Our Team
Building a diverse and collaborative work culture that supports and celebrates innovation at all levels.
Our Team
At Edmonton Unlimited, we welcome challenges and engage in purpose-driven work, aimed at positioning Edmonton as an inclusive global innovation capital. Rooted in equity, diversity, and inclusion, we are committed to supporting and celebrating innovation communities and problem solvers across all sectors, backgrounds, and stages. The Edmonton Unlimited team value experimentation, trial and error, and big leaps of faith to achieve Edmonton’s audacious goals, and we are here for you and your big ideas!
Dr. Launa Aspeslet
Interim CEO
Dr. Launa Aspeslet
Interim CEO
Dr. Launa Aspeslet was appointed interim CEO of Edmonton Unlimited on January 22, 2024 with responsibility for taking preliminary steps toward empowering the organization to move into the next level of scale and integration into the local and global innovation ecosystem.
Launa was most recently Chief Operating Officer at Hepion Pharmaceuticals, a NASDAQ traded biotechnology company. Previously she was CEO of TRIO, a global clinical research organization specializing in managing oncology trials worldwide. She was also a consultant providing strategic guidance for early-stage drug/medical device companies and was COO at Isotechnika Pharma Inc.
Launa is a seasoned executive with deep experience and a proven track record in driving early-stage organizations to scale and long-term maturity. She is adept at working within multi-stakeholder environments, new product development, and guiding entrepreneurs and organizations, enabling the next generation of leaders through the various stages of organizational transformation to maturity.
She is Board Chair at Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation, an Edmonton-based industry-led not-for-profit organization that serves as a catalyst in supporting the development of life science products and companies in Canada. And over the past year she has served as a Director on the board of Edmonton Unlimited.
Launa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Lethbridge and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Alberta. She holds a Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC) and is a graduate of the Ivey Business School Executive Program at Western University.
Sangeet Brar, CPA, CA
Vice President, Finance & Administration
Sangeet Brar, CPA, CA
Vice President, Finance & Administration
Riya Ganguly, PhD, MBA, ICD.D
Vice President, Programs & Business Development
Riya Ganguly, PhD, MBA, ICD.D
Vice President, Programs & Business Development
Riya has worked in four post-secondary institutions across Canada supporting technology commercialization, innovation, and university spin-out companies. In her most recent role as Associate Vice-President (Enterprise), Riya built the University of Alberta’s first strategic partnerships office supporting relationships between the university and corporate/community partners. She has a passion for the innovation ecosystem and helping to bring big ideas in research or in the community to life. She is committed to inclusive innovation and is always looking for a way to support the incredible Edmonton community in novel ways.
Riya also served as Vice-President, Strategy & Innovation at Edmonton Global; an economic development agency developed primarily to support foreign direct investment and trade. In her role, Riya supported the functions of attracting and retaining business investment and trade for the Edmonton Metropolitan region by developing strong regional relationships.
Riya holds a Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) in Physiology and Pathophysiology from University of Manitoba, a Master of Science (MSc) from York University, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Queen’s University and the Institute of Corporate Directors Designation (ICD.D).
In her spare time, Riya enjoys going for a long run or doing yoga. She also enjoys hiking with her family in Edmonton’s beautiful river valley.
Allan Waine
Head of Startup
Allan Waine
Head of Startup
Allan loves kick-starting ideas — from dreams to programs. He brings experience in not-for-profit and cross-cultural educational leadership to Edmonton Unlimited, where he is responsible for delivering our curriculum in a dynamic and thoughtful way. Allan has experience leading workshops around the world and is excited to sit down with founders and establish their next steps. He is equally passionate about giving back to the community and has been involved in many humanitarian projects over the years. Currently, he teaches citizenship classes to help prepare immigrants to become Canadians. When Allan is not coaching basketball with his son, you will find him playing touch football or cheering on the Edmonton Football Team with his family. Ask Allan about: humanitarian work and issues, the world, geography, culture.
Brooks Hanewich
Head of Accelerate
Brooks Hanewich
Head of Accelerate
With over 15 years of experience in organizational management, business development, and strategic leadership, Brooks is a practiced professional with a strong focus on community economic development. He has cultivated a skill set that revolves around scaling initiatives, fostering innovation, and navigating the complexities of cross-sectorial systems change.
As a co-founder of MatchWork, Brooks harnessed technology for social change by creating a Software-as-a-Service platform and training that empowers individuals to overcome employment barriers. Additionally, Brooks recently worked as the Director of Inclusive Economy at EndPovertyEdmonton where he matched social and economic thinking to address our most entrenched social issues.
Brooks holds an MBA in Community Economic Development and is a champion of social enterprise development and economic reconciliation in Edmonton and across the province. He is a board member of the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO). When not working, he can be found watching movies, playing pickleball, or exploring rivers in the Rocky Mountains.
Abbie Stein-MacLean
Head of Capital City Pilots
Abbie Stein-MacLean
Head of Capital City Pilots
Abbie is a seasoned leader in the Edmonton startup and scaleup spaces, with over 10 years’ experience driving business success. She has led teams in many verticals including product, logistics, customer experience, operations, and community outreach in both innovation/tech and traditional business organizations.
A product leader at heart, Abbie is an enthusiastic champion for finding the opportunity in every problem and crafting a strategy to get things done in an efficient and meaningful way. She was a member of the inaugural Alberta Product Leadership Cohort and remains an active member of the Product and Innovation circles in Edmonton.
As an advocate for the local sector, Abbie has consulted for and contributed to various provincial and municipal government publications and initiatives and has participated as a public speaker at secondary and post-secondary sustainability conferences.
Abbie obtained a BSc in Biological Sciences, majoring in Molecular Genetics and a BA(Hon) in Linguistics. She is passionate about food, community, lifelong learning, and bringing out the best in everyone. In the warmer months, you can find Abbie in her back and front-yard gardens, on her bicycle or in the river valley. In the winters, she is teaching herself to knit and learning to play the ukulele.
Seanna Baxter
Chief of Staff
Seanna Baxter
Chief of Staff
Seanna Baxter is a meticulous, task-driven administrative professional with over a decade of experience. In her role at Edmonton Unlimited, Seanna has the unique privilege to work closely with the Directors providing administrative assistance. Seanna supports the day-to-day administrative, financial, and operational functions by working collaboratively with management. Seanna keeps an open channel of communication within and between departments. She also provides technical and logistical support to special projects and brings a ‘can-do’ attitude to her job.
Before joining the team at Edmonton Unlimited Seanna has provided high-level administrative support in the Edmonton region. Seanna believes an administrative profession must model diplomacy, adaptability, and professionalism as a trusted partner to senior executives. Seanna has managed fast-changing schedules, coordinated travel logistics, created professional correspondence, planned events, and handled sensitive information with a high level of confidentiality. Seanna is upbeat, energetic, and highly motivated. Seanna’s hobbies include cooking, gardening, and camping.
Victoria Celi
Program Facilitator, Startup
Victoria Celi
Program Facilitator, Startup
Victoria is passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation. She has experience in business strategy, design thinking, leadership, and team building. As a startup founder, she has gained valuable knowledge and insights by actively participating in every stage of business growth, from the initial concept to the growth phase. Her extensive hands-on experience has equipped her with a deep understanding of the inner workings of a business, making her an excellent resource for aspiring entrepreneurs seeking guidance. Victoria is thrilled to join Edmonton Unlimited and contribute to Edmonton's entrepreneurial community.
Eugenio Coccimiglio, MBA
Program Facilitator, Startup
Eugenio Coccimiglio, MBA
Program Facilitator, Startup
Eugenio is an energetic community-focused leader serving on two non-profit boards, including his community league and Net Impact Edmonton. Eugenio graduated with a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Business Administration from NAIT.
He is a proud Edmontonian, harnessing the power of possibility by supporting Edmonton’s startup ecosystem while encouraging social and sustainable innovation to help solve the next generation's challenges.
Monica Rukeba
Program Facilitator, Startup
Monica Rukeba
Program Facilitator, Startup
Nicole Rodriguez
Program Facilitator
Nicole Rodriguez
Program Facilitator
Lillah Penddah
Program Facilitator
Lillah Penddah
Program Facilitator
I am the founder and CEO of AFRO FACTS, an effective teaching tool that uses a collaborative approach to increase awareness of Black History and educate individuals about diversity, equity and inclusion. I saw that there was a lack of Black History education in schools and felt that this was a need I could fill. Over a 10-year period I worked to create an educational tool played as a game that could be used to educate the masses on the strength, history, culture and contributions of people of African descent and the diaspora.
As a diversity, equity & inclusion facilitator, I am committed to changing the world by creating safe spaces for facilitating conversations about race, systemic racism, and our own unconscious biases. I assist people with building their confidence and feeling empowered to have DEI conversations respectfully by providing them with the tools needed to remove the discomfort they feel and de-escalate heightened emotions with respect to uncomfortable conversations.
I find reward in being able to share what I have learned from my own life experiences with others to inspire and champion change. We all have the power to create more inclusive environments that foster allyship. My true joy comes from connecting with others through shared layered conversation that allows people to increase their awareness of DEI and observe the evidence of their commonalities rather than their differences.
Mina Mahmood
Program Coordinator, Startup
Mina Mahmood
Program Coordinator, Startup
Maria Teodora Barbu
Specialist, Post Secondary Institutions
Maria Teodora Barbu
Specialist, Post Secondary Institutions
Maria loves to dig into sticky problems and co-create solutions! She helps research, develop, plan & optimize programs and projects that matter.
She is passionate about inclusive innovation, social enterprise, optimization & flow, systems-thinking, and sustainable communities. Maria earned a BCom. and Leadership Certificate from the University of Alberta, where she specialized in Strategic Management & Organization (SMO), and more importantly, where she fell in love with people, organizations and possibility. Since her first SMO class, she's been practically applying what she's learned to projects and organizations that intend to help make our world a better place for all.
Maria is also a multilingual poet, singer, multi-media artist and a self-proclaimed life-long-learner dedicated to learning, practicing, and being a good Treaty person.
Ashley Allen
Specialist, Indigenous Entrepreneurship
Ashley Allen
Specialist, Indigenous Entrepreneurship
Christina Garies
Program Facilitator, Accelerate
Christina Garies
Program Facilitator, Accelerate
Christina is thrilled to join the Edmonton Unlimited team as a new Program Facilitator. After two years in Vancouver, she is very happy to be back in Edmonton. With experience in sales, adult education, and a background in community support, Christina is delighted to deliver this exciting material and foster networks for Founders. In her off time, you’ll likely find Christina casually making a three-course dinner or making friends with neighborhood cats.
Hasnain Baloach
Program Facilitator, Accelerate
Hasnain Baloach
Program Facilitator, Accelerate
Hasnain has extensive experience as the founder of a non-profit, Duhaa Foundation, addressing food waste and insecurity, and as the founder of a Tech Startup, Tawhid App, a community and habit-building platform for Muslims.
Additionally, he served as the Manager of Innovation & Business Services for SSRIA, an organization supporting clean tech innovations in the Built Environment. He contributed to stakeholder relations, innovation showcases, and the development of a Business Growth Program for TRL 7 companies.
Hasnain has also worked as a facilitator and coach for hundreds of startup companies through the Alberta Catalyzer program. He is passionate about innovations with social impact, clean tech, and community-based initiatives.
During his free time, he enjoys reading books or exploring the mountains.
Colin MacDonald
Program Specialist, Accelerate
Colin MacDonald
Program Specialist, Accelerate
Colin is a Program Coordinator at Edmonton Unlimited with over a decade of experience in post-secondary program development and delivery in a School of Business context, with experiences ranging from student and community engagement (business incubator programs), website development, graphic design, governance management, fund development, grant management, events management, team leadership, researching, and writing.
Born and raised in Edmonton and a U of A graduate with a degree in Psychology (with a minor in Creative Writing!), Colin is passionate about his city, his community, and wants to contribute to our exciting future as a hub of innovation, creativity, and prosperity!
Aydan Mukhtarli
Program Coordinator, Accelerate
Aydan Mukhtarli
Program Coordinator, Accelerate
Mustafa Ali, MBA
Founder Liaison & Tech Lead, Capital City Pilots
Mustafa Ali, MBA
Founder Liaison & Tech Lead, Capital City Pilots
Mustafa is a public speaker, and celebrated community organizer with a wide range of experience in community mobilization and outreach. He's a co-founder of Black CAN; a collective working to politically empower people of African descent. He's also a co-founder of Honeycomb; a student-led peer to peer investing platform for early stage startups.
Mustafa has extensive experience in government relations, consulting, and community engagement. His most recent experience includes management consulting with MNP, Ministerial Advisor to the Minister of Community and Social Services and Stakeholder Relations Manager to the Premier of Alberta. In these positions, Mustafa has held leadership roles and has been responsible for auditing and adapting major programs as well as developing and implementing strategic plans.
He graduated with a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alberta. Mustafa also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the same institution. During his MBA studies, Mustafa took a special interest in and focused on technology and innovation.
Juhi Gupta
Coordinator, Capital City Pilots
Juhi Gupta
Coordinator, Capital City Pilots
Shamelle Pless
Head of Marketing & PR
Shamelle Pless
Head of Marketing & PR
Shamelle has a hands-on role in developing the brand for our new organization and is responsible for leading the brand planning, curating the digital experience through website and social media channels, and launching our public image. As a marketing strategist, her efforts directly contribute to the brand experience for Edmonton Unlimited and its programs and services, in support of Edmonton’s ecosystem. Shamelle stays informed on emerging digital media trends to build innovative, share-worthy campaigns, both online and offline.
Shamelle is a collaborator and seeks to understand organizational needs and actively identifies and tackles opportunities for greater success. She achieved her B.S. in Marketing and Public Relations as well as her M.Ed. in Human Relations from Northern Arizona University. She brings marketing and visual storytelling experience from various industries including financial services and the non-profit and charitable sector. Shamelle enjoys teaching spin classes, catching up with family and friends, and coaching young track and field athletes, a sport she competed in for over 15 years.
Heather Klimchuk
Manager, Government & Agency Relations
Heather Klimchuk
Manager, Government & Agency Relations
Heather is responsible for developing positive intergovernmental relationships and communications, collaborating with internal stakeholders to align with, and inform on government policy, and monitor performance measures related to government funding. At Edmonton Unlimited, the ability to engage, translate, and activate in the innovation ecosystem is based upon sustainability, ingenuity, and communication.
Well-known for her advocacy work with non-profits across Alberta, especially in the arts community Heather is an authentic leader, strategic communicator, and a published writer. Her focus through community connections has been on fundraising, governance, reputation management, and crisis communications. Elected as MLA for Edmonton Glenora from 2008 to 2015, she proudly served as a Minister the entire time with Service Alberta, Culture and Human Services.
A long-time volunteer, commitments include Director positions at Alberta Ballet, Varscona Theatre, Taste of Edmonton, and the Gene Zwozdesky Capital Campaign Cabinet. Heather is a Mentor at Peter Lougheed Leadership College with the University of Alberta and supports ParityYEG and AskHerYYC, through gender parity.
Heather holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Alberta. Early in her public service career she worked as a writer for Premier’s Peter Lougheed and Don Getty.
Relentlessly positive, a midnight gardener, and voracious reader, Heather constantly celebrates those little moments!
Ana Kitlar
Manager, Community Engagement & Events
Ana Kitlar
Manager, Community Engagement & Events
Keta Pllana
Coordinator, Community Engagement
Keta Pllana
Coordinator, Community Engagement
Keta is the Community Engagement Coordinator for Edmonton Unlimited.
She believes that compassion, and people-driven practices, are essential ingredients for successful innovation.
As the Community Engagement Coordinator, she helps understand the needs of Founders' at all phases in their start-up and scale-up journey by connecting them to the appropriate programs, resources, and networks so that they may be best equipped in their business ventures.
Keta graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in Finance. Outside of work she enjoys nurturing her love for the performing arts by attending live theatre events and participating in various arts’ workshops.
Shalon McFarlane
Manager, Research
Shalon McFarlane
Manager, Research
Shalon has extensive experience in technology commercialization, innovation, and technical communication. For over 8 years she has been assisting researchers, local entrepreneurs, and SMEs in the greater Edmonton region with their intellectual property and business development needs: everything from evaluating technologies for their patentability and commercial potential, formulating commercialization strategies, supporting grant applications, performing market intelligence research, and negotiating commercial agreements.
Shalon has a strong scientific research background; she obtained her BSc with a specialization in Physics in 2010 before completing her MSc in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics in 2012, both from the University of Alberta. Shalon enjoys spending time doing anything fitness-related, is a nationally ranked powerlifter and a very active volunteer for the Alberta Powerlifting Union.
Eric Ostrom
Specialist, Marketing & Research
Eric Ostrom
Specialist, Marketing & Research
Nevin deMilliano
Content Strategist
Nevin deMilliano
Content Strategist
Nevin is the voice behind Edmonton Unlimited’s social media presence. He ensures our platforms are relevant, up-to-date and of course, witty. Nevin holds a Business Management degree from NAIT, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Before working at Edmonton Unlimited, he combined his two passions — entrepreneurship and weather forecasting — to create a subscription service for custom forecasting. Nevin sits on NAIT’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation committee, which is tasked with giving feedback and insight on the program. He also teaches the Grade 5 weather unit at schools in and around Edmonton. When he's not tweeting, Nevin is chasing storms across the Canadian Prairies as part of the Prairie Storm Chasers (where he handles the social media.) In the winter, he enjoys skiing and curling. Ask Nevin about: Twitter, weather & forecasting, supercells, curling.
Gem Sardena
Graphic Designer
Gem Sardena
Graphic Designer
Cory Sellar
Specialist, Marketing & Communications
Cory Sellar
Specialist, Marketing & Communications
Cory supports marketing, content, and digital activities that align with the marketing and communication strategies of Edmonton Unlimited. From web content to video, he helps with the storytelling of local innovators. He holds a Radio and Television diploma from NAIT. Cory previously worked as the full-time videographer with Edmonton’s Food Bank. His endless curiosity has exposed him to esports, social media, and podcasting opportunities with organizations including Digital Alberta and LitFest Alberta. When not at work, Cory can be found binging new TV shows on the many different streaming services, listening to a new vinyl, or playing video games. Ask Cory about: Star Wars or his growing vinyl collection.
April-Marie McHardy
Marketing Specialist, Capital City Pilots
April-Marie McHardy
Marketing Specialist, Capital City Pilots
April quickly developed a spark for entrepreneurship and marketing while completing her Bachelor of Commerce. Since then, she has had various roles working with entrepreneurs in the non-profit and hospitality industry. From coordinating media shoots, digital content, or event management for new location openings across Canada and the USA, she enjoys never having a dull moment and is always open to trying new things for Capital City Pilots.
After hours you can find April fervently scrolling TikTok, playing recreational kickball, or leading social events for her local cohort of The Shy Girl Club – an organization uniting female friendships one meetup at a time.
Addison Schulz
Manager, Facilities
Addison Schulz
Manager, Facilities
More details about Addison, coming soon!
Meagan Oyejide
Administrative Coordinator
Meagan Oyejide
Administrative Coordinator
Meagan is our General Administrator reporting into our Strategic & Operational growth team. Bringing over a decade of administrative experience and knowledge, Meagan loves to work with the community and help people to achieve their dreams!
Within her role, Meagan has the exciting privilege of working closely with the whole team to provide administrative support and excellence! She is responsible for the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of our office while also supporting with technical and logistical coordination for events and projects.
Kelsey McNaughton
Receptionist
Kelsey McNaughton
Receptionist
Doris Simader
Financial Controller
Doris Simader
Financial Controller
Kundan Deep "KD" Singh
Specialist, Operational Performance & Reporting
Kundan Deep "KD" Singh
Specialist, Operational Performance & Reporting
Kathleen Norman
Executive in Residence, Concordia University of Edmonton, Athabasca University, The King's University
Kathleen Norman
Executive in Residence, Concordia University of Edmonton, Athabasca University, The King's University
Kathleen is a management consultant with a background in business strategy, marketing strategy, market intelligence research, environmental design, systems thinking, life cycle assessments, and behaviour change. With 15 years of experience working in marketing and environmental initiatives, Kathleen now loves helping others find or create their niche to thrive. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University and a Master of Environmental Design from the University of Calgary. In 2019, Kathleen was the Edmonton Innovation Ecosystem Navigator helping hundreds of early-stage companies with growth strategies and navigating startup services available to new entrepreneurs. In 2021, Kathleen became an EIR through the Edmonton Regional Innovation Network to coach entrepreneurs on how to grow their business ideas using systems thinking and design thinking principles and taught design thinking classes tailored to IT, drama, and marketing students at Concordia University of Edmonton.
Connect with Kathleen at knorman@edmontonunlimited.com
Tristan Ham
Executive in Residence, MacEwan University
Tristan Ham
Executive in Residence, MacEwan University
Connect with Tristan at tristan@edmontonunlimited.com
Jenifer Horvath, PCC
Executive in Residence, NAIT
Jenifer Horvath, PCC
Executive in Residence, NAIT
We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our new Executive in Residence, Jenifer Horvath, PCC, to NAIT's Mawji Centre. Jenifer’s wealth of experience and expertise make her an invaluable addition to our community.
With a background in coaching, advising, education, and strategy, Jenifer has guided and inspired over 1,000 entrepreneurs, sharing her knowledge through various platforms, from one-on-one sessions to engaging webinars and dynamic keynote presentations.
Her 20 years of experience in marketing, product management, management consulting, and advertising with both international and Alberta-based organizations, including Playtex, Campbell Soup, EPCOR, Alberta Motor Association, and Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, demonstrates her deep understanding of the business landscape.
Jenifer holds a Professional Coach Certification (PCC) from the International Coach Federation (ICF) and is a proud University of Alberta Business School Alumni.
When not on NAIT’s Main Campus supporting students and staff through the Mawji Centre, you’ll find Jenifer coaching and teaching through her company, HeartLifted. She also loves listening to podcasts, noodling with technology, meeting friends at local coffee shops, and spending time with her partner, Chris, and their four teenagers.
To book an advising session with Jenifer please email her at jeniferh@nait.ca
Luke Butterworth
Executive in Residence, NorQuest College & University of Alberta
Luke Butterworth
Executive in Residence, NorQuest College & University of Alberta
Luke is an innovator and Executive MBA graduate from the University of Alberta, serial entrepreneur of 3 companies and NEXT36/NextAI alumni. Luke is an EIR at the University of Alberta and the co-founder of JustCook, a platform to scale restaurant concepts and ensure food entrepreneurs can focus on creating the next high-growth brands that we all love.
Connect with Luke at lbutterw@ualberta.ca
Our Board
Lindsay Dodd
CEO, Cashco Financial; and Board Chair Edmonton Unlimited
Lindsay Dodd
CEO, Cashco Financial; and Board Chair Edmonton Unlimited
Lindsay Dodd is Chief Executive Officer of Cashco Financial, a consumer finance company based in Edmonton, Alberta. Initially a member of the Board of Advisors for the company, he stepped into the CEO role in 2021 with a passion to create a social enterprise dedicated to ending financial exclusion by bringing one million Canadians on a path to financial health.
Lindsay is also a Managing Partner of Sprout Fund LP, an early-stage technology investment fund in Alberta, and he is the former CEO of Savvia Inc., a technology-advisory firm acquired by CompuVision Systems Ltd. in 2016. Before launching his company, Lindsay was a Partner with the international IT consulting firm of Sierra Systems and held management roles with both ATB Financial and PCL Construction. Lindsay is a Director with the Edmonton Elks Football Club and a member of the Edmonton Executive Committee of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is the former Chair of several community boards including the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.
In addition, he is a member of the A100 and a mentor with the VMS program at the University of Alberta. Lindsay holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree with distinction from the University of Alberta and a Master of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University.
Arden Tse
Investment Manager, Yaletown Partners
Arden Tse
Investment Manager, Yaletown Partners
A venture capital Investment Manager with Yaletown Partners, Arden leads a team focused on Alberta-based technology startup companies. He is an accomplished investment professional with almost 20 years of private and public sector experience and is highly active in the Alberta startup community. Coming into venture with a strong background in commercial real estate and public equities, Arden’s career as a professional investor in multiple asset classes gives him a broad perspective on capital markets and various ways to look for value. He brings this experience and a love for business to early-stage venture capital investing and enjoys the up close and personal aspect of being able to work directly with entrepreneurs. As a trained Executive Coach and former business owner, Arden helps founders understand how their business and capital raising strategies align.
Blaine Labonte
President, DJI Capital
Blaine Labonte
President, DJI Capital
When Blaine LaBonte joined Cougar Drilling Solutions in 1992, few people realized he'd eventually transform the small Canadian firm into an international oilfield services provider.
He jumped at the chance to buy Cougar in 2005 and become its president. In 2011, he became the CEO of Cougar Drilling Solutions. He sold the company to international investors in 2019. Today, Blaine spends his time on family, community projects, startups, and angel investing.
Farzad (Haider) Alvi
Assistant Professor of Innovation Finance at Athabasca University
Farzad (Haider) Alvi
Assistant Professor of Innovation Finance at Athabasca University
Dr. Haider Alvi is a former corporate financier turned academic and company director. Having grown up in North America, he has worked in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America. Dr. Alvi’s research investigates Innovation Finance, examining the individual agency and entrepreneurial orientations exhibited in high-growth firms, and the adaptation of strategy to volatile contexts.
At Athabasca University, Dr. Alvi has been involved in pilot projects with IBM Watson in applying artificial intelligence to teaching materials and testing that improves learning outcomes for students. Additionally, he teaches Innovation Finance in Athabasca’s online MBA program – the online MBA is an innovation pioneered in Edmonton over 25 years ago. Dr. Alvi holds degrees from the University of Cambridge (PhD), University of Toronto (MBA), Indiana University – Bloomington (JD), and University of Chicago (AB).
Jacquelyn Cardinal
Founder and CEO, Naheyawin; Inaugural member of Edmonton Unlimited’s Innovation Growth Council
Jacquelyn Cardinal
Founder and CEO, Naheyawin; Inaugural member of Edmonton Unlimited’s Innovation Growth Council
Jacquelyn Cardinal is a sakāwithiniwak (or Woodland Cree) entrepreneur and Indigenous technologist from the Sucker Creek Cree First Nation in northern Alberta. In her role as Founder & CEO at Naheyawin, a storytelling and education social enterprise based in amiskwacîwâskahikan (or Edmonton, Alberta), Jacquelyn works to integrate and mobilize diverse knowledge systems to realize the promise of our treaties. She has received an Esquao Award for Achievement in Business and a SHEInnovates Award from the UN Women's Global Innovation Coalition for Change for her ongoing entrepreneurial pursuits. As an artist, she has received the 2019 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Outstanding New Play given to Lake of the Strangers, her first play co-written with her brother.
Launa Aspeslet
COO, Hepion Pharmaceuticals
Launa Aspeslet
COO, Hepion Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Launa J. Aspeslet is COO of Hepion Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company with offices in Edmonton, AB, and New Jersey, USA working on a drug treatment for liver and other fibrotic diseases. Dr. Aspeslet also serves as Chairperson for the Board of Directors of Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation, an industry-led not-for-profit organization that serves as a catalyst to support the development of life science products and companies in Canada. Dr. Aspeslet has over 25 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry overseeing large operating budgets and dozens of multiple-phase clinical trials. Prior to Hepion, Dr. Aspeslet was the CEO of TRIO, a global clinical research organization headquartered in Edmonton that runs oncology trials around the world, a biotechnology consultant working primarily with early stage companies through their product development strategy, and Chief Operating Officer for Isotechnika Pharma Inc., a former Edmonton biotechnology company.
Maureen Moneta, CPA, CA, ICD.D
CPA and Board Member for: Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, Mainroad Group and AGLC
Maureen Moneta, CPA, CA, ICD.D
CPA and Board Member for: Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, Mainroad Group and AGLC
Maureen Moneta is a dynamic and caring Indigenous leader within the Métis Nation of Alberta, Edmonton and Alberta.
Maureen has spent the last decade in executive leadership roles, with a passion for community building and driving social impact.
Maureen’s experience spans diverse industries including health, education, construction, cannabis and gaming within private business, government, regulatory and charitable sectors. Maureen currently serves on the Board of Directors of CPA Alberta, Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC) and the Mainroad Group and is also on the ICD Edmonton Chapter Executive. In 2020, Maureen’s accomplishments were acknowledged with both a CPA Alberta Early Achievement Award and Edify Magazine’s Top 40 under 40 Award (YEG). Maureen has earned Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D) designations.
Nicole Janssen
Co-Founder and Co-CEO at AltaML
Nicole Janssen
Co-Founder and Co-CEO at AltaML
Nicole Janssen is Co-Founder & Co-CEO at AltaML Inc. and Co-Founder & CEO of Janalta Interactive, both based out of Edmonton, Alberta. In two and a half years AltaML has grown rapidly from a handful of people to nearly 100 employees in three cities, prompting an expansion of its headquarters that reflects and support its evolution from startup to scaleup. Nicole considers herself to be a serial entrepreneur and is recognized for her plethora of ideas, seemingly at a moment’s notice. She is a valued mentor who also believes in giving back to the community, serving as the Chair on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta & NWT. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta.
Wendy King
SVP, Operations & Innovation, WCB Alberta
Wendy King
SVP, Operations & Innovation, WCB Alberta
Wendy King is an innovative and creative problem solver with a wealth of experience in driving transformative change across a variety of industries. With a career that has spanned leadership positions at Telus, IBM Canada, Southview Acura and WCB Alberta, Wendy has demonstrated a consistent ability to drive innovation and growth by leveraging emerging technologies and forward-thinking strategies.
Most recently with WCB, as Senior Vice President of Operations and Innovation at WCB Alberta, Wendy is responsible for overseeing multiple disciplines within the organization, including disability and risk management, and the newly created innovation portfolio. Under her leadership, WCB Alberta has redefined service delivery through the implementation of artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies, positioning the organization at the forefront of innovation in its field.
With a Bachelor's degree in Business from the University of Alberta, Director designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors, a number of public and private sector board appointments, Wendy brings a unique combination of academic rigor and practical experience to all of her endeavors. Wendy has been awarded the International Association of Business Communicators Capital Region Communicator of the year and was selected by the Governor General as one of Canada's top 125 future leaders.
Edmonton Unlimited would like to thank and recognize the contributions and governance from our inaugural board: Naseem Bashir, Ashlyn Bernier, Joanne Fedeyko, Aaryn Flynn, Farzad (Haider) Alvi, Shaheel Hooda, Nicole Janssen, Sheetal Mehta Walsh. These business leaders set the foundation of our organization, approved our strategic and business plans, and determined the location of our new home on Jasper Avenue, which opened in May 2023.
Innovation Growth Council
The Innovation Growth Council is a council dedicated to exploring and connecting the diverse range of innovators in Edmonton. Innovation Growth Council members will be ambassadors and champions for innovation in all its forms in Edmonton. Advising the CEO and Board of Edmonton Unlimited, the job of the Innovation Growth Council is to:
- Explore, map and connect diverse innovators to Edmonton Unlimited to establish a more holistic innovation inventory in Edmonton.
- Advise at IGC meetings on how to engage and incorporate innovators of all stripes into IE programming, and identify supports to unlock and build on their potential.
- Work with Edmonton Unlimited to find creative ways to tell the stories of these innovative individuals and companies, their work and their sectors.
Abby Aiyeleye
Co-founder, Clavis Studio
Abby Aiyeleye
Co-founder, Clavis Studio
Carolyn Campbell
President & CEO, NorQuest College
Carolyn Campbell
President & CEO, NorQuest College
Claire Theaker-Brown (she/her)
Founder, Unbelts
Claire Theaker-Brown (she/her)
Founder, Unbelts
Connie Stacey (she/her)
Founder & President, Growing Greener Innovations, Inc.
Connie Stacey (she/her)
Founder & President, Growing Greener Innovations, Inc.
Gail Powley P.Eng
President, Technology Alberta
Gail Powley P.Eng
President, Technology Alberta
Ghalia Aamer
CEO, TalkMaze and University of Alberta Student Representative
Ghalia Aamer
CEO, TalkMaze and University of Alberta Student Representative
Jason Suriano (he/him)
Founder & CEO at TIQ Software
Jason Suriano (he/him)
Founder & CEO at TIQ Software
Keenan Pascal
Founder & CEO, Token Naturals
Keenan Pascal
Founder & CEO, Token Naturals
Lana Cuthbertson
Founder & CEO, Areto Labs
Lana Cuthbertson
Founder & CEO, Areto Labs
Pilar Martinez
CEO, Edmonton Public Library
Pilar Martinez
CEO, Edmonton Public Library
Ron Mills
CEO, Tevosol
Ron Mills
CEO, Tevosol
Sandra Stabel
VP Innovation, HelpSeeker Technologies
Sandra Stabel
VP Innovation, HelpSeeker Technologies
About The Council’s Work
Perhaps more than at any other time in Edmonton’s modern history, our city needs to truly value and capitalize on the diversity of our people and our economy and leverage the strength of this diversity – in sectors, in representation, and in approach – to support a post-pandemic recovery and to meet global challenges. Edmonton needs to dig deep and discover productive companies, sectors and communities, including prominent players and those that have been overlooked. We’ve gone through too much to leave people behind.
The innovation ecosystem has evolved rapidly in the last decade and we have a lot to build on – we have a great innovation tech community in Edmonton, driven by the hard work of people who took risks to create the city they wanted to see. Edmonton traditionally celebrates specific innovation strengths – especially in our formal start up and scale up infrastructure. But we don’t always hear from the innovative minds in all corners of our city. We can’t always benefit from those who don’t see support programs as the right fit nor find community networking events accessible. To not seek, engage and find ways to support these innovators is to leave growth on the table.
Duties
Over a two-year term, the members of the council will attend three meetings a year where they will brainstorm solutions and provide advice to the CEO and Board on growing Edmonton’s innovation ecosystem.
Between meetings, they will act as ambassadors for the growth of our innovation community and will do targeted outreach according to a work plan for each council member; as well as support other council members when the opportunity arises. Council members may also work with Edmonton Unlimited staff to guide the narratives of companies discovered across the outreach network.
Principles of the Innovation Growth Council
The members of the Innovation Growth Council:
- Practice innovation in their profession.
- Foster community, collaboration, and healthy competition.
- Always think imaginatively and critically about what innovation should mean in Edmonton’s context.
- Seek and find the existing untapped innovation potential across Edmonton.
- Want to learn and exchange new perspectives on innovation, business, and organizing with a diverse group of council members.
Get Started
Reach out today for a free, 30-minute meeting to learn how we can help you with your idea, business and passion for innovating.