Backr Board and Founding Members:
Marc Almon
Founder & President
Marc Almon is an award-winning film and television producer, arts advocate and social entrepreneur dedicated to community driven ventures. Marc’s work has screened at TIFF, Berlinale, Sundance, and other major festivals; his latest feature The Executor, will debut in 2026. He is the Founder and President of Holdfast Pictures Inc. (2015–present) and the Founder of the Light House Arts Centre, where he led a successful $14 million fundraising effort to create a 35,000 sq ft media production studio—now home to This Hour Has 22 Minutes—as well as a 1,100-seat performance hall, dance studio, and nonprofit office space. As founding chair of Screen Nova Scotia, he successfully led grassroots advocacy to preserve the province’s film and TV sector. In 2026, he will launch Backr, Atlantic Canada’s first equity crowdfunding platform. Marc holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of King’s College (2002) and a Producer’s Lab certificate from the Canadian Film Centre (2008).
Colette O’Hara
Director & Vice President
Colette O’Hara is a spirited leader who blends design thinking, communication, and creativity to spark transformative growth in teams and organizations. She is the co-founder of The August House, a boutique inn and gathering space in Windsor, NS, and previously served as Chief Strategy Officer at SaltWire Network, guiding strategic transformation across Atlantic Canadian newsrooms. Colette has also served as Vice-Chair and founding board member of Invest Nova Scotia (2014 - 2020) and co-founded Halifax’s Awesome Foundation, which has funded over $40,000 in community-led ideas. Named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 Emerging Leaders Under 35 (21inc), she holds a BAH in Political Science from Acadia University, a BPR from Mount Saint Vincent University, and is a graduate of the University of King’s College Foundation Year Program.
Greg Nazaire
Director & Treasurer
Greg Nazaire is an award-winning professor, economic analyst, and community leader whose work spans entrepreneurship, finance, and social impact across the Maritimes. A long-time faculty member at Dalhousie University’s Rowe School of Business, he teaches corporate finance and entrepreneurship and is recognized for outstanding teaching. He is also a visiting professor in the Université de Nantes/ESFAM graduate program and a frequent economic commentator for Radio-Canada/CBC. Greg has advised organizations such as Hope Blooms and the Black Loyalist Heritage Society, with research focused on entrepreneurial finance and global markets. He holds a PhD in Finance from Aix-Marseille University, an MSc in Finance from the University of Bordeaux, an MBA from the University of Nantes/IFAG, and an Executive Leadership Certificate from Dalhousie.
Chris Crowell
Director & Secretary
Chris Crowell is the CEO and Co-Founder of ResolveHD, leading the advancement of AI and data assurance across health, defence, and the public sector. With 20+ years in technology, venture capital, and consulting, he has held leadership roles including Co-Founder of Tidal Venture Partners, Head of Open Health Innovation at Accenture’s Canadian Innovation Hub, CMO at Mariner Partners, and builder of OpenText’s global technology partner program. A long-time champion of Canada’s innovation ecosystem, Chris founded East Coast Connected and serves on multiple boards supporting entrepreneurship, including Chair of Ignite Atlantic and Board Member of Evergreen Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and an MBA from Dalhousie University, a BA (Honours) in Mass Communications from Carleton University, and completed Stanford’s LEAD Corporate Innovation program.
Lewis Smith
Director
Lewis Smith is a deal-maker and strategist with 25+ years of experience developing innovative solutions in clean energy, infrastructure, and technology. He is currently Founder and CEO of Veridite, providing advisory services for green hydrogen, renewable natural gas, biocarbon, carbon capture, and renewable power projects. Previously, he served as Chief Commercial Officer at CHAR Technologies Ltd., where he led development, financing, and strategic partnerships for build-own-operate projects converting low-value feedstocks into high-value energy and carbon products. Lewis has also provided strategic advisory services to cleantech and energy companies, supporting major transactions and business development initiatives. He holds an LLM in International Business Law from the London School of Economics, an LLB from York University – Osgoode Hall Law School, and a BA in Financial and Economic Studies from Western University.
Andy Horsnell
Independent Director
Andy Horsnell has over 30 years of experience helping community-based enterprises become more sustainable and impactful, working with hundreds of nonprofits and social enterprises across Canada and the U.S. He is the founder of Social Enterprise Solutions, co-founder of Authenticity Consulting LLC, Common Good Solutions CIC, and Flourish Community Development Co-operative Ltd., and serves as part-time Executive Director of the Centre for Local Prosperity. Andy is also a consulting associate at Horizons Community Development Associates and volunteers as a board director and treasurer for several social enterprise organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University, an Accounting Diploma from Kingstec Community College, and certificates in Adult Training (Acadia), Competency-Based Learning (Holland College), and completed the Synergia Institute residential program in Italy.
Chris Googoo
Independent Director
Executive Director at Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation.
The Backr Team
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Marc Almon
CEO
Filmmaker, entrepreneur, and community-builder committed to strengthening Nova Scotia’s economic future through innovation and shared ownership
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Ismet Puhovac
Business Analyst
See LinkedIn Profile
Partner & Owner with expertise in Data Analysis and Business Strategy -
Name tbc
Investment Coordinator
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Joanne Bath
Fundraising Advisor
Ask Joanne what drives great fundraising, and she’ll tell you it starts with people: their stories, their hopes, their belief that they can make change happen.That belief is what built Kittiwake, a national philanthropic consulting firm
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Julie Robinson
Counsel
Julie is a Partner at McInnes Cooper practicing in the areas of corporate finance and securities law, and corporate and business law
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Rebecca Townsend
Accountant
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Nic Fieldsend
Marketing & Video Consultant
25 years experience in content creation, strategy and live production, my expertise is in both creative and client service