Cornelia Kreplin

Originally from Ontario, Dr. Cornelia Kreplin has spent the bulk of her professional life in Alberta, first as a veterinarian, then in a series of increasingly senior roles with the Government of Alberta and at Alberta Innovates, from which she “retired” in January 2021 as Executive Director of the Smart Agriculture and Food (SAF) division. While leading SAF she was asked to spearhead the planning, development, and launch of the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network Ltd. (CAAIN), a not for profit company supported primarily through a $49.5 M award from Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada, eventually assuming the mantle of interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO). CAAIN is focused on delivering solutions to major challenges facing Canada’s agriculture sector through support for research and innovation for companies developing emerging technology such as automation, robotics and tools for data-based decision making.  Smart Farm Networks are being developed to encourage adoption by farming communities. Cornelia relinquished this role in April 2021 to join the CAAIN Board of Directors. A skilled strategic and operational planner, Dr. Kreplin brings decades-worth of provincial, national, and international agricultural experience and connections to her return engagement as CAAIN’s interim CEO while the CAAIN searches for its next executive leader. 

When not contributing to various boards and advisory committees, Cornelia occasionally stops to spend time with her veterinarian husband and their Jack Russell Terrier.