Tatjana Brkic 

Founding Member

Biography

Tatjana Brkic teaches economics at one of the largest polytechnic institutes in Canada, Red River College. She is also an entrepreneurship coach at HEC Paris, UNEP consultant, and a strategist behind the Square Metre for Peace initiative. Her passion is finding ways to profitably implement social innovation in business and community globally. Tatjana’s experience includes developing a business intelligence unit at Manitoba Telecom, creating a global knowledge network about sustainability in business at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, and consulting in industrial engineering and ergonomics at Volkswagen.

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She has received numerous awards including the national Canadian Institutes and Colleges Excellence Award, Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Fellowship, Douglas Campbell Mackay Portfolio Management Award, and College Research Excellence Award.

Contribution

Strategy vision, partnerships and business research

Sand Box

Social Innovation in Business in Europe and Canada

Rhonda Taylor

Founding Member

Biography

Rhonda has worked and volunteered in the not-for-profit sector for the last 20 years. The focus of her work has been in key priority areas that include literacy, food security, ending violence against women and truth and reconciliation. Her work is done in relationship and genuine partnership with individuals and communities whose realities have made it challenging for them to pursue their dreams and reach their full potential. The lens through which Rhonda does her work is based in social justice and believes in the importance of meeting people where they are at and empowering them to become their own advocates and champions.

Currently working as the CEO for Career Trek, a Manitoba-based charitable organization, Rhonda is focused on building relationships with government, business, industry and communities to expand programming, inside and outside the province. The goal is to support youth who face barriers and obstacles and give them the tools, resources, and experiences they need to prepare for the future of work.

Contribution

Creative Thinking, Idea Generation

Sand Box

Youth Initiatives

Erica Silva

Founding Member

Biography

Erica Silva a Brazilian living in Winnipeg. Application Architecture and System Analyst at Protrega. Her career in technology started in 1998 studying Data Processing at Ruy Barbosa College, and she fell in love with IT. Since then she has worked at CESAR in Recife in a Motorola team as a Software Engineer, graduated from two post-grad and one professional master degree in Software Development, and has worked for eight years as a Software Developer and Project Manager at the Brazilian Army.

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In 2015, she moved to Winnipeg and decided to go back to school, graduating in Technology Management in 2017.

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She loves to volunteer and make friends. She is currently a Winnipeg Women Techmaker Ambassador and President of the Brazilian Citizenship Council of Winnipeg.

Contribution

Web Development

Jo Ann Pinera

Founding Member

Biography

Throughout her experiences as a student and through different work placements, Jo Ann Pinera has found community in building coalitions with youth to amplify their voices concerning local and global issues. As one of the founding members of Sustainability Club at Red River College, and the president of a youth developed initiative Winnipeg Youth United (WiYU), she seeks to mobilize young leaders to take meaningful action on their concerns. Through her social advocacy, she aspires to promote change in her community with an emphasis on compassion, empathy, and collaboration. A recent graduate from the Business Administration Program at Red River College, Jo Ann’s interest lies in the intersection of business and social good. She hopes to complete her Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Winnipeg and pursue a minor in International Development Studies.

Contribution

Business Research, Editing

Sand Box

Social Innovation in Canada

Cristhiane Mignot

Founding Member

Biography

Cristhiane Mignot is a Dental Professional, DDS and Orthodontics MSc in Brazil, and International Business Specialist in Canada, passionate about academic environments, research, and continuing education. She is a caring mom of a lovely girl and two amazing boys, and the wife of the most talented Dental Technician and the best dad ever!

They are lifetime partners, love to travel, enjoying each other's company, and discovering new places and possibilities. Her desire is to contribute to making the world a better place as a legacy for future generations, either through science or business opportunities and social innovation.

Contribution

Research, Translation, Social Media Management 

Sand Box

Social Innovation and Science in Canada and South America 

Andrea Douglas

Founding Member

Biography

Andrea Douglas works as a project portfolio manager in the natural food industry, directing and enabling teams in innovation and capital projects. She is a certified project manager with a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and a diploma in Holistic Nutrition. Her 20-year career in sustainability focused entrepreneurial businesses includes working with local growers and food processors to increase local food security.

An experienced leader whose strengths include her integrity, resourcefulness, and enthusiasm for continuous improvement, Andrea challenges the status quo and strives for a better workplace and community. Her personal journey is one of learning and coaching others to slow down and enjoy life; her passions include healthy living, holistic healing, and community building.

Contribution

Business research, Editing

Marly Sgambatti

Founding Member

Biography

Marly Sgambatti is a Psychologist and Sr Human Resources professional with over 20 years’ experience, successfully leading HR functions to business results. She has collaborated in multinational companies and has participated in numerous organizational transformations with significant contributions, leading teams throughout Latin America and the US. Marly has worked and lived in 5 different countries and truly enjoys multicultural experiences. She is passionate about innovation and loves to help others to achieve their true potential. Marly is a results-oriented person with high sense of urgency, who can easily manage ambiguity and drive change.  Some of her strengths include interpersonal skills, coaching, organizational strategy, and business partnering.

Carlie Doan

Founding Member

Biography

Carlie Doan is currently working in the editorial department of a magazine publisher centered around Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs. Based in Toronto, ON, she grew up in rural Manitoba where she studied marketing and international business at both the University of Manitoba and Red River College. After a brief stint working in the federal government’s Department of International Trade, she decided to further pursue her passions for education, travel, and political and social issues, completing a graduate degree in political science from Tel Aviv University, in Israel. There she interned in marketing and communications at an NGO, and upon returning to Canada continued with work related to Israel advocacy. She is considering pursuing a PhD in the near future. She enjoys writing and is currently working on her first book.

Contribution

Social Media Marketing, Editorial, Research

Sand Box

Toronto/ GTA Local Contact

Maja Bedak

Founding Member

Biography

Maja Bedak currently works as a consultant at Deloitte's federal practice. Prior to this, she spent six years working and managing U.S. Government grants at the nexus of civil society and government collaboration in West Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Maja's experience includes issues focused on access to justice, anti-corruption, countering violent extremism, political party development, youth reconciliation, and security sector reform.

Kylie Lamb

Founding Member

Biography

Kylie Lamb is a crochet designer whose designs have been published in The Crochetist and Interweave Crochet, as well as self-published. Kylie worked at Buchwald Asper (now Pitblado) for 20 years, initially as a legal assistant and, subsequently, in Information Technology. Kylie was also the Chief Customer Happiness Specialist at myTego.com, where she set-up and managed their customer service department. A life-long learner, Kylie furthered her education at Red River College in Business Administration and Web Design. 

Contribution

Copy Editing, Website

Renata Meconse

Founding Member

Biography

Renata Meconse is Anishinaabe from Pinaymootang First Nation in Treaty Territory 2, Manitoba. She resides in Winnipeg with her family, where she works as a communicator in First Nations health. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic experience, Renata has had the opportunity to work with different First Nations organizations and partners in health to communicate with Manitoba First Nations, and in the collective work to protect communities. Her work on COVID-19 includes playing a lead role in communications of the Manitoba First Nations COVID-19 Pandemic Response Coordination Team, established in Manitoba in mid-March, 2020. As this experience evolves, Renata looks forward to learning best practices in community safety and public health, sharing knowledge gained so that others in turn can learn and utilize. 

Sarah Sanderson

Founding Member

Biography

An artist and entrepreneur at heart, Sarah Sanderson designed, manufactured, and marketed a Jewelry business across central and western Canada, through galleries, juried exhibitions, boutiques, and festivals.  Her pursuits as a sole proprietor include awards in government grants and her art work featured in Canadian MAG (Metal arts guild) Magazine.  She has been involved with Woman Business Owners in Winnipeg and has been a member of Canadian, provincial crafts councils.

After a decade and half of running her company in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sarah transitioned into her second career, in finance, with an accounting major in Business Administration.  She is now a senior representative with IG Wealth Management, who services financial consultants with their clients investments, Canada wide, through their corporate contact centre.

Sarah’s background includes knowledge in gemology, art, alternative healing modalities and the financial industry.  She brings with her a dedicated work ethic, a definitive understanding of operating a small business venture, a passion for quality craftsmanship and genuine, professional business relationships. 

Rita Chahal

Founding Member

Biography

Rita Chahal has 35 plus years of professional and volunteer experience in the not for profit, academic, and private sectors . Arriving on the east coast of Canada in the mid sixties with her parents, Rita's family was one of the first families of East Indian decent to settle in Prince Edward Island. Having lived the immigrant experience, Rita has contributed much to the newcomer settlement sector through her leadership within a major refugee settlement organization, employment  agency, Chambers of Commerce, and through other professional opportunities.  Her leadership as Executive Director with the Women in Media Foundation was one of the building blocks that introduced girls and  young women to pursue careers in the technical aspects of broadcasting, film, and new media by successfully establishing  a national gender-based career training program involving private industry, technical colleges, schools, and government.

Her overall experience includes executive leadership for strategic planning, change management, fund development, media, public relations, and organizational development. Rita is committed to making a meaningful contribution to social and economic systems that impact the lives of Canadians, especially marginalized groups. In 2016, Rita was humbled to be one of sixty amazing women nominated as recipients for the first Nellie McClung award. As a human rights advocate, Rita adheres to the principle of being “keepers of our brothers and sisters”. She strongly believes in a strong work ethic and having a sense of humor in her day to day professional and personal responsibilities.

Rita is married, with three children. The loves of her life are now her three grandchildren. A former Maritimer  and  graduate of Dalhousie University, Rita and her husband have called Manitoba their home for the past 40 years! 

Leah Buermeyer

Founding Member

Biography

Leah Buermeyer is a recent graduate of the Business Administration program at Red River College in Winnipeg.  While previously studying at the Canadian Mennonite University and the University of Winnipeg, she developed an interest in sustainability which is continually shaping her present and future contributary aspirations; both in work and outside of work.  Manitoba is home, but she spent several years exploring and experiencing different areas of the world.  These years included volunteer teaching English in SE Asia, working as a teaching assistant in the UK, working as an administrative professional at the Sydney Opera House, and as much travel and adventure in between as possible.  Being a part of positive movement within the community is where Leah finds motivation and is looking forward to what the next chapter in her life will bring.

Contribution

Social Media Management