Donna Gillespie is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience driving economic development and fostering growth across public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. As the CEO of Kingston Economic Development Corporation, she has been pivotal in positioning Kingston as a hub for investment, innovation, and community advancement.

Under Donna’s leadership, Kingston has achieved record-breaking foreign direct investment milestones, welcoming global companies such as Feihe – Canada Royal Milk, one of the largest agricultural investments in Canada at the time, and Portuguese fruit processor Frulact. She has been instrumental in the creation of transformative initiatives like the Kingston-Syracuse Pathway, a cross-border economic corridor, and the Queen’s Career Apprenticeship: Kingston program, both of which received gold-rank recognition from the International Economic Development Council.

Donna’s contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including being named a Top 50 North American Economic Developer by Consultant Connect in 2024 and receiving the prestigious Joseph A. Montgomery Economic Development Achievement Award, the highest provincial honour in the field, from the Economic Developers Council of Ontario. In 2021, she was recognized as Economic Developer of the Year by the Ontario East Economic Development Commission for her exceptional leadership and support for businesses during the pandemic.

Committed to community engagement, Donna serves on several boards and advisory groups, including the Great Lakes Economic Development Council, the International Economic Development Council’s International Advisory Committee, Tourism Kingston, Kingston Immigration Partnership and the City of Kingston’s Planning and Climate Leadership Advisory Groups.

Known for her innovative approach, strategic vision, and unwavering dedication to the Kingston business community, Donna Gillespie continues to make a lasting impact on economic growth and community development in the city.

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Shelley Hirstwood specializes in Investment Attraction and Business Growth. Her core responsibilities encompass the identification of prospective business opportunities and the facilitation of foreign direct investment to encourage enterprises to establish a presence in Kingston. In her capacity, she engages various stakeholders, including all levels of government, real estate professionals, site selection experts, and key industry partners, to streamline investment opportunities.

With a career spanning 18 years in the field of economic development, Shelley brings a wealth of experience to her role. Prior to joining the Kingston team, she served as an Economic Development Manager in Gananoque, ON and Gravelbourg, SK. Throughout her career, her focus has remained centered on investment attraction, business retention and expansion, entrepreneurship and community development.

Shelley’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Trent University, complemented by the EDAC Economic Development Certificate from the University of Waterloo. Furthermore, she has honed her expertise through Training for Small Business Counsellors at Acadia University and completed the Queen’s Executive Program at Queen’s University, Smith School of Business.

In addition to her professional commitments, Shelley is actively engaged in the industry as a board member of the Economic Development Association of Canada. She has also served as the past president of the Ontario East Economic Development Commission.

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Abdul Razak is a seasoned international business development professional with expertise in international trade and FDI in North America, Europe & Asia. He also serves on the SWITCH Board of Directors. Throughout his career, Abdul Razak gained experience working in organizations that are publicly traded, privately held, family-owned, and non-profit.

Before joining the Kingston Economic Development team, Abdul Razak held the position of Economic Development Manager at ROI, a Montreal based consulting firm, playing a pivotal role in managing and delivering lead generation programs, in-market representation, and industry analysis for domestic and international clients in Canada, the USA, and Europe. In the United Arab Emirates, he managed over 100 contracts worth $6.5 billion while working with National Central Cooling Co PJSC (DFM:TABREED). Working in the steel industry, Abdul Razak closed several deals including a landmark steel pipes deal from Turkey to India worth $14 million to build a chemical processing plant. Abdul Razak also served as the Deputy Director for the Global New York Canada Office assisting companies to expand and grow in the State of New York, as well as supporting New York based companies enter the Canadian market.

Brought up and raised in the United Arab Emirates Abdul Razak graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance with a minor in Economics from the American University of Sharjah and is currently completing his Master’s in Economics at Concordia University.

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Ben is an economic development professional specializing in health and life sciences for the City of Kingston. With 18 years of experience spanning government, industry, non-profits, and business development, Ben has a proven track record in facilitating growth and fostering foreign direct investment for health and life sciences companies.

Born in Kingston and a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Ben excels at leading complex, multi-disciplinary projects and programs. His current focus is on making Kingston an ideal environment for both existing and new life sciences companies to establish, grow, and thrive.
Ben also serves as a key point of contact in Kingston for the Kingston Syracuse Pathway, where he builds relationships and assists companies in soft landing into new markets.

A seasoned contract management specialist, Ben has led numerous projects for hospitals and managed various contract portfolios in the healthcare sector. Before joining the Kingston Economic Development team, he worked at Shared Support Services Southeastern Ontario (3SO) and the Ministry of Government Services, where he played key roles in project management that advanced healthcare and strategic sourcing initiatives.

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Rob works as part of the Small Business team, with a particular focus on existing SME’s.  He has more than 25 years of project management experience, and an extensive knowledge of the small business and development communities within the city.   He has spent much of his career in economic development helping to create a sense of community in Kingston, particularly in the downtown core.

He is always happy to chat with local business owners on a wide variety of topics.  The city is an amazing place for businesses to call home and Rob looks forward to continuing to work with them to foster growth within the greater Kingston community.

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Norman Musengimana is an experienced business and start-up entrepreneur business development expert and advisor. He holds two master’s degrees: a Master in Leading Innovation and Change Management from York St. John University in the UK and a Master of Management in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

With a strong passion for supporting both aspiring and established entrepreneurs, Norman brings a wealth of expertise gained through his work with business membership organizations, consulting roles, and the ownership of his own ventures. His professional portfolio includes crafting business plans, conducting feasibility studies, developing strategic plans, creating funding strategies, facilitating business training workshops, organizing business plan competitions, and advising small enterprises so that together, they can work on strategies to help these businesses sustain their operations and devise a plan for growth.

Having been born in Rwanda and lived and worked in more than seven countries across three continents, Norman’s multicultural and global experience enriches his approach to entrepreneurship. He has a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and enjoys road travel, cycling, jogging, networking, and engaging with new people to understand their ways of life. A dedicated lifelong learner, Norman embraces challenges and continuously seeks opportunities for growth.

Connect with Norman to leverage his diverse insights and support in navigating the entrepreneurial landscape.

Daniel is the Marketing & Communications Manager, in his role, he leads the development, writing and production of business collaterals, media strategies and public relations.

Daniel Solorio is a Creative Marketing Strategist with 15 years of experience in advertising. Throughout his career, Daniel has been leading projects in the creative industry in diverse roles from graphic designer, photographer, creative director, project manager, and video producer.

In 2021, he earned an MBA from the Universidad de Guadalajara, producing research on Media Entrepreneurship. In 2023 and 2024, he earned graduate certificates in Project Management and Digital Marketing Communications from St. Lawrence College. Daniel is a PMI-certified Project Management Professional.

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Simon is a recent graduate of Brock University and NEOMA Business School, where he spent the past four and a half years studying business administration, entrepreneurship, and international policy. Throughout his studies, Simon gained valuable international experience, working abroad and developing an understanding of the distinct operational and market differences across French, German, American, and Canadian markets.

As part of the Kingston Economic Development team, Simon coordinates key funding programs, including Starter Company Plus and Summer Company, aimed at supporting entrepreneurs, startups, and established businesses. Additionally, he serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator, managing partnerships, community engagement, and various networks within the organization.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Simon dedicates his time as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for ACFOMI, a French-language employment and support center, where he represents Kingston’s young Franco-Ontarian community. With a growing interest in Economic Development, Simon is particularly focused on fostering youth entrepreneurship through the Summer Company program and exploring Kingston’s vibrant food sector, driven by his personal passion for cooking.

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Ghazal is the Project Coordinator for the Life Sciences Initiative. In her role she undertakes ensuring the smooth delivery of the initiative by managing stakeholder engagement, meeting reporting requirements, and championing the strategic goals of the Life Sciences program.

Ghazal is a recent graduate of a Double degree masters’ program in International Business and Management from Queen’s University and University of Mannheim. Prior to this, Ghazal has interned with UNICEF, Apollo International Ltd. and led the Korean Film Festival Canada’s tour in Kingston.

In addition to her professional commitments, Ghazal serves on the board of Queen’s University Alumni Association and regularly volunteers at local events.

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Abby Fitzhugh is the Operations Coordinator at Kingston Economic Development. She pursued her career at the Corporation while serving as an E-Commerce Advisor for the Canada Digital Adoption Program in 2023, after earning a certificate in Digital Marketing from York University School of Continuing Studies.

Prior to her role as Operations Coordinator, Abby worked as a self-employed social media marketer, graphic designer, and web designer.

Abby is a dedicated advocate for individuals with invisible disabilities. She has shared her story and insights as a volunteer speaker at events such as RBC’s 2023 Women’s Day Luncheon and the Girls Inc. Annual General Meeting in 2022, shedding light on self-advocacy in the workplace and advocating for the elimination of discrimination against employees with disabilities.

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