Executives in Residence
RBC Woman Executive in Residence
Kathryn Pollack
The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) donated $375,000 to the Faculty of Business Administration in 2015 to help establish a new RBC Woman Executive in Residence Program (RBC WER).
The RBC Woman Executive in Residence is a two-year appointment for a woman, or those who identify as women, of influence in our community. The position involves time on campus (determined in discussion with the Dean) and remuneration in the form of a stipend. They will be provided with resources to build a program that creates opportunities and initiatives accessible to students, faculty, and staff within the Hill and Levene Schools of Business, and around the University of Regina campus. Their efforts will be high profile and focus upon the following principles:
- Increasing knowledge about the challenges and barriers women, or those who identify as women, face as they rise through the leadership ranks.
- Increasing understanding of the benefits woman leaders bring to organizations.
- Inspiring women in our business programs to set their sights as future leaders.
- Further strengthening the Hill and Levene Schools of Business by assisting in refining its programs, teaching, as well as experiential opportunities to better position women for leadership roles.
The RBC Woman Executive in Residence will be a woman with the following qualities:
- A professional, with a proven record of increasingly progressive senior leadership.
- Possesses experience, which is both relevant and current in any industry over the past 10-15 years.
- Demonstrated commitment to the development of others and leads by example.
- Is well-networked and has a high profile within the Saskatchewan business community, with the potential to attract women in business from across the province and nationally to share their experience and insight with business students and faculty at the University of Regina.
The RBC Woman Executive in Residence will have the following opportunities:
- Producing white papers on issues surrounding women in leadership roles, potentially with the support of other faculty members.
- Collaborating with the RBC Woman in Leadership Scholar in writing at least one case on woman in leadership each year.
- One-on-one mentoring with the recipients of the RBC scholarships to women in business studies at the undergraduate and at the graduate levels of study.
- Working with RBC and the Hill and Levene Schools of Business in coordinating a “student challenge,” either within the faculty or campus-wide, encouraging students to think creatively about woman in leadership. This may entail a competition in developing a market opportunity, articulating a strategic business plan or analysis of a business case.
- Formulating learning and sharing opportunities that are accessible to all Hill and Levene students.
The current RBC Woman Executive in Residence is Kathryn Pollack.
Kathryn, a proud Levene Alumna, and a Leaders Council member is an accomplished leader with a wealth of experience in senior leadership roles. She currently serves as the Executive Vice-President of People, Safety, and Indigenous & Corporate Relations at SaskPower, Kathryn brings decades of leadership experience in both government and private industry. Her impressive career includes roles as Chairperson and CEO of the Public Service Commission, Chief Procurement Officer for the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement, and Chief Strategy Officer at Praxis Consulting.
A passionate advocate for leadership development, Kathryn holds an Executive MBA from the Kenneth Levene Graduate School of Business, University of Regina and has completed the Directors Education Program through the Institute of Corporate Directors. In recognition of her dedication to public service, she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Saskatchewan) in 2022.
We will be working with Kathryn to develop and deliver programming for our community aimed at creating the space to discuss opportunities and challenges for women in business.
Rawlinson Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship
Jada Yee
The Rawlinson Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship is a two-year appointment for an Indigenous person who is an entrepreneur or has significant experience supporting Indigenous entrepreneurship in our community. The position involves time on campus (determined in discussion with the Dean) and remuneration in the form of a stipend. They will be provided with resources to build a program that creates opportunities and initiatives accessible to students at the Hill and Levene Schools of Business, First Nations University of Canada, and across the University of Regina campus.
The Rawlinson Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship should be an Indigenous person (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) with the following qualifications and experiences:
- 7 to 10 years of experience supporting Indigenous entrepreneurship related causes and activities;
- Is well respected in business and Indigenous communities;
- Experience building relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups; and
- Is well-networked and high profile within the Regina and / or broader Saskatchewan business community, with the potential to attract Indigenous people in business from across the province and nationally in order to share their experience and insight with business students and faculty at the University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada.
The Rawlinson Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship’s efforts will be high profile and focus upon the following objectives:
- To engage and empower Indigenous students of University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada to consider entrepreneurship as a future career path through experiential learning opportunities;
- To equip University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs with the skills, knowledge, and networks to lead successful entrepreneurial ventures;
- To collaborate with faculty, staff, and external partners of the Hill and Levene Schools and First Nations University of Canada to foster and develop a spirit of entrepreneurship among Indigenous students;
- To collaborate with Indigenous communities and contribute to community empowerment; and
- To create awareness of the Rawlinson Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship initiative and establish the Hill and Levene Schools as a leader in Indigenous entrepreneurship regionally and nationally.
The Rawlinson Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship is expected to produce the following outcomes:
- The development and coordination of an annual program for aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs who are University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada students;
- The development of a mentor network for Indigenous student entrepreneurs (as part of the annual program);
- The engagement and development of collaborative initiatives with the faculty and staff of Hill and Levene Schools and First Nations University of Canada, and members of the community to support the annual program and other related events (e.g., delivery of content for annual program);
- An increased awareness (regionally and nationally) of the Rawlinson Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship initiative, annual program for Indigenous student entrepreneurs, and the Hill and Levene Schools as a leader in this area as evidenced through press releases, media interviews and coverage, social media presence, etc.
- Working with the Dean, the development of a briefing that summarizes: outcomes, their experience, and suggestions on how to continue moving Hill and Levene towards reconciliation.
The current Rawlinson Executive in Residence in Indigenous Entrepreneurship is Jada Yee.
Jada, a proud member of the Wood Mountain Lakota Sioux Nation and of Chinese-Canadian heritage — brings over 20 years of leadership experience, including his current role as Managing Partner at OneHoop Indigenous Advisory Services.
A trailblazer in Indigenous entrepreneurship — Jada has developed resources like the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Guide to empower business owners and has championed economic reconciliation through mentorship and advocacy at all levels of government.
Jada's impressive career includes the following recognition:
- Top 40 Under 40 in global gaming
- Queen’s Jubilee Medal
- University of Regina's Humanitarian Award
- CTV Regina’s 2023 Citizen of the Year
- 2024 Lawney Donaldson Community Builder Award
- 2025 King Charles III Coronation Medal recipient
He holds both a Bachelor of Administration from First Nations University and a Master of Administration from the Kenneth Levene Graduate School of Business.
In this role —Jada will mentor students, develop programs for Indigenous learners, and collaborate with partners to advance Indigenous entrepreneurship across Saskatchewan and beyond.
He can be reached through his email rawlinson.executive@uregina.ca
Executive in Residence in Agribusiness
The Executive in Residence in Agribusiness program will advance the Schools' work in agribusiness, and bridge industry, government and academic interests in agribusiness across the province.
The program will focus upon the following objectives:
- To establish a bridge between the ag sector and Hill and Levene Schools of Business / University of Regina;
- To provide meaningful knowledge, skills and abilities to those employed by or leading in ag related organizations across the province;
- To engage and empower University of Regina students to consider ag as a future career path through experiential learning opportunities;
- To collaborate with faculty, staff and external partners of the Hill and Levene Schools to foster and develop relationships and new opportunities for partnerships in ag related research and teaching;
- To create awareness of the Executive in Residence in Agribusiness initiative and the Hill and Levene Schools as a leader in Agribusiness regionally and nationally.