WRITERS
Dr. Taillon served 30 years in the intelligence community and is a published author who lectures in counterinsurgency, special operations, counterterrorism, intelligence, strategic issues, and leadership. Colonel Taillon’s 42-year military career included more than 22 foreign training missions and numerous deployments. He served as Counterinsurgency Advisor to the Commander Canadian Army, Commanding Officer of the Toronto Scottish Regiment, and served with the British Special Air Service Regiment, U.S. Army Special Forces, and Canada’s JTF2. He is Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Canadian Grenadier Guards.
Jean-Marc Tanguy is a defence journalist whose main focus is on airpower and special forces. Based in Paris, France, he has contributed to more than 30 defence publications.
Lieutenant Colonel Rick Thompson, Director of Air Requirements 7, is responsible for Modeling, Simulation and Common Training requirements for the Air Force. DAR 7 members work with Materiel and Information Management Groups to Direct and Manage the Canadian Advanced Synthetic Environment, the Air Force Integrated Information and Learning Environment and Air Technician Renewal capital projects.
Janet Thorsteinson is Vice-President, Government Relations at the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI). Before joining CADSI, Janet enjoyed over 30 years as a federal public servant, mostly working in the field of procurement in DND and PWGSC. Her last position in the public service was as Executive Director of Military Procurement where she was responsible for developing and obtaining approval of the procurement strategy for the largest military procurement package since World War II. Janet is a professional engineer.
His broad range of experience in International Security and disarmament affairs led Jeff Tracey to the post of Senior Advisor to Foreign Affairs’ Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament Division. He assisted in the establishment of the Chemical Weapons Convention and Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban National Authorities. Trained as a Chief Weapons Inspector with UNMOVIC, he spent time seeking WMD in Iraq and was evacuated just prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jeff is a former intelligence analyst with Canada’s Foreign Intelligence Division and was Canada’s technical expert during negotiations of the Open Skies Treaty.
Cornel Turdeanu is studying political science at Simon Fraser University. He is the president of the SFU Political Science Student Union and founder of the SFU Model NATO Club. He is drawn to NATO as it is a politico-military alliance based on the principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law. He is invested in raising awareness among students of the vital role that the Canadian Armed Forces play in Canadian security and society. He hopes he can engage students in a conversation about NATO and the armed forces by organizing events like the Global Model NATO Summit.
