Meet The Team
Brad Colwill
Chief Executive Officer, Innovation PEI
Brad Colwill received his Chartered Accountant designation in 2007. He is a graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island, where he also assumed a teaching role as a sessional lecturer.
Brad Colwill began his career in public service in 2009. Since that time, he worked in a variety of roles in business development and finance until 2015 when he moved to the Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning. There, he served as chief executive officer of PEI Student Financial Assistance Corporation, then executive director of Finance and Post-secondary Education until 2017 when he assumed the role of deputy minister for the department.
In May 2019, Brad was appointed Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Change and later became the Deputy Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action where he held that role until August 2023 when he became Chief Executive Officer of Innovation PEI.
As CEO, Brad works with the Innovation PEI team to achieve the goal of building a vibrant, diverse and growing economy in Prince Edward Island. He takes pride in seeing Island businesses foster innovation and achieve sustainable success in today’s business environment.
Born in Northam, Prince Edward Island, Brad now resides in Stratford with his wife and three children.
Senior Management
Business Attraction
The Business Attraction Division is responsible for growing the strategic sectors of aerospace, information technology, and renewable energy, as well as developing strategic infrastructure to support the growth of local companies and the attraction of new opportunities.
We also manage financial assistance focused on encouraging innovation and new product development.
Brad Mix
SENIOR DIRECTOR BUSINESS ATTRACTION
Pam Gorveatt
Administrative Assistant
Doug MacDonald
Senior Investment Officer, Aerospace and Defence, Marine & Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Technology
Steve Thain
Senior Investment Officer, ICT and Software
Mathieu Foran
Talent Specialist - Business Development Officer | Spécialiste des talents - Agent de développement économique
Business Development
The Business Development and Innovation division is responsible for the coordination and delivery of information, assistance, and support programs to businesses in Prince Edward Island. We support businesses in start-up, expansion, trade development, and diversification.
We also provide a full range of business counselling and programs to support the long term viability of Prince Edward Island businesses.
Patricia Devine
Rural Action Centre Manager
Heather MacLean
Business Development Officer - (East) Rural Action Centre
Zeljka MacLean
Business Development Officer
Global Trade Services
Tara Arsenault
Administrative Assistant
Bonnie MacDonald CITP®|FIBP®
Director, Global Trade Services
Cultural Development
The Cultural Development Team works together with cultural organizations and creative industry associations to provide initiatives that promote and encourage professionalization, organizational capacity, and the ability to expand services, access to training, and artistic experimentation.
Corporate Management
We support the overall mandate and initiatives of Innovation PEI and its divisions. We are responsible for communications, marketing, and administration.
Kelly MacKinnon
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO CEO
Annette Vaerewyck
RECORDS CLERK
Trish Gormley
Claims & Compliance Officer