MARK FULLER

​

Mark Fuller is the Chairman and CEO of Rosc Global, a firm providing merchant banking and advisory services to governments, corporations and nonprofits. Mark also sits on a number of for profit and nonprofit boards including the Asian Institute of Management, Teach for All, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, RevJen, and the South Asia Initiative of Harvard University.

 

From 1983 to 2010, Mark was the founding Chairman and CEO of Monitor Group, an international consulting and investment firm. Under Mark’s leadership, Monitor developed world leading consulting units covering Strategy and Uncertainty, leadership and organization, Innovation, Economic Development, Marketing Pricing and Sales, and Social Action. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, teaching courses in strategy formulation, implementation, and industry and competitive analysis. He is the author of more than two hundred books, articles and teaching cases. Mark is a graduate, with High Honors, of Harvard College, Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.

BRUCE STROEVER

 

After joining Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation as General Manager in 1988, and then moving to President in 1992 and President and CEO in 1996, Bruce Stroever retired on June 30, 2018. In his nearly 30 years with MTF, he watched it grow to more than 1,100 employees and over $400 million in annual revenue.

 

During his 29-year tenure at MTF, Bruce led the non-profit organization to become the largest tissue bank in the world. Donated human tissues MTF received from more than 120,000 donors have been used to treat more than 7.5 million patients throughout the U.S. and more than 50 other countries.

 

Bruce also oversaw the development of successful tissue forms including DBX, Trinity Evolution & Elite and FlexHD. He steered the acquisition of other tissue banks, most notably American Red Cross Tissue Services Division, the Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank and DIZG, one of the largest tissue banks in Europe, as well as two subsidiaries, Statline and the International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine (IIAM). In his more than 45-year career in life sciences and biotechnology, Bruce has been a part of many transplantation-related advisory boards including the NJ Sharing Network. He is a founding member of the Tissue Policy Group of the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and served two terms on the AATB Board of Governors. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bone Biologics, Cor

BUD SORENSON

​

Bud Sorenson is the Managing General Partner of the Sorenson Limited Partnership. He was the 7th President of Babson College, serving from 1974 to 1981. Under his tenure, Babson College’s entrepreneurial program became the America’s premier entrepreneurial program, a position it continues to hold today. From 1981 to 1989 he was the chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and president of Barry Wright Corporation. He has also served as dean of the College of Business at the University of Colorado and as a professor at the Harvard Business School.

 

He formerly served on the board of Whole Foods Market, Inc. and currently serves on a number of private company boards in which the Sorenson Limited Partnership has investments. Bud is a life trustee of the Boston Museum of Science, where he served as Chairman of the Board, and a trustee of the Colorado Nature Conservancy, where he serves as Colorado's representative to the Conservancy's National Trustee council. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Asian Institute of Management. He earned his BA from Amherst College, his MBA and DBA from the Harvard Business School. In 1985, he was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree from Babson College.

CHRIS VELIS

 

Gravitational leadership exists when an individual’s passion, determination and forward movement attracts a loyal and broad following. Christopher Velis creates such a wake. His magnetism does not arise from a charging presence, but rather deep intellectualism, an innate ability to listen and unlimited capacity to care — a trait he developed at a young

age watching his father succumb to cancer.

 

Chris’s quiet confidence masks his relentless drive. Be it racing cars, martial arts or investment banking, his commitment to mastery is hard to refute. Yet it was during his tenure on Wall Street, working on healthcare mergers and acquisitions, that he realized what he could achieve to saves lives and reduce suffering. From there, he never looked back.

 

Over the past three decades, Chris has become a world-renowned medical technologist. Companies he has worked on have set the industry gold standard for motion preservation, regeneration of cartilage and soft tissue through the use of novel peptides, tissue regeneration using DNA pairs, and stem cell and PRP technologies for use in regenerative medicine. Throughout his career, Chris has represented more than 150 medical device companies in a variety of business transactions including licensing agreements, joint ventures and M&A.

 

Chris reinvented surgical robotics with the founding and eventual $5.75 billion total exit of Auris Health. He has now turned his sights on revolutionizing the way we battle infectious disease, inventing surgical robots that can do what human hands cannot, and bringing technologies aimed to optimize human performance to the world.

 

Chris attributes his success to his passion for entrepreneurial science, a differentiated approach to venture investing, and the ability to assemble the top minds to tackle a problem into teams that push to the cutting edge of performance. His friends credit his ability to manifest a market advantage like no other to his badger-like ability to unearth, and subsequently nurture, relationships with off-grid research departments that invest hundreds of millions in new technologies.

GLEN KASHUBA

​

​

Glen Kashuba has over 30 years of executive management experience leading medical device companies. Prior to becoming CEO of Cerapedics in 2013, Glen served as the Worldwide President of Spine & Bone Healing Technologies, Inc., a Biomet company, and concurrently served as Senior Vice President on Biomet’s Worldwide Operating Board, encompassing their Orthopedics, Spine, Trauma, Biologics, and Sports Medicine businesses. Previously, he has held a number of Divisional president roles at Johnson & Johnson where he served as Worldwide President for Cordis Endovascular and Neurovascular and as Worldwide President for Codman Neuro Sciences and U.S. President of DePuy Spine. Mr. Kashuba earned his B.S in Industrial Engineering from Rutgers University. He completed additional course work in corporate finance including a corporate valuation program at the Harvard Business School, and specialized study programs such as Bio-engineers in Surgery at Clemson University and Bio-mechanics Skeletal System at the New Jersey Institute Technology.

CATHY PUGH

​

Cathy has worked in Canada’s Business Events industry for over 25 years. She successfully navigated the development and execution of opening Fredericton first convention centre to a respected, professional, and competitive organization. She leads a team of professionals who have consistently exceeded their targets and achieved new event demand to the City of Fredericton, through innovative and personalized customer experiences.

​

Cathy is noted for understanding the need to design business practices which are flexible and can respond to client and market demand, and, to build collaborative and productive relationships with team members, stakeholders, guests, and community. All of which have contributed to the center’s success.

​

Cathy holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of New Brunswick and currently serves as, Vice Chair of the Fredericton International Airport Authority, Past Chair of the Convention Centres of Canada, and Past President of Skal New Brunswick. She is active in her memberships with Meetings Mean Business Canada, International Association of Venue Managers, RendezVous Fredericton, Fredericton Tourism Accommodation Committee, Tourism Industry Associations of Canada, and New Brunswick and most recently with TIAC’s COVID Recovery National Committee.

SHAUNTAE MITCHELL

​

Shauntae Mitchell received a BSc in Information Technology from the University of Technology, Jamaica. She began her career within tech as a Quality Assurance & Control Analyst where she led testing efforts for web and mobile applications.

​

Shauntae’s interest in innovation brought her to the University of New Brunswick where she attained a Master of Engineering degree in Technology Management & Entrepreneurship. During her time at UNB, she co-founded a start-up within the real estate industry.

 

Shauntae now works as a Consultant at Deloitte where she focuses on helping clients implement Oracle Cloud solutions.

ALPHA BEHERA

​

Alpha Behera works for NB Power as a Corporate System Planning Engineer. She graduated from UNB with MEng in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship. Previously acquired MSc in Renewable Energy Engineering from the UK and BTech in Electrical Engineering from India. Her expertise is in software modelling & simulation, Long term strategic planning, Clean Energy and Smart grid Technologies.

 

Alpha was born in her hometown Odisha and brought up in Delhi, India. Moving to UK and then Canada made her gain outstanding experiences to enhance her professional as well as personal growth tremendously. She loves to socialise, do Zumba, yoga and trail biking during her spare time. Alpha's favourite quote is: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

TOSIN AJIBOLA

​

Named 30 Under 30 Innovators in Atlantic Canada by the Atlantic Business Magazine in 2021, Top 25 Immigrants in Canada 2022 by Canadian Immigrants Award and the Top youth immigrant in Canada 2022. Tosin’s core values are centered around simplifying complex day to day problems immigrants face, Predominantly Newcomers like himself who have decided to make the bold move to migrate from one region to another either by choice or by circumstances.

 

Tosin Ajibola, is a Computer Scientist, Tech Entrepreneur and Co-founder/CEO at Welkom-U Inc, a technology company established to help and support newcomers settle in a new community, leveraging technology and digitalizing the experience while achieving retention and promoting socio-economic growth in smaller communities within Canada.

 

He earned a master’s degree in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship from the University of New Brunswick in 2020 and joined Atlantic Growth Solutions as a Business Development Manager. He was a recipient of the RBC Community leadership Award in 2020 and a recipient of the Canadian Information Processing Society Award for Leadership in Innovation.

 

Prior to immigrating and co-founding Welkom-U Inc in Canada, he worked as a Product Manager for 4 years at Appzone Group, A leading Fintech provider in Africa and led multiple project teams to deliver enterprise solutions at top banks in Africa.

 

Tosin is a member of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Venn Innovation Board of Directors, and a member of the Advisory Board at Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF). Tosin also leads the Atlantic Canada Chapter of the BlackBoysCode, a non-profit organization that aims to improve the future of young black boys through Computer Science and Technology.

 

Tosin is passionate about solving Problems using technology, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion while promoting social impact through the work that he does. He is inspired to help future entrepreneurs understand the hurdles he faced integrating into a new community, starting a company and how he navigates through them. 

KUMARAN THILLAINADARAJAH

 

Kumaran is the co-founder and CTO of Smart Skin Technologies. He developed the initial concept of Smart Skin in 2008. Since then, the company made several strategic pivots until they found the right market. Today, Smart Skin provides IIoT based productivity solutions globally to the food, beverage & pharmaceutical sectors. Along the way, Smart Skin Technologies has won a variety of awards, most notably in 2015 Smart Skin was listed on Deloitte Fast 50™ 2015 Companies-to-Watch and won the 1st place at the World Beverage Innovation Awards in Germany in 2016. Kumaran was listed in RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants across the country in 2016. Last year, Smart Skin won best Innovation in Manufacturing at Pharmapack 2020 in Paris.

IGOR OLIVEIRA

​

Igor has a background in electrical engineering, but for over 7 years he worked with corporate education as a consultant, speaker, and researcher - with the main topics being technology, digital transformation, creativity, innovation, and futures literacy. During this period, he worked closely with companies such as Nestlé, Unilever, DLL, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, SAP, Janssen, Phillip Morris, Ambev, and many others, mainly in Brazil. In 2021, he obtained a Master's Degree in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship (MTME) from the University of New Brunswick. He is also passionate about games, both digital and analog.

KEN KENT

​

Dr. Ken Kent was recently named the inaugural Barrett Chair in Entrepreneurship for Digital Transformation in the Faculty of Computer Science.

 

Dr. Kent has been with UNB since 2002. A full professor in computer science, he has held various positions within the faculty, including the Information Technology Centre and assistant dean - research and outreach. He is the director of the IBM Centre for Advanced Studies – Atlantic (CAS-A).

 

During his time with UNB, Dr. Kent has participated in many industrial partnerships, including IBM, Google, RedHat and Huawei, with work contributing to disclosures and patent filings, many academic publications in refereed journals and conference proceedings, and numerous awards for his scientific contributions. In 2020, he was recognized as the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) R3 Star Mentor of the Year. Having co-founded anessa, a Fredericton-based software company providing solutions for the biogas industry, Dr. Kent brings academic, industrial and entrepreneurial experience.

KATIE DAVEY

Recently recognized as a 2021 Young Impact Leader by Future of Good for her role in creating Public Policy Forum’s podcast, Policy Speaking, Katie brings an entrepreneurial spirit to public policy challenges of the day. Katie heads PPF Media while also serving as Director of Policy at Public Policy Forum.

 

Katie is the creator of Femme Wonk — a policy and current affairs podcast with an Atlantic Canadian and intersectional flare. Katie served as director of policy and stakeholder relations at the Office of the Official Opposition in New Brunswick, senior adviser for policy and stakeholder engagement in the New Brunswick premier’s office and president of the University of New Brunswick Student Union. She was a member of the Youth Working Group on Gender Equality for the Government of Canada, and a 2019-20 Action Canada Fellow. Katie holds a degree in political science from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Applied Politics from Wilfrid Laurier University. Katie advocates for the integration of economic and social policy.

 

MICHEL ROD

Dr. Michel Rod became Dean of Business at UNB Saint John on July 1, 2019.

 

Dr. Rod joined UNB from the Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, where he was a faculty member of the for ten years – the last three as Associate Dean Research and International and PhD Program Director. Prior to that, he was Undergraduate Program Director in the School of Marketing and International Business at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where he taught for eight years.

 

He holds a PhD in Commerce from the University of Birmingham, a Master’s degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Calgary and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Western Ontario.

 

Dr. Rod’s research covers a variety of areas including business-to-business relationships, wine marketing, the triple helix of government-university-industry collaborative interaction, policy issues related to commercializing university-developed intellectual property as well as the impact of effectual decision-making in establishing entrepreneurial ventures. He has published over 60 articles in refereed journals and presented his research many times nationally and internationally, in addition to the leadership roles he has held over the course of his career.

SAM POIRIER

​

Sam Poirier is the Co-Founder and CEO of Potential Motors. He is a UNB grad with a background in mechatronics engineering and a passion for the environment. Sam leads the team at Potential Motors as they develop the Adventure 1 off-road EV, and Off-Road OS software to power it. Outside of work, you can find him hiking the back trails of New Brunswick.

DOM BLAKELY

Dom is the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategist in the J Herbert Smith Centre, a Senior Advisor to the President of UNB, and UNESCO co-Chair in Anticipatory Systems for Innovation and Venture Creation. He joined JHSC after thirteen years at the university in fundraising and senior administration. He is an instructor within the Master of Technology Management and Entrepreneurship Program, manages student support funds for prototype development, customer acquisition and travel. Dom is the Director of the I-STEM program for testing of commercial viability for researcher’s IP and the Program Lead of Global Technology Solutions program, a collaboration between UNB and the Manipal Academy in India.

 

Dom has a diverse work history in provincial and federal politics, sales, non-profits, and fundraising. However, he brings most of all his work back to the need to develop deep and long-lasting networks to accomplish our goals.  

BILL BARRETT

​

William Barrett is a shareholder and Co-CEO of Barrett Corporation, a privately held international management company, based in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada. Founded in 1976 and held by members of the Barrett Family, Barrett Corporation holds equity positions in several North American companies, primarily in Service, Telecommunications and Distribution industry silos.

​

Among the highlights of his business career, Bill has helped build Star Choice Television (now Shaw Direct) and co- founded Xplornet Communications Inc., Canada’s largest provider of highspeed internet to rural Canadians. Founded in 2004, Xplornet was purchased in summer of 2020 for $2.7B.

​

Bill has been active in several charitable organizations and has served on a number of industry boards. He has served as a member of the Board of Governors at Acadia University. In 2010, he and his brother Ed were nominated to the New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame.

​

Since 2016 Bill has been an active investor in Atlantic Canadian startups.

​

Bill and his wife Jocelyn live on a farm in Carleton County, New Brunswick and raise and breed full blood Wagyu cattle.

JOHN McLAUGHLIN

​

John McLaughlin, Professor and President Emeritus of the University of New Brunswick, is currently a Scholar in Residence at UNB’s Centre for Technology, Management and Entrepreneurship. Prof. McLaughlin is a past president of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics, the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a former Governor of the Council of Canadian Academies.

 

Prof. McLaughlin has an academic background in engineering and institutional economics. He has authored or co-authored more than two hundred publications, including three books published by Oxford University Press and a series of monographs published by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Dr. McLaughlin has worked in more than 45 countries and co-founded two companies. He is a recipient of both the Order of Canada and the Order of New Brunswick.

DAVID ALWARD

​

David Alward brings more than thirty years experience in connecting people, communities, business, and governments together, assisting them in achieving their goals and objectives. Dave’s experience of sitting on multiple sides of the table has allowed him to gain a comprehensive understanding of what is needed to accomplish results, even in often complex and competing environments. Dave’s experience includes the breadth from policy development to program delivery. His leadership is based on the foundation of the critical role communication, relationships, inclusive actions, collaboration, partnerships, and transparency play in achieving results.

 

Most recently, Dave has operated PDM Strategies Inc., providing advisory services in areas including government and community relations, and strategic planning and development with business, industry, and academic institutions.

 

For five and one-half years, Dave served as Consul General of Canada in New England. As Canada’s senior diplomat in the region, he was responsible for Canada’s relationship and outreach with the New England Congressional delegation, Governors and their administrations, State Houses, senior business leaders, business organizations, academia, and NGO’s. As part of this role, Dave worked closely with Canadian counterparts both Federally and Provincially.

 

First elected in 1999, Dave represented the riding of Woodstock for sixteen years in New Brunswick’s Legislative Assembly. From 2003-2006, Dave served as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture. In 2009, Dave was successful in becoming the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick and Leader of the Official Opposition. From 2010-2014, Dave served as Premier of New Brunswick and Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs. 

ALLISON McCAIN

​

Dr. McCain earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from University of New Brunswick in 1972 and an honorary doctor of science in 2007. He began his career as an engineer with the New Brunswick Telephone Company, and joined McCain Foods (Canada) as project engineer in 1975, later serving as Cold Storage Manager and Production Manager in Florenceville before his appointment as Production Director with McCain Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd. in Australia in 1980. In 1983 he became Production Director with McCain Foods (GB) Ltd. headquartered in Scarborough, England, was promoted to Deputy Managing Director in 1988, Managing Director in 1990, Chief Executive Officer in 1995 and, in 1999 was named Deputy Chairman of McCain Foods Limited, the parent company of McCain operations worldwide.

In February 2004, he was appointed as Chair of the Forging our Futures campaign raising over $100 million for University of New Brunswick and was named Chancellor of UNB in 2013. He was appointed Governor of Beaverbrook Art Gallery in 2004 and Chair of the Board in 2008. Mr. McCain is a member of the New Brunswick Business Council. In 2012 he received the Diamond Jubilee medal from the Governor General of Canada and in 2014 he was appointed to the Order of Canada.

Mr. McCain and his wife, Clare, reside in Florenceville-Bristol, N.B., and are the parents of Brian and Kate. Leisure interests include skiing, biking, golf and tennis.

KATIE DAVEY

Recently recognized as a 2021 Young Impact Leader by Future of Good for her role in creating Public Policy Forum’s podcast, Policy Speaking, Katie brings an entrepreneurial spirit to public policy challenges of the day. Katie heads PPF Media while also serving as Director of Policy at Public Policy Forum.

 

Katie is the creator of Femme Wonk — a policy and current affairs podcast with an Atlantic Canadian and intersectional flare. Katie served as director of policy and stakeholder relations at the Office of the Official Opposition in New Brunswick, senior adviser for policy and stakeholder engagement in the New Brunswick premier’s office and president of the University of New Brunswick Student Union. She was a member of the Youth Working Group on Gender Equality for the Government of Canada, and a 2019-20 Action Canada Fellow. Katie holds a degree in political science from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Applied Politics from Wilfrid Laurier University. Katie advocates for the integration of economic and social policy.

 

JONATHAN CALOF 

​

Dr. Calof is recognized as one of the leaders in intelligence, foresight and anticipatory systems. He is the UNESCO co-chair on anticipatory systems for innovation and venture creation at the University of New Brunswick and a professor of International Business and Strategy at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Calof combines research and consulting in competitive intelligence, technical foresight and business analytics to help organizations develop key insights on their competitive environment.
 

Jonathan has given over 1000 speeches, seminars and keynote addresses around the world on intelligence and foresight and has helped several companies and government agencies around the world enhance their intelligence, foresight and business analytics capabilities. In recognition of his contribution to making fact based decision making a reality, Jonathan has been given several honors including Frost and Sullivan’s life time achievement award in competitive intelligence; distinguished member award from the Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) ; Awarded the title CI Fellow; Honorary Professor at Yunnan Normal University in China, Board of advisors for the Centre en Intelligence Economique et Management Stratégique( CIE'MS/Center for Competitive Intelligence and Strategic Management in Morocco); Extraordinary Professor at North West University in South Africa and Adjunct Professor at the University of New Brunswick. Interest in his work has also resulted in several interviews on radio, TV, social media, and in print around the world.