Dawn Davidson is a nationally respected expert in research and innovation with over 17 years of experience driving applied research across Canada’s college, polytechnic, and university sectors. In 2018, she founded Kindling Innovative Capacity to help institutions strengthen their research ecosystems through strategic planning, funding development, partnership cultivation, and training. Her strategic guidance has directly enabled clients to secure over $70 million in research funding through successful proposals to Canada’s national research agencies. Prior to Kindling, Dawn served as Associate Vice President, Research and Innovation at George Brown College, where she led one of the country’s most dynamic college research enterprises. Under her leadership, the college earned national recognition, engaged more than 10,000 students, and expanded into new domains including entrepreneurship (startGBC), advanced materials (Mass Timber Institute), and applied research exchanges in social innovation, product development, digital design, and fashion. She also oversaw the growth of the Food Innovation and Research Studio, the college’s Technology Access Centre. Dawn holds a Master’s and Honours B.Sc. from the University of Toronto, where she conducted ecological research in Cuba and the Canadian Arctic. She continues to shape Canada’s innovation landscape through service on NSERC review committees.