Kimberley has held such roles as Special Project Manager at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Senior Research Associate at the University of California, Davis, and has also held research positions at The University of Guelph and at the National Research Council’s Plant Biotechnology Institute in Saskatoon.

Kimberley holds a Master of Science in Biological Sciences, specializing in Plant Sciences, from Brock University, and was the 2017 Winner of the Distinguished Graduate Award for the highest overall program average. She also holds an Honours Bachelor of Science, with Distinction, in Plant Biology from the University of Guelph, and was awarded the Sharon Marshall Memorial Prize in Plant Biology for the highest cumulative average. She has over 19 years of experience working in an applied horticulture research environment. Kimberley was named as one of the 2024 Influential Women in Agriculture and was a 2022 Women in Business Awards finalist. She also holds a Governance Professionals of Canada Designation (GPC.D). She has served as Corporate Secretary for several Niagara-based corporations and is Past Chair for the charity Community Crew, which provides healthy lunches to kids across Niagara.

In addition to his managerial duties, Scott provides his expertise in plant biology and horticulture to support staff, faculty, students, and visitors in teaching and research activities. He assists HESIC’s Research Leads in developing new and existing research projects and also leads research project work himself.

Prior to this role, Scott served as a Research Lead at HESIC, where he spearheaded cannabis and hemp projects, as well as projects under the Greenhouse Technology Network (GTN). With more than 14 years of experience in teaching and research, he possesses a diverse background in plant science, genetics, and both indoor and outdoor greenhouse cultivation. As a former Master Grower and Plant Scientist for major cannabis companies, Scott has led numerous projects aimed at optimizing crop production and developing new cultivars. 

Scott holds a BSc in Forensic Science from Trent University, an MSc in Biotechnology from Brock University, and a Post-graduate Certificate in Commercial Cannabis Production from Niagara College. He continues to share his knowledge as a part-time faculty member at Niagara College, teaching in the Commercial Cannabis Production Program, and at Brock University in the Biological Sciences Department.

For the past 13 years, Olga has been working in horticulture in various roles from Propagation Technician, Lead Grower to Greenhouse Manager. She has worked with all major types of greenhouse crops. She studied Biology and Winemaking and Viticulture at Brock University. She completed her Honours BSc in the Brock Biotechnology lab in 2017.

Olga is proficient in conducting greenhouse trials, as well as in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), greenhouse irrigation, climate control, and lighting systems. Her most recent role at Safari Flower Co. gave her extensive experience in all aspects of cannabis growing from cloning to harvest processing and quality control.

Before switching into the horticulture industry, Ashley studied and completed research in archaeology, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Near Eastern and Classical Archaeology from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Master of Science in Archaeological Science from University College London, where she was trained in a variety of methods of scientific analysis of materials. During her master’s degree, one of Ashley’s specializations was archaeobotany, which prompted a career change into the horticulture and plant science industry.

She has since worked at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Sheridan Nurseries, and as a Horticulture Program Supervisor at a retirement property in Kitchener, Ont. Ashley graduated from the Horticulture Technician program at Niagara College in May 2023, and recently joined the School of Environment and Horticulture at Niagara College as a Part-Time Professor, teaching the tropical plant course called Architectural Green Spaces. 

Derek received his MSc in plant biotechnology and biophysics from the University of Guelph (1996) and a BSc (Hon) from the University of Waterloo (1994).

In the years between graduation and his time in industry, Derek worked as a Research Associate at Queen’s University in the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). While there, he contributed to grant applications, designing experimental protocols and performing research at both whole animal and cellular levels.

Sebastien joined the College in August 2018 after 15 years of practical experience in the greenhouse horticulture industry, which included advising, training and teaching growers and their staff – throughout North, Central and South America – the art of implementing and maintaining a successful Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.

He also served as Research Assistant for both Laval University and Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and as an IPM Specialist and R&D Manager for a biological control company. Sebastien holds an MSc in Entomology (Biocontrol Science) from the University of Montreal (2004) and a BSc in Biology from University of Quebec in Trois-Rivieres (1998).