Integrated Corporate Affairs

Previously, Byng was with Woodfibre LNG Limited from 2013 as the company’s first North American employee.  During the development stages of the project Byng served as Vice President of Corporate Affairs and then led the project locally as Country Manager. As the project moved to construction, he wrapped up his role in order to move to new projects. Byng concurrently served five years as Chairman of Ridley Terminals Inc. a Canadian government owned bulk export terminal in Prince Rupert, BC. Some of the recent highlights of Byng’s work include:

• Obtaining federal, provincial, and indigenous approval of the 2.1 mtpa Woodfibre LNG project near Squamish, British Columbia.
• Negotiated and helped Squamish Nation implement the first ever indigenous environmental assessment process in Canada
• Negotiated the first ever agreements between operating mines and First Nations in British Columbia including agreements with five first nations at two separate projects.
• Led the corporate affairs and indigenous consultation processes leading to the 2012 re-opening of the Huckleberry Mine in northern British Columbia.
• Led the Northwest Powerline Coalition, a coalition of companies, indigenous groups and individuals that successfully lobbied the BC Government to build the Northwest Transmission line along Highway 37 –thus opening the region to mining and power projects.
• Chaired Ridley Terminals Inc. during the Federal Crown Corporation’s negotiations with Altagas that led to the building of a 1.2 mtpa liquified propane export facility in Prince Rupert—the first hydrocarbon export facility on the west coast in decades.
• Directly negotiated numerous indigenous economic benefit and related agreements.

Recently he was asked to sit on the BC Assembly of First Nations-BC Business Council “Champion’s Table”, a body dedicated to breaking new ground in economic reconciliation. Byng continues to be involved in innovative efforts at First Nations economic reconciliation.

Before Woodfibre, Byng was in an executive role with a Canadian copper/gold mining company. Byng has also served as a Vice-President with both the Association for Mineral Exploration BC and the Mining Association of BC. Before that, Byng worked with some of Canada’s top public affairs agencies. And prior to his corporate career, Byng obtained extensive political experience working for Members of Parliament, MLAs and a Senator as well as holding senior roles in several of election campaigns. He has served on the board of directors of the BC Business Council, the Vimy Ridge Foundation, Geoscience BC, Canada Place Corporation, Initiatives Prince George, and a number of other organizations.

In 2012 Byng received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for volunteerism.

Byng holds a MSc. Econ. from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, an MBA from the University of Cambridge (Jesus College) and a BA from the University of Victoria. On the weekends Byng collects bruises playing rugby and practices his Spanish (fluency A2/B1).

Stakeholder Relations – Since 2017, Allie worked on the Woodfibre LNG project. She managed community and stakeholder relations for the project, including building and maintaining relationships with local, provincial and indigenous governments the project worked through pre-construction management plans, amendments, and permits. This has included leading stakeholder engagement through two amendment periods and working closely with regulatory, construction, engineering and legal teams. Allie also led the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) file, presenting at community meetings and helping to draft initial agreement documents.

Communications and marketing – From 2015 to 2017, Allie managed the marketing and communications for the Association for Mineral Exploration. In her role, Allie was responsible for the AME brand, media relations, website, all aspects of social media, and developing communications pieces covering a variety of mineral exploration topics. She also managed the AME Roundup team to execute a successful AME Roundup conference that hosted 6000+ delegates annually. During her time at AME, Allie led the company through a strategic re-brand, which resulted in the creation of brand guidelines, a new visual identity, a new website and altering the name of the organization.

Indigenous Relations – From 2014 to 2015, Allie worked in Smithers BC for the School of Exploration and Mining at Northwest Community College. In her role, she worked between the Federal and Provincial government, indigenous communities and mining companies to deliver programs for training to first nations communities so that mining companies could employee these individuals. She helped run programs all over northern BC and northwards. The most interesting program was in Kugluktuk, Nunuvut, where the school ran an Environmental Monitor program with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. This time in her career ignited Allie’s passion for working directly with indigenous communities, and allowed her the opportunity to travel to several remote communities.

Allie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Diploma in Marketing Management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She is a graduate of the Minerva Foundation’s Women Leading the Way program, a member of BCBC’s NEXT Generation Leader’s Council, a past board member of the Squamish Chamber of Commerce, and spent several years as a Child Life volunteer at BC Children’s hospital. Allie is a marathon runner and enjoys spending most of the summer on a boat exploring BC’s coast.

Tanya has over 20-years’ experience working with and leading First Nations, businesses, and not-for-profits. Currently, she provides advisory services to connect industry and Indigenous communities to build partnerships leading to economic reconciliation. She was recently recognized for her work as a key liaison between TFN and the City of Delta and was the recipient of the 2021 Tsawwassen Rotary Peace Builder Award.

Tanya is an active member of the community serving as a volunteer on wide range of Boards at the local, provincial, and national levels. She is currently a member of the New Relationship Trust Board of Directors, Delta Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, City of Delta’s Mayor’s Task Force on Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism, Reach Child and Youth Development Society Advisory Board, Advisory Committee for Phase 2 Indigenous Governance Advisory Toolkit, and Council Member for the BC Capacity Initiative Council.

She has also served as Vice Chair to the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Board of Governors, a Director for the Reach Foundation, World Trade Centre Vancouver Advisory Committee, CCAB Indigenous Export Advisory Council and Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation.

Tanya is also a member of the Conservative Party’s Leadership Election Organizing Committee and ran in the 2019 federal election in the riding of Delta.

Tanya was elected BC Treaty Commission Commissioner by the First Nations Summit for a one-year term beginning in February 2018.

She is a member of Tsawwassen First Nation and has served as an elected Executive Councillor. She worked for the TFN Government for 20 years and has held key roles with the Treaty Team and the Economic Development Corporation.

Tanya studied at the University of Northern BC and holds a Public Relations Associate Certificate from British Columbia Institute of Technology. She resides on TFN lands with husband Matt and her two children, Isabella, and James.

With a diversity of experience, in the private sector, government, political campaigns, and nonprofits, Jack has a wide knowledge base and a large network to help understand the many sides of issues, quickly. Jack brings strong writing and a thoughtful, solutions-oriented leadership style to government and indigenous government relations.

For the past four years, Jack led stakeholder and municipal government relations in B.C. for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). He worked on and helped deliver positive industry outcomes on B.C. policy files like the 2021 royalty review, emissions cap, output-based pricing system (OBPS), First Nations equity financing framework, and the implementation of Treaty 8 land-use agreements. Jack has also led video and digital campaigns that focus on major infrastructure projects and the natural gas industry’s contribution to small businesses across the province.

Jack is currently the President of the board of the BC Schizophrenia Society, where he helped secure a three-year, $5-million grant from the provincial government for the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also serves on their policy committee helping impact system change through advocacy for people and families living with severe and persistent mental illness.

He has a degree in Political Science from the University of Calgary and an ESG Micro-Credential from BCIT. In the winter, you can find Jack at a ski hill or curling rink, and in the summer, on other people’s sailboats, racing in English Bay.

Communications and Marketing

Melanie has previously managed the marketing strategy from campaign development to execution across various industries including healthcare, hospitality, and real estate. She focuses on data-driven CRM, brand development, market analysis, and campaign efficacy which has resulted in increased brand loyalty, successful product promotion, and elevated end-user experience.

Project and Events Coordination

In her previous roles, Melanie has sat on the advisory committee as well as single-handedly executed both internal and external corporate events with up to over 1000 attendees. From kick-off to launch date, she would immerse herself in the daily operations and be responsible for monitoring the budget and resources. Her attention to detail and thorough understanding of stakeholder requirements makes her exceptional at identifying the necessary elements in order to ensure quality completion within the proposed timeline.

Client Relations

Melanie is dedicated to ensuring client satisfaction is achieved. In addition to personally assisting with the hand-over of project deliverables on the frontline and offering extended support where possible, she has also implemented client-centric initiatives in her previous companies. From this, she has achieved direct appointment by high-value clients to manage their accounts and recognized by industry influencers for her productions.

Melanie has completed a B.Sc in Brain and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia and a Business Development certification at The British Columbia Institute of Technology. Her passion for science and art combines a creative mentality with an empirical approach. Melanie has continuously been an active member of the community by partaking in various volunteering engagements including the Red Cross organization and the Vancouver Coastal Health. She co-founded the Overseas Medical Initiative with the mission of providing basic medical equipment and funding to third world villages that lacked the fundamental resources. During hours off duty, Melanie enjoys exploring the different cultures of the world through cooking books and taking to the mountainside for exploring nature.

Most recently Johanna successfully led event operations for the execution of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition’s 5th Annual Industry Engagement Event, an international conference that brought together 1300+ Indigenous, industry and government leaders.

Prior to joining Sedgewick Strategies, Johanna managed external relations and communications for The Canadian LNG Alliance. In her role, she worked alongside major projects, led stakeholder engagement outreach, interacted with government officials, and supported media relations activities. Prior to her time working in LNG, Johanna lived in Amsterdam where she worked for Dutch consumer electronics manufacturer TomTom, coordinating outbound logistics of finished goods for delivery to European sales regions.

Raised on an organic farm in the Okanagan Valley, Johanna developed a strong work ethic and affection for nature and the environment. Her outlook is rooted in her values of environmental stewardship and responsible, sustainable development. Johanna is an avid traveler and has visited over 30 countries. She enjoys being active, spending time in nature or in her garden, and has a strong interest in sustainable food-growing practices including regenerative agriculture.

Johanna studied at the University of British Columbia and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. She is also fluent in German.

Prior to joining Sedgwick Strategies, he served as the Executive Assistant to the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Delta South. This role saw him liaise with community organizations and media, engage with stakeholders, conduct research for critic portfolios, and advocate for the most vulnerable members of his community.

Taylor also managed several election campaigns. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Mayor George Harvie and the Achieving for Delta team in the 2022 Municipal election. Achieving for Delta’s landslide victory saw two BIPOC councillors elected for the first time in the City’s 143-year history.

These experiences provided Taylor with the skills necessary to thrive in detail-oriented and fast-paced working environments. Taylor lives in Delta and holds a degree in Political Science from Simon Fraser University.

Communications and Marketing
Before joining Sedgwick Strategies Keelin managed social media strategies and used CRM software to engage and retain clients, improve customer touchpoints, and efficiently manage customer data. Such efforts have resulted in an increase in brand loyalty and customer engagement.

Event Co-ordination
Previously Keelin has managed multiple sponsored events. His expertise is varied and ranges from balancing budgets and liaising with multiple stakeholders to achieving KPIs within regulated environments.

Governmental Strategy
During his time in Ireland, Keelin served as an Executive officer for the Department of Justice where he engaged with multiple public service organizations including Ireland’s national police service. His work was focused on developing a strategy to improve the relationship between Ireland’s growing minority communities and its public service.

He studied at Dublin City University completing a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Innovation, and Technology including a year at Arizona State University. His degree, alongside his previous experience, has enabled him to engage in complex issues with an innovative mindset. During his hours off Keelin enjoys travelling to new places, hiking, and cycling.

Event Management:
Eva brings a wealth of experience and a global perspective to the world of corporate events. With nearly a decade of experience from across the globe in cities such as Vancouver, New York, London, Nantucket, Cannes, she has a proven track record of orchestrating seamless events and creating memorable experiences. With expertise in both planning and event operations, along with meticulous attention to detail, she will seamlessly guide your event from its inception to a successful conclusion.

Communications & Marketing:
Eva spent her final year in university specialising in Marketing. In her previous roles before joining Sedgwick Strategies, Eva successfully managed social media campaigns and developed innovative strategies to enhance brand visibility. With a keen eye for emerging digital trends and a strategic approach to marketing, she is dedicated to delivering measurable results for clients.

Eva studied at the University of Galway, Ireland, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce along with a NUI Diploma International Hotel Management. On her off days, Eva enjoys pilates, hiking, cooking and has a huge interest in live shows and music.

Adaptable to constantly changing environments, but never losing track of the objectives, she hones in on rationales for processes– if the status quo does not allow for needs to be addressed, she works with all parties to develop a partnership and plan that does.

Marian was the 2nd employee at Woodfibre LNG, where for over 6 years she led on various files, most notably government relations – at all levels. With Indigenous governments, she was part of the core team that successfully obtained an environmental certificate from Squamish Nation, the first Indigenous environmental certificate of its kind in Canadian history. This milestone also had significant influence on the Federal Government’s proposed changes to environmental assessment. In addition, Marian was instrumental in obtaining an impact benefit agreement with Squamish Nation and a Term Sheet with Tsleil Waututh Nation.

Keeping in constant discussion with Ministers and government officials regarding the provincial Climate Action Plan and incentivizing investments in British Columbia, Marian’s efforts directly led to the conceptualization and eventual creation of the electric drive rate for LNG projects. These changes were lauded by environmental organizations, businesses and communities alike and solved many initial impasses in financing for several projects. With the Federal government, she worked on various files from macro-industry employment and training matters to a solution on taxation around fabricated industrial steel components (FISC).

Prior to LNG, Marian was working in Ottawa in several leadership roles with the Federal Government. Initially moving to Ottawa to work for then Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Jason Kenney, Marian was part of the core team that built a successful stakeholder engagement plan that put multicultural issues on the forefront of political discussions. During her time in government, she also served as press secretary to what was then called Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), strategic communications staff for the Office of the Prime Minister and Stakeholder Relations at Status of Women Canada.

Marian has a degree in Political Science from Simon Fraser University.