Eric Crowell CA, MBA
Director
Eric has worked with over 750 small and medium-sized businesses since working as BDC Director since 1997. During this time, the centre has grown from a staff of two to a staff of over twenty employees. Along with his work consulting to businesses in the local community, Eric has participated on consulting projects all around the world, especially in Eastern Europe and Asia, specifically in the field of economic development and business growth. Eric has owned and operated a number of business interests. He has co-authored a book on managing high growth businesses in Nova Scotia. Eric has an MBA from the University of Toronto and is a Chartered Accountant.
Bruce Kelley, B. Comm
Manager of Business Development and Senior Consultant
Bruce Kelley has in excess of 30 years in management and consulting with a broad range of business experience. He has extensive leadership and hands on experience in developing corporate strategy and business plans, corporate re-organization, customer relationship strategy, market knowledge creation, and business transformation. Mr. Kelley also has extensive facilitation experience and skills in the development and implementation of business processes, project management and human resource management. He first joined the SMUBDC team in 2001, working closely with the First Nations community, and is now the Manager of Business Consulting.
bruce.kelley@smu.ca
429.4535
Karen Henderson, BComm, MBA
Senior Manager, Consulting Services
Karen is known to consulting clients as a senior business partner with a keen sense of urgency, strong creative skills and a reputation for solving complex business problems and getting things done. Karen has built a reputation as professional, credible member of consulting community in Atlantic Canada and nationally. Karen's thirty+ year business career has included various roles in consulting and financial services including eighteen years as a Senior Consultant, Principal and National Partner with Mercer (formerly Mercer Human Resource Consulting), the world's largest human resource consulting firm. Karen has been extensively involved in the community, having served on a large number of industry and charitable boards. Karen holds undergraduate and graduate business degrees from Saint Mary's University.
Kevin Desjardins, BSc, MBA
Consultant
Kevin has earned a BSc as well as a certificate in Human Resource Management from Saint Mary’s University and has recently completed his Master of Business Administration with a focus in Finance and Management from the same educational institution. Kevin has a keen interest in the financial markets with emphasis on corporate finance, business valuation and venture capital and is seeking his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation over the next two years. While at the Centre, Kevin has worked with clients ranging from start-ups to corporate clients on feasibility studies, business plans, communication plans, as well as strategic plans among others where he has developed and implemented data collection tools, prepared complex financial analysis, and provided comprehensive recommendations.
kevin.desjardins@smu.ca
429.4096
Tarek Al-Owaishi, MBA
Consultant
Tarek has earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary's University focusing on Business Management and Human Resource Management. He has also completed his Master of Business Administration degree from the same institution with a focus in Management Consulting. Further to his MBA, Tarek is looking to continually enhance his skills and capabilities. He plans to achieve this through continuous education and the obtainment of a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation. While at the SMUBDC Tarek has had experience in conducting business plans, marketing plans, and strategic plans where he has aided organizations in identifying and addressing challenges allowing for further future development.
tarek.alowaishi@smu.ca
429-4601
Kristen Jardine, BSc HNU, MBA
Consulting Intern
Kristen completed her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, NS, and went on to hold various positions in the field of health and wellness. She pursued an MBA from the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University with the goal of achieving a strong business knowledge base. Having focused in marketing, Kristen has developed marketing and brand management strategies for various events and fundraisers and has had extensive experience in project management. She has worked with various companies to help them develop growth strategies by conducting market research and analysis, identifying potential opportunities that may be available to the organization and outlining the necessary steps to an appropriate marketing strategy.
Skills Development & Training
Michael Sanderson, MBA
Manager, Skills Development & Training
Michael has over 12 years of experience in entrepreneurship, economic development and professional training. He has extensive leadership and project management experience in his role at the SMUBDC. He has been responsible for the development and delivery of varied projects including multi year employability training programs for recent graduates, conference planning and coordination, a variety of research and consulting projects, and professional development training. In addition he has gained significant entrepreneurial experience through ownership of several businesses, the most recent being a retail video store. Michael's educational training consists of a Masters of Business Administration from Saint Mary's University and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Dalhousie University.
Jason Turner
Senior Project Manager
Jason is a graduate of the Institute for Human Services Educations' Youth Worker Diploma program, and is currently working toward a B.A. at Saint Mary's University.Prior to working with the SMUBDC, Jason was employed within the public school system as both a substitute teacher and an Educational Assistant, as well as a personal care worker in small-options homes. Jason has been working with the Skills Development and Training Division of SMUBDC since October of 2004 as a Senior Project Manager, focusing on administering employability programs for Halifax youth, as well as promoting entrepreneurship at Saint Mary's.
Evan Radisic, BComm
Project Manager
Evan started his undergraduate degree in Melbourne, Australia as a Bachelor of International Business eventually deciding to move home to finish the degree at Dalhousie University as a Bachelor of Commerce. He has spent a majority of his life traveling around the world, living and attending school in 7 different countries and learning 3 languages along the way. All this equates to a love for people, culture, and diversity. Aside from starting two of his own businesses, his current focus lies in Skills Development and Training for small and medium-sized enterprises. Evan is also heavily involved in helping students with various entrepreneurial endeavors through consulting at the Student Entrepreneurship Centre on SMU campus.
Maureen Joudrey, BComm
Project and Marketing Manager
Maureen is a recent graduate from Saint Mary's University, completing her Bachelor of Commerce Degree with a major in marketing and a co-operative education certification. Previously at the Centre, Maureen worked as the Project Coordinator of the 2008 International Council for Small Business World Conference. Joining the Skill Development and Training Division, Maureen is interested in combining her passions of event coordination and marketing to develop programs focused on training small businesses and students. Maureen is also responsible for promoting the Centre and its services.
maureen.joudrey@smu.ca
429.0558
Lianne Perry
Project Manager
Lianne Perry has more than 15 years’ combined industry and government project management experience. Prior to joining the SMUBDC, she worked as a Marketing Officer for the University of Exeter in the UK where she was involved in research and development with the School of Education and Lifelong Learning and the Peninsula Medical School. Previous to that, Lianne spent several years as a Department Manager working in the area of Waste Management and has specific knowledge and expertise relating to waste disposal, reclamation and recycling. Lianne is also a published freelance writer and performer, professionally involved in the arts community in Canada and abroad. Lianne has been working with the Skills Development and Training Division of the SMUBDC since March 2010 with a focus on administering employability programs for youth and managing the Student Entrepreneurship Centre on the SMU campus.
lianne.perry@smu.ca
420.5026
Heidi Weigand
Manager and Senior Business Consultant
Heidi Weigand, Manager of Consulting Services and a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black belt, has a track record of success with two "A list" international firms over the last 19 years in Canada and the United States. During that time, she has held various positions in sales, sales management, marketing, finance and business process re-engineering. Since joining the centre, Heidi has led our First Nation's team in assisting communities with projects that include strategic and economic development initiatives to help communities grow their investment potential for the future.
Kelly Campbell LeFort, B.B.A. Green Belt Lean Six Sigma
Senior Consultant
Kelly Campbell LeFort, B.B.A., is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Business Administration. Kelly brings with her 10 years of corporate business experience where she has held a number of positions in sales, sales training and sales management. Through this experience, she has developed skills through numerous sales, training and process development by using the principles of Lean Six Sigma. In addition, she possesses extensive leadership skills and experience in various levels of corporate training and development, sales, strategy and business planning. Her focus with First Nations Communities is in Human Resources, Training and Development, Facilitation, Health and Economic Development.
Lianne Sarson, MSc
Marketing Research Consultant
Lianne earned her Master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Saint Mary’s University and is currently working toward the completion of her PhD. She has worked as a consultant with various organizations and has experience in research development, management and support. Lianne brings a strong knowledge of statistics and research design, and has experience translating these skills into evidence based practice that incorporates the unique needs and culture of organizations. .
lianne.sarson@smu.ca
429.2446
Matt MacPhee, BA, BSc
Marketing Research Consultant
Matt is in the final stages of completing a Master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Saint Mary’s University. Matt’s varied educational background gives him a unique perspective grounded in research design and implementation, statistics, and organizational theory. Matt is interested in applying these skills, honed in Health and Safety consulting and research projects, to a wide variety of organizational issues.
matt.macphee@smu.ca
429.2446
Tammy Williams
Cultural Marketing Consultant
Tammy is from Indian Brook First Nation in Shubenacadie and she is currently working on her B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Psychology at Saint Mary’s University. Tammy has an Associates degree in computer support and internet technology, as well as computer networking and web design. Working with the Mi’kmaq Friendship Centre as well as Healing Our Nations provided Tammy with a wealth of resources and a working relationship with many of the people in the native communities surrounding the Halifax area. Interested in job creation and self-sustainability for urban Aboriginal people, Tammy is concentrating her training in the non-profit sector.
Salina Kemp
Student Intern
Salina Kemp is a member of Millbrook First Nation with experience working within the First Nation community with the Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre and the Kitpu Youth Group. As a member of the First Nations team, Salina has helped with the development of the New Employee Orientation Guide and has conducted surveys across the Atlantic Provinces. As well as getting involved in the logistics of a number of projects, Salina has future interests in developing a non-profit organization that will provide services and information to those living or moving off reserve.
Wayde Crawford, M.Sc.(Eng), MBA
Manager of International Projects
Wayde has headed international development projects in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Republic of Georgia and China. The main focus has been regional economic development and private sector development. He has expertise in marketing, management, and business analysis. Wayde also holds a part-time faculty position in marketing, teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
(Currently on government interchange with Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Lynn Murphy
Office Administrator
