Governance and Staff

The National i2I Network will be housed within the 911吃瓜 Research & Innovation Institute which is governed by an Oversight Council and ultimately reports to 911吃瓜 Senate through an annual report to 911吃瓜鈥檚 Vice-President, Research and Innovation. The National i2I Network鈥檚 governance structure emphasizes our commitment to co-creation and co-development of customized science innovation and entrepreneurship programming and supports with our co-applicants and collaborating organizations, including renowned research institutes, Indigenous-led organizations, and private and public sector partners from diverse geographies.

The i2I Research & Innovation Institute will serve as the nerve centre for National i2I Operations, running programs through learning management systems, coordinating program delivery, delivering continual curricular improvements and guiding strategic direction for the i2I Network with specific input from the Regional and Academic leads.

Three Advisory Committees will be established. Typically, the Vice President, Research or Associate Vice President, Innovation at co-applicant institutions will be represented along with the CEOs or Vice President Innovation of collaborating organizations, science innovation ecosystem experts, Indigenous communities and STEM and health science subject matter experts. These committees will advise the Network Leadership Team on implementation and delivery of traditional and non-traditional outputs, as well as ways to overcome institutional barriers and siloes.

Oversight Council (OC)

Meeting each semester and chaired by 911吃瓜鈥檚 Vice-President, Research and Innovation, the OC will consist at least eight 911吃瓜 faculty members or Deans from multiple faculties at 911吃瓜 and by external leadership from other academic and Health Research Institute partners across Canada (i.e., Queen鈥檚, Waterloo, Laval, UNBC), Collaborating Organizations, and Indigenous and EDII representatives

mARVIN wASHINGTON

Dean, Beedie School of Business

911吃瓜

Angela Brooks-Wilson

Dean, Faculty of Science

911吃瓜

Darryl Knight

Vice-President, Research & Academic Affairs

Providence Healthcare Research Institute

Eugene Fiume

Dean, Faculty of Applied Science

911吃瓜

Ed Park

Co-Scientific Director, WearTech Labs

911吃瓜

Max Donelan

Co-Scientific Director, WearTech Labs

911吃瓜

Neil Branda

CRC Tier 1

Scientific Director, 4D Labs

911吃瓜

Samira Siahrostami

CRC Tier 2

911吃瓜

Steven Holdcroft

CRC Tier 1

Scientific Director, Clean Hydrogen Hub

911吃瓜

National Leadership Team (NLT)

The Oversight Council will be the governing body which ensures that the National Leadership Team (NLT) is meeting all of its commitments and will make strategic decisions regarding changes in scope, geographical focus, and changes in executive leadership or organizational structure.

Elicia Maine

Chair and Director, i2IRII

Dr. Maine founded the i2I Program, authored the i2I Lab to Market course, and Co-supervises the i2I Commercialization Postdocs

Sarah Lubik

National i2I Academic Director

Dr. Lubik authored and teaches the i2I Business Models course and expanded the i2I Network nationally with Mitacs, including developing the Francophone cohort; and deepening relationships with ecosystem partners.

James McLellan

Associate National i2I Academic Director & Regional Lead, Eastern ON

Dr. McLellan is Academic Director of the Dunin-Deshpande Queen鈥檚 Innovation Centre. He led the expansion of the i2I Network to Ontario with Mitacs, and teaches the i2I Business Model course, and co-supervises the i2I Commercialization Postdocs.

Jon Thomas

i2I Research Director & EDII Lead

Dr. Thomas is the Director of the Esposito Family Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, is the BC Regional Innovation Chair in Canada-India Partnership Development at UFV. Dr. Thomas teaches the i2I Lab to Market course and has helped to shape the i2I鈥檚 Commercialization Postdoc program.

Research Leadership Team (RLT)

The Research Leadership Team is responsible for conducting science innovation and science entrepreneurship research and incorporating it into the pedagogy of the i2I Network programming. The RLT will be supported by a Translational Grant Writer (in-kind from 911吃瓜) who will assist them with funding applications to sustain research and thought leadership, including programs such as SSHRC Partnership Grants, Horizon Europe, and philanthropic funding. The costs of the RLT are all funded from sources other than the NSERC Lab to Market grant.

Jon Thomas

National i2I Research Director &
EDI Initiatives Lead

University of the Fraser Valley

Elicia Maine

Chair and Director, i2IRII

Dr. Maine founded the i2I Program, authored the i2I Lab to Market course, and co-supervises the i2I Commercialization Postdocs

Meet our Research Fellows

Academic Leadership Team (ALT)

The Academic Leadership Team (ALT) consists of all Regional Academic Leads at co-applicant institutions. Meeting bi-weekly, the ALT will lead program delivery and ecosystem building. Each regional lead institution will support the annual delivery of one i2I program cohort, explore opportunities for co-creation, assess and refine complementary or customized intensive programming, and share best practices and lessons learned. These regional leads will build relationships with other higher education institutions in their regions, facilitate research collaborations, recruit mentors and serve as connectors to i2I鈥檚 expanding national and international network of collaborating ecosystem partners.

Sarah Lubik

National i2I Academic Director

911吃瓜

James McLellan

Associate National i2I Academic Director &
Regional Lead, Eastern Ontario

Queen's University

Aaron Newman

Co-Regional Lead, Southern Atlantic

Dalhousie University

Carlos Bazan

Co-Regional Lead, Northern Atlantic

Memorial University

Clay Braziller

Co-Regional Lead, West (on leave)

911吃瓜

Fabiano Armellini

Co-Regional Lead, French

Polytechnique Montreal

Sophie Veilleux

Co-Regional Lead, French

Universite Laval

Tony Briggs

Regional Lead, West Prairies

University of Alberta

Valerie Ward

Regional Lead, West ON

University of Waterloo

LOREN OSCHIPOK

Regional Lead, East Prairies

University of Manitoba

Jerome Etwaroo

Regional Lead, West Island/North

University of Victoria

ANDREW PARK

Regional Lead, West Lower Mainland

University of Victoria

Richard McAloney

Northern Initatitive Lead

University of Northern British Columbia

Rose Mastnak

College Initative Lead

Conestoga College

Operational Delivery Team (ODT)

The Operational Delivery Team will manage day-to-day operations nationally, oversee curricular development, coordinate operations, support recruitment efforts and execute marketing and outreach activities, including effective communication for Francophone participants. This team will also lead financial aspects and reporting. Regional coordinators at partner institutions will ensure effective local implementation.

Jennifer Beale

Executive Director