Our Team
Alison Lawton, Mindset’s Founder and CEO, leads all our projects and is actively involved in their management. She is supported by the Mindset Team and a range of experienced consultants – who all understand the Mindset way of working and are chosen specifically to help develop a particular project.
Alison Lawton - Founder and Executive Director
As a social venture philanthropist, Alison founded Mindset Social Innovation Foundation in 2006 and has focused her work around global health challenges and scaling social enterprises. She has been involved with a wide range of organizations including Virgin Unite, The Clinton Foundation, Dispensary of Hope, and UNICEF Canada. Alison is the producer of the award-winning documentary Uganda Rising, and co-founded the International Reporting Program at the University of British Columbia, giving journalism graduate students the opportunity to report on under-covered global issues. She is also a part of an international group of philanthropists committed to funding Rainbow Railroad and LGBTQ+ issues of safety, gay marriage and human rights around the globe.
Alison was an early investor in the Acumen Fund, one of the first impact investment funds in the US, and she partnered with Virgin Unite to launch the MaRS Catalyst Fund, managed by the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing (MCII). She is also on the board, as well as an investor, of the Community Hypertension Prevention Initiative, Canada's first health-related Social Impact Bond (SIB) created by Heart & Stroke, in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada and MCII.
Alison is also the founder and president of Mindset Venture Group Ltd, a private investment firm based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. They invest in early stage companies with rapid growth potential in the technology and consumer business industries. She is passionate about working with entrepreneurs who are collaborative, creative, and committed to bringing their ideas to fruition.
Laura Schoenmakers, CFA - Financial Consultant
Laura joined Mindset Venture Group Ltd in 2013. She manages Mindset’s private equity investment portfolio and leads the due diligence process, as well as the quantitative investment analysis on new investment opportunities. She specializes in building financial models and has worked on a broad range of projects, including many SaaS and consumer businesses analyses, distribution waterfall structures, real estate investment proforma, and has created several financial models to support the development of self-sustaining not for profit organizations.
Laura became a CFA Charterholder in 2018 and holds a Bachelor of Business Economics from Maastricht University in The Netherlands. In her spare time she loves to go camping and snowboarding, cook up a meal for family and friends, and the highlight of all her travels is the local food!
Kylen Fox - Executive Assistant
Kylen is an experienced Executive Assistant known for her administrative acumen, systems-thinking approach, and impeccable organization. She plays a key role in developing and optimizing systems at a high level while ensuring the smooth execution of day-to-day operations. With a people-first approach to communication, she fosters collaboration and develops efficient workflows that support the Mindset team. Her ability maintain structured yet adaptable processes, and balance strategic initiatives with operational efficiency enables leadership to focus on key priorities with confidence.
Four years of experience in real estate combined with a Linguistics major at Simon Fraser University makes her attention to the written word exceptional and thoughtful. In her spare time, she is highly involved with the live music community in Vancouver, playing in multiple bands and holding a board position at the Wise Hall at which she volunteers her leadership and administration skills.
Lauren Casey, LLB - Non-Profit / Impact Investment Consultant
Lauren is an independent investment and governance consultant, with significant experience in the field of impact investing. She currently advises and works with Angel investors, entrepreneurs, and financial institutions, drawing on a diverse background to assist clients with investment decision making and corporate/business growth. Most recently Lauren worked as the first Investment Manager (and founder member of the Transition to Scale team) at Grand Challenges Canada, a $400MM plus Federal government-funded, non-profit organization that funds innovation in global healthcare.
Lauren has an Arts degree from Simon Fraser University, another in Justice Studies from Royal Roads University, and a Law degree (LLB) from the University of London. She has a prior background in law and finance, having worked in the natural resource, corporate governance, bio tech, and venture capital sectors in British Columbia since 2003. In addition to her consulting work, she is a director of a thriving health tech company based in Montreal and also volunteers with the entrepreneurship@UBC program, thereby aiding early start-up entrepreneurs to find their feet.
Georgia Alexander - Project Manager
Georgia, a recent Dartmouth College graduate, holds a Bachelor's Degree in Government with a focus on international relations and gender studies. Having co-founded a non-profit dedicated to enhancing athletes' mental fitness globally, Georgia strives to empower individuals to optimize their athletic performance, enrich their athletic experiences, and improve their overall quality of life. Driven by an unwavering passion for addressing the multi-faceted problems confronting Generation Z, Georgia is committed to making a positive impact on the world. She brings a unique perspective and skill set shaped by her academic background and practical experiences.
In addition to her academic and professional achievements, Georgia is a remarkable two-sport NCAA Division 1 athlete, excelling in both basketball and rowing. This diverse skill set reflects her dedication, discipline, and ability to thrive in challenging and competitive environments.