Jennifer Flanagan is the co-founder and President and CEO of Actua, a national charitable organization that engages Canadian youth in transformational experiences in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), and contributes significantly to future innovation in Canada.
Jennifer leads a national network of university-based organizations across Canada that deliver interactive STEM programs, annually engaging 225,000 youth in 500 communities. Over the past decade, Jennifer has led the development of specialized national programs to engage under-served youth populations, including Aboriginal youth, girls and young women, youth living in rural and remote communities and other at-risk youth. To accomplish this work, Jennifer partners with leading corporate sector companies, governments and other non-profits.
Jennifer is a long-time advocate for the empowerment of girls and young women, having served on the boards of the Girls Action Foundation and the International Network for Women in Engineering and Science. In addition, Jennifer has served on many other national and international boards and committees dedicated to furthering educational opportunities for youth. In 2007, Jennifer was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and in 2011 she was the recipient of a Y Women of Distinction Award (Education and Training) and was named one of Ottawa’s Top Forty Under 40. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Management from McGill University in Montreal.
