Shari Hughson

Shari Hughson serves as an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Entrepreneurship at Smith School of Business, Queen's University, where she teaches Entrepreneurship, Corporate Innovation, Design Thinking, and Leadership. A serial entrepreneur and social innovator, she currently acts as Chief Operating Officer and partner at Wayfound Mental Health Group while maintaining active roles in community development and global initiatives.

Her educational background includes:

• MBA (Masters of Business Administration) from the University of Calgary

Her research and professional focus centers on entrepreneurial ecosystems, with emphasis on social enterprises, mental health innovation, and sustainable business models. She integrates extreme adventure philosophy with corporate leadership principles to develop courageous approaches for societal challenges, particularly in Indigenous communities and health technology sectors. Her work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with practical implementation in high-stakes environments.

Her notable awards include:

• CIBC Entrepreneur of the Year (awarded before age 30)
• Most Inspiring Female Entrepreneurs & Business Leaders 2021 by Canadian SME Organization
• National Honour from the First Nation Health Authority for community-driven mental health innovation

With over 125 startup advisory engagements across healthtech, edutech, real estate, and engineering sectors, she spent five years developing Queen's Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship program. Her organizational leadership spans:

• Vice Chair and Commercialization Committee Chair for Praxis Spinal Cord Injury Institute
• Board Director for 1 Million Teachers
• Trustee for His Highness Muhammad Sanusi II Sustainable Development Goals Challenge
• Three Indigenous community economic development committees

Her innovation approach manifests through Wayfound Mental Health Group's operational framework and remote community projects, where she applies principles from her seven-year wilderness living experience. The Earthship™ home project exemplifies her commitment to sustainable systems thinking, directly informing her academic work on resource-constrained innovation.