Our Team
Executive Team
President and CEO
Barb earned her Master's of Science at the University of Calgary and her Doctorate in Geography and Environmental Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University and she previously ran a spatial analytics consultancy. Her favourite thing about working at Cybera is knowing that what she does matters. “Being part of an organization that is improving how technology is accessed and used, for everyone, makes me proud to come to work!” If she's not at her desk, you will find her on the road, working and meeting with Cybera’s member community.
Karim Teja
CFO
Prior to joining Cybera, Karim was CFO of one of the fastest growing tech companies in Canada, Imaging Dynamics Company Ltd. His favourite thing about working here is the culture of curiosity: “being a not-for-profit allows for long-term thinking and planning, objectivity, neutrality and being able to pursue ‘doing the right thing'.” If he's not at his desk, you will find him walking his dog.
Barton Satchwill
Vice President, Technology
Barton has devoted his career to developing systems in the public, private, and scientific domains. Since interesting things always happen at crossroads, Barton likes to spend his time where technologies and people intersect; sometimes, where they collide.
Meagan Hampel
Vice President, External Relations
Meagan has a journalism degree from Carleton University, and previously worked as a science reporter, where she was required to write up to 20,000 words a month. She continues to write at Cybera, and enjoys creating blog posts or news updates that raise awareness of the great things Albertans are doing with new technology. If she's not at her desk, you will find her traveling the world, zumba-ing, or working on the office puzzle. Three things she could not live without are cereal, chocolate, and sarcasm.
PROJECT AND PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
May Lynn Lee
Director of Programs & Services
During her time at Cybera so far, May Lynn has overseen the launch of some of our most important services, including ShareIT and the Pika Federation, and has also led collaborations with government and industry partners. She appreciates the variety of projects here, with means she is continually learning new things. When she’s not working, May Lynn likes to experiment in the kitchen, creating both food and beauty products. An avid traveler, her bucket list includes visiting Morocco, Costa Rica, Peru, Austria, and Japan.
Badri Venkataraman
Project Manager
Badri holds a MBA from the University of Alberta, and previously worked as a Project Support Manager at a management consulting firm. His achievements there included running data and financial analysis for a First Nations management firm that was looking to build a gas station in Alberta. He enjoys the open and transparent culture at Cybera. Thre three things he could not live without are “food, music and my dog Simba.”
Catherine Farr
Project Manager
Catherine has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta, and worked within several technology and education sectors in Alberta before coming to Cybera. Since joining, she says every day brings new adventures, and loves Cyberans’ willingness to jump in, try out something new, and see what happens. If she's not at her desk, you will find her “in the library, with the candlestick...”
Elmar Bouwer
Project Manager
Elmar has a Bachelor of Information Science from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a Masters of Business Administration from the Australian Institute of Business. He has worked as a project manager in variety of business environments, and has also started multiple businesses. If he's not at his desk, you will find him outside, playing with his children.
Brad White
Project Manager
Bio coming soon...
Scott Baker
Project Manager
Bio coming soon...
DATA SCIENCE
Byron Chu
Data Science
Program Manager
Byron has a PhD in biochemistry, and is a certified project manager. In his current role, as well as project managing, he also works with data, and delivers technology training to Albertans (and Canadians) of all ages. His proudest achievement at Cybera (so far) has been working with Callysto, and introducing new technologies and problem-solving approaches to grades 5-12 teachers and students. If he's not at his desk, you will find him running or spending time with his family.
Alex Tennant
Data Scientist
Alex used to work in a lab where he helped operate, break, fix and maintain two heavy element mass spectrometers, "while also independently performing quantum chemical simulations to help discover how proteins in the body transport and redistribute metal isotopes in relation to disease!" He now gets to play with a wide variety of data, and teach others how to become data scientists. If he's not at his desk, you will find him eating greasy food, climbing, or hiking in the mountains. His proudest achievement: “I once ate a burrito so fast, I had time to eat a second burrito.”
Laura Gutierrez Funderburk
Data Scientist
Laura started working for the Callysto Project while still an undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University (SFU). She has developed Jupyter notebooks and Python programming language for students in Grades 9-12. (Her favourite notebook contains a simulation of two players engaging in an unfair dice game.) Her work at SFU has earned her a Terry Fox Gold Medal.
Jerric Chen
Data Scientist
Jerric has a Master of Science in Computing Science from the University of Alberta, where he researched the intersection of human-computer interactions and AI. One of his proudest achievements in that role is developing a recommender system that helped students learn more collaboratively. A typical day at work involves fixing the bugs he created the day before. The three things he could not live without are Coke (with sugar), Manga, and his laptops.
Jiaxin Zhang
Data Scientist
Jiaxin has a MSc from the University of Alberta and previously worked as a consultant in the university’s Statistics Division. One of his greatest career accomplishments (so far) was placing second place in the Case Studies in Data Analysis Poster Competition at the Statistical Society of Canada 2019 annual meeting.
Vishal Balashankar
Data Scientist
Vishal has a MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta, where he also worked as a Research Associate at the Laboratory for Advanced Separation Process. At the university, he developed a rapid evaluation tool for the chemists and engineers for a carbon capture process, of which he is very proud. If he's not at his desk, you will find him playing squash or jogging along Edmonton’s scenic river valley.
Zachary Shand
Data Scientist
Zachary has a MSc in Physics from the University of Calgary, and previously led the data science department at a start-up. A typical day at Cybera involves helping teach Albertans about data science, or helping build data science solutions for Alberta companies (and showing them how their data can work for them). If he's not at his desk, you will find him biking along the Bow River. The one place he’d most like to travel to is London, UK, to see his family.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Caroline Felsmann
Finance Manager
Caroline has been with Cybera since it was launched in 1994, helping the company implement its internal systems, procedures, and policies. Her favourite thing about working here is the forward-thinking nature of the company, and the sense that she’s "making a difference in a challenging, fun and flexible environment (with great people)." If she's not at her desk, you will find her in the mountains, or behind her guitar.
Amyn Ramzan
Accountant
Amyn brings 18 years of experience in accountancy / accounts management to his current role. As the person responsible for distributing cheques to employees, Amyn is one of the most cherished and celebrated members of our staff. For his part, he enjoys the friendly, stress-less environment of Cybera. Outside of work, he is an accomplished singer and bagpipe player. His dream holiday is to go on an African Safari.
Jenna Robottom
Budget Specialist
A Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Jenna’s professional achievements include facilitating and mentoring up-and-coming CPA candidates. She enjoys working on Cybera’s budget as it allows her to connect with staff in each department, giving her a unique perspective on the complex roles and operations of the company. If she's not at her desk, you will find her gushing over videos of her young daughter. Three things she could not live without are: family, Google, and her calendar.
Alyshia Auston
Human Resources Specialist
A typical day for Alyshia is as follows: "Coffee. Organize. Schedule. Schedule. Organize. Meeting." Her previous non-profit experience includes managing an amateur sporting grant program for the Calgary Flames. Her favourite thing about Cybera is its culture, ambition, flexibility, and people. If she's not at her desk, you will find her at the pottery studio. The one place she’d most like to go is the Great Bear Rainforest in BC: “It looks quiet and peaceful there.”
Meg Smith
Executive Assistant
Meg is an experienced not-for-profit professional with excellent event planning skills. She has planned successful conferences for hundreds of people, and is looking forward to supporting Cybera’s outreach activities. Her favourite thing about working at Cybera is the culture, people, and passion for what we do. If she's not at her desk, you will find her walking her rescue husky, Indy.
TECH SERVICES - Security & Network
Joe Topjian
Director of Operations
Joe is the co-author of the “OpenStack Operations Guide,” a foundational document for cloud developers. His favourite thing about working at Cybera is the opportunity it offers him to create innovative solutions that help others benefit from technology. In his spare time, he helps maintain several open source projects, including the Terraform OpenStack Provider, and Gophercloud, the OpenStack SDK for Go. His favourite saying: "I told you so."
Samir Rana
Senior Network Engineer
Samir is a Cisco Certified Network Professional and a Juniper Networks Certified Internet Specialist, and spent five years working in the oil and gas industry before joining Cybera. His favourite thing about working here is helping small K-12 school districts and libraries with network technical support, particularly during urgent times when they don’t have the in-house expertise to immediately solve a problem. He likes to play and watch cricket, and would love to one day revisit the region in India where he was born.
Cameron Ratchford
Systems Administrator
Cameron is a computer systems technology expert who prides himself on never becoming complacent, and always improving and learning new things. His favourite thing about working at Cybera is the tech stack (Ansible, Terraform, OpenStack) and the culture. The one place he would most like to travel to is the past, “to avenge my present self because the past self spent the present self's money, and the present self isn't rich. I’d also like to go to Nice, because it seems nice.”
Luis Novoa
Cyber Security Analyst
Bio coming soon...
Logan Thies
Systems Administrator
Logan worked his way up from help desk support at Foothills Hospital, to become a cybersecurity consultant for a variety of European and North American clients. In his role at Cybera, he supports projects such as the Virtual Firewall Service, which has allowed him to tap into his cybersecurity experience, while learning new cloud skills. If he's not at his desk, you will find him venturing outdoors, spending time with friends, or playing with kitties.
Mulugeta Yirba
Network Engineer
Mulugeta holds a MEng in Internetworking from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, and was previously the implementation lead for a network project in the Maritimes that was part of a nation-wide network redesign. His everyday tasks at Cybera include fixing connectivity issues for existing members, onboarding new members, or working on side projects. He loves learning about and trying new IT solutions. If he's not at his desk, you will find him traveling with his family.
Zafar Yousufi
Network Engineer
Prior to working at Cybera, Zafar was a network designer at Shaw, and a network analyst at AT&T Canada. He enjoys the daily challenges of working at Cybera and creating customized solutions for members. His greatest professional achievements have been delivering technical presentations at network meetups and university classes around the world. Outside of work, his hobbies include camping, hiking, and ice skating. The three things he could not live without are: family, friends, and tea.
TECH SERVICES - OPERATIONS
Micheal Jones
Technical Operations Manager
Micheal came to Cybera from the world of film and television (where he tackled an interesting variety of IT issues). As well as brewing a fine cup of coffee for his colleagues, he is also involved in building many of Cybera’s tools and services. His favourite thing about working here is knowing that he is helping Albertans do more. A modest person, Micheal says writing this staff bio has been his greatest professional accomplishment (so far).
Shawn Ayotte
Senior Systems Administrator
Before working at Cybera, Shawn did IT and tech support within a wide variety of sectors. One achievement he is particularly proud of is his work with The Boys and Girls Clubs, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Edmonton, where he was able to reduce the IT budget by $120,000/year through automation and department design. If he's not at his desk, you will find him in his workshop building furniture, assembling old technology to donate to charity, and experimenting with electronics.
Ben Leavitt
Systems Administrator
Ben prides himself on running a very quiet and orderly cloud. His favourite thing about working at Cybera is working on the DAIR project, which he sees as an exciting opportunity to advance Canadian entrepreneurs’ use of digital technology. The place he would most like to visit is Mars, to investigate for aliens. The three things he could not live without are WAN uplink, private keys, and open source.
Chad Garrovillas
Systems Administrator
Chad holds a Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering from De Salle University in the Philippines. Her favourite thing about working at Cybera is supporting the Rapid Access Cloud, which provides free cloud computing resources to researchers and educators to help with their testing, analysis and experimentation. If she's not at her desk, you will find her cuddling with her fur babies, camping, or travelling with her hubby.
TECH SERVICES — DEVELOPMENT
Darin Brox
Development Manager
Bio coming soon...
Cameron Mann
Senior Developer
A typical day for Cameron is spent collaborating with team members, writing code, and learning new and interesting things. His proudest moment at Cybera was working with the Edmonton Ronald McDonald House to set up a remote-presence robot to connect kids with family members who are far away, and seeing the joy it brought to the children. Outside of work, he is an avid fencer.
Vuk Radovic
Developer
Vuk holds a Computing Science degree from the University of Alberta and previously worked as a data science analyst at an online financial media company. His favourite thing about working at Cybera is the work environment, “specifically how everyone is very collaborative and open to sharing their insights and knowledge.” The one place he’d most like to travel to is Costa Rica, to visit the sloth sanctuary. If he's not at his desk, you will find him playing Super Smash Bros.
Sindhu Srinivasan
UI Developer
Sindhuja holds a Master of Computer Applications from the National Institute of Technology in Karnataka, India. In a previous role, she secured the best employee award from IBM India. A typical day at Cybera is unpredictable, which she appreciates. The one place she would most like to visit is the moon, but if she had to stay on Earth, she would also enjoy going on a submarine ride.
SHARED CISO
Curtis Blais
Shared CISO
Curtis is a multi-discipline certified security and risk expert with a networking and application development background. He finished at the top of his Cyber Risk Management class at Harvard, has a Masters degree in Leadership and Organizational Change and has worked for every level of government and for numerous verticals both in Canada and internationally. He is currently working on a manuscript for a book aimed at helping organizations formalize their cybersecurity efforts in a simple but effective manner.
COMMUNICATIONS AND POLICY
Graham Sucha
Community Outreach Specialist
Prior to joining Cybera, Graham was a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary Shaw, where he chaired the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future. In his current role as Community Outreach Specialist, he actively engages innovators in the tech and education ecosystem, as well as Cybera’s members. If he's not at his desk, you will find him at a Canadian football game, cheering for the Roughriders or the Calgary Dinos.
Imran Mohiuddin
Policy Analyst
Imran has over 7 years' experience as a policy and political staffer, working in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the federal House of Commons. Prior to joining Cybera he served as a policy advisor to a federal representative sitting on the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, working on a number of federal policy changes in innovation, technology and rural broadband access.
Imran has a B.A in Political Science from the University of Calgary.
Laura Hutchinson
Communications & Design Specialist
Laura holds a B.A. in Mass Communications / Media Studies from Carleton University, as well as diplomas in Integrated Marking Communications and Graphic Design. She has worked extensively in not-for-profit organizations, both as an employee and as a volunteer. Her favourite thing about Cybera is 1) the amazing culture and great staff, and 2) the ability to help improve the lives of Albertans. The three things she could not live without are: tea, wireless headphones, and sleep.