President

rob@thisisfirstlake.ca
613-720-5726

Rob was born and raised in Nova Scotia where he began his career advocating for post-secondary students while serving on the Student Union at Dalhousie University. His post-secondary advocacy experience brought him to Ottawa where he successfully led government relations efforts for the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). During that time he advanced human resources and skills development policy, led intellectual property and research policy reforms, and built a strong network in Ottawa’s political community. While working for CASA, Rob earned his Masters Degree from the Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management at Carleton University. Rob followed up that experience by working with some of Canada’s most effective advocates working at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities where he had the opportunity to work on housing policy development, infrastructure and public safety issues including policing and cannabis prior to recreational legalization. He went on to work at a leading national public affairs firm where he eventually became Vice President, having delivered billions of dollars in investments to client sectors, significant provincial and national legislative victories, and major regulatory reforms in sectors as diverse as health, construction, retail and supply chains, and skills development.

Rob takes pride in maintaining a strong political network across party lines and is committed to helping his clients align their objectives with the goals of government to achieve results. He is also a trailblazer in digital campaigns, having delivered social media campaigns as early as 2009 to leverage large networks of supporters. In 2017 he was an international finalist for PR News Magazine’s award for the year’s Best New Digital Tool for Push Politics, which he also co-founded.

Maia Lugar

Senior Manager, Advocacy

Maia Lugar is the Manager, Public Affairs on First Lake’s government relations team. Maia has developed engagement plans for our clients; secured MP, Senator and Ministerial participation in client events and meetings on Parliament Hill; organized multi-stakeholder events; and delivered a variety of written works, including pre-budget submissions, election engagement plans, and policy briefs.

Before joining First Lake, she worked on research in the field of Indigenous governance and federal-territorial-band council relations. She has been heavily involved in student politics at both Bishop’s University and Carleton University. Maia translated that passion for politics into multi-partisan campaign work on several provincial campaigns in Ontario and her home province of Nova Scotia. She has also served as a Communications Manager for an Electoral District Association in her community.

Maia has worked on a variety of files, with extensive experience in the areas of infrastructure, skilled trades, Indigenous-government relationships, healthcare, and skills development/training. She has experience developing advocacy and outreach strategies and is adept establishing ties between governments and stakeholder groups.

Maia holds a Masters degree from the Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management at Carleton University. Maia is fluently bilingual in English and French.

Kyle Power

Senior Manager, Regulatory Affairs and Legal Counsel

Kyle Power is a seasoned legal professional with extensive experience providing strategic counsel, managing complex regulatory and litigation files, and providing effective advocacy at all levels. He has held leadership roles in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, giving him a broad understanding of the regulatory and political landscape in Canada and in jurisdictions throughout North America.

Kyle has spent the bulk of his career providing legal counsel in the transportation, logistics, and industrial sectors. Kyle understands the needs of private-sector clients, particularly in the industrial, petrochemical, and grocery sectors. His previous work was especially focused on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG), cross-border trade issues, as well as 24/7 emergency response and environmental remediation. His work in the private sector allowed him to develop a deep understanding of North American regulatory landscapes, which gives him the ability to distill complex legal and political information into actionable insights for clients.

Prior to his legal career, Kyle served as Executive Director and Chair of Students Nova Scotia, representing the membership to government, opposition, community stakeholders, and university administrators. Kyle holds a JD from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University and a BA (Honours) from Acadia University. At Acadia, Kyle served as Vice President Academic on the Acadia Students Union, and more recently served on the Board of the Acadia Alumni Association.

Kyle grew up in playing hockey and volunteering on campaigns in his native Pictou County Nova Scotia, and remains involved in his home community, serving as Secretary & Treasurer of Summer Street Industries which supports individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Zoie Sutherland

Manager, Research and Policy

Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Zoie received her Bachelor of Global and International Studies specializing in Global Politics from Carleton University.

Her education at Carleton led her to work both in the public sector and in the non-profit sphere doing internationally focused work. Zoie’s experience in research for government departments and stakeholder groups prepared her for this role at First Lake. She specializes in reviewing legislation and regulations, as well as monitoring news from departments, cabinet ministers and parties for our clients. Zoie is a talented writer with a strong background in creating content for our clients’ policy and public affairs publications.

Zoie works closely with clients focused on improving access to healthcare, promoting economic development, and improving federal funding programs.

Zoie holds a Master of Political Management degree from Carleton University and is fluent in French.

Rose Grant

Advocacy and Research Intern

Rose Grant is originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick. Rose completed her a Joint Honours in Political Science and History at the University of New Brunswick where she also served two terms at the Vice President of Research and Policy for the University of New Brunswick Student Union. Her academic work included a thesis focused on the Democratic Republic of Congo and the intersectional impacts of climate change on women and girls.

Inspired by her community, peers, and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) work on Parliament Hill, she was elected Director of Policy for the CASA for 2023-2024. Here she was chair of federal policy, created new federal policies, and co-wrote policy papers on topics such as food insecurity, housing, and more. 

During Rose's time as Vice President of Research and Policy, she was able to organize the UNBSUs first-ever independent advocacy week. Moreover, Rose organized events on campus so that students could speak with their elected officials. These events included all three levels of government. 

Outside of work, Rose is very interested in sustainable growth, global human rights, and student movements. Rose enjoys trying new cuisine, trying out new recipes, and reading memoirs. 

Rose is planning to attend McGill University in late 2024 to begin a Masters in Political Science with a Specialization in International Development Studies. Rose is a fellow at the McGill Centre for International Peace and Security. She is committed to creating meaningful change through relationship building, effective research, and problem-solving.

Sophia Stacey

Government Relations Intern

Sophia is originally from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Treaty 7 territory. She holds a Bachelor's degree with a double-major in Clinical Psychology and Political Studies from Bishop’s University. Academically, she has worked as a research and teaching assistant in provincial politics and attended the Canadian Political Science Association conference. 

Sophia’s passion for advocacy and government relations comes from her background in gender equity work and sexual and gender-based violence prevention. Sophia has facilitated peer support groups, interned at a sexual violence centre, advised on mental health and harassment policy, and led the creation of on-campus violence prevention measures. 

Building on these experiences, Sophia became the President of Bishop’s student union, representing students on the University’s Board of Governors, the Quebec Student Union’s Board of Directors and to the provincial and federal governments. She led the advocacy to reverse the Quebec government’s recent proposal to double tuition for out-of-province students, securing an exemption for Bishop’s University. Sophia’s writing has been published in the Montreal Gazette and La Presse. She has been a media spokesperson and led press conferences in both official languages, and she also co-authored the most highly signed petition in Quebec in 2023. 

When Sophia is not engaged in advocacy, you’re likely to find her in the kitchen, on her paddleboard on the nearest body of water, or reading with her cats. Sophia speaks French as a second language, and is an incoming Masters candidate in the Clayton H. Riddell political management program at Carleton University.