Andrew is a 20-year communications veteran and subject matter expert on Canada’s infrastructure, water, and environment sectors. He will be our MC for the technical stream all week. ReNew Canada is the national voice of the public sector infrastructure in Canada. Many of you will know ReNew as the publisher of the annual Top 100 public infrastructure projects in Canada report. If you don’t already follow and subscribe to ReNEW you should. Their publications and events are very timely and valuable.

Mario is an electrical engineer and the founder of Hydro PowerPlus. Prior to starting Hydro PowerPlus, he worked for 3 years in the Generation, Transmission, and Distribution departments of different Canadian electric utilities. Mario has worked in the replacement of hydroelectric generator units such as 300+ MW Francis runners including the digitalization of their control, and in the testing development for hydraulic turbines in a reduced-scale mode to study flow induced pulsations and vibrations, including cavitation phenomena. Mario has an appetite for innovation and has also been involved in some of Canada's first large-scale implementations of DERMS, Micro-grids, and intelligent battery energy-storage solutions. He has teamed up with Arcon AquaPro and Mecan-Hydro to deliver the world's first intelligent tailwater level regulation system to hydroelectric operators.

A professional in rubber dam technology with over 19 years experience in the industry, contracting rubber dam systems worldwide. Caesare provides advice to owners, consultants and contractors on all matters relating to rubber dam. During the course of his career, he has been involved in some of the world's largest and most emblematic inflatable weir sites.

Christine Monette is currently principal engineer for hydro turbines mechanical analysis and mechanical R&D within the mechanical engineering department of Andritz Hydro’s Montreal office in Canada. She has been working in hydraulic turbine mechanical engineering through different technical assignments within the business since 2005. She graduated with a master degree in mechanical engineering in 2003 from École Polytechnique de Montréal. Her special interests are static and dynamic stress calculations using finite element analysis and fatigue life prediction.

Michael Messina serves as the Director of Market Development and Business Affairs for Whooshh Innovations, based in Seattle, Washington, USA. In this role, he works with team members on business development, sales, marketing/public relations, government affairs, partnerships and external relations. Michael is a member of the National Hydropower Association Legislative Committee and the US Small Hydro Council, and also serves on the IHA Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol Council.