Cambria Gold Mines Announces Additions to Management Team
Cambria Gold Mines Announces Additions to
Management Team
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2026) -
Cambria Gold Mines Inc.
(TSXV:
CAMB) (OTC Pink: AOTVF)
("
Cambria
" or the "
Company
") is pleased to announce new additions to
the Management Team. These new members are in addition to recently announced President, CEO and
Director, Robert McLeod; Chair Alex Morrison; Executive Vice-President Ryan Weymark and Corporate
Secretary Tally Barmash (See Ascot News Release Dec 30, 2025), as well as existing management that
are staying with the Company through the leadership transition.
"We are assembling an experienced, driven and enthusiastic team of technical, financial, community
engagement and marketing professionals,"
said Robert McLeod, President and CEO of Cambria Gold
Mines.
"Our incoming geological and engineering leaders have significant resource development,
geological modelling, construction and operational experience, particularly in northern environments.
We look forward to further outlining our new vision for the Premier and Red Mountain Gold Projects in
the coming weeks."
Management Biographies
Blaine Smit, P.Geo. VP Exploration
Blaine Smit is an exploration geologist with a multi-disciplinary background in mineral exploration,
project evaluation, and corporate development for projects ranging from early-stage grassroots to
advanced producing assets.
He was most recently with Orla Mining's corporate exploration team during
the company's growth from a junior developer to a multi-asset gold producer.
He has worked with
exploration and mining teams across North America on successful exploration programs where his work
was instrumental in the discovery of new mineral resources.
Mr. Smit holds a Bachelor of Science, Geology, from the University of British Columbia, and is a
registered Professional Geoscientist with Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia.
Christopher Park, CPA CGA Chief Financial Officer
Christopher Park is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA) and seasoned finance executive
with more than 25 years of experience which includes over two decades in the mining sector with
companies ranging from grassroots exploration to producers.
He has led finance organizations through
transformational phases including mine constructions within North America.
Mr. Park began his career in public accounting before entering the resource sector. His career includes
executive roles with accountability for finance, strategic planning and corporate restructuring.
He has
held numerous positions with publicly listed mining companies and recently served as Chief Financial
Officer of Northern Vertex, Northern Graphite and Northstar Clean Technologies during critical phases of
their development. He has acted as Interim Chief Financial Officer for Ascot for the past seven months.
Diego Sologuren, VP Business Development
Diego Sologuren is a Peruvian geologist and mining industry leader with a strong record in strategic
development and innovation within the sector and is a representative of Ccori Apu, Cambria Gold Mines
largest shareholder. He holds a degree in Geology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has
combined technical expertise with leadership roles throughout his career.
Diego currently serves as Strategic Development Executive Coordinator at Compañía Minera Poderosa
S.A., a major gold mining company in Peru focused on responsible resource development and
community engagement. He also plays an active role in industry-wide initiatives: since 2020 he has been
the President of the Energy, Mines and Hydrocarbons Committee at the Chamber of Commerce of La
Libertad, and he is a Director at the Hub de Innovación Minera, where he works to connect mining
innovation with business challenges and opportunities. Additionally, he has been a member of the Board
of Directors of Asociación Pataz, a civil association working for sustainable development in the Andean
region, since 2022.
Gord Doerksen, P.Eng.
VP Projects
Gord Doerksen, FEC, P.Eng. has over 40 years of experience in the mining industry in operations,
consulting and project development. Gord's 20+ years of operating experience was gained through
increasingly responsible engineering and production roles in open pit and underground mines in North
America and Africa and evolved into Chief Engineer and Mine Manager positions.
Gord also has 20 years of consulting and EPCM experience including Mining Practice Leader at SRK
Consulting (Canada) Inc. and President, Engineering Division, JDS Energy & Mining Inc. In his
consulting roles, Gord has led project teams in dozens of engineering studies, designed and executed
development plans, functioned as a Qualified Person for NI 43-101 reports, led operational improvement
initiatives and built and led EPCM teams.
As a co-founder of Minera Consulting Inc., he provides focused owner and First Nation support for
mineral development projects. Gord also is a part-time instructor at the British Columbia Institute of
Technology helping to develop the next generation of mining professionals.
Jacqueline Blackwell, Ph.D., P.Geo. Director of Geoscience
Jacqueline is an exploration geologist with over 18 years of experience spanning junior and established
exploration companies; including 12 years managing an independent consulting company, Long Point
Geologic Ltd. During her recent tenure as Gold Candle's Chief Geologist, Jacqueline spearheaded the
reinvigoration of the abandoned historic Kerr-Addison mine project to one of Canada's most significant
undeveloped gold resources.
Jacqueline has a Ph.D. in volcanology and economic geology from the University of Tasmania (CODES)
and an expertise in orogenic gold, epithermal gold, and porphyry copper deposits in altered volcanic
terranes.
She is a registered Professional Geoscientist with both Engineers and Geoscientists of British
Columbia and the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario.
John Tejada, P.Geo. Exploration Manager
John Tejada is a Professional Geoscientist with more than nine years of experience in surface and
underground mining and mineral exploration. He has held progressively senior technical and leadership
roles with major producers and junior mining companies, contributing to active operations as well as
greenfields and brownfields exploration projects. These include the Red Mountain Project, the Premier
Gold Project, the Mount Milligan Mine, and most recently the Brucejack Mine. His background spans
exploration and resource drilling, geological modelling, the execution of large-scale drill programs, and
production geology experience gained through close collaboration with technical and operations teams.
John holds a B.Sc. in Geological Sciences from the University of British Columbia and is a registered
Professional Geoscientist with Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia.
Julianne Madsen, M.Sc., P.Geo. Database Manager
Julianne Madsen is a Professional Geoscientist with over 20 years of experience in exploration and
mining, specializing in geological database management and data quality. Guided by the conviction that
reliable data is essential for achieving success, Julianne is dedicated to promoting the highest
standards of accuracy and integrity throughout every stage of data management.
Before joining Cambria, Julianne Madsen played a pivotal role at the nearby Brucejack Mine. For over
seven years, Julianne led advancements in Brucejack's geological database systems, data validation
workflows, and QAQC programs, while mentoring site teams and fostering best practices. During this
time, she also successfully navigated two corporate takeovers and adapted to the evolving standards of
three mining companies—Pretivm Resources, Newcrest Mining, and Newmont—further expanding
industry expertise and versatility.
Nick Stoneberger, Director of Construction
Nick Stoneberger is Director of Construction at Cambria Gold Mines Inc., where he is responsible for the
strategic leadership, governance, and execution oversight of all construction activities across the
Company's Premier and Red Mountain projects. He brings extensive experience delivering complex
mining and infrastructure projects in northern and remote jurisdictions, with a strong focus on safety,
regulatory compliance, capital discipline, and operational readiness.
Nick's experience spans both underground and open-pit mine development, processing facilities,
infrastructure upgrades, and brownfield restart environments. He has led multi-disciplinary teams through
all project phases, from early planning and constructability through commissioning and handover. His
approach emphasizes fit-for-purpose solutions that align engineering, construction, and operations to
ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, and within budget.
He holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from McGill University and is based in British Columbia.
Ranj Pillai, VP External Affairs
Ranj Pillai is a business executive and former public sector leader who served as the tenth Premier of
the Yukon. Over nearly a decade in territorial politics, he held several senior cabinet portfolios, including
energy, mines and resources and economic development, and was the minister responsible for the
territory's development and energy corporations.
Over nearly a decade in government, Pillai focused on strengthening and diversifying the Yukon's
economy through responsible resource development, strategic infrastructure investment, and targeted
support to entrepreneurs and the resource sector while advancing reconciliation. As Premier, he brought
national attention to Arctic security and northern infrastructure, advocating for a Northern trade corridor to
expand territorial access to domestic and international markets, advancing the connection of the Yukon's
electrical grid to British Columbia, and supporting initiatives to increase the Yukon's access to tidewater.
Pillai worked collaboratively with Yukon First Nations and industry to modernize mineral resource
management and enhance regulatory clarity. He is a signatory to the 2017 memorandum of
understanding between the Government of Yukon and self-governing Yukon First Nations, which
addressed the full lifecycle of mineral development, from prospecting to post-closure management.
Pillai has served as a co-chair for the federal, provincial, and territorial Energy and Mines Ministers'
meeting and Internal Trade Table, and chaired the 2024 Western Premiers' Conference and 2025
Northern Premier's Conference.
Before entering territorial politics, Pillai held senior leadership roles with Gorilla Minerals Corporation,
Champagne and Aishihik First Nation, Northern Vision Development, the City of Whitehorse, and Yukon
University. He is currently CEO of Seva Mining, a gold exploration company. He holds a Bachelor of Arts
from King's College, comes from a proud multi-generational mining family, and lives in Whitehorse with
his wife and sons.
Sam Brezden, VP Communications and Community
Sam Brezden is an Indigenous senior communications and engagement leader with more than a
decade of experience supporting complex construction, mining, and infrastructure projects across
Canada. She brings deep expertise in corporate and investor-facing communications, market
positioning, stakeholder strategy, and regulatory communications, with a proven ability to deliver clear,
transparent, and credible messaging that strengthens shareholder confidence and supports informed
decision-making.
Throughout her career, Sam has advised executive teams and boards on high-stakes communications
and led multi-layered stakeholder programs for major resource projects, including her work with Nations
Royalty Corp, a majority Indigenous-owned royalty company. Previously, she founded and led a public
relations firm specializing in the construction and mining sectors, and is recognized for aligning
community and corporate priorities to build long-lasting partnerships, while communicating outcomes
with clarity, credibility, and impact.
About Cambria Gold Mines
Cambria Gold Mines is a Canadian mining company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia,
and its shares trade on the TSX-V under the ticker CAMB and on the OTC Pink under the ticker AOTVF.
Cambria is the 100% owner of the Premier Gold mine and Red Mountain Gold Project that are located
on Nisga'a Nation Treaty Lands, in the prolific Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. For
more information about the Company, please refer to the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at
www.sedarplus.ca
or visit the Company's website at
www.cambriagold.com
.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Cambria Gold Mines Inc.
Robert McLeod
CEO and Director
For further information contact:
Email:
Phone: 778-725-1060
and:
Sam Brezden
Email:
Phone: 236-838-1840
Or visit:
https://cambriagold.com/
Cautionary Statements
:
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS
THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
All statements and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events
may constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking
statements"). Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such
as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "targeted", "outlook", "on track" and
"intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could", "would" or "might" occur
or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact,
included herein are forward-looking statements, including statements in respect of the ability of the
Company to accomplish its business objectives and the intentions described herein; and future plans,
development and operations of the Company. These statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those
anticipated in such forward-looking statements, discretion in the Company's use of available funds
from the Offering; risks relating to negative operating cash flows of the Company; business and
economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency
exchange rates; environmental compliance; risks related to outstanding debt; uncertainty of estimates
and projections relating to development, production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and
environmental risks; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity
and grade of mineral deposits; the need to obtain additional financing to finance operations and
uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; social media and reputation; negative
publicity; human rights; business objectives; shortage of personnel; health and safety; the possibility
of delay in future plans and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; claims and legal
proceedings; information systems and cyber security; internal controls; violation of anti-bribery or
corruption laws; competition; tax considerations; compliance with listing standards; enforcement of
civil liabilities; financing requirement risks; market price volatility of the common shares; uncertainty
as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; the need for exchange
approval, and other regulatory approvals and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in
Cambria's filings with Canadian securities regulators, available on Cambria's profile on SEDAR+ at
www.sedarplus.ca
including the Annual Information Form of the Company dated March 24, 2025, in
the section entitled "Risk Factors". Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made with
regard to:
the estimated costs associated with the care and maintenance plans; the tax rate applicable
to the Company; future commodity prices; the grade of mineral resources and mineral reserves; labor
and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with the Company's current expectations, the
ability of the Company to convert inferred mineral resources to other categories; the ability of the
Company to reduce mining dilution; the ability to reduce capital costs; the ability of the Company to
raise additional financing; currency exchange rates being approximately consistent with current
levels, compliance with the covenants in Cambria's credit agreements; exploration plans; and general
marketing, political, business and economic conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on
estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Although Cambria
believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are
reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Cambria can
give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Cambria does not undertake any
obligation to update forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable laws. The
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary
statement.
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https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284388