We’re a Northern and Indigenous-led team made up of builders, educators, creatives, and systems thinkers. We work alongside the communities we serve to develop culturally rooted offerings that reflect the realities and strengths of the North.
Our Team
STAFF
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![Close-up portrait of a woman with light brown hair, smiling, wearing a jacket with a large fur collar, outdoors with blurred winter landscape background.]()
Xina Cowan
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
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![A smiling woman with long dark hair wearing a black blazer, colorful beaded earrings, and a delicate necklace against a dark background.]()
Kristin Richard
MANAGING DIRECTOR, SINEW IMPACT FUND
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![A woman with long black hair, wearing a dark blazer and white blouse, smiling in an indoor setting with blurred lights in the background.]()
Antoinette Mak
DIRECTOR, FINANCE & OPERATIONS
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![Smiling man with glasses and a beard, wearing a white shirt with small dark polka dots, standing outdoors among trees and rocks.]()
Dave de Lugt
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING & INNOVATION
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![A man with glasses, a mustache, and a beard, wearing a black cap with the words 'Indigenous Futures 4ever', an orange jacket, and black pants, is speaking during an interview in a casual setting.]()
Kyle Brennan Shàwinipinesi
DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
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![Close-up of a woman with long black hair, wearing a white shirt and gold necklace, smiling at the camera indoors.]()
Cora Kavyaktok
PROGRAM MANAGER
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![A woman with dark brown, wavy hair tied in a ponytail, wearing long pink and purple beaded earrings, a white open-button shirt, and a floral dress, standing outdoors with a blurred nature background.]()
Taylor Fox
INVESTMENT PRINCIPAL, SINEW IMPACT FUND
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![A young woman with long, wavy brown hair smiling against a dark background.]()
Julie Downes
CURRICULUM LEAD
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![A young woman with long dark hair taking a selfie near a window, smiling at the camera.]()
Jamie Wetrade-Stevenson
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS LEAD
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![Portrait of a young woman with long black hair, smiling, against a gray background.]()
Davina McLeod
SENIOR POLICY LEAD
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![A woman smiling by a waterfront with a bridge and ships in the background on a cloudy day.]()
Jacey Firth-Hagen
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
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![A young man with dark hair, glasses, and a beard, wearing a navy blue polo shirt, standing against a plain white background.]()
Pedro Navarro
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT LEAD
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![Portrait of a man with a short hairstyle and beard, wearing a black shirt, and a silver watch on his left wrist, against a yellow background.]()
Emeka Ndukwe
FINANCE OFFICER
BOARD
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![Portrait of a smiling person with short gray hair wearing a mustard yellow shirt.]()
Gina Nagano
BOARD MEMBER
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![Portrait of a woman with glasses wearing a black top and a colorful beaded necklace against a neutral background.]()
Nina Larsson
BOARD MEMBER
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![A woman with short black hair smiling and holding a microphone, wearing a red floral dress with pink and green accents, and red earrings shaped like pixelated hearts.]()
Sandy Kownak
BOARD MEMBER
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![A woman with long, wavy brown hair and red lipstick smiling, wearing a black sleeveless top and a necklace against a wooden background.]()
Denise Williams
BOARD MEMBER & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR
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![Portrait of a middle-aged man with gray hair wearing a light blue shirt.]()
Andrew Heintzman
BOARD CHAIR
Ben Scott — Founding Director (2018–2026), Co-Founder
Ben Scott is a co-founder of EntrepreNorth's charitable entity, alongside Xina Cowan and Kristin Richard. Before that, Ben served as the original Founding Director of EntrepreNorth as a project of MakeWay. For more than eight years, Ben brought his heart, soul, and thought leadership to this organization; shaping the vision and doing the deep work that made EntrepreNorth what it is today. We are eternally grateful to you, Ben.
We also lift our hands in gratitude to our previous Advisors who supported us from 2018-2026 while EntrepreNorth was a project of Makeway: Steve Ellis, Math’ieya Alatini, Leena Evic, Tania Larsson, Denise Williams, and Andrew Heintzman.
