NATI Names 2019/2020 Board of Directors

Sep 11, 2019 | News

St. John’s, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technology Industries (NATI) membership elected its 2019/2020 Board of Directors at the association’s Annual General Meeting.

The Board of Directors is the governing body of NATI, providing strategic direction to the association whose delivery of programs and services are designed to support growth of member companies and the technology and innovation sector in Newfoundland and Labrador. As a key driver in the provincial economy the technology and innovation sector is poised for continued growth and opportunity, where advocacy, capacity building, business development, and digitalization in key sectors will be areas of focus for NATI in the year ahead.

The 2019/2020 NATI Board of Directors includes:

  • Craig Rowe, Chair (2019-2021)
  • Kendra MacDonald, Past-Chair
  • Caron Hawco, Director (mid-term)
  • Ellissa Hull, Director (mid-term)
  • Joe McKenna, Director (mid-term)
  • Leonard Pecore, Director (mid-term)
  • Peter Rawsthorne, Director (mid-term)
  • Steve Taylor, Director (mid-term)
  • Dan Brake, Director (re-elected 2019)
  • Sheri Wicks, Director (elected 2019)
  • Johanna Brown, Director (elected 2019)
  • Mark Cumby, Director (elected 2019)

Biographies of Directors elected in 2019:

Dan Brake – Dan has over 20 years’ experience in the information technology industry including the design and build of various integrated software solutions for the environmental health and safety, aerospace and defence, advertising and media industries. Prior to joining Sequence Bio, Dan was CEO and Co-Founder of EMSAT, a clean technology software integration company and has lived and worked in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia. Dan sits on the Board of Directors at NATI, and is the past chair and director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA). He is active in local technology associations such as Hacking Health and NDev. Dan has developed software in over 10 languages and embraced the cloud and Big Data technology to architect some of the first Cassandra clusters in the province. Dan holds a Masters of Information Technology and Education (MITE) from Dalhousie University.

Sheri Wicks – Sheri is a Partner in McInnis Cooper’s St. John’s office. Sheri has a broad commercial practice, providing advice on issues ranging from general corporate matters to commercial and civil litigation. Her practice also involves extensive work with partnerships and joint ventures. With in-depth knowledge and experience working with indigenous peoples in Newfoundland and Labrador, Sheri advices with respect to establishing partnership agreements between Innu and non-Innu businesses. She is currently Vice-Chair of the Bowring Park Foundation and a member of the Board of Governors for the Law Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. For over ten years Sheri has also served in various positions within the Executive Committee of the Newfoundland and Labrador Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, including a year as Branch President.

Johanna Brown – Johanna is a Business Development Professional working in the information technology industry with ten years’ experience within the public and private sector. Johanna has been working with Large Enterprise clients in the local, North American and European market. While working with Vision33 for the past seven years, Johanna has been focused on identifying strategic growth initiatives across and wide-range of industries including Government, Insurance, Oil and Gas, and Telecommunications. Johanna resides in St. John’s, but her primary client base is the North American government market. She understands the dynamism of the US technology investment approach and sales cycle for professional services, software and cloud. Johanna thrives on creating value between companies and their respective customers and users, enabling them to increase their growth. Her passion lies in helping companies realize the real potential of technology and helping them navigate the digital world of today. Johanna holds a Master of Business Administration from Memorial University in conjunction with the University of Tasmania.

Mark Cumby – A native Newfoundlander, Mark was raised in the town of Heart’s Content, Trinity Bay. After graduating from Memorial University in mechanical engineering 1993, he started his career in Alberta. Since then, he had the opportunity to work in multiple energy projects in Canada, the United States, North Sea, Africa, and Australia. Accomplished in project management, engineering management, and general business management, mark has demonstrated a “customer first” focus, with a keen ability to get deliverables driven to closure. He is recognized bu his colleagues and clients for his effective problem-solving skills and business acumen. In 2012, Mark got the call to come home when he had the opportunity to work on the Hebron Project. After completing four years on the project, Mark brought his experience and market knowledge to Hatch Ltd., and has continued to successfully lead the oil and gas business development effort in St. John’s. He is presently Regional Director, Energy for North America. Mark is a practicing member of PEGNL. Actively involved in the community and in mentoring young engineers, Mark is passionate about supporting engineering student initiatives at Memorial University, with Hatch most recently sponsoring the Paradigm Hyperloop team again in 2019. He is a past board member of the St. John’s Legends Swim Club, and served as Vice President of Swimming Newfoundland and Labrador. Mark also currently serves on three Noia sub-committees: Diversity and Inclusion, Noia Conference Technical Sessions, and the co-lead Digital Transformation Working Group.