Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a very proud ULethbridge alumna. Here at the University when I was a student from 2004-2008, I was so fortunate to have a group of mentors who believed in and guided me, gave me extra support and built my confidence. I found a great sense of belonging in our tight-knit Religious Studies department. I had a lot of opportunities to grow my skills and develop professionally and personally. I have so much fondness and gratitude for the gift of education I received, and the investment that a few key people made into helping me become who I am today. I am a first-generation University graduate, and a testament I think to education being a great social equalizer.
After completing my degree at the University of Lethbridge, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue my master’s degree at Harvard, where my academic interests centered on the role of myth, narrative and ritual in building social change movements and radical transformations of social consciousness throughout history. I have always been fascinated by how movements, uprisings, changes in beliefs, ethics and attitudes shift and how this often happens through the stories we tell.
This interest led me to a career in what I like to think of as “social change marketing” – strategically and purposefully compelling individuals, groups or societies to change their attitudes or to care about a social need, and more specifically how to get them to open their hearts, wallets, networks and more to fuel that change through philanthropy.
After finishing my graduate studies, I spent the last decade and a bit working in the non-profit sector in both Montreal and Calgary in a variety of health charities and community organizations, helping those organizations tell their stories and promote their vision of change for the future. From working in a small radical women’s environmental health organization, to planning and executing large campaigns for United Way, I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of great organizations' advancing change agendas. Increasing philanthropic investments from individuals, corporations and foundations is a key part of how that change is possible.
How long have you been at ULethbridge and what do you here?
In April of this year, my wife Jennifer and three-year-old son Wilder and I relocated to Lethbridge for me to take on an exciting new role as Director of Development, working to connect donors to our University mission and raise donations to fuel our future growth. We are so excited to be here.
What's the best part of your job?
The University has grown and advanced a lot since I was a student 14 years ago with new buildings and faculties, and is advancing important work in the areas of diversity and equity and Indigenization. The work my colleagues do here has such an important impact on our society, our health, our economy and more. I want the world to know how truly special this place is and about all of the transformational work happening here. And we’re impacting students’ lives – just like my own was when I was a student here. I have never felt so personally invested in the mission of an organization as I do now – and that is truly special.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
My family and I love the outdoors – camping, mountain biking, paddling, cross-country skiing and more. This year, I am spending time outdoors in my garden as well, which is a new and burgeoning passion.