Staff

Kari Harvey is CEO of Innovation Saskatchewan where her responsibilities include working with community partners to nurture an environment that supports the success of startup tech companies in the province, and with the research community to ensure Saskatchewan research and commercialization interests are maximized. 

Her 29-year public service career includes senior leadership positions in the Ministry of Agriculture such as Director of the Agri-business Development Branch, Executive Director, Capital and Regional Services with the Saskatchewan Ministry Health, and Executive Council and Office of the Premier as Assistant Deputy Minister, International Relations and Protocol.  Kari is currently a board member with the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), the Canadian Light Source (CLS) and Saskatchewan’s first tech incubator, Co.Labs.  In the fall of 2020, she was also appointed to the NRC-IRAP Advisory Council.  

Kari holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration, both from the University of Regina, as well as the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Brent Sukenik was appointed Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Services in October 2022. Brent joined Innovation Place in 2002 as the Corporate Controller. He was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2014 and Acting President and Chief Executive Officer in October 2020.

Prior to joining Innovation Place, Brent worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers as an Audit Manager. Brent holds a Bachelor of Administration designation from the University of Regina and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA).

Avery Vold was appointed Vice President, Economic Development and Research Investments in January 2023. She joined Innovation Saskatchewan in 2018 and held various roles in Corporate Services, Strategy, and Governance. Prior to joining Innovation Saskatchewan, Avery spent four years with the University of Saskatchewan working in the Edwards School of Business, Executive Education department developing and administering professional development programs for the business community.

Avery holds a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance, from Edwards School of Business and a Master of Public Administration from Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. She has served on the Broadway Theatre Board of Directors, and currently sits on the Interval House and Saskatchewan Jazz Festival Board of Directors. 

Dani Wawryk joined Innovation Saskatchewan in January 2023. Prior to joining the agency, Dani worked for Saskatoon-based technology company Vendasta as Director of Corporate Marketing & Communications. Previously, she spent more than 10 years in journalism, working in several newsrooms including CTV Saskatoon, CBC News in Saskatoon, Regina and Toronto, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, NewsTalk 980 in Regina, and the UB Post in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
 
Dani obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with distinction from the University of Regina in 2009. In 2023, she was awarded the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Gold Medal award after completing a Certificate in Public Relations at the Chang School of Continuing Education. The award is the university’s highest academic honour.