Exploring a brave new world in communications

John Larsen

- GM & Executive VP, Edelman Canada

John Larsen is Executive Vice-President & National Practice Lead (Crisis & Reputation Risk) for Edelman Canada, and General Manager of the Calgary Office.

Prior to joining Edelman, John was Senior Vice-President for Global Public Affairs, a national strategic communications and government relations firm. He has held numerous senior and executive level communications positions with various levels of government, in the corporate sector, and in international consulting. John was the founder of Corpen Group Inc., Canada’s largest independent critical communications firm. He is also a senior officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, and was the former head of the Public Affairs Branch Primary Reserve.

Specific to leadership coaching, John has worked with executives from hundreds of companies, organizations and government entities. His counsel focuses on the intersection of communication, trust, and executive presence in times of crisis. He has coached CEO’s and C-suites for Fortune 500 companies, government ministers and senior bureaucrats and chairs of various boards. He has provided advance crisis coaching and real-time counsel for high-profile operational incidents, high-impact reputational issues and high-risk projects. John’s sector expertise in executive and board coaching is broad and includes oil & gas, pipelines, electricity, financial services, health care, transportation, airlines, automobile manufacturing, public safety, entertainment, agriculture, infrastructure, post-secondary education, retail, foodservices, and telecommunications, to name a few.

John holds a master’s degree in communications, is a graduate of the Canadian Forces Command & Staff College, and has completed executive education in leadership at Harvard University’s Kennedy School. He is the recipient of the 2012 International Association of Business Communications (IABC) ‘Master Communicator’ Award, the highest professional honour in the public relations industry. In 2014, he was designated as a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D).

John has served on numerous professional, post-secondary education, community, not-for-profit, and corporate boards. He currently sits on the Board of Governors at the Glenbow Museum and on the Advisory Board for Welund Corporation, an international corporate intelligence firm.

Outside the office John enjoys expedition biking, reading & writing, boxing, sailplane gliding, riding his motorcycle and playing guitar.

Marielle Gauthier

- Owner/Principal, Redworks Communications

Marielle Gauthier, is founder and principal of Redworks Communications. She offers executive, team and personal coaching; and delivers group coaching programs in retirement lifestyle planning, and Conversational Intelligence™; life balance; stress management and selfcare; and change and transition.

She is certified in Intensive Coach Training with Results Coaching Systems; is an Accredited Professional Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF); a Certified Conversational Intelligence™ (C-IQ) Coach; and an Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) with the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

Marielle leverages her experience as a communications consultant, adult educator, trainer, facilitator and her constant desire for learning and incorporating best practices and models to help support clients maximize their potential, reach their goals and lead happier, productive extraordinary lives.

Roland Pajares

- Research Assistant, NRG Research Group

Roland is a Public Opinion Researcher with over 10 years of market research experience.

His current research interests are in marketing and public relations. He has worked on a broad range of topics including customer and membership satisfaction research, advertising tracking, usability product development and testing, market profiling, and message testing.

Roland holds a Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Manitoba and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from York University. He is also the Past President of the Manitoba chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

Kim McKechney

- Executive Director, Community Engagement and Communications, Saskatchewan Health Authority

Kim McKechney is the first head of communications for the newly created Saskatchewan Health Authority, a $3.8 billion organization with 40,000 staff serving more than 1.1 million people. He was previously Associate Vice-President (External Relations) at the University of Regina and has served in various ministries in the Government of Saskatchewan, including Health, Social Services and Environment.

Kim holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Saskatchewan and Master’s degree from Simon Fraser University. Kim and his wife live in Saskatoon and are proud parents to two young boys.

Pat Makokis

- Director of Indigenous Programs, University of Alberta

Dr. Patricia Makokis resides on the Saddle Lake Cree Nation with her husband Eugene. She is mother to two adult children, daughter Janice and son James. She is Kokum (Grandmother) to Atayoh. All family members are proud to serve community, always remaining grounded in grass-roots, servant leadership. Pat prides herself in being a servant leader.

Pat currently works at the University of Alberta (Faculty of Extension) as Director of Indigenous Programs. She has worked as a classroom teacher, a Vice Principal and Principal. Prior to moving to the U of A, Pat worked at Blue Quills University where she helped build programs at the Bachelor and ‘Master levels. All her work has been about privileging Indigenous knowledge, giving it, its ‘rightful’ place alongside western knowledge. She is committed to building courses and programs that invite settler allies into the work alongside Indigenous scholars and community.

Betty Ann Adam

- Writer and Journalist

Betty Ann Adam is a writer and award winning journalist. She is a member of Fond du Lac Denesuline Nation, an intergenerational survivor of the Indian Residential School system and a child of the Sixties Scoop.

She co-wrote, with director Tasha Hubbard, the National Film Board of Canada documentary, Birth of a Family, which recorded the first gathering of her and her siblings.

Betty Ann’s feature article, Scooped: How I lost my mother, found my family and recovered my identity, won the 2017 Canadian Association of Journalists award for outstanding journalism in long text form.

Betty Ann was a staff reporter with the Saskatoon StarPhoenix for 29 years, having recently left to explore new writing opportunities.

Ken Smith

- Manager Corporate Affairs, BHP

Ken is the Manager Corporate Affairs for BHP in Canada.

Ken joined BHP in 2011 as the Senior Advisor for Aboriginal Economic Development for the Jansen Potash Project. Previous to his current role, Ken was the Manager Community in Saskatchewan.

Prior to BHP, Ken was with De Beers Canada for almost 7 years in a variety of roles including community relations and materials management in Yellowknife and the Snap Lake Diamond Mine. During this time, Ken managed the construction and operation of seasonal winter ice roads, negotiated Impact Benefits Agreements with various local Indigenous groups and assisted with the early stage permitting for the Gahcho Kué Diamond Project.

Ken is a member of the Tetlit Gwich’in First Nation in Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories. He holds a Bachelor of Management (Accounting/Finance) from the University of Lethbridge. He currently resides in Saskatoon and is married with three children, two grandchildren and enjoys traveling, playing music and golf.

Candace Wasacase-Lafferty

- Director, Indigenous Initiatives, University of Saskatchewan Candace Wasacase-Lafferty, (Cree/Saulteaux), is a citizen of the Kahkewistahaw First Nation, and the Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Saskatchewan. Her role provides oversight and leadership of the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Center. This centre is designed to be a place of ceremony, student success, reconciliation and cross campus and community engagement. Ms. Wasacase-Lafferty also the Chair of the Board of Wanuskewin Heritage Park, which works to advance understanding and appreciation of the Northern Plains Indigenous peoples.

Gilles Dorval

- Aboriginal Relations Director, City of Saskatoon

As the Director of Aboriginal Relations for the City of Saskatoon, Gilles Dorval works extensively with community partners and Industry to ensure that Aboriginal people are represented in our workforce and participate fully in the development of our community. He has a passion and commitment with a keen understanding of the legislation and the importance of cultivating welcoming environments.

Priscilla Wolf

- Media Relations, Saskatoon Tribal Council

Priscilla Wolf is Cree and a member of the Mistawasis Nehiyawak First Nation. She has over 15 years of experience working in the broadcast industry in different capacities. Among her many on-camera roles she has worked as a general assignment TV news reporter and fill-in anchor for the Aboriginal Television People’s Network (APTN). After leaving APTN Priscilla worked for two seasons as a researcher and host for the paranormal reality show, ‘The Other Side’ that currently airs in more than 10 countries worldwide. One of the highlights of her career was being the official on-air national news host when APTN covered the 2011 Winter Olympics. Her years working as a reporter and writing for television have inspired her to write TV and film scripts in her spare time. Currently, she works in Communications at the Saskatoon Tribal Council.