Women in Business: June 20, 2023

Lindsay Hillcoat is the Executive Director of Student Services & International Relations at the Schulich School of Business. She is a Schulich MBA ’10, and has spent the past eleven years in a variety of admissions and international relations leadership roles within Schulich. Prior to joining Schulich, Lindsay’s early career was spent working with social entrepreneurs and in the non-profit sector here in Toronto and internationally in West Africa and South Asia.

Anna Maria Ewing, MBA ’88

Board Member & former CIO Nasdaq

Anna Ewing is a board member, investor and technology leader, specializing in digital transformation and Financial Services technology solutions.  Anna has established and led multiple industry-leading business units at Nasdaq, CIBC and Merrill Lynch in Canada and the US.

Anna is currently a Board member of Financeware LLC, a leading technology provider to the wealth management industry; and RIMES Technologies, a leader in financial data services to the investment management community.  Previously, Anna served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Nasdaq, where she played a key role in repositioning Nasdaq as a leading global technology company and dominant player in the exchange technology space.

Anna is the recipient of Dell’s Transformational CIO Award; the Trader’s Magazine Women on Wall Street Excellence in Leadership Award; and she has achieved top rankings among Global Financial Technology Executives by Institutional Investor.

Anna supports women entrepreneurs as a mentor and angel investor with Astia Angels, and serves on the New York Hall of Science, Board of Trustees to support STEM education for K-12 students.

Anna received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics at York University, and her MBA at Schulich School of Business, York University in Toronto.

Ela Veresiu

Associate Professor of Marketing

Ela Veresiu is an Associate Professor of Marketing and the Marketing Area PhD Program Coordinator at the Schulich School of Business, York University. Her research focuses on understanding and promoting consumer diversity and market inclusion at the interplay of identity, technology, branding, and institutions. Ela’s work has been awarded the prestigious Sidney J. Levy Award and the Ferber Award Honorable Mention, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), as well as published in the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Advertising, and the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, among others. In 2022, she was named the Top 10 PR, Marketing and Communications Professors in Canada by Marketing News Canada. Ela is heavily involved with mentoring doctoral students and junior faculty, focusing on female students. She is the mom of an adorable 9-month-old baby boy named Lucas.

Nicole Alie

Sr. Manager, ESG & Social Impact, Scotiabank 

Nicole Alie is a senior strategist who works with organizations to help them deliver on their social impact commitments by building partnerships across sectors. After spending over a decade working with organizations of all sizes and types, she knows that collaboration is the most vital skill needed to address complex societal challenges.

Nicole has worked with many of the leading foundations and corporate donors across Canada. In her current role, as a Sr. Manager, ESG & Social Impact with Scotiabank, she supports the bank’s efforts on ESG reporting, the development of its community investment strategy, and some of its broader efforts around social innovation and thought leadership.

Nicole holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, an MA from the Norman Paterson School, and a BA from the University of Toronto.

Allie Simpson

Consumer Insights Manager, General Mills Canada

Allie Simpson is a Consumer Insights Manager at General Mills Canada and is a 2018 Schulich MBA alumni. She has a passion for understanding consumer behavior and applies her expertise in market research to drive strategic decision-making, product development, and marketing initiatives by delivering actionable insights. Allie enjoys traveling, exploring new cuisines, and anything that involves being outside and near water.

Tahniat Khan

Project Manager Applied AI Projects, Industry Innovation, Vector Institute

Tahniat Khan is a recent graduate from Schulich School of Business, where she completed her Master of Management in Artificial Intelligence (MMAI). She is enthusiastic about leveraging her education and skills to make a positive impact in the field of AI.

With a strong background in project management and process improvement, she has gained valuable expertise through her diverse roles at renowned companies such as TTC, Capco and currently at Vector Institute.  As a certified project manager with a decade of experience, she possesses the skills to effectively lead and execute successful projects. Her proficiency lies in streamlining processes, optimizing efficiency, and delivering results that exceed expectations.

Her greatest accomplishments are rooted in her ability to foster strong relationships and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.  Beyond her professional life, she finds joy and fulfillment in various hobbies.  In the summertime, you’ll often find her immersed in the breathtaking beauty of Sunnybrook Park, passionately exploring the wonders of nature.

She is an avid reader as well, particularly drawn to self-improvement books and continuously seeks knowledge and tools for personal development. Her personal favorites are Limitless by Jim Kwik and Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Lindsay Hillcoat is the Executive Director of Student Services & International Relations at the Schulich School of Business. She is a Schulich MBA ’10, and has spent the past eleven years in a variety of admissions and international relations leadership roles within Schulich. Prior to joining Schulich, Lindsay’s early career was spent working with social entrepreneurs and in the non-profit sector here in Toronto and internationally in West Africa and South Asia.