Steve Woolrich – Principal
Victoria, BC
For almost 30 years Steve Woolrich has established a reputation for excellence in his professional pursuits. He studied Justice Administration, majoring in Police Science at Mount Royal University. Steve completed additional studies at Kean College, New Jersey and worked with the New York Police Department as part of his practicum during the summer of 1984. His passion for youth drew him to working in corrections where he could have a dramatic impact while teaching life skills at a bootcamp in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Steve’s education, training and experience then led him into various corporate security roles and specialized security services in oil and gas, retail and armoured transport for almost two decades. He was instrumental in developing creative strategies, policies and procedures focusing on life safety and asset protection before relocating to Victoria, BC in 2016.
Steve is considered a leading expert in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and is also trained in SafeGrowth®. He has been applying CPTED methodology in his work since 1999 and has a keen interest in social issues and community development throughout Canada and abroad. His focus during the last few years has been on creating healthy and safe built environments. Steve supports Restorative Approaches, Trauma-Informed Practice (TIP) and is a trained Peace Circle Facilitator.
Steve is a collaborator and is drawn to organizations and leaders that are actively engaged in their communities. He is a director with the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network, currently serving his 3rd term and striving to help create safe and compassionate streets in a city he now calls home. He specializes in developing positive strategies for Gang Reduction and Graffiti Abatement and has made a personal commitment to creating engaging urban spaces by initiating Street Piano initiatives that continue to inspire other cities to ‘pick up the tune.’ Steve is an avid supporter of Arts and Culture and continues to draw on his passion for creativity to enhance a wide-range of projects he undertakes.
Lisa Arora – Partner Consultant
Victoria, BC
Lisa is an expert visual facilitator, certified mediator and engagement specialist. She works with business leaders and community groups using interactive visual methods to empower collaboration, improve relationships, resolve conflicts and inspire solutions.
With 1000+ visual meetings under her belt and footprints around the globe, Lisa has worked with Fortune 500s, government agencies at all levels, First Nations, and non-profits to tackle complex, deep-rooted challenges across a full spectrum of industries from healthcare to high-tech to land development.
Lisa believes positive change begins with a well-structured conversation and that to solve the large, complex, deeply entrenched challenges we face now, we need many points of view.
Lisa brings a bright, creative, straightforward nature, with an eye for possibility and an emphasis on results. Her meetings result in clarity, alignment and forward movement.
Brekke Beyer – Systems Change
Victoria, BC
When Brekke retired a Lieutenant-Commander with 18-years service as a Naval Engineer, she wanted to figure out why economies everywhere seem so disconnected from people. During her service, her specialty had become spanning hierarchical boundaries to inspire collaboration amidst dissimilar interests and outcome goals. From apprentice technicians to operational commanders, she strengthened peoples’ capacity to navigate conditions of uncertainty and change, and to take action. In transferring her experience in integrated systems and organizational leadership to the world of Community Economic Development, she’s learned essential lessons about thriving in environments where multiple worlds collide.
Integrated systems — specifically, relating to divergent interests to reveal intersections in practice — is truly Brekke’s world: she has a software engineering bachelors degree from the Royal Military College; Master of Arts in Integrated Studies in Global Change through Athabasca University; Community Economic Development professional certification from Simon Fraser University and Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development and Leadership from Cape Breton University.
Lorne Daniel – Founder
Victoria, BC
Lorne is a retired communications and community engagement professional. His work as a lead consultant on a variety of urban projects has won awards from the International Downtown Association and Canadian Institute of Planners.
He lives in Victoria, BC, Canada, where he has led urban innovation projects and founded the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network. In 2015, he received the City of Victoria Mayor’s Medal for Community Leadership.
Brian Einarson – Partner Consultant
Shirley, BC
Brian recently hit the reset button and left a great gig in the City of Red Deer Social Planning department to move out to beautiful Vancouver Island. A University of Manitoba graduate, Brian went on to a 20 year career with the RCMP. It was during that time he became one of the first certified CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) practitioners. Following his retirement from the RCMP, Brian went on to work in education, health and community development. Brian draws on his experiences from busy city policing to remote isolated communities to inspire his passion for positive social change. Whether it was having an important meeting in a back alley or building an aquaponics garden in his office, Brian strives to move the social needle using the collective wisdom of community, and the power of fun.
Tanya Gadsby – Graphic Recording Specialist
Victoria, BC
Tanya is a graphic recorder and visual specialist based in Victoria, BC. Graphic recording is the creation of hand illustrated “infographics” on large sheets of paper – this is done live during meetings, conferences, and events. Tanya synthesizes conversations into concise images and text that keeps the audience engaged and inspires new ideas. She has collaborated with governments, corporations, community groups, and small businesses. She also specializes in illustrated videos and small-scale infographics. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts and background in community engagement contribute greatly to her work. Visit Tanya’s website at the Fuselight.
Soren Henrich – Communication
Victoria, BC
Soren brings a 30-year career perspective and design thinking to the public engagement process at Rethink Urban. He offers strategic communication design for local government, non-profit agencies and business leaders interested in sustainable development and socio-environmental responsibility. His strategies for creative service procurement and fulfillment lead to deliverables that engage. He leads community organization for local initiatives, neighbourhood associations and non-profit organizations, public education and outreach for placemaking, smart growth, urban watershed renewal and environmental conservation. His approach is influenced by urban planning thinkers and writers, Jane Jacobs, Christopher Alexander and contemporaries who are putting ideas into practice. He is the City Organizer for Jane’s Walk Victoria – citizen-led walks to get to know your city.
Shannon Kernaghan – Researcher / Writer
Edmonton, AB
Word wizard Shannon Kernaghan would probably want to edit that description of herself. But it’s true: she does wonders with information, ideas – and words. Shannon has been our principal researcher / writer since 2000, during which time she has created clear and creative content in the form of web content, news releases, annual reports, newsletters, advertising and more. Our clients in many industries, private and public sector, unanimously say that Shannon is a delight to work with.
Shannon Littke – Partner Consultant
Red Deer, AB
People, cultures and the arts; these are what inspire Shannon and contribute to her unique skills, strengths, creativity and passions. With over 10 years experience working with vulnerable individuals across Alberta, she is able to actively apply her education, volunteer and life experience to focus on solution finding and creative out-of-the-box processes to achieve results. With a foundation grounded in fine arts and psychology/counselling, she has found a natural calling to the creative therapies including arts therapy and expressive therapy. Her diverse experience in not-for-profits has given her a perspective of the conflicting and intertwining systems within community and our larger society that impact people’s lives in a variety of positive and negative ways. Shannon is excited to begin new projects in place making, urban planning and finding creative solutions to address cultural and societal challenges in urban and rural areas.
Jacy Morissette – Partner Consultant
Victoria, BC
Jacy recently relocated to beautiful Victoria, BC, which provides an effortless daily dose of reasons to live in gratitude through its support of the arts, community leadership and natural environment. These are a few of my favourite things. She has an educational background in business marketing, humanities and facilitation and work experience in arts management and complex community facilitation. Jacy has developed a specialized lens and creative approach that allows her to capture collective wisdom, inspire social change and deepen community impact. A believer and facilitator of Circle Process, Jacy is driven by the desire to create the space for authentic engagement to connect, empower and enable the co-creation of safe and vibrant places to live, work and play.
Adrian Myszka – Project Consultant
Victoria, BC
With a background in information systems, public safety and risk management, Adrian has chosen to repurpose his prior experience and apply it toward capacity-building projects that support the creation of healthy, sustainable and equitable communities, as well as neighbourhoods that are resilient, vibrant and designed to promote wellbeing.
This transition commenced with Adrian’s role at the South Island Prosperity Partnership (Greater Victoria’s economic development organisation) where he was a key member of the team responsible for the region’s ‘Smart South Island’ initiative – a joint private-public undertaking that sought to better enable the use of data and technology to identify, analyse and implement solutions to regional challenges. Adrian was tasked with coordinating SIPP’s initial proposal to Infrastructure Canada’s ‘Smart Cities Challenge’, a national bid for $10M in federal funding which would be used to initiate projects related to Smart South Island. This proposal received several international awards and was shortlisted by Infrastructure Canada, making Greater Victoria one of ten finalist communities to secure $250K in seed funding.
Adrian is interested in how existing and emergent digital technologies can be applied to urban and rural challenges, particularly when enabled through civic innovation and experimentation. At Rethink Urban, Adrian draws on his experience with GIS, data analytics and project management to help plan and quantify the impact of placemaking and environmental design initiatives.
Bill Neher – Partner Consultant
Regina, SK
With over 30 years’ experience in the fields of building design, project management and development, Bill has worked on a wide array of projects. This includes almost a decade at the Corporate Head Office of IPSCO Inc. in Regina as the project administrator and cost controller for their capital projects across North America.
Bill’s been researching and implementing green building concepts as far back as the early 80’s and is a certified LEED Green Associate.
Over the span of his career, Bill has actively studied and researched urban design and development. Recently, he was accredited by the Congress for the New Urbanism demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of, and commitment to, the theory and practice of New Urbanism. He is a self-confessed zoning nerd, and studies the impact of zoning bylaws on health outcomes and poverty.
Giving back to the community has always been a priority for Bill and he has served on the boards of numerous organizations including the Regina Jazz Society and Habitat for Humanity.
Shawna Regier – Partner Consultant
Lacombe, AB
Shawna is a certified Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) practitioner and is also trained in SafeGrowth®. She coordinates all Alberta-based projects for Rethink Urban Inc. She is originally from Calgary and now lives in Lacombe, Alberta. Shawna has a background in collective impact and security management, and has a keen interest in arts and culture. Through the use of CPTED methodologies and working towards a unanimous and proactive approach, Shawna strives to create safe communities and neighbourhoods. She is a community builder at heart and understands the importance of collaboration and cooperation in every project she undertakes.