Meet the RUNWITHIT Team
The very humans who make our synthetics a reality!
Myrna Bittner - Founder, CEO
Myrna is passionate about connecting decision-makers with the information they need for technology, policy, and infrastructure choices that ensure the best outcomes for people and our planet. A sought-after global speaker and thoughtleader, Myrna finds herself most at home on the back of her horse, learning to listen.
Dean Bittner - Founder, CVO
Dean is an early web pioneer who has hacked his way through thought and market leading ventures in hypermedia clients and authoring, messaging and conferencing, artificial intelligence and visualization, communications and cryptography, medical software and devices, television and advertising, and large-scale enterprise. He is an incurable dreamer, non-conformist, and coding funder and founder.
Mark Schultz - Fractional CFO
Mark Schultz has been the CFO with RUNWITHIT Synthetics since 2022. Mark has over 30 years’ experience in corporate finance, financial reporting, business planning and strategy, raising over $150M in private debt and equity. Mark holds an MBA from Western and a combined Honours Commerce and Economics degree from McMaster.
Melissa Fierro - Director, Marketing
Melissa is an international business development specialist, with over 15 years of experience representing government and SME's in international markets. She enjoys learning from different cultures, playing tennis, and exploring nature with her kids.
Krista Davis - Director, People Operations
Krista is a dynamic people leader with experience spanning sports and entertainment, oil & gas, and technology. Her favourite area of focus is team optimization, ensuring people can thrive while doing their best work. Outside of work, she’s often testing new recipes, hanging out with her dog, or trying a new activity like tap dancing!
Miranda Jimmy - Indigenous Business Executive
Miranda is a passionate Edmontonian and member of Thunderchild First Nation. She is a community connector, a fierce defender of truth, and is committed to the spirit and intent of the Treaty relationship. Miranda's best ideas come through connecting with others or while wandering in the woods near her home.
Brent Guidinger - Director, Strategic Accounts & Growth
Brent is a dynamic leader who thrives on building trusted partnerships rooted in meaningful impact. With deep experience across the social impact sector, he is driven to create a more inclusive, resilient world. Off the clock, Brent loves spending time and making memories with his wife, Kristy, and their kids, Casey and Jacob.
Kjell Kolstad - Strategic Accounts Executive
Kjell loves to build partnerships and has led collaborations with global industry leaders in AI, VR, GIS/geospatial, smart cities, intelligent infrastructure, telecom and transportation across the globe. M.Sc and BBA. Outside of work, ask Kjell about cross-country skiing!
Zahra Yousefli - Technical Specialist, Project Management
Zahra brings over 20 years of experience across architecture, engineering, and leadership. She holds a PhD in Building Engineering and two master’s degrees in Architectural Engineering and Project Management. She’s made significant contributions to facility management through simulation and optimization. She is passionate about turning complex work into clear, scalable insights that supports people-centered future.
Niloofar Manafi - Director, Solutions Architect
Niloofar holds a MSc. In Engineering Management from the University of Alberta. She is passionate about understanding the behavior of systems, people, and processes. With her combined engineering and management knowledge, Niloofar hopes to tackle real challenges in a Synthetic environment by bringing strategic planning and decision-making approach using data, research, and technology. She enjoys traveling and trying new restaurants.
Sandeep Kaur - Director, Synthetic Populations & Modeling
Dr. Sandeep Kaur shapes and leads advanced data science and modeling initiatives at RWI, drawing on a background in computational physics and deep expertise in synthetic populations and decision support for complex urban and policy challenges. She is a thoughtful leader and mentor who enjoys translating complex data into clear, actionable insights with real-world impact.
Armaghan Taghvaei - Director, Design & Visual Brand
Armaghan is a multidisciplinary creative with a passion for turning ideas into thoughtful, real-world experiences. With a background in product design, creative direction, and startup building, she loves bringing ideas to life in ways that feel smart and human. Outside of work, she’s usually out on a nature adventure, whether it’s trying to decode the inner world of seagulls, camping under the stars, or climbing trees (the not-too-tall ones, of course)!
Amanda McCutcheon - Marketing & Communications Specialist
Amanda has over a decade of experience as a professional communicator, whether that’s writing, editing, speaking, or building community face-to-face. She holds degrees in Journalism and History from UBC and U of L. Pastimes include tabletop gaming, horror fiction, and making balloon animals.
Megan Salé - Executive Assistant
Megan has an educational background in graphic communications and brings a diverse skill set from experience in customer service, administration, and accounting. Recognized for strong organizational abilities, dedication, and continuous drive to enhance her professional capabilities, she actively seeks opportunities for growth and development.
Rory Bittner - Technical Associate, Project Coordination
Rory is an Alternative Energy Technologist and a graduate of NAIT’s JR Shaw School of Business in Marketing. He’s passionate about the emergence & future of renewable energy and enjoys marketing communications. In his spare time, he is an avid D&D player, jetski rider, mechanical tinkerer, and cat cuddler.
Sama Ahmed (EIT) - Technical Principal, Product Management
Sama’s experience ranges from teaching, marketing, and AI product launches. She has an MEng. Degree from the University of Alberta, and is now the Principal of Product Management at RWI. Her collaborations of note include NASA, NATO, TVA and EPRI. She enjoys photography and music composition in her free time.
Richard Vegher - Technical Principal, Software Development
Richard holds a B.A. in Computer Science from York University. He is experienced in programming and Linux system administration. He is passionate about synthetic concepts and software development. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family and studying philosophy.
Jessica Bator - Technical Specialist, Game Engine Development
Jessica holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia. Jessica has a deep curiosity about how complex programs work and enjoys debugging intricate issues to identify root causes. Always eager to learn, she thrives on exploring new technologies, libraries, and systems to expand her expertise.
Jovana Plavsic - Technical Lead, Creative Technologist
Jovana is a creative technologist with an interdisciplinary background in digital technologies and computer graphics, working at the intersection of art, engineering, and science. She holds a Ph.D. from UBC and has experience crafting real-time 3D visualizations for diverse industries. She is passionate about technology for good, diversity, and the visual arts.
Shaylynn Wong - Design Associate, 2D & Graphic Design
Shaylynn holds a DMIT - Visual Communications diploma from NAIT. With a background in illustration, she enjoys weaving detailed, powerful imagery and painting with clean type to create elegant design solutions. When not designing, she loves writing, video games, birdwatching, and all kinds of hands-on crafting!
Thomas Service - Technical Lead, GIS
Thomas holds a BSc in Geography with French from Queen’s University Belfast and has a background in GIS modelling and research within the environmental sector. He is passionate about leveraging geospatial technology to support resilience and sustainability initiatives. GIS allows him to combine his interests in geography, technology, and visualization, and he is committed to continuously learning new tools and techniques to optimize workflows. Outside of work, he enjoys exploring the outdoors, playing board games, and studying languages.
Amir Sharif - Technical Lead, Data, Research, Modelling
With a Ph.D. in Building Engineering from Concordia University and a postdoctoral research background with the University of Arizona and the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Amir brings deep expertise in sustainable design, digital twins, and AI-driven urban modelling. He is passionate about using synthetic intelligence to support more resilient, equitable, and data-informed decision-making for cities and communities.
Ryan Willis - Technical Specialist, Research, Modelling & Visualization
Ryan holds a Bachelor of Business Economics from Brock University and an MSc in Management Analytics from Wilfrid Laurier University. He is passionate about organizing complex data into dynamic visualizations and models to identify emerging trends and insights. Ryan is also an avid motor racing enthusiast.
Keaton Botha - Technical Specialist, Research, Modelling & Visualization
Keaton holds a B.Sc. from the University of Alberta with a double major in Mathematics and Physics. He's deeply interested in understanding complex systems, their theoretical underpinnings, and applying that insight to detailed modelling and simulation work. In his spare time, Keaton enjoys reading, watching films, playing chess, and rock climbing.
Mozhgan Sabz - Technical Specialist, Research & Modelling
Mozhgan Sabz is a Technical Specialist in research and modeling with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in synthetic population simulation, computational health modeling, and data-driven analysis for complex systems. Her work bridges engineering, healthcare, and policy-relevant decision-making.
Tajinder Singh - Technical Specialist, Data, Research, & Modelling
Tajinder holds a B.Tech in Computer Science and an MBA in Production & Technology Management. With over a decade of experience, he specializes in data analysis, using Python and SQL to uncover patterns, forecast trends, and build models that support business strategy. He focuses on turning raw data into actionable insights that drive impact.
Souren Iwazian - Technical Associate, Data, Research, & Modelling
Souren holds a BSc in Physics and an MSc in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Calgary, with research on optimal renewable energy development in Alberta. He is passionate about using mathematical models and technology to inform decision-making while protecting natural systems and supporting environmental conservation.