Organizing Committee

Conference Organizing Committee (COC)

Conference Co-Chairs

Suzanne Wilde

Suzanne Wilde is co-chair of the IOHA2027 Conference Organizing Committee.  Suzanne is an active member of various industry-related committees, with over 20 years’ experience in the occupational health, safety and hygiene field. She is currently the Vice President of the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists and a Director of the International Occupational Hygiene Association.

Her certifications include Certified Industrial Hygienist, Registered Occupational Hygienist, Certified Safety Professional, Canadian Registered Safety Professional and Certified Health and Safety Management System Auditor. She has honed her technical skills while working in various work environments.  She is currently a Senior Principal for the Occupational Health and Safety and Industrial Hygiene Advisory Services team for Stantec.

René Leblanc

René holds a B.Sc. in chemistry from Sherbrooke University (1989). He was a political advisor to the Minister of the Environment from 1991 to 1994, responsible for contaminated soil and hazardous waste files in Quebec. He returned to school in 1999 to complete a master’s degree in environmental and occupational health at Montreal University. With his interest in occupational hygiene and health and safety increasing, he obtained the certifications of safety professional (CRSP-2006) and registered occupational hygienist (ROH-2007). In 2012, he was elected as the Quebec representative on the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists (CRBOH) and in 2017, its president. In 2018, he began representing CCAHT (Canada) at the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) and was elected president in 2020. In 2020, he represented IOHA on the ILO Vision Zero Committee. He contributed to the organization of the Vision Zero conference in Japan in 2022 (virtual). In 2021, he became lecturer in the master’s program in Occupational Hygiene at McGill University. In 2024, he returned to Montreal University of Montreal to do a professional doctorate in public health. In 2025, he founded the international non-profit organization REFLEX (Réseau d’échange francophone et de leadership en santé et sécurité).

Committee Members

Stephane Archambault

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Victoria Arrandale

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Kerry Cheung

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Guillaume Lachapelle

Guillaume Lachapelle is a seasoned Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) professional with over 25 years of experience spanning the mining, smelting, and power generation industries.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), a Master’s degree in Occupational Health from McGill University, and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.

Currently serving as Regional Manager for Industrial Hygiene at Alcoa, Guillaume previously held key roles at Rio Tinto and Agnico Eagle, contributing extensively to underground and open-pit mining operations. His career has taken him across Canada, Cameroon, and France, and he has managed global teams operating in Mexico, Finland, Australia, and the Middle East.

Guillaume is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH, ROH) and a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP). He is also a past President of the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists.

His expertise encompasses auditing, project management, leadership, management systems, teaching, research, and board governance. Guillaume is recognized for his ability to navigate complex operational environments and deliver practical, effective EHS solutions worldwide.

Jérôme Lavoué

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Alex Mercer

Alex Mercer is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH) with a strong academic foundation in medical microbiology, immunology, and occupational health and safety. With over a decade of experience, Alex currently serves as the Senior Occupational Hygienist and Canadian Technical Area Lead for Stantec, where she oversees occupational hygiene-related work throughout Canada, advising on occupational hygiene, indoor air quality issues, noise concerns, other health and safety related concerns.

Alex is a recognized thought leader in occupational hygiene, having presented at major national and international conferences, including AIHA Connect and the Health and Safety Professionals Canada. Her work spans chemical risk assessment, respiratory and auditory hazards, and control banding strategies. Alex is also a published author in The Synergist.

In addition to her professional practice, Alex contributes to the advancement of the field through her role on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Registered Board of Occupational Hygienists (2024-2026) and as a course/content developer at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and the University of Alberta. Her commitment to education, technical excellence, and promotion of the health and safety profession makes her a respected voice in occupational hygiene and safety.

Kiet Nguyen

Kiet Nguyen is President of the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists (CRBOH/CCAHT). He holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Hygiene, two bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and Microbiology, and the ROH, CRSP, and Six Sigma Green Belt (STM) designations. He currently serves on the committee developing the CSA occupational hygiene management standard and has served as an international examiner for the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).

Matthew Olata

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Retha van Niekerk

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