Our Team
Our team has done it before. Among us are individuals who pioneered the commercial Internet, created billion-dollar technology companies, and shaped our health and social systems. Click here for full bios.
Leadership Team
David FolkCo-Founder and CEO
David Folk
Co-Founder and CEO
- Co-founded two successful venture firms (1986-2009)
- Backed >50 technology companies
- Raised & invested >$500M
- Young President’s Association / World President’s Association (1995-2016)
- Chair of Kids Help Phone, one of Canada’s leading children & family charities (1997-2000)
- Grew from 4 to 40 chapters across Canada
- Inspired the launch of the revolutionary Parent Help Line service
- Founding Member of the Task Force For Competitiveness and Prosperity (2000-2015)
Martin MehlChief Technology Officer
Martin Mehl
Chief Technology Officer
- Visionary digital literacy and mentorship communication thought leader and educator
- Professor of Communication (Scholar in Residence for the College of Business,) California Polytechnic State University
- Founder & CEO of Mentorship Academy
Jeff Chisholm Director, Research, Design and Delivery
Jeff Chisholm
Director, Research, Design and Delivery
- Developed the heuristics and algorithms that enable The NEXT System to work and scale
- Expert in transformative learning
- Trained in generative language with a global personal training and development organization
Jayraj ChhedaChief Financial Officer
Jayraj Chheda
Chief Financial Officer
- Accomplished executive with over 20 years of executive and financial leadership experience
- Certified Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
- One of NEXT’s first enterprise customers
Board of Directors
The Honorable Michael J.L. Kirby Former Canadian Senator, founding Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, NEXT Chair
The Honourable Michael J.L. Kirby
Former Canadian Senator
- Secretary to the Cabinet for Federal-Provincial Relations & Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council
1980-1983 - Chairman of the Senate Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee from 1999 to 2006 and Chairman of the Senate Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee from 1993 to 1999
- Selected by the Prime Minister of Canada in 2007 to chair the newly established Mental Health Commission of Canada
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Order of Canada
- Founding NEXT investor
Nathalie Boutet Co-Founder of NEXT, Collaborative Family Lawyer, Family Enterprise Advisor™
Nathalie Boutet
Co-Founder of NEXT, Collaborative Family Lawyer, Family Enterprise Advisor™
- Conflict resolution expert for difficult and complicated family conflicts
- Deputy Judge of the Ontario Small Claims Court
- Educator and Public Speaker
Honourable John P. Manley, P.C., O.C.Experienced leader in industry and government
Honourable John P. Manley, P.C., O.C.
Experienced leader in industry and government
- Incoming Chair of Telus Corporation
- Former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of Canada
- Former Chair of CIBC and CAE
- Former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and Minister in the portfolios of Industry, Foreign Affairs and Finance
- Order of Canada
Dr. Jack GroppelRecognized Coaching Pioneer in the Science of Human Performance
Dr. Jack Groppel
Recognized Coaching Pioneer in the Science of Human Performance
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Co-founder of the Human Performance Institute (acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2008)
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Author of The Corporate Athlete
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Hall of Fame coach, 28th Inductee of the United States Professional Tennis Association
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PhD in Exercise Physiology
Dr. Michael ParkinsonRecognized leader in accelerating the magnitude and pace of health innovation
Dr. Michael Parkinson
Recognized leader in accelerating the magnitude and pace of health innovation
- Former President of the American College of Preventive Medicine
- Director and advisor to numerous health-oriented technology companies
Husseini Manji, MD, FRCPCRecognized leader in neuropsychiatric disorders
Husseini Manji, MD, FRCPC
Recognized leader in advancing the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and promoting brain health and human well-being
- Former Global Head, Science for Minds, Johnson & Johnson
- Former Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology and Director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Steering Committee, Neuroscience-inspired Policy Initiative, OECD
- Chair, National Academy of Medicine Interest Group on Neuroscience, Behavior, Brain Function, and Disorders
- Visiting Professor, Oxford University and Duke University
Paul TemplerAuthor, Executive Coach, Philanthropist, Founding CEO of Neuro-literacy.org
Paul Templer
Author, Executive Coach, Philanthropist, Founding CEO of Neuro-literacy.org
- Principal Officer, Templer Foundation
- Program Leader, Early Intervention Program for handicapped kids and their families in developing countries
- Author, Executive Coach, Philanthropist, and one of NEXT’s first enterprise customers
Michael KananInnovation leader, change-agent, and author
Michael Kanan
Dynamic and empathetic thought leader, entrepreneur, philanthropist, mentor, and speaker
- Chairman & CEO of InaCOMP Group Companies
- President of TD-Synnex Community Solve (NYSE: SNX)
- Past member of Apple, IBM, Compaq, and Hewlett Packard Advisory Councils
- Proud husband, father, and grandfather
Dan PelinoInnovation leader, change-agent, and author
Dan Pelino
Co-Founder of Everyone Matters
- General Manager of IBM’s Global Health Care and Life Sciences (2006-2016) and Global Public Sector (2012-2016) businesses
- Author of Trusted Healers – Dr. Paul Grundy’s Crusade to Save Healthcare
- Co-Founder of Everyone Matters, a for-profit social impact enterprise
Richard GarnickFounder and CEO, The Conjoin Group
Richard Garnick
Founder and CEO, The Conjoin Group
- Led Wipro Technologies from $140M to $3B in annual revenue and 4500 to 85,000 employees
- Led the acquisition and transformation of a $250M health care IT/Business Services company in the US
- Entrepreneur, innovator, and advisor to numerous private companies and private equity firms
Sponsors and Advisors
Richard CarmonaM.D., M.P.H., FACS
17th Surgeon General of the United States
Richard Carmona - Special Advisor
M.D., M.P.H., FACS
Recognized global leader in advancing the democratization of health preparedness, health literacy, health diplomacy and prevention
- 17th Surgeon General of the United States
- Distinguished Professor, University of Arizona
- Chief of Health Innovations (former Vice-Chair), Canyon Ranch
- Author of Canyon Ranch 30 Days to a Better Brain: A Groundbreaking Program for Improving Your Memory, Concentration, Mood, and Overall Well-Being
The Honorable Patrick J. KennedyFormer Congressman, founder of the Kennedy Forum for mental health equity
The Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy
Former Congressman, founder of the Kennedy Forum for mental health equity
Global leader in the fight to end medical and societal discrimination against those with mental health and substance use disorders
- Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1995-2011)
- Lead sponsor of the U.S. Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008
- Founder of the Kennedy Forum – a national nonprofit organization that aims to achieve health equity for all by advancing evidence-based practices, policies, and programming around mental health and addiction
- Co-author of the New York Times bestseller “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction.”
Dr. Cary KoganProfessor, University of Ottawa
Dr. Cary Kogan
Professor, University of Ottawa
- Co-author of ICD 11 and Global Clinical Practice Network Leadership, ICD 11 for the World Health Organization
- PhD in clinical psychology (applied psychopathology, cognitive science)
- Director, Psychological Assessment and Counselling Centre
Dr. Frank Russo Professor, Ryerson University
Dr. Frank Russo
Professor, Ryerson University
- Co-Chair of NETF (Neuro-Performance Engineering Task Force)
- Creator of NEXT’s Emotion Induction System
- PhD in psychology (brain behavior, cognitive science, music cognition and hearing science)
William Schrader Commercial Internet Co-Founder
William Schrader
Commercial Internet Co-Founder
- Founder & CEO of NYSERNet, one of the first regional NSFNET education and research
networks - Founder & CEO of PSINet, the first commercial Internet Service Provider
- Co-founder and Executive Director of the Cornell and Syracuse Supercomputer Centers (with Nobel
Laureate Ken Wilson)
Dr. Jack LordRecognized leader in innovations that change people's lives
Dr. Jack Lord
Recognized leader in innovations that change people’s lives
- Former Chief Innovation Officer and SVP of Humana
- Former Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Miller School of Medicine
- Director and advisor to numerous public and private technology companies
Stephane BoisvertInnovation leader, platform expert
Stephane Boisvert
An innovation leader in edge computing technology for high-value-added communications service providers
- President of Kaloom – An innovation leader in edge computing technology for high-value-added communications service providers.
- Managing Director of Pivotal – Executive leader, director, and advisor to numerous high-growth technology companies.
Bijay SahooGroup President – Human Resources, Reliance Group
Bijay Sahoo (Director-elect)
Group President – Human Resources, Reliance Group, India’s second largest company
- Created and led programs to hire and manage hundreds of thousands of knowledge workers in India at Reliance Group and Wipro Technologies
- Leadership positions in numerous industry associations for human capital development and innovation
- Governance and advisory roles on several universities and educational institutions
Jackson MossLeading crypto data scientist
Jackson Moss
Leading data scientist in the crypto space recognized for helping institutions and token projects leverage alternative data
- First person to apply the NEXT System to chronic pain
- Deeply committed to the democratization of neuro-literacy
- Vice President of Labs at TheTie
Sandy ClimanFounder and President, Entertainment Media Ventures
Sandy Climan
Founder and President of Entertainment Media Ventures
- Former Executive Vice President and President of Worldwide Business Development for Universal Studios
- Served for over a decade at Creative Artists Agency on the management team, as a senior talent agent, and as founding head of the corporate advisory practice
- Board of UCLA Longevity Center and UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television