NeoLithica’s management team and its partners have decades of experience in all aspects of resource and business development.

NeoLithica is proud to have brought together people with the core competencies necessary to guide its high value lithium projects into commercial reality in an efficient and fiscally responsible way.

Management Team

Barry Caplan, President, Director

Barry has over 30 years of experience in resource exploration and development after graduating from McGill University with an honours degree in Geology. He served as a geologist in both the mining and petroleum fields, leading multi-disciplinary teams from conceptual development through full deployment.

Barry recently served as CEO of a private Alberta mineral development company, leading a motivated team of professionals to bring the company’s 557 million tonne poly-metallic asset into NI 43-101 resource compliance, and advancing the company’s transformative processes and technologies through extensive laboratory testing and metallurgical process development.

A Founder of NeoLithica, Barry’s early recognition of the potential of Alberta becoming a major producer of lithium and other critical minerals has contributed to positioning, and advancing, NeoLithica as a solid entrant in Canada’s high-growth critical mineral industry.

Mark Preston, Marketing & Stakeholder Relations, Director

Mark is an award-winning marketing executive with over 25-years of expertise in domestic and international sales and marketing, with a particular focus on structuring and delivering cutting-edge, high-yield investment opportunities in the real estate, and commercial and resource sectors.

A Founder of NeoLithica, Mark has led dynamic and results-oriented teams, and is a creative thinker with a keen ability to initiate and sell new ideas to the investment community. Mark is an accomplished public speaker who has considerable knowledge in the Canadian exempt market with broad expertise in the domestic and international real estate markets.

Linda Warner, Controller

Linda is a dedicated professional with over 30 years in accounting and administration. Along with her education in Business Administration and Urban Land, she has a strong background in corporate accounting and financial reporting.

Linda has served in a variety of rolls as controller, financial analyst, accountant and property manager in commercial and residential development, resource development, food services, and property management.

Apart from having a keen ability to manage and oversee budgets, she can deliver results in a timely matter. Linda brings a clear and thoughtful approach to all tasks she takes on, which is reflected in her work product.

Matt Zakus, P.Geo., Sr. Geologist

A graduate of the University of Calgary with a degree in Geology, Matt is a Professional Geologist with a comprehensive knowledge of the geology of the western Canadian sedimentary basin. His experience includes working at Canadian energy companies and contributing to their production growth, recommending oil and gas asset acquisitions, managing drilling programs, and attending to regulatory matters.

Matt brings his keen interest in earth science to NeoLithica and is responsible for managing its geoscience activities including mineral tenure acquisitions, prospect mapping, lithium brine sampling programs, and compliance reporting.

Board of Directors

Chris Wolfenberg, Chairman of the Board

Chris Wolfenberg is a partner in the Corporate group at Dentons, and is a leading business lawyer in Calgary focused on public and private corporate and securities transactions in the technology, mining and energy sectors.

Chris is known for building strong, long-lasting relationships with clients at every level. He also acts as Director and Officer of a number of public, private and not-for-profit entities.

Chris has been recognized as Canadian Lawyer of the Year for Mining Law, and has also been recognized for his Venture Capital and Securities practice. He has received national recognition for his community contributions.

Chris received his Bachelor of Law degree from Queen's University (2001) and a Master of Laws degree from Cornell Law School (2003).

Steve Butler, Director

Steve has a twenty-five year career in capital markets focused predominantly in mining equity research and sales. Mr. Butler held senior positions at four investment banks including BMO Capital Markets, Canaccord Genuity, TD Securities and GMP Securities.

Steve has served as a director of E79 Resources Corp. since December 2020, and currently holds the position of Business Development Advisor at Certarus Ltd.

Steve holds an MBA from Dalhousie University (1991) and HBSc in Geology from Queen’s University (1988).

Mitchell Smith, Director

Mitchell Smith is the Founder, CEO & Director of Global Energy Metals Corp. (TSXV:GEMC | OTC:GBLEF), a publicly listed company providing shareholders investment exposure to the battery metals supply chain through a growing portfolio of jurisdictionally safe exploration critical mineral projects in close proximity to end-use application. He is also the COO & Director for London Stock Exchange listed Panther Metals PLC (LSE:PALM) and is an important stakeholder and board member for several private mining companies including U.S. Battery Metals, Element Minerals Australia, Fulcrum Metals, OnGold Invest Corp., and Power Metal Resources Canada.

Mitchell has over 15 years of executive leadership, entrepreneurship and capital markets experience at all stages of the junior mining lifecycle. Through his network, knowledge and passion for the natural resource space, he is presently leveraging his unique skills to enable and strengthen awareness around the battery and energy metals sector. His experience and strong understanding of the battery supply chain has resulted in successfully identifying and negotiating the acquisition of multi-jurisdictional mining exploration and development projects in North America, Europe, & Australia.

Mitchell was recently appointed as a member of the board of the Battery Metal Asscociation of Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to building a strong and enduring battery metals industry in Canada. Mitchell ranked fourth globally in 2020 as the top ten most influential people and companies in the battery minerals sector on social media.

Also Directors: Barry Caplan, Mark Preston

Advisory Board

Mika Husband

Mika has over twenty years of experience in capital markets with a primary focus on the international oil and gas and mining sectors. Over his career he has held senior positions in investment banking and the energy and mining industries, with a focus on raising capital through the public and private equity markets.

Mika currently runs a consulting agency that advises a number of private funds in their due diligence and investment decisions.

Mika holds a BA in Economics from Carleton University (1997) and is a current CFA charterholder (2005).

Albert Poetker, Production Advisor & Local Stakeholder Liaison

Albert has worked in the oil and gas industry for 35 years, for companies including Canadian Occidental, Anderson Exploration, Devon and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., where he retired from in 2021 as Assistant Foreman in the Eaglesham area.

Albert has managed a large grain and cattle operation in the Peace Country, and continued to operate a cow calf operation and raise Canadian horses during is energy career.

Albert graduated from Fairview college in 1978 with a diploma in agriculture, and lives in Eaglesham, Alberta in the heart of NeoLithica’s Peace River Lithium Project.