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Photo of Christine Arsenault

Managing Director

University of Toronto Scarborough, African Impact Challenge, The BRIDGE

Photo of Celestine Nema

Program Coordinator, Entrepreneurship & Work Integrated Learning - Management Department; Projects Lead - African Impact Initiative

University of Toronto Scarborough, African Impact Challenge, The BRIDGE

Photo of William (Bill) McConkey

, PhD

Academic Director, New Venture Program, and Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

University of Toronto Scarborough, African Impact Challenge, 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

Profile

Christine Arsenault

Managing Director

University of Toronto Scarborough

Christine Arsenault is the Managing Director for the University of Toronto Scarborough’s Management Department, which houses all of the University’s business co-op programs and The BRIDGE; the department’s commitment to Work-Integrate Learning and Entrepreneurship. 

She has been involved in co-operative education nationally and internationally for 20 years including leading Co-op and Work-Integrated Learning Canada as President in 2012/13, as a board member of the World Association for Co-operative Education and previously chairing the Canadian co-op research committee.  In 2018, she received the U of T Scarborough Principal’s Accomplished Leader Award.

While completing her M.A. she led award-winning research that compared English Language Learners and native English speakers and their success in job searching and recent published research on work-integrated learning’s influence on entrepreneurship. Under her leadership, U of T’s innovative Management and International Business Program was designed and implemented and the department has fulfilled its commitment that ever graduate should have a work-integrated learning experience.

Email Address
christine.arsenault@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
African Impact Challenge
Profile

Celestine Nema

Program Coordinator, Entrepreneurship & Work Integrated Learning - Management Department; Projects Lead - African Impact Initiative

University of Toronto Scarborough

Celestine Nema is a Program Coordinator for Entrepreneurship and Work-Integrated Learning at The BRIDGE, an entrepreneurship accelerator in the Management Department at the University of Toronto, Scarborough.

She also acts as the Projects Lead for the African Impact Initiative, a University of Toronto partner that runs the African Impact Challenge, a startup incubator program that  supports young African entrepreneurs to create viable solutions for the most pressing challenges within their communities. Celestine’s career spanned public service for almost a decade before pivoting her career to focus on her passion for entrepreneurship, youth education, and youth development.

Email Address
celestine.nema@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
African Impact Challenge
Profile

William (Bill) McConkey, PhD

Academic Director, New Venture Program, and Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

University of Toronto Scarborough

UTSC grad Professor Bill McConkey spent two decades in the early-stage venture world before returning to the University of Toronto, Scarborough to join the Department of Management, teaching courses in Operations, Product Management and Entrepreneurship.

Bill has supported countless students as they launched new ventures, whether in the classroom, through co-curricular initiatives or co-op terms. Bill is involved in several student organizations, including MCC The Management Consulting Club, LIVE Competition and the department’s new Sales club. Bill is Academic Director of the campus’s New Venture Program, and sits on the Board of Advisors and Board of Directors of a number of Canadian companies.

He and his wife Monica and their five children – and new puppy – live in Stouffville, Ontario.

Email Address
bill.mcconkey@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Faculty
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