Meet Our Team

John Lam is a leader who is passionate about entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education. His work experience includes leading incubators and entrepreneurship programs such as IDEA at the City of Mississauga Economic Development Office, EDGE at Sheridan College, LaunchPad at Wilfrid Laurier University, and the John F. Wood Centre at the University of Guelph. In addition, John also brings experience as a teaching faculty member at Wilfrid Laurier University. His entrepreneurship experience acquired through starting two companies has enabled him to connect with entrepreneurs and act as an effective mentor to those launching innovative solutions and companies.

Academically, John holds a Master of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MBET) degree from the University of Waterloo and he is currently pursuing his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the University of Toronto. His research focus lies in entrepreneurship education and how educators contribute to the learning environment.

Sarah White is the Founder of The Girl Floral, launching over four years ago, evolving from a side hustle, to a brick-and-mortar, and finally into a strong e-commerce brand. The Girl Floral is an online lifestyle boutique carrying florals and fashion with a focus on Canadian brands. Sarah has a passion for shopping local and curates her goods with a focus on eco-conscious, ethical and sustainable brands. She was inspired to start her business to follow her passion for floral design and brings an e-boutique of 'all things pretty' to her loyal customers.

She has hosted and spoken on multiple expert panels on entrepreneurship and women in business, hosted networking events, and mentored women entrepreneurs and students. Sarah was a panelist at The Modern Bride: Babes to Bosses Summit and The Girlpreneur Networking Night, as well as a guest lecturer at Humber College and Laurier Women's Entrepreneurship Centre.

Sarah has started a second business out of her passion for helping others, The Girlpreneur, offering small business consulting to women entrepreneurs looking to follow their passions and start their dream business. She brings her expertise in retail, fashion, beauty, social media and floral design together to support women starting out or working to grow their businesses in various industries.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, Chris and dog, Samson going for hikes, relaxing at the cottage and canoeing the Grand. One of her favourite pastimes is exploring new places, visiting coffee shops and restaurants.

Ashley Gibbs is committed to making a meaningful impact in the lives of entrepreneurs by managing and co-creating entrepreneurship programs and services. She plays a key role in developing the next generation of change-makers through her passion for innovation and business management. Ashley has theoretical and practical experience in entrepreneurship, holding a Master's degree in Business Management, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship from Queen's University, Smith School of Business Ashley has worked for various startups where she has contributed to business plans and go-to-market strategy securing funding for companies of up to $500,000. Holding a certificate in Social Impact from Sheridan College, Ashley has applied her knowledge in community-based organizations where she has contributed to implementing programs geared toward under-serviced, culturally, and racially diverse groups. As Ashley embarks on developing her own venture, she continues to hone her skills in entrepreneurship for greater community development, and long-term business success.

Emily Buchnea is dedicated to ensuring entrepreneurship is accessible to all students, across disciplines. Emily has worked in post-secondary education for many years, devoted to helping students connect with the wider entrepreneurial landscape. Emily is particularly interested in the importance of collaborative networks in the process of entrepreneurial learning. After over a decade in the UK, Emily brings her knowledge of entrepreneurship education and post-secondary leadership to Humber, with the goal of providing students with meaningful learning and opportunities to hone their entrepreneurial skillset. In collaboration with Experience Ventures, Emily looks forward to coordinating numerous placement activities that will offer students an opportunity to engage with the community and develop entrepreneurial thinking.

With a Bachelor's degree in Child and Youth Care and over five years of experience working with students, Ciara (pronounced Key-rah) is passionate about fostering meaningful connections and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. As the Community Engagement Liaison at the Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship, Ciara plays a pivotal role in supporting students through their work-integrated learning journeys, helping them navigate opportunities in entrepreneurship and innovative learning. As a Humber graduate, she is deeply committed to making a lasting impact through collaboration, mentorship, and innovation.

Ciara’s enthusiasm for nurturing talent extends beyond her professional role. She thrives on building positive relationships and creating opportunities for growth within communities. Whether she’s facilitating hackathons or mentoring students, Ciara’s goal is always to inspire and guide others in their pursuit of personal and professional success.

When she’s not at work, Ciara enjoys spending time with family and friends, going for walks by the lake, creating art, and caring for her beloved cat.

Sahana is a Humber College Bachelor of Public Relations graduate, and the founder of Auggy Media, where she specializes in digital marketing and content creation for small businesses. With a proven track record in helping companies digitally transform, Sahana is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs. As the Longo Family Leader-in-Residence, she is excited to lead and facilitate the Longo Family Be Your Own Boss Workshop (BYOB) and Longo Innovate and Create Entrepreneurship (ICE) programs, where she aims to inspire and support aspiring entrepreneurs.

Lida is dedicated to helping students realize their entrepreneurial dreams by connecting them to various Longo CfE programs and services. With an academic background in Finance and HR, Lida brings a unique blend of expertise in her role at the Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship. Lida has a deep passion for entrepreneurship and extensive experience collaborating with ventures and students. By creating connections that empower students to gain valuable entrepreneurial skills, Lida enables community startups and ventures to benefit from diverse support that students provide across various fields of study. In her free time Lida enjoys spending time with her friends and family, taking walks along the lake, exploring new places, visiting coffee shops and reading.

Muhammad Haris Khan is in his fourth year of studying Digital Business Management at Humber College. He works as a Digital Media Marketing Communication Assistant, creating content such as reels and engaging in photography, videography, editing, and graphic design. In addition to his studies and job, Muhammad is also an entrepreneur with several e-commerce stores that have generated six figures in sales. He has been running these businesses for over half a decade. His passion has always been to run his own business while creating content, allowing him to develop his skills, grow, and help others as well.

Carla Pineda is a fourth-year Digital Business Management student at Humber Polytechnic. She currently works as a Digital Media Marketing Communication Assistant at the Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship, where she manages social media accounts, creates engaging content, and leads successful marketing campaigns. Carla is particularly passionate about data analytics and leveraging insights to enhance operations at the Longo CfE. In her spare time, she enjoys playing Wordle, taking long walks with her dog, and exploring new destinations with friends.