The Automotive Industries Association of Canada represents, supports and leads innovation in Canada’s $43.9 billion auto care sector.
Our spokespeople are open to media requests and speaking opportunities at automotive industry conferences. We provide expertise in many aspects of the auto care sector, ranging from government advocacy, training programs, and best practices across the mechanical and collision sector of the auto care industry.
For those looking to book a spokesperson or receive a quote for a media article, contact communications@aiacanada.com.
Headshots are available upon request to communications@aiacanada.com
Emily Chung, MBA, 310S Red Seal
Emily Chung is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada), a non-profit organization that is the voice and resource of a $43.9 billion industry with thousands of professional members from coast to coast. Under Emily’s leadership, AIA Canada brings together the entire auto care supply and service chain and equips its members with the tools, skills, , and knowledge they need to succeed in a fast-paced, competitive landscape.
In her role, Emily brings a diverse and hands-on perspective to the auto care sector, helping to connect stakeholders across the supply chain and support industry growth and innovation.
Emily’s experience in the auto care industry spans both the corporate and skilled trades environments. Growing up in the industry, she gained early insight into both the challenges and opportunities of the automotive sector. She would eventually start her own independent auto repair business and successfully earned her 310S Red Seal as an Automotive Service Technician.
Throughout her career in the auto care sector, Emily has focused her efforts on advancing key industry priorities, including workforce development and talent attraction, right to repair and access to information, and strengthening collaboration across the sector. She is passionate about building a sustainable talent pipeline by engaging students earlier and increasing awareness of career opportunities, while also advocating for policies that support technicians, educators, and business owners.
With a background that bridges multiple facets of the industry—including business operations, education, and media—Emily brings a well-rounded and practical approach to industry challenges. She is committed to helping align diverse stakeholder needs, drive engagement, and translate strategic priorities into meaningful, measurable outcomes for the sector.
Emily is available to speak on the following topics:
- Workforce development and talent attraction
- Right to repair and access to information
- Industry collaboration and engagement
- Careers in the skilled trades and auto care sector
Emily Holtby
Emily Holtby is Vice President of Government Relations for AIA Canada, leading advocacy efforts with federal and provincial governments. She manages AIA Canada’s government relations strategic plan, providing strategic guidance to senior leadership. Previously, she worked as Senior Director, Government and Stakeholder Relations at the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and worked as a Senior Public Affairs Specialist for a public affairs firm in Ottawa.
Emily has an extensive background in government and public relations, having worked for a variety of not-for-profit trade associations in the creation and execution of their advocacy and communications plans.
Emily has received recognition from the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) for her work on leading advocacy campaigns for some of Canada’s largest organizations. A campaign Emily managed was recognized in Washington, District of Columbia, among North America’s top press release results, and she was a finalist in the 2019 and 2017 Faces in Ottawa Awards for Top Government Relations Specialist for her work with the CMPA.
Emily sits on the Board of Directors of the Government Relations Institute of Canada and was a member of the Parliamentary Internship Programme Advisory Board for 8 years.
Emily is available to speak on the following topics:
- Right to repair
- Government relations
- Advocacy priorities within the auto care industry
Stuart Klein
Stuart (Stu) Klein is the Vice President, Collision Programs, and Executive Director, at I-CAR Canada. Stu has focused his entire career in the collision industry. Being a Red Seal technician, he spent his first 20 years working in repair shops as a collision technician, painter, production manager, estimator and general manager.
His desire to progress led him to State Farm Insurance where he spent the next 10 years growing from an appraiser to monitoring a territory of direct repair facilities. An opportunity to join the Fix Network head office came next, where he has spent the last 15 years working closely with shops helping them focus on improvement, and then running their state-of-the-art training facility in Milton Ontario since it opened in 2019.
Stu has always been a promoter of the industry and an advocate of continuous training and learning. He started as an I-Car Canada instructor in 2005, is a certified welding trainer and maintains his personal I-Car Platinum recognition as a structural technician, non-structural technician, painter, and estimator.
He has been involved with Skills Canada as a judge at both the provincial and national levels and has been involved in countless events aimed at promoting the collision industry to youth.
Stu is available to speak on the following topics:
- I-CAR
- Collision programs
- Shop management
- Insurance relations
- Customer service in the collision sector
- Vehicle repairs
- Electric vehicles and collision repairs
- ADAS