Advisory Board
Christyn Cianfarani
Christyn Cianfarani is President and CEO of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), where she leads the national business association representing the interests of more than 900 member companies that employ more than 60,000 Canadians and generate $10 billion in annual revenues.
She is responsible for creating an environment that showcases members both in the marketplace and with government stakeholders in support of domestic and international growth.
Ms. Cianfarani served in the Royal Canadian Navy for six years before moving to Canada's aerospace, defence and security industries, where she has blazed a trail for women over the last two decades. During her 17 years at CAE Inc., she held leadership positions in strategy, business solutions, government relations, research and development, and intellectual property.
In 2013, Ms. Cianfarani was the only woman to be named to the Government of Canada-commissioned Jenkins panel on military procurement, which has played a significant role in shaping modern Canadian defence procurement policy. She joined CADSI as its President and CEO in September 2014.
A champion of diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, Ms. Cianfarani has prioritized female representation on CADSI’s Board of Directors. Under her leadership, representation rose from zero to 30 per cent and in 2018, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women.
Ms. Cianfarani is a member of Canada's Defence Industry Advisory Group and is considered an expert in Canadian defence procurement policy. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Toronto and a bachelor’s degree from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC).
She is fluent in both official languages of Canada.
Lukas Lhotsky
Lukas Lhotsky has spent most of his career working for and advising fast-growing mid-sized companies. He is currently President of FX Innovation a leading Canadian IT service integrator and managed service provider. Prior to joining FX Innovation, Lukas was the Chief Operating Officer of DuProprio, which was the largest real-estate website in Quebec with a disruptive service model. Lukas is a regular participant and contributor to the Quebec entrepreneurial ecosystem. He holds an MBA from HEC Montreal and an MA from McGill.
Cherry Marshall
Cherry Marshall is the Principal Director of Development in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Concordia University, where she leads a University Advancement team responsible for raising funds for the Faculty from high net-worth individuals, private foundations and corporate partnerships.
Cherry is passionate about donor-centred fundraising and holds the Certified Fund Raising Executive designation, signaling excellence in the field. Cherry is dedicated to strategic leadership with proven results in increasing donor engagement, increasing annual fundraising revenue and improving internal processes. A natural relationship builder, Cherry is an expert in donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
She has a diverse background in the not-for-profit sector, working in fundraising, research and program management, both at the local and national level. Holding positions at Trans Canada Trail, Food Banks Canada and the West Island Association for Intellectual Disabilities, Cherry has a deep understanding of the charitable sector in Canada.
In addition to her responsibilities at Concordia, Cherry volunteers for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) as a jury member on the national bursary committee and is an active member of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. In volunteer activities and in the workplace, Cherry is an outspoken advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion and actively works to make fundraising a more inclusive sector.
Cherry holds a BA, Honours in Political Science and an MA, Public Policy and Administration from Concordia and is fluent in English and French.