A visioning session to pause, regroup, and explore possible futures
Designing a Path Forward for Coalitions at a Crossroads Some campaigns do everything right: tell a compelling story, shift behaviour, even win awards. And then they plateau. Not because the campaign stopped working, but because the people behind it haven’t had the hard conversation about what comes next. This is the moment many purpose-driven coalitions face. Not a failure of vision, but a gap between what’s been launched and how to sustain it. The longer a group avoids that conversation, the more momentum they risk losing. I recently designed and facilitated a visioning session for a sector partnership doing genuinely meaningful work on a cause with growing public urgency. The campaign had been running for a few years, expanded across communities, and earned industry recognition. But without a long-term funding structure and a shared governance model, the organizations behind it would lose ground. They needed to pause, regroup, and explore
The Reunion Nobody Wanted to Leave
Picture a room full of people who used to matter enormously to each other (former colleagues, classmates, collaborators) now standing in clusters, wine in hand, running out of small talk. Someone checks their phone. Someone else glances at the exit. By 8 p.m., half the room has left. By morning, nobody can remember what they talked about. After decades years working at the intersection of communications, engagement, and experience design, I’ve watched organizations make the same costly mistake: they plan events as if logistics are the experience. They book the venue, set the agenda, choose the menu, then assume the connection will just happen. It won’t. This is not a people problem. It’s a design problem. What’s really at stake For mission-driven organizations (associations, nonprofits, coalitions, advocacy groups), gatherings are key engagement opportunities. They’re where trust is built or lost, where members decide whether to renew, volunteer, donate, or walk away quietly.
Tourism powers BC communities
Why is most of my work focused in Tourism? It’s vital to BC’s economy. Did you know that tourism is a key economic driver in British Columbia? Many don’t know the economic power of this industry. It generated $23.0 Billion in revenue in 2024 and over 16,295 tourism-related businesses support our economy. That $23 billion in revenue is up 4.2% from 2023. Not only is it a huge growth sector, it is outpacing every other primary resource in BC (that’s right — forestry, oil & gas, and mining). Tourism is one of BC’s most dynamic industries and a vital engine for economic growth and opportunity across the province. It’s predominantly run by local small businesses, which are, in turn, one of the province’s largest employers. You know, those businesses we love where the owners know customers by name and raise their families in your community? Other benefits: Tourism also Creates opportunities
Strategic Communications to Deepen Long-term Engagement
Watching the opening ceremonies for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, I was happy to see that a visitor guide I created about the 2010 Winter Games in Whistler is still being actively promoted today, over 14 years later! This is what happens when communications strategy is designed for legacy, not just immediate impact. Most communications efforts are designed to inform, activate, or persuade in the moment. As short-term campaigns, these won’t necessarily advance strategic priorities. But if you’re leading a big shift in your organization, how do you encourage engagement that stands the test of time? The Challenge: Beyond the News Cycle Major events, organizational transformations, and strategic initiatives need foundational communications that: Serves multiple stakeholder groups with competing needs Maintains relevance as priorities shift and leadership changes Transfers ownership from organizers to communities The risk? Investing heavily in campaigns that disappear the moment the press conference
Is your annual conference missing opportunities for genuine connection?
You’re deep into planning your annual event, have chaired a dozen meetings and are crossing fingers your A-list presenters are booked so you can stack the agenda. But how much time is spent designing the experience for attendees? Even successful conferences can unintentionally create barriers between participants. When the organizing committee relies heavily on expert panels and keynote presentations, we risk: Overwhelming attendees with content they can’t absorb or apply Leaving newcomers feeling like outsiders rather than welcomed members of the community Missing opportunities for peer-to-peer connection that can sustain careers and collaborations Underutilizing the unique advantage of gathering in person—something virtual events simply cannot replicate The format may work for logistics and flow, but what if you could make it work better? Do attendees really want to just sit and listen to your speakers? What if your conference could be designed for retention, inclusivity, and the kind of networking that
Facilitating groups to go beyond surface-level consensus
What’s Really Happening When Your Team Gets Stuck You know that feeling when a meeting goes in circles? When the same concerns surface repeatedly, but nothing moves forward? When tension simmers just below the surface, but everyone stays polite? Most facilitators and leaders recognize these moments. What’s harder is knowing what to do about them. With Waterline Co-op, I recently completed training in the Lewis Deep Democracy method, a conflict engagement approach that’s transforming how I support groups through their stickiest challenges. I’m now exploring how to bring these new tools to my facilitation practice. The Iceberg: what you’re not seeing Imagine your group meet on an iceberg. Everything visible: the stated agenda, discussed topics, official positions is above the waterline. But the depth of the team meeting lies below: hidden group dynamics, unspoken emotions, power struggles… the real reasons you’re stuck. When groups can’t make decisions or keep cycling