FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2016

 

OTTAWA — The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) today announced that it has engaged Josée Curry as its new Director of Public Affairs and has promoted Wayne Harvey and Chris Phelan to vice president roles within the airports advocacy organization.

Josée Curry leads communications and media relations, as well as coordinates and support government relations activities. Josée worked for seven years in the Parliamentary precinct for the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, first as her press secretary at Health Canada (including during the HIN1 pandemic of 2009) and more recently as the minister’s director of parliamentary affairs at Environment Canada.

Prior to her ministerial staff positions, Josée spent eight years as a reporter and associate producer for CBC radio in Quebec City, Yellowknife, Inuvik, Corner Brook, St. John’s and Ottawa. Josée has a Master’s degree in Journalism and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and English Literature from Carleton University.

“Josée joins the team at an important time and will help us improve awareness with government and the public about how Canada’s airports operate today and the significant role airports play as key components of Canada’s economic infrastructure,” said CAC President Daniel-Robert Gooch.

The CAC also announced that Wayne Harvey has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Operational and Technical Affairs. Since joining the CAC in 2011, Wayne has successfully supported management and the Canadian Policy Board on major files focused on representing airports’ interests on standards and regulations, airport development and environmental initiatives.

Wayne has served as the CAC’s representative to its Operations, Safety and Technical Affairs (OSTA) Committee, Environmental Affairs Committee, and Planning, Development and Infrastructure (PDI) Committee, as well as its council of airport chair persons. The CAC’s Financial Affairs Committee has recently been added to his area of responsibility.

Chris Phelan has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Aviation Security and Industry Affairs. Since joining the CAC in 2011, Chris has taken on increasing responsibilities in manoeuvring key files through Ottawa. Chris is current secretary to the CAC’s Security, Air Policy and Facilitation committees, as well as the Small Airports Caucus.

Wayne and Chris also actively work on several Canadian government and industry stakeholder focus/working groups and serve as Canadian staff liaison to committees at Airports Council International-North America/World.

“The past five years have been a period of intense activity for Canada’s airports in air transport policy, regulatory and legislative affairs,” said Daniel.  “Wayne and Chris have played instrumental roles in building this team of ours and advocating on behalf of Canada’s airports with the federal government, industry partners and other stakeholders in Canada and internationally.

About the Canadian Airports Council:

The Canadian Airports Council (CAC), a division of Airports Council International-North America, is the voice for Canada’s airports community.  Its 50 members represent more than 100 airports, including all of the privately operated National Airports System (NAS) airports and many municipal airports across Canada.