Our Team

To get in touch with us, email info@ivydeanconsulting.ca and we’ll make sure it gets to the right person.

Click on the photos below to learn more about our powerhouse team.

In 2021, Jacq founded Ivy + Dean Consulting after experiencing a decade of difficulties finding consultants who shared their values and approach to non-profit leadership, and who understood local realities in the Prairies and Northern Canada. As Chief Executive Officer, Jacq acts as the principal visionary and strategic leader of the company and is the driving force behind our mission to bring equity, social justice, and anti-oppression into the non-profit boardroom. They appreciate being able to share their time between Yellowknife, NWT and Regina, SK  and work with a wide range of clients throughout the country as a Principal Consultant and “jacq-of-all-trades”.

Originally from Yellowknife, Jacq has over a decade of experience leading non-profit organizations. They co-founded what is now known as the Northern Mosaic Network, the only 2SLGBTQ+ human service agency in the Northwest Territories, and proudly served as its first Executive Director from 2011 to 2017. They simultaneously served as the Executive & Administrative Coordinator for the United Way Northwest Territories from 2015 to 2017. 

With parents originally from North Battleford and Outlook, SK, Jacq was particularly excited to move to the province in 2017. Upon moving south, they became actively involved in the non-profit sector in the Prairies working as Executive Director of UR Pride Centre, and serving on the boards of Briarpatch Magazine and TransSask Support Services. Jacq is a registered social worker in Saskatchewan, and holds a Masters of Education in Curriculum & Instruction.

Over the past decade, you may have seen Jacq being involved in a wide range of organizations including Saskatchewan Queer Entrepreneurs & Professionals, Fora: Network for Change, University of Regina Alumni Association, The Enchanté Network, Fierté Canada Pride, la Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française, SpeakNorth (previously Spoken Word Canada), and Northwords NWT.

When they aren’t busy working or volunteering, you can find them drinking too much Diet Pepsi, reliving their childhood on Neopets.com, and spending time with friends and family.

As Chief Operations Officer, Risa is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of Ivy + Dean Consulting. She’s also a Principal Consultant, serving diverse non-profit clients with a focus on facilitation and training, good governance, public and private fund development strategies (including writing kick-ass grants), human resource planning and guidance, and supporting the development of confident and effective non-profit leadership through mentorship and coaching. She is passionate about supporting non-profit staff and board members in developing strategic, sustainable, and just approaches to their work that contribute to strengthening organizations and the communities they serve. While Risa can (and does) work with diverse non-profits, her background in multidisciplinary arts organizations makes her an especially great fit for clients in the creative sector. 

Born and raised in rural Saskatchewan, Risa is passionate about increasing capacity for oft-overlooked and misunderstood communities across Canada. Risa came to Ivy + Dean in 2023 with over two decades’ experience in the non-profit sector, 15 years of which saw her in senior leadership roles. Her career began as a student at the University of British Columbia where she immersed herself in roles at the Vancouver Art Gallery, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, and ArtsStarts in Schools. Upon returning to Treaty 4 territory after completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History and Visual Art, Risa contributed to Saskatchewan’s vibrant arts scene through positions at SK Arts, the Regina Folk Festival, and the MacKenzie Art Gallery. From 2015 to 2022, she served as Executive Director of Common Weal Community Arts, a provincial organization dedicated to socially-engaged practice. In 2022, Risa took on a new challenge in the public health sector, seeing Planned Parenthood Regina through a period of rebuilding as their Executive Director. 

Risa is an active volunteer and oft sought-after board member who has served in executive roles on the Board of Directors of Briarpatch Magazine, Saskatchewan Arts Alliance, Lumsden Beach Camp, and Queen City Hub. She is the current Regina Folk Festival President.

When she’s not working, Risa is a travel-loving, adventure-seeking bibliophile who finds joy in live music, bold colours, and the expansive prairie landscape. She lives in Regina’s Heritage neighbourhood with her wife and children.

With a robust background encompassing front-line service delivery, education development and facilitation, program coordination, advocacy, and research, Harmony brings a wide range of experience and knowledge to Ivy + Dean. They are the Executive Administrator, working as part of the management team and playing a crucial role in overseeing high-level administrative processes and ensuring efficient day-to-day operations by providing crucial support for Executives. Additionally, as a Consultant, Harmony provides broad support to non-profit clients across the country.

Harmony currently calls Treaty 4 home, but has experienced life in both rural and urban parts of Saskatchewan. She is an avid continuous learner with a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology and certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Innovation from the University of Regina. Their lived experiences and formal background have led them to embody a passionate commitment to social justice, with a dedicated focus on amplifying rural queer voices and advocating for disabled 2SLGBTQIA+ people. 

When Harmony is not working, you can find them crocheting, watching reality TV, taking naps, and spending time with loved ones.

As Senior Consultant, Amanda provides queer-informed and equity focused support to non-profit clients across the country with a focus on designing and delivering comprehensive queer and trans education programs and training, skilled facilitation for consultations, events, conferences, and meetings, policy development, and strategic planning. She is an experienced leader, educator, and facilitator who is passionate about building sustainable, supportive, and just environments.

Amanda’s experience includes working within the private and public sector, including serving as Interim Executive Director at OUTSaskatoon, Saskatoon’s primary 2SLGBTQ+ organization. Outside of her professional work, Amanda volunteers as a board member for Quint Development Corporation, is the Committee Chair for the City of Saskatoon’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Committee, and actively participates in community events and advocacy work.

When she isn’t working or volunteering her time, you can find her travelling or camping with her partner, laughing with her friends, or concocting schemes to create a better world.

As Technical Coordinator, Nova is our in-house tech support wizard, supporting the team and clients by providing administrative and technical support. She is an administrator, tech consultant, and website designer with a passion for making technology more accessible to individuals without an IT background. Whether it’s live technical support for large meetings, website design, or easy to understand documentation and training for new tools, Nova is dedicated to ensuring that behind the scenes technical issues and worries are minimized or eliminated so that projects can focus on what’s really important: the people.

Nova studied computer science at the University of Regina while also working there as an audio visual technician and producing live televised classes to students across Saskatchewan before it was commonplace. She has a special interest in cyber security, as well as reading, music, and videogames. She’s gone from designing rudimentary HTML websites in elementary school to the page you’re reading this on.

Arisha is a first-generation Pakistani-Canadian settler currently living in Treaty 6 territory within the beautiful city of Saskatoon. She has been an active member of the community in locations across Canada, including residing in Saskatchewan’s urban and rural areas. Her passion for bringing people together and creating networks of support are what led her to pursue a degree in Social Work from the University of Regina. With over a decade of experience in the non-profit, academic, and social justice sectors, Arisha brings a breadth of experience to Ivy + Dean Consulting. She has a strong background in intercultural and interdisciplinary settings, speaks multiple languages, and is deeply committed to doing anti-oppressive and anti-racist work, principles she lives by every day.

As a Consultant, Arisha brings a deep understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles, and a commitment to applying these in her work with non-profit clients. She is adept and adaptable in advising, facilitating, and using different modalities to serve individuals and groups. Her work approach is centred around upstream solutions. She is client-centred, trauma-informed, and focused on delivering tailored solutions to address the unique challenges faced by non-profit organizations.

Arisha is all about learning new things; she always has something on the go! She enjoys napping, playing the piano, travelling, volunteering in the community, and spending quality time with friends and family. Arisha is a dedicated appa (big sister) who strives to amplify marginalised voices and works to ensure everyone has a seat at the table.

As part of our prairie-based consulting team, Kale’s background in reconciliation work, harm reduction, and support for folks experiencing houselessness allows her to bring a unique perspective to the non-profit clients we serve. Kale is passionate about reshaping what it means to engage with marginalized populations and ensuring non-profits serve their clients in an anti-oppressive and anti-racist way. Her work aims to eliminate power imbalances often found in non-profits and replace them with people focused processes that honour the lived experiences of Indigenous people and racialized communities. 

Kale is a Nehiyaw, Anishinaapek, St’at’imc, and Scottish queer mother and activist. Her matrilineal lines tie her to Noochikinoozaywaanig, also known as Fishing Lake First Nation, and Piapot First Nation. Her patrilineal lines tie her to Tit’q’et First Nation on unceded St’at’imc Territory, where she is a member of the frog clan, and to Scotland. In her spare time Kale likes to garden and spend time scheming and dreaming with her kin.

As Administrative Assistant, Alliks plays a crucial role in managing diverse administrative tasks and ensuring efficient day-to-day operations, supporting both consultants and clients as needed. Alliks has honed her skills through diverse roles as a Sign Specialist, Bindery Operator and Research Assistant, and brings her background in community animation to her work at Ivy + Dean Consulting. 

Born and raised in Treaty 11 Territory, Alliks is passionate about supporting her small community, including the local non-profits and businesses that reside within it. She is motivated by a desire to look back on life with pride in her achievements and driven by a vision of creating a positive impact, knowing that her work helps others. Alliks has moved multiple times but always finds her way back home to “the land of the midnight sun”. When she’s not working, you can find Alliks camping with her roommates, exploring all the hidden parts of Yellowknife, or wrapped up in a blanket watching movies.

As Senior Consultant, Lana brings over 20 years of experience in non-profit, governmental, and entrepreneurial roles. Her 25 years in Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Traditional Territory in Dawson City, Yukon, give her deep insights into the needs of non-profit organizations across the North. 

Lana has founded two non-profits and developed numerous programs in health, wellness, and music education across Saskatchewan and the Yukon. She’s particularly proud of founding Yukon Girls Rock Camp, which amplifies the voices of girls, women, and gender non-conforming individuals through music. With 35 years of coaching experience, she is also passionate about supporting non-profits in making a meaningful impact. Lana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Health Studies and owns Rebalance Kinetics, where she helps people manage recurring pain and live with balance. She has served with various Yukon, and international organizations, including Dawson City Music Festival, Girls Rock Camp Alliance, Yukonstruct, and is the current President of the Dawson City Arts Society and Vice-President of the Klondike Development Organization. She is also on the Governance Committee for the Yukon School of Visual Arts.

As a biracial, second-generation Filipina-Canadian, Lana’s approach is rooted in accessibility, collaboration, and equity. She believes in the power of collective voices for healing and change, and is dedicated to integrating anti-oppressive and JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) principles into her work. Born in a farming community on Treaty 6 Territory and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan on Treaty 4, Lana enjoys life on the Yukon River with her husband and dog, Pippen. She’s a self-taught musician who loves playing in local bands and organizing events.

As Events & Digital Media Coordinator, Renée plays a crucial role in coordinating special events and developing digital media content including drafting e-newsletters and social media posts, and monitoring the Corporation’s Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts. With a graphic design background and a passion for the non profit sector, they bring a creative and energetic approach to the workplace. As an InDesign nerd to their core, Renée loves working on long form projects, designing and curating visually engaging content to enhance any document. Additionally, Renée provides a variety of support to clients as a Junior Consultant focused on continuing to develop their skills in the nonprofit sector.

Born and raised in Treaty 4 Territory, Renée is happy to call Saskatchewan home. They are the team’s second bilingual and francophone member and appreciate the opportunity to serve their prairie community and sharing their love for this land. Renée can often be found volunteering in the compassionate care and hospice industry, bringing energy and joy to an often overlooked group of people. Additionally, Renée is a member of the YWCA Youth Advisory Board, advocating for their community and deepening their experience in governance and leadership. As a disabled and queer person, Renée is always working to create more accessible and inclusive spaces. They’re currently learning sign language and, barring any further hearing loss, hope to work their way towards becoming an interpreter.

When they’re not working or volunteering, Renée is spending time with their partner and cats aaaand usually making some kind of art. Whether it be crocheting, painting, drawing, or sculpting, you can bet that they’re creating.

What we’re looking for

• Passionate about equity and social justice
• Keen eye for detail
• Extensive experience in the non-profit sector
• Loves their community