Dr. Katherine Richardson is an urban and economic geographer, and an associate professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at San José State University. Her research specializes in the mobility and retention of the internationally highly skilled, and how highly skilled foreigner professionals may influence the growth and change of urban systems. Specifically, Professor Richardson’s work focuses on transnational migrations of highly-skilled immigrants between the Americas and Asia-Pacific. Her book, Knowledge Borders: Temporary Labor Mobility and the Canada-US Border Region,...
A Canadian-born designer and creative director, Rhonda Rubinstein combines her passions for nature, photography, storytelling and design to produce compelling experiences in all media.
As the Creative Director of the California Academy of Sciences— a museum and research center renown for its aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and architecture— she orchestrates how design, photography, typography and information converge in the public experience as exhibitions, environmental graphics, and print, digital and interactive communications. Resonant with the Academy’s mission, Rhonda co-...
Dr. Christopher Sands is the director of the Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and a senior research professor at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced international Studies (SAIS). From 1993 to 2007, Dr. Sands was a fellow and director of Canada projects at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and from 2007 until 2016 he was a senior fellow and director of the Initiative on North American Competitiveness at the Hudson Institute. Dr. Sands taught North American comparative politics at American University’s School...
Rana Sarkar was appointed as Consul General of Canada in San Francisco | Silicon Valley in 2017, with accreditation for Northern California and Hawaii. He is also a member of Canada’s NAFTA Advisory Council.
Mr. Sarkar previously served as National Director for High Growth Markets at KPMG Canada, and co-chairman of the advisory board at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. From 2009 - 2013, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada-India Business Council.
In 2005, Mr. Sarkar co-founded Content Partners, a global content agency (sold...
David Wayne Stewart is the chair of the Canadian Studies Program's External Advisory Board. He is also a longtime board member and former “chairmoose” at the Digital Moose Lounge, an association of Canadians in Silicon Valley. Since 2013, he has consulted on a range of Canada-U.S. innovation projects for clients such as the Kitchener-Waterloo Region, the University of Saskatchewan, Expansion Québec and the Association of University Research Parks Canada. From 2007 to 2012, he served as an academic relations officer with the Consulate General of Canada in Palo Alto. Previously, he was the...
Jennifer Wong was raised in Ottawa. She earned her B.A. in finance and economics from Huron College at Western University in London, Ontario. She brings global business development, professional services and customer success experience with tech leaders including DocuSign, Dell and IBM. While leading a global team as DocuSign’s Director of Partner Services, Jennifer also served as SF co-chair for DocuSign IMPACT, and served on the global steering committee for DocuSign Women.
Jennifer has held a number of community leadership roles include SF Expat Canadian Meetup co-organizer,...