Meet the Women Powering SmartTO

Published July 9, 2025

SmartTO is led by a cross-disciplinary team of women committed to advancing mobility innovation across Ontario. With expertise spanning business development, research, operations, and communications, they support startups and scaleups shaping the future of smart, connected transportation.

Learn more about the people behind the program, and how they’re driving impact every day.

Paulina Karwowska-Desaulniers, PhD

Executive Director, SmartTO, 91��ɫ

Paulina Karwowska-Desaulniers is a seasoned Higher Education professional and the Executive Director of SmartTO, Ontario’s newest mobility hub.

With a PhD in Biological Chemistry (Wayne State University) and extensive expertise in translating academic research into practical, impactful applications, Paulina has held pivotal roles, including Director of Research and Partnerships at the Lassonde School of Engineering, 91��ɫ.

A passionate advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), she has led transformative initiatives and policies aimed at dismantling systemic barriers and empowering marginalized communities.

In her role at SmartTO, Paulina focuses on forging strategic partnerships across sectors within the mobility ecosystem, reducing barriers to innovation for Ontario’s startups. Known for her collaborative spirit and positive outlook, she is dedicated to building innovative, inclusive solutions that shape a more equitable future.

Nikki Mobini, B.Sc., M.Sc., EMBA

Business Development Manager, SmartTO, 91��ɫ

Nikki Mobini is a transformation-driven leader with a career built on turning vision into execution across healthcare, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Whether modernizing SickKids’ Orthotics Department through Lean Six Sigma, founding and scaling two companies from the ground up, or designing the business development engine behind SmartTO’s startup and partnership network, Nikki has consistently led organizations through pivotal change and growth.

What sets her apart is her ability to combine creative strategy with operational precision. She takes on complex initiatives and delivers tangible results, from increased revenue and improved reporting standards to stronger stakeholder alignment. She brings energy, empathy, and discipline to every project, always anchored in purpose-driven leadership.

Nikki holds an Executive MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University, a Master of Science from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Kinesiology from 91��ɫ. She is now focused on opportunities that deliver meaningful social impact where business and innovation intersect with purpose.

Cristina Cismaru

Operational & Finance Manager, SmartTO, 91��ɫ

Cristina Cismaru is a results-driven operations and finance professional with over 15 years of progressive experience in financial management, budgeting, variance analysis, and grant administration, primarily within post-secondary and research institutions.

She currently serves as Operational and Finance Manager for SmartTO at 91��ɫ, where she oversees the daily operations of an innovation hub supporting the automotive and mobility sector. In this leadership role, she collaborates with academic and administrative stakeholders to streamline operations, manage complex budgets, lead multidisciplinary teams, and align activities with the University’s strategic direction.

Cristina has extensive experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring compliance with GAAP, institutional policies, and external funding requirements. Prior to her current role, she worked as a Research Accounting Administrator at 91��ɫ, providing financial oversight for major research projects funded by organizations such as CFI, FEDEV, and ORF-RE. Earlier in her career, Cristina held senior financial positions in the banking sector, where she led budget planning, cost analysis, and financial optimization initiatives.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in finance from The Bucharest University of Economic Studies and is currently pursuing her CPA designation through CPA Ontario. Known for her collaborative leadership style, strong communication skills, and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, Cristina excels at building strong relationships and fostering high-performing, inclusive teams.

Cristina brings a unique combination of public-sector financial acumen, private-sector discipline, and operational insight to support innovation and institutional excellence

Diana Senwasane

Communications & Knowledge Translation Officer, SmartTO, 91��ɫ

Diana Senwasane is a seasoned communications strategist with 17 years of experience leading content, campaigns, and engagement across higher education, government-funded innovation, and the nonprofit sector.

She specializes in transforming complex ideas into clear, inclusive storytelling that builds trust and drives action.

At 91��ɫ, Diana led strategic communications for SmartTO and YSpace, where she developed brand platforms, increased LinkedIn engagement by over 1700% in one year, and nearly doubled email subscribers through segmentation and content strategy. She has managed messaging for major public initiatives, produced 200+ educational and community events, and authored dozens of features focused on student success, research excellence, and institutional impact.

Diana holds a double major in Communications and Psychology from 91��ɫ and a diploma in Creative Advertising from Seneca College. She brings a strong eye for design and user experience to every project, including building websites, developing visual content, and ensuring brand consistency across platforms. Her interdisciplinary background blends strategy, storytelling, and creativity to craft communications that connect.

She is especially passionate about education, social impact, and mission-driven innovation, and is known for her collaborative mindset, clarity, and audience-first approach.

Wenzi Ckurshumova, PhD

Associate Director, Sustainable Transportation and Transit Research, Centennial College

Wenzi is the Associate Director of Sustainable Transportation and Transit Research in the Applied Research division of Centennial College.

Wenzi develops research partnerships with companies and other post-secondary institutions in renewable energy and transportation. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto, where she still lectures sessionally. Prior to joining Centennial, she was the Senior Advisor of Research and Development for Suncor Energy. Wenzi has published over 20 research papers, holds 4 patents and has mentored numerous young scientists.

Ruo Xi (Vicky) Huang

Communications & Marketing Strategist, Centennial Innovates, Centennial College

Ruo Xi (Vicky) Huang (she/her) is a Communications and Marketing Strategist at Centennial College, with a special focus on the college’s applied research, innovation and entrepreneurship activities.

With a B.Sc and Certificate in Knowledge Mobilization from the University of Guelph alongside a Master in the Management of Sustainable Development Goals (MSDG) from LUMSA University, Vicky champions knowledge mobilization that is engaging, accessible, creative, inclusive, consistent, and authentic.

Her passion for sustainable innovation has also empowered social and environmental change within a wide range of sectors, including various educational spaces and academic institutions, non-profit organizations, social enterprises, businesses, community groups and student organizations.

In her spare time, Vicky volunteers as the Executive Director of Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF) Canada, the nation's only non-profit sustainable foodservice certification program. She is the designer of the Values-based Education for Sustainable Development (VbESD) framework, and endeavours to spread it throughout Canada and the world.