Speakers
Aaron Lee
​
Committee Chair, ULC-S1001, Team Lead, AtkinsRealis
Brent Brooks​
​
High-rise Firefighting Expert
Dr. Ghassan Marjaba
​
Principal Engineer & Researcher, Engineers in Motion Inc.
Dr. John Gales​
​
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering, York University
James Ware
Principal, LMDG
Chief Ken McMullen
​
President, Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs
Mark Wilson​
​
Alberta Regional Manager, Troy Life & Fire Safety
Randy Narine​
​
CEO & President, CC Research
Steven Craft
​
Principal, CHM
William A. Stewart
​
CFIFireE, CFO, CMMIII
Fire Chief (Ret’d), Toronto Fire Services
Dinner Keynote Speaker
Grant Moffatt
​
Deputy Fire Chief of Operations for the City of Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service
.jpg)
Aaron Lee, CET, GIFireE
Committee Chair, ULC-S1001, Team Lead, AtkinsRealis
With 20+ years of fire protection experience, Aaron currently serves as the CAN/ULC-S1001 Standard Chair and on the ULC 500F Technical Committees for Fire Alarm and Life Safety Equipment and Systems.
​
He is employed by AtkinsRéalis as a Fire Protection Team Lead. As a subject matter expert at AtkinsRéalis, he supports fire protection engineering at various industrial, commercial, and nuclear sites in Canada. Aaron has also served as a SFPE Chapter President, is a CFAA National Director, Chair of the CFAA Codes and Standards committee and has maintained a CFAA fire alarm technician registration since 2002.
_edited_edited.jpg)
Brent Brooks
High-rise Firefighting Expert
Brent advocates best practices in the fire service and is an author who specializes in high-rise firefighting. He has served on various committees and spoken at national and international events in Great Britain, Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Chile, and the USA. He is an FDIC advisor and a panellist on Fire Engineering’s Hump Day Hang Out. He also sits on the Canadian chapter of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) board and is a member of the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings. Additionally, he represents Canada as a T70 Tall Building Safety Committee member based in London, England. Brent's Community of Practice has a wide reach. He has personally donated his time to over 100 fire departments internationally. He aims to educate the next generation of firefighters on best practices for occupant survival and firefighter safety in High-Rise firefighting.
Dr. Ghassan Marjaba, PhD, P.Eng., PMP
Principal Engineer & Researcher, Engineers in Motion Inc.
.jpg)
Dr. Ghassan Marjaba is a professional engineer and researcher specializing in building codes, structural design, energy efficiency, sustainable performance, and fire safety of the built environment. As Principal Engineer and founder of Engineers in Motion Inc., he leads national projects advancing building codes and standards, building designs, sustainability, accessibility, and building performance standards in collaboration with private and public sector partners.
With over 20 years of multidisciplinary experience in structural engineering, building science, and code development, Dr. Marjaba’s work bridges research and practice in design, investigations, and code development. At the National Research Council of Canada, he played a key role in the Net Zero Energy Ready initiative, contributing to national discussions on energy efficiency, regulatory innovation, and unintended consequences.
He holds a PhD from McMaster University focused on data-science frameworks for evaluating sustainability in buildings, and is passionate about integrating science-based evidence into codes and standards for safer, economical, and more resilient communities.
Dr. John Gales, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering, York University
Dr. John Gales is an Associate Professor at York University where he leads their Fire Safety Engineering Research Group. Dr. Gales also performs activities as a visiting and adjunct professor at a number of other universities. He received his engineering doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario.
​
Dr. Gales’ primary research interests include resilient structural fire design, and human behaviour in emergency situations. His research is active in various international collaborations and student exchanges related to fire safety engineering research with the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, Imperial College in the United Kingdom, and NIST in the USA. To date he has over 250 scientific contributions. He was one of four Task Group Chairs in the Fire Protection Committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers. In that capacity he was Chair of the 2018 Workshop on Fire Resistance of Structures for ASTM International. He was a voting member on the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC) Fire Protection sub-committee for the 2020-25 cycle. Since 2025, he has been a member of the National Model Codes Committee (NMCC) on Accessibility.
James Ware
Principal, LMDG
James Ware is a fire protection engineering technologist with broad experience in the application of building and fire codes. James’ project experience includes the analysis and application of fire protection and life safety fundamentals as they pertain to large arenas, schools, long-term care facilities, and hospitals, as well as commercial, industrial, and residential facilities.
Over the last 20 years, James has been involved in numerous projects that have included new construction, additions, and varying degrees of renovations. His experience provides an abundance of insight with respect to code compliance challenges and proven solutions that have been successfully negotiated in various jurisdictions within Ontario as well as elsewhere in Canada. As a member of this team, James will ensure the incorporation of efficient solutions to building code issues in order to achieve the project vision.
Chief Ken McMullen
President, Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs
.png)
Chief Ken McMullen joined the Fire Service in 1997 and progressed through the Officer rolls of Training, Fire Prevention and Fire Safety, as well as a certified Fire Investigator/Inspector. In 2009, Ken became the Assistant Deputy Chief with the Calgary Fire Department, and in 2018, Ken became the Chief of Emergency Services with The City of Red Deer, the third largest municipality in Alberta and now proudly holds the position of Operations General Manager and Chief of Emergency Services.
​
Chief McMullen’s career in fire service and emergency management spans more than 28 years. Currently, Chief McMullen serves as President of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and holds board positions with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, where he collaborates on legislative changes and advocacy initiatives that strengthen public safety. Over the years, Ken McMullen has been honoured with awards including Career Fire Chief of the Year (2020) for advancing mental health support for first responders, and the President’s Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs for his ongoing advocacy.
.png)
Mark Wilson
Alberta Regional Manager, Troy Life & Fire Safety
Mark Wilson is a respected leader in Canada’s fire and life safety industry, bringing over 15 years of experience in design, inspection, operations, and team leadership. As the Alberta Regional Fire Manager for Troy Life & Fire Safety and current President of the CFAA Alberta Chapter, Mark is dedicated to advancing professionalism, education, and collaboration across the industry. A Journeyman Electrician and Fire Systems Engineering Technologist, he’s known for his practical insight, high standards, and ability to translate complex codes into meaningful action. Mark’s passion for mentorship and continuous improvement has made him a trusted voice in shaping the future of fire protection in Canada.
Randy Narine
CEO & President, CC Research
As President and CEO of Clean Core Research, Canada’s only non-profit destructive testing facility for clean energy systems, Randy leads pioneering research that informs global safety standards and regulatory frameworks.
By deliberately pushing lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen systems, and other emerging technologies to failure under controlled conditions, Randy generates the critical data needed by regulators, OEMs, and municipalities to distinguish marketing claims from real-world safety.
Throughout his entire career, Randy has been dedicated to health and public safety. His extensive experience includes overseeing the health and safety of all firefighters in the province of Ontario through Section 21, and playing a pivotal role in health and safety initiatives within the pharmaceutical industry.
.jpg)
Steven Craft, Ph.D, P. Eng.
Principal, CHM
Dr. Steven Craft is a founding partner of CHM Fire Consultants Ltd who, since 2011, specialize in code consulting and fire testing with a specialized focus on mass timber construction. He served as an Adjunct Professor in the Fire Safety Engineering Program at Carleton University from 2010-2019 and was a Research Scientist with Canada’s National Forest Products Research Institute (FPInnovations) from 2006-2011. He is the Chair of the ULC Fire Test Committee, is a Vice-chair of ASTM Committee on Fire Standards and, is on the Technical Committee for the Canadian Wood Design Standard, where he Chairs the Task Group on Fire Resistance.
.jpg)
William A. Stewart, CFIFireE, CFO, CMMIII
Fire Chief (Ret’d), Toronto Fire Services
Mr. Stewart served as the Fire Chief of Toronto Fire Services from May 2003 to April 2012. Prior to that, he served as operations firefighter, Fire Captain and Administrative Chief in the City. Mr. Stewart currently serves as a Council Member and Past International President of Inst itution of Fire Engineers, and is also a Past President of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association and many other associations.
​
Mr. Stewart also holds professional designations from various institutions, including Institution of Fire Engineers, Companion Fellow of the IFE, Ontario Municipal Management Institute, Chief Fire Officer, CFO among others.
Dinner Keynote Speaker
Grant Moffatt
Deputy Fire Chief of Operations for the City of
Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service
Moffatt serves as the Deputy Fire Chief of Operations for the City of Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service, where he provides executive leadership and strategic oversight for both the Operations and Mechanical Divisions. In this capacity, he is responsible for managing emergency response operations, infrastructure development, and resource allocation, as well as departmental budgeting, payroll administration, and staff recruitment. Deputy Chief Moffatt also oversees the procurement and lifecycle management of all departmental vehicles and apparatus, including fire trucks and specialized equipment.
With more than two decades of progressive leadership experience, Deputy Chief Moffatt has been instrumental in advancing the Service’s operational readiness and efficiency. He has led the construction of multiple fire stations and a state-of-the-art training facility, reflecting his ongoing commitment to innovation, fiscal responsibility, and organizational excellence.
Education and Professional Credentials
-
Master’s Certificate in Municipal Leadership, York University – Schulich School of Business
-
Certified Blue Card Incident Command Instructor
-
Fire Protection Technology Graduate, Seneca College
-
Company Officer Program Graduate, Ontario Fire College