FOUNDATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES INSTITUTE - Key Persons


Bryce Jones

Job Titles:
  • Advisor
  • Founder and CEO of Flash Forest
Bryce is the founder and CEO of Flash Forest, a drone reforestation company that offers rapid, affordable and scalable solutions to deforestation and climate change. Bryce has a degree in Biology, a background in forestry and is a specialist in both mechatronics and UAV technology.

Dave Lee - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • Marketing Consultant in International Education
Dave Lee is currently a Marketing Consultant in International Education. His work has taken him around the world including extensive time in China and Latin America. Dave has worked in the education system in schools, technology and online education, international education and with the Ministry of Education.

Evan Freeman

Job Titles:
  • Head of Blockchain Course Review
Evan is an experienced blockchain professional. Evan has served as an advocate for the State of Hawaii Digital Currency Group and consultant for Bitcoin payment platform company Wampei Inc. along with LATOKEN exchange (founder of the Blockchain Economic Forum).

Gabriel John

Job Titles:
  • Advisor
Gabriel John is a professional agrologist and holds a Master's degree in Resource Economics from the University of Alberta. He also holds a certificate in Greenhouse Gas Inventory Quantification (GHG-IQ). Gabriel has over 15 years of diverse experience working in academia, as well as in both private and public sector policy and program development. Gabriel has worked in academia as an agricultural economics lecturer and researcher for five years and also in the development of ethics and values legislation and standards for a developing country. Gabriel's government and scholarly work in the past decade has focused on developing strategic policies and innovative programs in the complex energy-environment nexus. He has been engaged in systemic design and strategic foresight for policy and program development in the areas of climate change, emissions management, clean energy, and technologies. Gabriel currently works on strategic environmental and sustainable energy policies and programs, including policies relating to renewable development and the de-carbonization of the electricity sector.

Jason Smolensky

Job Titles:
  • Advisor
  • Engineer
Jason Smolensky is an engineer, educator and technology enthusiast. Jason's thirty-year career has spanned a number of roles and industries including developing the North American business of a European Fuel Cell company, Energy Trading Risk Management, Engineering and Management Consulting and teaching. Jason currently manages The Simulation and Business Intelligence Group of a large global engineering company and is an Adjunct Professor in The University of British Columbia's Faculty of Applied Science.

Lil Sawyer - President

Job Titles:
  • President
Lil Sawyer BScN is a former Registered Nurse and Clinical Informatics Specialist holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. A large portion of her previous experience was devoted to teaching nurses and physicians in the healthcare environment. She has a strong belief in the value of ongoing education.

Tom Loewen

Job Titles:
  • Advisor
  • Advisor for BlocksEDU
Tom Loewen is an advisor for blocksEDU. After retiring, he set up Loewen Business Consulting and provides various services to the waste and recycling industry. Prior to establishing LBC in 2016, Tom was Area Manager for BC, providing regional leadership and direction for BFI Canada Inc, which rebranded into Progressive Waste Solutions, one of the largest non-hazardous solid waste management companies in North America. Over his 36 years in the industry, Tom has been involved in sales, marketing, operations and general management. Tom holds a B.R.E. (Bachelor of Religious Education) Degree, a Certificate in Blockchain from Okanagan College and has been granted the global credential, Blockchain Professional - Generalist (BPG). Tom is an ongoing student of leadership and has recently worked as an event manager in Kelowna for the Global Leadership Summit.

Victor Manuel Gonzalez Romero

Job Titles:
  • Advisor

Wayne Van Damme

Job Titles:
  • Advisor
As an executive with over forty years of progressive experience in information management and systems. Wayne has proven skills in leadership along with strategic and operational planning, customer service, timely delivery of large complex projects, team building and staff development. He retired in 2007 but came out of retirement in 2014 to create courses for the Project Management Certificate program at Okanagan College where he stills teaches. It was during this time that Wayne first conceived the idea of Education-as-a-Service (EaaS). Wayne is committed to providing real world education solutions in a manner that provide long-term sustainability and global value.