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Our Team:

The team at Pacific Center for Leadership is chosen for their commitment to development and unwavering belief in people. Our program leaders bring years of practical experience designing and delivering learning engagements that produce outstanding results and they have a proven track record of skillfully assisting teams and individuals to move to higher levels of performance.

Geoff Powter (email)

Geoff has facilitated team development programs since 1989. Using experiential learning opportunities and insightful awareness, he is committed to helping teams and leaders achieve exceptional results.

Geoff has a B.Sc (Hons) and a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from McGill University. He has run private counselling practices in Canmore, Alberta.

Geoff has been the editor of the award-winning Canadian Alpine Journal for 13 years, has written award-winning adventure travel stories for many international publications, and is the author of a new book on the psychology of risk and adventure which won a prize at the 2006 Banff Mountain Book Festival. “Strange and Dangerous Dreams – the line between adventure and madness” is a fascinating book bringing out Geoff’s life experiences as a clinical psychologist, an avid mountain climber for more than 30 years around the globe and an engaging story teller and facilitator.

He lives in Canmore, Alberta.

Christo Grayling (email)

Christo Grayling specializes in Leadership and Team development for organizations that are on the move.

Christo has explored the world, worked on farms, lead wilderness expeditions, worked with street kids, line workers, supervisors and business executives. He has climbed peaks in the Andes, Himalayas, New Zealand and the Canadian Rockies; paddled rivers and oceans in Australia and North America.

Christo has extensive experience facilitating learning that focuses on personal, team and leadership development. Since 1976 he has specialized in designing and delivering experiential learning programs that develop human potential and assist organizations to higher levels of performance by enhancing the quality of team work and their commitment to action.

In his words: “My purpose is to assist myself, my family and others to discover ways to live life to the fullest; to help individuals and organizations seek out ways of becoming even more effective in creating the results they want; facilitating rich conversations.”
Christo is a graduate from the acclaimed University Associates Internship in Human Resource and Organizational Development. In 1978 Christo received the Queen’s Silver Jubilee award. He is an associate faculty of the internationally renowned Banff Centre Leadership Development division and has been a faculty member for the Universities of Toronto, Calgary and Queen’s Executive Development Programs.

Christo is joined in business by his wife Barb. Together they travel and adventure with their sons Logan and Luke.

Barb Hertell (email)

Over the past 25 years, Barb has specialized in designing and delivering experiential learning programs that enhance leadership, team and personal performance. She is a graduate from the acclaimed University Associates Internship Program in Human Resources and Organizational Development. She also completed a degree in Honours Human Kinetics and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo.

Barb is committed to providing safe learning opportunities through custom-designed experiential activities. She believes that “through experience, people have an opportunity to examine their own beliefs, assumptions, attitudes and opinions about team and leadership in a fun and unique way. Through examination, people then have an opportunity to create even more effective individuals, teams and relationships.”

Having been a team member and working with groups throughout her career, Barb believes very strongly that effectively working teams can produce incredible results. “Each individual brings unique resources to a team. When we mutually realize our individual strengths and recognize the value of working harmoniously, greater results will be accomplished.”

Barb places a high priority in creating opportunities in all aspects of her life - professional career, family, friends, travel and love for the outdoors.

Deanna Thompson (email)

Deanna has been leading groups in the private and public sectors for the past twenty years. She has a specialized focus on teams within the complex areas of health and law. As part of the PCFL team, she facilitates leadership and team development and also offers individual coaching. Deanna creates an environment that allows individuals to become more aware of their beliefs, skills, and challenges, and how these influence and are affected by a team.

Using hands on learning she is skilled at highlighting leadership, team, and personal dynamics and assisting people to see the opportunities for learning and growth. She is continually humbled by an individual’s courage to take risks and inspired by an organization’s ability to improve performance and results. She believes development is achieved through arousing curiosity, listening, and engaging in conversations. Deanna has a real gift at hearing what is behind what is being said by an individual or team and then helping people engage in that conversation.

Deanna has a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Occupational Therapy and post graduate courses and training in Group Process and Dynamics as well as Communication and Personal Growth and Development.

Being in the outdoors rejuvenates Deanna’s spirit and she skis, hikes, and backpacks. A regular yoga and meditation practice brings equanimity and balance to her busy life.

Mike Shaw (email)

Mike Shaw specializes in facilitating leadership and team development for corporate client groups.

After receiving a B.Sc. in Physical Geography from the University of Victoria, Mike moved to Calgary. As a computer programmer for 6 years with an oil and gas company, he gained the valuable experience of working in a large organization. It was either his desire for instability in his life and/or his passion for the outdoors that led to a career move into the outdoors.

During the last 18 years Mike has worked in numerous aspects of the outdoors; with youth groups to senior executives of corporations. He has gained a strong reputation for his use of the outdoors as a powerful and enjoyable learning environment. People appreciate his ability to create an environment of trust, safety and confidence.

Mike is a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, Canada’s only professional association of trained and certified guides and instructors. He is also a member of the Association of Challenge Course Technology and has been involved in the design and construction of many challenge course facilities in Western Canada. This expertise in challenge and orienteering course design brings a unique dimension to Pacific Center for Leadership and the creative program elements that we offer our clients.

Mike is a registered Strength Deployment Inventory facilitator.

One of his goals is to continue to learn, grow and try new experiences. Life has certainly continued to evolve and bring with it new adventures and insights.

Sue Panning (email)

Sue Panning joined Pacific Centre for Leadership in 1993. Sue graduated from the University of Waterloo in Outdoor Recreation and Resource Management.

After earning her degree she moved west to lead the Outdoor Program at the Banff Centre for Continuing Education. Sue moved further west to accept the role of the head trainer at the Mountain Equipment Co-op in Vancouver. The Rocky Mountains kept calling, however, so she came to Canmore and joined the team at Pacific Centre for Leadership where her love of the outdoors, desire to motivate and instill a sense of confidence in others has made her a natural fit.

Sue brings her hands on and practical work experience to our clients and eagerly shares her skills, interest in group dynamics and her passion for growth and development. She is well respected for her calm and direct approach with teams along with her ability to bring focus to complex situations.

Sue has is an avid mountain biker and skier and loves to share outdoor experiences and traveling adventures with her husband and their two boys. She actively volunteers in her community of Canmore and is well known for her contribution to various school groups, community boards, the Nordic Ski Club, Canmore Minor Soccer League, and many other youth activities. Along with her work at PCfL, Sue is one of the lead organizers for the renowned Canmore Folk Festival.

Anne Ryall (email)

Anne Ryall has worked as a team development facilitator with Pacific Centre for Leadership since 1994. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics at the University of Toronto, she felt the pull of the mountains and moved to Alberta, where she obtained a Bachelor of Physical Education in Outdoor Pursuits at the University of Calgary. For more than 15 years she has been instructing and facilitating outdoor-based leadership- and team-development programs in Alberta, British Columbia and the western United States.

Using the outdoor environment in order to challenge teams to reach their full potential provides Anne with a great deal of inspiration and satisfaction. In addition to her employment with Pacific Centre for Leadership, she combines her interests in languages, film and climbing by doing translation work and other projects for the world-renowned Banff Mountain Film Festival.

Janet Miller (email)

Janet Miller has worked with Pacific Centre for Leadership since 1997. The opportunity to assist people to challenge their beliefs and behaviours through experiential learning is an ongoing source of inspiration for her.

Teaching skiing brought Janet to the mountains as a young woman. She has taught outdoor skills such as hiking, climbing and backcountry living, and is a Day Hiking Guide and member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Her passion for wildlife led to several years of providing education programs for the Central Rockies Wolf Project, to groups both small and large.

With a Bachelor of Nursing degree from the University of Calgary, Janet worked for nearly a decade as a Community Care Nurse/Manager for a large health region. Provincial health care restructuring gave her intimate experience with change and how it affects individuals, program delivery, and corporate cultures.

Janet lives in Canmore, Alberta with her husband and various dogs and cats. She strongly values working as a member of the Pacific Center for Leadership team, and finds that her work continually affirms her belief in the unlimited potential of people.

Rob Turner (email)

Rob has been involved with Pacific Center for Leadership for the past 16 years providing both facilitation and technical direction. He brings to our team a great love of the outdoors, a commitment to powerful personal and team development and an appreciation for the potential and uniqueness embodied in every person. Rob has an unassuming presence and quiet confidence that creates a safe environment, allowing participants to quickly engage in learning opportunities.

Rob joined our team with a diverse employment background and has continued to explore new business adventures. Rob worked at the University of Alberta as the climbing wall manager, directed and facilitated a personal growth program for youth in Canmore, worked as the assistant manager for the Mica Heli-Ski Lodge near Revelstoke and has guided groups for personal and team learning opportunities.

Rob is a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.

He lives in Canmore with his wife Shelly where he enjoys the outdoors and continues to be awed by the growth and development opportunities provided by his young son William.

Marianne Wasch (email)

Marianne joined the Pacific Center for Leadership team in September of 2008 to provide operational and client service support. Her background in sales, event management and leadership programming give her a great understanding of why listening to people is important and how attention to small details can make all the difference.

A native Calgarian, Marianne graduated from University of Calgary with a degree in English Literature and Linguistics. This love of language took her overseas to live and work in Asia for three years. After acquiring a good working knowledge of Japanese, Marianne moved to Banff to work in the tourism industry.

Her desire to offer people more than just a visit to a beautiful location led her to a position at The Banff Centre where she was responsible for creating and implementing ESL programming for overseas students and “learning vacations” courses for groups such as Elderhostel.

For four years, Marianne held the position of program manager for Leadership Development at The Banff Centre where she oversaw all aspects of their open enrolment programs. Marianne was drawn to the work of PCfL as she had seen the impact the experiential learning had on participants, particularly when combined with an inspirational outdoor setting.

Marianne lives in Canmore with her husband and two young children. She is a member of the board of directors for the Canmore Community Daycare and an active volunteer at her daughter’s elementary school. She and her family are active snowboarders, mountain bikers and campers.

Doug Leonard (email)

Doug has a passion for the dynamics of groups and thrives on helping others lead resourceful, committed and motivated project teams. Having spent nearly twenty-five years in the multidisciplinary arena of human and natural history museums, he enjoys the creative interaction and interplay between individuals and groups, challenging organizational orthodoxies and exploring new growth areas.

“In the flux of today’s marketplace, strategic and intelligent deployment of assets and resources are keys to leadership and competitiveness. In my view, organizations that are looking for breakthrough results must set ambitious leadership goals and build competitive advantage by conceiving and developing new products and services. The PCfL approach offers an ideal environment for personal and team learning, with results that can be rapidly integrated into organizational life. “

Doug has a proven record of senior level management, holding positions of Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director, Director of Curatorial Services and Chief Curator in the museum field. He holds a graduate degree in history and anthropology and has a strong and enthusiastic dedication to art, science, cross-cultural exchange, heritage interpretation and presentation. He is a graduate of the Museum Management Institute, Getty Leadership Program at Berkeley, University of California. He is past President of the Alberta Museums Association and past trustee of the Canadian Museums Association. He is one of the Founding Board members of the National Mountain Centre in Canmore, Alberta. He also serves as trustee for the Banff Heritage Tourism Corporation.

He lives a rich and active outdoor life in the mountains with his wife Caroline.

Marni Virtue (email)

For the past 18 years, Marni Virtue has designed and facilitated leadership and team development programs with Pacific Center for Leadership.

Marni’s strength is in group facilitation, the flexibility she brings to program design, and her ability to work closely with her clients to achieve desired outcomes. She is committed to helping teams and individuals achieve their highest potential through increased awareness of leadership style, team dynamics and personal introspection.

Marni has designed and facilitated leadership development sessions for a wide variety of corporate clients based on leadership styles and tools, communication skills, creating highly effective teams, coaching for results and leading people through change, She works with intact teams within organizations to increase their effectiveness and offers individual coaching to team members.

Marni has a B.A. in Psychology and post-graduate courses in Communication, Learning Theory and Group Dynamics.

Marni was the former co-owner and director of Canada’s largest mountain instruction service, Yamnuska Mountain School, and was one of the first women to become a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. With this unique background, combined with her facilitation style and depth of experience working with corporate groups, Marni brings a creative and results oriented approach to her work with teams and individuals.

Althea Shaw (email)

Althea has been working with Pacific Center for Leadership since 1994, providing technical assistance to programs involving challenge courses, rock climbing, and orienteering. Althea also works in the PCFL office.

Althea has been active in the mountains for over 25 years. Her favorite pursuits include trail running, mountaineering and hiking in the back country.

Althea has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Victoria; she worked for 12 years as a systems analyst in Victoria and Calgary. She is now the active mother of two children and lives in Canmore, Alberta.

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For more information give us a call: 1-800-661-9400

@ Pacific Center for Leadership
Canmore, Alberta, Canada
near Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies