Experience

Indigena Capital

• Canada
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Vice President

  • Aug 2020 - Present

  Capital Partners to Indigenous Nations Indigena and its leadership team have specialized in partnering exclusively with Tribal Nations in the United States and First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada for over three decades. Indigena's principals have partnered in over 70 transactions, sourced or deployed over $2.5 billion of capital alongside Indigenous Nations to empower their rights and resources to create commercial enterprises. Through disciplined capital allocation, the return expectations of investors can be met while creating the foundation for self-sustaining economies for Nations. These projects have generated a measurable, beneficial social and environmental impact alongside the financial returns. Show less



Aruna Resort and Villas

• Belize
• Hospitality
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Co-Founder & Partner

  • Mar 2020 - Present

  Aruna has drawn its inspiration from Belize; the beautiful jungle, tropical habitat, rich cultural heritage, and crystal clear waters that surround our resort on Ambergris Caye. From its pristine environment, Aruna has taken a holistic approach in creating a natural experience that organically blends the surrounding environment with hospitality, bringing it into every component from designing the resort to developing the spa products and therapies. Aruna has drawn its inspiration from Belize; the beautiful jungle, tropical habitat, rich cultural heritage, and crystal clear waters that surround our resort on Ambergris Caye. From its pristine environment, Aruna has taken a holistic approach in creating a natural experience that organically blends the surrounding environment with hospitality, bringing it into every component from designing the resort to developing the spa products and therapies.



Malachy Investments

• Partner

  • Mar 2020 - Present

  International real estate development International real estate development



Advocacy

• Calgary, Alberta, Canada

• General / Strategic Director

  • Dec 2017 - Jul 2020



Cosmos Strategies

• Business Consulting and Services

• Principal

  • Mar 2013 - Dec 2017

  Develop and implement strategic communication and stakeholder engagement plans to inform the public or government bodies of initiatives being undertaken or to achieve policy, regulatory, and legislative changes for companies, not-for-profits, and associations. Successfully engage and build relationships with politicians, senior political staff, and administrative staff to inform them of or advance legislative and policy priorities. Analyze policy initiatives, statements, and positions to shape appropriate client responses, including preparing submissions, statements, letters, briefing notes, and communication materials to help accurately portray objectives. Manage media relations for clients to build trust in their brand, communicate their cause, while mitigating risk; including preparing and training C-suite executives to ensure messaging, context, and tone are relevant for targeted audiences. Successfully exceed communication targets, including nationally branding clients as thought leaders and industry experts through traditional media and social media channels (nationally and regionally). Build coalitions and collaborative partnerships among different stakeholder groups, across departmental lines, and among teams, while showing an ability to interact effectively with senior management. Prepare communication materials (business collateral, press releases, key messages, presentations, speeches, and background materials) that achieve the long-term communication priorities. Manage the day-to-day operations of the business, including budgeting, business development, and client management. Show less



Official Opposition

• Alberta

• Senior Advisor to the Leader

  • Apr 2016 - Aug 2017



Political Board of Directors

• Elected Director

  • Feb 2010 - Jan 2015



Elected Representative

• Toronto, Canada Area

• Chief of Staff

  • Jan 2012 - Mar 2013

  Led a ten-person team, oversaw the office operations, implemented managerial processes, prioritized competing issues and opportunities, and provided strategic support to the elected representative on communication and policy decisions to achieve positive stakeholder reaction and media coverage. Managed stakeholder relations by working with and developing relationships with companies, not-for-profits, and associations who operated in the education, finance, lottery & gaming, energy, and infrastructure industries. These relationships proved beneficial when rolling out policy initiatives and communication plans. Met with, received feedback from, and briefed business leaders and other stakeholders. Developed and analyzed policy positions, created legislation, prepared appropriate rollout and legislative strategies to implement policy initiatives. Developed long-term and short-term legislative and communication plans, traditional and social media materials, and engaged stakeholders or media to build support and advance the external reputation. This included taking sophisticated budgetary information or other technical data, breaking it down, and crafting clear messages that would appeal to broad audiences. Monitored and managed issue and crisis situations to execute proactive and reactive plans for issue management. Show less



Political Party

• Political Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Regional Public Affairs Manager

  • May 2010 - Dec 2011

  Built winning coalitions and teams by managing multiple budgets and bringing together ideologically different stakeholders, including executives, business leaders, volunteers, and various politicians. Managed, developed, and oversaw the implementation of various long-term communication and policy rollout strategies that were targeted at and publicly appealed to supportive stakeholders, specific audiences, and media. Trained and coached spokespeople, collaborated across multiple departments, and managed multiple issues as they developed. Organized and ran regional events & meetings, while dealing with conflicting priorities and multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment, whilst ensuring no negative news coverage occurred. Researched, trained, and developed relationships with individuals who would become elected officials. Show less



Government of Canada

• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Communications and Policy Advisor

  • Nov 2008 - May 2010

  Developed and implemented long-term policy and communications plans that positioned and informed targeted audiences of initiatives that were being executed. Provided strategic policy and communication advice that influenced public opinion and delivered on the government’s agenda. Interacted with stakeholders to seek support for or provide information on policy positions, including working across a multitude of sectors, including: healthcare, natural resources, northern development, foreign affairs, environment, aboriginal affairs, finance, infrastructure, northern shipping, fishery and oceans, economic development, and public safety. Created policy-briefing notes, position papers, and communication materials, including press releases, websites, and backgrounders that drove key messages and enhanced the external reputation. Oversaw the office budget, worked across departmental lines, and developed relationships with politicians, companies, not-for-profits, and associations to ensure the proper alignment on priorities. Show less



National Political Convention

• Policy and Constitution Committee Chair

  • Jan 2008 - Nov 2008

  Managed the policy and constitution elements in the lead up to and during the successful national convention. Managed the policy and constitution elements in the lead up to and during the successful national convention.



National Political Party

• Ottawa, Canada Area

• National Coordinator & Regional Advisor

  • Dec 2005 - Nov 2008

  Liaised with 50 districts, built teams, and worked across departmental lines to implement communication and policy strategies that led to the successful election of various policy makers, while managing emerging issues, and priorities to ensure reputational risk was negated. Managed complex situations, including a 16,500-person event. Developed, wrote, and established multifaceted national policies and internal by-laws that were understood and appealed to broad audiences. Liaised with 50 districts, built teams, and worked across departmental lines to implement communication and policy strategies that led to the successful election of various policy makers, while managing emerging issues, and priorities to ensure reputational risk was negated. Managed complex situations, including a 16,500-person event. Developed, wrote, and established multifaceted national policies and internal by-laws that were understood and appealed to broad audiences.



The Forzani Group

• Senior B2C Sales Representative

  • May 2003 - Apr 2006

  Won two national sales competitions; Consistently ranked in the top 10% nationwide for overall dollars and cents sales and consumer satisfaction; Supervised and coached staff. Won two national sales competitions; Consistently ranked in the top 10% nationwide for overall dollars and cents sales and consumer satisfaction; Supervised and coached staff.