What clients are saying…

Assessment

Michelle brings skill, a strategic mindset and leadership to the projects she works on. Improving program evaluation and aligning to country strategy, designing stakeholder engagement, and facilitating for improved collaboration between development agencies are some of the highlights from our work together in Kyrgyzstan. I highly recommend Michelle...

Dr. Dorjee Kinlay

FAO Country Representative, Kyrgyz Republic (2012-2018)

Strategy

Building Networks

Michelle was responsible for building a network of research institutions in South Asia under an ADB supported project, and building their capacity to have influence with their work and ideas in urban sustainability. This included skill development in strategic communications, engagement and relationship building. This happened at the...

Vivian Castro-Wooldridge

Senior Urban Development Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Engagement

Successful Engagement Program

Understanding and learning from our community is key to effective planning for the City. Michelle helped us develop a successful engagement program to inform policy on the legalization of cannabis in our community, sustainability planning and land use change. She was successful in ensuring that a diversity of...

Pam Mierau

Director of Development Services, City of Nelson

Engagement

An Unbelievable Percentage

I worked with Michelle on a community engagement project. She took the lead, built a steering committee of diverse groups, co-ordinated the entire project while handling tricky relationships with skill and professionalism. The final written feedback questionnaire, designed by Michelle and stickhandled through the steering committee received a...

Richard Johnson

President, Arrow Lakes Environment Stewardship Society

Assessment

Co-strategist, Evaluator and Researcher

Michelle has worked with me as a co-strategist, evaluator and researcher on several major projects with international agencies, including an evaluation of a major rural development network (IFAD), a capacity needs assessment for network growth (IFRTD), research into local level knowledge sharing (UNDP) and developing guidelines for Knowledge...

Heather Creech

Former Director of Global Connectivity, International Institute for Sustainable Development

Effective Meetings

Impressive Facilitation Techniques

With her knowledge, enthusiasm, and impressive facilitation techniques, Michelle literally revolutionized our recent scientific conference on glaciology. By setting aside time for discussion and reflection, and avoiding the powerpoint marathons that plague so many other conferences, our symposium was about more than just knowledge dissemination. It was about...

Joseph Shea

Glacier Hydrologist, ICIMOD

Effective Meetings

Collective Wisdom of People

Michelle is an amazing force in harnessing the collective wisdom of people, online and face to face. I have been a participant at events she facilitated, and a customer when she designed and facilitated for me. I especially appreciate her ability to anticipate how individual activities will unfold....

Stephan Gruber

Professor, Carleton University

Training

Relevant and Innovative

I hired Michelle to design and deliver a training on graphic facilitation for First Nations community engagement coordinators who work in rural and remote communities (2018). The training was fantastic focusing on relevant and innovative techniques. She worked well with the culturally diverse group as a highly skilled...

Patricia Howard

Manager Community Engagement, First Nations Health Authority

Strategy

Expert Advice and Support

Michelle has provided expert advice and support to assist the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) to be a leader on challenging and innovative projects/processes for more than a dozen years. In the early 2000’s when climate change was starting to be understood by governments and the scientific community Michelle...

Kindy Gosal

Executive Director, Special Initiatives, Columbia Basin Trust

Training

Magical Experience

It was a magical experience!! Thank you Michelle for your generous spirit in making this a reality for us in the north.

Tess Healy

Adjunct Professor, University of Northern British Columbia

Training

Innovative

The graphic facilitation workshop experience added a new and innovative method to my professional skill set. After the workshop, I was offered a job with a community design organization because my skills of community engagement are linked with visual interaction. I highly recommend the workshop to others!

Susan DeBlieck

Community Design Lab, Iowa State University & Workshop Participant

Effective Meetings, Testimonials

Instrumental Support

On behalf of Engineers Canada we are pulling together a session for the World Engineering Congress in Geneva Switzerland which will be held in 2011 September. The theme for our session is Climate Proofing Civil Infrastructure and builds on the work that has been ongoing within Engineer’s Canada...

Paul Fesko

Former Manager of Strategic Services, City of Calgary and World Engineering Convention 2011 Session Chair

Testimonials

Passion and Enthusiasm

Michelle worked with the District of Elkford through the Columbia Basin Trust on a Climate Change adaptation Project. Michelle was completely committed to the project, and ensured it was on time and produced the intended results. Michelle brings passion and enthusiasm to work. It was a pleasure to...

Corien Speaker

Former Chief Administrative Officer, District of Elkford

Testimonials

Skilled Project Manager

Michelle is a skilled project manager (a major climate change initiative for example); excellent trainer (effective meetings and networking for examples); and has the knowledge and expertise to embed ongoing learning into any group or activity she leads or is part of. She does this creatively, with confidence...

Gary Ockenden

Former Director of Community Engagement, Columbia Basin Trust

Engagement, Testimonials

Highly Motivated Professional Facilitator

I have worked with Michelle Laurie on several projects over the past four years and found her to be a highly motivated professional facilitator with an unusual combination of skills. She is a very creative thinker, has excellent organizational skills and is a very effective communicator. She has...

Hans Schreier

Professor, University of British Columbia

Strategy, Testimonials

Diverse Skills

Michelle worked in the Global Forest Conservation Programme of IUCN for four years (2003-2007). Her diverse skills were proven with the variety of assignments she undertook from designing the first system to encourage the flow of knowledge across IUCN’s forest portfolio, proposal writing, strategic communications, policy assessment and...

Stephen Kelleher

Former Deputy Director – Forest Conservation Programme, IUCN-International Union for the Conservation of Nature

Testimonials, Training

Graphic Facilitation

I wanted to send a quick thank you for hosting such a wonderful workshop. I had a fabulous time and learned a lot, even though I already took the workshop 4 years ago I was thrilled to have the opportunity to take again. The content is rich, the...

Fern Sabo

Community Engagement Consultant

Testimonials, Training

Exceptional Workshop

Thanks so much to both of you! It was an exceptional workshop and we both got a lot out of it on many levels. You packed it full and yet it felt so fun and energizing!

Paula Beltgens

Consultant and Coach

Testimonials, Training

Careful Preparation

The graphic facilitation workshop that Michelle and Nancy provided for Alberta Agriculture staff in fall 2011 was fantastic! They began by setting the stage through careful preparation with the intention of the participants knowing it would be a safe place to learn, stretch their abilities and try new...

Sharon Stollery

Ag Industry Extension Branch, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

Effective Meetings, Testimonials

Outstanding Job

Michelle took on the task of facilitating our first ever online national, multi-stakeholder annual meeting on northern transportation adaptation, which was usually an in-person event. Michelle ensured she understood our needs. She was flexible about our evolving agenda and developed creative ways of keeping everyone engaged over three+...

Maxine Bilodeau

Transport Canada

Effective Meetings, Testimonials

Key Architect

I recently participated in a multi-stakeholder dialogue where Michelle was the key architect. The structure of the panel, breakout groups and question sessions provided a great platform for raising awareness and highlighting some noticeable challenges in messaging to the general public. It was very well done.

Thompson Hickey

General Manager, Teck Trail Operations

Testimonials, Training

Highly Recommend

I found Michelle's graphic facilitation workshop not only applicable to my work but also relevant to most other areas of life. As a research manager, I've been less confidant working with my right brain despite knowing how helpful those right-brained tools can be for public engagement. Michelle provided...

Morgan Sternberg

Research Management, Morrow BioScience Ltd.

Effective Meetings, Testimonials

Amazing ‘hybrid’ facilitation

Michelle's meeting facilitation in the hybrid environment was super! Over the last couple of years I have participated in many virtual meetings, and inevitably there are glitches (especially when things get complicated with break out rooms etc). Michelle did an amazing job facilitating the meeting, and ensuring that...

Tara Kennedy

Senior Risk Assessor and Toxicologist, SNC-Lavalin

What clients are saying…

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