Program Manager / Gestionnaire de programmes

• Nov 2021 - Present

At McConnell, I get to work with dedicated colleagues and external partners across the country working to confront our most pressing social, cultural, economic and environmental challenges. This work draws on and hones my ability to think in systems, strategize, and deal with constant emergence and change. The core competency to do this work well is the ability to collaborate with care. Each day, I'm building relationships of learning and trust with people across the country, identifying our different strengths and our shared values, and together, constructing projects that make this world a better, more just, and healthier place. Show less

Program Officer / Chargée de programmes

• Sep 2018 - Nov 2021

My portfolio for three years focused on the postsecondary sector: Working closely with universities and colleges to use their assets in ways that advance community and societal well-being, and reconciliation. I have also had the opportunity to develop a strategy for food system resilience in Canada, taking a strong equity focus.

Education Training Consultant

• Jun 2019 - Nov 2019

Contracted to provide strategic advice on summit design and to create a series of workshops for the 2019 global Youth Ag Summit. This event brings together 100 youth from 45 countries, in order to equip them with the skills, tools, and networks to be leaders in food security and sustainability. As a consultant, I designed the intensive workshops in which delegates developed and accelerated their food-security projects. Additionally, I trained 20 mentors to lead these breakout workshops. In all aspects of the 6-month project, my objective was to immerse delegates in social innovation, systems thinking, and community building. Show less

Experiential Education Manager

• May 2017 - Sep 2018

Sessional Instructor

• Mar 2017 - Sep 2018

In our Ideas Congress (ICON) class, we bring students together in teams to develop projects to improve sustainability and food-security. We intentionally mix disciplines and mix first-years with senior students in a careful way that sets up a truly transformative learning environment. The curriculum that we created is innovative, in its focus on collaboration, community-engagement, knowledge-translation/transfer (KTT), and leadership. Because of this unique design, I develop a close mentor relationship with my students, and enjoy watching and contributing to their development as changemakers. Show less

Feeding Nine Billion, Program Coordinator

• Jan 2015 - Sep 2018

I am designing, coordinating, and executing an array of high-impact events to stimulate solutions to the complex issues of food insecurity. My role is to create opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in entrepreneurship and social innovation, and then provide them support and mentorship to develop their project into meaningful reality. Working with a cross-discipline team at the University of Guelph and collaborating widely with grassroots food organizations and other universities, we want to demonstrate the power in alternative forms of learning, based in social issues and real-life problems. Raising awareness of food insecurity and working with innovative students to develop meaningful solutions is extremely rewarding and energizing. Show less

Research Assistant

• Sep 2014 - Jan 2015

Assistant on large-scale, multi-year, multidisciplinary research project investigating food waste habits at the household level. Duties include surveying residents, data analysis, assisting in an outreach Food Waste Hackathon, compiling databases of food waste research projects globally, blogging about the project, and communicating the project widely.

Teaching Assistant

• Sep 2013 - May 2014

Farmer and Marketer

• Jun 2005 - Aug 2013

ESL Teacher

• 2010 - 2013