Build Your BioFuture: National Career Info Fair for Biotechnology & Biomanufacturing Talent

Cate Murray is President and CEO for Canada’s Stem Cell Network (SCN). Cate is an experienced not-for-profit executive with a background in government relations, public policy and communications. Cate has been leading and growing the Stem Cell Network for nearly a decade. As the head of SCN, she has secured $117M in funding that is directly leading to cutting-edge research for the benefit of patients, contributing to the growth of Canada’s regenerative medicine sector, and ensuring next generation talent have the skills and expertise needed to compete on the global stage.  She has introduced SCN support for early-stage clinical trials and investments to directly support Canadian regenerative medicine biotech companies.

Cate began her career in the mid-90s as a Ministerial policy advisor. After leaving politics she joined the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) where she combined her knowledge of government and communications to support Canada’s health research community. Building on her experience at CIHR, Cate joined the Council of Canadian Academies as a member of the senior leadership team where she worked with over a dozen expert panels to raise awareness of their work and see its adoption into public policy.

Today, Cate leads a team of approximately 20 talented professionals, Board members, and stem cell and regenerative medicine scientists and scholars who share a passion for delivering Canadian innovations to patients. She serves on the strategic advisory committees for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging and the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute. Cate is also a member of the Public Policy Forum’s Life Sciences Leadership Table and the Resilient Health Care Coalition.

Cate has an Honours Degree from King’s College at the University of Western Ontario. She is a mother of two daughters and stepmother to two sons. Cate is passionate about STEAM and lives by the mantra that every great scientist needs an arts major.

As CEO, Penny draws on more than 15 years of executive experience in public, private, and not-for-profit enterprises to lead CASTL as the national training partner for Canada’s biomanufacturing industry. Working in collaboration with a network of industry, technology, and academic innovators, she ensures the CASTL team is strategically positioned to meet the existing and emerging workforce needs of the sector. As CEO of the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce, Penny led workforce development and other economic development initiatives and advocated with all levels of government on behalf of businesses of all sizes. Penny holds a BBA and MBA from the University of Prince Edward Island and is a recipient of the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. She is also an alumnus of the Governor General’s Leadership Conference and Holland College. Penny has volunteered her skills on a variety of community, academic, and crown corporation boards.

Gayle Piat has over 30 years of experience in the life sciences, specializing in Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). She is Director of Alberta Cell Therapy Manufacturing (ACTM) at the University of Alberta, a nationally recognized GMP facility advancing cell therapies and providing aseptic fill/finish for clinical trials. Gayle’s regulatory career began in GLP, where she earned the designation of Registered Quality Assurance Professional in 2003, followed by Regulatory Affairs Certification through the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society. Since 2011, she has led ACTM’s growth and operations, building strong academic and industry partnerships to translate innovation into therapies for patients. She is also an active member of ISPE Canada’s Women in Pharma Committee, supporting mentorship, leadership, and collaboration in biomanufacturing.

Lee has over 15 years of progressive learning and development experience, partnering with clients and internal departments to solve complex training and workforce development challenges. With a collaborative approach and a focus on practical solutions, she designs scalable programs that help organizations build effective learning systems and empower employees to grow. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from University College Dublin and a postgraduate higher diploma in psychoanalysis from Dublin Business School. Passionate about helping individuals and organizations reach their full potential, Lee is committed to making learning meaningful, accessible, and impactful. Lee also volunteers locally with international students in post-secondary institutions as a mentor, helping prepare and guide them towards meaningful careers on PEI.

Jordan is a Talent Acquisition Manager at STEMCELL Technologies with over 5 years of experience in identifying, attracting, and engaging talent. He earned his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia, and with his scientific background and a decade of experience in hospitality he is passionate about helping others in their career journeys. Jordan believes in providing an authentic and personalized experience and takes a strategic and people-first approach to recruitment and building the future workforce at STEMCELL. 

Shelley Brown is a seasoned human resources executive and leadership development specialist with extensive experience working in both Toronto and Montreal for large multinational organizations. Over the course of her career, she has held specialist roles in organizational development, employee relations, and learning and development, as well as progressive generalist positions culminating in leading an HR function for a company recognized as one of Canada’s Top Employers. Shelley brings a broad depth of HR expertise along with a distinctive perspective on aligning people—the heart of any organization—with business strategy and vision.

Shelley is highly credentialed in leadership assessment, team effectiveness, and professional development. She is a certified facilitator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) for individuals and teams, certified in the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, and a certified user of multiple Korn Ferry leadership and learning assessment tools, including the Korn Ferry 360 Leadership Assessment, Learning Styles Inventory, and Career Architect. She is also certified in the Hogan suite of assessment tools, including the Hogan Personality Inventory, Hogan Development Survey, and Hogan Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory, as well as the TEIQue Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire.

She holds the Certified Human Resources Executive (CHRE) designation and was named a Fellow of the Human Resources Professional Association in 2017. Shelley was also recognized as one of Canada’s Distinctive Women for entrepreneurial achievement in 2016 and 2017.

She is currently completing her first book, Moving Up Without Sucking Up, which explores leadership growth with authenticity and impact.

Fiona joined the Stem Cell Network in 2024 as the Director of Research and Training. In this role, she leads a team responsible for implementing SCN’s research funding and training programs. Fiona is focused on optimizing the management of funding competitions, refining peer review processes, and enhancing engagement with the scientific community. Additionally, she oversees SCN’s national training program for highly qualified personnel and directs training-focused committees, ensuring effective communication with stakeholders to drive the success of these initiatives.

Before joining SCN, Fiona served as the Director of Research & Impact at CIFAR, where she guided the development and management of the Institute’s research programs and initiatives. She was instrumental in crafting and executing strategies to maximize the societal impact of CIFAR’s research, while fostering valuable collaborations with external partners. Prior to CIFAR, Fiona was the Director of Business Development at Mitacs, a national not-for-profit that bridges the gap between universities and industry to tackle shared research challenges.

Fiona holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Toronto and brings over 10 years of progressive experience in research administration and cutting-edge Canadian research.

Ryan Mitchell, Ph.D. is Senior Vice President of Medical and Scientific Affairs at Satellos Bioscience Inc., a Toronto-based biotechnology company advancing innovative small molecule therapeutics to treat degenerative muscle diseases. At Satellos, Dr. Mitchell plays a leading role in shaping the company’s scientific agenda, bridging biomedical research with strategic development and external engagement.

Prior to his current leadership position, he contributed as a Scientific Consultant at Bloom Burton & Company, supporting financial and corporate strategy across early-stage to multinational biotech portfolios, and served as Group Leader at the Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute at McMaster University, where he directed research on cellular reprogramming and disease modeling. He has authored scientific papers in high-impact journals including Nature and Cell. 

Dr. Mitchell holds a Ph.D. and a B.S. in Biochemistry and Biomedical Science from McMaster University, and brings more than a decade of combined scientific and biotech experience spanning translational research, business development, and therapeutic strategy. 

Chris Leclerc holds a Master of Engineering Science (MESc) degree in Biomedical Engineering from Western University, where he conducted research in the labs of Dr. David Hess and Dr. Lauren Flynn. He currently serves as the Manager of Data & Operations at Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON), where he is part of a dedicated team supporting Ontario-based innovators and researchers in transforming their ideas into real-world successes.

Before joining IPON, Chris was the Manager of the Venture Studio Program at the Accelerator Centre in Kitchener-Waterloo. In this role, he helped design and launch a $13 million program through FedDev Ontario, which supported 100 high-potential ventures with mentorship, up to $100K in non-dilutive funding, and other critical startup services. His efforts contributed to the growth and success of numerous startups in the region and across Canada.

Chris' professional journey has been marked by a commitment to leveraging data-driven insights to optimize processes and enhance decision-making. At IPON, he is responsible for program design, operations, and implementing technology solutions to support intellectual property initiatives, ensuring that Ontario innovators drive increased economic growth and generate lasting value. In addition to his professional achievements, Chris also holds a certificate in Project Management from the University of Toronto.