Call for Proposals in CareerTech

A serial entrepreneur, Gopal is currently the CEO of M Square Media (MSM). Prior to this, Raghwa was the President & CEO of InnovateBC – a crown agency of the Province of British Columbia that is mandated to fund and deliver programs to support the growth of innovation economy in the province.The tech industry stalwart has been a driving force in the development of the Okanagan’s tech sector into a $2 billion economic contributor. Gopal serves on the boards of multiple organizations including the University of British Columbia, India Canada Innovation Council, Women’s Enterprise Centre, Central Okanagan Economic Development, and B.C.’s Emerging Economy Task Force and Food Security Task Force.

Cameron Burke is an experienced tech operator, investor and advisor with a strong track record of scaling companies from concept to exit. Over the past 15 years he has co-founded and exited two tech companies and scaled another to IPO. Cam leads the tech practice at Fort Capital, Canada’s leading boutique investment bank.

As Genome BC’s Director of Indigenous Relations and Initiatives, Candice Loring K’wiloo’km N’kwala is working to advance the Indigenous innovation ecosystem. Candice is also an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Management at UBC Okanagan. She held the role of Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations & Initiatives in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Mitacs.

As a proud member of the Gitwangak band from the Gitxsan Nation in Northern British Columbia, Candice’s passion for small businesses and entrepreneurship, along with her background in business management, has allowed her to expertly guide and support hundreds of organizations through collaborative innovation projects in her position at Mitacs.

Through her commitment to advancing the national Indigenous innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, Candice serves on numerous councils and committees, including the Indigenous Advisory Council for the Oceans Supercluster, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council Advisory Committee, and Minerva BC.

In 2021, Candice was recognized as one of Canada’s most inspirational women entrepreneurs and business leaders by Canadian SME Small Business Magazine for her economic development work in Indigenous communities. She is a Ch’nook scholar scholarship recipient named Kelowna’s 2022 BDO Top 40 Under 40. Candice was also named UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Management Alumni Builder Award recipient in 2023.

Sukanta is an educator and entrepreneur on a mission to unlock human potential in a world increasingly governed by data and artificial intelligence. Global business leadership experience of over two decades covering learning, education, content, interactive media, and technology across private sector, startups, state agencies and not for profit. Held leadership roles with revenue and growth targets in both bespoke content service providers and educational catalogue organizations. Track record of driving growth with learning strategy, content development, workforce transformation, talent and skills development, and technology adoption. Specializing in digital learning, learning technology, and adopting emerging technologies, ensuring organizations stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Dr. Ted Gervan is the Managing Director of Academic and Business Operations at the Centre for Digital Media. Originally from Ontario, he began his career as a sculptor and concept artist in the film industry after completing a fine arts degree at McMaster University. Following upskilling at Sheridan College, Ted later transitioned to computer animation, gaining experience as a visual effects artist and lead designer in Toronto, Vancouver, and Australia.

With a strong background in educational leadership spanning 20+ years Ted has been fortunate to work with outstanding teams to propel opportunities for learners seeking digital futures. At The Art Institute of Vancouver, Ted helped build capacity for degree programming in games, graphic, interactive and interior design. As VP of Education at Vancouver Film School, Ted fostered on-campus industry partnerships, including Beyond Capture, to enhance workforce training and employment opportunities. At Capilano University, he was a founding member of the Indigenous Digital Accelerator, working alongside Indigenous leaders to advance Indigenous businesses in digital media.

Ted holds credentials from McMaster University, Sheridan College, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Simon Fraser University. Passionate about equity, diversity, and reconciliation, Ted is currently studying EDI at UBC.