Erin is the CEO for Creative Saskatchewan. She is responsible for the overall operation of the organization, by providing strategic leadership and working closely with the provincial government, industry stakeholders, the Board of Directors, and the senior management team. Erin was Creative Saskatchewan’s first employee, as the Director of Programs, and has been heavily involved in the creation of programming …
Maria Mayan is a Professor in the School of Public Health and an Associate Director of the Community University Partnership at the University of Alberta. As a community-based researcher, she has worked alongside stakeholders in Drayton Valley since 2019. Their collective work began by examining the outcomes of the Tuition Support Bursary (TAB) for TAB recipients and has now expanded …
Jackie Wall is a rural artist, creative entrepreneur, and community business leader based in Saskatchewan. Through Jackie Wall Studio, she creates original artwork, publishes colouring books, produces educational YouTube content, and develops digital and physical products that reach audiences globally. Jackie describes herself as an “Art”repreneur, blending creative practice with business strategy to build a scalable creative ecosystem powered by …
Ricardo Chejfec is a research director at the IRPP, leading the Empowering Canada’s Workforce program. He also helps lead the Community Transformations Project, aimed at supporting workers and communities through the global energy transition and changing trade landscape. He helped support research examining the role of industrial policy in Canada’s next economic transformation and was part of the secretariat of the …
Jill Ruep is the founder and creator of Ma Fii Lii Rasaad (“My Daughter’s Beads” in Michif), an Indigenous‑led beading app and creative business based in Saskatchewan. She is a registered Métis citizen of Saskatchewan and a passionate advocate for preserving Indigenous teachings, storytelling, and cultural creativity through both traditional beadwork and modern technology. Jill is set to be the …
Rachel Samson is Vice President of Research at the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP), an independent, national, non-profit organization that generates research and insight to improve public policy in ways that better the lives of Canadians. She leads a team analyzing issues including affordability, skills and training, community transformation, trade diversification, and industrial policy. Previously, she was Clean …
Lori Carr was elected MLA for Estevan in the 2016 and 2020 provincial elections, and re-elected as MLA for Estevan-Big Muddy in 2024. Living in Estevan with her partner Bart, Lori spent 20 years working as a licensed assistant in a financial planning office. She is very active in the community as a board member for the Air Cadet League, …
Gordon More is the Executive Director of the Southeast Techhub (SETH), Canada’s only truly rural tech incubator focused on energy innovation, startup incubation, and economic development. He is also Past-President and Director of IDS Internet Dispatch Services Ltd., a company he co-founded and grew from a small North Vancouver office into an international logistics software provider with operations in Canada, …
Tania J. Hlohovsky Andrist is the inaugural Executive Director of the Centre for Sustainable Innovation at Southeast College, where she leads applied research and partnership initiatives focused on rural innovation, workforce development, and community economic development. Her career spans journalism, strategic communications, and non-profit sector program development, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, systems thinking, and bridging the digital divide …
Founder & CEO of Shapeshift Developments – Christian has been working as an Economic Development practitioner for nearly 20 years. His focus is on implementation and activation of regional scale projects that connect multiple sectors within the Saskatchewan economy. Christian has been active in the tourism, culture, mining and energy sectors and has focused extensively on projects that benefit Indigenous …
