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Our Team
Margot Cathcart, grew up in rural Manitoba, graduated from Brandon University and after living in Japan and in Winnipeg, returned to Brandon with her husband to raise their two sons. Describing herself as a “builder”, she has been involved on the ground up in product, business, and industry development.
Her private sector experience spans television, news media, information management, technology, agriculture, food, and financial services. Over, the course of her career she has held numerous private sector management roles.
Most recently she has held senior management positions with Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development developing provincial wide economic development programming and re-engineering operations to enhance knowledge management and operational efficiencies.
Charlene Gulak
Economic Development Advisor
Parkland, Midwestern & Interlake regions
Charlene Gulak, Economic Development Advisor serving Parkland, Midwestern, and Interlake regions. Charlene’s expertise in rural development has involved leading community and economic initiatives and facilitating partnerships with municipal, First Nation and Indigenous leadership in previous work with Community Futures Parkland and Workplace Education Manitoba. She is a graduate of the Rural Development Graduate program at Brandon University and possesses a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in political studies from the University of Manitoba. Having served as an elected official in both municipal and school board roles, her leadership experiences contribute to a unique understanding of Manitoba’s rural landscape. Charlene currently serves as a school trustee with Mountain View School Division and as a Director with the MB School Board Association.
Deanna Fridfinnson
Economic Development Advisor
Interlake & Eastern regions
Deanna’s expertise is in rural economic and business development, working to build and support community. Deanna has worked to identify and innovate community economic development initiatives in the East Interlake Region for over 14 years. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Certificate of Municipal Administration, giving her knowledge of public administration, and community service organizations. She completed Economic Development Association of Manitoba’s Community Edge CED training and is motivated to help communities thrive through optimizing strategies that promote economic stability, diversification, and sustainability. As a former business owner, Deanna, actively participated in projects that support a healthy entrepreneurial culture in businesses development. In the Spring of 2022, she co-created with business colleagues, ten on-line business training modules called Build a Better Business Program for Community Futures Manitoba. She remains actively involved and lends her expertise to non-profit organizations and the Chamber of Commerce to support and strength local community.
Liza Park, Economic Development Advisor servicing Southwest and Central regions. Prior to RMED (Rural Manitoba Economic Development), Liza was the Economic Development Manager for the Town of Virden and the Recreation/Economic Development Officer for the Municipality of Deloraine-Winchester. With over 12 years in the field, she sits on several regional boards including EDAM (Economic Development Association of Manitoba), Community Futures Westman Executive Committee, now serving as Chair, and Chairperson for the Assiniboine Community College Business Administration Advisory Committee. Liza has a passion for Rural Economic Development and collaboration. She firmly believes that working together only strengthens our individual communities.
Michael Asante, is an Agricultural Economist at heart with research interests in international trade, agricultural policy modeling, and rural development. He obtained his bachelor’s and post-graduate degrees in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ghana and the University of Hohenheim in Germany respectively, with a scholarship from the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Program). He received the gold medal for his Master of Rural Development program from Brandon University. Michael has worked with the Thünen-Institut in Germany as a research fellow and the Rural Development Institute as a Research Assistant. He speaks five languages including German.
Erin Gonzalez, grew up in rural Prince Edward Island prior to moving to rural Manitoba with her family in 1997. With over 15 years of private and public sector experience, she currently oversees the day to day administrative operations of the corporation. Erin is passionate for effective collaboration and is committed to the team contribution in completion of tasks, meeting goals, managing projects and delivering results, as required.
We acknowledge that our Brandon office is located on Treaty 2 Lands, the traditional homelands of the Dakota, Anishanabek, Oji-Cree, Cree, Dene and Metis peoples however our team will be working throughout Manitoba in the lands of Treaties 1 through 4 and the southern portion of Treaty 5. RMED respects the treaties that were made on these lands where we will work together. We commit to reconciliation along the path to economic prosperity.
Funded by the Province of Manitoba (Economic Development, Investment and Trade)
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