About Kathy

My mission is to pursue, inspire, and nurture grace and excellence for my family and those in my circle of influence.

Since I wrote that mission statement in 2001, I have been on a learning journey to become more fully myself, and to create my preferred life. Articulating my mission set me on a path to wholeness, and gave me permission to say yes to those things that are mine to do, and no to the rest. Narrowing my focus resulted in expanding my circle of influence.

Through the years, I have engaged in reflective practice to deepen self-awareness, identify areas for growth, and then learn from my experiences. On many occasions, I articulated a vision for what I wanted my life to look like in the near future, and that clarity enabled me to take action that translated my vision into reality.

I have just published my first book, Women Thriving in Leadership: Practices for Cultivating Wholeness and Community. Drawing from the narratives of twelve other female leaders as well as my own, I share practices to help others envision and then create a life of thriving and wholeness. The second section of the book details practices for care-full leadership, so that you can lead for mutual thriving in community. You can’t thrive if you do everything yourself, so the third section has practices for empowering leadership–inviting others to lead alongside and offer their gifts to the community.

Are you striving to create a meaningful life, and wondering what that might look like? Or struggling to bring your vision to reality? Women Thriving in Leadership provides examples, reflective questions, and resources to help you embrace your unique leadership narrative.

Are you in a community of leaders who want to enhance their wellbeing while leading thriving communities? Contact me to inquire about learning opportunities around the book, and/or to craft your own learning program that suits your context. I am available as a speaker and/or a facilitator to support thriving leaders and communities.

Professional Background

I have been an educator for over 30 years, pursuing growth and contribution. Each new opportunity extended my circle of influence and led to deeper understanding of the education system and the various levels of impact: classroom, school, school authority, and system. Through Kanopy Consulting, I offer skills and insights gleaned from the following experiences:

Adjunct Professor for the University of Portland in Edmonton, Alberta: teaching graduate students in pusuit of educational leadership.
System Leader for Alberta Education: working with superintendents and senior staff to promote continuous improvement.
Principal with Edmonton Public Schools: led two elementary schools through significant transitions.
Consultant with Edmonton Public Schools in Special Education, Assessment, and Resource Development.
High school teacher of Math and Science: delighted in working with students who struggled to succeed-building their capacity for learning.

For more details on my professional background, check out my Linked In profile or get in touch here.

“ I find Kathy to be an incredibly conscientious and compassionate educator. She is thoughtful about what and how we learn. I appreciated her efforts to ensure our learning experiences were impactful and relevant. I also appreciate that she was always taking stock of the emotional state of her students. She made learning feel safe.”

Leanne Aura, Former Graduate Student

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