CFI makes new governance appointments

OTTAWA, ONTARIO — The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is pleased to welcome several new appointments to its Board of Directors and Members governing bodies.  

Richard Florizone and Joelle Foster were appointed by Members to the CFI Board of Directors, joining a distinguished group of individuals representing academia, industry and the public and not-for-profit sectors. They will each serve a three-year term.   

Richard Florizone is President of Florizone Consulting; Special Advisor to the President of the University of Waterloo, Senior Advisor for Canadian Power-to-X Partners and President Emeritus of Dalhousie University. 

Joelle Foster co-founded North Forge, a tech incubator and fabrication lab, in 2016. She has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of North Forge since 2020. She is also Managing Partner and co-founder of the Women’s Equity Lab. 

The CFI also welcomes new Members, Martha Crago, Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at McGill University, and Feridun Hamdullahpur, who has been President Emeritus of the University of Waterloo since 2021. 

READ: Biographies of CFI Directors and Members  

The CFI Board of Directors reports to our Members — a higher governing body similar to a company’s shareholders, but representing the Canadian public. These members have a deep understanding of research’s impact on society and are responsible for the appointment of seven of the 13 Board Directors. The Government of Canada appoints the remainder.   

The CFI responsibly manages its funding programs. Our executive team, Members and Board of Directors ensure that our operations embody, and our policies reflect, the highest standards for federally funded programs.