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News & Events

Photo of Paul Santerre

, PhD

Professor & Baxter Chair in Health Technology & Commercialization (UHN) Director of the Health Innovation Hub

University of Toronto

Photo of Amanda Dlamini

Interantional Programs and Communications Coordinator

University of Toronto, Health Innovation Hub (H2i)

Photo of Sophie Stuart-Sheppard

Coordinator, Communications & Community Development

University of Toronto, Health Innovation Hub (H2i)

Photo of Ann Armstrong

, PhD

Director, ICUBE

University of Toronto Mississauga, ICUBE

Photo of Ignacio Mongrell

Assistant Director, ICUBE

University of Toronto Mississauga, ICUBE

Photo of Mohammad Tahvili

Creative Studio Lead

University of Toronto Mississauga, ICUBE

Photo of Dave Fenton

Assistant Director, External Relations

University of Toronto Scarborough, The BRIDGE

Photo of Efosa Obano

Founder & Manager of the Black Founders Network; Founder of African Impact Initiative

University of Toronto, African Impact Challenge, The BRIDGE

Photo of Jamila Parker-Ismail

Program Coordinator, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

Photo of Tom Parker

, BA, B.Ed.

Grants and Office Manager

University of Toronto, Office of the Vice-President International

Profile

Paul Santerre, PhD

Professor & Baxter Chair in Health Technology & Commercialization (UHN) Director of the Health Innovation Hub

University of Toronto

Professor J. Paul Santerre has published >220 peer reviewed publications and is a listed inventor on >70 patents in the area of medical polymers.

He is co-founder and current director of the Health Innovation Hub at the University of Toronto (a student focused entrepreneur training co-curricular program that has trained > 650 client health science companies which have generated > $430M CAD). He was the 2022 – 2023 Chair of the Health Entrepreneurship Pillar for the Africa Health Collaborative supported by the Mastercard Foundation. He is a co-founder of Interface Biologics, along with having spun-out five other start-up companies from his lab, and has won multiple national awards for his achievements in enabling entrepreneurship, including Canada’s Governor General award for Innovation, and the Professional Engineers of Ontario Entrepreneurship Award in 2017.  He has received multiple awards for his community activity including the 2016 Community award from the Canadian Biomaterials, the 2018 President’s Impact Award from the University of Toronto. 

Email Address
paul.santerre@dentistry.utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Canada
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
Profile

Amanda Dlamini

Interantional Programs and Communications Coordinator

University of Toronto

Amanda Dlamini is H2i’s International Program & Communications Coordinator, with 8 years of experience in communications, driven with a passion to empower entrepreneurs.

Having successfully collaborated in projects back in South Africa which focused on diabetes awareness through an NGO, employing stakeholder engagement, events management and in the private sector with consumer goods, in communications and public relations. Dlamini emphasizes continuously innovating and agile communications as the key piece of any business’ ability to successfully engage with the target audience. She holds a Master of Management, Innovation & Entrepreneurship from Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.

Email Address
amanda.dlamini@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Profile

Sophie Stuart-Sheppard

Coordinator, Communications & Community Development

University of Toronto

Sophie (she/her) is the Communications & Community Development Coordinator at Health Innovation Hub (H2i), University of Toronto’s health-focused accelerator.

She is passionate about research translation, and rethinking how we design, deliver and access healthcare services, centering patient-informed and community-led models of care. She has worked within communications, operations management and project coordination in non-profits, healthcare, academic and start-up environments alike. In addition, Sophie has worked in frontline roles, from intake and case coordination to peer support facilitation. Having been a part of the founding and leadership team of a mental health focused start-up, she has unique insight into the journey and challenges of taking ideas in healthcare from conception to scale. She holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology from McGill University, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health at University of Victoria.

Email Address
sophie.stuartsheppard@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Profile

Ann Armstrong, PhD

Director, ICUBE

University of Toronto Mississauga

Ann Armstrong received her PhD in organizational behaviour from the University of Toronto.

She has a BA Honours in philosophy and an MBA from the University of Toronto, as well as a graduate degree in criminology from Cambridge University. Her current teaching focuses on organizational theory and design, change management, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability. She has published on a variety of topics ranging from team-based compensation systems to green curricula to doctoral experiences to the social economy. She has co-authored several books with Drs (the late) Jack Quarter, Laurie Mook, and John Whitman on the social economies of Canada and of the United States. She is now working on the fifth edition of Organization Theory and Design, by Daft, R. and Armstrong, A.

Since July 1, 2022, Ann Armstrong has served as the Director of ICUBE, one of the many incubators on the University of Toronto campus.

Email Address
ann.armstrong@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Canada
Profile

Ignacio Mongrell

Assistant Director, ICUBE

University of Toronto Mississauga

Originally from Uruguay, Ignacio moved to Canada in 2010 and earned a Master’s of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) from the University of Waterloo.

He worked at the Waterloo Accelerator Centre as Director of Client Services where he led the JumpStart funding program and other strategic initiatives. Ignacio also worked at Haltech Regional Innovation Centre supporting clients and community members by managing a range of business advisory programs, including the Haltech HEAT™ startup services program, and specialty programs to support scaleup of high-growth ventures. Ignacio is also an entrepreneur at heart and co-founded and exited a real estate start-up (Apartmint). Ignacio is currently the Assistant Director at ICUBE – and chair of Positive Space at the University of Toronto, advocating for LGBTQ2S+ students, staff and faculty.

Email Address
ignacio.mongrell@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Profile

Mohammad Tahvili

Creative Studio Lead

University of Toronto Mississauga

Mohammad Tahvili is a serial entrepreneur who has founded a number of companies in different sectors such as digital marketing, sustainability, diversity, and accessibility, all tied to social innovation and helping others shine.

His diverse background includes an HBSc in Computer Science and Entrepreneurship which helped him grow and help many small businesses with his technical skills. Additionally, he has over seven years of experience in app & website development, business development, branding and marketing that he is using to this day to help as many small businesses as possible to sustainable grow and scale their businesses.​

Email Address
mohammad.tahvilli@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Profile

Dave Fenton

Assistant Director, External Relations

University of Toronto Scarborough

Dave Fenton is the Assistant Director of External Relations with the Department of Management at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC).

He leads a team of relationship managers that support Management’s accredited co-operative education program, and oversees the curricular work-integrated learning (WIL) program through The BRIDGE. One such initiative includes the African Impact Challenge (AIC), launched in 2020 alongside through the African Impact Initiative.  The AIC empowers African youth to realize the change they wish to see in their communities through the development and launch of technology-driven social impact startups.  The AIC was recognized by the United Nations as one of the top 50 solutions in the 2020 Youth Solutions Report for Sustainable Development.  Dave has been published in Cooperative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada’s (CEWIL Canada) e-book “The Practice of Co-op and Work-Integrated Learning in the Canadian Context”, presented publications at the WACE International Research Symposium, the World Association of Cooperative Education (WACE) World Conference, the CEWIL Research Spotlight, and serves as facilitator of Global WIL Modules.  Dave holds a Master of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto.

Email Address
dave.fenton@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
African Impact Challenge
Profile

Efosa Obano

Founder & Manager of the Black Founders Network; Founder of African Impact Initiative

University of Toronto

Efosa Obano started and manages the Black Founders Network (BFN), which supports Black entrepreneurs across Canada with capital, community, and capacity building.

He also started and leads the African Impact Initiative (AII), which enables early African innovators to create solutions to challenges in their communities. He has expertise in using technology to create social impact, invest with impact, and build early-stage ventures. For this work, he has been recognized by the United Nations and the Ontario Minister’s Award of Excellence.
 
Prior to these, he led a team that guided start-ups on their digital transformation journeys with Dell Technologies Canada. He also led community outreach for Dell Canada’s Social Impact Team & Dell Canada’s Black Networking Alliance. He received Dell’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award for this work. He is an alumnus of the University of Toronto, where he specialized in Strategic Management.

Email Address
efosa.obano@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
African Impact Challenge
Profile

Jamila Parker-Ismail

Program Coordinator, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

In her role as Program Coordinator, Jamila assumes a pivotal role, diligently overseeing, co-managing, and orchestrating the implementation of business development initiatives at The African Impact Initiative.

She brings years of experience to the realm of Program Incubation, where her primary focus lies in nurturing Entrepreneurial Development. Jamila’s profession is underscored by her exceptional organizational acumen, a knack for fostering team synergy and networks. Her portfolio extends across multiple African countries, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Lesotho, Kenya, and Nigeria.

Email Address
jamila@africanimpactinitiative.com
Profile Type
Staff
Country
South Africa
Program
African Impact Challenge
Profile

Tom Parker, BA, B.Ed.

Grants and Office Manager

University of Toronto

Tom Parker is the Grants and Office Manager with the Office of the Vice President, International, at the University of Toronto where he leads the administration of grant funding programs and administrative processes for the office.

Tom has led projects and managed staff teams for seven years. Prior to OVPI, Tom supported Indigenous communities in northern Canada with locally delivered housing and economic development initiatives. Tom completed his MPA from Western University, specializing in Canadian municipal politics, and holds a B.Ed. and B.A. Outside of work, Tom enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with his son.

Email Address
international@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Africa Secretariat