PURPLE COMPASS - Key Persons

Donna Dupont

Job Titles:
  • Chief Strategist, Foresight & Design
As the Founder and Chief Strategist in Foresight & Design for Purple Compass, Donna Dupont brings skills and insights developed over 20 years working with leaders in healthcare, emergency management, government public policy, strategic planning and program design. She has facilitated a range of foresight and design activities for clients in healthcare, emergency management and military. Donna's interests are at the intersection between climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. Her aim is to collaborate with communities and organizations, and use strategic foresight and design methods to empower and strengthen local capacity, health services, public safety and security. Prior to Purple Compass, Donna held a variety of senior roles within Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in both healthcare and emergency management. She also worked on the front-lines as a Registered Respiratory Therapist during the SARS crisis. Donna is a recipient of seven government awards at the provincial and federal level for outstanding achievement, excellence and partner relations in policy and strategic planning. Donna is a Master of Design candidate in Strategic Foresight & Innovation (2020) at OCAD University, has a BHA in Health Services Management from Ryerson University, and completed continuing education with Harvard Humanitarian Academy, United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the Stockholm Resilience Centre. She is a member of the Association of Professional Futurists (APF), International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and the Canadian Risks & Hazards Network (CRHNet).

Dr. John A. Sweeney

Job Titles:
  • Designer
  • Director of Curiosity, Play & Innovation
Dr. John A. Sweeney is an award-winning futurist, designer, and author. He has worked in over 40 countries on five continents with extensive experience in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and the MENA region. At present, he is an Associate Professor of Futures and Foresight at Narxoz University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. John also serves as a Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Executive Education program focusing on futures thinking and scenario planning. As the project lead, John has organized, managed, and facilitated futures and foresight initiatives, trainings, seminars, and stakeholder engagement projects for numerous UN agencies, INGOs, government innovation units, start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. John completed a PhD at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa focused on alternative futures under the direction of Jim Dator. He tweets on trends, emerging issues, and all things postnormal at @aloha_futures.