Board of Directors
Charmaine Noonan
Senior Director and Site Head PEI, Merck Animal Health
Charmaine is the Senior Director and Site Head for Merck Animal Health PEI facility, which manufactures aquatic vaccines. Merck is a publicly-traded global animal health company, with a focus on healthier pets and healthier farm animals.
Charmaine holds a MSc in Pharmacology & Toxicology from the Atlantic Veterinary College and a BSc in Biology from the University of New Brunswick. Prior to joining Novartis/Elanco, Charmaine gained several years experience in human health research with the National Research Council of Canada. She has spent the last decade with Elanco in Quality management at the local and global levels, gaining experience in GMP sterile manufacture, lifecycle management, technical development/transfer and people development. Charmaine resides in Rose Valley with her husband and three golden retrievers.
Charmaine Noonan
Chair
Senior Director & Site Head PEI, Merck Animal Health
Heather Delage
Vice Chair
CCO BIOVECTRA (Retired)
Ron Keefe, QC, FCPA, CA, ICD.D
(Past Chair, PEI BioAlliance)
Councel, Stewart McKelvey Law Firm
Partner, Island Capital Partners
Ron has been a member of the PEI BioAlliance since its inception and served as its chair for a number of years. He is currently counsel to Stewart McKelvey having previously been a partner in the firm. He is also a partner in the general partnership of Island Captial Partners, a venture fund providing equity funding to early-stage life science and other companies. He is the former CEO of BioVectra Inc. and Diagnostic Chemicals Limited (now Sekisui Diagnostics), two of the largest businesses in the PEI BioAlliance. Ron is a present and past board member of many companies, several of which are engaged in life sciences. He also spends a considerable amount of time mentoring founders of new businesses.
Ron Keefe
Treasurer
President, Regis Duffy BioScience Fund Inc.
Stefanie Corbett
Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Trade, Government of PEI
Stefanie has been helping entrepreneurs achieve their goals for the last 12 years. With a background in strategic planning, financial analysis, and leading high-performing sales teams, she is passionate about pushing entrepreneurship forward and helping companies gain easier access to capital.
Stefanie joined government in 2021 as the Chief Executive Officer of Innovation PEI. Prior to joining government, Stefanie was a partner at Island Capital Partners, a venture fund based in Prince Edward Island that invests in early-stage companies with high growth potential and strong founding teams. She was instrumental in establishing the fund, which is a first-of-its-kind in the province and was the primary lead working with the Island Capital’s portfolio companies and the limited partnership, a network of private investors. She also worked with early-stage companies through the local incubator to better prepare them before they take on investment.
Stefanie Corbett
Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Trade
Crystal Cormier
Vice President of Operations
Natures Crops International
Crystal is Vice President of Operations of Natures Crops International (NCI), a manufacturer of Ahiflower® and other specialty oils for dietary supplements, food & beverage, and personal care products. Crystal has been with NCI since February 2010 and has held many roles within the company. She is currently responsible for all operational aspects of the company’s PEI-based oilseed production facility and refinery, all third-party manufacturing, as well as the crop production of Crambe and Meadowfoam. Prior to her VP role, Crystal was involved in many other areas within the company, such as administration, grower contracting, grower relations, sales and marketing, and management. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Prince Edward Island. In her spare time, Crystal enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and camping during the summer months.
Cyrstal Cormier
Vice President of Operations
Natures Crops International
Katherine O'Halloran
Principal, GT
Katherine O’Halloran is a Principal at GT, a national public affairs firm. She brings more than a decade of senior government experience, including four years as Regional Advisor for Atlantic Canada in the Prime Minister’s Office, where she connected the PMO with MPs, provincial and municipal governments, Indigenous leaders, and regional stakeholders. Known for her collaborative approach and sound judgement, Katherine has built a reputation for bridging regional priorities with national decision-making.
Katherine O'Halloran
Principal, GT
Eugene Howatt
Site Director, Sekisui PEI
Eugene is the Site Director of Sekisui Diagnostics PEI Operations joining the company in 2011. One of his first roles within Sekisui was to work on the transfer project which allowed Sekisui to continue manufacturing in PEI . Prior to this Eugene held various roles within Sekisui and the food manufacturing industry including operations, logistics, continuous improvement, and capital improvements. Eugene is certified in Lean Six Sigma from the Juran institute and continues to drive continuous improvement and lean manufacturing through the North American sites. Eugene sits on the PEI Industry Board which came together to help Island businesses share best practices and have a voice during Covid 19 leveraging our common voice to work with Health PEI and other Government agencies to develop programs and revise policies needed for the industry. The PEI industry Board has now shifted focus to the industry needs of improving availability, attraction, hiring and retention of skilled workers and trades people in PEI.
Eugene resides in Tryon with his family and keeps busy with sports when not working as his daughter is an avid curler and studying for her BSC at UPEI and his son is in training for the Canada Games in road and mountain biking.
Eugene Howatt
Vice President of North America Operations, Sekisui
Chris Kirby
Associate Director Research, Development and Technology Transfer (ADRDT) AAFC - Science and Technology Branch (STB)
Chris Kirby is the Associate Director Research, Development and Technology Transfer at the Charlottetown Research and Development Centre (part of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada).
Formerly Research Scientist : NMR and Analytical Chemistry. Historic Research Areas: Dr. Kirby is an NMR chemist with particular interest in the application of NMR methods (solution, solids, and semi-solids) in the understanding of agricultural systems (e.g., soils, plants, seeds). He also uses natural products chemistry methods, including bioautography, in the pursuit of biopesticide discovery and development. In as much he determines/discovers the chemistry of soil microbes which are active against plant pathogens.
Chris Kirby
Associate Director Research, (ADRDT) AAFC - (STB)
*Observer Status*
Natalie Mitton
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Holland College, PEI
Natalie Mitton brings nearly two decades of leadership in post-secondary education, including 14 years in senior leadership roles at Holland College, most recently as Vice-President, Academic and Applied Research. Throughout her career she has built strong collaborations with industry, government and partners while overseeing a broad portfolio of academic, workforce development and applied research programs across PEI and internationally. She previously served as a deputy minister with the Government of Prince Edward Island.
Natalie Mitton
President and CEO, Holland College
Dr. Yimy Mena
CEO, Pegasus Biotech
Dr. Yimy Mena graduated with a chemical engineering degree from the National University of Colombia and completed both his MSc and Doctorate degrees in Biotechnology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. With more than 20 years of industry experience in both small and large biopharmaceutical companies, Dr. Mena’s career has been focused on process development, tech transfer, and the validation of manufacturing processes of biologics. These processes include human and animal vaccines, as well as monoclonal antibodies for cancer treatment (such as Rituximab, Trastuzumab), and gene therapy vectors for muscular dystrophy.
Dr. Mena started his career in Canada in 2007 at the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI-NRC) in Montreal as a postdoctoral fellow, and moved to PEI in 2012 to join Novartis Animal Health as a principal scientist. Here, Dr. Mena led a team of scientists and engineers developing the next generation of animal vaccines based on plasmid DNA technology. After Elanco’s acquisition of Novartis Animal Health in 2014, Dr. Mena moved up through the ranks to become R&D Director of Aqua Vaccines at Elanco in 2017. Most recently, Dr. Mena co-founded Pegasus Biotech in 2019 and started as CEO in February 2021. Pegasus Biotech Inc, a CRO specializing in the process and analytical development of human and animal health biologics.
Dr. Yimy Mena
CEO, Pegasus Biotech
Mohammed Moin
Co-Founder and CEO, Somru Biosciences
Mohammed Moin is the co-founder and CEO of Somru BioScience Inc., an innovative biotechnology company developing solutions to accelerate biologics and biosimilar drug development. He is responsible for leading the company’s strategic direction, operations, and growth.
He is the winner of Synapse Inspiring Young Innovator Award 2019, and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2018 in Health & Life Science. Moin has a proven executive management track record and over 14 years of experience driving growth in the technology industry. Prior to Somru, Moin was Solution Architect at Accreon, a leading health care technology company. Before joining Accreon, Moin was a software architect at MAXIMUS Canada where he oversaw the design and development of various province wide drug information system. He earned a BSc degree in Computer Science from UPEI.
Mohammed Moin
Co-Founder and CEO, Somru Biosciences
Dr. Aleksander Patrzykat
Director General, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development, National Research Council Canada
Dr. Aleksander Patrzykat is the director general of the NRC's Aquatic Crop Resource Development Research Centre. Previous to this, he was the director of research for the research centre's East region.
Dr. Patrzykat joined the NRC in 2002. He has held various roles at the NRC including director of strategic initiatives for the Aquatic Crop Resource Development Research Centre, executive director of the Algal Carbon Conversion Flagship program, senior technology development and commercialization officer as well as several research positions. Throughout his career, he has always strived to lead researchers, projects and programs to achieve tangible results to help tackle real-world challenges.
Dr. Patrzykat holds a PhD in microbiology from the University of British Columbia and a BSc in life sciences from Queen's University. Most of his research has focused on antimicrobial peptides derived from aquatic sources.
Dr. Aleksander Patrzykat
Director General, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development, National Research Council Canada
*Observer Status*
Dr. Wendy Rodgers
President & Vice Chancellor, The University of Prince Edward Island
Dr. Wendy Rodgers (she/her) began her appointment as the University of Prince Edward Island’s seventh President and Vice-Chancellor on June 1, 2024.
Dr. Rodgers’ academic background is rooted in health sciences and kinesiology. She earned her BA from York University, MA from Western University, and PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo. She began her professorial career as an assistant professor in the Faculty of Human Kinetics at the University of Windsor before moving to the University of Alberta, where she was a full professor for almost 20 years.
With an extensive publication and funding record, Dr. Rodgers is a high achieving researcher whose interest lies in studying social cognitive theories as they relate to behaviour change in varying contexts with a particular focus on exercise rehabilitation settings. Her work concerns how individual level motivational characteristics relate to intentions to increase exercise behaviour in consideration of contextual influences that might both impede or support translating those intentions into behaviour.
Dr. Rodgers has a long history of administrative and governance roles within the academy. She most recently served as Vice-President Academic and Provost at the University of Northern British Columbia where she led numerous initiatives including leadership development, and implementation of academic priorities such as increasing focus on strategic enrolment, revitalizing quality assurance, and equity in hiring. Prior to that appointment, she served in a number of roles at the University of Alberta, including seven years as Deputy Provost. In this position, she led key strategic projects such as leadership development, developing the university’s equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) strategic plan, faculty relations, and oversight of the Canada Research Chair program, and advised on key academic issues.
A respected leader in post-secondary education, Dr. Rodgers has a deep commitment to EDI and Indigenization in the post-secondary sector. Over her career, she has led institutional initiatives in these areas as well as issues management; faculty workload and evaluation; and oversight and leadership of the academic mission of the university. Dr. Rodgers has also been active in research ethics review and related administration. In 2023, she was named chair of the Council of Canadian Academies’ multidisciplinary expert panel to examine best practices for EDI in the post-secondary research ecosystem.
Dr. Rodgers is only the second woman to hold the position of President and Vice-Chancellor at UPEI. Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Epperly was the first (1995–1998).
Dr. Wendy Rodgers
President and Vice Chancellor, University of Prince Edward Island
Myrna Gillis, KC
CEO, ONDA
Myrna Gillis brings more than three decades of senior leadership and governance experience across the life sciences, agtech, aquaculture, and legal sectors. Her multidisciplinary expertise spans founding and scaling innovative ventures, navigating complex regulatory landscapes, and driving sustainable, purpose-driven growth. She is equally recognized for her strategic oversight in complex domains such as social impact sustainable development goals, diversity and inclusion, CEO succession, governance restructuring, executive compensation, and public policy engagement.
Myrna is currently the CEO of Onda, a global contract research organization specializing in aquatic health and nutrition. She has been at the helm of other successful startup companies, notably as founder of Finleaf Technologies, an agtech company that transforms aquaculture waste into high-value, organic bio-fertilizers and as the founding CEO and former Chair of Aqualitas Inc., a leading sustainable cannabis company, taking it startup to expansion into an international exporter of cGMP facilities licensed across multiple jurisdictions. summ
As an active advisor and leader, Myrna has served in various capacities across corporate, academic, and not-for-profit sectors. These include board and advisory board appointments with Onda, Finleaf Technologies, the Nova Scotia Labour Management Review Board, the Wallace McCain Institute, the Cannabis Council of Canada, the Scotia Cannabis Council, Dalhousie Legal Aid, Dalhousie Alumni Association, Dartmouth Adult Services Center, and the Boys and Girls Club of Canada.
Myrna Gillis, KC
CEO, ONDA
Katie Arsenault
Partner, Island Capital Partners
Katie Arsenault is a partner with Island Capital Partners, an impact fund focused on growing the tech ecosystem in Prince Edward Island and the Atlantic region.
Katie is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the venture capital firm, including deal flow, due diligence, mentorship, and acts as a board member or observer for several of the Fund’s portfolio companies.
Previously, Katie was in a leadership role at a medtech start-up where she enjoyed the challenge of growing teams and systems. Before working in a start-up, Katie spent over four years in the hedge funds industry at MUFG and five years in public practice accounting.
Katie holds a degree from the University of Prince Edward Island and has her CPA, CA designation. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Prince Edward Island. In addition to the director positions within her partner role, she is also a board of director and Chair of the Finance Committee for the Confederation Centre of the Arts, board director with Maritime Electric, and Chair of the UPEI Student Entrepreneurship Hub Advisory Group.
Katie Arsenault
Partner, Island Capital Partners
Andrew Mitchell
Associate Vice President, Business Development, BIOVECTRA
Andrew is a commercially focused Associate Vice President of Business Development with 30 years of experience in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and contract manufacturing sectors. He has a strong track record of expanding global markets, consistently driving sustainable sales growth, and managing sales agents across the world.
Andrew brings expertise in streamlining complex structures, strategic business planning and budgeting, and leading commercial due diligence for multiple transactions. A former company board member and current member of the Executive Leadership Team at BIOVECTRA, he offers a valuable leadership perspective.
Throughout his career, Andrew has built deep expertise across a range of product areas, including contract manufacturing of drug substances and drug products such as microbial fermentation products, opiates, cytotoxics, steroids, and generics.
Andrew Mitchell
Associate Vice President, Business Development, BIOVECTRA