Muriel Agnes, MAEd, ThD, is an adult educator with 20 years of experience working in health promotion, community development and personal/spiritual growth. She has worked for government and community organizations, an adult learning centre of the United Church, Red River College and a national continuing health education institute. Her key interests have been transformative learning and leadership as tools of empowerment. In 2002 Muriel completed a doctorate in spiritual counseling. She is also certified as a psychosynthesis therapist, a qigong teacher and an acupuncturist. Besides teaching adult education courses for the University of Manitoba, Muriel has her own continuing education Institute teaching acupuncture and qigong to health professionals.

Ben Akoh, M.Ed., MSc, B.Tech, has over 20 years experience in international development in the Information and Communication Technology field. He has experience in project design, development, implementation and management in research, policy analysis, capacity building and training on ICTs, media and internet policy; in creating open societies and in ensuring sustainable development. Ben’s research interests are in exploring the nexus of education, culture, and the internet for sustainable growth and development. As an instructor at the University of Manitoba, he has designed and delivered several technology based courses on emerging technologies, open education resources and digital literacy; he has supported various pro-democracy and open dialogues in media and internet initiatives globally. Ben has worked in the private and non-profit sectors and for the United Nations. He is widely traveled and has lived and worked in Africa and North America.

Teresita Chiarella, MEd, BA, has over 20 years experience in the Human Resource field. Her career development involved concentrated periods in several key Human Resource areas: Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, and Organizational Change. Her employment experiences have been in the health care, municipal and educational sectors. Over the years, Teresita has developed and delivered programs and seminars to various groups and organizations. Her passion for learning continued after her undergraduate studies when she completed certificate programs in Human Resources, Labour Studies and Adult and Continuing Education. Her Master’s Degree in Education specialized in Adult Education and Teaching English as an Additional Language. Teresita currently assists new comers to learn about the workplace and become contributing citizens of Canada.

Marc Renald Desrosiers, MBA, ABC (Accreditation in Business Communication); Certificate in University Management; Post graduate certificate in Institutional Educational Management (Harvard); and PMgr (Professional Manager designation from the Canadian Institute of Management). In addition to teaching in Extended Education at the University of Manitoba, Marc teaches for The Salvation Army Booth University College, and the Winnipeg Police Service Training Academy. He has extensive senior management experience in several sectors, is an award-winning marketing and philanthropy practitioner and consultant, and - in his spare time - is an appointed Manitoba Marriage Commissioner.

Jacie Foy, MDE, has taught for approximately 16 years in post-secondary and secondary settings including at Brandon University, the University of Manitoba and Assiniboine Community College. Within the adult education field she has taught at Sioux Valley and Canupawakpa Dakota Nations. She has also worked as a curriculum designer, indigenizing K-12 curriculum. As a private consultant, she develops curriculum for both face-to-face and online delivery.

Judith Hayes, B. Ed, MS Ed, is a certified adult/ vocational educator and a specialist in workforce development. She is the Director of Organizational & Program Development for the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation where her responsibilities include staffing management, performance management, workforce diversity, talent management, management/employee development. Judith also originated and manages The Canadian Gaming Center of Excellence, a national gaming education organization that focuses on developing essential skills for gaming industry professionals across Canada. Judith has developed human resource programs and train the trainer programs across Canada and internationally, with intercultural development for the workforce being a main focus. Judith also currently instructs part time for the Teacher Education Division at Red River College. She is working toward a PhD in Education.

Chris Higgins, PhD, has instructed adults in basic education, career education and life skills in Winnipeg’s inner city for more than 10 years. Currently she is a program facilitator who develops curriculum and instructs single parents preparing for post secondary studies at Taking Charge! Christine’s professional experience also includes writing curriculum for, and instructing, New Canadians and refugees who are transitioning into Canadian education and employment. Christine has particular expertise in infusing curriculum with social justice and empowerment themes through arts based and community focused methodologies. Christine has taught in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and developed and delivered workshops for a variety of audiences throughout Manitoba. Her recent research inquires into links between education and wellness, professionalism as an ethical imperative, and education reform across North America.

Rosalyn Howard, MA, has consulted widely throughout North America, Asia, and Central America in the areas of Organizational Learning and Change, Strategic Planning, Leadership, Interpersonal and Team Effectiveness, Train the Trainer, Board Governance, and Consulting Skills. She is the Director of Learning & Development Services (LDS) which provides organization and staff development services at the University of Manitoba. Rosalyn also maintains a small consulting practice, hct Howard Consulting and Training.

Irene E. Karpiak, PhD, is Associate Professor of Adult and Higher Education at the University of Oklahoma. Her professional background includes years of development of continuing education programs at the University of Manitoba. Irene’s scholarly interests encompass adult learning and development, the mid-life transition, the teaching/learning environment for adult learners, and program development for adult education. In recent years she has focused her research on student autobiographical writing and has conducted follow-up research with some who have written their life stories in the U.S. and Canada.

David Kirby, PhD, is the Director of the Centre for Higher Education Research and Development at the University of Manitoba. Previously he has worked at Memorial University, The University of Calgary, and Queen’s University, holding a variety of academic and administrative appointments. Dr. Kirby has considerable experience in the field of distance education, having conducted research and evaluation in both national and international contexts, as well as consulting for a number of government agencies. His current research interests include on-line learning communities, and institutional communities. He also teaches in the adult education/post-secondary education program in the Faculty of Education. Dr Kirby holds an adjunct position in the Graduate Division of Educational Research at the University of Calgary and supervises students in the Doctor of Education program and the Masters in Continuing Education program for that university.

Diane Kristjansson, MAdEd, has worked in adult education for 20 years as a program developer, trainer and facilitator. Currently, the principal of Full Chroma Consulting, she is committed to helping others enhance their own professional and personal experiences. Her specific interests lie in the areas of creativity, life writing, transformative learning, lifelong learning, leadership and communication.As a member of the Manitoba Renewal Strategy between 2005 and 2008, she played a lead role in the development and delivery of several leadership and learning initiatives, targeted to employees at all levels, positions and levels of authority. Diane has been a director of corporate training and development with the Province of Manitoba, a program leader with The University of British Columbia, Continuing Studies, and a program director in the Division of Continuing Education at The University of Winnipeg.

Hugh Phillips, MEd, President, HP TrainingWorks Inc, in Edmonton, AB, has 20 years experience as a professional trainer. More than 40,000 people have attended his national workshops where he is known for an interactive and practical approach to training. Participants leave with practical techniques, tips and tools they can put to use right away. He has published a book, The Trainer in You, which is available on the web at www.hp-trainingworks.com.

Anne Poonwassie, MAEd, has 25 years of experience in the field of adult education as a program administrator, planner and facilitator.  Her work experience includes 9 years at Continuing Education, U of M, as Program Director. Currently, Anne is the Director of Continuing Education and Development, an independent firm that provides community and agency- based educational and training programs in the areas of social services, counseling and psychotherapy. Anne has published extensively in the field of adult education and specializes in participatory program planning and implementation.

Phyllis Reid-Jarvis, MPH, RD, CDE, ACC, is an accomplished health expert with 20 years experience specializing in providing services of life coaching, health consulting and health educational programs for individuals and workplaces. She is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Certified Life Coach with a Bachelor’s Degree in Food and Nutrition and Master’s Degree in Public Health. Phyllis is the President of PRJ Consulting which specializes in innovative health training and coaching services for individuals and corporate groups. They provide strategies for individuals to realize their full potential by incorporating daily wellness practices to enhance their personal, professional and economic development while ensuring a healthy workplace. Phyllis was nominated in 2010 for the YMYWCA Women of Distinction award in the field of health.

Margerit Roger, MEd has designed and implemented adult education programs in a range of learning environments: university, college, apprenticeship, labour, work-based literacy and EAL. As part of this work, she has conducted organizational needs assessments, developed customized programs, expanded existing ones, created paper-based and online teaching materials, taught and trained, and evaluated effectiveness. She approaches program planning as a strategic process, and so looks for programming opportunities that result in personal and collective change. Her on-going interest is accessibility of adult education, emergent curriculum, and inquiry-based learning. She works as an independent consultant doing research and development for post-secondary institutions.

Anna Schmidt, MAdEd, has been an educator for over 20 years. Anna is Director of Organization and Staff Development with the Manitoba Civil Service Commission. Previously, she spent seven years with the Adult Learning and Literacy branch of Manitoba Advanced Education and Literacy, where she helped to develop and implement legislation governing the operation of Adult Learning Centres and Adult Literacy Programs in Manitoba. Anna was the first President and founding member of the Adult Secondary Education Council (ASEC), an association that has provided quality professional development to Manitoba’s adult educators for over a decade. Anna participated in the development of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) initiatives at both the University of Winnipeg and University of Manitoba. She has a particular interest in transformational learning and the development of learning organizations.

Jacqueline Warrell, BA Psych, MEd in Adult and Workplace Learning, has worked as an adult educator in a variety of settings and roles, including workplace, government, post-secondary, and community learning. Currently, she works in Accessibility Services at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, does research at the University of Calgary, and enjoys consulting for businesses to develop their social media and learning strategy. Before discovering her passion for the adult learning field, she worked social services in the City of Toronto for a number of years.