Ms. Samantha Espley is a trailblazer and leader for women in the engineering profession and in mining.  She promotes the essential role of mining to society.  Currently, Ms. Espley is an independent member of the board for Paramount Gold Nevada (NYSE: PZG) and Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC).  She is also a Senior Executive Advisor to Stantec providing technical guidance and strategic input to mining industry clients.  Previously, she served as Vice President to the Inovinta Group of Companies including BESTECH a multi-disciplinary engineering firm. She is the author of The Whole Mine appraoch to engineering consulting, with an aim to transform the mining industry through new technologies, processes, and step change thinking.  Ms. Espley is the Past-President of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Matallurgy and Petroleum and has 34 years of experience in the mining industry including holding leadership positions at the director and executive levels.  Samantha was Director of Mining Technology & Innovation for Vale Base Metals, and Director of Technical Services for the North Atlantic mining operations.  She is the first woman to hold these roles and has been the first woman appointed to many of the senior technical and management positions she's held throughout her career, including Superintendent of Creighton Mine.  She has authored and presented extensively over her career including white papers on innovation and technology, and the social aspects for advancing women in engineering and in roles within the mining industry to increase diversity.  Ms. Espley is a former president and founding director of Women in Science and Engineering Sudbury and has held leadership roles in many other engineering organizations such as the Professional Engineers of Ontario and Engineers Canada.  She received the 2015 Engineers Canada Award for the Support of Women in the Engineering Profession and was named one of 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining in 2014 and received the 2013 Trailblazer's Award from Women in Mining Canada.  In 2015, she received the Mid-Career Award from the University of Toronto, and in 2017 she won the pretigious award for Management from the Association of Professional Engineers in Ontario.  Ms. Espley volunteers extensively including past board positions with MIRARCO, CEMI, Bharti School of Engineering at Laurentian University, Science North and Dynamic Earth, WISE, and CIM Sudbury Branch. Ms. Espley is currently the Chair of the Health and Safety Society for the CIM.  Ms. Espley holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and Engineering from University of Toronto and a Master's of Applied Science and Engineering from Laurentian University. She holds a Certificate in Agricultural Science from University of Guelph and is enrolled in Corporate Directors International (CDI) for formal board certification.