Born and raised in New Brunswick, Melanie is proud to call it home and even prouder to lead the Excellence NB team as Executive Director. She brings ten years of marketing and leadership experience across hospitality, retail, and food and beverage — spanning corporate, agency, freelance, and small business work — and has built her career around strong positioning, community partnerships, and storytelling that doesn't just sound good, it drives action.

Known for making things happen, Melanie thrives in fast-paced environments where execution is everything. A consistent thread throughout her career has been championing New Brunswick-made and pushing "buy local" beyond a trend and into something people choose with pride. That passion for strengthening the local economy is what led her to this role, where she now applies those learnings to help businesses across the province succeed.

Outside of work, Melanie can be found behind a camera, out on a run or a trail, or planning her next trip. She's a lifelong learner who believes the best education comes from both a great book and seeing the world firsthand — often found at a local coffee shop, strolling the farmers market, or soaking up time at the beach.

Originally from Calgary, Rowan has happily called Saint John home for the past four years. With a background in performing arts and law, she brings a unique perspective to her role as Program Manager at Excellence NB. Her past work has included developing legal education resources, coordinating research projects, and supporting community-led environmental advocacy.

She now uses those skills to develop programs that support and showcase New Brunswick businesses, artists, and communities, always looking for new ways to bring the province's talent and innovation to a wider audience.

When she's not at work, Rowan can be found supporting Saint John's local arts and culture scene, either in the audience or on stage.

A New Brunswick native, Brigitte brings 25 years of experience in visual communications, exhibit planning, and digital marketing to her role as Senior Graphic Designer at Excellence NB. Her background spans managing e-commerce websites, leading graphic production, and developing complex interpretive designs, giving her a perspective that's as technical as it is artistic.

She now channels that experience into creating impactful, visually inspiring concepts that showcase and elevate New Brunswick's brand.

Outside of work, Brigitte can be found hiking, mountain biking, reading, painting, or walking on the beach.

Mariana is originally from Brazil and now calls New Brunswick home. With a background in civil engineering and graphic design, she found her place at Excellence NB working with websites, digital tools, and the behind-the-scenes details that help the organization’s projects come to life.

What she loves most about her work is being able to support local businesses and help more people discover everything New Brunswick has to offer. She feels lucky to be part of a team that celebrates the province’s people, communities, and local talent.

Outside of work, Mariana loves hiking, travelling around the province, trying local food, and chatting with the people she meets along the way. Some of her favourite New Brunswick experiences include spending the day at Fundy National Park, enjoying a meal at Calactus, and stopping by Tony’s Boulangerie or Kelly’s Bake Shop for something sweet.

Jon Manship & his wife Leslie founded Excellence NB in 2018, and his role as Chair grows directly out of that founding vision — a New Brunswick where local businesses, artists, and communities have the support they need to thrive. Jon is also Chairman of Technology Venture Corporation and founder of Spielo Gaming International, an innovative leader from New Brunswick who has long been passionate about advancing his community's economic and cultural prosperity.

That same entrepreneurial drive has led him to found other ventures over the years, including the Moncton Magic basketball team and, most recently, Raffle Systems Inc., where he serves as Founder and CEO. Across all of it, Jon's focus has stayed consistent: building organizations that give back to New Brunswick, which is exactly the commitment he continues to bring to guiding Excellence NB's strategic direction.

Jon supports many other initiatives across the province, with particular attention to arts and culture, well-being, education, and technological advancement.

Susan is the President and CEO of Technology Venture Corporation (TVC), a private venture capital and investment holding company headquartered in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The TVC venture capital fund was started in 2005 and has primarily focused on technology companies across Atlantic Canada. Before joining TVC, Susan served as CFO and Chief Compliance Officer of Spielo Gaming International, and she continues to serve as a board member for other private companies in the region.

That depth of financial and investment expertise is exactly what Susan brings to her role as Treasurer, providing Excellence NB with steady financial oversight as the organization continues to grow.

Mike is Chief Gaming Officer at Raffle Systems Inc., where he helps charitable organizations raise funds through charitable raffles. With over 20 years of leadership experience, his career has spanned operations, gaming, and business ownership — including Vice President of Operations at Moncton Magic, a championship-winning Moncton-based basketball organization, and owner and operator of Western Viking Supply Inc., which specialized in distributing commercial and industrial insulation and PPE products. His background also includes key roles at GTECH Corporation and Spielo Gaming International.

Mike is known for his proven track record in gaming operations and his foundation in game design, and that breadth of operational and business leadership is what he brings to the Excellence NB board, helping guide the organization with the same results-driven approach he's applied throughout his career.