Wendy Cukier honoured for supporting diversity

OTTAWA – Wendy Cukier (pictured), professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at the Ted Rogers School of Management, at Ryerson University, was recognized for her 30 years of work as a driver of inclusion in the ICT sector at the 34th annual Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATAAlliance) Innovation and Leadership Awards Gala Dinner.

Cukier is an expert in disruptive technologies, innovation processes and diversity and is coauthor of the bestseller “Innovation Nation: Canadian Leadership from Java to Jurassic Park.” She also leads Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute, which has spearheaded projects to advance inclusive innovation and played a pivotal role in advancing women and other under-represented groups on boards through Bill C-25: an Act to Amend the Canadian Corporations Act.

Cukier also chairs Women’s College Hospital, Canada’s leading technology-enabled ambulatory care facility, and regularly leads competitions to advance technology adoption and internships.”

Cukier was among 10 award recipients honoured for their innovation, expertise and leadership in Canada’s advanced technology sector. Cukier received the prestigious Sara Kirke Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, presented to the woman who has shown outstanding entrepreneurship, as well as technological innovation or corporate leadership that has significantly expanded the frontiers of Canada’s advanced technology industry.

The purpose of the award, according to CATA, is to celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship and create positive role models for women.

“CATA is proud to celebrate the excellence in innovation and leadership of all the winners and finalists including Wendy Cukier,” said John Reid, President and CEO, CATAAlliance. Wendy has greatly contributed to the growth of entrepreneurship and inclusive innovation in Canada and is a significant role model fostering advancement.”

Fawn Annan, President and Group Publisher of IT World Canada/IDG Canada and recipient of CATA’s 2017 Sara Kirke Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, was one of Cukier’s award nominators. She described Cukier as “a change-maker, a social innovator and a thought leader. Through her academic work and in her voluntary capacity she is a champion of inclusion, creating opportunities for all and supporting technology-driven innovation.”

Cukier’s nomination was also supported by Valerie Fox, Chief Innovation Consultant, The Pivotal Point. “Dr. Cukier’s leadership and vision transformed Ryerson into a leading research and innovation institution in Canada. She recognized that research and innovation at Ryerson can successfully, and simultaneously, support the needs of academics, entrepreneurs, business, researchers, and the community at large, said Fox.

“In an environment still dominated by men, she was a relentless champion of women in leadership and entrepreneurship and provided mentoring and coaching to countless women within and without Ryerson at various states in their careers.”

Cukier helped craft Ryerson’s successful bid to host the Future Skills Centre, with 150 supporting organizations, in partnership with Conference Board of Canada and Blueprint-ADE.

She is a member of Canada’s Expert Panel on Women Entrepreneurship as well as an expert advisor to the Canada-UK Working Group on the Modern Economy (WGME). Her work supports women and underrepresented groups through projects such as the Women’s Entrepreneurship Hub (WEH) training and mentorship program, and the ADaPT program, which provides digital and professional training for recent university graduates.

Dr. Cukier has supported the development of incubators and accelerators, including Ryerson’s Digital Media Zone (ranked world’s top university-business incubator), and supported social enterprises such as Google Global Impact Challenge, Growing North, Magnet, Flybits, SheEO, The Lifelong Learning Institute, and NPower Canada.