As a current senior staff member of EDL in the role of VP of Entrepreneurship & Innovation and past member of the EDL Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, Renae brings over 30 years of senior management expertise in small business and non-profit management to her role. She has experience launching national new initiatives, project management, strategic planning, organizational development, and motivational team management. Renae is a proven leader in creating business and community partnerships, business development, program development and project management. Renae also has entrepreneurial experience having launched three companies providing a variety of consulting services including business coaching, organizational development and diversity training. Renae was recently awarded 2018 YWCA Woman of Distinction for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Renae is also a founding member of the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta (RINSA) connecting her to other service providers who support entrepreneurial expansion and commercialization. She works with these regional partners and others to further develop Lethbridge as an anchor location for innovation and technology. As part of RINSA, Renae also oversees Tecconnect+ED and Women-in-STEM programs that provides innovative technology entrepreneurs with training, workshops and business advise from ideation to commercialization. Through the incubator, Renae works with high-growth early stage companies to help them connect to funding, business coaching services and government programs, to successfully launch and rapidly commercialize their products and services. Her goal is to support entrepreneurs to achieve successful commercialization in domestic and international markets in the shortest time possible with the maximum impact.