Staff

  • Karen Dunlop

    Chief Executive Officer

    Karen is a strategic leader familiar with Manitoba’s industry, academic, government, association, and research ecosystem and has a strong understanding of government systems. She will guide Research Manitoba as the organization embraces new opportunities, responds to changing needs, and builds strategic partnerships, which will strengthen Manitoba’s research and innovation enterprise.

    Karen has over 20 years of experience leading organizations at an operations and governance level to grow and transform in the healthcare, professional regulation, insurance, and professional services sectors. Dunlop’s professional education includes law and nursing degrees and certification in leadership, change management, governance, and executive coaching.

    Before coming to Research Manitoba, Karen was a Critical Care Nurse, the Registrar and President of the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, Regional Director of Emergency at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Founder and first Executive Director of the Association of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, and Past Chair of the WRHA. Karen has also participated on number of provincial and national Boards such as the Canadian Nurses Protective Society, the Canadian Nurses Association, and the Health Insurance Reciprocal of Canada.

  • Pam Harrison

    Director, Finance and Administration

    Pam is a CPA CGA in good standing for over 25 years and is proficient in financial management gained in telecommunications, manufacturing, and financial services industries.

    Pam has over 20 years of experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver results and implement industry leading sustainable solutions that satisfy corporate risk appetite and regulatory requirements. She is known for strategic thinking, leading change initiatives and building high performance teams.

  • VACANT POSITION- Director, Strategy and Programs

    Come Join Our Team!

    This is an exciting time to join the Research Manitoba team as we take our organization to the next level. You will become a part of our journey which is making real change in our province. This is a place where your unique background, perspectives, and talents are valued, and shape our future success.

    We are the central, provincial agency responsible for promoting, supporting, and coordinating the funding of research excellence and innovation in health, natural and social sciences, engineering, and the humanities in Manitoba. We offer a variety of programs and funding support for students, researchers, and industry, along with partnership opportunities, which strengthen the research enterprise and foster innovation and economic development in Manitoba.

    Position Summary:

    The Director, Strategy and Programs is responsible for leading policy, strategy, research, and innovation-granting programs, and strategic partnerships. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Director leads the Program and Evaluation Team and works collaboratively within our organization and with external colleagues across a variety of organizations at a provincial and national level. This position is ideally suited to an individual who is passionate about research and innovation, leads strategically, works collaboratively, and values the essential and enabling role that research and innovation play in enhancing the lives of Manitobans and creating economic growth within our province.

    For more information and how to apply for this position, please visit: https://researchmanitoba.ca/about/research-manitoba-employment-opportunities/ 

  • Ryan Catte

    Manager, Evaluation and Impact

    Ryan is a born and raised Winnipegger with a master’s degree from the University of Manitoba in Sociology. In 2018 Ryan became a Credentialed Evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) and currently serves as the CES Manitoba Chapter President. Over the previous 10 years Ryan has worked with organizations from the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors completing operational reviews, summative and formative evaluations, environmental scans, other jurisdictional/best practice research, and business cases.

    As the Manager of Evaluation and Impact at Research Manitoba (RM), Ryan devotes his time to developing evaluation frameworks to ascertain the outputs, outcomes, and impacts of funded research programs/projects as well as the organizational performance of RM.

  • Tammy Hildebrand

    Manager, Communications

    Tammy is rewarded and motivated by working with organizations that are cause related that make real change in this world to become a better and brighter place. She has recently joined the Research Manitoba team as the Manager, Communications.

    Tammy is a seasoned non-profit management professional with over 18 years’ experience in marketing, branding and communications, public relations, community building, mission delivery, stakeholder relations, advocacy, staff management, general business administration, and Board governance.

    She also holds extensive knowledge in strategic and operational planning, program and event management, cultivation, recognition and stewardship, non-profit administration, and non-profit messaging. She received her Business Diploma in 2000 from Red River College.

    Before coming to Research Manitoba, Tammy was a Manager of Communications & Stakeholder Relations (Genome Prairie), Director of Development (IISD Experimental Lakes Area), Director of Marketing and Development (Variety, the Children’s Charity) and Director of Member and Public Relations (Manitoba Dental Association).  

  • Mikayla Hunter

    Program Officer

    Mikayla joined the Research Manitoba team in September 2018 as the Executive Assistant, and has now moved recently into her new role as the Program Officer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric, Writing and Communications from the University of Winnipeg. Mikayla is actively involved in the community through volunteer work, and is an advocate for improving the lives of Manitobans in as many ways as possible. Through her new role as the Program Officer, she offers support to various aspects of Research Manitoba’s programs and to the other staff involved.

  • Freyja Arnason

    Director, RITHIM

    Freyja Arnason is the Director of the Research Improvements Through Harmonization in Manitoba (RITHIM) initiative.

    She has a Master’s degree from the University of Manitoba. Throughout her career she has worked in public administration in the areas of health policy, research and innovation. She is experienced in project and program management, change management, and policy analysis and development. She works closely with stakeholders including researchers, post-secondary institutions, industry, government and health system partners to foster research and innovation in Manitoba.

  • Liz Lylyk

    RITHIM Manager, Impact & Privacy

    Liz Lylyk is the Manager, Impact & Privacy, under the Research Improvements Through Harmonization in Manitoba (RITHIM) initiative.

    She comes to RITHIM with over 25 years’ experience in the health care system including 16 years in the Clinical Trials Unit at CancerCare Manitoba.  There, as the Resource Coordinator, Ethics & Regulatory Affairs, Liz held a key role establishing standards, guidelines and structure for trial conduct.  Liz is experienced in all aspects of clinical trials including research ethics board submissions, impact reviews, regulatory affairs, Health Canada submissions, consent development, pediatric trials, and investigator-initiated trials.

    At RITHIM, Liz will work closely with the Project Officers to support stakeholders including researchers, academic institutions, and health system partners to improve time-to-conduct for health research in Manitoba.

  • Anna Glybina

    RITHIM Program Officer (CHIPER)

    Anna is an International Medical Graduate and worked as a Nephrologist prior to moving to Canada in 2016. Here she started her career in Clinical Research and worked in the role of Research Assistant at SOGH Chronic Disease Innovation Centre for over 5 years, thus gaining experience in managing all aspects of clinical trials and various other research projects. At RITHIM she will be working closely with other Coordinators on coordinating submissions, review committee meetings, and providing support to researchers, members, and stakeholders.

  • Elaine Burland

    RITHIM Program Officer (PHRPC)

    Elaine received a PhD in Community Health Sciences and an MSc in Family Studies, both from the University of Manitoba. She worked at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) from 2001-2020. Prior to joining MCHP, she worked for the South-Eastman Regional Health Authority as a research project coordinator for the ‘Tots Study’ and as a research coordinator for the Pembina Valley Learning Centre.

    Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to gain experience in many different areas including program evaluation, research program management, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and working with administrative data. 

  • Mark Pinder

    RITHIM Program Officer (PRAS and Training)

    Mark holds a MSc in Human Nutrition from the University of Manitoba. After several years of working on nutrition and exercise studies, Mark transitioned to a Clinical Trials Coordinator role where he spent three years running drug intervention studies with high risk/high morbidity populations.

    Mark brings a wealth of experience in all aspects of trial management including ethics, privacy, impact approvals, and interacting with regulatory bodies. At RITHIM, Mark works to implement and provide ongoing training and support for the Provincial Research Administration System (PRAS) for all stakeholders, researchers, and support staff in Manitoba.

  • Cheryl Francisco

    Administrative Assistant

    Cheryl recently joined the RITHIM team in Spring 2022 supporting as the RITHIM Administrative Assistant.  We are delighted that Cheryl has accepted her new full-time role as of June 23, 2022, as the Administrative Assistant for Research Manitoba. Through her new role, she offers invaluable support to all aspects and areas of Research Manitoba.

  • 2023 RMB Organizational Chart

    Click on link to view Research Manitoba's ORG Chart: RMB Org Chart 2023