{"id":167,"date":"2024-02-05T14:24:01","date_gmt":"2024-02-05T19:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/?page_id=167"},"modified":"2026-03-05T14:26:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T19:26:35","slug":"our-leadership","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/our-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Our leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t<section class=\"alignfull header-block simple__header\" aria-labelledby=\"header-title\">\n\t\t<!-- Simple Header -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"main-grid header__simple\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"main-grid__margin\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header__simple__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header__simple__content header-with-image__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 id=\"header-title\">Board of Directors &amp; Leadership Team<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Meet the leaders who guide us and amplify Futurpreneur\u2019s impact supporting the young founders who are creating an inclusive, prosperous future for Canada.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"header__simple__icons\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"star-one animate--scale-up\" width=\"90\" height=\"90\" viewBox=\"0 0 90 90\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_2917_8098)\">\n<path d=\"M90 44.9972C90.004 45.3677 89.9339 45.7353 89.7939 46.0784C89.654 46.4215 89.4469 46.7331 89.1849 46.9952C88.9229 47.2572 88.6112 47.4642 88.2681 47.6042C87.925 47.7442 87.5575 47.8142 87.187 47.8103C76.7474 47.8228 66.739 51.9754 59.3571 59.3573C51.9753 66.7392 47.8226 76.7476 47.8101 87.1871C47.8141 87.5576 47.744 87.9252 47.604 88.2683C47.4641 88.6114 47.257 88.923 46.995 89.1851C46.733 89.4471 46.4213 89.6541 46.0782 89.7941C45.7351 89.9341 45.3676 90.0041 44.997 90.0002C44.2525 89.997 43.5394 89.6995 43.0135 89.1724C42.4875 88.6454 42.1915 87.9317 42.1899 87.1871C42.1938 82.015 41.1779 76.8928 39.2004 72.1136C37.2229 67.3345 34.3226 62.9921 30.6654 59.3348C27.0081 55.6776 22.6657 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aria-label=\"Our Board of Directors section\">\n\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"js-people-block\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-block-title=\"Our Board of Directors\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-block-text=\"Our esteemed Board of Directors volunteer their time, expertise and wisdom to advise and govern Futurpreneur\u2019s work helping diverse, young entrepreneurs launch successful businesses and contribute to Canada\u2019s prosperity. \"\n\t\t\t\tdata-block-button-text=\"Our Board of Directors demographics\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-panel-title=\"\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-page-content=\"&lt;h1&gt;Our Board of Directors demographics&lt;\/h1&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;Futurpreneur Board members include leaders across a variety of sectors, such as wholesale &amp; services, retail &amp; consumer products, health &amp; wellness, education, financial services, and more. Some have founded and led sole proprietorships while others have built or led multi-billion-dollar enterprises.&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;Ten of our thirteen Board Members are entrepreneurs, including three young entrepreneurs who received Futurpreneur\u2019s support in launching iconic businesses such as BiogeniQ, Kiwetin Clothing and Mejuri. Their contributions have achieved transformational impact in their respective industries and communities.&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;ul&gt;\n&lt;li style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;Four members (36%) who identify as Black, Indigenous or a person of colour&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\n&lt;li style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;Six women (46%), six men (46%) and one member who identifies as gender-fluid&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\n&lt;li style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;46% of members were under 40 years old when they joined the Board&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\n&lt;li style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;Members live in six provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\n&lt;li style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;One member identifies as 2SLGBTQIA+&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\n&lt;li style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;One member identifies as living with disabilities&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\n&lt;\/ul&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;These demographics will be updated as members complete their terms and new members are recruited.&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-page-id=\"board-of-directors\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-people-json=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:7312,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;john-risley-oc-7312&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/John-Risley-Headshot-1024x683.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;John Risley, O.C.&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Founding Chair&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Chairman and CEO, CFFI Ventures Inc.&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;John Risley is Chairman and CEO of CFFI Ventures Inc., a diversified holding company operating internationally. The company has majority or significant stakes in a portfolio of young companies ranging from financial services, renewable energy and the tech sector. He is also the Chair of Northern Private Capital, a Toronto based fund which invests in high growth opportunities, Chair of MDA Corporation, Canada\\u2019s iconic space company and Chair of World Energy, one of North America\\u2019s largest biofuel producers and only producer of sustainable aviation fuel.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Mr. Risley is very active in community affairs, sitting on the Board of a number of charitable organizations. He is a Director of Futurpreneur Canada, and Chair of the Ocean Supercluster. He regularly engages in public policy debate and is a member of the World President\\u2019s Organization, The Chief Executives Organization, the Business Council of Canada and the Trilateral Commission. He is also a graduate of Harvard University\\u2019s President\\u2019s Program in Leadership.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1997 and is a member of the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7308,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;david-aisenstat-7308&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/DavidAisenstat-e1710447606393.png&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;David Aisenstat&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Chair of the Board&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Chair, Keg Restaurants Ltd.&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;David Aisenstat was born into the restaurant business. His father, Hy Aisenstat, was one of the giants of the Canadian restaurant industry and founder of the famous Hy\\u2019s Steakhouse chain.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;After graduating from university, David joined Nabisco Brands, moving quickly through the corporate ranks in Montreal, Toronto and New York. In 1981, David returned to Canada as Vice-President of Hy\\u2019s. His contributions to the company were recognized by his appointment first to Executive Vice-President, and then to President of Hy\\u2019s in 1988.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;During his time at Hy\\u2019s, David also played an active role on both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Keg Restaurants Ltd. This involvement continued until the sale of Keg Restaurants Ltd. to Whitbread PLC, a large British brewing and hospitality conglomerate, in 1987. Ten years later, and armed with a lifetime of knowledge in the steakhouse market, David seized the opportunity to purchase The Keg Steakhouse &amp; Bar chain from Whitbread in 1997.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;David believes that the legacy and enthusiastic spirit embodied in the organization has been a core business value since close friend and mentor, George Tidball, founded the restaurant chain in 1971. That spirit has led David to launch The Keg Spirit Foundation, a charitable organization to focus on causes that benefit children and young people.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7315,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;paula-cruickshank-7315&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Paula-Cruickshank-Headshot.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Paula Cruickshank&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Treasurer&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Senior Vice President, Fund Investments, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Paula is Senior Vice President, Fund Investments for BDC Capital, overseeing the Fund Investments team with a focus on achieving BDC Capital\\u2019s mission of seeding and growing emerging top-tier general partners, supporting existing top-quartile Canadian general partners, and attracting global funds. She brings more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry to the role and has been with BDC for over 15 years.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Paula joined BDC in 2009 as Vice President, Securitization, taking over the management of the Canadian Secured Credit Facility, a $12 billion program by the Government of Canada to help restart the asset-backed securities market following the 2007\\u20132009 financial crisis. She also launched BDC\\u2019s Funding Platform for Independent Lenders (F-PIL) to provide capital to smaller financing and leasing companies. In 2015, she assumed responsibility for both Syndicated Financing and Indirect Financing. In 2017, Paula was appointed Senior Vice President, British Columbia and North, successfully growing the bank\\u2019s financing and consulting services throughout that region. In 2020, Paula transitioned into the role of Senior Vice President, Ontario, overseeing BDC\\u2019s financing and consulting services across the province. She also took on the role of Business Lead for BDC\\u2019s Digital Transformation in Ontario from 2021 to 2023, in which she focused on ensuring digital investment decisions and strategies for segmentation, omni-channel and client teams were aligned and continued to serve BDC\\u2019s clients.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Before joining BDC, Paula spent more than 11 years with the Scotiabank Group, where she gained broad experience in structured finance and corporate finance.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Paula holds an International MBA from the Schulich School of Business and an LL.M in Banking and Financial Institutions from Osgoode Hall Law School.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7310,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;janelle-hinds-7310&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Janelle-5-e1710944143360-987x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Janelle Hinds&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Secretary&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Founder, Helping Hands&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Janelle Hinds is the founder of Helping Hands, a platform to help youth volunteer and get civically engaged while building skills for their future careers. She delivers workshops to newcomer and racialized youth to build leadership skills and more to ensure all youth are active citizens. Helping Hands provides ongoing mentorship to youth, is creating systemic change to encourage youth participation in various levels of government, sharing stories of young changemakers to encourage other youth and change the narrative, and supporting young entrepreneurs to find funding and grow their efforts.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Janelle is an advocate for social innovation and encouraging others to pursue entrepreneurial endeavours. While working on her Bachelors of Engineering with majors in both Biomedical and Electrical Engineering, Janelle realized her passion for STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) education, entrepreneurship and diversity issues. She founded HackItMac (now known as PhaseOne), a collaborative community to learn about technology and organized deltaHacks, one of the first student-run hackathon in North America with a focus on enabling positive social change.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;She has worked on integrating efforts to increase diversity in many of her endeavours and always looking for more opportunities to help others in their efforts. She is a leading Diversity Equity and Inclusion advocate and consultant helping organizations create inclusive workforces, products and services.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Janelle has met with various figures including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte, Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard and Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla. She was recently awarded Forbes 30 Under 30 as the only Canadian for Education, as well as United Way of Greater Toronto\\u2019s Youth Leadership Award, Samara\\u2019s Everyday Political Citizen Award and Dutch organization Inspiring Fifty\\u2019s Top Women in Technology and Innovation. She a fellow for Institute for Canadian Citizenship and CivicAction\\u2019s DiverseCity.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7313,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;lorne-blesse-7313&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Lorne-Blesse-883x1024.png&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Lorne Blesse&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Founder and Owner, Kiwetin Clothing&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Lorne is a proud husband, father, and an entrepreneur who holds his Indigenous heritage from the Little Red River Cree Nation with deep pride. While his love for hockey has always burned bright, Lorne realized during high school that his dreams of reaching the NHL were unlikely to come to fruition. However, this realization paved the way for him to pursue another lifelong dream: building his own business.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;As a young Indigenous individual, Lorne began his journey in the Economic Development Department of his First Nation, where he dedicated himself to empowering and assisting young entrepreneurs in starting their own ventures. While this work was rewarding, it rekindled Lorne\\u2019s desire to forge his own path as an entrepreneur. He expressed, \\u201cI have been fortunate to have great mentors throughout my life, but I felt a deep longing to take on more responsibility and assume a leadership role. I aspired to create the life that truly want for myself.\\u201d&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In heartfelt discussions with his fianc\\u00e9e, who is now his wife, they explored the idea of starting a business. Lorne\\u2019s wife offered unwavering support, encouraging him to delve deeper into the specifics of the business he envisioned. Without hesitation, Lorne knew he wanted to launch an apparel company, but one with a profound purpose that went beyond fashion. Reflecting on his own experiences, he shared, \\u201cAs an Indigenous youth, I never felt that my identity was accurately represented in the clothing I owned. My ultimate goal was to create something that would allow the next generation of Indigenous youth in Canada, the U.S., and across Turtle Island to find solace in their culture through their clothing.\\u201d&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Inspired by the breathtaking natural environment of northern Alberta, where he grew up, and the countless family outings that immersed them in the surrounding landscapes, Lorne was determined to infuse his Indigenous culture into his business. Fondly reminiscing about the cherished moments spent outdoors, he shared, \\u201cWe were constantly immersed in nature\\u2014boating, fishing, and canoeing. My parents instilled in us the importance of respecting the power of the northern wind, which could swiftly stir up the water, rendering it impassable. This lesson stayed with me.\\u201d This marked the birth of Kiwetin Clothing, a business that would capture the essence of the wilderness and celebrate his cultural heritage.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In 2017, Lorne participated in the Alberta Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Camp, generously sponsored by the Alberta Indian Investment Corporation. The connections he made during this invaluable week-long program led him to Futurpreneur, an organization that would play a pivotal role in shaping his business idea and formulating a solid plan. Eager to embark on his entrepreneurial journey and with a vision of gradually growing his business, Lorne aspired to make Kiwetin Clothing his full-time commitment in the years to come.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Adhering to his \\u201cslow and steady\\u201d approach, Lorne officially launched Kiwetin Clothing in 2017 while still working full time. He dedicated his evenings and weekends to nurturing the business, overseeing design processes, establishing an online presence, and managing all inquiries, sales, and shipments. Simultaneously, he refined his business model, striving to create a clothing line that authentically represented both Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures, fostering unity among all Canadians. Lorne\\u2019s unwavering commitment and hard work paid off as Kiwetin Clothing flourished over four years.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In 2021, Lorne made the decision to leave his employment and devote himself fully to Kiwetin Clothing. With a thriving and purpose-driven line of clothing and accessories that embodied his business ethos, Lorne was ready to expand his company and embrace it as his life\\u2019s work. This newfound dedication allows him to explore more eco-friendly printing methods, solidify relationships with wholesalers and retailers, and consistently enhance the quality of his products.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Lorne\\u2019s journey serves as a testament to his passion, determination, and unwavering pride in his Indigenous heritage. With Kiwetin Clothing, he strives to make a positive impact by showcasing Indigenous identity and culture while fostering unity among diverse communities. As he embraces the entrepreneurial path, Lorne looks forward to leaving a lasting legacy and creating the life he envisions\\u2014one that embodies his heritage, values, and dreams. Additionally, he feels deeply honoured to become a board member of the organization that provided him with the opportunity to chase his dream, allowing him to give back and inspire future generations of entrepreneurs.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7317,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;tania-m-clarke-7317&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Tania-M-Clarke-1-1024x803.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Tania M. Clarke&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Corporate Director BDC, Jamieson Wellness &amp; McGill University Health Center Foundation &quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Ms. Clarke has over 25 years in senior financial positions, in a diverse range of sectors, including the food &amp; beverage, manufacturing, retail and financial sectors. She has previously served as Senior Vice-President and CFO at publicly-traded multinational corporations, including New Look Vision group and Imvescor Restaurant Group Her experience covers enterprise risk, financial, reporting, governance, investor relations, legal, real estate, tax, mergers and acquisitions, and information technology. Ms. Clarke began her professional career at KPMG (Montreal, Quebec).&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;She presently sits on the boards of Jamieson Wellness (TSX: JWEL), and serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the McGill University Health Centre Foundation.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Ms. Clarke has been a member of various community groups, in Montreal, Quebec, and held board positions on the West Island Black Community Association and The Games for Hope Foundation.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Ms. Clarke is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and holds a Graduate Diploma in Public Accountancy as well as a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University. She is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Illinois. She also holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and was Cohort Valedictorian. In January and April 2024, Ms. Clarke successfully completed the Climate &amp; Biodiversity (CCB.D) and Sustainability &amp; ESG (GCB.D) designations with Competent Boards. In 2025, Ms. Clarke was honored with the King Charles III medal for her business and community contributions, and was awarded the CPA Fellow distinction.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7309,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;etienne-crevier-7309&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/EtienneCrevier-e1710447629567.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Etienne Crevier&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Founder and CEO, Entourage Investment Inc.&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;For many people, following their parent\\u2019s footsteps is an obvious choice for their career. However, for Etienne Crevier, both the achievements of his father and his death, convinced him to launch the company BiogeniQ. The young startup wants to bring personalized medicine to patients by offering genetic tests allowing anyone to adapt their lifestyle to their genetic profile.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;A few years earlier, Etienne Crevier was a Ph.D. student in genetics at the Universit\\u00e9 de Montr\\u00e9al and aspired to become a university researcher. His father, Dr. Yves Crevier who was a physician in the Montreal area, died of a cardiac arrest. Etienne then decided to go into business and leave research. After starting his MBA, he launched BiogeniQ in August 2013.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In the past years, BiogeniQ won several prizes such as the most innovative startup in Quebec for 2014 by the Quebec Entrepreneurship Award and in 2016 by the Qu\\u00e9bec Junior Business Board Network. BiogeniQ also received the award for the most innovative startup in Canada by the Spin Master Innovation Fund as well as the most innovative company in Life Sciences in 2016 recognized by the Innovations Awards of the ADRIQ-RCTI. Etienne is the recipient of the Scientific Entrepreneur of the Year 2014, a finalist for the Young Entrepreneur of the year 2016, and was recognized at The Junior Chamber of Commerce of Montreal (JCCM) and at the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of the Year.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:10434,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;ron-lovett-10434&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/Lovett_-Ron-copy-1024x683.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Ron Lovett&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Founder, CEO &amp; Chief Community Officer at VIDA&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Ron Lovett is an entrepreneur, international speaker and author. As the Founder, CEO &amp; Chief Community Officer at VIDA, his company continues to revolutionize affordable communities, with a positive social impact across the real estate industry. VIDA owns and operates nearly 2,800 units across Canada, with a decentralized business model that reimagines the way people interact with their housing, by activating them in maintaining affordability.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;As a leader with a passion for industry change and disruption, Ron is also the Founder and Owner of Connolly Owens, a consulting firm helping companies build resilient people and cultures. Previously, Ron was the Founder of a Canadian security firm (Source Security &amp; Investigations) that grew to over 1,500 staff nationwide, before selling the company to the largest provider in the United States at a 24x multiple.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Ron has been awarded the Remy Martin Bold Five under 35, the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award, 5x Atlantic Business Magazine Top 50 CEO Award, and the Junior Chamber International Outstanding Young Person Award. He has also completed multiple Harvard courses in leadership, negotiation and design thinking. Ron founded a chapter of Entrepreneurs\\u2019 Organization, as well as, Accelerator programs, supporting over 80 entrepreneurs across Atlantic Canada. He continues to mentor at-risk youth and support young entrepreneurs. Ron is a proud husband and father of three children, residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7318,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;thor-richardson-7318&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/TR-photo-2026-1024x683.jpeg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Thor Richardson&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;President, James Richardson &amp; Sons, Limited&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Thor R. Richardson is the eighth family President of James Richardson &amp; Sons, Limited (JRSL) since 1857, one of Canada\\u2019s largest private, family-owned corporations. Prior to joining JRSL, he served as Vice-President, Business Development and Integration at Richardson International Limited, a global leader in agriculture and food processing.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Mr. Richardson is a member of the board of directors of Patricia Transportation Company Limited (parent company of Bison Transport Inc.), Richardson International Limited, Tundra Oil &amp; Gas Limited, Kingston Midstream Limited, Wynward Insurance Group and Lombard Realty Limited, all of which are wholly owned subsidiaries of JRSL.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Mr. Richardson is active in the community and supports numerous organizations while serving on the boards of the Richardson Foundation, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and Futurpreneur. He is a member of the Business Council of Canada and in 2025 was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Mr. Richardson holds an Honours degree in Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business and a Bachelor of Laws degree (Honours) from the University of Cambridge.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:11381,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;noura-sakkijha-11381&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/NOURASAKKIJHA-1-1024x578.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Noura Sakkijha&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Mejuri&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Born in Jordan, Noura Sakkijha (Co-Founder and CEO of Mejuri) is the third generation in a family of jewelers, exposing her to the production techniques and the complexity of fine jewelry design at an early age. While she loved fine jewelry, the traditional aspect of men purchasing for women didn\\u2019t resonate with her. She chose to pursue another passion, and studied industrial engineering at the University of Jordan. This led her to immigrate to Canada to receive her MBA at Toronto Metropolitan University, and work in consulting at one of the top financial institutions in Toronto. Though she loved her job, fine jewelry was always on her mind.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In 2015, Noura made the decision to leverage her learnings from the industry and her deep understanding of supply chain to create Mejuri, a fine jewelry brand that has redefined the way individuals think of and purchase fine jewelry\\u2014for themselves. To date, the brand has amassed a large community of loyal customers and 40+ stores across North America, United Kingdom and Australia. Since inception, Noura has built a global brand on the foundational principles of empowerment, inclusivity and innovation, while working towards making a positive impact in our communities, the industry, and the world.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;One of her proudest accomplishments is creating the Mejuri Empowerment Fund in 2020, which has allocated almost a million dollars in scholarships and bursaries to underrepresented women and non-binary individuals so they can have the tools and resources to succeed.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7316,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;sonia-sennik-7316&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Sonia-Sennik-784x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Sonia Sennik&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;Chief Executive Officer, Creative Destruction Lab&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Sonia is the Chief Executive Officer of Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a global not-for-profit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. Sonia is responsible for the CDL\\u2019s strategic, operational and programmatic leadership, coordination and oversight across thirteen university-based locations in seven countries.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;From 2020 to 2023, Sonia led the CDL Rapid Screening Consortium, a unique project to develop and implement COVID-19 screening systems at workplaces across Canada to help reopen the economy and break the chain of transmission of the virus. Sonia worked with researchers to publish in two world-leading academic journals including JAMA Research and Science Advances, and won the 2022 PMI Project of the Year Award.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Prior to CDL, Sonia spent a decade managing large-scale capital projects at Hatch Ltd., a leading global engineering firm. They are well-established in leading interdisciplinary teams of professionals working on multiple, complex projects.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In 2020, Sonia founded the Sonia Sennik Resilience Fund at McMaster University to award an annual $8,000 entrance scholarship for an engineering student who has shown grit and strength of character in their life; the largest multi-donor endowment in McMaster Engineering history. Recently, Sonia was named in Canada\\u2019s Top 40 Under 40. Sonia is also the host and executive producer of Connected Intelligence, a podcast about all the things we bring to work that aren\\u2019t actually about the work.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Sonia was the head coach of Rugby Ontario Senior Women\\u2019s Team from 2016 to 2018. Sonia is a proud MBA graduate at Rotman School of Management and was the first-ever recipient of the Social Impact Award. Sonia received the Rotman Emerging Leader Award to recognize their influential leadership talent to motivate, mentor and inspire others to reach their potential. Sonia holds a B.Eng from McMaster University.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/sonia-sennik\\\/?originalSubdomain=ca&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.soniasennik.com\\\/&quot;}]\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\t<section class=\"people-block\" aria-label=\"Leadership Team section\">\n\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"js-people-block\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-block-title=\"Leadership Team\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-block-text=\"Diverse and representative leadership perspectives are very important at Futurpreneur, enriching our discussions and helping us make decisions that contribute to inclusive Canadian prosperity by fostering the success of diverse, young entrepreneurs.\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-block-button-text=\"Our Leadership Team demographics\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-panel-title=\"\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-page-content=\"&lt;h1&gt;Our leadership demographics&lt;\/h1&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp&lt;br \/&gt;\n&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: 400&quot;&gt;Our 23-person leadership team spans six provinces from coast to coast: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. 57% of our leaders are multilingual \u2013 collectively, they speak ten languages! Our nine senior leadership team (SLT) members, currently based in Toronto and Montreal, originally hail from seven different countries and have lived in communities ranging from major global cities to rural Canadian towns of less than 500 people.&lt;\/span&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;!-- wp:table {&quot;className&quot;:&quot;is-style-regular&quot;} --&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;figure class=&quot;wp-block-table is-style-regular&quot;&gt;\n&lt;table&gt;\n&lt;thead&gt;\n&lt;tr&gt;\n&lt;th&gt;&lt;\/th&gt;\n&lt;th&gt;Leadership Team: 23&lt;\/th&gt;\n&lt;th&gt;Senior Leadership Team: 9&lt;\/th&gt;\n&lt;\/tr&gt;\n&lt;\/thead&gt;\n&lt;tbody&gt;\n&lt;tr&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Women&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;65%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;67%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;\/tr&gt;\n&lt;tr&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Black, Indigenous &amp; People of Colour&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&#8211; Black&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&#8211; Indigenous&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&#8211; People of Colour*&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;43%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;13%&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;4%&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;35%&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;44%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;22%&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;0%&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;33%&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;\/tr&gt;\n&lt;tr&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Born outside Canada&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;43%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;67%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;\/tr&gt;\n&lt;tr&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2SLGBTQIA+&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;13%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;22%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;\/tr&gt;\n&lt;tr&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Living with Disability&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;13%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong&gt;0%&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/td&gt;\n&lt;\/tr&gt;\n&lt;\/tbody&gt;\n&lt;\/table&gt;&lt;figcaption class=&quot;wp-element-caption&quot;&gt;* Includes people who also identify as Black and\/or Indigenous.&lt;\/figcaption&gt;&lt;\/figure&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;!-- \/wp:table --&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-page-id=\"leadership-team\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-people-json=\"[{&quot;id&quot;:7418,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;karen-greve-young-7418&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/Futurpreneur-115-e1710770115778-774x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Karen Greve Young&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Chief Executive Officer&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Karen Greve Young is the CEO of Futurpreneur, a national non-profit organization that has provided loan financing with mentorship support to over 20,000+ young entrepreneurs across Canada since its establishment in 1996. With her extensive background in finance and strategy, Karen is an accomplished leader in the non-profit sector, committed to driving inclusive economic and social prosperity through innovative approaches and strategic partnerships. She leads a committed team at Futurpreneur, working to empower diverse young entrepreneurs and foster sustainable economic development within communities across Canada.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Before joining Futurpreneur in 2018, Karen held the position of Vice President, Corporate Development &amp; Partnerships at MaRS Discovery District, where she played a pivotal role in shaping corporate strategies, managing global innovation partnerships, and overseeing community engagement initiatives. Her earlier career encompasses various finance, management, and strategy roles in prominent organizations such as Bain &amp; Company, Gap Inc., and the UK\\u2019s Institute of Cancer Research in San Francisco, New York, and London.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Karen&#8217;s passion for making a difference extends beyond her professional endeavors. She co-authored a book with her mother titled &#8220;Love You So Much, A Shared Memoir,&#8221; documenting their journey through her mother&#8217;s ovarian cancer. Karen also serves as Chair of the Board of Ovarian Cancer Canada, further demonstrating her commitment to supporting important causes.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;She holds an MBA from Stanford University&#8217;s Graduate School of Business and an A.B. in Economics from Harvard University, both with honours.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7414,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;anukul-sharma-7414&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/AnukulSharma-683x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Anukul Sharma&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Chief Financial Officer&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Anukul is an accomplished leader with experience in steering operations, finance, and administration. He has a proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and driving long-term strategic value for all stakeholders.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;At Futurpreneur, Anukul is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), responsible for overseeing finance, loan portfolio administration, data governance &amp; insights and real-estate functions. He has been instrumental in transforming Futurpreneur\\u2019s financial stability and operational efficacy, significantly enhancing support for young entrepreneurs and our pan-Canadian team.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Prior to joining Futurpreneur, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for a global education company. He led finance, HR and operations teams across multiple continents, including North America, Europe, and Asia.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Anukul holds an Ontario Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and earned a Bachelor of Commerce from Panjab University in India.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/anukul-sharma-cpa-b27ba993\\\/&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7417,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;janis-nixon-7417&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/janis-headshot-feb-2024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Janis Nixon&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Chief Growth Officer&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Janis serves as the Chief Growth Officer at Futurpreneur, where she plays a key role in overseeing the teams responsible for cultivating values-based, long-term partnerships and spearheading training initiatives to empower diverse young entrepreneurs across Canada.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Her collaborative efforts with colleagues and the senior leadership team in March 2021 led to a groundbreaking corporate commitment from RBC, which was instrumental in launching Futurpreneur\\u2019s Black Entrepreneur Startup Program.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;With over 25 years of experience across the profit and non-profit sectors, Janis brings a wealth of knowledge in fundraising, program development, and marketing. This includes 20+ years in the music industry as a marketing executive, where she was instrumental in launching digital music services in Canada, as well as propelling the careers of Canadian and internationally renowned artists.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;A staunch advocate for wellness, Janis co-founded the Newmarket eGALS, an all women\\u2019s cycling group, championing both physical and mental health. Her commitment to impact has been recognized with the Contribution to Quality Award by the Canadian Mental Health Association in 2018 and the Volunteer of the Year Award by the Ontario Cycling Association in 2020, highlighting her engagement in community and mental health advocacy.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Since her start at Futurpreneur in January 2020, Janis has managed key partnerships, led the G20 Young Entrepreneurs\\u2019 Alliance and guided Futurpreneur\\u2019s signature programs, with a focus on equipping diverse young entrepreneurs to start, buy and grow successful businesses. Known for her empathetic, result-oriented leadership, Janis ensures that Futurpreneur&#8217;s mission continuously advances through purpose-driven partnerships. Beyond her professional achievements, Janis has a passion for travel, cycling, triathlons, reading, listening to music and enjoying time spent with her family.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7422,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;thelma-reuff-7422&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Thelma-Reuff-e1719952675321-994x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Thelma Reuff&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Vice President, Talent &amp; Culture&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Thelma Reuff serves as the Head of Talent and Culture at Futurpreneur, where she spearheads the organization\\u2019s people strategy. Committed to fostering environments where every individual can thrive, she exemplifies dedication and employs a strategic approach to talent management.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Before joining Futurpreneur in 2020, Thelma held a pivotal HR manager role within a Pan-Canadian education organization. With over 15 years of bilingual human resources expertise spanning various industries across the United Kingdom and Canada, she brings a wealth of experience to her current position.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Thelma earned her Master of Arts degree in Human Resources from Westminster University in the UK, complemented by a Bachelor\\u2019s degree from Oxford Brookes University. She holds the CHRP designation with the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) and is also a certified leadership coach.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/thelmareuff&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7399,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;micah-anshan-7399&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Micah-Anshan-headshot-e1710767278766-782x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Micah Anshan&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Senior Director, Partnerships&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Micah is an accomplished government relations and public affairs professional, with over a decade of experience in strategic communications, fundraising, policy development and stakeholder management across a range of organizations in the non-profit sector.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Micah holds a combined honours bachelor of arts (BA) in the history of science &amp; technology and political science (University of King\\u2019s College &amp; Dalhousie University), as well as, a master\\u2019s degree in science &amp; technology studies from York University, where he was also a fellow of the Nathanson Centre for Transnational Human Rights, Crime, and Security at Osgoode Hall. Micah is also a graduate of the Maytree Policy School (2019), a professional development course for non-profit professionals.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Micah is an ardent believer that governments at all levels can be a force for good and is dedicated to supporting economic development for equity-deserving communities across Canada. Leading Futurpreneur\\u2019s federal and provincial government engagement, Micah is always up for talking current events or chatting about his favourite Canadian politics podcasts.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In his spare time, Micah serves as Communications Chair for the Public Affairs Association of Canada\\u2019s Ontario Chapter and volunteers for other causes close to his heart. He also enjoys gardening, guitar and soccer, while continuing to cheer for his long-suffering Maple Leafs, against his better judgement.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/MicahAnshan&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/micah-anshan-09161ab1\\\/&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:5920,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;holly-atjecoutay-5920&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Holly-HeadShot.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Holly Atjecoutay&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Head, Inclusive Impact &amp; Director Indigenous and Northern Entrepreneurs&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Calgary, Alberta&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Holly is the Head, Inclusive Impact &amp; Director Indigenous and Northern Entrepreneurs at Futurpreneur. Holly is Cree and Saulteaux from Cowessess First Nation in Treaty 4 territory in Saskatchewan and is proud and honoured to call Mohkinstsis (Calgary) in Treaty 7 territory her home. Her background is in Oil and Gas, Non-profit, Legal and Community Economic Development, and she has always worked within and alongside rural and urban Indigenous Communities as well as starting her own business as an entrepreneur.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Holly relies heavily on the amazing Indigenous Entrepreneur Startup Program Team to provide invaluable support, resources, and programming to Indigenous Young Entrepreneurs nationwide with the startup of their businesses. Holly guides the team to success, maintains important relationships and collaboration with partners, and ensures that every First Nations, M\\u00e9tis, Inuit and Indigenous community in Canada is aware of the services that are offered at Futurpreneur.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Holly\\u2019s main passion and driving force is challenging and breaking stereotypes of First Nations peoples in mainstream society, encouraging education of First Nations youth and involvement in Indigenous economic development.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/holly-atjecoutay-6157a374\\\/&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:13820,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;kara-collins-13820&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/Kara_Collins_Jan_2026-947x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Kara Collins&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Senior Director, Marketing and Communications&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;A storyteller at heart, Kara is a strategic marketing and communications leader who brings decades of experience creating compelling narratives for organizations across industries and sectors, with a particular focus in the innovation and entrepreneurship space.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Early on in her career, Kara gained valuable experience working in marketing and communications at multiple startups, eventually moving into the role of Director, Content Marketing and Communications at Toronto\\u2019s MaRS Discovery District, one of the world\\u2019s largest innovation hubs. In this position, she led a team of content producers to develop hundreds of compelling stories about entrepreneurs and their discoveries for both MaRS-owned and earned media channels.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Following this role, she held positions in marketing and executive communications before joining Futurpreneur as the Senior Director, Marketing and Communications. At Futurpreneur, she helps get the word out about the many amazing, young entrepreneurs we support across Canada and the range of programs and services we offer to help them launch and grow successful businesses.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Kara holds an honours bachelor of journalism degree (Carleton University), a master\\u2019s degree in corporate communications (Complutense University, Madrid, Spain) and a certificate in information design (University of Toronto). Outside of work, Kara enjoys travelling (especially to Spanish-speaking countries), cycling through downtown Toronto and cooking pretty much every kind of food.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7419,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;kevin-garcia-7419&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Kevin-Garcia-Professional-PIC-e1710770463374.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Kevin Garcia&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Head of IT &amp; Digital Experience&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Kevin serves as Head of IT &amp; Digital Experience, where he leads the organization&#8217;s IT Strategy, Cyber Security, SaaS and Cloud Infrastructure Operations\\u00a0and has a solid record of continual improvement at Futurpreneur.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Kevin has spent 20+ years in various leadership positions within Information Technology. A highly skilled individual who possesses both technical and strategic expertise with a strong understanding of the latest technological advancements and the ability to apply this knowledge to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. His passion for people, embracing cultural differences, open communication and collegiality also enabled him to lead Futurpreneur\\u2019s DEI initiatives from 2020-2024.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Kevin holds a master\\u2019s degree in Information Technology \\\/ Information Systems Management from the University of Liverpool. He has also earned the ITIL 4 Strategic Leader Certificate and Cyber Security Management Certificate from Harvard University.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7421,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;maryse-gingras-7421&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Maryse-Gingras-HD-9347-e1710770488149-883x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Maryse Gingras&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Vice President, Business Development&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Montr\\u00e9al, Qu\\u00e9bec&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Maryse joined the Futurpreneur team in 2012 and has held numerous positions in the areas of relationship management, business development and strategic direction of the company. She is part of the senior management team as Vice President of National Business Development. Maryse&#8217;s passion for helping young entrepreneurs and her ability to develop relationships with the entrepreneurial community fit well with her many volunteer commitments. She enjoys making an impact, and her many contributions to the ecosystem are recognized for her strong work ethic.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Over the past ten years, Maryse has gained experience in executive coaching and development, and deepened her involvement in entrepreneurship by judging various entrepreneurship competitions and panels. She has served her well over the years, both personally and professionally.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Maryse holds a bachelor&#8217;s degree in management from HEC Montr\\u00e9al and has received training in social innovation, human resources, coaching and economic development. She has also served as Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Community Economic Development Employability Corporation (CEDEC), is a member of the Board of Governors of the RJCCQ (Regroupement des jeunes chambres de commerces du Qu\\u00e9bec) and is a new director on the board of Team Rubicon Canada.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/maryse-gingras-she-her-elle-7b445319\\\/&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/marysegingras_&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7415,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;corinne-lau-7415&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/Corinne-Bio-1024x762.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Corinne Lau&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Vice President, Client and Mentoring Experience&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Corinne Lau is a dynamic leader driven by a passion for supporting young entrepreneurs in Canada, with a strong commitment to fostering environments conducive to small business success, particularly in the realms of client success and mentorship.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;As the Vice President of Client and Mentoring Experience and a key member of the Senior Leadership Team at Futurpreneur, Corinne brings over 20 years of experience to her role. Her leadership is characterized by a relentless dedication to excellence and a deep understanding of client relationships, volunteer management, program development, operations, project management, organizational efficiency, client experience and team engagement.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Corinne&#8217;s dedication extends to achieving excellence for the Futurpreneur Mentoring Program, enhancing the experience of entrepreneurs and mentors alike. She is also a strong proponent of organizational digital transformation, especially on projects focused on providing the best user experience to entrepreneurs and mentors throughout their entire Futurpreneur journey. This underscores Corinne&#8217;s commitment to innovation and her ability to deliver impactful solutions to meet the evolving needs of the entrepreneur and mentor communities.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Her passion for empowering entrepreneurs is reflected in her ability to lead with empathy, understanding the unique challenges they face, and providing innovative solutions to support their success. Corinne&#8217;s track record of delivering exceptional results speaks to her unwavering commitment to driving positive change and making a meaningful impact in the entrepreneurial community.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7416,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;derek-macarthur-7416&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Derek-MacArthur-1024x683.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Derek MacArthur&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Vice President, Client Service and Risk&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Derek is an accomplished leader with 30+ years of experience in credit and receivables management, administration, analytics, and process improvement. His experience in building teams, and delivering exceptional results spans diverse sectors such as Commercial Finance, Health Care, Manufacturing, Transportation, Utilities, and Telecommunications.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;At Futurpreneur, Derek is the Vice President, Client Service &amp; Risk and is responsible for overseeing the Client Service, Credit Adjudication and Compliance teams, nationally. He has fostered collaboration and teamwork between the Client Service and Risk teams, which has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of our support for young entrepreneurs.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:5950,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;mona-lisa-prosper-5950&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Mona-LisaProsper-e1710767737757-756x1024.png&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Mona-Lisa Prosper&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Senior Director, Community Engagement.&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Montr\\u00e9al, Qu\\u00e9bec&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Mona-Lisa is the Senior Director, Community Engagement. A lawyer by trade, she also holds an MBA degree and has gained experience in entrepreneurship, human resources as well as economic development. Very involved in her community, she sits on the investment committee of Boann Social Impact, was the president of the Jeune Chambre de Commerce des Femmes du Qu\\u00e9bec from 2020 to 2022 and continues to sit on multiple other boards. A proud ambassador of the importance of inclusive governance, she is also involved with different organizations promoting DE&amp;I. With a strong penchant for media and communications, she is a collaborator on the show \\u201cZone \\u00c9conomie\\u201d on RDI, hosted Futurpreneur\\u2019s very first podcast, Startup + Prosper, and was a guest blogger for the Journal Les Affaires where she highlighted BIPOC entrepreneurs in her French blog called \\u201cDiversit\\u00e9 Prosp\\u00e8re\\u201d.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/mona-lisa-prosper\\\/&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/monalisaprosper\\\/&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7400,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;michka-asli-7400&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Michka-Asli-Headshot.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Michka Asli&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Regional Client Services Team Lead - Ontario, Prairies &amp; N. Canada&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Vancouver, British Columbia&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Over the past decade, Michka has played a pivotal role in expanding and enhancing the Futurpreneur client experience, demonstrating a deep commitment to ensuring the success of young entrepreneurs and their businesses.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Michka is focused on understanding the intricacies of each client\\u2019s business, identifying growth opportunities and providing strategic guidance to help them navigate challenges successfully. As a Regional Client Services Team Lead, she works to foster collaboration and coordination between various teams to deliver a seamless and exceptional client experience.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Her dedication to client success extends beyond the professional realm. Michka is a firm believer in giving back to the community and has actively volunteered with various organizations to support budding entrepreneurs, further strengthening her commitment to fostering growth and development in the regions where she works and broader business world.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7413,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;tamara-chanoine-7413&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Tamara-Chanoine_headshot-683x1024.png&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Tamara Chanoine&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director, Black Entrepreneurs&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Montreal, Qu\\u00e9bec&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;A bilingual marketing enthusiast with a dynamic background of more than 15 years, Tamara has worked with national and global brands across a mix of exciting fields like automotive, retail, government, non-profit organizations and creative agencies.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In 2013, Tamara dove into the Black entrepreneurial ecosystem through volunteer work, aiming to contribute to her community by sharing her marketing knowledge.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;By 2017, Tamara\\u2019s volunteering transformed into an entrepreneurial journey as a marketing consultant, providing expertise to Black-owned and Black-led organizations like Desta Black Community Network, Pour3Points, and Ausgang Plaza.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;This path led her to Futurpreneur&#8217;s Black Entrepreneur Startup Program (BESP), leading a team of dedicated individuals who are committed to offering continuous support to Black entrepreneurs, helping them start up and expand their businesses.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/tamarachanoine\\\/&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7389,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;david-eisnor-7389&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/David-Eisnor.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;David Eisnor&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Regional Director, Business Development \\u2013 Atlantic&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Halifax, Nova Scotia&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;David Eisnor is an entrepreneur and has been supporting entrepreneurship in Atlantic Canada for over 20 years.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;His professional experience includes working with hundreds of entrepreneurs, supporting them with their startup and growth, as well as, sales and business development, and working in diversity, equity and inclusion spaces. He also brings entrepreneurial experience in the areas of property management and development, tourism and farming.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;David has over twenty years of experience supporting early-stage entrepreneurs through his work with the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED), the Entrepreneurs&#8217; Forum and most recently, in his role at Futurpreneur.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;David has demonstrated his passion for entrepreneurship by successfully opening and running the Halifax Backpackers Hostel. In 2004, he and his business partner were named Young Entrepreneurs of the Year by Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the Best Business Award for Community Involvement with Futurpreneur. In 2014, he embarked on a new venture in farming, launching the Haskap Berry Orchard, and through a community co-op, produced value added products and delivered agri-tourism experiences. David has also been a property manager and developer since 2008.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In his free time, he enjoys an active lifestyle including spending time on the farm, volunteering with community organizations and spending quality time with family and friends.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;David holds a business degree from Acadia University and a leadership certificate from Dalhousie University.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/davideisnor\\\/&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7412,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;serge-richard-petit-frere-7412&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Serge-Richard-Petit-Frere-683x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Serge Richard Petit Frere&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Bilingual Director, Entrepreneurship Programs&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Montr\\u00e9al, Qu\\u00e9bec&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Serge-Richard Petit-Fr\\u00e8re has forged his career with a deep dedication to business mentoring and project development, driven by his passion for entrepreneurship. His academic journey, notably his specialization in small and medium-sized enterprise management and his master&#8217;s degree in Entrepreneurship and Project Development from the University of Rennes I in France, have been fundamental pillars in his professional trajectory.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Serge uses his expertise to assist businesses in designing and executing projects and conducting sectoral studies. His role frequently involves sharing knowledge and improving the skills of executives from financial and commercial institutions through training programs.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Serge-Richard recognizes the importance of his experience as a former executive in financial institutions supporting businesses, along with his entrepreneurial background in Haiti. These experiences have deepened his comprehension of business challenges and growth opportunities.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;As a passionate educator, he has had the opportunity to impart his knowledge in entrepreneurship to various educational institutions, supported by his IFC-LPI TPMA certification, a testament to his commitment to the next generation of entrepreneurs.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;His modest contributions to research, including his participation in a special publication by the SME Finance Forum in 2020 on SME financing, reflect his desire to contribute to the advancement of practices in this field.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In 2021, he achieved a significant milestone by publishing his first book, titled &#8220;Entreprendre: Un choix et une responsabilit\\u00e9&#8221; (&#8220;Entrepreneurship: A Choice and a Responsibility&#8221;), thus sharing his reflections and advice derived from his own experiences.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Since 2023, Serge-Richard has been part of the Futurpreneur team. He now serves as the Director of Entrepreneurship Programs. He aims to use his expertise to assist aspiring entrepreneurs in achieving their goals. His dedication to business development and desire to support others in the entrepreneurial community are evident in his journey.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/serge-richard-petit-fr%C3%A8re-m-sc-939710b?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BrCFs9iGqSI2e1aHIEI3bBg%3D%3D&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7396,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;jeanne-gilles-7396&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Jeanne-Gilles-headshot.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Jeanne Gilles&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Mentoring Experience Team Lead&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;After studying law and obtaining her master\\u2019s degree in media law in France, where she is originally from, Jeanne decided to expand her horizons and move to Canada.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;She studied comparative law at University of Montreal for a year then started her career in the not-for-profit sector. For three years, Jeanne worked at the R\\u00e9seau Qu\\u00e9bec Folklore, where she was responsible for engagement with 5,000+ members, ecommerce, newsletters, website and events, while assisting leadership with administration, including funding renewal.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Following this, Jeanne moved to Washington, DC with her family before coming back to Canada. Settling in Ontario, Jeanne joined Greenpeace Canada where she was responsible for donor retention, contributed to digital marketing fundraising campaigns, as well as, its French newsletter.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;She then joined Futurpreneur as Client and Mentor Specialist, a new position dedicated to entrepreneurs and their mentoring relationships. Acting as the first contact person for both entrepreneurs and mentors, Jeanne built strong relationships with each stakeholder group. In July 2023, Jeanne was promoted Mentoring Experience Team Lead, supporting all aspects of the Futurpreneur mentorship journey.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/jeanne-gilles-7b637b40\\\/&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7911,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;maria-goyo-7911&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/Maria-LuisaGoyoDSC_6093-683x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Maria Goyo&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Regional Director, Business Development \\u2013 Quebec&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Montr\\u00e9al, Qu\\u00e9bec&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:11404,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;mark-guest-11404&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/Mark-Guest.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Mark Guest&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Regional Director, Business Development \\u2013 Alberta&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Alberta&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Mark Guest has spent his career helping build some of Alberta, and Canada\\u2019s most successful startups. He was a part of the pre-revenue leadership team at Granify (sold for $75 million) and Neo Financial (Canada\\u2019s fastest ever billion dollar valuation), and built out the sales function at AbsorbLMS (sold for $500 million). As a certified executive coach, he\\u2019s worked with entrepreneurs across North America and the UK, helping people launch their first business or side hustle.\\nA graduate of MacEwan University, he also holds his professional coaching certification form iPec and loves working with people to help them realize their potential. With a strong focus on taking action, removing roadblocks and being the worlds most supportive cheerleader, Mark is passionate about growing entrepreneurship in Alberta.\\nIn his spare time, he enjoys exploring the rocky mountains, eating at Calgary\\u2019s best restaurants and watching basketball.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:13746,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;mina-haghighi-13746&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/Photo-Mina-684x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Mina Haghighi&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Regional Director, Business Development, BC&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Vancouver, British Columbia&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Mina, a dedicated business professional, focuses on economic development, community building, and equal access to resources. She assists businesses in securing funding and resources to launch and thrive. With an entrepreneurial mindset, Mina actively plans events, presentations, and workshops to support small businesses and foster connections among like-minded individuals. As an immigrant herself, she enjoys working with newcomers and is fluent in Farsi, enabling her to connect with professionals in both Farsi and English.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7376,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;anne-ng-ming-hing-7376&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Anne-Ng-1024x822.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Anne Ng Ming Hing&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Director, Finance&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Anne is a Chartered Accountant (CA, CPA) and is fully bilingual in both English and French. Anne has a bachelor\\u2019s degree in psychology from Bordeaux University, France, and a bachelor of business administration from the University of Quebec in Montreal.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Anne brings over 20 years of finance and management experience to Futurpreneur, including IT strategy. Most recently, Anne was the Vice President, Finance, Information &amp; Communications Technology at Surrey Place. Prior to this, Anne held positions at the Council of Ministers of Education Canada, Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, IBM Canada and Deloitte.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7381,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;caroline-ksiazek-7381&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/IMG_5182-2-1024x993.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Caroline Ksiazek&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Regional Director, Business Development \\u2013 Manitoba &amp; Saskatchewan&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Winnipeg, Manitoba&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Meet Caroline Ksiazek, the dynamic Regional Team Lead at Futurpreneur, rocking Manitoba\\\/Saskatchewan! With five years of experience guiding young entrepreneurs towards success, she blends her expertise from 15 years as a store director at Maison Birks and a reservist with the Royal Canadian Air Force.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;From dazzling diamonds, aviation and now to igniting dreams, Caroline does it all with flair and finesse, making the business world brighter, one entrepreneur at a time!&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Caroline is also a professionally trained musician with a bachelor\\u2019s degree in music as well as an aspiring horse polo player.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;&nbsp;&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7401,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;sarah-pick-7401&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Sarah-Pick-e1710768011339-853x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Sarah Pick&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Regional Director - Ontario&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Toronto, Ontario&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Sarah Pick\\u2019s work within the entrepreneurial ecosystem spans more than a decade, supporting Ontario entrepreneurs in roles at MaRS Discovery District, the RIC Centre, Humber College, and now as Regional Director for Ontario at Futurpreneur.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;A graduate from the University of Toronto, she also holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and is energized by driving change and big picture thinking. With management and leadership experience at impact driven organizations like Futurpreneur, Sarah is continually inspired to help small businesses succeed.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors, travelling and spending time with friends and family.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:7395,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;jean-sebastien-roy-7395&quot;,&quot;photo&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/futurpreneur.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Jean-SebastienRoyDSC_5552-683x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Jean-Sebastien Roy&quot;,&quot;job_title&quot;:&quot;Regional Client Services Team Lead&quot;,&quot;professional_title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;location&quot;:&quot;Montr\\u00e9al, Qu\\u00e9bec&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Working in the economic development sector for more than 15 years, Jean-S\\u00e9bastien serves as Regional Client Services Team Lead.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Jean-S\\u00e9bastien began his journey in the entrepreneurship community as an entrepreneur, himself, and has subsequently held positions as a business advisor in various local and regional organizations.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Jean-S\\u00e9bastien has supported more than 500 entrepreneurs on their journeys to launch successful businesses. As team leader, his role involves sharing entrepreneur success strategies and supporting Futurpreneurs with resources and tools.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Jean-S\\u00e9bastien is also very involved in his community through his local soccer club. He is an elite coach certified by the Canadian Soccer Association and coaches young players in his community, ages 9 to 12.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;He is a graduate of the University of Quebec in Outaouais and Trois-Rivi\\u00e8res.&lt;\\\/p&gt;\\n&quot;,&quot;facebook&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;twitter&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;linkedin&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;website&quot;:&quot;&quot;}]\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\t<section class=\"large-cta\" aria-labelledby=\"large-cta__title\">\n\t\t<div class=\"large-cta__wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"large-cta__main-content\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"large-cta__graphics\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"678\" height=\"287\" viewBox=\"0 0 678 287\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_1714_4043)\">\n<path d=\"M71.6714 154.302C55.1727 154.302 41.7978 167.677 41.7978 184.176C41.7978 200.674 55.1727 214.049 71.6714 214.049C88.1701 214.049 101.545 200.674 101.545 184.176C101.545 167.677 88.1701 154.302 71.6714 154.302Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M184.72 41.254C168.222 41.254 154.847 54.6288 154.847 71.1275C154.847 87.6262 168.222 101.001 184.72 101.001C201.219 101.001 214.594 87.6262 214.594 71.1275C214.594 54.6288 201.219 41.254 184.72 41.254Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M339.066 6.48499e-05C322.567 6.48499e-05 309.192 13.3748 309.192 29.8735C309.192 46.3722 322.567 59.7471 339.066 59.7471C355.565 59.7471 368.939 46.3722 368.939 29.8735C368.939 13.3748 355.565 6.48499e-05 339.066 6.48499e-05Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M493.369 41.3428C476.87 41.3428 463.495 54.7176 463.495 71.2163C463.495 87.715 476.87 101.09 493.369 101.09C509.867 101.09 523.242 87.715 523.242 71.2163C523.242 54.7176 509.867 41.3428 493.369 41.3428Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M606.328 154.302C589.829 154.302 576.454 167.677 576.454 184.176C576.454 200.674 589.829 214.049 606.328 214.049C622.826 214.049 636.201 200.674 636.201 184.176C636.201 167.677 622.826 154.302 606.328 154.302Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M528.754 209.07C517.755 209.07 508.839 217.987 508.839 228.986C508.839 239.985 517.755 248.902 528.754 248.902C539.753 248.902 548.67 239.985 548.67 228.986C548.67 217.987 539.753 209.07 528.754 209.07Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M448.604 128.919C437.605 128.919 428.688 137.835 428.688 148.834C428.688 159.833 437.605 168.75 448.604 168.75C459.603 168.75 468.52 159.833 468.52 148.834C468.52 137.835 459.603 128.919 448.604 128.919Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M339.067 99.5783C328.068 99.5783 319.151 108.495 319.151 119.494C319.151 130.493 328.068 139.41 339.067 139.41C350.066 139.41 358.982 130.493 358.982 119.494C358.982 108.495 350.066 99.5783 339.067 99.5783Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M229.53 128.83C218.531 128.83 209.614 137.746 209.614 148.745C209.614 159.744 218.531 168.661 229.53 168.661C240.529 168.661 249.445 159.744 249.445 148.745C249.445 137.746 240.529 128.83 229.53 128.83Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M149.289 209.07C138.29 209.07 129.374 217.987 129.374 228.986C129.374 239.985 138.29 248.902 149.289 248.902C160.289 248.902 169.205 239.985 169.205 228.986C169.205 217.987 160.289 209.07 149.289 209.07Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M339.068 179.197C333.568 179.197 329.11 183.655 329.11 189.154C329.11 194.654 333.568 199.112 339.068 199.112C344.567 199.112 349.025 194.654 349.025 189.154C349.025 183.655 344.567 179.197 339.068 179.197Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M264.382 199.157C258.882 199.157 254.424 203.615 254.424 209.115C254.424 214.614 258.882 219.073 264.382 219.073C269.882 219.073 274.34 214.614 274.34 209.115C274.34 203.615 269.882 199.157 264.382 199.157Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M209.659 253.88C204.16 253.88 199.701 258.339 199.701 263.838C199.701 269.338 204.16 273.796 209.659 273.796C215.159 273.796 219.617 269.338 219.617 263.838C219.617 258.339 215.159 253.88 209.659 253.88Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M413.661 199.157C408.162 199.157 403.703 203.615 403.703 209.115C403.703 214.614 408.162 219.073 413.661 219.073C419.161 219.073 423.619 214.614 423.619 209.115C423.619 203.615 419.161 199.157 413.661 199.157Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M468.386 253.88C462.886 253.88 458.428 258.339 458.428 263.838C458.428 269.338 462.886 273.796 468.386 273.796C473.885 273.796 478.344 269.338 478.344 263.838C478.344 258.339 473.885 253.88 468.386 253.88Z\" fill=\"#EFF5E7\"\/>\n<\/g>\n<defs>\n<clipPath id=\"clip0_1714_4043\">\n<rect width=\"678\" height=\"287\" fill=\"white\" transform=\"matrix(-1 0 0 -1 678 287)\"\/>\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"large-cta__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"large-cta__title\" id=\"large-cta__title\">Our commitment to diversity and inclusion<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"large-cta__content\">In 2020, our Head of Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion collaborated with 13 team members, including those who identify as Black and represent various intersecting identities, to help develop authentic pledges to DEI. Read more about them here.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"curved-button--left-align curved-button__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"curved-button__upper-corner\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M19.5 0C19.5 9.56705 9.56705 16.2356 0 16.2356H19.5V0Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/our-commitment-to-diversity-inclusion\/\" class=\"large-cta__button button curved-button__button\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"visit page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDiversity, equity &amp; inclusion: an ongoing priority\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"curved-button__lower-corner\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M19.5 0C19.5 9.56705 9.56705 16.2356 0 16.2356H19.5V0Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"large-cta__image fly-out-caption__trigger aspect-ratio-box\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0680-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0680-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0680-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0680-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0680-rotated.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Futurpreneur has a diverse Board of Directors and Leadership Team that guide and amplify our impact supporting the young entrepreneurs who are building Canada\u2019s future inclusive prosperity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-167","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/167\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/futurpreneur.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}