My Backstory

At age 8-months, my parents immigrated to Canada, with an elementary equivalence education and little to their name. My earliest memories are of financial challenges, language barriers, and the culture shock of being an immigrant family in a new country. I embrace those roots and believe they have shaped me into the person I am today.

Growing up, I was a timid and introverted kid – finding my fit into the social norm did not come naturally. Where I found solace was in food. The culinary arts brought me a deep understanding of the rich tapestry of creativity, innovation, interpersonal skills, teamwork, and camaraderie, and a profound appreciation for cultural and personal diversity. Food not only became a source of expression but also a bridge that connected me with people and their stories. Today, in the start-ups we work with I see many qualities of a vibrant kitchen, teamwork, collaboration, leadership, and the use of technology to create innovative and compelling solutions. It’s difficult not to be drawn into this dynamic kitchen, eager to think differently, and support and nurture founders’ “culinary” masterpieces.

But why in the biotechnology kitchen? Curiosity is a compelling force – it always fueled my love for medical science. A pivotal moment was when both my parents fell critically ill within a span of 5 years, leaving my dad with only a third of his stomach, and crippling my mom’s right tibia and femoral nerve. These events compelled me to ask “Was there a better, but yet to be discovered, treatment that could have meaningfully improved their outcome?” I sought to answer the questions at the University of Toronto. By the end of my PhD, immunology and infectious diseases became my bread and butter, but I could not help but feel that I was still not in the kitchen. This was my turning point – I wanted to broaden the application of my scientific expertise, proactively push for translation and commercialization, and leave a profound medical impact on patients. That opportunity was in the form of Lumira Ventures’ Venture Innovation Program and thus, I began my career at Lumira

What Drives Me Today

Three things drive me

People: The ability to work with people both at Lumira and within our portfolio companies who are truly passion-driven. It is truly inspirational and an irreplaceable characteristic that fulfills our mission and ignites my dedication to making a meaningful impact on patients.

Mission: what we do is fundamentally, underpinned by a deep belief that we are on the cusp of unlocking an unprecedented acceleration and advancement of healthcare research, technology, and clinical innovation. I am excited to be at the forefront of that wave.

Legacy: Like my parents before me I want to be able to look back on my life with a lens that is centered on having been impactful. I am inspired to work with visionaries dedicated to building a better future, where new medicines enhance patient outcomes, reduce barriers to life-saving treatments, and improve patient quality of life.

This is what gets me up every morning.