Your Team
Rita Egizii, C.Mgr., BCom, MEd, EdD(c)
Rita has an eclectic background which includes neuroscience, business, arts and education. She has started several successful for-profit businesses and has been an international delegate on Government of Canada Trade Missions, Trade Summits.and several federal task forces. Awards and recognitions include: Canadian Women Entrepreneur of the Year (Western Regional Finalist), Global Television/YWCA Woman of Vision, the Western Legacy Award for Innovation, the UCalgary WRC Distinguished Alumna Award, and the Order of the University of Calgary. She is a founding Director of the Quickdraw Animation Society, the Chickwagon! Foundation for Women, Wellspring Calgary, Legacy of Tao (US-based) and the STEAM360 Foundation.
She served as a Certified Facilitator for the Alberta Government’s Board Development Program and was selected as one of two individuals to help train the program’s 2012 team of 70 facilitators.
Rita continues to serve on various Boards, Advisory Groups and committees in both the for-profit (education, small business, entrepreneurship, investment, international business) and not-for-profit sectors (arts, education, health care, community development, women’s issues, fund-raising).
She is an Associate Faculty member at Royal Roads University (Victoria, BC) where she teaches creativity & innovation, entrepreneurship and assessment. She has also taught K-12 assessment practices as a sessional instructor for the Werklund School of Education (University of Calgary). She is also a Doctoral Candidate in Education, completing her Doctorate (Leadership in the Post-Secondary Context). Her thesis work is investigating the use of business models and frameworks to innovate pedagogy and curriculum. She has been nominated two years in a row for the prestigious Kelly Outstanding Teaching Award.
She is a published author, academic researcher, and a TEDx speaker.
Areas of expertise:
Education, Social Innovation, Not-for-Profit Sector, Governance, Creativity, Innovation, Design-Thinking; Entrepreneurial Thinking; Leadership; Fundraising.
Gregory Lucier, BA, MSc, PhD
Greg has over 35 years experience in education and project management. A full tenured professor at the University of Calgary from 1980-1999, he retains an Emeritus Professorship in the Faculty of Medicine. In addition to his science background, Greg has over 20 years experience in communication and multimedia design and production. In 1983, he co-founded the Quickdraw Animation Society, currently Canada’s largest film co-operative. He also co-founded Triple I Productions “Ideas Into Images” Limited an independent production house specializing in educational and instructional visual aids.
In 1986 he spent a year at the National Film Board in Montreal learning animation, direction and production techniques. Upon his return, he was appointed Director of Medical Instructional Resources at U of C. In 1996, he took a 3-year career stop-out from the University to join Walt Disney Animation Canada Inc. as Executive Director (Operations). He was responsible for the start-up of Disney’s first two Canadian animation studios, one in Toronto and the second in Vancouver. Following his return to Calgary, he assumed the role of Vice-President, R&D, for Chromacolour International Limited, a supplier to animation studios across the USA, and South East Asia. From 2000 to 2004 Greg held the position of Dean, Computer Information Systems at DeVry Institute of Technology Calgary and Science Curriculum Designer for DeVry University Chicago.
Greg currently consults on creative projects through I.M.A.G.E. Consulting Inc. He is a founding board member of Wellspring Calgary a community based cancer support center and a founding board member of the International non-profit organization Legacy of Dao dedicated to spreading Daoist wisdom and knowledge to the modern world.
Greg is a published author, cited researcher, professional lecturer and speaker.
Areas of Expertise:
Neuroscience, Neuroplasticity, Memory & Cognitive Neural Function, Curriculum Development, Mindfulness and Taoist Principles of Happiness, Animation, Bioinstrumentation, Automaton design
