Shelley Hessian

Shelley Hessian has more than 30 years of experience working with small and medium-sized businesses. Prior to joining Springboard Atlantic, Shelley was at Invest Nova Scotia (formerly Innovacorp) for 15 years. Her most recent position was as Manager, Start-Up Yard, the business incubator located at the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE). Previously, Shelley was Manager of Programs and Business Acceleration. She worked one-on-one with the organization’s early-stage technology client companies and led many acceleration initiatives. Prior to Invest Nova Scotia, Shelley was Manager of Consulting and Skills Development at Saint Mary’s University Business Development Centre. In this role, Shelley led the development and implementation of new projects, created annual strategic business plans, and mentored clients in several key areas, including business plans, market/feasibility studies and project management. Shelley holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA from Saint Mary’s University, and she is also a certified project management professional.