congress, she worked at her family’s small business. Her upbringing taught her the hard work and perseverance necessary to build, operate and grow small businesses in the North Country. Congresswoman Stefanik graduated with Honors from Harvard University, as the first member of her immediate family to receive a college degree. 

From 2006 - 2009, Congresswoman Stefanik served in the West Wing of the White House on President George W. Bush's Domestic Policy Council Staff and in the Office of the Chief of Staff, where she assisted in overseeing the policy development process on all economic and domestic policy issues. Congresswoman Stefanik served as the Director of Vice-Presidential Debate Prep to Paul Ryan, and as the Director of Communications for the Foreign Policy Initiative. 

Elise’s family has owned a home on Lake Champlain in Essex County for over 30 years. Elise lives in Schuylerville with her husband Matt and their newborn son Sam.

Prior to joining Supply Chain Optimizers, Jack Ampuja had 30 years of supply chain management experience with five Fortune 500 firms; his career has included stints in consulting, manufacturing and third party logistics; his jobs range from direct supervision of Teamsters and Longshoremen at 23 years of age to Senior Vice President of Operations at a multi-billion dollar international distributor heading up a $300 million division with 800 employees. Jack has extensive knowledge of the retail industry working 25 consecutive years for member firms of the Consumer Brands Association.  

Jack writes articles for trade journals and is frequently interviewed as a subject matter expert in supply chain management, He has been featured in 90 publications. During the past decade Jack has made 170 presentations all over USA, ten Canadian cities and .ten countries outside of North America. 

Since 2002 Jack has served at Niagara University as Executive in Residence and Director of the Center for Supply Chain Excellence. Other schools where Jack has taught include Western New England College (Springfield MA), Canisius College (Buffalo NY) and University of Massachusetts at Amherst in their top-ranked online MBA program. Jack has also done guest lectures at 18 other universities in five countries.

Jack has a BS degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts, a year of post-graduate study in logistics at Northeastern University (Boston), and an MBA degree from the University of Connecticut. Jack lives in western New York in the town of Amherst; he is a US citizen but also has citizenship in Finland where he was born and Canada where he received his public school education.

John joined the Canadian Embassy as Minister (Economic) in September 2021.  In this capacity, he will oversee the Embassy’s trade, economic and business development programs. Prior to that, John was Executive Director of Trade Remedies at Global Affairs Canada, serving as Canada’s NAFTA negotiator for Chapter 19 dispute settlement and working on a variety of subsidy issues, including WTO  Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations and strengthening international rules  for industrial subsidies.  

John started his career at Canada Customs and Excise in the Anti Dumping Directorate. He then continued on for 15 years at the  Department of Finance’s International Branch. As Director of the General  Trade Relations Division, John was heavily involved in the  implementation of the Canada-U.S. Beyond the Border Agreement. As  Director of the Trade Rules Division, John was Canada’s lead negotiator  for the WTO Rules Negotiating Group and Canada’s Head of Delegation  for the North American Steel Trade Committee. 

John has had two foreign postings: at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo  (1997-2000) and at Canada’s Mission to the WTO in Geneva (2002-2005).

Nik Nanos is the Chief Data Scientist of the Nanos Research Corporation, a Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington DC, Chair of the University of Ottawa’s Positive Energy Advisory Board which focuses on strengthening public confidence in energy decision-making and serves on the Board of directors of Char Technology a publicly traded (TSXV: YES.V) cleantech company focused on decarbonizing solutions for a circular economy. He is the Chair of Atlantik Bruecke Canada, which is a not-for-profit and non-partisan organization, partnered with Atlantik Bruecke e.V., dedicated to the development of positive relations between Germany and Canada. HCaptain (Navy) Nanos is one of 24 Honorary Captains in the Royal Canadian Navy and is the Past Chair of the Board of Governors of Carleton University in Ottawa Canada. In 2008 he was appointed a research associate professor at the State University of New York (Buffalo) where he spearheaded a multi-year research project on Canada US relations and border issues. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) and a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University Canada, and his training includes PhD level studies at the University of Nottingham.

Trade compliance and product regulatory leader with 30 years experience in global food and pharmaceutical manufacturing including 23 years with Ingredion. Chemical and environmental engineer and licensed P.E.; experienced in providing technical solutions to trade compliance and food regulatory challenges. Proven ability to implement company management systems / standards and develop effective audit and compliance programs which integrate into business strategies and company values. Most recent accomplishment includes a $1MM global trade automation implementation.

Previous employment include 10 years with Viskase Corporation, Chicago IL.

Paul is the C-TPAT Point of Contact for Ingredion & Ingredion Canada – Tier 2 Certified since 2006.