Meet Our Mentors

Aaron Topple has built his career through hard work and diverse experience, from serving in the
Canadian Armed Forces to leading early-stage businesses as a mentor and investor. In the military, he learned how to plan carefully, make decisions under pressure, and lead teams through complex missions.

Today, Aaron brings those lessons into the business world. As an experienced founder with some successful exits, he works side by side with startups, helping them navigate the “valley of death;” moving from early ideas to growth and stability. His approach is practical and rooted in trust, adaptability, and real collaboration, not just theory.

Outside of work, Aaron is a husband and father of three. He values balance, family, and the chance to help others succeed. His guiding principle: always be curious.

Albert Behr is a globally-recognized innovator and leader focused on technology commercialization. He led two companies to acquisitions by Microsoft and Symantec. Behr has been in the technology industry for more than three decades. His experience spans high-level corporate development, strategic marketing, operational, engineering and financing roles across leading technology companies and startups around the world.

While based in the U.S. and Asia, Behr held executive leadership roles with technology giants such as AT&T, Fujitsu, and Symantec. While in Canada, he served as Chief Strategy Officer for BorderWare Technologies, COO of NRG Group, Senior VP for Platform Computing/IBM, and most recently CEO of BehrTech. For the past 25 years, Behr has been at the helm of the technology commercialization and strategic partner consultancy he founded. During that time, he’s led numerous large-scale strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

Andy Yadegar is a seasoned product management and user experience leader with a proven track record of scaling teams, launching innovative products, and delivering measurable business results. At ShareGate, he leads the Product Management team for the Migrate product line, where he focuses on expanding market share, maximizing customer value, and driving revenue through high-performing teams with direct P&L responsibility.

Before joining ShareGate, Andy held senior leadership roles at Openlane, where he oversaw the nationwide relaunch of openlane.ca, delivered more than 20 successful product launches, and boosted Net Promoter Score by over 50%. As Chief Product Officer at Mariner Partners, he stabilized and grew the xVu portfolio and redesigned customer onboarding processes, improving efficiency fivefold. Earlier in his career, Andy was Head of Product at FiiX, where he shifted the company from a sales-driven to a customer-centric model, and Director of Product Management at Interac, where he managed the P&L for Interac e-Transfer and grew adoption by more than 40% YoY.

Across his career, Andy has built and scaled product organizations from the ground up, led enterprise-wide Agile transformations, and consistently delivered strategies that combine customer insight, UX design, and business growth.

I’ve spent 15+ years building and scaling businesses across fashion, food, beauty, and hospitality—launching 19 ventures and learning every lesson firsthand.

Now, I help established brands reimagine, rebuild, and grow with clarity. I bring strategy, storytelling, and operations together to help founders scale without losing their soul. Based in Toronto, working across Ontario.

Brandon Houston is a Collingwood-based entrepreneur with 20 years of experience building businesses in web development and video marketing, working with clients globally in over 15 countries, ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. During that time he has also founded two coworking spaces. The Collingwood Foundry, where he focuses the majority of his time, is today home to over 250 entrepreneurs and remote workers.

His background focuses on technology and automation where he currently consults on systems, automation, and AI integration into business processes. He currently spends his time as a consultant in this space and continues to build and support the community of entrepreneurs in Collingwood at The Foundry through mentorship and business consulting.

An institution within the Canadian scale-up company, investor and innovation ecosystems, Bryan Watson is currently Senior Vice President of Business Development at Easly, Managing Director of CleanTech North, Founding Director of the Ontario Clean Technology Industry Association and 2021 Clean50 and 2025 Clean50 Top Project Awardee as well as member of multiple grant funding review committees and Boards as a Director.

For over 2 decades, Bryan has been an entrepreneur and advised and supported Angel and venture capital investors, all levels of government, NGOs and companies at all stages – scale-up to mature, global companies. Bryan has served as Executive Director of the National Angel Capital Organization, the Angel Investors Ontario, and CEO Fusion, Board Director of Enthusiast Gaming Inc. (NASDAQ: EGLX, TSX: EGLX) helping take the company public, as well as “Chief Instigator” of StartupDrinksTO. In addition to these roles, Bryan has been a Director of Precarn Incorporated and the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, and a Mentor at the Altitude Accelerator, Sandbox Centre, FORUM Ventures, and many startups.

Bryan has served as an external reviewer and Chair of external review panels for funding programs across all levels of government. His contributions span a wide range of organizations, including the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE), GreenCentre Canada, AGE-WELL, the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), the Esch Foundation, Palette Skills, ReMAP, the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), and the City of Toronto, among many others.

Bryan completed his Masters in Management, Economics and International Relations at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, on the only full Chevening Scholarship awarded in Canada.

Chris brings depth in deep tech and scaling high-growth companies, with a focus on commercialization, enterprise readiness, and helping founders navigate the critical jump from early traction to sustainable growth.

With over 30 years of experience as a founder, advisor, and innovation leader, Chris has supported startups and scale-ups across sectors, building the strategies, partnerships, and systems that enable companies to grow with confidence.

Darian Harris is the founder and managing partner of Fuse Accelerator, a global accelerator focused on scale stage startups with 100+ portfolio companies. He is seasoned entrepreneur and growth consultant with a diverse portfolio of successful ventures spanning multiple industries. Driven by his passion for supporting founders, Darian has dedicated himself to empowering entrepreneurs to achieve scale. He excels in advising startups, leveraging his experience to connect strategic dots and catalyze growth for emerging ventures.

Before leading the Fuse Accelerator, Darian was a Merchant at Walmart managing multi-billion-dollar categories. During his tenure at The Harvest Group further enriched his understanding of client relations and business development strategies. Darian continues to be a driving force in the entrepreneurial ecosystem globally, shaping the future of industries through his leadership and strategic insights.

David W. Wright has spent his career supporting technology-enhanced high-growth companies. Through Cassio Capital Advisors Inc., David provides capital markets, corporate finance and valuation advisory services. Since 2019, David has provided advisory services to several Ontario Regional Innovation Centres, providing programming and mentorship support to hundreds of early-stage entrepreneurs in all sectors.

As an equity research analyst, David analyzed thousands of public and private technology companies. In this role, David was named North America’s #1 stock picker for the Software Sector. As an investment banker, David raised capital, provided Fairness Opinions, M&A advice, and authored valuation assessments providing insight into companies’ value drivers. As Executive Director of Angel One, one of Canada’s largest angel networks, David assisted with deal flow curation and supported members with industry education and due diligence.

David is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors Education Program, has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, and a Master of Business Administration degree. He is a past board member of a public technology company and the Private Capital Markets Association of Canada.

Felix Yuen is the IP & Commercialization Advisor at Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre of Georgian College, with the focus to develop and deliver programs that strengthen the IP knowledge and capabilities of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

He is an IP consultant and a practising lawyer, and has international experience in IP management and monetization strategies. He was the in-house IP advisor of a few companies in the media, entertainment and software industries.

Hali is a Partner with MNP leading the HR consulting practice for private enterprise Drawing on more than two decades of expertise in People Advisory and Management Consulting Services, Hali is a seasoned professional dedicated to instigating positive change within small to medium-sized businesses. 

Her extensive background and proficiency in Human Resource Management uniquely position her to drive impactful transformations that elevate interpersonal relations among shareholders, partners, managers, and staff. Her mission is clear: to make a tangible and lasting impact on the fabric of small to medium-sized businesses, driving positive change and sustainable growth in an ever-evolving business landscape.

In her role, Hali specializes in implementing best practices that transcend traditional consulting approaches. Her mission is clear: to make a tangible and lasting impact on the fabric of small to medium-sized businesses, driving positive change and sustainable growth in an ever-evolving business landscape.

Hali works closely with executives and their leadership groups to set direction, gain alignment, enhance communication, add structure to decision-making processes, and strengthen the level of engagement in their teams. Hali is a member of the Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA) and the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise, and a member and past board member of Oxford Women in Networking.

Irina Sobol, CPA, CA, is an experienced business professional with a strong background in financial operations and tax compliance. She has worked across both public and private sectors with international companies in the banking, telecommunications, retail, and consumer packaged goods industries. With a strong track record of navigating complex, fast-paced business environments, she brings a strategic mindset and cross-industry insight to every role.

Known for her professionalism and collaborative mindset, Irina delivers results that align with organizational goals while ensuring full compliance in dynamic and evolving business contexts.

With a foundation in film and tv and a growth mindset to challenge stale beliefs and behaviours, Jan has cultivated her coaching, training and communication skills for 20 years. Jan holds a Master of Adult Education and Training degree and has a knack for creating targeted exercises for specific concerns. She helps clients at every level achieve demonstrated and immediate results that dramatically boost communication confidence, define and enhance leadership presence and move people decisively forward in their business.

-Reluctant speakers find their voice
-Overtalkers hone their message
-Big picture talkers clarify their ideas
-Business people step in to their presence

For the past decade, Jan has worked extensively with business owners, leaders, and high- potential teams worldwide, who recognize that an improved ability to communicate transforms personal and professional lives and drives business forward.

Bio coming soon…

Luke J. Sheen is the Founding Executive Director of HaloHealth, Venture Partner at Spring Impact Capital, and Director at Redesign Health Canada.

To give back to the community, Luke serves as an appointed mentor at Plug and Play Tech Center – Health, mentor at the University of Toronto, Temerty Faculty of Medicine – Health Innovation Hub (H2i), advisor at W21C SPARK, and expert advisor at University of Calgary – Innovate Calgary.

Chef Matt Basile spent over a decade disrupting the food industry as the founder of Toronto’s most recognizable food truck brand, Fidel Gastro’s, and popular gastropub, Lisa Marie. Today, as the co-founder of Alchemy Grills, he’s taking on a new frontier — disrupting the barbecue and live-fire cooking landscape. In an industry steeped in tradition, Basile is always striving to do things differently.

In just under four years, Basile transformed the Fidel Gastro’s brand from an underground sandwich pop-up to an internationally recognized food brand. He also ran the Queen West gastropub and brunch hotspot, Lisa Marie, for six phenomenal years. It was featured on various TV series, including You Gotta Eat Here! and Chef in the City, and was also ranked as the ninth best brunch spot in Canada by OpenTable magazine.

Today, Basile has partnered with two seasoned entrepreneurs to launch Alchemy Grills. The Alchemy is the first barbecue to allow home cooks the option to smoke and grill food at the exact same time with one appliance. In addition to helping design the grill, Basile has also developed recipes for an accompanying line of rubs and sauces.

For two seasons, Basile hosted the reality television show Rebel Without a Kitchen, which aired on Netflix, Travel and Escape Channel, the Cooking Channel, and the Asian Food Channel. As a content creator, he also creates original content, including delicious recipes and grilling tips, on his YouTube channel.

Basile and his partner, Kyla Zanardi, are the bestselling authors of two cookbooks: Street Food Diaries and Brunch Life. He has also contributed to both The Huffington Post and Vice as a food writer and is a regular guest on programs such as Global Morning and Breakfast Television. In 2015, Basile was nominated for a coveted Canadian Screen Award for Best Host of a Canadian Reality Series.

HaloHealth is an angel investment group consisting of over 300 physician and dentist members across Canada. We invest in and advise emerging early-stage Canadian healthcare companies (all verticals). We have deployed over $8.4M into 56 companies and have had 5 exits (2 IPOs, 3 acquisitions) since our inception 5 years ago. As an Associate, I am involved in deal sourcing, due diligence, business development, running our advisory service line, and working with our physician/dentist members to deploy capital into promising life science companies with high return potential.

Previously, I completed my PhD at Queen’s University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. My academic research experience lies within cancer and hemophilia immunology.

Moshe is a product management leader who started his career on the engineering side, specifically within the enterprise B2B software space. He fell in love with product management after seeing the gap that existed between what customers wanted and what engineering produced. Moshe enjoys applying his lean iterative approach to develop products that exceed users’ expectations. He is founder and product coach at Products for Good, helping startup founders avoid costly product mistakes so they can create more good in the world, and Product Director at Rootquotient. 

Through both organizations, he mentors and coaches at accelerators and incubators such as SandboxCentre, Founder Institute, DMZ, Innovation Cluster, Communitech, and ChaiTech to name a few. In 2023 Moshe started teaching Information System at Schulich School of Business at York University. He has since designed and taught a new MBA course in Design Thinking. Moshe co-hosts the Product for Product Podcast where he talks about products that product professionals use, and hosts Rootquotient’s Beyond Product podcast. He published his debut novel The Resurrector in January 2022. 

Paul McCallum is a strategist and storyteller who helps founders and leaders think more clearly about what they’re building—and how to get others excited about it. With a background that spans corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and decades of work in the psychology of influence and decision-making, Paul brings a practical, people-first approach to growth.

His focus? Helping entrepreneurs craft messages that move people—whether they’re pitching investors, attracting talent, or building customer loyalty. Drawing on principles from Robert Cialdini, Daniel Pink, and Charles Duhigg, Paul teaches founders how to engage not just minds, but motives.

At the core of his work is a simple belief: people don’t just say yes to logic—they say yes to resonance, relevance, and trust. Paul supports early-stage and scaling companies in clarifying their story, creating traction with stakeholders, and building persuasive narratives that stick.

If you’re looking to connect more deeply with the people who matter to your business, Paul’s mentorship helps you not just get attention—but earn it.

Over 20 years of experience in clean technology and environmental industries, including roles in consulting, investment, and corporate management. Sven led the operations of clean agriculture technology company and managed a cleantech investment portfolio at a foundation, supported clean technology start-up companies, and led and participated in numerous sustainability consulting projects.

Sven is a seasoned leader with expertise spanning renewable power generation, agri-data, and environmental tech and management programs. His strategic and operational insight empowers leadership teams to drive impactful, mission-driven growth in the clean-tech space.

Tania Xerri is an entrepreneur, coach, and mentor with over 30 years of experience in health research, services, and education. She is the co-owner of the Canadian Healthcare Education Network (CHEN), a nationally recognized business delivering innovative micro-credentialed programs in clinical skills, leadership, and technology in healthcare. She has also developed programs that prepare professionals for industry-recognized IT certifications, helping them apply technology solutions to real-world health challenges and strengthening workforce readiness.

Earlier in her career, Tania spent 15 years at York University, where she built the Health Leadership & Learning Network (HLLN) into a leading provider of professional education for healthcare. With a proven record of turning ideas into scalable ventures, she brings deep expertise in designing practical, sustainable programs and in mentoring entrepreneurs, professionals, and teams to achieve both business growth and social impact.

Teena Sauve is an accomplished executive and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience transforming organizations across healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and organizational development. A former member of the Canadian military and Registered Nurse, she brings a unique blend of discipline, empathy, and strategic insight to every engagement.

As Founder of Botree Inc., Teena has partnered with globally recognized brands to modernize how organizations learn, lead, and perform bridging evidence-based strategy with technology-enabled solutions that deliver measurable business impact. Her work spans scaling divisions to $50 million in revenue, managing multimillion-dollar P&Ls, and guiding leadership teams through growth and cultural transformation.

Teena also founded WE Unite, a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to supporting families in health crises, and serves on multiple Chamber of Commerce and Innovation Centre boards. Known for her practical approach and ability to turn vision into execution, she continues to challenge traditional thinking in Learning & Development helping leaders and founders build confidence, connection, and capacity for lasting growth.

Todd Morris is an innovative business and startup advisor with a passion for accelerating growth, fostering impactful change and turning promising ideas into reality. Todd empowers teams to activate their ideas and boost customer satisfaction while scaling their vision. He brings a unique background bridging startup ecosystems, corporate innovation, public sector leadership and non-profit community led delivery.

With over 20 years of experience in these spaces, Todd is dedicated to people-first leadership, strategic vision and helping others succeed. “Let’s build something amazing together.”

Thomas Ambeau is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with over four decades of experience building, scaling, and advising companies across diverse industries. Known for balancing entrepreneurial vision with pragmatic strategy, Tom has successfully founded, grown, and exited multiple businesses to major multinational corporations, including Siemens and Domtar.

As Founder and President/CEO of Jellco Packaging Inc. and Magnifoam Technology Inc., he led both companies from startup to multimillion-dollar enterprises, securing significant capital and orchestrating global expansion. His leadership extended to chairing and directing organizations in renewable energy, healthcare technology, and software, where he guided firms through public listings on the TSX and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges and raised substantial private and public funding.

In 2010, Tom established Ambeau Consulting, a management consulting firm specializing in business strategy, capital resource development, and operational growth. His expertise is sought after by corporate boards, nonprofit organizations, and public health bodies, including his ongoing service as a Provincial Member of the Simcoe Muskoka District Board of Health.

Widely recognized for his business acumen, Tom has received the Board of Governors Award from Georgian College (2010), the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Barrie Chamber of Commerce (1997), and the Businessman of the Year Award from the City of Barrie (1991), among others.

A dedicated community leader, Tom has held governance and advisory roles with Georgian College, the City of Barrie, the Rotary Club of Barrie, the Barrie Chamber of Commerce, and numerous other organizations. His contributions reflect a lifelong commitment to fostering economic development, education, and community well-being.

Trevor is a seasoned growth operator and strategic leader with deep expertise in value based sales, product marketing, and strategic partnerships. Over the course of his career, he has successfully built and led teams that delivered scalable revenue growth, optimized complex processes, and unlocked new markets. Prior to joining Fuse, Trevor held leadership roles at multiple startups and led GenAI product strategy for content on Walmart Marketplace. During his time at Walmart, he led the launch of the first GenAI content recommendation product for marketplace sellers; generating a $100M+ annual impact. He is especially passionate about translating vision into value proposition – helping startups simplify their pitches and win deals.

Outside of work, Trevor is active in the startup ecosystem – mentoring founders, advising on GTM and revenue models, and exploring emerging technologies. If he’s not talking shop, he enjoys getting out for a round of golf or a day on the slopes. He holds a degree in Marketing from Miami University, and is based in Brooklyn, NY.

Yuliya Levina is a consultant, educator, and public speaker with a strong background in clinical work and evidence-based training. She is the founder of the Barrie Anxiety Clinic, a family mental health center, and CBS Workplace, a proactive cognitive-behavioral skill-building program designed to bring immediate, practical mental health support to teams and organizations right to their workplace. 

With a focus on proactive mental health strategies, Yuliya delivers practical workshops, keynotes, and training sessions that address biopsychosocial aspects of change, organizational culture, and community wellbeing. Her customized programs help leaders and professionals strengthen communication, build resilience, and navigate transitions with clarity and confidence.

Yuliya equips organizations with practical tools to prevent burnout, promote psychological safety, foster high-performing, adaptable teams, and promote culture of wellness as a foundation for sustainable growth.