Consulting Principal

Fred Jacques, Ph.D.

Fred Jacques is a Calgary-based organizational development consultant and leadership educator with over 25 years of experience in both the public and the private sectors. His consulting practice focuses on leadership development, executive coaching and change management with clients across Canada, and was launched following a successful career as an internal consultant and human resources manager for several large organizations. He has designed and delivered leadership development programs that incorporate best practices in seminar-style instruction, experiential exercises, 360-degree feedback and individualized coaching. Fred is a sought-after facilitator and coach known for his attention to client needs and his sense of humour.

Fred has recently designed and delivered programs on emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, effective inter-personal communication, team building, and all facets of leadership development from the individual to the executive level. He has had particular experience in assisting both individuals and organizations through times of major change, and has worked with organizations of all sizes in both the public and the private sector, from the federal government to emergent e-commerce businesses. Fred also has extensive experience as a leadership and executive coach, having worked with hundreds of individuals from all levels of leadership in both industry and government.

Fred has a Ph.D. in Organizational Behaviour from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary and an M.A. in Applied Behavioural Sciences from the Leadership Institute of Seattle at City University. He teaches in Executive Development Programs at the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, Royal Roads University, the Banff Centre for Management and the Banff School of Advanced Management (BSAM). Fred has taught undergraduate courses in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources Management at the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge, and is associate faculty in the M.A. in Leadership Program at Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C. He is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and is accredited in the use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the EQ in Action Profile and numerous other assessment tools.

Consulting Network

Ivan Zendel, Ph. D.

Ivan is the Principal of Paradigm Solutions Consulting, established in 1994. With a passion and a conviction to assist individuals and organizations to become more productive, Ivan set out to create programs and training specifically for this purpose.

His charismatic speaking engagements at workshops, public forums, and conventions have brought him notable attention and acclaim. He is also a recognized expert in stress mastery, interpersonal relationships, and psychological and organizational assessment. Ivan received his Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from McGill University. Through the years he has held such positions as the Coordinator of the Applied Psychology Centre at Concordia University, the Director of Research at the Constance Lethbridge Hospital in Montreal and the Director of Clinical Training at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. He has also held appointments in the Faculties of Medicine and Education at the University of Calgary.

Kay Olsen, M.A.

Kay is the President of Seminar Services, specializing in developing leadership capacity within the companies she works with. She consults with stakeholders about their objectives and custom designs the learning solutions to respond to management and front-line employee needs alike. Kay has been working with the public and private sectors as a consultant in training, planning and operational analysis for more than ten years. She is an experienced Board Developer, working with Boards from all over Alberta and has led organizational and community strategic planning. She is actively involved in the Executive of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce.

Kay’s areas of interest and expertise include Leadership Development, Appreciative Inquiry, Trust in the Workplace, The Power of Positive Attitude and Service Excellence. She has extensive experience in both the classroom and on-line learning environments, and in the use of 360 degree feedback tools. Kay is also accredited in the use of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator MBTI®. Kay holds an M.A. in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University in Victoria.

Nancy Lowery

As founder and president of The Natural Leader, Nancy has helped to create groundbreaking learning experiences in leadership and team development using horses as the teacher. She states that, "Much of what I know about leading teams I learned from my horses," a perspective which Nancy has explored over the past 15 years managing projects for clients such as Mercedes-Benz, Procter & Gamble, Nokia, Disney and Parks Canada.

A skilled rider, facilitator and riding coach Nancy recognizes it's not what we say but how we say it that leaves a lasting impression. Thinking creatively and strategically is something that comes naturally to Nancy employing those skills in the programs she creates and delivers to the corporate sector or to kids in her 4H group. In the past few years she has delivered innovative equine programs focused on leadership and emotional intelligence, team development and personal effectiveness and is an Instructor in Business and Professional Programs in Continuing Education at the University of Calgary.

Jim Force, Ph.D.

As an educator with the unique ability to help others recognize and increase their ability to learn, Jim specializes in leadership development, conceptual and critical thinking, and small group dynamics with his company Force Enterprises . The focus of his work centers on helping learners optimize their personal capacity to deal with an ever evolving and changing world through increased self-awareness, effective communication, and innovative thinking.

Through the integration of diverse learning strategies, experiential activities, traditional teaching methodologies and a diverse theoretical background, Jim has assisted hundreds of individuals in reducing their personal learning barriers and in unleashing their hidden potential as learners and leaders.

Jim is on the Faculty of the MA in Leadership Program at Royal Roads University in Victoria, and is a Faculty Member in Leadership Development at the Banff Centre. Jim holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Calgary and an M.A. in Applied Behavioral Sciences from The Leadership Institute of Seattle at City University.

Karen Dawson. M.A.. CEC

As Principal of Create Now, Karen is an experienced facilitator, certified executive coach and a dynamic presenter. She enhances people's ability to set and achieve goals, lead more effectively and think in ways that create success. Specializing in large group sessions, Karen is an engaging presenter and learning facilitator. With fifteen years of experience as an award-winning educator combined with a graduate degree in leadership development, Karen supports clients to stretch outside their comfort zone for positive growth and high performance. Drawing on professional skills as a certified executive coach, trainer and facilitator, Karen also serves as associate faculty at Royal Roads University in the Organizational Leadership and Learning Division.

Karen holds a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University, with an emphasis on organizational effectiveness and leadership development. Specializing in enhancing the potential of people to create engaging workplaces, Karen is a licensed facilitator of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator MBTI®, The Coaching Clinic©, and is associate faculty within the Organizational Leadership and Learning Division of Royal Roads University and is a Faculty Member in Leadership Development at the Banff Centre.