Our AGTECH ACCELERATOR advisory council

 As a collective group, the AGTECH ACCELERATOR Advisory Council  shares years of experience, different views in the industry, and extensive knowledge in the global business market

Doug Zolinsky headshot

Doug Zolinsky
Director-General
PrairiesCan

Doug Zolinsky was appointed Director-General for Prairies Economic Development Canada in 2011. Prior to this appointment, he served in Western Economic Diversification for two years as Director of Policy, Planning, and External Relations. Doug has also held senior executive positions in the Government of Saskatchewan and in the private sector. He currently serves on the board of directors of CoLabs and the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX). Doug earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and is a lifelong learner.

Kari Harvey headshot

Kari Harvey
CEO
Innovation Saskatchewan

As CEO of Innovation Saskatchewan, Kari is a leader in Saskatchewan’s innovation and technology sector. With the increasingly important role that tech is playing in growing Saskatchewan’s economy, Kari is leading initiatives to encourage more public procurement of locally developed technology, to support investment into our early-stage companies, and to develop our labor force talent, including increasing the diversity in our technology sector. Kari’s entrepreneurial spirit guides her approach and the results are a testament to her passion for Saskatchewan’s technology industry.

Kim McConnell headshot

Kim McConnell
Former Founder & CE
AdFarm

Kim McConnell is a proud Canadian, and passionate about agriculture, food, youth, and the entrepreneurial spirit. He was the former CEO of AdFarm and led the Canadian-headquartered agency to become one of the largest and most respected agricultural marketing communications firms in North America. In 2012 he was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame and in 2018 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian award. Kim is a director on a number of corporate boards throughout North America, and a director on several community organizations including Calgary Stampede Foundation, Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), and the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity.

Kim Nicholson headshot

Kim Nicholson
VP of Agtech and Innovation
Mosaic Company

Kim grew up in the heart of midwest Indiana and graduated with a degree in agronomy from Purdue University. Kim has dedicated over 30 years to the agribusiness industry. She has proven experience in the areas of strategic planning and innovation, brand development, sales leadership, general management, and operations. Prior to joining Mosaic, Kim founded NFocus Partners ( a boutique consultancy), led the consumer products division of Chemtura Corporation, and served as Director of Global Supply Chain for BASF. 

Kristjan Hebert

Kristjan Hebert
Managing Partner
Hebert Grain Ventures

Kristjan is the managing partner of Hebert Grain Ventures (HGV), a cereal and oilseed operation in southeast Saskatchewan.  HGV is a corporate partnership owned and operated by Kristjan, his wife Theresa, and Kristjan’s parents. Kristjan serves as chairman of the board for Global Ag Risk Solutions, a new cutting-edge private farm revenue insurance based out of Moose Jaw, SK.  He also currently serves on Bayer Cropscience Inc.’s Grower Advisory Forum.

Rob Russell, Partner, Emmertech

Rob Russell
Partner
Emmertech

Rob Russell is a partner for Emmertech, the $60-million agtech venture capital fund. He holds an MBA from Ivey Business School and spent time at Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) as a Venture Leader. He is focused on further positioning Saskatchewan and Canada in the global agtech market and connecting with high-growth companies.

Jason McNamee, Co-founder and COO of Lucent Biosciences

Jason McNamee
Co-Founder and COO
Lucent Biosciences

Jason is an energetic, experienced team leader that brings a diverse set of experiences across Agtech, OceanTech, engineering and construction industries. He has successfully led diverse project implementations, overseeing key initiatives such as the development of innovative biotech materials and pioneering Agtech research, including extensive field trials, and holds degrees in both biology and geology from the University of Regina. Jason still considers himself a “decent” hockey player and enjoys getting on the ice when he’s not working towards the fertilizer of the future.