CanWIT Advisory Council (CAC)

The National CanWIT Advisory Council (CAC) plays a crucial role in accelerating CanWIT's programs and steering organizational direction and growth strategies under our important mandate to support the advancement of women in Canada's advanced technology sector. The industry knowledge, expertise, and leadership of our CAC members is invaluable as CanWIT continues to grow.

CanWIT broadened its mandate in 2012 to offer new opportunities for its membership base and to increase strategic partnerships across North America. Partnerships with Springboard Enterprises, The Women's Executive Network, and Startup Canada also assist the CAC in fostering CanWIT's commitment to mentorship and entrepreneurship for women-led tech companies.

Members of the 2013-2014 CanWIT Advisory Council include:

Kim Adolphe - President, Gemini Performance Solutions Inc. (Calgary)
Trina Alexson - Director, Service Delivery Exec., Cisco (Toronto)
Fawn Annan - CEO, IT World Canada (Toronto)
Nastaran Bisheban - ADM, Digital Insight Technologies, Canadian Tire (Waterloo)
Prerna Chandak - Partner, Lemonade Venture Inc. (Toronto)
Glenda Crisp - VP and CIO of Corporate Segment, TD Financial (Toronto)
Kelly Hagen - Asset Planning Director, Amaresco (Toronto)
Natasha Hudson - Business Development Officer, NATI (St. John's)
Alison James - VP Infrastructure Client Services, CIBC (Toronto)
Dr. Laurelle Jno Baptiste - Co-Founder and COO, ScholarLab (Toronto and Atlanta)
Laura O'Blenis - Principal, Stiletto Consulting (Fredericton)
Heather O'Hara Levesque - Senior Manager, Database Services and QA
Inventory Locator Service, A Boeing Company (Moncton)
Dr. Blaize Reich - Professor, Simon Fraser University (Vancouver)
Michele Taylor - President, IQ Management Corp. (Calgary)
Mary Van Buren - VP of Marketing and IT, Canadian Real Estate Association (Ottawa)
Ozge Yeloglu - PhD. Candidate, Dalhousie University (Halifax)
Mary Ann Yule - Vice President and General Manager, CDW Canada (Toronto)

Executive Operations Team

CEO - Sandra Wear
Chair - Dr. Catherine Boivie
Vice Chair - Nicole Whittle, President Relate Consulting Co. as well as Partner~ Strategy, Allegory Partners
Executive-in-Residence - Emily Boucher

"CanWIT provides us with a hub to reach out to thousands of women tech executives across Canada and to engage the community. The active support of CanWIT's Council leaders enables us to expand our capabilities as an organization, and provide resources to help advance careers and for women to impact the competitive success of the high tech industry. I am very proud to be associated with such a forward looking initiative," says Nicole Whittle, Vice Chair, CanWIT.

CanWIT would also like to recognize the executive leaders that initially served on its Nomination Committee in 2012, including:

Victoria Withers - Director, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
Shelley Simpson-McKay - Owner, Prisma Management Consulting
Dr. Cindy Gordon - CEO, Helix Commerce, Vice Chair, i-CANADA, and Former Chair, CanWIT

For more information on the role and the responsibility of the CAC, please visit: http://www.cata.ca/Media_and_Events/Press_Releases/cata_pr07051203.html