Christopher Hayes, P. Eng, is a Vice President with CEATI International. Chris now oversees programs related to power generation, transmission, DERs/Integration, asset management, and security. He is a member of the Professional Engineering Order of Québec and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University, Canada. He has been working with experts and utility leaders in the hydropower industry through CEATI since 2002 having started as the hydropower program manager. Chris has also actively supported the CEATI program and participation base development effort which now includes over 160 utilities and government agencies from around the world.

Andrew is the Editorial Director of ReNew Canada and 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.

Dr. Karakoç has over 14 years of extensive theoretical and practical experience in modeling, design, optimization, prototyping and control of mechanical components and systems. In addition to his expertise in electromagnetics and electromechanical actuators, he designs and optimizes pressure vessels, dynamic and morphing structures using applicable codes and standards with the help of custom routines he developed. He is a registered API510 Pressure Vessel Inspector and has been involved in numerous inspections of new and old pressure conduits, mainly penstocks, and provided engineering recommendations as necessary to address the flaws observed. He also has experience in stability analysis of concrete structures, soil restraint, hydraulic design of structures and transient analysis in pressurized conduits. Apart from technical knowledge, he managed a number of Hydro Plant Construction/Repair projects that are commissioned and currently operational. He also developed and successfully implemented a novel FMECA procedure to evaluate operation of aging assets at their current state.

Keith has been a project manager with BC Hydro for the past 14 years and prior to that, spent 14 years working with magnetic imaging machines in the medical technology field. His project work includes station service switchgear replacements, control systems upgrades, fire protection upgrades, large water passage valve replacements and penstock recoating to name a few. The latter two projects have provided experience with newer technologies that BCHydro is working with for penstock risk management. When not working, he enjoys the BC outdoors with the family, wife Rachelle, daughter Jordin and son Jaxon. Keith spends his time downhill skiing/snowboarding, mountain biking and coaching youth soccer.

Mathieu Bouchard Dostie is a project manager at Hydro-Quebec, a position he has held since 2019. He is responsible for the project of building a monitoring and diagnostic centre to help maintenance and local operations of dams and generating stations province-wide.