Karla Connolly
Interim President & CEO
As Interim President & CEO, Karla’s responsibilities include financial and operational strategy, risk and insurance management and statutory compliance. Karla brings to Genesis nearly 15 years of financial management experience. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), a Canadian Risk Manager (CRM) and is currently an MBA candidate, with a specialization in Strategic Planning. She has held numerous volunteer leadership roles with various non-profit organizations, including most recently as Vice President of Volunteers and Members with the East Coast Trail and Chair of Clean St. John’s. Karla has an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement initiatives and is a strong supporter of lean cultures that instill a sense of connectedness, trust and creativity. Outside of work, you will usually find her on hiking trails with her family, or curating her next playlist.
Darlene Puddister
Administrative Coordinator
Darlene joined Genesis in early 2019 and brought with her a wealth of experience within board-governed organizations including provincial associations and regulatory bodies. She also spent over a decade coordinating training and managing projects within a leadership development organization for young professionals and entrepreneurs. Darlene handles administrative and corporate coordination for our CEO, board and committees -- including behind-the-scenes involvement in special projects and organizational initiatives. She also supports the team in a number of areas relating to People & Culture.
Amanda Dawe-Organ
Senior Lead, Finance & Operations
Amanda brings a wealth of accounting experience from various industries, most recently managing full cycle accounting for a production facility and eight retail stores. Her expertise spans handling financial statements, managing reconciliations, leading teams, implementing accounting procedures, supporting budgeting, managing government filings, overseeing cash flow, and collaborating closely with leadership. She is currently pursuing her CPA designation and enjoys spending time with her family, in the outdoors and coaching!
Lisa Griffin
Business & Client Support Coordinator
A longtime teammate of Genesis since 2009, Lisa leads the operational needs of Genesis and its portfolio companies, including client onboarding, general operations and making sure the space runs smoothly. Prior to joining Genesis, Lisa worked with public account firms over a 13-year period in numerous administrative positions and spent the last seven of those years as an office administrator.
Ashley Cox
Accounting Coordinator
Ashley first joined Team Genesis as a summer admin student in 2017, and following post-secondary studies, she returned in 2019 as coordinator for the Genesis Coworking space. In her latest role as Finance Coordinator, Ashley manages accounts payable and receivable and supports the overall financial processes of Genesis.
Jane Furneaux
Manager, Genesis Coworking
Jane is excited to join the Genesis team with a diverse background in startup operations, nonprofit and event coordination. Her most recent project was the Self-Isolation Accommodations Coordinator for Memorial University, a rewarding experience that allowed her to connect with students from all over the world. Jane brings her various experience to the Coworking Manager role and is looking forward to working alongside Genesis coworkers.
Andrew Goldsworthy
Director, Client Success
Building upon his previous role as Business Development Consultant with Genesis’ Enterprise program, Andrew now brings his extensive experience to the role of Director, Client Success. As manager of Genesis’ suite of client-focused programs, he ensures that Genesis startups are continuously growing and achieving their goals. Andrew has previous experience in many roles, including co-founder of Thrive Software, instructor at the College of the North Atlantic, and founder of Sledworthy magazine.
Aidan Moores
Success Manager, Pre-Incubation
Aidan brings more that 15 years of experience working with entrepreneurs and believes that the startup sector is the now (and future) of our local economy. He is values driven, and most satisfied when collaborating with others in an impactful way. He loves to innovate and inspire others, and seeks to approach challenges from multiple angles. He is happy to lead a team, but also isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and jump in when needed.
Robyn Pike
Manager, Community Engagement
Robyn has over 15 years of experience in communications, event management, and fundraising across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She strongly believes in creating purposeful partnerships to bring mutual benefits to Genesis' clients and the community. Always eager to learn, she is pursuing her Master of Public Relations while also training her husky in agility.
Doug Kennedy
Success Manager, Energy
Having spent the previous 20 years in the Oil and Gas industry, Doug is excited to join the Genesis team in the role of Client Success Manager for Energy. With a history in Business Development and Operations Management, Doug looks forward to working with Genesis start ups, and the local energy industry, with the goal of developing a thriving tech segment in the Atlantic energy industry.
Maggie Courish
Success Manager, Belonging
Maggie started with Genesis in 2022 as the Startup Development Coordinator (Pre-Incubation), utilizing the vast skillset in communication, facilitation, and collaboration she developed in her 10 years working in the education system. After two years of bringing our Evolution Program to new heights she has stepped into the role of Success Manager, Belonging. In this role Maggie continues to live our the Genesis core values of communication, collaboration and continuous improvement working with founders through our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. Maggie looks forward to fostering growth through her people first approach to ensure Genesis founders find a sense of belonging in our startup community.
Dean MacIsaac
Success Manager, Enterprise
Often described as an outgoing people person, Dean has always been full of ideas and enjoys disrupting established "norms," meeting new people, and collaborating with them to solve problems. Dean has taken on entrepreneurial endeavours including a woodworking business, opening a distributorship, leading a B2B networking startup, and more. A perpetual learner, Dean has a Master’s Degree in Technology Management, and has certificates in Lean, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, Project Management, and more! He spends his personal time listening to audiobooks, having deep discussions about almost anything, spending time outdoors with his family, and playing guitar (while singing very poorly).
Matthew Cadigan
Startup Development Coordinator
Matthew is delighted to join Genesis as a Startup Development Coordinator. He brings multiple years of entrepreneurial, business, and teaching experience to the Genesis team. Matthew cofounded Plus Marketing Company and other entrepreneurial ventures, and he possesses a Master of Business Administration degree. He believes that the startup sector is vital for our local economy, and advocates for the importance of collaboration and community in startup success. Matthew is keen to share his knowledge and experience to support Genesis startups. In his personal time, you can find Matthew playing music in various groups, or going for a run.
Sakshi Vora
Startup Development Coordinator II
Usually pleasant and mostly hungry, Sakshi is an energetic member of the Genesis team as Start-up Development Coordinator II. She holds a BA in Economics and brings her expertise from the Oil and Gas Industry and the Federal Government to help and collaborate with emerging founders. In her spare time, Sakshi enjoys having overly passionate conversations about film and anime and will never be found in the wilderness but indoors playing video games.
Will Taylor
Pre-Incubation Assistant
Will is excited to join Genesis in the role of Pre-Incubation Assistant, bringing his background in sales and economic development to the team. Currently completing a Bachelor of Commerce (Co-operative) Degree at Memorial University, Will is eager to leverage his academic knowledge and co-op experience to support Genesis startups. He looks forward to working alongside innovative entrepreneurs and contributing to the growth and success of the Genesis community.
Emma Penney
Pre-Incubation Assistant
Emma is currently completing a Bachelor of Commerce (Co-operative) Degree at Memorial University and is excited to return to Genesis for her second work term in the role of Pre-Incubation Assistant. With her academic knowledge and co-op experience, she is eager to apply her skills to support Genesis startups and is ready to assist wherever needed. Emma is enthusiastic about contributing to the success of Genesis and its ventures.