The Grebel Peace Incubator Program supports peace-related start-up initiatives through mentorship, training opportunities, and seed funding in order to validate their concepts and secure sustainable funding to effect systemic change. We know that making connections with the right mentors is a crucial ingredient in the success of a start-up.
This Mentorship Circle is intended to deepen and expand the ability of the Centre for Peace Advancement to support members of the Peace Incubator program. The Mentorship Circle does not encompass all of the many individuals throughout the Centre for Peace Advancement’s networks that provide mentorship to incubator members on an ad hoc basis. Members of the Mentorship Circle gather each semester to:
- provide collective mentorship to incubator members
- distribute grants from the Centre for Peace Advancement’s Peace Incubator Fund
The Mentors:
Angela Krone
Angela graduated from the University of Waterloo (BASc, 2019) and has been actively involved in the KW tech community throughout her co-op and full-time career. She has worked on a wide range of innovative projects at start-ups and large companies and currently works on the Augmented Reality team at Google.
Angela is known for asking the right questions that help drive products forward. Specializing in human centred design and playful exploration (often through prototypes and proof-of-concepts) she has seen first hand how the power of getting at the heart of a user need can dramatically impact a project’s success. She loves to both facilitate and participate in brainstorming sessions to help find new ways to approach problems.
During her time in university, Angela was actively involved in the PeaceTech community and courses taught at the Centre for Peace Advancement, and is excited to be able to return to participate as a mentor. When not working, you can find her playing board games, frisbee, or volunteering around the community.
Kate Pearce
Kate is passionate about supporting and enabling communities to connect, make an impact, and thrive through the development of strong, trusting partnerships. She currently serves as the Manager, Social Impact at Kindred Credit Union. Through her work Kate turns commitments into action with a focus on collaboration.
Her work experiences have included supporting recreation programming for youth and young adults, community engagement, facilitation, event management, and community relations. She has worked in a variety of sectors including post-secondary, charity, not-for-profit, and corporate.
She holds a Bachelor of Recreation Management (BRM) from Acadia University, and completed her MA at the University of Waterloo in the department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. With a dedication to continuous growth, she has continued on her learning journey gaining insights and knowledge from her colleagues, community leaders, friends, and neighbours.
Dmitri Pasricha
Dmitri Pasricha is the Founder and Cybersecurity Coach at TechSet, where he breaks down complex technical concepts into clear, practical guidance to help people from all backgrounds stay safe online.
With over 18 years of experience as a technology professional, Dmitri has worked across tech startups, non-profits, and government organizations throughout the Toronto-Waterloo corridor, serving global customer bases. His background includes supporting early-stage entrepreneurs at the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre, driving innovation for international initiatives at MEDA, and advancing educational programs at D2L. He has also helped build and scale three Toronto-based startups, most recently supporting strategic enterprise customers at 1Password to support its growth into a Canadian tech unicorn.
As a mentor in the Grebel Peace Incubator, Dmitri is excited to support founders as they navigate growth, refine their operations, and bridge the gap between social impact and sustainable technology. Outside of work, Dmitri enjoys cycling, birding, and traveling with family.
Brendan Wylie-Toal
Brendan Wylie-Toal is a systems leader and the Director of Research and Innovation at KidsAbility. He founded the Rocket Discovery Centre, which was purpose built to translate breakthroughs in knowledge across diverse fields of study, from AI and BCI to operating policies and models of care, into practice within healthcare settings. Brendan is also an Adjunct Lecturer (Faculty of Environment) and an Adjunct Professor (Faculty of Engineering) at the University of Waterloo, and has deep experience in the management of public sector investment funds.
His expertise in systems change is matched by a deep background in business development and fund management; he has guided multi-million-dollar investment programs and served as a Board Chair for the Ontario Trillium Foundation, overseeing over $100M of investments into the non-profit and social services sector. His accomplishments were recently recognized by the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Business Excellence Award for Innovation.
With over 15 years of experience in social innovation, entrepreneurship, and systems change, Brendan has spent his career building and coordinating innovation activity to generate tangible economic and social impact across Ontario.