Dr. Jason Cleaversmith

Executive Director, Incubation and Infrastructure
jason@peibioalliance.com

As Executive Director, Incubation and Infrastructure, Dr. Jason Cleaversmith is responsible for Emergence, as well as holds strategic responsibility for the various BioAlliance facilities and equipment initiatives currently underway and planned. He is no stranger to the PEI Bioscience Cluster community and has an extensive network both nationally and internationally. Most recently he was VP Health and Nutrition for the Center for Aquaculture Technologies and General Manager of Canadian Operations. He has also served as Managing Director of AKVA Group Scotland, Director of Operations and Business Development at the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Center, and Head of Novartis Aqua Health in PEI overseeing manufacturing and R&D. He was also an industry expert with HATCH Blue, an innovative aquaculture accelerator supporting a cohort of 13 technology companies on three different continents.

Dr. Don Ridley

Mentorship Program Lead and Mentor in Residence
don@peibioalliance.com

Dr. Don Ridley received B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the University of Guelph. After completing a National Research Council Post-Doctoral Industrial Fellowship with CIBA-GEIGY, he joined this Swiss multinational chemical and pharmaceutical company as a research scientist. Dr. Ridley held executive positions in research and development, marketing, sales and general management during his twenty-three-year career with CIBA. In 1995 he left his position as Senior Vice-President in Canada to become the Managing Director of CIBA Southeast Asia based in Singapore. He held this position until the merger of CIBA and Sandoz to form Novartis. Dr. Ridley returned to North America and joined CanTox US in New Jersey as Managing Director and Senior Scientific Consultant. In 2008, he went on to join Nautilus Biosciences Canada as part-time VP Business Development. Dr. Ridley has served on the Boards of CIBA Corning, CIBA Dyes, Mettler-Toledo, BIOVECTRA, PEI Institute of Human Health Research, and Genome Atlantic.

Eddie Francis

Business Development Officer
edward@peibioalliance.com

Eddie has been a member of the PEI BioAlliance team since 2015. As Business Development Officer, he manages relationships with existing and prospective clients and assists with the pre-incubation process, admission process and establishing service contracts. Eddie also provides support to the Team Mentorship Program and actively participates in the recruitment of companies to the Emergence Incubator. Eddie has a BSc and a MSc in Molecular and Cellular Biology from UPEI where his research focused on inhibiting early-stage cancer progression pathways. Eddie has spent the last 15 years in the private sector in early-stage companies as an owner, operator, and project manager.

Matt Roberts

matt@spearcapitalstrategy.com

Matt Roberts is the founder of Spear Capital Strategy which provides strategic and financial advice for start-ups and early-stage healthcare companies. Based in St. John’s, NL, Spear Capital provides a cost-effective way for Atlantic Canadian companies to access highly specialized services including raising capital, valuation guidance, investor management and communication, M&A, and workflow and process design. Prior to Spear Capital, Matt spent 15 years in Investment Banking in Toronto, most recently as Vice President, Mid-Market M&A with RBC. Matt holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Memorial University of Newfoundland, an MBA from Dalhousie University, and is a CFA Charterholder.

Chris Cowper-Smith

ccowpers@gmail.com

Chris is a serial entrepreneur and health scientist with a passion for building great businesses that can improve patient outcomes. In 2012, Chris founded Spring Loaded Technology, a medical device company best known for developing and manufacturing the first knee brace capable of unloading weight from all three compartments of the knee. As CEO of Spring Loaded until 2021, Chris took the company from idea to commercial success. Along the way, Chris oversaw corporate strategy while establishing key supply, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities. He also led corporate financing and the company’s clinical and regulatory affairs programs.

Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chris holds a PhD in Neuroscience, has published peer-reviewed studies across disciplines ranging from biomechanics to audiology to attention and motor control. He has provided strategic advisory and coaching services to dozens of small and medium-sized health and technology companies. He currently serves as the Executive Chair of Mable Health, incoming Chair of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Emera IdeaHub.

Johanna Brown

johanna@rivetgrowth.com

Johanna is a technology sales strategist with 15 years of experience in enterprise sales. Through Rivet, Johanna works with early-stage innovation companies to develop scalable revenue strategies.

Johanna serves as the Chair of techNL, Managing Partner at Women’s Equity Lab (Atlantic), a member of the Heart & Stroke Provincial Advisory Board, as well as various tech-related selection committees at both local and federal levels. She is also a mentor with the Canadian Women’s Network (CWN).

Bobbi Jo Walker

Director, Communications and Marketing

bobbijo@peibioalliance.com

Bobbi Jo Walker is a strategic marketing and communications professional with over 20 years of experience working in life sciences private sector and government research organizations.

With a strong background in public affairs, media relations and corporate communications, Bobbi Jo has honed her skills in private, public, and non-profit companies. Her expertise lies in managing communication programs, marketing campaigns, storytelling, and delivering effective products.

Bobbi Jo holds a Master of Arts, Professional Communications from Royal Roads University.