Mary Mytting

Executive Director

Mary Mytting was born and raised in Northern BC and has spent most of her professional career in Vancouver and Cape Town. 

Her diverse background in business and not-for-profits provides Northern Innovation Network with enhanced knowledge, skills, and acumen to manage and build capacity with clients and within our organization. 

With over two decades of entrepreneurship, sales and marketing experience, Mary is able to share her experiences while enhancing the clients’ learning and understanding of all aspects of business development. 

Mary has started and sold 2 successful businesses and started an ongoing successful charity in South Africa. 

Her passion for community development provides additional skills and excitement for broadening our outreach and support for new opportunities and ventures across Northern BC.

Shannon Stange

Northeast Regional Innovation Liaison

Born and raised in northern BC, Shannon invested three decades of his professional career in Vancouver starting businesses and following his entrepreneurial interests. In 2021 he moved to Fort St. John bringing with him the skills and connections he now uses to help businesses transform and thrive.

With a focus on business process, marketing, and automation, he works with business leaders to revisit how they see themselves and retool themselves for the emerging technologically focused world.

Shannon has travelled globally as a consultant, speaker, and leadership developer. A communicator, he combines images and words to shape culture, using language designed to transform the identity and nature of an organization from within.

He believes people determine profits and creates cultures which value both customers and staff to achieve success. He is married to the love of his life and enjoys flyfishing in the northern rocky mountain streams.

Aakriti Raina Tiku

Office Administrator

With experience spanning several countries and industries, Aakriti brings a global perspective to her work. She has worked with organizations across the Middle East and Asia, including roles in Dubai, Indonesia, India, and Jordan. Her background reflects strong exposure to diverse workplaces and a wide range of professional responsibilities. She has gained valuable expertise through her international roles and developed a well-rounded understanding of people and processes.

Aakriti completed her Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Management from Dubai and holds a MBA in International Business. She brings enthusiasm and a strong work ethic to her role at Northern Innovation Network.

Musfiq Tajwar

Program Coordinator

Musfiq Tajwar is a development professional and researcher with a strong background in social innovation and community mobilization. He holds a Master of Arts in International Studies from the University of Northern British Columbia, where his research focused on sustainable development and environmental justice.

Over the years, Musfiq has contributed to several international and community-based organizations, including UNBC, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), ActionAid, and USAID. His professional expertise lies in program quality assurance, stakeholder engagement, and participatory development approaches. Passionate about research-driven impact, Musfiq is deeply committed to fostering inclusive and evidence-based solutions that strengthen communities and advance social change.

Albarr Hashwani

Assistant Project Coordinator

Albarr Hashwani, is pursuing International Business at University of Northern British Columbia with a strong passion for philosophy and business management. Originally from Pakistan, he spent the past seven years living in Rwanda with his family, an experience that’s given him a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and global perspectives.

He’s fascinated by how strategic thinking and human insight come together to shape successful organizations. He loves exploring global markets, understanding what drives business growth, and finding creative ways to turn ideas into real impact. His goal is to build a career that connects big-picture thinking with meaningful, international results.