Joshua Day Chief

Board Member

Joshua Day Chief is the CEO of a family and Indigenous-owned company called AdvancedAg Inc., located in Raymond, Alberta. AdvancedAg (AAG) is a biotech company producing beneficial blends of bacteria for water and soil health. Day Chief’s background is in environmental reclamation and restoration. He joined the AAG team in 2013 to conduct numerous research projects funded by the National Research Council. This important work has helped to diversify and grow the company exponentially over the last few years.

Day Chief’s passion is to be a leader in environmental solutions, innovation and education. He has built strong ties to the southern Alberta agriculture and business community and has continued to grow the reputation and development of the AAG product line with third party research and engaging in a team approach. Today, Joshua works very closely with dealers, suppliers and end-users to solve many soil and water issues. He has a passionate vision that extends globally for AdvancedAg.

Joshua was recently awarded an Honouring Excellence – Rising Star Award in 2020 from Lethbridge College and is now a member of the Board of Governors for the post-secondary institution. He also sits on the Blackfoot Confederacy Entrepreneur Steering Committee and received an Alumni Achievement Award from the Canadian Environmental Technology Advancement Corporation in 2018.

Joshua is located in Raymond.

Mark B. Dickin

Board Member

Mr. Dickin is an Executive Professional and Certified Corporate Director with over 30 years’ experience in: North American Oil & Gas/Gas Liquids, Power and Renewable Energy Commodity Markets; Engineering / Procurement / Construction services; and, International Investment and Canadian Retail Banking. Mark has held roles of progressive seniority to the President/Vice President level in several companies including: ANC Transloading Inc.; Nexen; CIBC World Markets; Lauren Engineers & Constructors ULC; and, CH2M HILL Energy Canada, Ltd.

He has led teams in business development, operations, trading and risk advisory services, and sales and marketing. He has written business plans and launched new businesses, integrated acquired companies into the parent’s fold and has advised existing business leaders on business process and strategic planning. Mark is a native Albertan and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from the University of Calgary. Mr. Dickin received the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and the Haskayne School of Business in 2009 and has held various roles on Private and Not-for-Profit Boards and several Advisory Boards.

Mr. Dickin is located in Whitecourt.

Renee Fehr

Board Member

Renee Fehr is of Metis lineage and currently resides in Treaty 8 Territory in the Rocky Mountains. Her background consists of almost 20 years in the banking and education industries, partnered with her experience in economic development. Currently, Renee has joined the tourism industry where she has the opportunity to support and coach small business owners and entrepreneurs in a new direction.

She holds a degree in General Studies from the University of Athabasca along with a Human Resources Management Certification from the University of Alberta and is just recently starting graduate school in Tourism Management.  As a big supporter of shopping locally and businesses within rural communities, Renee acknowledges the important role that small businesses and entrepreneurs play within our communities both on a small scale and regionally. Renee is a lifelong learner. When not at work, Renee spends most of her time hiking, taking courses, and foraging for edible and medicinal plants.

Renee is located in Grande Cache.

Rohit Joshi

Board Member

Rohit Joshi is engaged in the top trends in emerging healthcare technology. His academic training and career spans life sciences, law, fintech and health technology. He has used his experience to work with several companies at various stages of product, market, corporate and financing maturity. Most recently, is focus has been in healthcare technology, helping multiple startup companies in Canada and the USA benefit from his strategic guidance and experience in operational efficiencies.

As the Co-Founder and CEO of Brightsquid Secure Communications Corp, Rohit at the helm of Canada’s leading compliant communications services provider for the healthcare industry.

Rohit has a passion for entrepreneurship, regularly speaking at conferences, contributing to government working groups, educating students at the University of Calgary, as well as providing advisory services to budding entrepreneurs.

Rohit spent his childhood in rural Alberta (Drumheller) as the proud son of immigrant parents who, by example, taught their work ethic, their values and the deep-seated desire to better the lives of the people around them.

After living and working in Seattle, Rohit now lives in Calgary with his wife, 2 sons and his dog, Apollo.

Kim Orlesky

Board Secretary, HR Committee

Kim is the Founder and CEO of KO Advantage, teaching virtual selling skills to premium solution organizations. She’s listed as LinkedIn’s top sales influencers and continuously named as one of the top sales leaders to follow. She’s Startup Canada’s Woman Entrepreneur and Success Magazine’s most inspirational blogger. Kim has been selected to speak to groups such as Inbound, Comcast, Zoom, and Inc. Magazine. Her 3rd book Sell More. Faster. is available now as she writes her 4th book Virtual Selling Best Practices.

Kim is located in Calgary.

Tsikinaakii Katie Rabbit-Young Pine

Board Member

Tsikinaakii, Katherine Rabbit-Young Pine, a member of the Blood Tribe graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Management Degree. A First Nation entrepreneur since 2015 as owner of Benefit Rezolutions Inc with clientele throughout Alberta. Tsikinaakii is a Board Member for Tourism Lethbridge and sits as a Senate member for the University of Lethbridge.

For approximately twenty years Tsikinaakii held senior positions in Human Resource Management leading companies to human resource achievements on and off reserve. She, is currently the Lead Innovator for Changing Horses NFP Society focusing on completing the build for a Supportive Housing Complex for the homeless.

Today, she considers herself an advocate for First Nation members seeking a better way of life, her focus, closing the gap on challenges faced by First Nations communities.

Tsikinaakii resides on the Blood Reserve in the community of Bullhorn with her husband Dallas, her horses, dogs and cat.

Steve Whittington

Board Member

Steve Whittington is currently President of Roadmap Agency Inc. which specializes in go-to-market strategy implementation. Prior to agency life, he has over 25 years of executive experience with national retailers and manufacturers. Steve’s previous board work includes being Co-Chair of the Marketing Program Advisory Committee for NAIT’s JR Shaw School of Business, Chair for Flaman Fitness Canada, a national retailer, a Director for a meal prep internet Startup Mealife and Chair of Lethbridge Housing authority, the third-largest Social housing NGO in Alberta.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree; he is a Certified Sales Professional (CSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Marketing Specialist (CMS) and (CCXP) Certified Customer Experience Professional. He is the author of the book Thriving in the Customer Age.

Steve is located in Edmonton.

Colin Christensen

Board Observer

Colin Christensen is a massive advocate for early-stage entrepreneurship. Having spent 30 years starting, funding, and growing businesses of his own, his current chapter is helping entrepreneurs around the world avoid needless failure. Among other endeavors, one of his favourite is a platform he co-founded alongside a world-renowned benevolent corporation helping entrepreneurs create equity for themselves with training and crowd-funded zero-interest micro-loans.

Through COVID, this has expanded into ten countries and four languages and continues to open economic alternatives away from high-risk options. Here at home, Colin serves as the Entrepreneur In Residence at MacEwan University and in various roles within the innovation ecosystem. He is a published author and developer of an app for entrepreneurs and continues to be involved in growing indigenous entrepreneurship through curriculum design and advocacy for all under-estimated founders. Colin serves as Chair of the Board for Action for Healthy Communities and as GM of a hockey team where he plays with his sons. Of all his passions, the greatest is being married to his best friend – also a business owner – and having three young adults who still think he’s “pretty alright”.

Colin is located in St. Albert.