Advisors

Praveen K. Varshney, FCPA, FCA
Varshney Capital Corp., Director

Mr. Varshney has been a principal of Varshney Capital Corp., a Vancouver based venture capital, merchant bank and corporate advisory services firm, since 1991 and a Founding Director of Pyfera Growth Capital social impact fund. Mr. Varshney obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia in 1987 and is a FCPA, FCA.

He is a director or officer of various publicly traded companies including Mogo (Co-Founder) and BetterU Education Corp. He is also a Co-Founder of G-PAK, Co-Founder of Little Kitchen Academy, CFO of The Plastic Bank and former CFO of Carmanah Technologies which became Canada's largest solar company. He also was Co-Founder of a predecessor of Mountain Province Diamonds who’s Gahcho Kué in September 2016 became the world’s largest new diamond mine since 2003 & De Beers’ second-largest producer behind its Jwaneng mine in Botswana.

Mr. Varshney is a Toniic member and a long-time member of both EO Entrepreneurs Organization – Vancouver Chapter, TiE Vancouver (Founding Director) and Silicon Valley Blockchain Society – Vancouver Chapter (Founding Director). He’s also on a number of non-profit boards such as The Varshney Family Charitable Foundation, Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education and a Founding Member of instrumentbeyondborders.org. He's also an SVP Vancouver Partner, a Vancouver Police Foundation Trustee, and on the Advisory boards of Room to Read - Vancouver and The Thomas Edison Innovation Foundation in New Jersey, USA. He also Co-Founded with his daughter, Jaiya, Down to the Last Straw, a global movement to reduce plastic waste with a major focus on single-use plastic straws.

Mr. Varshney is also a past recipient of Business in Vancouver's 40 Under 40 Awards.

Lawrence Lewis

Lawrence has dedicated his career to working with First Nation peoples throughout Western Canada.

The technology we’ve created is about sustainable governance and bringing communities together. This is Nation building.

Entrepreneur & Consultant

Lawrence Lewis is a member of the We Wai Kai Nation from central Vancouver Island. He has dedicated his career to working with First Nation peoples throughout Western Canada as an educator, political activist, policy writer, environmentalist, Nation leader and innovator of technology that stands to change election practices for the country.

In his current role, as founder of OneFeather, Lawrence works with Nations on elections &referendums, excellence in governance, project management, human resource management, economic development, and organizational leadership and success.

Career Highlights
  • Education Director with Assembly of First Nations.
  • National Aboriginal Spokesperson for the Canadian Federation of Students
  • Coordinator of national First People’s Festival in Victoria (1992 – 1993) through Victoria Native Friendship Centre
  • Led policy change around national education policy for Aboriginal students.
  • Worked as Director of Education with the Tsawwassen First Nation.
  • Served as nation manager for We Wai Kai Nation
  • Worked with the BC Minister of Education in Aboriginal Branch Special Advisory.
  • Served a School District Trustee for Campbell River for three years.
  • Served as Director of Operations by Hamatla Treaty Association
  • Led economic development for Homalco First Nation.
  • Managed the Bute Inlet Development Corporation.
  • Owned and operated two restaurants in Campbell River and Quadra Island.
  • Launched a digital magazine called Ezabu
  • Served as the regional manager for the Skilled Trades Employment Program (STEP) under BC construction program.
  • Worked as nation manager of Malahat Nation for four years.
  • Owned and operated Indian Elections BC since 2002.
Education
  • Bachelor of Arts, University of Victoria, sociology and organizational leadership
  • DPLM, Manager First Nations Schools, University of British Columbia
  • DPLM, International Trade and Exporting, Simon Fraser University
  • DPLM, Public Sector Management, University of Victoria
  • Director Education Program, Rothmans School of Business, SFU
Volunteerism
  • Chair of the Board for the Industry Council of Aboriginal Business - current.
  • Director, Museum at Campbell River
  • Director, Community Futures Strathcona
  • First Nation Advisor, Native Economic Advisory Committee
  • Trustee, School District No. 72
  • Rotarian, Rotary International since 2003
There is so much opportunity that exists for our people and our Nation governments today. We have both a duty and obligation to listen closely to that ancestral voice...making sure that our actions and words, and the work that we do lifts our people up.

Personal

Lawrence was born into the We Wai Kai Nation, a community of about 1123 members on Central Vancouver Island near Campbell River. One of four children, Lawrence was guided and encouraged by his grandfather and father not to take up the family business of commercial fishing. Instead, Lawrence was directed to college and university, a heart-breaking choice at the time, but today he honours their wisdom through a lifetime dedicated to working with Aboriginal peoples.

An entrepreneur at heart, Lawrence thrives in roles where he is able to use his business and governance experience to shape the success of the nation he is supporting. He and his wife Tannis have two adopted children from China and have lived in Victoria since 2010.