Marlene is an enterprising, accomplished leader, executive and team member, with solid experience in diverse industries, academic and non-profit sectors. She is an inventor with 11 patents held, and has founded and developed several companies, most notably in the environmental sector. Ms. Conway Diels is educated in Marketing and Business Administration and has associate degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Ms. Conway Diels received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal “In recognition of her years of service in the aerospace industry, promoting excellence in education, and in leading environmental preservation initiatives.” Received Ontario Premier’s Award for Business, in recognition of development and implementation of innovative, multi-stakeholder industrial and environmental business and technological initiatives, and was designated a Mohawk College Graduate of Distinction. Ms. Conway Diels was the Ontario Regional Director for the Canadian Aerospace Research and Innovation Consortium (CARIC) from 2016 to 2019 and has experience in advanced manufacturing sectors including automotive, aerospace, space, marine and construction. In 2020, Marlene founded the Diversity Development Network of Canada (DDNC) www.ddnc.ca as a Canadian Non-Profit to catalyze and facilitate collaboration and innovation to increase accessibility and opportunities for Canadians. In 2022, Marlene was named a finalist in the global Women and Drones Women to Watch Award for Leadership. In 2024 Marlene joined the Canadian Marine industries and Shipbuilders Association (CMISA) www.cmisa.ca Board of Directors and became Chair of the Board in May 2025. Marlene is also the first non-indigenous person to be a core team member of Indigenous Skills, Employment, Apprenticeship and Development (ISEAD) www.isead.ca as lead on Partnerships and Skills Development.