Board of Directors

The Canadian Community for Dialogue and Deliberation is a registered not-for-profit organization. Operating according to principles of inclusiveness, participation, engagement, transparency and democracy, C2D2 is guided by a Board of Directors and is actively recruiting an Executive Director.

Recognizing the early stage of this nascent organization, the proposed governance structure is simple and straightforward, while adhering to all the legal requirements for a Canadian not-for-profit corporation. Rigor and transparency are critical, and are formalized in an Accountability Framework.

The current C2D2 Board members are:

Dr. Joanna Ashworth, Co-Chair

joanna_ashworthsfu [dot] ca

Dr. Joanna Ashworth is the director of Dialogue Programs, Continuing Studies, Simon Fraser University. For more than 20 years she has worked in the interwoven fields of communication and adult education - in educational planning, community development, and management positions with the United Nations in Latin America, then with Vancouver Community College. Seeking new ways to communicate and educate through media has led her to produce documentaries for television, video and audiotape for diverse types of learning needs. Joanna's research interests include innovations in leadership education, dialogue and deliberation as hermeneutics, and uncovering tacit knowledge through reflective practice and narrative. She is the author of numerous publications, including Convening Dialogue: Creating Space for Imaginative Conversations (in preparation).

Chandra Rice, Co-Chair

chandra [dot] ricelhins [dot] on [dot] ca

Chandra is a visual artist, a storyteller, and an educator.  In her role as a Community Engagement Advisor at the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant (HNHB) Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), she gets to bring her passion for these forms of creative expression to engaging the public in dialogue and deliberation about health care.  She believes strongly that it is our differences that lead to a stronger whole - and thus she focuses her engagement work on bringing people that hold different ideas about health care together to share their experiences, their needs, and their vision of the future of health care.

Her educational background includes a Masters degree that explored the role of narrative and storytelling in culture and religion (specifically Medieval Japanese Buddhism) and a Bachelor in Education.  She has worked in the non-profit sector for most of her career, specifically chasing work that involves the use of narrative (both storytelling and conversation) to shape meaningful public policy. 

Cathy Ann Kelly, Secretary

cathyann [dot] kellyyoucan [dot] ca

Cathy Ann Kelly is Manager of Restorative Approaches Programming for YOUCAN. She is a trainer and student of the dialogue and circle processes. Cathy Ann is a graduate of Carleton University and a former graduate student of Saint Paul University's MA in Conflict Studies. She is a conflict resolution practitioner, specializing in the circle and dialogue processes. Cathy Ann has a love of inquiry, questioning and exploring the possibilities for understanding through dialogue. While working in Europe she explored finding ways of working together in a multi-cultural context.  Her work with YOUCAN involves creating safe spaces for difficult conversations in federal institutions, schools and communities. Cathy Ann also owns a conflict resolution business called KRIO Consulting: Kelly Resolutions, from inside out. She is originally from Newfoundland and loves every opportunity to be home and near the ocean. She is a traveller and loves becoming lost in her photography.

Sandra Zagon, Treasurer

szagonascentum [dot] ca

Sandra recently retired from Canada’s federal public service with over 30 years of experience in several public policy areas, including consultation, official languages, and learning. She also retired from the Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN), where she worked on several national citizens’ dialogues between 1999 and 2003. With Miriam Wyman, she Co-Chaired C2D2 2005 and is Co-Founder of the Canadian Community for Dialogue and Deliberation.

Miriam Wyman, Past Co-Chair

miriam [dot] wymanutoronto [dot] ca

Miriam’s work, for close to 30 years, has focused on involving people and communities in decisions that affect their lives and communities. She’s had the good fortune to work at local, national and international levels to promote dialogue and deliberation in practice and in policy. She is an Associate of Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN) and of One World, Inc., on the Executive Committee of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium (www.deliberative-democracy.net), and the Steering Committee of the National Coalition on Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD; www.thataway.org). With Sandra Zagon, she Co-Chaired C2D2 2005 and is Co-Founder of the Canadian Community for Dialogue and Deliberation.

Melissa Abramovitz

melissa [dot] abramovitzutoronto [dot] ca

Melissa graduated in 2002 with her Masters Degree from OISE/University of Toronto where she specialized in diversity education and conflict resolution education. As a certified adult educator, Melissa brings her commitment and passion to the process of building equitable and inclusive work environments. Understanding the complex nature of dealing with sensitive issues in mixed environments, Melissa works with the whole group to develop respectful and safe spaces where meaningful dialogue can take place. Melissa has an exceptional ability to discern and effectively communicate the links between issues of diversity, conflict and its impact in the complex organizational system. Currently, Melissa is an instructor at Ryerson University where she teaches courses on issues of diversity, team building and conflict transformation.

Jacquie Dale

jdaleowi [dot] ca

Jacquie Dale is the President and CEO of One World Inc - a company that specializes in consultation and engagement processes based on the principles of productive dialogue. A Canadian pioneer in the use of Deliberative Dialogue, she has won major awards for her work in public engagement. She loves the challenge of designing and managing complex consultation and dialogue initiatives. A Certified Management Consultant, Jacquie has more than 20 years of experience in public consultation, organizational development, adult education, community development and capacity building, both in Canada and internationally. She is bilingual and holds Masters degrees in Management and Environmental Psychology.

Susanna Haas Lyons

susanna [dot] haas [dot] lyonsgmail [dot] com

Susanna Haas Lyons is a citizen engagement practitioner and communications strategist. She has over six years experience with some of North America's largest and most complex public participation projects. Most recently, Susanna served as Communications Manager and Program Associate at AmericaSpeaks, a leader in methods that bring together citizens and decision-makers to create better policy. Susanna also developed AmericaSpeaks’ online citizen engagement strategy. Earlier, Susanna worked as a Stakeholder Engagement Consultant for business, government and non-profit organizations. Notably, Susanna served as Project Coordinator with the British Columbia Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform. A masters candidate at the University of British Columbia's Institute for Resources, the Environment and Sustainability, Susanna's research focuses on collaborative decision-making on sustainability planning.

Pattie LaCroix

pattietheiipe [dot] com

Pattie is co-founder of the International Institute of Public Engagement working with governments and the public sector globally developing meangingful public engagement strategies.  As well the Institute carries out research in the field of civic engagement and works in collaboration with government and civil society partners to build public engagement capacity. Pattie is also CEO of Catapult Media offering strategic and communications planning services to organizations around the world. A frequent conference speaker, her experience in strategic planning, facilitation, professional coaching and communications planning richly inform her approach to public engagement. Her work is framed by the principles of Appreciative Inquiry and often focuses on the power of storytelling as a springboard for creating context for meaningful engagement. She is currently doing research for her new book entitled “Capturing the Idea of Change: Why Stories Matter".

Bui Petersen

bpetcnad [dot] ca

Bui Petersen has extensive experience working in the non-profit sector. He has managed several small organizations and sat on several boards. While interested in human interaction since childhood, Bui renewed his interest in human co-operation and decision-making through his deep involvement with the housing co-op movement. Originally from the Faroe Islands, Bui has lived in 6 different countries, including both west and east costs of Canada. He moved to St. John’s, Newfoundland in 2008 where he recently founded the Centre for Negotiation and Dialogue.  With a professional background as a performing artist, Bui is very interested in creative approaches for solving the world’s increasingly complex problems. Bui holds a Certificate in Conflict Resolution (Specialization in Mediation/Third-party intervention) from the Justice Institute of BC and is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP).

Arjun Singh

arjunfullworld [dot] com

Arjun Singh has been interested in community, entrepreneurship, and fine dining all of his adult life. He served on the Kamloops City Council from 2005-2008 and is currently the vice-president of Fair Voting BC. Among many projects, Arjun has trained people on how to use the Internet, runs a rental housing company that provides good quality housing to folks, and recently launched a publishing company called Better Citizen Publishing. Arjun has been blogging since 2003, maintains a personal blog and a Kamloops city affairs blog, and has produced numerous podcasts and videocasts for C2D2.