As the Associate Director, Economic Development and Planning for Niagara College’s Research & Innovation Division (R&I), Lyndon is responsible for managing R&I’s commercial initiatives, including the FBIC Beverage R&D Pilot Plant, and leading strategic planning activities across the division in collaboration with its various innovation centres and networks. Lyndon also leads relationship development at the ecosystem level including with economic development agencies, industry associations and community groups and works collaboratively on the development of new R&I initiatives. This includes team building and mentorship, business development, and outreach to key industry partners and supporting the successful development and implementation of innovation services that meet industry demand for workforce, economic, and talent development. Lyndon joined R&I in 2017 building on a diversified career, beginning in the culinary arts and eventually leading to economic development, management consulting and business planning. He earned his Culinary Red Seal, and he holds a combined degree in Political Sciences and Labour Studies from Brock University, and a certificate in Economic Development from the University of Waterloo. He is a professional Economic Developer, and prior to joining R&I has supported multiple municipalities, regions, and various provincial ministries and agencies as a practitioner in the field and as a strategic planning and management consultant. Lyndon brings a client-centred focus to his work which recognizes that twinning talent development and knowledge transfer through value-driven R&D supports are key ingredients to the recipe for stimulating economic success.Lyndon is also an elected member of the Board of Directors of Tech-Access Canada: a national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the pan-Canadian network of 64 Technology Access Centres (TACs) – leaders in college applied research and developing new innovative products and solutions for industry while simultaneously training the next generation of technical experts to overcome skills gaps.