I work with organizations and leaders worldwide to make their high-value documents: (1) memorable, (2) a springboard for action, and (3) a resource for their stakeholders and clients. My process involves learning my clients' needs (through empathic listening and document reviews); clarifying their message; researching their audience; and transforming their draft into a narrative that caters to a need, is valuable, and singular in form and function. I make every word count and inspire action through writing.

I used critical thinking, persuasive writing skills, and "insider knowledge" to expose stakeholders to research ideas, make the ideas memorable, and get them used in practice. I did this by... • Selecting relevant and engaging evidence, tailoring it, and building relationships with policy and decision-makers; • Crafting presentations for healthcare leaders that encouraged audiences to pay attention, recall the information, and arm them to act on it; • Presenting findings at conferences, via social media, and blogs; and • Uniting partner organizations, subject-matter experts, practitioners, and community representatives to share evidence, knowledge, and best practices through teleconferences, symposiums, and events. This helped to build the foundation for solutions and innovations related to dementia.

I worked with the District Chief of Anesthesia, Pain Management, and Perioperative Medicine on written communication, strategic planning, streamlining the flow of information to his office, as well as managing the expectations of a broad variety of stakeholders in healthcare administration. Deliverables: • Steered reappointment applications to ensure all anesthetists were entitled to work in the ORs. Physician compliance rose from 50% to 100%; • Facilitated stakeholder consultations and authored the clinical and academic funding plan for the department. It was used to negotiate funding with the Department of Health and Wellness; and • Project managed "Grand Rounds" educational events and the "Journal Club" for the office of education.

I taught research, writing, and critical thinking skills to large groups of adult learners in 1000, 2000, and 3000-level philosophy courses. • Used plain language, real-life examples, and explained what was "at stake" to help students understand abstract philosophical concepts and become engaged by them;• Solicited student evaluations monthly, identified learning barriers, and adjusted lectures accordingly; • Led and mediated in-class debates on the meaning of life, euthanasia, death and dying, abortion, and suicide for students from diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, and political backgrounds; • Provided detailed academic critiques on written assignments and oral presentations; and• Used information technology and digital devices in the classroom to support real-time learning and knowledge exchange

My academic training is in philosophy, a discipline that fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, attention to detail, independent judgment, and clarity of expression.I've conducted advanced qualitative healthcare research; interdisciplinary literature reviews; analyzed health principles, policies, and legislation; collaborated with senior researchers and policy analysts; and presented findings in reports, position papers, policy proposals, major research papers, and oral presentations.I was selected to present my work at international conferences and invited to present at national conferences.

In 2009, I was 1 of 3 candidates selected (university-wide) for this program, which was generously funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI). Seen as an add-on to traditional streaming of academics within particular fields, the OTC provided an opportunity to work directly with health care professionals, decision-makers, stakeholders, policy analysts, and government officials at all levels. I had the privilege of being nominated to project manage and develop practical solutions to complex policy problems through authoring written reports and leading presentations to government officials. • Worked with a team of 6 senior researchers in analyzing and evaluating mental health tools for First Nations and Aboriginal Communities in Northern Ontario• Led presentation and panel discussion to government officials, policymakers, stakeholder groups, and healthcare professionals (Lakehead University, Thunder Bay ON)• Analyzed health care legislation and regulations to inform and situate policy development• Used a range of conceptual frameworks, tools, and research methods drawn from different disciplines to answer policy questions and help resolve practical issues