Meet the 12 UBC students joining the entrepreneurship@UBC team this summer!
Each summer season, entrepreneurship@UBC welcomes new cohorts of students to work with our team and venture community on a range of critical projects and challenges helping us to move the needle for UBC entrepreneurs.
This year, we have two cohorts of students joining us through our Venture Development Specialist Internship program, for UBC Sauder students looking to sharpen their business skills working with the venture portfolio, and UBC’s Work Learn program, for UBC students across faculties aiming to broaden their skill sets, working in depth with our team to accelerate innovation across the ecosystem. Students gain hands-on experience, building capacity for venture teams in our community.
Meet the teams!
Venture Development Specialists
entrepreneurship@UBC's Venture Development Specialist Internship Program enables UBC Sauder students to broaden their experience in a thriving community of entrepreneurs and dive into BC’s tech and startup industry working with the next generation of innovators.
Gerald Sanchez (he/him)
Role: Venture Development Specialist
UBC affiliation: UBC Sauder MBA candidate
Undergrad degree: Bachelor in Business Economics from Escuela Superior de Economia y Negocios, El Salvador
About me: With ten years of marketing experience designing and implementing B2C go-to-market strategies in industries such as Tech, Telecommunications, and CPG in Latin America, I am passionate about helping startups to drive demand and growth.
What he’s looking forward to: I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work with visionary founders in Vancouver who are solving some of the most meaningful and exciting problems in the world. I'm eager to make a contribution to their mission and help turn their vision into a new reality for all of us.
Kai Smart (he/him)
Role: Venture Development Specialist
UBC affiliation: UBC Sauder Undergrad
Undergrad degree: UBC Bachelor of Commerce
About me: Hey, I'm Kai. I grew up in Whistler, BC, with a passion for the outdoors and action sports. Currently, I am a UBC Sauder student specializing in finance with a keen interest in venture capital and entrepreneurship.
What he’s looking forward to: I am eager to learn from the many brilliant minds involved with e@UBC and help bring some exciting ventures to life.
Rene Shen (she/her)
Role: Venture Development Specialist
UBC affiliation: UBC Sauder MBA candidate
Undergrad degree: University of Toronto in Industrial Relations and Human Resources major with minors in Psychology and Economics
About me: I worked in various operational and strategic HR roles in Toronto for 5 years before the MBA program. I am the founder and club president of the Mastery Experience Social Club because I believe in the value of life experience. I did a 10-day road trip moving from Toronto to Vancouver in the summer of 2022. I took the beginner sailing class through the UBC Sailing Club, a beginner golf course through the UBC Golf Club, the WSET Level 1 Wine class in Richmond, and a level 4/5 parallel skiing course at Cypress Mountain.
What she’s looking forward to: I am excited about being part of the ventures' journey in achieving their next milestone.
Rhea Arora (she/her)
Role: Venture Development Specialist
UBC affiliation: UBC Sauder MBA candidate
Undergrad degree: Bachelor of Business Management, Singapore Management University (majored in Marketing & Psychology)
About me: I was born and brought up in India, and spent 8 years in Singapore before moving to Canada in 2022. With a professional background in public relations and content marketing, I've been fortunate to contribute to the growth of over 30 brands across Asia Pacific. I came to UBC Sauder to refresh my business skill set, while exploring opportunities in Canada's dynamic business and entrepreneurial landscape.
What she’s looking forward to: Connecting with promising startups in some of the most exciting industries across BC and beyond.
Shivangi Khanna (she/her)
Role: Venture Development Specialist
UBC affiliation: UBC Sauder MBA candidate
Undergrad degree: Bachelor of Arts, Economics Honors, University of Delhi
About me: An economics graduate and entrepreneur from India, I have over 5 years of experience creating quirky merchandise under my brand - Fitoor Company. My passion for marketing and drive to build a more impactful career brought me to Vancouver and UBC. In my spare time, I can be easily found reading an autobiography, talking about sustainable fashion, dancing, or passionately quoting Michelle Obama or Sheryl Sandberg.
What she’s looking forward to: As a VDS, I am really looking forward to contributing to real-world projects and initiatives by solving some pressing business challenges in various industries and functions this summer.
Work Learn Students
Under UBC’s Work Learn program, UBC students work as part of the entrepreneurship@UBC team on projects ranging from business and data analytics, digital marketing and working within our Venture Studios.
Alison MacFarland (she/her)
Role: Climate Venture Studio Assistant Work Learn
UBC affiliation: UBC Undergrad Bachelor of Economics and International Relations
About me: I've lived in White Rock, BC for the majority of my life, and all of my sisters went to UBC so it felt only right for me to go here as well! I love the campus life and the beautiful scenery, and I'm so glad I chose UBC.
What she’s looking forward to: I am looking forward to coordinating events and meetups for the Climate Venture Studio! Currently, we are planning for the June CVS meetup with a very exciting keynote speaker, so I am excited to see that event unfold!
Alp Tutar (he/him)
Role: Social Venture Studio Assistant Work Learn
UBC affiliation: UBC Undergrad Bachelor of International Economics
About me: I’m from Ankara, Turkey. I came to UBC because I knew about the quality of education here and the opportunities it can offer to me to reach my career and life goals. As an important step to reaching my goals, I have been working at entrepreneurship@UBC as a Social Venture Studio Assistant since September.
What he’s looking forward to: Since I’ve been working at entrepreneurship@UBC for 8 months now, I have developed a great understanding of what this role can offer to me. If I were to choose one thing that I am looking forward to the most, I would say the ability to explore and work on projects in different fields with my colleagues. I know that the working environment gives us enough space and resources to share any ideas we have and I want to come up with my own project ideas that can be useful for me and entrepreneurship@UBC.
Nandita Zaveri (she/her)
Role: Venture Founder Assistant Work Learn
UBC affiliation: UBC Undergrad Bachelor of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering, and a minor in Entrepreneurship
About me: I was born in Toronto, Canada, and lived and educated in Mumbai, India. I am a fourth-year Integrated Engineering student, pursuing a dual major in Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering, and a minor in Entrepreneurship.
What she’s looking forward to: What I am most excited about is the opportunity to once again work closely with the e@UBC community - the team, the ventures, and the upcoming cohort.
Nicholas Feng (he/him)
Role: Human Health Venture Studio Assistant
UBC affiliation: UBC Undergrad Bachelor of Nursing
About me: Hi there, my name is Nicholas Feng, and I am originally from Vancouver, but I’ve traveled to many countries globally. I’ve always been drawn to the healthcare field and providing compassionate care to those in need, facilitating my interest in the nursing profession. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the city’s diverse food scene and spending time with friends and family.
What he’s looking forward to: I am looking forward to meeting everyone and the ventures at entrepreneurship@UBC. I am keen to learn more about the upcoming health ventures that will support better access and innovation for patients in the Digital Health space.
Priya Sidhu (she/her)
Role: Digital Marketing Assistant Work Learn
UBC affiliation: UBC Undergrad Bachelor of Commerce, Specializing in Marketing
About me: My name is Priya and I was born and raised in Richmond, BC. With an interest in marketing and innovation I strive to gain industry experience and contribute to the greater community. With past leadership experiences as a Residence Advisor and Outreach and Sponsorship lead, I hope to further expand my connections and experiences. In my free time, I love having food adventures with my friends, especially if it's dessert!
What she’s looking forward to: I look forward to meeting and working along side amazing individuals who have accomplished so much in this industry. I am excited to gain further insight and depth in entrepreneurship@UBC'S marketing strategies.
Rachel Ng (she/her)
Role: Data Analyst Work Learn
UBC affiliation: UBC Sauder Undergrad, Combined Major in Business and Computer Science
About me: Hi! My name is Rachel and I am a second-year student at UBC, pursuing a combined major in Business and Computer Science. I was born and raised in Vancouver, and I have an interest in the intersection between technology and business. Having gained experience in both industries, I'm excited to join the entrepreneurship@UBC team as a Work Learn student to gain more experience working with startups and to help foster innovation in the local community!
What she’s looking forward to: I'm excited about the opportunity to work with various ventures at entrepreneurship@UBC this summer. One of the things I'm looking forward to most is gaining exposure to different industries and learning more about the unique challenges and opportunities each venture faces.
Sanya Malik (she/her)
Role: Engagement Assistant Work Learn
UBC affiliation: UBC Arts Undergrad, Major in International Relations
About me: I’m an international student from Delhi, India. I have been a part of the Work Learn program since my second year at UBC and have had a chance to have some enriching experiences with Student Recruitment and the Department of Central, Eastern, and Northern European studies. I was previously also a part of the Co-op Program and the Arts Undergraduate Society.
What she’s looking forward to: As a member of the Engagement Team, I am eager to gain practical project management skills working with multiple stakeholders. I am excited about the prospect of taking on a variety of challenging projects, and I anticipate that direct exposure to start-up building will provide valuable learning opportunities. I can't wait to dive in and make the most of this experience.
Welcome to our new team members! We look forward to working with you all this summer.