Kari Lentowicz

Kari Lentowicz is the co-founder of Diamonds in the Rough Emergency Rescue Organization. A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, Kari aims to increase the profile of women in non-traditional roles with a focus on mine rescue and emergency response.

In 2017, Kari formed the organization that gave birth to the 2018 Diamonds in the Rough competition team that competed at the 2018 International Mines Rescue Competition in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Kari participated in the competition as organizer, coach, and competitor.

With over 12 years of experience in mine rescue, in 2013, Kari also became the first certified female Mine Rescue trainer in the province of Saskatchewan. Kari has competed in several provincial competitions often competed as the only woman in the underground competitions – another thing that highlighted the importance of created Diamonds in the Rough that was conceptualized in 2007.

Kari completed her Master of Arts in Disaster and Emergency Management and currently runs her own consulting business KLEMQ Consulting. In her “spare” time, Kari enjoys furthering her education, spending time outdoors, travelling, and running a charity that sponsors post-secondary education for youth. She currently resides in Denare Beach, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Why is this important to Kari?

“Gender bias has always been an interesting area for me. As a woman who has often sought out the non-traditional roles, mine rescue and emergency were and are a great fit. I want to provide women the confidence and opportunity to participate in these non-traditional roles in industry. Showcasing these emergency response capabilities on an international level is critical to highlighting the benefits of diversity world wide.”