Meet the Team
Program Facilitator, District 3
As Program Facilitator at District 3, Alexandra Allen is part of the Programs team helping early-stage talent explore innovation and entrepreneurship. Her primary focus is the Summer Residency Program—arguably the “coolest summer job”—in which recent graduates spend 12 weeks working in multidisciplinary teams to turn ideas into practical solutions for companies and researchers. Alexandra also oversees a number of initiatives to connect talent with startups in the Montreal ecosystem.
Prior to District 3, Alexandra worked in various roles—such as project management, HR, and events—for companies ranging from a startup (Imparture, now Lydian Stone Training) to a global enterprise (Ubisoft). A strong advocate for lifelong learning, Alexandra is currently working towards a Graduate Certificate in Learning Design and Technology at Harvard Extension School and has worked internationally in Canada, the UK, Australia, and France. She holds a Certificate in Management Consulting from McGill University’s School of Continuing Studies, a B.A. in Political Science from Concordia, and is a PRINCE2 certified practitioner (Projects in Controlled Environments).
Program Manager, District 3
Ahmed (Wass) El Wassimy manages and animates the Validation and Residency Programs helping high potential individuals and early stage founders gain the core competencies required to thrive. He applies a combination of data analysis with design thinking and lean experimentation to help founders achieve the focus and momentum needed to accelerate and bring their best ideas to market.
Prior to joining District 3, Wass has worked in sales, marketing and product management in a range of industries including – hospitality, real estate and fintech. His personal experience as a startup entrepreneur also shapes his approach, helping tech founders accelerate from initial idea to approved prototypes while solving the numerous strategic challenges that arise along the way.
Program Director, District 3
Jane Somerville, MBA is the Director of Programs at Concordia University’s District 3. In this role, she is responsible for leading and developing the program offering targeted to entrepreneurs building startups. Jane is a passionate business professional with more than 25 years of experience working with Canadian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining D3, Jane worked at BDC where she helped small, medium and large companies across Canada, across all industry sectors, building and delivering innovative advisory services in strategic management, digital marketing and sales management. As an entrepreneur herself, Jane founded an online directory of furniture and furniture stores in major Canadian cities.