CAREER & NETWORKING FAIR 2026 - PANEL DISCUSSION

Ask Analysts Anything

Ask Analysts Anything is an interactive panel discussion for business analysts who want practical advice from seasoned practitioners. After a brief introduction to the panelists and their backgrounds, the session will focus on questions submitted during registration as well as questions from the floor.

Part of the IIBA Ottawa-Outaouais Career & Networking Fair 2026, this session gives attendees the chance to ask questions about business analysis topics such as career growth, workplace challenges, and the issues they are navigating in their work.

What to expect

The discussion will open with a quick introduction to each panelist, then move into a flexible question-and-answer format shaped by attendee interest.

When: 1:00–1:45 PM

Format: Interactive panel discussion and audience Q&A

Note: As it is only 45 minutes, the session will start promptly at 1 p.m. 

Who should attend

This session will be valuable for:

  • New business analysts looking for practical advice.

  • Practitioners navigating growth, change, or new challenges in their careers.

  • Anyone who wants to hear how analysts approach real-world situations.

Meet the panelists

NANCY BEATSON, CBAP
Senior Business Systems Analyst 

Nancy Beatson, CBAP®, is a senior business systems analyst focused on delivering practical, value‑driven solutions in complex, global environments. She supports customer service and education operations spanning more than 120 countries, working across platforms including Salesforce, SAP, Power BI, Qlik Sense, and enterprise learning systems. Nancy brings deep experience navigating diverse delivery environments, combining Agile ways of working with tools such as DevOps and AI‑enabled technologies. Over the past year, she has integrated classical, generative, and agent‑based AI into her day‑to‑day practice to improve efficiency, strengthen analysis, and better support stakeholder outcomes. A Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®), Nancy is a long‑time contributor to the business analysis community. She has spoken at several professional events and has co‑presented multiple full‑day, hands‑on workshops—both in person and online—sharing practical lessons grounded in real delivery experience. Her involvement is driven by a strong belief in giving back to the community that supported her own professional growth, including through volunteer leadership roles with the IIBA Ottawa‑Outaouais Chapter. Nancy is known for her practical, grounded approach to business analysis, her ability to work effectively across global teams, and her continued curiosity and commitment to learning in a rapidly evolving field.

PAMELA PATERSON, MS, CBAP, PMP
International Best-Selling Author, Business Systems Analyst, Project Manager

Pamela Paterson, MS, CBAP, PMP, is a speaker, best-selling author of 12 books, and senior tech consultant specializing in business systems analysis and project management. With a strong background in systems engineering and experience working with over 100 organizations, Pamela has delivered workshops, webinars, and presentations worldwide and authored 10 books, including two international best-sellers. Pamela has also taught project management for over ten years in Toronto, Canada. In 2023, 2024, and 2025 she stands out as one of the most active speakers on Sessionize.

For more details, visit her LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelapaterson/, or contact her at pamelatheba@gmail.com.

 

GARY BELLAMY, CBAP
Strategic Business Consultant
Gary Bellamy is a strategic, value-driven consultant. He specializes in business architecture, business analysis, business process re-engineering, business transformation and Lean process improvement. With 25 years of experience in enterprise analysis, business process change and all types of IT projects, including custom software solutions, Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) software selection and implementation, website redesign, and multi-system integration initiatives. He is familiar with waterfall, iterative and agile methodologies. Mr. Bellamy has led the formation of a business analysis community of practice, spearheaded the selection and implementation of a requirements definition and management tool, been a key contributor to the development of organizational process assets, and championed the integration of usability practices throughout the system development life cycle. Mr. Bellamy is an instructor and mentor. He has been a presenter at conferences and professional development events, has taught business analysis certification courses and developed a series of business analysis training workshops. Gary Bellamy is active in the business analysis community, having spent six years on the executive of the International Institute for Business Analysis (IIBA), Ottawa-Outaouais Chapter in the roles of President and Vice-President, Professional Development.

Facilitator

MICHAEL LACHAPELLE
Independent Consultant, Business Model Fulcrum
Michael has more than 25 years of experience in business design, enterprise business analysis, strategic management, and business, product and service innovation. An independent consultant, Michael works with senior executives and managers, helping them better align, communicate and change the way they do business. He has worked with clients from many sectors: private, public, not-for-profit, member-based organizations and government. His clients range from established multi-national organisations and businesses to small enterprises and early-stage startups. He coaches individuals and small teams, helps organisations implement business design methods, and facilitates product, service and business innovation initiatives. Michael is a member of the core development team for Mobius Outcome Delivery and is a Strategyzer certified Business Model Canvas coach and consultant.