Get to know the Board of Director Nominees/Candidates by reading bios and watching video submissions below.
Register to attend VIATEC's AGM on Sept 29, 2022, 4:30-7:00 pm virtually or in-person right here.
Questions? Contact info@viatec.ca
2022-23 VIATEC Board Nominees
ARMON ARANI
Cognito Health
[Click here for Armon's video submission]
Armon Arani is a co-founder & board member at Cognito Health - a Victoria based online mental health startup established in 2021. He graduated electrical engineering from the University of Victoria and quickly made his transition into tech. Armon launched his career into the Victoria tech scene by working at VIATEC and then transitioning to DoubleUp; a Tiny Agency that focuses on go-to-market strategy and subscription business. He went on to start a company that focuses on supporting individuals with anxiety & depression by offering a holistic approach to mental health care. Outside of his career, Armon enjoys photography, hiking, playing music, and enjoying the hundreds of restaurants Victoria has to offer.
DARREN BECKWITH
Barnacle Systems
[Click here for Darren's video submission]
Darren Beckwith is a very rare breed in Victoria, he’s into hardware. His love of embedded systems has made him a natural fit as the CTO at Barnacle Systems, a local hardware scale-up in the thick of exponential growth. Darren leads a team of engineers that delivers innovative products in the recreational, industrial, and government marine industries. Over his 20-year career Darren has launched products into many markets, this has accelerated over the past five years where he launched six new hardware products. Darren strives to grow the hardware and embedded systems scene in Victoria. He’s so committed to this mission that he has spent 15 years on Camosun College’s Electrical and Mechanical Program Advisory Boards, has guest lectured on the Internet of Things (IoT), and has taught a 100-level Circuit Analysis class. When he’s not working, Darren enjoys wood working, volunteering with kids’ sports, and umpiring.
SCOTT DEWIS
Avato
[Click here for Scott's video submission]
Scott Dewis is a lifelong entrepreneur and founder of two companies in Victoria. He is now helping many other local founders navigate the entrepreneurial experience and grow their businesses
CHRISTINA JONES
RaceRocks 3D
[Click here for Christina's video submission]
Christina Jones is the Vice President of Operations at RaceRocks. Christina’s skill and passion for problem solving is one of the first things you will notice when you work with her. Her insight and collaborative approach make Christina an easy leader to follow with a track-record of motivating high performance. Her “people first” approach is seen and felt by clients and team members alike. She is known for the care and attention she brings to relationships as much as she is known for the high standards she keeps when it comes to strategic planning, process strategy and communication. Christina found her passion for learning design while at Coast Capital and Western Financial Group where she led the charge towards online learning programs. Concurrently, she took on the role of Youth Chapter Lead for Canada Learning Code, a charity championing digital literacy education with a special emphasis on women, girls, people with disabilities, Indigenous youth and newcomers to Canada. This work introduced Christina to the vibrant local tech community through VIATEC in which she immersed herself. Ultimately, this led to an opportunity to join RaceRocks where she has helped to grow and establish the company as a leader in the Defence and Aerospace Industries for immersive training and distributed learning. As a lifelong learner, Christina recently completed her Masters of Arts in Learning and Technology at Royal Roads University (2022).
CORINA LUDWIG
FunctionFox Systems
[Click here for Corina's video submission]
Corina Ludwig is an accomplished Senior Executive, Advisor, and Board Member with more than 23 years of success in SaaS, Corporate Branding, and building strong workplace cultures. As the President of FunctionFox, she is responsible for the corporate strategy and daily operations of FunctionFox. Corina was awarded Executive of the Year by VIATEC and has been actively involved in the CEO roundtable group since 2018. Currently she is on the VIATEC board, was recently on the Island Women in Science and Technology Board, and is a Mentor for We BC. Prior to joining FunctionFox, Corina worked at Ogilvy & Mather in New York and Adobe in Calgary. Corina completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design at ECIAD. In her free time she runs a successful culinary business and loves living in Victoria with her husband, cat, and three Great Danes.
CASEY MILONE
Generative Marketing
[Click here for Casey's video submission]
Casey Milone is a creative director with experience working on major brands, both in agencies and in-house. Over his career in marketing he has helped to rebrand Alaska Airlines, launched laptops for Microsoft Surface, and led enterprise messaging at NVIDIA. He now runs a content creation agency with a focus on B2B technology and fintech companies.
BRAD WILLIAMS
Echosec Systems
[Click here for Brad's video submission]
Brad Williams, brings 25 years experience as a founder, CFO and sell-side advisor. He has worked on a large number of capital transactions from seed to growth rounds, specializing in deal sizes of <$1 million to $100 million. Brad has provided transaction management, accounting, growth strategy and execution services in a wide range of industries, including consumer and business technology (B2B, B2C, marketplace companies), has extensive experience growing and scaling enterprise SAAS companies and has worked with a number of companies in the ESG space including renewable energy, cleantech and waste management. Brad is currently running a fractional finance firm called theFinanceStack. He is also currently the board chair for VIATEC, the Victoria tech organization. Brad has a BCom (hons) from University of Victoria, and is a CPA (CA originally from 2000).