Our Team
Ray DePaul
Executive Director
Ray DePaul is the inaugural Executive Director of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Mount Royal University. Ray has launched many innovative products in his 35-year career. He has been a successful entrepreneur, selling his company to Intel, and was also a key member of the team that brought the iconic BlackBerry to the world. He is currently a volunteer on the board of Platform Calgary and is a member of the prestigious A100. He is also on several private sector advisory boards and is proud to be a mentor to many young entrepreneurs. Ray holds a Bachelor of Mathematics in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo and a Masters of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Tracy Pfeifer
Administrative Assistant
Tracy provides administrative support to both the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Institute for Community Prosperity. Tracy plays a critical role of being the interface between the Institute’s team of impatient entrepreneurs and the university’s many policies and procedures.
Sydney Harder
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Stategist
Sydney holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with minors in Social Innovation and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. At the Institute, Sydney designs and delivers programs that help student entrepreneurs develop their ideas, strengthen their businesses and navigate the challenges of building a venture. Through founder-focused programming, mentorship and one-on-one coaching, she supports students at every stage, from exploring an emerging idea to growing a business already making sales. Before joining the Institute, Sydney founded a sustainable arts company and worked in program development at IncluCity Calgary, a local user experience startup.
Orin Bailey-Davies
Entrepreneur Development Officer
An artist, innovator, and game enthusiast, Orin is passionate about building worlds and bringing people together. This drive for creation and community is what fuels his work. As a JMH LaunchPad alumni, he navigated the startup journey with his own venture, Shapesynth, winning $15K in 2025. Orin believes deeply in the potential of student entrepreneurs. When he’s not supporting student ventures, you can find him actively involved with the Calgary Game Developers Association (CGDA), participating in game jams and events, or searching for the next great addition to his collection of over 100 board games.
Arvin Das
Entrepreneur Development Officer
Arvin is an Entrepreneur Development Officer at the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Mount Royal University. His experience includes building investor and sales presentations for Series A+ startups and working in the founder’s office of an early-stage venture. In Calgary, he has worked at Innovate Calgary's Social Innovation Hub, supporting a for-profit social impact venture from UCalgary and discovering pathways for students to enter the social innovation space. With an academic background spanning engineering and management, Arvin brings a multidisciplinary lens to entrepreneurship. He is passionate about inspiring students to take a hands-on approach to building. Arvin looks forward to supporting MRU’s student community in developing ideas and moving projects forward.