Gerald Duran

Founder | Managing Partner

Meet Gerald Duran, the driving force behind CanaGlobal, the world's inaugural faith-driven venture studio. A prodigious 6x serial entrepreneur, Gerald is nothing short of a luminary in the venture studio domain. Unlike many in the venture sphere, Gerald isn’t one to merely spectate. He embodies the spirit of a true operator, opting to lead from the front rather than observing from the sidelines. While many venture capitalists and advisors remain content in the stands, Gerald is fiercely present on the field, paving the way. 

Nancy Kay Coy

Venture Partner

Nancy Coy is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, bringing leadership, deal-making expertise, and a keen eye for high-potential ventures. With a blend of vision, integrity, and entrepreneurial drive, she plays a critical role in vetting startups for CanaGlobal’s incubator and venture studio, ensuring alignment with the studio’s mission and growth strategy. Nancy’s ability to identify opportunities, assess risk, and navigate complex challenges makes her a key contributor to CanaGlobal’s strategic expansion. In addition to evaluating and supporting founders, she leads fundraising efforts for CanaGlobal’s upcoming digital media news platform.

Leslie Duran

Chair, Leadership Development Advisory Board

Meet our esteemed Chair of our Leadership Development Advisory Board.  With over three decades, Leslie is a seasoned professional who has dedicated her career to helping organizations navigate complex leadership challenges, with a focus on building high-performing teams and developing effective leadership strategies. 

Leslie's extensive experience includes serving as a leadership development leader to some of the world's largest corporations, advising on issues ranging from leadership development to culture transformation.

Christian Sisson

Venture Partner

Christian Sisson is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, a 3x entrepreneur, and a visionary in product innovation, digital strategy, and storytelling. With two decades of experience, he plays a key role in shaping CanaGlobal’s faith-driven media platform, bringing a unique blend of design thinking, technology, and faith-driven insights. His expertise helps deliver bold, impactful content for entrepreneurs, leaders, and culture-shapers worldwide, driving innovation at the intersection of media, technology, and faith.

Julie Standard

Venture Partner

Julie Standard is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and a nationally recognized real estate expert and influencer with decades of experience. Known for her sharp market insights and bold leadership, Julie brings a trusted voice and seasoned perspective to CanaGlobal’s Global News Media Team. As a key contributor to shaping the future of faith-driven news media, she helps deliver bold, unbiased content for entrepreneurs, leaders, and culture-shapers worldwide—infusing every story with clarity, conviction, and purpose.

James Gorrie

Venture Partner

Meet James Gorrie, Editor-in-Chief of CanaGlobal’s upcoming Digital News Platform. With a rich background in finance, economics, political science, entrepreneurship, and entertainment, James offers readers deep insights into current events and global affairs. A published author and former contributor to The Epoch Times, he is a recognized authority on China’s political economy. His analytical expertise is further highlighted by his experience as a public speaker at institutions like Berkeley.

Jason Whaling

Venture Partner

Jason serves as a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and is the Producer of our upcoming digital media news platform within the CanaGlobal family of companies. With more than a decade of experience, Jason is a well-known startup influencer on YouTube and also leads a thriving marketing company as its CEO. At CanaGlobal, his focus is on talent development, curating exceptional content, and assembling a team of top-tier podcasters to drive the platform’s success.

Tyler Dreher

Venture Partner

Introducing Tyler Dreher, Venture Partner and future CTO at CanaGlobal's Digital News Platform.

Tyler is a serial entrepreneur and proven product leader passionate about crafting technology solutions that empower people and businesses. As the founder of  multiple SaaS companies, Tyler has been at the forefront of the AI revolution, building AI-powered products for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises. With his expertise in product development and technical leadership, he excels at transforming unsolved problems and unproven ideas into impactful software products. 

Brian Mangels

Venture Partner

Brian Mangels, a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and faith-driven founder, plays a pivotal role in launching the Small Town Startup Communities initiative. As the CEO of a home restoration company, his expertise in renewal and revival is key to this transformative project. Brian’s experience aligns with CanaGlobal’s mission to rejuvenate small towns across America, fostering a new wave of faith-driven founders focused on purpose and community impact.

Bob Smith

Venture Partner

Bob Smith is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, whose engineering background is fueled by an insatiable curiosity about how things work and how they can be improved. This curiosity led him to a deeper purpose—serving others, working with the poor, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a social entrepreneur, Bob has leveraged business resources to transform communities, cities, and nations. At CanaGlobal, he plays a key role in the Small Town Startup Communities project, where his passion for innovation and service will help revitalize small towns across America.

Eddie Dunn

Venture Partner

Eddie Dunn is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, serving as the bridge to the military-connected community for the Small Town Startup Communities project. A national thought leader and expert on veteran employment, Eddie brings invaluable knowledge to the team. His innovative talent and strategic approach, leveraging the unique skills of the military, are crucial to accelerating the growth of this initiative and driving the revitalization of small towns across America.

Carel van Heerden

Venture Partner

Carel van Heerden, a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, is a visionary in sustainable agriculture. With a blend of engineering expertise and a passion for creating harmonious ecosystems, Carel focuses on developing systems that produce high-quality food, functional crops, and stunning ornamentals. He will lead sustainable food initiatives for the Small Town Startup Communities project, leveraging his skills and innovative thinking to advance sustainable agriculture.

Pastor Mike Thomas

Venture Partner

Pastor Mike Thomas is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, contributing to the Small Town Startup Communities project both in America and overseas. Alongside his impactful ministry work, Pastor Mike brings over three decades of experience in renewable energy, real estate development and investment. His unique blend of spiritual leadership and expertise in sustainable energy positions him as a valuable asset in advancing CanaGlobal’s mission to revitalize communities through innovative and sustainable solutions.