About Us

I am a Workshop Facilitator at the Winnipeg Transition Centre. Having facilitated workshops for the past 10 years, I take great pride in my work and I am committed to the success of all participants.

I graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Commerce degree before commencing a 35-year career with The Beer Store in Ontario, where I retired as Vice President, Retail. I am a seasoned executive with years of experience in the Retail, Logistics and Human Resources fields.

It was during my career with The Beer Store that I discovered my passion for mentorship. As a personal initiative, I developed Mentorship programs for individuals who wanted to grow in their career. I took great pleasure in seeing the growth of participants and also great pride in the ultimate success of these individuals.

Following my retirement, I decided to explore the field of Facilitation, which provided an opportunity for me to further realize my passion for assisting in the development of others. I consider my role as a Workshop Facilitator very rewarding in that I am able to witness the growth and transformation of individuals that takes place during a training session.

I currently reside in Mount Brydges, Ontario with my wife, Debra. When not facilitating, I love to travel, take day-trips or simply go for walks with my wife. I am also passionate about music, photography and woodworking.

‘Transitioning has been a regular reality for me. I have lived, gone to school, and worked in three different countries—including four Canadian provinces. My early transitions began when my family immigrated to Canada when I was a boy and then moved regularly in pursuit of work opportunities. I have transitioned my primary career three times, been ‘back’ to school three times, and have worked dozens of jobs in between in support of my career and life-long learning.

The Winnipeg Transition Centre was initially for me a place of great personal support and coaching. I came to the Centre after a long period of frustration and disappointment in my work life. It had been four years since the educational program I was part of came to an end and I had not found any sustainable employment since. The WTC changed my way of thinking. I learned new ways of describing my transferrable skills, thinking about myself, and shaping my resumes, cover letters, and interviews to fit the jobs I would really like. The group interactions with others going through similar challenges, along with the shared common goal of finding meaningful employment, made the meetings rich and encouraging. The individual resume sessions with WTC staff were a great way to fine-tune specific resumes, and their follow-up meetings and phone calls were very understanding and empowering.

An opportunity was presented by the WTC, who were looking to hire an Employment Coach, which I was subsequently hired for. Adding to this role, I also took on becoming a Contract Trainer. I have extensive experience in facilitating adult learning experiences in both virtual and face-to-face settings. Since joining the WTC, I have facilitated workshops on developing Employment Coaching Skills and improving Facilitation Skills.

I really appreciate the approach the WTC takes in respecting and drawing out the experiences and insights of all adult participants in their workshops. Their workshops focus on active learning, that is, learning by doing, which has proven to be a very effective way for adults to improve their abilities and is a delight to facilitate!