Network Facilitators
Faye Brownlie
Literacy
Faye Brownlie is a passionate literacy and learning educator. She believes that collectively we know enough to teach all our learners to become readers and writers, and recognizes the promise of building our professional capacity as leaders of literacy learning. Faye creates engaging, thoughtful literacy experiences for students in diverse classrooms, K-12, through her writing, her in-class teaching, and in workshop settings.
Carolyn Cory
Impactful Change
Carolyn has served in the roles of Superintendent, Student Services Coordinator, and Curriculum Coordinator in Southwest Horizon School Division. Carolyn has extensive experience in rural Manitoba as a K-12 classroom, resource, and reading recovery teacher. She also has considerable experience with the mRLC as a participant in numerous learning networks, as a regional advocate, and as a former Board member. Carolyn is a passionate instructional leader who champions collaborative professional learning for teachers across rural Manitoba.
Michelle Diawol
Well-Being
Michelle is a school psychologist and therapist, and has worked with the Winnipeg School Division for 22 years and in private practice for 16. She is honoured to work with educators and believes schools are in a powerful position to provide students, families and communities with the mechanisms that foster resiliency, hope and empowerment. She has served in leadership roles as a director in clinical support services, psychology supervisor and on the executive with the Manitoba Association of School Psychologists.
Michelle is passionate about inspiring and supporting educators to help strengthen their resiliency both in education and in their everyday lives. Michelle prioritizes and promotes inclusivity, equity, self-awareness, acceptance and compassion in her work and in life. She encourages participants to reflect on how their inherent bias, power, privilege and experiences shape their unique world view, and affect their behaviours with students, families and others. This includes discussing how we can each be an ally with Indigenous peoples and community on a path of reconciliation.
Her other areas of professional interest and practice include trauma informed practice, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue, stress and anxiety, ADHD, positive psychology, mindfulness, and acceptance. She facilitates professional learning opportunities on all of these topics.
Lori Emilson
Literacy
Lori Emilson has been an educator for over 30 years, most of that with Lakeshore School Division. As a classroom teacher, she has experience with every grade from Kindergarten through Gr. 8. For the past eight years, Lori’s role as curriculum support teacher in her division has focused on literacy, numeracy and technology. Lori is a member of the Manitoba Reading Association, currently serving as that organization’s president.
Fiona England
Well-Being
Fiona England is a passionate and energetic school social worker who is excited to share her knowledge about mental health and how mental wellness can be integrated into all aspects of our school communities. Fiona strives to share her 25 years of experiences both within schools and child welfare to create trauma resilient spaces for our children, youth and families. She is currently the Healthy Minds Specialist for Winnipeg School Division and has over 16 years of experience providing specialized seminars and learning opportunities on several topics such as child welfare legislation, children in care, safeTALK, mental health literacy, trauma, anxiety/ depression, staff wellness and mindfulness. Fiona believes in a child – centered, systemic approach to supporting and enhancing your safe and caring schools.
Laura Forsythe
Indigenous Perspectives
Working to create more inclusive environments through the presentation of a different world view, enhancing and enriching the educational and cultural experience of the workplace, Laura is a proud Métis educator and a descendant of the Huppes, Morins, Berards and the Wards. She earned her Doctorate at the University of Manitoba.
Tamara Franz
Literacy
Tamara Franz has followed her passion for teaching and learning on a 30+-year odyssey through three provinces and across all grades from one through high school and adult education. Now in her tenth year as a literacy coach for Border Land School Division, she feels the best part of being an educator is seeing students and teachers own their voices, strengths, and passions, and build empowered identities as learners and communicators. She lives in Altona, MB with her family and loves to savour anything Mediterranean, write poetry, and explore big ideas. She published her first collection of poems, Light and Shadow: Seasons of the Soul, in 2018.
Kathy Glensek
Literacy
Kathy Glenesk has spent over 17 years as a literacy coach in Red River Valley School Division and has more than 35 years of experience in early years teaching, 13 years of which included teaching Reading Recovery.
Kathy spends time with teachers across the division in kindergarten -grade 8 classrooms. Her work consists of mostly co-planning, co-teaching and follow-up collaboration with classroom teachers. This support with instruction in reading, writing and thinking is focused on reflecting on the ELA curriculum when planning. Ongoing workshops are part of this role as she runs workshops and continuing contact groups exploring a variety of topics based on teachers’/students’ needs in schools.
Wade Houle
Indigenous Perspectives
Wade Houle has a Master of Education in Administration from Brandon University. Wade has been a teacher for 17 years with both rural and urban experience. He has mostly worked in senior years teaching humanities and working in student services. Wade’s current role in with Mountain View School Division (MVSD) is as an Indigenous Education coach. Coaching allows him to work directly with teachers to build their practice, create safe environments, incorporate Indigenous perspectives into their curriculum, and provide professional development.
Wade has training in PATH/MAPS and also spent four years with the Teacher Led Learning Team with the Manitoba Teachers’ Society. He’s passionate about adult learning, Indigenous education, and anti-racism and anti-oppression education. He looks forward to the Mamahtawisiwin education sessions and supporting rural schools with goals and targets that will create global citizens in the education system.
Michelle Jean-Paul
Well-Being
Michelle J. Jean-Paul (she/her/elle) is an educator, academic and community connector. Her scholarship, paired with a decade and a half of leadership experience as a public school administrator, is largely centered around developing collective capacity in the areas on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
A much sought out public speaker and workshop facilitator in both English and in French, Michelle has worked with organizations on a local and international level. Her work extends beyond educational institutions into corporate environments such as the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and RBC. She is also a published author, her most recent writing featured in the Palgrave Handbook of Educational Leadership and Management Discourse.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, Master of Education, and is presently a PhD candidate at the University of Manitoba. She currently works as Assistant Superintendent of Staff Services for the Louis Riel School Division.
Michelle also works as a consultant, guiding institutions and businesses in the areas of anti-racism, DEI, leadership development, and conducting program reviews.
Steven Katz
Impactful Change
Dr. Steven Katz is a professor in Applied Psychology & Human Development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto (UT), where he teaches in the Child Study and Education graduate program. He is the recipient of the OISE/UT-wide award for teaching excellence. In addition, he is the Director of the research, evaluation, and capacity-building firm, Aporia Consulting Ltd.
Dr. Katz has a Ph.D. in human development and applied psychology, with a specialization in applied cognitive science. His areas of expertise include cognition and learning, teacher education, networked learning communities, leading professional learning, evidence-informed decision-making for school improvement, and leadership for system change. He has received the Governor General’s medal for excellence in his field, and has been involved in research and evaluation, professional development, and consulting with a host of educational organizations around the world. He is an author of several best-selling books, including: Leading Schools in a Data-Rich World; Building and Connecting Learning Communities; Intentional Interruption;The Intelligent, Responsive Leader; and Quality Implementation.
Amanda Rivers
Literacy
Amanda Rivers has been fortunate to have a diverse and fulfilling 11-year teaching career so far. This has included her first year teaching in Ste. Rose du Lac and the remainder in Seven Oaks School Division in Winnipeg. She has taught grades kindergarten, 4, and 6/7 multiage (currently) as well as having been in the role of learning support teacher. Amanda made the decision to "return" to the middle years classroom from learning support because that is where her passion truly lies. She believes that middle years students have great potential and she is passionate about helping them to evolve as readers and writers. Amanda believes that children need two main things in order to experience success in ELA: a sense of identity and purpose as both a reader and writer. The increased skillset and motivation that come as a result are the rewards.
Jim Strachan
Impactful Change
Jim Strachan has been working with (and learning from) children for 39 years as a social worker, classroom teacher of grades 2 to 8, instructional leader for information technology, program coordinator for beginning teachers and as an education officer supporting mentorship and authentic learning for both new and experienced educators across Ontario. By modeling caring, compassion, cooperation and humour, Jim believes we can contribute to the success of all children. It is his daily challenge to live these beliefs!
Jim starts each day in his kayak watching the sun rise on Lake Ontario. In his current role as an education consultant, he’s finding lingering on the lake is more joyful now than ever.
Eileen Sutherland
Impactful Change
Eileen Sutherland is a past executive director of the mRLC and one of the co-founding members of the organization. She has over 35 years of educational experience ranging from early years to senior years, along with leadership experience at both the school and divisional levels. Her work as a consultant in high school improvement and experience as a curriculum leader have all contributed to her depth and breadth of understanding around teacher and student learning. Eileen is committed to using credible, practical, evidence to inform both educators practice.
Kirsten Thompson
Impactful Change
Kirsten serves as the divisional Coordinator of ICT for the Mountain View School Division; overseeing technology programming and purchasing for approximately 3000 stakeholders. Kirsten is a Microsoft Education Trainer as well as a Level 1 Google Certified Educator with over 200 hours of combined professional development on how to assist educators in the use of these tools. Prior to this, Kirsten was employed as a classroom teacher in the Turtle River School Division for 6 years where teaching a variety of subjects ranging from Grade 7-12. Kirsten has completed all the required course work in pursuit of a Ph.D in the area of educational software evaluation. This work was started at the University of Regina under the supervision of Dr. Alec Couros.
Jonathan Toews
Impactful Change
Jonathan is the former executive director of the mRLC and a former assistant superintendent of Border Land School Division. Jonathan has over 30 years of educational experience, having taught in several school settings as well as having served in leadership roles at school, divisional, and board levels as well as with the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents. He believes deeply in the importance of professional learning as a means to foster the quality teaching that leads to students’ joy and success in learning.
Rina Whitford
Indigenous Perspectives
Rina Whitford is a passionate educator and advocate for equitable and inclusive education. She brings a wealth of personal & professional experience leading and supporting big picture thinking with school leaders in the development and implementation of school improvement plans, as well as supporting the establishment of programs and initiatives that are grounded on integrating Indigenous perspectives.
Rina grew up in Sandy Bay First Nation and credits her current knowledge
base to her lived experiences derived from her Indigenous roots. Rina's current research interests involve honoring the voices and knowledge of marginalized populations in educational settings through relationships, stories, and time. Being immersed in Indigenous ways of knowing and doing has provided her the foundations for working towards shifting mindsets that challenge current practices within the colonial education system in order to meet the needs of all learners in meaningful and creative ways.