Meet the DDQIC Team

“There is no better investment than in our future leaders,” says Greg Bavington. He should know. Greg was appointed Executive Director of the Queen’s Innovation Connector in November 2012 and also serves Special Advisor to the Provost on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. His latest innovation challenge follows five years as President and CEO of KN Rubber LLC and roles helping to design smelters in South Africa and GM’s modernized assembly plant in Oshawa. Greg was also exposed to several high-profile engineering projects, including the English Channel Tunnel and the SkyDome roof. He has served as an elected member of Queen’s University Council and on the Smith Engineering Society Board of Directors. Greg also serves on the board of several private companies, income trusts, trade associations and not-for-profit organizations.

Jim (Sc’81, PhD’90) is the Academic Director of the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre, a Professor of Chemical Engineering at Smith Engineering and a co-founder of the Queen’s Innovation Centre Summer Initiative (formerly known as QSII). Prior to joining Queen’s in 1990, he worked for Petro-Canada as a control applications engineer. He is an active researcher and consultant in the fields of statistical model building and process control, working with major companies ranging from biomedical devices, to metals manufacturing and chemical manufacturing processes. Jim is committed to building innovation and entrepreneurship programming at Queen’s and to growing a vibrant entrepreneurial culture in the Kingston region, working with many groups in the Kingston entrepreneurship ecosystem. Jim is cross-appointed to the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and to the Dan School of Drama and Music. He collaborates in teaching and research in innovation and pedagogy in the technology and creative arts fields.

Joanna joined the Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre at Queen's University (DDQIC) team in December 2017 bringing with her a multidisciplinary background and a passion for helping others succeed. Through various volunteer roles such as Director of Community Outreach for STEP CREW and REBOUND Team Coach for Youth Diversion, she developed a community-oriented mindset and passion for supporting people and organizations by opening them to new ways of thinking. As Program and Community Manager, Joanna is responsible for cultivating relationships among the Queen’s and Kingston communities, developing and delivering entrepreneurship programs and working directly with founders to help pave their way to success. Since joining DDQIC, Joanna has supported and advised over 431 founders and 168 ventures across many industries. She completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Queen’s with a Medial in Philosophy-Psychology and a Master of Arts with specialization in legal, moral and political philosophy. She also completed the Graduate Diploma in Business program at Smith School of Business where she was able to explore the intersection of human behaviour, social impact and business.

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Prior to working at the DDQIC, Virginia worked as a public librarian. In this role, she was responsible for planning programs for diverse groups of adults on a variety of topics. Looking for a career change, she started her position at the DDQIC in April of 2022. Here she uses her skills to plan programs and find information for aspiring entrepreneurs. Virginia’s work at the DDQIC allows her to work with passionate people across all sectors, allowing her to continually learn new things from the ventures she helps. She has an MLIS from University of Western Ontario, an MA in History of Medicine from McGill University, and a graduate certificate in Project Management from Loyalist College.

Megan Sieroka is an International Programs Manager with over four years of experience in international development and project management. She specializes in creating impactful, cross-cultural programs that promote socioeconomic growth. Megan has managed initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, collaborating with over 40 institutions to support sustainable change.

She holds a Master’s in Development Management (Applied Economics) from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor’s in Global Development Studies and Political Science from Queen’s University. Her expertise includes project cycle management, stakeholder engagement, and impact evaluation. Megan’s accomplishments include doubling annual applicants and increasing female retention by 30% in entrepreneurship programs, and fostering partnerships that expand opportunities in education, health, and economic development. Megan is passionate about working with others to drive meaningful initiatives and contribute to lasting impact in the field of international development.