What inspires you most about working in technology transfer, and how do you stay motivated to drive innovation?  
I have always been inspired by seeing great technologies actually get out into the world to help people and provide a financial return if possible. I started my career in product development in the chemical industry, and it was so rewarding seeing technologies I worked on be sold to companies and get used by consumers. Seeing your invention on the shelf of a store is pretty cool. Getting the chance to do this every day, with all kinds of different inventions, motivates me to keep going and drive our innovation efforts to maximize our impact.

What initiatives or programs at McGill are you especially proud of?
I am very proud of our McGill Innovation Fund. This is a program that provides awards to promising technologies or startups based on research from McGill. It is unique in Canada and has generated a number of exciting startup companies, some of whom are already generating revenue. It was challenging to get the proper buy-in from senior leadership to get the fund off the ground, but we were able to make it work, and it is now a staple of our entrepreneurship efforts at McGill.

As the 2024 winner of the AUTM Canadian Award, what excites you about the current tech transfer ecosystem in Canada?
We have always had a very collegial atmosphere within the technology transfer community in Canada. Everyone is very willing to share. What excites me is that the ecosystem is growing. Not only are we seeing more universities getting involved, but we are expanding our programming for the Canadian region AUTM meeting to include sponsored research which often leads to technology transfer. So the ecosystem is only getting bigger and stronger.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be either a teacher or a professional athlete. I played football up through university, but realized I was much more likely to have a career based on my engineering degree than my athletic prowess. Being in technology transfer provides many opportunities for education, so I guess I kind of fulfilled my other career goal. I’m still a big football fan though; go 49ers!

What do you find most rewarding, and/or challenging, about your position at McGill?  
The most rewarding thing is working with a stellar team of people within the Office of Innovation and Partnerships. Everyone is driven by a desire to help people and provide the best service possible to both internal and external clients. The most challenging thing is operating in a budget-constrained environment. If someone wants to give us a bunch of extra money for our team, please DM me!

Based on your extensive experience, what do you think (or hope) will be the "Next Big Thing" in technology transfer?  
I think the next big thing is going to be investment in very early-stage technologies. When I started in the field, investors were not interested in our technologies because they were so new and thus risky. We are now engaging with early-stage investors and venture studios regularly. Having a source of funding and guidance at the C-suite level is a big win for us so I hope this trend continues.

What is the top destination on your must-visit list?  
Milano Cortina in 2026 for the winter Olympics. Italy is an amazing country and the games would be a blast to see.

What does AUTM membership offer that you can’t get from other organizations and how has it benefited you?  
I think the networking and connections one gets access to as a result of AUTM membership is terrific. Due to these connections, I can easily reach out to experts all over the globe to get answers and support. I can also provide my feedback so we all learn and grow as a community.