Building in Public: The Challenges and Opportunities of Public Sector Product Management

Behind the scenes, product leaders are building the technology that powers our daily lives—from managing taxes to parking systems and financial services. Join us for a panel on how these innovators are tackling big public challenges and creating tech for everyone.

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Our Speakers
Rebecca Nava
Lead of Product Management @ Public Services and Procurement Canada
Brendan Herjavec
Vice President, Product Operations Strategy @ PlaySpace
Fenton Jagdeo
Founder and Entrepreneur
Event Date: 
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Start Time: 
5:30 pm
Event Location: 
TBA

About the Event

At the moment, it’s difficult to ignore that there are really serious problems in the world that need to be solved. According to a recent Notable Life article, more and more people in the tech industry are leaving their jobs in search of purpose driven companies. Not to mention, many tech companies are actively working on issues that affect all of us, from climate change, energy tech, ocean clean-up, and micro-financing. Startups and scaled companies alike are investing in mission-driven products and services. With public sector tech jobs being cut south of the border, it is more important than ever to understand the role of technology in addressing public problems, and how we, as product people, can build great experiences for EVERYONE. 

Key Takeaways:

This program will feature a panel of speakers who have built careers working on public problems, we will dive into: 

  • How They Started: Insights into their career paths and what led them to mission-driven work
  • Public vs. Private: Key differences between building tech in public and private organizations
  • Unique Challenges: How they approach scale, performance, and usability when their customer is everyone

If you’re a product leader, or have experience working at a mission driven company or public organization, we will be having a Q+A with our community and would love to hear from you about your experiences! 

‍Speakers: ‍

  • Rebecca Nava, Lead of Product Management @ Public Services and Procurement Canada
  • Fenton Jagdeo, Founder & Entrepreneur
  • Brendan Herjavec, Vice President, Product Operations Strategy @ PlaySpace

Event Tickets:

‍This event is open to everyone, but a free TPMA membership is required to attend.

Tickets cost $15 for regular TPMA Members and $12.50 for Community-Builder level members. Update your membership here.

Your ticket includes a drink and a selection of light snacks.

‍Event Agenda: 

  • 5:30 - 6:00 PM – Networking (in-person only)
  • 6:00 - 7:00 PM – Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A
  • 7:00 - 8:30 PM – Networking (in-person only)

Location: 

Hybrid: TBA or join online via Zoom

Accessibility: For any accessibility concerns, please reach out to us at info@tpma.ca.

Speaker Bios
Rebecca Nava
Lead of Product Management @ Public Services and Procurement Canada

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Brendan Herjavec
Vice President, Product Operations Strategy @ PlaySpace

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Fenton Jagdeo
Founder and Entrepreneur

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