Wendy Keats     Salisbury, New Brunswick

Wendy Keats is a co-founder and the Executive Director of the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick, a leading CED agency in the province. Prior to this, she spent 18 years as a private CED consultant and trainer working with nearly 200 community groups in organizational development, strategic planning, governance, project management, and many other development areas. Wendy is a certified mediator and served as a senior faculty member of UPEI’s Centre for Conflict Studies for more than a decade.  She provides training and mediation services to all levels of government, business and the community. Wendy sits on numerous boards and committees related to CED and has a special passion for youth engagement and renewable energy. She lives completely off-the-grid in the woods of Salisbury, tending her gardens and relaxing on the river whenever the hectic world of CED allows it.

Carol Madsen     Vancouver, British Columbia

Carol Madsen has been on the Canadian CED Network board since 2005. She has been teaching in Simon Fraser University's Centre for Sustainable Community Development for nine years and has taught at Concordia's School of Community Public Affairs and UBC's School of Social Work. Previously she was the Manager of Pathways Information Centre, a CED project of Tradeworks Training Society located in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, the regional representative for the Canadian CED Technical Assistance Program for British Columbia and the Director of Bridging the Divides, a participatory action research CED project that took place in two rural communities in BC.  She has been involved in CED, social justice and international development work for more than 25 years and it passionate about creating a more equitable Canadian society for all.

François Hastir     Thunder Bay, Ontario

Captivated by the co-operative movement and social enterprises, François became actively involved on many boards of directors including Fondation pour l’éducation à la coopération et à la mutualité, Table de concertation en développement coopératif et mutualiste de Montréal-Laval, Caisse populaire Desjardins Centre-est de la métropole and Fédération Québécoise des coopératives en milieu scolaire (FQCMS). He has also lent a hand to many social enterprises and cooperatives as a consultant in strategic planning and for the development of policies and of by-laws and procedures.

François Hastir holds a Bachelor’s degree in communications and politics and a training in law. After having held the office of regional manager for Northern Ontario at the Conseil de la coopération de l’Ontario, he is now acting executive director for the Association des francophones du Nord-Ouest de l’Ontario. He is also a member of the Co-operatives and mutuals Canada board of directors.

Kaye Grant     Winnipeg, Manitoba

Based in Winnipeg, Kaye is the key Consultant with Reconnaissance Management Consulting Group Inc. Kaye is also the Communications Manager for the Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation (CWCF), a national, bilingual grassroots membership organization that supports the growth and development of worker co-operatives. Kaye has worked for over 20 years within the non-profit/social enterprise sector in a number of roles. Kaye’s experience in working with the non-profit sector and local community groups enables her to maintain working relationships within the community. Kaye sits on the Bike Winnipeg Board as Co-chair and the Manitoba Co-op Association Board as the CWCF representative. Kaye has been an active member of CCEDNet in Manitoba for nine years and has regularly presented at The Gathering event in Manitoba. Kaye has a passion towards poverty alleviation and has focused her work with organizations that contribute to this mandate.

Derek Pachal     Winnipeg, Manitoba

Derek Pachal has been active with CCEDNet since its inception in 1999 and has contributed locally serving on the CCEDNet-Manitoba Advisory Committee and the Annual Gathering Organizing Committee. As an enterprise development consultant, Derek currently works as a portfolio manager for the Jubilee Fund providing loan guarantees for non-profit organizations, social enterprises and co-ops. Derek has worked in urban, rural, northern and Aboriginal communities and volunteers on several local committees related to CED. Derek has a lifelong passion for social justice and the empowerment of marginalized individuals and communities.

Diana Jedig     St. Thomas, Ontario

Diana Jedig joined the Community Futures Program in 1988, first as a General Manager at the Brantford CFDC, and since 1994 as the Executive Director of the provincial association working with all 61 CFDCs in Ontario. She holds Bachelor of Commerce and MBA degrees and is a Certified Association Executive.  Diana serves as a resource person to the Community Futures Network of Canada Board and as the Past President with the Canadian Community Economic Development Network,  where she has made numerous connections with others dedicated to supporting rural entrepreneurs and their communities.