Manager
The Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI)
Denise Ferguson, HR Manager, CARIRI The manager directly responsible for HR, marketing, ICT, Safety, Quality, and Innovation and Entrepreneurs Incubators at the CED, which includes strategic planning, mentoring, coaching, facilitating SME and youth developmental sessions, project management, Currently Project chief for :- 1- the DIA Youth Innovation lab, funded by the TOA, OAS and Citifoundaion to develop youth entrepreneurs in business, and ICT as well as coordinate the physical lab and equipment e.g 3 D printer 2- A Greenfund project, that includes project management for chemists and microbiologists who are using indigenous bacteria which can degrade pesticides in soil 3-Shaping the future of innovation project – coordination of the creation of a national innovation ecosystem, creating PPP through matching graduate students and private sector, as well as oversight of the grant funding for innovative and inclusive projects for three years to the value of 10M USD.
Executive Director
Region Nine Development Commission in Minnesota
Griensewic has served as Executive Director of Region Nine Development Commission since 2012. As executive director, Griensewic has made it a priority to foster collaboration and engagement by sharing Region Nine’s story both regionally and globally. Griensewic is an active board and committee member for multiple organizations throughout Minnesota. Griensewic is the immediate past President of the Greater Minnesota Partnership, and is the first female to chair the Executive Committee for the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies, where she served as chair of the Governance Committee. Griensewic also served as secretary of Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota’s Governing Board of Directors and chaired the Governance Committee and currently serves as an advisory board member for South Central College’s Center for Agriculture. She serves on the executive committee for the MACS Board, Minnesotans for the American Community Survey Board of Directors and represents the Midwest on the National Assoc. of Development Orgs.’s (NADO) Board of Directors.
Griensewic is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and has completed course work through Harvard’s Kennedy School’s Executive Education. She received the 2017 Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Her professional background includes extensive private sector and non-profit leadership experience.