WHO WE ARE
COLLABORATIVE
EFFORTS
We work with a combination of our in-house experts and trusted associates to create a team of talented professionals that can meet each client's specific needs. This approach ensures that each client receives the best possible value for their project. Below, you can meet some of our professional associates.
By working with a combination of in-house experts and trusted associates, we are able to tailor our team of talented experts to meet the specific needs of each client and project. This approach provides the best possible value for each client.
Meet some of our professional associates below.
STRATEGIC STEPS IS BUILT ON A NETWORK OF HIGHLY EXPERIENCED INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
IAN MCCORMACK
PRESIDENT
Ian has had a broad range of experience including work in government, for-profit and non-profit spheres. He is a nationally recognized Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and accomplished author.
Ian has extensive municipal government experience, both academically and practically. Having also worked for the department of Municipal Affairs in Alberta, Ian is aware of the relationship that municipalities have with the provincial government. Further, he is certified in change management using the ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement) model of change management.
Ian is an expert on Strategic Planning and Sustainability Planning. He has further guided local government organizations in translating Strategic Plans into effective Corporate Plans that account for budgeting with respect to meeting the needs of ongoing municipal operations while adhering to goals that have been prioritized through an approved Strategic Plan. Ian is one of Canada’s few experts on Priority-Based Budgeting, leveraging the tool to assist in achieving sound Financial Planning.
Ian's areas of focus include: Good Governance, Strategic Planning, Corporate Planning, Organizational Reviews, Governance Reviews, Policy and Bylaw Reviews, Professional Development/ Public Speaking
Visit IanMccormack.ca to book Ian for your next event or workshop or order a one of his books.
LOGAN MULLER
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Logan is an operations leader, project manager, and business systems specialist focused on the internal systems and processes that let professional services organizations deliver consistently. He has worked across private sector operations and municipal consulting, and supports the delivery of client engagements nationally, from initial scoping through to execution and close-out.
In addition, Logan's work spans IT and systems administration, business process design, and data analytics, bringing an operational and technology lens to Strategic Steps, in addition to procurement and proposal development experience.
Logan is a designated Project Management Professional (PMP), having overseen process execution ranging from short-term internal improvement initiatives to long-term operational and systems builds, and various projects in between. He has been extensively involved in data analysis, performance measurement, and reporting, leveraging his systems and data experience to ensure that planning, tracking, and data collection are done in a manner that best serves each unique project undertaken, and that results can be reported clearly to clients and leadership.
Logan's areas of focus include: Operations, Project Management, Information Technology, Data Analytics and Performance Reporting, Business Systems and Process Improvement, Procurement and Proposal Development
LAUREN DRIVER
LEAD CONSULTANT
Lauren is a governance and strategic planning consultant who helps municipalities, boards, and organizations strengthen leadership, decision-making, and organizational effectiveness. She works across Canada on strategic planning, governance reviews, organizational development, and facilitation.
She has extensive experience supporting municipal councils, boards, senior leadership teams, and elected officials in navigating complex issues and turning strategy into action. Lauren holds a Diploma in Journalism and a Bachelor of Communications, bringing strong facilitation, writing, and engagement skills to her work.
As Lead Consultant at Strategic Steps, she also mentors the team, supports professional development, and contributes to project planning and client relationship management. Her focus areas include governance, strategic planning, municipal consulting, facilitation, organizational development, and policy development.
ISAAC OOMMEN
PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT LEAD
Isaac K. Oommen has worked in communications and proposals across a variety of industries in British Columbia's Lower Mainland, from healthcare to education and non-profit. In these roles, he worked closely with municipal governments, health authorities, and school boards. He is also a former journalist and editor, and has contributed to books on diverse topics like youth work.
ASSOCIATES
JACQUIE HANSEN
Strategic Planning Specialist and former Councillor
Jacquie is a leader in the municipal space and in helping organizations reach their ideal state. She is an expert in Strategic Planning, along with various additional processes aimed at actionable and aspirational goals for Board- and Council-driven organizations. Jacquie has developed a deep knowledge of governance and strategic excellence through experience in local and provincial public service, as well as in working with myriad boards and committees.
Jacquie seeks to be part of a positive working environment that sees Great Governance and Strategic Planning as essential for each organization to achieve.
Jacquie's areas of focus include: Good Governance, Strategic Planning, Board Structures and Dynamics
CRAIG POLLETT
Atlantic Canada Lead
Craig is a highly effective government relations and advocacy strategist known for creating clarity out of chaos. Drawing on a successful career in municipal public policy, Craig provides training, counsel and strategic guidance on governance and public policy.
Craig spearheaded advocacy campaigns that saw unprecedented results during his twenty-five-year tenure at Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL). His work significantly increased municipal funding, autonomy, and capital investment support and provided a more supportive regulatory environment. For example, in 2020, he successfully lobbied to change federal wastewater system effluent regulations to reduce the regulatory burden on local governments. In addition, he successfully championed the provincial government to implement a province-wide ban on single-use plastic bags. Respected as one of Newfoundland and Labrador's leading public policy voices, Craig is a regular on-air media panellist and conference speaker on economic development and governance issues.
TYLER DOWNEY
Atlantic Consultant
Tyler has a wealth of experience in both the political and non-profit sectors, with a solid background in physical sciences, mathematics, education, IT, and programming. His expertise lies in government relations, scientific and political communication, and not-for-profit administration.
CHRISTIAN ZUKOWSKI
Governance Specialist
Christian Zukowski is a governance professional with experience in the post-secondary and non-profit sectors. He has led governance reviews focused on committee structures, membership composition, bylaws, and terms of reference, helping organizations strengthen their governance frameworks and decision-making processes.
Christian is committed to building governance systems that are both effective and people-centred. He strives to ensure governance structures are responsive to strategic priorities while supporting the individuals who participate in and administer them.
Christian's areas of focus include: Good Governance, Governance Reviews, Policy and Bylaws Reviews
GAIL WOODFINE
Atlantic Office Administrator
Meet Gail, a seasoned professional with over twenty-five years of experience in creating organized work environments and supporting team productivity. Her creative flair for graphic design brings our projects to life through eye-catching materials.
Additionally, Gail has a talent for planning unforgettable events, combining her logistical expertise with innovative design skills to create experiences that truly connect with people.
SAMANTHA POWELL
Marketing Strategist
As an entrepreneur and experienced marketer, with a unique sales-based approach, she helps identify target audiences, launch well-focused campaigns, enhance customer experience and support trust-building communication.
Samantha's areas of focus include: Marketing Strategy, Effective Communications and Community Engagement.
MICHAELA PEDERSEN-MACNAB
Michaela is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, in the Department of Political Science. She is currently a SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada doctoral fellow, as well as the first Margaret Meagher Research Fellow at Global Affairs Canada. Michaela also previously held the Graduate Fellowship at the Institute for Municipal Finance for her research on heat wave mitigation in Canadian municipalities.
She has provided in-depth policy research and support to the Environmental Governance Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, the Smart Prosperity Institute, the Government of Canada, the China Institute at the University of Alberta, and with Strategic Steps Inc., among others. Michaela holds an MA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia, and a BA in Environmental Studies from the University of Alberta.
Michaela's areas of focus include: Research and Discovery, Policy and Bylaw Reviews
Research
DEANNA LENNOX
Code of Conduct Specialist
Deanna is Strategic Steps' lead investigator on issues of Code of Conduct reviews and investigations. Deanna is a retired member of the RCMP, and is a National Certified Investigator (NCIT). In addition to investigating general Code of Conduct breaches, Deanna has extensive experience conducting workplace investigations specializing in harassment, bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment.
Having also served as a local elected official in Alberta, along with having held positions on numerous boards and committees, Deanna has unique insight and involvement in local governance, and with municipal Codes of Conduct. Her goal is to assist municipalities and organizations in increasing productivity by creating and maintaining positive and healthy working relationships.
Deanna's areas of focus include: Code of Conduct/Formal Complaint Reviews, Workplace Investigations
TIFFANY CONNAUTON
Change Readiness and Human Performance
Tiffany is the Founder and CEO of BDI–The People Company™, an Canada based organizational performance firm working where a plan meets the people who have to carry it. Her focus is change readiness, the human capacity that determines whether a well built strategy survives contact with the organization. In most cases the plan is not the problem. The work stalls becausethe people expected to deliver it were never built into how it was designed.
DENNIS POMMEN
Alberta Local Government Expert
Dennis Pommen has a long history in local government in Alberta and beyond. Serving in many administrative roles up to CAO, he gained experience working for a cross-section of Alberta municipal councils. Following his career in the industry, Dennis established Pommen and Associates, a local government consulting firm that ran for over 25 years, serving dozens, if not hundreds, of local governments within the realm of governance and operations.
Dennis also branched out into work in human resources, policy, transportation, and other aspects that affect the lives of people who live in the community.
CARISSA HALTON
Planning, Communications and Issues Management
Carissa is a writer, speaker and trained facilitator. With her collaborative, strengths-based approach, she helps clients develop achievable strategic and communications plans. Her experience spans senior leadership positions in non-profit and government sectors.
Her facilitation techniques and strategic advice is sharpened by her work as a journalist, publicist and senior political advisor. She is trained in IAP2. As a writer, her essays have captured magazine awards and been anthologized. Her debut book, Little Yellow House: Finding Community in a Changing Neighbourhood (University of Alberta Press, 2018), was a finalist for the Edmonton Book Prize. She is a member of the Speaker’s Bureau of Canada, and is an experienced presenter at conferences, Professional Development days and in-house trainings. Her boutique consultancy, Halton Strategic, is based in Edmonton, Alberta.
Carissa's area of focus include: Strategic Planning
MARIA DEBRUIJN, MA
Engagement Expert and Professional Development Provider
Maria deBruijn is a much sought-after critical thinker and consummate problem solver, with over 20 years of achieving successful outcomes. Maria has advised and supported many organizations in enhancing their internal and external engagement efforts, developing and facilitating corporate planning initiatives, and providing professional development and training. Maria is an International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) trained public and stakeholder engagement practitioner. She holds a Master’s degree in Communications and Technology from the University of Alberta and previously served as Director of Research on the Canadian International Association for Public Participation Board.
Maria's area of focus includes: Stakeholder Consultation
LAURIE FENSKE, PFP, ECPC, PCC
Empowering Excellence with Individuals and Organizations
Laurie Fenske offers solution-based coaching to clients throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. Laurie focuses her high-energy executive coaching sessions to achieve substantial improvements in the areas of productivity, leadership skills, staff management, and communication. In team coaching sessions, she utilizes behavioural analysis to enable team members to better understand their colleagues, with the goal of working together more harmoniously.
Laurie's areas of focus include: Business Coaching, Team Building
ROXANNE CARR
Organizational Expert
Roxanne is a consensus builder who looks for collaborative solutions in her extensive work with municipal government. Throughout the years, Roxanne has provided leadership in the provincial scape through her role with boards and committees in the Capital Region. She is well-known for her time, having served Strathcona County as mayor, following an additional two terms on Council.
In addition to having held the role of Economic Development Officer for an Alberta municipality over an extended period of time, Roxanne has overseen and has managed annexation negotiations and is a current member of Alberta’s Land and Property Rights Tribunal. She places significant emphasis on increasing organizational efficiencies, strengthening stakeholder relations and service delivery outputs, cultivating business innovation, and empowering organizations while leveraging their unique resources and strengths to increase internal capacity.
Roxanne's areas of focus include: Organizational Reviews, Annexation Negotiations, Amalgamation Studies, Good Governance, Governance Reviews
MARK ANIELSKI, BA, BSCF, MSCFE
Economics of Well-Being
Mark Anielski is an economic strategist specializing in measuring the well-being and happiness of nations, communities and businesses. Mark holds three degrees from the University of Alberta: Economics, Forest Science, and Masters of Science in Forest Economics. For ten years he was a professor of corporate social responsibility and social entrepreneurship at the University of Alberta’s School of Business. He has lectured internationally on the economics of happiness and well-being in Canada, the US, China, Tahiti, The Netherlands and Austria.
Mark's areas of focus include: Economics, Community Well-Being
KEN GLOVER
HumanEdge
Ken has performed Interim CAO responsibilities, and has led HumanEdge’s Municipal Practice since its establishment 10 years ago. He has authored blogs and articles, and is a conference presenter on various municipal sector-related HR, people and workplace topics.
He possesses 20+ years of executive and senior level search experience, mainly for municipalities, non-profits, charities/ foundations, senior care and housing, natural resources, and environment. Ken is currently on the Boards of the YMCA of Northern Alberta, NAIT’s B-TECH Program Advisory Committee, and the Edmonton chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth.
Ken has a degree in Forestry/Environmental Sciences from the University of Alberta, a Certificate in Board Governance, and is certified as a Registered Professional Recruiter. He additionally holds certifications for diversity and inclusion training, Harrison Assessment Accreditation, dispute resolution, time management, and labour relations
SHAWN MCKERRY
Emergency, Fire Services & Municipal Public Safety
Shawn is a senior public-sector executive with over 20 years of leadership in municipal government, emergency services, emergency management, and public safety. He has served as a municipal CAO, General Manager/Director, City Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and post-secondary Dean.
He brings a rare blend of operational emergency-services experience and municipal executive leadership, helping communities strengthen fire and emergency management systems through the lenses of governance, budgets, staffing, risk, and long-term sustainability. Shawn is known for clear, practical advice that supports informed decisions on service delivery while respecting each community’s unique conditions.
TY TOMASTA
Commuinications
Ty is an award-winning communications professional with 8+ years of experience leading strategic communications, public engagement, media relations, and crisis communications in municipal government and media organizations across Alberta.
As Communications Manager for the City of Chestermere, he provided leadership during Ministerial Order MSD:076/23 and earned the CAO Award of Excellence. He was also part of the team that received a Gold AVA Digital Award for the City’s website redevelopment.
Ty is passionate about public service and helping municipalities strengthen communications that support the communities they serve.
ETHAN WANG
Technology Systems Consultant
Ethan Wang is a Senior Software Developer and Lead Engineer with over 10 years of experience designing, optimizing, and modernizing enterprise-scale software systems.
As Lead Engineer at Prevue HR, he has migrated more than 3,000 customers to a modern cloud platform and driven backend improvements that cut API response times by 200%. His expertise spans full-stack development, database architecture, and DevOps automation.
Previously, as Director of Technology at Pacific Link College, he independently built a .NET-based system consolidating Operations, Marketing, and Finance workflows—managing 40,000+ student records and 50,000 daily transactions. He also runs an independent consulting practice helping small and mid-sized organizations modernize legacy systems and adopt practical automation.
Ethan holds a BSc in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University and is fluent in English and Mandarin. He takes a pragmatic, right-sized approach focused on realistic solutions matched to an organization’s scale, budget, and capacity.
A.T.M (ABU) HAFIZULLAH
Hospitality and Tourism
Abu is a senior hospitality and operations leader with over 20 years of experience across hotels, large-scale accommodations, and food service in Canada and internationally.
He has led complex operations from the ground up, including as Hotel Manager of MV Saga X, a 731-room floating workforce vessel, overseeing guest services, food and beverage, housekeeping, and health and safety. His background also includes pre-opening general manager roles and multi-outlet food service leadership.
As Director of Sales and Marketing at the Westin Dhaka and Dhaka Sheraton, he drove revenue strategies and market positioning. He has taught hospitality management for roughly 12 years at British Columbia colleges, including Pacific Link College.
Abu serves as Board Director and Treasurer with the Richmond Centre for Disability and holds an MBA along with CHA, CHGM, CSM, and other professional designations.
KIM HAXTON
Co-founder of Indiaeneyez
Kim Haxton (Potowatomi) is from the Wasauksing First Nation in Ontario. She has worked across Turtle Island and abroad in various capacities but always with a focus on local leadership.
Her deep understanding of the need for genuine restoration has far-reaching implications as leaders seek vision and all people seek direction to address the mounting pressure of a system incongruous with the values of the natural world. Kim has developed and facilitated programs in land-based education, ceremonies and leadership for the past 30 year
CONTACT US
Strategic Steps’ offices are located on the traditional territories of the Indigenous peoples of the Treaty 6 and Treaty 4 regions, and the Metis Settlements and Metis Nation of Alberta. We respect the histories, languages, and cultures of First Nations, Metis, Inuit, and all First Nations Peoples of Canada, whose presence and cultures continue to enrich our community today.
Phone: 780-416-9255
E-mail: info@strategicsteps.ca
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