Committee Chairs
- Policy: Lana Cowling-Mason
- Communications: Eve O'Leary
- Awards: Nicole Fontaine
- Education: Tammy Dziadek
Joel Lemoine has been a Financial Business Advisor and Immigration Integration Officer for the past 20 years at the Economic Development Council of Manitoba (CDEM). During this time, I’ve also been an EDAM board member as well as the representative of the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC). With a background in business, accounting, international business as well as an Economic Development certification, I really enjoy providing guidance to entrepreneurs and communities in achieving growth and success in the years to come.
Grant Carlson has been with the Province of Manitoba for 16 years, and is currently employed as an Industrial Development Consultant. Prior to that, he was an EDO for 8 years and before that attended the University of North Dakota, completing both a B.S. and M.A. Grant has been involved in projects that have successfully attracted more than $2 billion in investment and over 1000 jobs during his career and has worked on projects in the agriculture, forestry, mining and communications sectors. In his spare time he enjoys the outdoors, gardening, cooking, working on his Pontiac ‘Grant Prix’ and being with family and friends.
Marilyn Crewe has been the Economic Development Officer in Neepawa since 2014. Marilyn is a certified practitioner through EDAM’s new Community Edge program and has completed both the Economic Developers Certification and Fellowship programs from University of Waterloo. She sits on several boards including the Neepawa Chamber of Commerce and the Beautiful Plains Community Foundation. She supports local businesses and organizations to drive community growth. Marilyn enjoys working with entrepreneurs, developing viable businesses that move the community forward and provide employment. She believes that sustainable economic development can be accomplished through clearly understanding the needs of the region and communicating those needs effectively.
Lana is the General Manager of Community Futures West Interlake. She was born and raised in rural Manitoba and has spent the last 20+ years working in community development. She continues to be inspired by the volunteers and community champions who work so hard to keep rural Manitoba vibrant and is driven to support their efforts. Lana is an active member of various regional development agencies, including the Economic Developers Association of Manitoba. Lana has been a part of the development of the Community Edge Program and enjoys delivering the training and engaging in the great conversations that result.
For the past 25 years Tammy has been working in the field of business and economic development. Tammy is the current manager of Community Futures East Interlake Inc., as position she has held since 2004. Tammy has experience working in client counseling, lending, proposal writing, strategic planning, HR management, development and implementation of training worships, financial statement analysis and bookkeeping.
From 2014-2021, Nicole Fontaine joined the Herzing College Winnipeg Team in Fall of 2021 as their Community Partnership Coordinator! She brings over 35 years of experience and loves to help Manitobans connect with local resources/opportunities with the goal of seeing them succeed professionally and personally. From 2014-2021, she held several positions in Business Development at the World Trade Centre Winnipeg. Nicole has a passion for networking and team building! Connecting the dots is the name of her game! Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology and Sociology and a minor in Political Sciences from the Université de Saint-Boniface. She also holds a Public Administration certificate from Red River College. Nicole has served on the Economic Developers Association of Manitoba board of directors since 2018 and recently is an Ambassador for The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and a new board member on the Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce.
Liza recently accepted a position as an Economic Development Agent with the Rural Manitoba Economic Development Agency (RMED). Prior to this she was the Economic Development Manager for the Town of Virden in 2018-2022 and the Recreation/Economic Development Officer for the Municipality of Deloraine-Winchester 2011-2018. With over 11 years in the field she sits on a number of regional boards including EDAM, Community Futures Westman Executive Committee, now serving as Chair, and Chairperson for the Assiniboine Community College Business Administration Advisory Committee. Liza has a passion for Rural Economic Development and collaboration, firmly believes that working together only strengthens our individual communities.
In 2019, Eve O’Leary became the Executive Director for Portage Regional Economic Development. Portage Regional Economic Development (PRED) helps inspire new investment and re-investment across the region. With an extensive background in customer service, information technology and business management, Eve moved from Ireland to Canada in 2014. She has a strong and successful proven track record in relationship-building, investment attraction, tourism, strategic planning, and governance. Since moving to Canada, Eve has dedicated her time to attaining various credentials in economic development, such as a designation through the Saskatchewan Economic Development Association, certificates from the University of Waterloo, and a designation as a Technical Aboriginal Economic Developer from CANDO. She is currently working on a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, the Community Edge Certification Program and her national Ec.d designation.
Working in Economic Development for over 19 years, Tyler enjoys seeing groups come together to make projects happen that will lead to long term sustainable communities.
Tyler is a certified practitioner and trainer through EDAM’s Community Edge program. Tyler has experience in leadership, partnerships, project management, government relations, community relations, marketing and communication.
Eric Forster is the Regional Economic Development Officer for the Crocus Country EDC. CCEDC is a regional partnership amongst 3 Municipalities in Southwest Manitoba, with the head office located in Melita. Eric started his career as a Town Councillor coming on during a Bi-Election in 2017. Working with the EDO at the time, Eric learned a great deal of the role of an EDO and became passionate about the part they can play in a community. When the opportunity came in 2019, Eric resigned as a councillor and applied for the position. Eric volunteers on a number of local boards, as well as regional and provincial committees and is passionate about learning new things and meeting new people. He is currently working on his Ec.D. Designation through the Economic Developers Association of Canada.”