Events

Natasha Apollonova is Manager, Public Affairs Programs and Engagement at the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB). She leads strategic stakeholder engagement initiatives and oversees the development of executive briefings, presentations, events, and public affairs programs that advance the CIB’s mandate and investment priorities. Prior to this role, Natasha led the CIB’s research function. She also spent more than a decade advising clients on economic development, market intelligence, and enterprise risk management at BDO, IHS Markit, TD Bank and Deloitte. Natasha holds an MA in Business Economics from Wilfrid Laurier University and is both a Certified Economic Developer (Ec.D.) and a Project Management Professional (PMP).

Livia Sala Fresneda is an Economist at the Atlantic Economic Council. She contributes to regular analysis on the region’s economy and is currently co-leading a two-year research project on The Future of Health Care in Atlantic Canada. Her work is guided by a passion for understanding how economic policy can contribute to stronger and more resilient communities. Previously, Livia served as a Junior Analyst at the Canada Revenue Agency and as a Research Assistant at Finance Canada, both within the federal government. Livia holds an MA in Economics from Queen’s University and an Honours BSocSc in International Economics and Development from the University of Ottawa.

Kate Waslen is an Analyst at CPP Investments, where she focuses on portfolio construction and the intersection of financial markets, macroeconomics, and quantitative analysis. Prior to joining CPP Investments, she was an Economist at the Bank of Canada, contributing to research on the Canadian economy, labour markets, and housing. Kate holds a Master of Financial Economics from the University of Toronto and a degree in Applied Economics from Queen’s University. She also serves on the Board of the Toronto Association for Business Economics and is committed to supporting students pursuing careers in economics and finance.

Bryan Yu is Chief Economist and AVP at Central 1 Credit Union where he leads the organization’s economic thought leadership work, and its subscriber research and IFRS9 credit loss modelling businesses. His teams provide actionable economic research and advisory services to support credit union executive teams and their boards across the country.
Bryan regularly provides his economic outlooks at industry events spanning sectors like financial services, forestry, housing, and resources and is frequently interviewed by national and local media to provide economic commentary. He previously held economist positions at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the BC Real Estate Association and holds BA and MA degrees from the University of Manitoba and Simon Fraser University. Bryan serves on the appointed management board of Invest Vancouver and serves on the board of directors S.U.C.C.E.S.S. and the Canadian Association for Business Economics.

Central 1 is a treasury and payments organization owned by B.C. and Ontario credit unions that serves financial institutions across the country.