Michelle Simms
President & CEO
As CEO of Genesis, Michelle leads the management team in handling day to day operations of the Genesis Group and establishes long-term relationships with key stakeholders in the community. With the leadership of the Board of Directors, she develops and implements the Genesis Group strategic plan. With more than a decade of experience advising technology companies, Michelle is passionate about entrepreneurs and advancing the technology sector of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Darlene Puddister
Administrative Coordinator
Darlene joined Genesis in early 2019 and brought with her a wealth of experience within board-governed organizations including provincial associations and regulatory bodies. She also spent over a decade coordinating training and managing projects within a leadership development organization for young professionals and entrepreneurs. Darlene handles administrative and corporate coordination for our CEO, board and committees -- including behind-the-scenes involvement in special projects and organizational initiatives. She also supports the team in a number of areas relating to People & Culture.
Karla Connolly
Director, Finance & Operations
As Director of Finance and Operations, Karla’s responsibilities include financial and operational strategy, risk and insurance management and statutory compliance. Karla brings to Genesis nearly 15 years of financial management experience. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), a Canadian Risk Manager (CRM) and is currently an MBA candidate, with a specialization in Strategic Planning. She has held numerous volunteer leadership roles with various non-profit organizations, including most recently as Vice President of Volunteers and Members with the East Coast Trail and Chair of Clean St. John’s. Karla has an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement initiatives and is a strong supporter of lean cultures that instill a sense of connectedness, trust and creativity. Outside of work, you will usually find her on hiking trails with her family, or curating her next playlist.
Amanda Dawe-Organ
Senior Lead, Finance & Operations
Amanda brings a wealth of accounting experience from various industries, most recently managing full cycle accounting for a production facility and eight retail stores. Her expertise spans handling financial statements, managing reconciliations, leading teams, implementing accounting procedures, supporting budgeting, managing government filings, overseeing cash flow, and collaborating closely with leadership. She is currently pursuing her CPA designation and enjoys spending time with her family, in the outdoors and coaching!
Annagray Campbell
Manager, Community Engagement
Joining Genesis in 2019, Annagray brings her passion for entrepreneurship and storytelling to the role of Manager, Community Engagement. Through a mix of marketing and communications, her role helps Genesis clients to feel part of a larger community, while encouraging the next generation of aspiring entrepreneurs to get involved.
Lisa Griffin
Business & Client Support Coordinator
A longtime teammate of Genesis since 2009, Lisa leads the operational needs of Genesis and its portfolio companies, including client onboarding, general operations and making sure the space runs smoothly. Prior to joining Genesis, Lisa worked with public account firms over a 13 year period in numerous administrative positions and spent the last seven of those years as an office administrator.
Ashley Cox
Accounting Coordinator
Ashley first joined Team Genesis as a summer admin student in 2017, and following post-secondary studies, she returned in 2019 as coordinator for the Genesis Coworking space. In her latest role as Finance Coordinator, Ashley manages accounts payable and receivable and supports the overall financial processes of Genesis.
Jane Furneaux
Manager, Genesis Coworking
Jane is excited to join the Genesis team with a diverse background in startup operations, nonprofit and event coordination. Her most recent project was the Self-Isolation Accommodations Coordinator for Memorial University, a rewarding experience that allowed her to connect with students from all over the world. Jane brings her various experience to the Coworking Manager role and is looking forward to working alongside Genesis coworkers.
Andrew Goldsworthy
Director, Client Success
Building upon his previous role as Business Development Consultant with Genesis’ Enterprise program, Andrew now brings his extensive experience to the role of Director, Client Success. As manager of Genesis’ suite of client-focused programs, he ensures that Genesis startups are continuously growing and achieving their goals. Andrew has previous experience in many roles, including co-founder of Thrive Software, instructor at the College of the North Atlantic, and founder of Sledworthy Magazine
Aidan Moores
Success Manager, Pre-Incubation
Aidan brings more that 15 years of experience working with entrepreneurs and believes that the startup sector is the now (and future) of our local economy. He is values driven, and most satisfied when collaborating with others in an impactful way. He loves to innovate and inspire others, and seeks to approach challenges from multiple angles. He is happy to lead a team, but also isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and jump in when needed.
Robyn Pike
Coordinator, Events & Communications
Robyn brings a decade of experience working in events, communications, and marketing across the public, private, and non-profit sectors to her role at Genesis. She’s thrilled to return to in-person events after the challenges of the pandemic, and to continue integrating hybrid events into the schedule to improve accessibility. Robyn is a lifelong learner and is pursuing her Master of Public Relations in her ever-dwindling spare time.
Doug Kennedy
Success Manager, Energy
Having spent the previous 20 years in the Oil and Gas industry, Doug is excited to join the Genesis team in the role of Client Success Manager for Energy. With a history in Business Development and Operations Management, Doug looks forward to working with Genesis start ups, and the local energy industry, with the goal of developing a thriving tech segment in the Atlantic energy industry.
Maggie Courish
Success Manager, Belonging
Maggie started with Genesis in 2022 as the Startup Development Coordinator (Pre-Incubation), utilizing the vast skillset in communication, facilitation, and collaboration she developed in her 10 years working in the education system. After two years of bringing our Evolution Program to new heights she has stepped into the role of Success Manager, Belonging. In this role Maggie continues to live our the Genesis core values of communication, collaboration and continuous improvement working with founders through our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. Maggie looks forward to fostering growth through her people first approach to ensure Genesis founders find a sense of belonging in our startup community.
Dean MacIsaac
Success Manager, Enterprise
Often described as an outgoing people person, Dean has always been full of ideas and enjoys disrupting established "norms", meeting new people, and collaborating with them to solve problems. Dean has taken on entrepreneurial endeavors including a woodworking business, opening a distributorship, leading a B2B networking startup, and more. A perpetual learner, Dean has a Master’s Degree in Technology Management, and has certificates in Lean, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, Project Management, and more! He spends his personal time listening to audiobooks, having deep discussions about almost anything, spending time outdoors with his family, and playing guitar (while singing very poorly).
Nancy Leung
Startup Development Coordinator
Nancy is a dynamic professional thrilled to embark on her role as the Startup Development Coordinator at Genesis. With a robust background encompassing over five years of dedicated project management expertise and holding the esteemed certification of Project Management Professional (PMP), Nancy is poised to contribute her skills to the team and foster the growth of outstanding companies within the vibrant startup ecosystem of Newfoundland and Labrador. Nancy is passionate about the power of collaboration and envisions boundless possibilities within the tech start-up community. Her proactive approach and agile mindset make her a valuable asset in navigating the fast-paced landscape of innovation. With an unwavering can-do attitude, she eagerly embraces challenges and champions progress.Outside of her professional endeavors, Nancy finds joy and relaxation on the softball and baseball fields.