Born and raised in Edmonton, Janelle Jiminez has built a career that bridges the worlds of science, business, and innovation. Her professional journey began in research, where her passion for biology and animal health led her to complete a Master of Science in Animal Science at the University of Alberta. Following her graduate studies, Janelle joined Livestock Gentec at the University of Alberta, where she coordinated multidisciplinary research in livestock genomics and led partnerships focused on genetic innovations in animal health. She later became Project Manager for the AMR – One Health Consortium at the University of Calgary, managing a $16M provincial initiative connecting academia, industry, and government to advance antimicrobial resistance research.

Janelle earned her MBA focused on Strategy and Innovation from the Alberta School of Business in 2022. Following this she went on to join SVG Ventures | THRIVE as a Corporate Innovation Manager, supporting agri-food startups, corporate partnerships, and investment strategies across Canada. She is currently focused on supporting small business growth in Edmonton and has recently dedicated her time to support the opening of a women-run cocktail bar focused on agave education in downtown Edmonton.