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Behind the Scenes of AB Seed
AB Seed is focused on structuring and creating space for the ecosystem and is made up of dedicated steering committee members and staff.
Steering Committee
AB Seed is supported and funded by a number of leaders in the social enterprise and social finance space from across the province. Interested in becoming a Steering Committee member? Contact us for more information.
Staff
Christine Spottiswood
Project Lead
Christine has been working in the not-for-profit and small business sectors for the better part of 15 years, with a formal background in accounting and strategic measurement, and an informal background in strategy and broad thinking. She brings to the table a range of skills from writing, to data analysis, to relationship development, to challenging the status quo.
Her management style focuses on creating space for people and ideas to grow and flourish, and she is eager to bring that approach to ecosystem development.
Victoria Ross
Ecosystem Capacity Builder
With a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary and four years of experience operating a social enterprise called aGRO Systems Inc., Victoria brings a wealth of lived experience in social entrepreneurship to our team.
She developed aGRO Systems during her second year of university and has learned the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Albertan start-up ecosystem as a female student entrepreneur which is why she’s excited to have the opportunity to provide new social entrepreneurs and industry a platform of the best resources available to them.
Victoria strongly believes in creating change through social entrepreneurship and encourages any new budding social entrepreneur to reach out to her if they are ever looking for guidance or mentorship!
Lakshmi Peddi
Administrative and Organizational Support
Lakshmi is a grade 11 student at Lillian Osborne High School in Edmonton. Lakshmi’s passion for social entrepreneurship and administration is what led her to AB Seed where she is now working on the Namada project!
When she’s not staring in a coffee-driven haze at her computer screen, Lakshmi is usually listening to music and trying to finish her chem homework (quite unsuccessfully). She is currently reading – and definitely recommends! – the Burning Kingdoms Trilogy by Tasha Suri which ignited her love for historical fantasy!
Melissa Baird
Administrative and Organizational Support
Melissa is one of AB Seed’s newest hires and uses her organizational skills to help all of AB Seed's projects and events run smoothly. Melissa is looking forward to gaining knowledge and skills surrounding administrative work as well as connecting with like minded people in the industry.
When she's not planning all the intricate details, she loves to be outdoors and with animals. She is on the search for the best vegan restaurants, so don't hesitate to share any and all recommendations. She loves going to music festivals and taking part in outdoor sports such as skiing, longboarding, horseback riding, and hiking.
Gary Zander
Ecosystem Capacity Builder
Gary's focus has been on facilitating change within organizations and across networks to maximize social impact at the local and international level. With over 20 years experience working with a variety of nonprofits and corporations from start-up through impact at scale, he enjoys working with diverse groups to address poverty, build relationships, and achieve sustainability. He has held C-level roles in education and training, communications, strategy development and information systems.
When he's not working on integrating purpose with profit or helping a small charity grow, you'll find Gary looking for the next home improvement project, searching the web for a great BBQ recipe, or volunteering in his local Edmonton community.
Elise Martinoski
Information Designer
Elise has a particular interest in web design but also creates other design elements such as marketing materials, brand packages, infographics, and document layouts. With a Bachelor of Communications in Information Design and a minor in social innovation from Mount Royal University, Elise has been building a bridge between the two by, you guessed it, designing information for organizations in the social innovation and economy spheres.
In her (very limited, does it to herself) spare time, you'll catch Elise still creating things but off the screen. As she loves creating with her hands, you'll find her making pottery, sewing, knitting, crocheting, basket weaving, cross stitching, or just a good old fashioned DIY project she saw on Pinterest at 2 am the previous day.
Makayla Chin
Research Assistant
Makayla will be entering her 3rd year of studies at the University of Alberta in the fall where she is currently studying psychology and sociology. She is excited by innovative ways to meet people’s needs and is eager to dive deeper into innovation and it's impact.
When she is not cataloguing documents for AB Seed’s research, Makayla teaches piano, tutors with United for Literacy, and randomly bursts into song whenever socially acceptable.
Morgan Dahlseide
Information Designer
Morgan is entering her 3rd year of Information Design at Mount Royal University. Her love of visual design, typography, and writing is what led her to AB Seed. With AB Seed, Morgan gets to mix her love of visual information with social innovation.
When she’s not playing around on Adobe, you can find her reading - currently The Old Man and the Sea - while consuming some variation of caffeine (iced matcha, americano, ect.). She loves going for ice-cream, a good DIY project, and working out.
Other Contributors
We would like to thank the following organizations for their contributions towards AB Seed.
AB Seed is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Investment Readiness Program.