Currently I manage two innovation programs which help Canadian companies to innovate and grow globally: • Going Global Innovation (GGI)• Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP)Both programs offer funding to support small and medium enterprises and organizations seeking foreign partners for the purpose of establishing collaborative R&D partnerships and commercializing their technologies. Previously I was Consul and Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Chicago. I managed for five years the Investment and Innovation team and was responsible for providing support to Canadian starts-up and cross-border investors from Illinois, Missouri, and Wisconsin. I also worked as Senior Commerce Officer in the Trade Routes program at the Department of Canadian Heritage and worked as a consultant at the OECD in Paris. I hold a B.A. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Ottawa.