Our unique journey and specialized approach
Arctic Marine Consultants Inc. was founded by Desmond Raymond, who brings over 25 years of unparalleled experience in the Arctic marine sector. His proven track record encompasses all facets of marine shipping activity within the Canadian Arctic. As a senior leader in the Arctic marine shipping sector, Desmond has earned a reputation as an expert on marine shipping within Inuit Nunangat. He is recognized as a vital partner, bridge builder and facilitator, helping diverse organizations navigate the complex regimes and agreements governing shipping in Inuit Nunangat. His extensive experience, deep expertise, and broad network enable Arctic Marine Consultants to assemble the right people in the right places, ensuring clients achieve their goals and objectives when operating in or looking to operate within Inuit Nunangat.
Our story, our mission, our expertise
Learn more about Arctic Marine Consultants Inc., our journey, and the expertise that drives our commitment to responsible Arctic development and decision-making.
DesmondRaymond President
At the helm of Arctic Marine Consultants Inc. is Desmond Raymond, President. Desmond's extensive background and leadership are complemented by a broad network of experts. Desmond at 17 started as a bos’n in the Royal Canadian Navy, obtained his Naval Architecture Diploma in 1996 and began his career starting in the private sector starting at Zodiac SA du France and Peter S. Hatfield Ltd. before entering government in 1997.
Early in his public service career he led northern infrastructure design, construction and operations, training for northern communities and partners in all facets of community infrastructure. Through his role at Parks Canada he led the development of national standards for water and wastewater as well as infrastructure design, construction, ope7and recapitalization.
The last 17 years of his public sector career he was the Executive leader responsible for the regulatory oversight regime for Canada's regulatory framework for shipping primarily in the Arctic but as well for the Atlantic and Pacific regions, was the Senior Advisor and Arctic Liaison for of the Arctic portion of the Oceans Protection Plan and served as one of Canada's negotiators for the creation of Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area. He has chaired many marine shipping focused forums, collations and working groups throughout his career and currently sits as a board member for the Churchill Marine Observatory.
AMC’s team of associates and our broad network allows AMC to assemble specialized teams tailored to each Client and their organization or project's unique requirements, reflecting the diverse areas of expertise needed to navigate the complexities of Arctic port and marine operations within Inuit Nunangat. AMC’s combined knowledge ensures clients receive comprehensive and precise guidance, positioning us as the ideal partners for your Arctic ventures.
Meet our Associates
Arctic Marine Consulting would be nothing if not for its valued associates, each of which brings an individually special and valuable contribution to our family.
Erin Ellis
Erin is known as a bridge-builder who connects diverse partners, fosters collaboration, and leads complex initiatives. Before founding Ishka Consulting, she worked with Oceans North, the Inuit Circumpolar Council, the Auditor General of Canada, and Stratos Management Consulting, developing extensive expertise in policy, partnerships, and facilitation.
As Director of Policy at Oceans North, Erin worked closely with Inuit Treaty Organizations and Hunters and Trappers Committees to develop community-based initiatives. Her experience spans Arctic communities and international forums, engaging Indigenous organizations, governments, industry, academia, and the United Nations.
With more than 15 years of experience working with Indigenous communities, Erin places trust and respect at the centre of partnerships. She holds a Master’s in Natural Resource Management from Simon Fraser University and a BSc in Ecology from Queen’s University, complemented by training in Indigenous governance, facilitation, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
Scott Kennedy
Scott Kennedy is a Master Mariner and experienced marine surveyor and consultant with more than 40 years of professional experience in the Canadian and international marine industry. His career encompasses shipboard operations, statutory vessel inspection, marine safety and security regulation, occupational health and safety, marine surveying, vessel compliance, safety management systems, and senior executive leadership. Scott graduated from the Canadian Coast Guard College with a Diploma in Nautical Science in 1984 and obtained his Master Mariner Certificate of Competency in 1990. In 2018, Scott established Kennedy Marine Services Inc., where he serves as President and Principal Marine Surveyor. He provides marine surveying, inspection, auditing, and technical consulting services to vessel owners and operators, government agencies, commercial fishing companies, marine insurers, financial institutions, shipbuilders, and marine training organizations. Since 2021, Scott has served as Chairman of the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) Canada, contributing to the advancement of professional marine surveying standards and the marine surveying profession in Canada. With experience spanning shipboard operations, regulatory enforcement, statutory inspection, executive management, and private marine consultancy, Scott brings a practical and regulatory perspective to vessel safety, condition assessment, compliance, and marine risk management.
Kyle Ereaux
Kyle Ereaux is a maritime lawyer based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. He advises clients on marine transportation, regulatory compliance, vessel operations, shipping contracts, and marine infrastructure projects, with a particular focus on Canada's Arctic. He is Chair of the Arctic Shipping Working Group of the Canadian Maritime Law Association, a contributing author of Canadian Maritime Law, and has taught maritime law at Dalhousie University."
John Vandenberg
John Vandenberg is the Executive Director of the Arctic Marine Training Group (AMT), Canada’s only “North of 60” Transport Canada–recognized seafarer training institution. He has strengthened partnerships with Arctic NGOs, training institutions, and community organizations to expand maritime career pathways for northern residents.
John championed the creation of the NWT Marine Training Centre in 2018, securing Transport Canada support and enabling hundreds of northern and Indigenous students to access recognized maritime training. John maintains strong relationships with Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, the Canadian Armed Forces, and federal and territorial agencies. Since retiring from public service in 2022, he continues to advance Arctic marine training, institutional partnerships, and Canada’s northern maritime workforce through his leadership at AMT.
Rebecca Pincus
Dr. Rebecca Pincus is a 2026-2027 Wilson Center Research Fellow. Dr. Pincus is also a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), and a Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund (US), in the Transatlantic Security Program.
From 2022-2025, Dr. Pincus was the Director of the Polar Institute at the Wilson Center. Previously, she was on the faculty at the US Naval War College, in the Center for Naval Warfare Studies. Recently, she served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy, as Arctic and Climate Strategy Advisor. She previously served on the faculty at the US Coast Guard Academy, and was the founding scholar at the Center for Arctic Study and Policy (CASP) there. She was a contributing author for the 5th National Climate Assessment, writing the first-ever security impacts section. She has testified before Congress and the US-China Commission on security and defense in the polar regions, and her research on polar strategy, security, and policy has been published widely in peer-reviewed and popular outlets. In 2015, she was a Fulbright Fellow in Iceland, conducting research on Arctic small states and security. Her research has been funded by the US Department of Defense (Minerva), National Science Foundation, and more.
Her Ph.D. and M.S. are from the University of Vermont, and she also holds an M.S. in Environmental Law from the Vermont Law School. Her B.S. is from Georgetown University.
Ryan Barry
Ryan is a seasoned impact assessment practitioner with nearly two decades of experience guiding resource management, governance, and environmental stewardship across Northern Canada. He currently co-chairs the Technical Advisory Committee on Science and Knowledge,
advising the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada on scientific, environmental, social, and economic issues to elevate assessment quality nationwide.
Throughout his career, Ryan has been a key driver of collaborative Arctic governance. He helped develop and lead the Tasiujarjuaq Sheewetaganapoi Consortium, uniting communities, rights holders, Indigenous organizations, academics and government entities to advance shared stewardship in the greater Hudson Bay region. During his nearly 15-year tenure with the Nunavut Impact Review Board he led countless impact assessments in Nunavut and regulatory improvement initiatives across the North. He was also instrumental in advancing the Nunavut Marine Council to strengthen unified governance across Nunavut’s marine environment.
As the founder of Red Clay Environmental Solutions, Ryan provides expert consulting, executive management, strategy development and high-level facilitation to clients navigating complex regulatory landscapes and associated challenges.
Our guiding principles
Our work at Arctic Marine Consultants Inc. is guided by a core belief in the shared level of responsibility for ensuring safe, reliable, efficient, and respectful Arctic shipping. This principle underscores every project we undertake, ensuring that our advice and strategies not only meet regulatory requirements but also honour the unique physical, cultural, and governance environments within Inuit Nunangat. We are committed to fostering operations that benefit all stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, while promoting environmental stewardship and sustainable development in the Arctic.