Steve Woolrich – Principal
Victoria, BC
For more than 25 years Steve Woolrich has established a reputation for excellence in policing, corrections and corporate security and is the principal of Rethink Urban Inc. He is an expert in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and trained in SafeGrowth®. Steve has a keen interest in social issues and community development throughout Canada and abroad. He 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 passionate about creating safe and healthy communities and neighbourhoods. Steve is a director with the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network, striving to help create safe and compassionate streets. 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 often uses his passion for creativity to enhance community projects such as Art Alley.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Brekke Beyer – Urban Research Strategy
Victoria, BC
What values, relationships, and barriers influence the development capacity of a community? Brekke performs active research in cities and neighbourhoods to make sense of the organic, complex and networked systems of people and places they represent. A Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development and Leadership from Cape Breton University informs her practice, along with a Professional Certification in Community Economic Development from Simon Fraser University, a Master of Arts and Integrated Studies in Global Change from Athabasca University, a yoga teaching certificate, and an 18-year career as a Systems Engineering Officer in Canada’s Navy—a journey that saw five urban centres as home and several foreign ports as ‘local.’
Brekke spends much of her time absorbing inspiration from the energetic co-workers at theDock – Centre for Social Impact.
Heather Gardiner – Partner Consultant
Victoria, BC
Heather brings 22 years of experience to the team in numerous leadership roles, including CEO, Executive Resource Development Advisor, Executive Advisor to the Board, Revenue Development Advisor, Vice President Sales and Marketing, and Business Development coach. Having experienced several boom and bust economies during her career, Heather has the experience and acumen to cut through the slack to ensure that all efforts are directed to the highest possible return on investment, despite what is happening in the markets.
Heather’s preference is to work at the strategic level, however, having led many organizations she is also adept at managing projects to ensure they meet the bottom line goals, be they financial, HR or market share. Within the social profit world, Heather is a one of a handful of CEOs to have helmed several United Ways in Canada, in most cases leading the team to increase revenue by double digits year after year. Heather thrives in environments where she can weave her business knowledge with her passion for building strong and resilient communities.
A bit of a sailing buff, Heather loves to get out on the waters in the summer, and recently returned from a sail up to Haida Gwaii. When landlocked, she expresses herself through yoga and by volunteering in her community, and is looking forward to becoming a pet parent again in the not too distant future.
Adina Israel – Spatial Planner
Victoria, BC
Adina is an urban and regional planner focused on the confluence of the built and natural environments. Adina has worked in the areas of land use, environmental, social, transport and spatial planning fields in Canada and abroad and across the public, private and non-profit sectors. Amongst others, her professional passions include spatial analysis translated into beautiful and engaging maps, co-design involving communities and multidisciplinary approaches , and placemaking focused on fostering inclusive and fun urban spaces.
Adina holds a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Ryerson University, a Master in Environmental Management from the University of Cape Town and is a registered professional planner with the South African Council for Planners. Apart from pondering urban spaces, Adina loves wilderness and cultural exploration.
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.
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.
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.
In addition to our Lead Team, we work with a diverse group of colleagues – urban planners, architects, landscape architects, engineers, security professionals and social planners. We bring the right blend of people and skills for each unique project.
Plus, of course, we rely on the insights of Our Urban Explorers: people like Ben Ziegler, Yuri Artibise and guest bloggers.