BASSA SOCIAL INNOVATIONS - Key Persons
Avery Acheson is in his final year of a Masters of Arts Degree in Global Leadership at Royal Roads University and brings nearly a decade of experience working with Immigrant and Refugee communities in Red Deer. At the Central Alberta Refugee Effort (C.A.R.E.), Avery has been the Intake and Settlement Manager and most recently, the Community Engagement Manager. Avery has led the design, implementation, and evaluation of multiple programs and services to newcomer communities including youth programming, community engagement programs, and was active in leading the community response to the 2016 Syrian Refugee arrival. Avery serves as the Past President of the Alberta Association for Multicultural Education, an organization active in engaging with cultural communities across Alberta to create community dialogue on anti-racism and multiculturalism. Avery loves taking on projects that allow him to take a systems view of the complex socio-cultural environments we live in to create, and evaluate change making strategies.
Brendon has a PhD in convictional strategies. The study of central human convictions and how those relate to the lives people live as individuals and community. His interests lie in helping individuals and groups of people experience life with greater depth. Pairing current research with some of the wisdom tradition provides innovative yet proven approaches to think and act in an increasingly complex world. Through these approaches and cultivating uncommon partnerships, social sustainability can be achieved in ways that are aligned with organizational and community goals.
Daniel Huss holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Calgary. Throughout his degree Daniel focused his research on Rhetoric and political communication through new media, and conducted a participant observation study of Civility and Citizenship Online for his senior thesis. He has found himself actively involved in community building projects in many aspects of life, and he seeks to utilize his knowledge of communication theory to help create clarity and connect ideas to inspire those communities.
Over the past 20 years Darlene has spent valuable time in both the private and public sectors, including experiences in community engagement, community development, facilitative leadership, strategic planning, and the production of a variety of written materials and presentations. Darlene has a Master of Arts Degree in Communication and Leadership from Gonzaga University, Spokane. She has completed a variety of projects and has a broad skill base, ranging from public engagement strategies to technical and creative writing. As Community Facilitator with The City of Red Deer, Darlene worked with the Community Safety Ad Hoc Committee as the principal researcher and writer of Red Deer's Community Safety Strategy. During this project she completed a literature review, planned and administered stakeholder engagement activities (e.g. surveys, focus groups, public consultation), and facilitated multiple decision-making processes.
Pauline holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from Eastern Washington University and Associate Diploma in Recreation Administration from Red Deer College along with other certifications in facilitation and community and leadership development. She has over 18 years of direct municipal community development experience including the facilitation of community engagement and strategic processes, workshop and presentation delivery, relationship development with a range of individuals, groups and businesses plus general and project management in the areas of community services, FCSS, recreation, sport development and social planning. Pauline works for bassa Social Innovations from her home office in Red Deer, Alberta.
Scott Cameron has over 30 years experience working in government and non-profit organizations, and is driven by a passion to ensure that human service delivery results in quality supports designed to change the lives of individuals and families. Motivated by a desire to align business and government investments with strategies that produce positive outcomes, Scott believes that early prevention has an important role in social innovation - a well-balanced investment portfolio needs both prevention and early intervention strategies. Scott has a Master's degree from Royal Roads University with a specialization in Sustainable Community Development.