WHO I AM
I founded Bellwether Strategies with one goal in mind: to help professionals build their practices in a smarter, more effective way.
I’ve worked with professional services organizations for more than 20 years. My clients include private firms, individual professionals, public institutions and non-profits across North America. While most of my clients are lawyers and law firms, I also work with accounting firms, healthcare providers, universities and executive committees.
I grew up in Saskatchewan, and went to university in Saskatoon where I earned a B.A. in anthropology (which is surprisingly useful when observing organizational culture). After moving to British Columbia, I earned an honours diploma in public relations at the B.C. Institute of Technology.
Along the way, I’ve completed major certifications in my field, including becoming and working as the first certified legal project management coach in Canada, earning two certificates from the Reputation Institute in New York and completing PROSCI organizational change management training. I combine wide lateral knowledge of how professionals can – and could – work to improve their practices with deep experience in regulated sectors.
How I Work
Clients hire me for specific projects. My role is to help you reach the point where your organizational change, reputation building and related strategies become sustainable, using the resources and training we develop together.
I am practical. I will start small, learn your goals and determine what ‘fits’. I will not advise you to invest in anything that isn’t systematic, actionable or suitable to your purposes. If you want glamour and glossy ads, you’re on the wrong website. If you want relevant solutions that bring value to your stakeholders, stay here.
I understand that my clients need evidence. Much of my work is research-based. I often conduct primary and secondary research for client projects. It’s important that you make strategic decisions and investments based on information that is grounded in reality (i.e. facts).
I work with clients who are genuinely interested in improving their practices. I am forthright about this. You don’t need to change who you are. But you might need to adjust the way things have always been done. The good news is that I’ll try to make it as easy for you and your organization as possible.
Recent Professional Activities
- Guest Lecturer, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Introduction to Professional Communications, 2018
- PROSCI Certified Change Management Practitioner, 2018
- Member, Association of Change Management Professionals, since 2017
- Contributing Author, Legal Project Management Quick Reference Guide, 4th Edition, 2016
- Chair, Independent Communicators Special Interest Group, International Association of Business Communicators BC Branch , 2015-2017
- Blogger for Canada’s online legal magazine, Slaw.ca, since 2014
- Speaker, Canadian Bar Association Alberta – Southern Section, Young Lawyers Subsection – “Nine Secrets to Building a Reputation Early in Your Legal Career“, 2014
