Play a lead role in growing Halifax
An investment in the Partnership is an investment in Halifax. Our 100+ private, public and post-secondary partners see potential all around them and believe in working together to build a stronger Halifax.
Meet Our Team
We are a team of business advisors, economists, investment attraction specialists, and champions of Halifax.
Executive Team
Wendy Luther, MBA, CITP
President & CEO
Joining the Halifax Partnership as President & CEO in June 2019, Wendy leads the organization toward achieving the Halifax Economic Growth Plan’s ambitious goals of growing our population to 550,000 and GDP to $30 billion by 2031. She is a champion for Halifax, bringing public-private sector leadership experience in representing Halifax and Nova Scotia nationally and internationally. Wendy is passionate about building deep, collaborative relationships with the business community, our investors, and other stakeholders to support what the Partnership does best – playing a leading role in positioning Halifax as a city of the future, where businesses and people thrive.
What excites Wendy most about Halifax is that it is a magnet for young people and a catalyst for vibrant businesses.
Ruth Cunningham
Senior Vice President, Programs & Operations
Ruth has overall operational and implementation responsibility for the Partnership’s business plan, short and long-projects, and initiatives. As a thought leader within the organization, she fosters a culture that encourages excellence in client service, innovation, high performance and deep collaboration with businesses and communities. Ruth brings over 25 years of broad public and private sector experience in corporate governance, project management, and marketing and communications to her role.
What excites Ruth most about Halifax is the possibilities - it takes great people to make great things happen, and we have the vision and fearless tenacity to get it done!
Tanya Walters
Corporate Liaison
As Corporate Liaison, Tanya's role is two-fold: Executive Assistant to the President & CEO and Corporate Secretary to a 19 member Board of Directors. Tanya has been with Halifax Partnership since 2005 and has over 13 years of governance and senior administrative experience.
What excites Tanya most about Halifax is the cool city vibe coupled with Maritimes hospitality - including a variety of beaches a mere 30 minutes away from the downtown core.
Corporate Services
Karen Reinhardt, CPA, CA
Director, Corporate Services
With over 30 years experience as a Chartered Professional Accountant in public, for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, Karen is the Director of Corporate Services with Halifax Partnership. She oversees the financial and risk management, human resource strategy and implementation, and information technology processes.
What excites Karen most about Halifax is the energy - it transfers to optimism and action, which benefits-all ages, cultures and abilities.
Angela Cochrane
Accounting Coordinator
As the Accounting Coordinator, Angela works closely with the Director of Corporate Services to manage accounting and finances. She has a comprehensive background in customer service and has worked in various accounting departments over the past 20 years.
What excites Angela most about Halifax is the growing economy and diverse, ever-changing population. She believes it’s a beautiful city that is perfect for both professional and personal living.
Investment, Trade & International Partnerships
Nancy Phillips
Vice President, Investment & International Partnerships
Nancy brings considerable experience to the Partnership’s strategic business attraction, trade development and international markets work. She has worked with companies from every sector of the economy and she shares her insights about Halifax with companies around the globe. She leads the organization's business development team with a focus on Selling Halifax as a global business location and on helping local companies grow. Nancy also provides strategic management to Halifax's international relationships including the World Energy Cities Partnership an organization comprised of 19 of the world's leading energy capitals.
What excites Nancy most about Halifax is that it's a great time to be selling and promoting Halifax, it feels like the city has unlimited potential.
Holly Bond
Director, Investment Attraction
Holly brings more than 20 years of experience in franchising, entrepreneurship, sales management, marketing and mentoring business start-ups to her investment attraction role. She is an award-winning innovator and entrepreneur who is passionate about the benefits Halifax offers businesses looking to grow.
What excites Holly most about Halifax is how many people are wanting to stay in Halifax or come back from elsewhere to appreciate the amazing lifestyle Halifax has to offer.
Hector Fraser
Account Executive, Investment Attraction, Innovation
Hector is a trusted business advisor who brings more than 10 years experience in public and private sector account management and sales to his role. He proactively and strategically promotes Halifax’s low business costs, highly educated workforce, and thriving industry sectors to national and international companies that could benefit from having a Halifax location.
What excites Hector most about Halifax is the increased optimism and collaboration and how companies from all over the world are seeing Halifax as a location to do business.
Jason Guidry
Director, Trade & International Activities
Jason works one-on-one with businesses to help connect them to the resources and partners they need to succeed and prosper. He uses his public and private sector experience in business retention and expansion, investment attraction, and sector development to make Halifax a welcoming place for businesses, and assists with their integration into the Halifax business community. Jason’s Acadian roots give him the ability to serve businesses in both French and English.
What excites Jason most about Halifax is that it offers him and his family the opportunity to live a rural lifestyle at the very edge of suburbia, and yet be so close to everything the city has to offer.
Minder Singh
Senior Account Executive, Commercialization, SmartBusiness Program
With over 20 years of international business and consultancy experience, Minder works to connect the local business community with partners and resources that can help them overcome obstacles and seize opportunities for business success in Halifax. He specializes in research and development commercialization. Minder is fluent in English, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Malay/Bahasa, and Tamil.
What excites Minder most about Halifax is its bright future.
Emily Neil
Project Coordinator, Halifax eBay Retail Revival Program
Emily is the Project Coordinator for eBay’s Retail Revival Halifax Program that is helping businesses grow their e-commerce to reach global markets. She provides support to the cohort of 60 Halifax and Nova Scotia companies, overseeing their year-long training in Halifax and sharing their success stories. Her experience in communications, marketing and e-commerce serve eBay and the program’s businesses well.
What excites Emily most about Halifax is the way she can see herself in this city at all stages of life. From youth, to adulthood to retirement, there’s something here for everyone to love and enjoy.
Investor Relations & Service
Amy Stewart
Director, Investor Relations & Service
With significant expertise in marketing, business development and strategic relations across public and private sectors, Amy manages key business and investor relationships. She draws from her work on government, private, regional and global projects and her deep knowledge and love of Halifax to connect leaders to the Partnership and each other.
What excites Amy most about Halifax is the dynamic new energy you feel.
African Nova Scotian Communities
Carolann Wright
Director, Capacity Building & Strategic Initiatives African Nova Scotian Communities
Email902-490-5510
Carolann Wright
Director, Capacity Building & Strategic Initiatives African Nova Scotian Communities
Carolann is a trained facilitator and mediator with over 30 years’ experience in the economic development sectors in Halifax, Toronto, South Africa and now Ghana. She works with the African Nova Scotian Community in the areas of strategic, community and business planning and labour market development.
What excites Carolann most about Halifax is that it is the home of the oldest population in Canada of Africans in the diaspora.
Marketing & Communications
Alison Gillan, APR
Vice President, Marketing, PR & Communications
Alison is a senior marketing, communications and public relations strategist who has spent more than 25 years working with companies in Halifax and across Atlantic Canada. She specializes in stakeholder engagement that deepens the Partnership’s relationships with partners, investors and business leaders. She leads the marketing and communications team as they promote Halifax and the Partnership's successful programs locally and around the world.
What excites Alison most about Halifax is that she's meeting new people with great new ideas everywhere across this city.
Krista Juurlink
Director, Marketing Communications & Strategic Initiatives
Krista is responsible for the development and implementation of strategic marketing and communications activities and initiatives, including corporate communications, stakeholder relations, media relations, events and special projects. Her specialized training and experience in economic development, investment attraction marketing and international development influences the strategies and programs she delivers. She is the winner of an International Association of Business Communicators Gold Quill Award of Excellence for her Partnership communications work.
What excites Krista most about Halifax is the energy on the streets and how we’re welcoming more young people and newcomers every day who see Halifax as a place of opportunity where they can live their best life.
Brittany Warren
Communications Specialist
Brittany manages corporate, research, and labour market events and content, including publications, reports, and success stories. She has experience in marketing and communications in the government, oil and gas, and real estate sectors. She is a recent winner of an International Association of Business Communicators Gold Quill Award for her work on the Partnership's Game Changers Program.
What excites Brittany most about Halifax is the feeling of something new always happening. From new restaurants to local events, there’s always something fun to do or see.
Research & Economic Analysis
Ian Munro
Chief Economist
As Chief Economist, Ian manages the Partnership’s research strategy to provide timely economic intelligence and analysis on the Halifax economy. He leads our team of economic researchers and policy analysts and draws from more than 25 years as a professional economist in both the public and private sectors.
What excites Ian most about Halifax is that the prevailing mood is now one of optimism.
Paul Jacob
Economist & Policy Analyst
For nearly a decade, Paul has worked as an Economist and Policy Analyst with the Partnership, cultivating an in-depth knowledge of Halifax and its business climate. He works to ensure a rigorous standard of factual accuracy and acts as an advisor and analyst on special projects with our teams. He specializes in breaking down complex data and subjects and communicating them in a way that is easy to understand.
What excites Paul most about Halifax is seeing the tide of educated newcomers and young people find professional jobs in Halifax.
Chadwick Meyers
Economist & Policy Analyst
Chadwick's work as an Economist & Policy Analyst supports the investment attraction, business development, and labour market development teams with research and analysis. His education includes a Bachelor of International Development at Dalhousie University and a Master of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. He brings his background in innovation policy, data visualization, and analytics to the Partnership’s economic research team.
What excites Chadwick most about Halifax is the character of the city; it's lively and active, but small enough that you feel at home.
Innovation District
Miriam Zitner
Vice President, Halifax Innovation District
Miriam leads the development and advancement of the Halifax Innovation District in collaboration with public and private sector partners. Miriam’s experience in marketing communications with Fortune 100 technology companies, startups, associations, academia and professional services firms lends itself well to the Partnership’s goals of fostering growth.
What excites Miriam most about Halifax is its emerging Innovation District and continuing to grow a vibrant city of options.
Christina Brock
Program Coordinator, Innovation
Christina brings her skills and network from her role on our Connector team to her works as Project Coordinator for the Halifax Innovation District where she supports the development and advancement of the district locally. She works with Halifax start-ups, universities, colleges, and innovation centres, and provides support to Halifax Partnership’s investment attraction team.
What excites Christina most about Halifax is seeing how collaboration across sectors and social groups is leading to a more creative, diverse and youthful city with endless possibilities.
Labour Market Development
Robyn Webb
Director, Labour Market Development & Executive Director, National Connector Program
Email902-490-6268
Robyn Webb
Director, Labour Market Development & Executive Director, National Connector Program
Robyn leads the Partnership's talent attraction and retention initiatives and teams, including the award-winning Connector Program and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. With a strong business acumen and considerable sales and recruitment experience, Robyn has advanced communication skills that allow her to actively engage all levels of decision makers and build productive relationships with a diverse client base. As the Executive Director of the National Connector Program Robyn partners with and supports Canadian communities and industry associations interested in launching the Connector Program.
What excites Robyn most about Halifax is the vibrancy created by the 35,000 students attending our universities and colleges.
Sasha Sears
Program Manager, National Connector Program
Sasha manages the National Connector Program (NCP), where she is responsible for providing training, marketing and promotional support to existing and new NCP communities across Canada. She also organizes and delivers an annual NCP Learning Exchange which brings coordinators from across the country together to share ideas and best practices. Sasha brings business and human resource experience in not-for profit, public and private sectors to her role.
What excites Sasha most about Halifax is the growth the city has seen recently and the amazing restaurant and music scene.
Joe McGuire
Account Executive, Atlantic Immigration Pilot
Joe is focused on building awareness of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot with a goal to identify and connect employers looking to fill labour gaps with experts in Nova Scotia’s Office of Immigration in a streamlined process that facilitates hiring of skilled international labour. With a career in the financial services industry working with business, associations and community groups, Joe has the skills to communicate, network and connect employers with international skilled talent. He is passionate about helping Halifax grow and prosper.
What excites Joe most about Halifax is the people - a community of friendly engaging people willing to help each other succeed.
Al Tek
Account Executive, Atlantic Immigration Pilot
Al is focused on building awareness of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot with a goal to identify and connect employers looking to fill labour gaps with experts in Nova Scotia’s Office of Immigration in a streamlined process that facilitates hiring of skilled international labour. Al brings diverse experience in the public, private, education and tech sectors and a focus on relationship building to his role. Al speaks English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Teochew.
What excites Al most about Halifax is the population growth and innovation in the city he calls home.
Nathan Laird
Program Manager, Connector Program
Nathan manages the day to day operations of the Partnership's award-winning Connector Program. Now in its 10th year, the program helps recent grads and newcomers to the city build their professional networks by connecting them to business leaders across many sectors. With almost 15 years working with Fortune 500 firms in business development and management roles, matched with his experience managing a recruiting company and being involved in hundreds of interviews, Nathan is able to provide real world tips to the program's Connectees to improve their job search efforts.
What excites Nathan most about Halifax is the city's unmistakable energy and working to help to secure Halifax's long term future.
AJ Simmonds
Program Coordinator, Connector Program
As a Program Coordinator for the Partnership's award-winning Connector Program, AJ connects recent and local graduates, immigrants and newcomers (Connectees) with businesses and community leaders (Connectors) in their industry of interest. Through face-to-face connections, Connectees can expand their professional network and discover career opportunities. This not only increases labour market and community integration, but also creates a welcoming community where the world’s talent can find great opportunities and engaged employers find bright new resources. AJ has a passion for supporting youth and his community and he shares that enthusiasm with Connectors and Connectees every day.
What excites AJ most about Halifax is that it is the home of his family and friends, and also a great place to raise his son.
Nada Halaweh
Program Coordinator, Connector Program
As a Program Coordinator for the Partnership's award-winning Connector Program, Nada connects recent and local graduates, immigrants and newcomers (Connectees) with businesses and community leaders (Connectors) in their industry of interest. Through face-to-face connections, Connectees can expand their professional network and discover career opportunities. This not only increases labour market and community integration, but also creates a welcoming community where the world’s talent can find great opportunities and engaged employers find bright new resources. Nada draws from her own experience as a newcomer and recent grad to support the program's Connectees on their employment journey in Halifax. Nada speaks English and Arabic.
What excites Nada most about Halifax is the influx of new people moving and putting down their roots here, the start-ups, and all the new projects and future developments in place.
Julie Weir
Program Coordinator, Experiential Learning
Julie joined the Partnership in 2017 as the Program Coordinator of the Experiential Learning Initiative. In her role, she works to connect local businesses and organizations with post-secondary students studying in Nova Scotia who are looking for work-integrated learning experiences. Having previously worked with the Nova Scotia Community College and the Department of Labour and Advanced Education on a province-wide project on experiential learning, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective.
What excites Julie most about Halifax is that everyone collaborates to make the city the best it can be.