Dr. Roberta Neault, PhD, CCC, RRP, GCDF: President

Dr. Roberta Neault has over three decades of eclectic professional experiences, which include career counselling and coaching, corporate consulting, and counsellor education.

Roberta's strengths lie in her professionalism, infectious enthusiasm for empowering individuals and organizations, and "hands-on" experience working with diverse groups of people. Her pragmatic “can do” attitude ensures that customized solutions are innovative and affordable. Equally comfortable with leadership/executive teams and those just entering the workplace, Roberta has worked with individuals and groups from diverse cultures, educational levels, and employment experiences, across all stages of life. She brings vivid anecdotes, practical examples, and a wealth of resources to her workshops and consultations.

In 2002, Roberta was honoured to receive the Canadian Career Development Foundation's prestigious Stu Conger Award for Leadership in Career Counselling and Career Development in Canada. She currently serves as editor of the Journal of Employment Counseling.

Frequently invited to speak at conferences and seminars (both local and international), Roberta's most requested topics include lifelong career management; international and global careers; individual and organizational sustainability; work-life balance; professional ethics; advocacy; and strategic recruitment, retention, and employee engagement. She teaches at several universities, both online and in-person, and has developed countless courses and programs. Author of Career Strategies for a Lifetime of Success, That Elusive Work-Life Balance, Beyond the Basics: Real World Skills for Career Practitioners, and several training "toolkits" for Personality Dimensions™. Roberta continues to research and write extensively about topics related to career and life management.

As President of Life Strategies Ltd., Roberta is available to clients for consulting services, workshops, conference keynotes, and presentations. Her areas of expertise include career management, psychometric assessment, change and transition, teambuilding, recruitment and retention, employee engagement, work-life balance, and curriculum development, including e-learning initiatives.

Read Roberta’s Resume
Read Roberta’s Curriculum Vitae
Links to articles and presentations by Dr. Neault
Recently released:

• Become a Diversity Champion: How to Champion for Change and Create Opportunities for Inclusion
• That's Just Plain Silly! Channeling Outrage to Champion Change
• Sustaining Employee Wellbeing in Stressful Times
• The Ethics of Advocacy: A Canadian Perspective
• Sustainability: Building Organizational Capacity Through People
• Tools to Support Group Facilitation(co-authored with Cassie Saunders, BA, and Fiona Glendinning, BA)
• The Ethics of Advocacy: Channelling Outrage to Champion Change
• A Summary of Making the Case: Demonstrating the Impact of Career Services
• Strategic Recruitment: When Hiring “Just Anyone” Isn’t Enough(co-authored with Deirdre Pickerell)
• Do You Have to Be One to Help One? Being Culturally Relevant in the Midst of Diversity
• Ring Roads and Roundabouts: Navigating Careers in the 21st Century
• Build Your Business Through e-Networking
• Consulting as a Retirement Option: The Myths and Realities
• Counsellor Education: Taking it Online
• Food For Thought: Building a Working Alliance Online
• That Elusive Work-Life Balance!
• That Elusive Work-Life Balance! - From HR Voice (co-authored with Deirdre Pickerell)

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Gerry Neault: Vice President

Gerry Neault has been actively involved in the management of Life Strategies since its incorporation in 1993. As a Professional Financial Planner, Gerry also offers workshops and consultations to help individual and corporate clients with their financial management challenges.

Gerry brings the Life Strategies team over 25 years experience working in the financial industry with diverse business and individual clients. Gerry has assisted a wide range of Canadian and international clients with their personal banking, investment planning and retirement/estate planning concerns. Gerry's extensive international travel experience has provided him with a unique appreciation of cultural diversity and the challenges involved in conducting business abroad and investing in a global economy.

Gerry offers solid management expertise in both the corporate and small business sectors. He also has a comprehensive understanding of the financial management needs of small businesses and individuals.

Gerry is comfortable adapting his presentation style to suit a wide variety of people. His calm and pragmatic approach makes discussing money a safe and comfortable experience. Gerry is a good listener and an analytical thinker who tailors his financial management consultations to meet the unique needs of his clients.

Read his resume.

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Deirdre Pickerell, MEd, CHRP: Senior Consultant

Deirdre Pickerell has close to fifteen years experience as an educator, manager, and career management professional. She has made significant differences within the field of career development – locally, nationally, and internationally – through innovative program design, leading-edge education for career practitioners, inspiring facilitation and career coaching, and selfless leadership and mentoring throughout the sector.

Deirdre’s day to day work includes teaching, program development, facilitating seminars and workshops, and assessing/coaching private clients. In each of these areas, Deirdre “pushes the envelope” in the field – seeing needs, championing change, measuring outcomes, evaluating progress, and tirelessly working to ensure that her clients’ and colleagues expectations are constantly exceeded.

Deirdre chairs the BC Career Information Partnership (BCCIP) where she recently reconvened the BC Pan-Canadian Symposium team, inspiring other leaders in the field to move forward several of the BC Action Plan projects. She also participates on BCCIP’s Canadian Standards & Guidelines for Career Development Practitioners Sub-committee whose current focus is the development and implementation of a certification model for career development practitioners.

With a background in both career development and human resources management, Deirdre is working to create a stronger bridge between the career management and HR sectors. She is passionate about fully integrating career management principles within an organization’s HR strategy. Effective recruitment, retention, and talent management are all linked to the same core principle – the importance of a good career fit…getting the right people into the right jobs at the right time.

In recognition of her work, Deirdre was recently honoured with a 2006 Award of Excellence; presented by the BC Human Resources Management Association.

Deirdre inspires through her leadership but also through her respect – as one student said, “You’ve never made me feel silly for asking questions and you’ve responded as though you have discerned wisdom in our comments that we weren’t even aware of…”

Read Deirdre's Resume
Read Deirdre’s Curriculum Vitae
Articles:

• A Summary of Making the Case: Demonstrating the Impact of Career Services
• Strategic Recruitment: When Hiring “Just Anyone” Isn’t Enough (co-authored with Dr. Roberta Neault)
• Career Management as an Employee Engagement Strategy (co-authored with Dr. Roberta Neault)
• Effective Use of Psychological Tests for Employee and Leadership Development (co-authored with Dr. Roberta Neault)
• Effective Use of Psychological Tests for Recruitment and Selection (co-authored with Dr. Roberta Neault)
• That Elusive Work-Life Balance HRMA (co-authored with Dr. Roberta Neault)
• Taking it Online: Is Facilitated e-Learning an Option for your Organization? (co-authored with Dr. Roberta Neault)

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Linda Weismiller joined the Life Strategies team in March 2009 as Operations Manager. Linda began her career working with young children. She continued her education by receiving her Early Childhood Special Education designation from the University of the Fraser Valley. She has been working in Child and Family services for the last 13 years as an Executive Director in the non-profit sector. During that time she completed a Leadership Training Certificate through the Community Social Services Agency. Linda has extensive experience working with government ministries, particularly the Ministry of Child and Family Development. Linda has been active on many community boards throughout the Fraser Valley in community development, early development services and the coordination of family services. To become familiar with the career services sector, she is currently enrolled in the Global Career Development Facilitator certification training and the Personality Dimensions Facilitator training.

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Krista Maydew: Consultant, CMPP Instructor

Krista’s passion for helping people achieve their career goals has led her to work in a variety of environments. Krista’s experience includes coordinating an award winning school-to-work transition program, which received the Royal Bank Partners in Education Award and the Wally Beevor Award in recognition of exemplary practice in school-to-work transition programs.

She has also supported and trained career practitioners, supported school personnel in implementing career development curriculum and tools such as the Real Game Series, managed the development and implementation of a northern electronic labour exchange, participated in multi-stakeholder committees developing training programs for the oil and gas industry, and co-developed and co-facilitated a two week pilot project to deliver a career development program to inmates at Yellowknife Correctional Centre.

Krista’s passion for working with youth led her to volunteer on the board of directors of Skills Canada Northwest Territories and the national Skills/Compétences Canada board of directors. She held a variety of positions on both boards including Vice President of the national board of directors. Skills/Compétences Canada was also the sponsor organization and focus of Krista’s master’s thesis. Under Roberta Neault’s supervision, Krista completed her thesis and successfully completed a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training through Royal Roads University in June 2006.

Krista’s experience also includes conducting qualitative and quantitative socio-economic research for various projects, primarily related to resource extraction in the Canadian north and northern Ontario focusing on how development impacts on the human environment, including employment, education, and training.

Download Krista's resume (PDF).
Recently released:

• Recession-Proofing Your Career
• Become a Diversity Champion: How to Champion for Change and Create Opportunities for Inclusion

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Fiona Glendinning: Project Coordinator

In 2006 Fiona graduated from Kwantlen University College with a Bachelor of Applied Psychology degree and began working at Life Strategies Ltd. As Project Coordinator for Life Strategies, Fiona is involved in preparing for workshops, assisting in writing projects, providing course support in the Career Management Professional Program, and supporting Roberta Neault and Deirdre Pickerell in a variety of consulting projects. In addition, Fiona is the main instructor for the course Successful Academic Writing Using APA Guidelines. In 2007, Fiona earned her certification as a Personality Dimensions® Level 1 Facilitator as well as a certificate of completion in Psychometric Assessments: Selection, Administration, and Interpretation of "B" Level Tools.

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Cassie Saunders: Project Assistant

In 2007 Cassie graduated with Bachelors of Applied Arts in Psychology from Kwantlen University College. Her interest in Career and Professional Development has arisen through her studies and she hopes to develop her skills during her time with Life Strategies. Cassie is a people-person who likes to get involved in a wide variety of projects and loves conducting research. Through her work at Life Strategies, Cassie assists with administrative duties, online course support, workshop development, publications, and provides support on wide range of consulting projects. Cassie is also a certified Personality Dimensions Facilitator and the Student Advisor for Life Strategies offering course planning, technical support, and assistance to students.

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Amanda Pereira: Project Coordinator

In 2009 Amanda graduated from Trinity Western University with an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a double specialization in Human Resource Management and Entrepreneurship. In 2009, Amanda is working towards completing her CHRP designation and looks forward to becoming certified as a Personality Dimensions® Level 1 Facilitator. Amanda is looking forward to her time with Life Strategies as she embraces her passion of working with people. As Project Coordinator for Life Strategies, Amanda assists with administrative duties and provides support on a wide range of consulting projects.

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Cheryl Thom: Testing Assistant

Cheryl is married with two young daughters - the joy of her life. Cheryl loves working with people and taking on new ventures. Cheryl has worked in office administrative positions for 9 years. During this time Cheryl started a small photography business, and continues to grow and develop the business. Cheryl joined Life Strategies in the Spring of 2008 for a part-time position, assisting with the online assessments, e-learning programs and services, and our online store.

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Sue Hession: Office Assistant

Sue Hession trained in Edinburgh, Scotland as a Physiotherapist and emigrated to Canada in 1976. After taking time off work to be a stay-at-home Mum, and doing intermittent part time work, she met with Roberta and decided to try something completely different -office work with Life Strategies, which she did as a part time office manager for several years. She now helps out weekly on a casual, as-needed basis. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteer work and currently serves as chair of the Community Pregnancy Care Society, which operates Pregnancy Concerns, an organization supporting people in a crisis pregnancy situation.

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Joanne Elliott: CMPP Instructor

Joanne holds a Masters in Counselling Psychology, as well as a BA English, BFA, art therapy diploma, and conflict resolution level 1 from the Justice Institute. As such, her experiences focus on communication, research, educating, creativity, and resilience; all of which can play critical roles in counselling relationships, changes in career and life, information management, problem solving, and empowering individuals. Her passion in these areas have also been expressed through her work, past and present.

Joanne is very pleased to have recently joined the Lifestrategies team, and has had the good fortune to have worked with Dr. Roberta Neault for two years previous (as a teaching assistant for graduate level counselling psychology courses). Joanne has also recently worked with another therapist in the Lower Mainland co-facilitating a pioneering group therapy venture with two schools and the CMHA. She has also worked with teens at BC Children's Hospital (for her counselling practicum, 2006-7), as well as with women in a transition house looking for help with life, job, and family concerns. Prior to this, Joanne developed the policies and procedures (including manual) for a UBC psychology lab, and subsequently managed it for 2 years, including interviewing and hiring undergraduate assistants, and writing applications for ethics approval for studies.

Joanne also worked for 9 years assisting in the development of a private mediation company, that began in a basement office, and succeeded into a 6 city national company. Part of her responsibilities included ongoing development and maintenance of the administrative procedures, hiring and training administrative staff, training and assisting administrative staff from the other companies, and fostering good relationships with mediators and clients (lawyers, adjusters, and meeting facility representatives).

In all of the above, Joanne has used and developed her skills in communications, counselling, teaching, problem solving, ethics, and entrepreneurial ventures, and has been fortunate to put these skills to good use in helping others as they sort through difficult issues and transition to new stages of their lives.

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Scott Miller: Marketing

Scott Miller has recently joined the Life Strategies team to help strengthen and focus our marketing activities.  With an eye for opportunity and a passion to constantly improve, he looks forward to helping Life Strategies increase exposure to a wider audience.

Scott brings us marketing expertise, specializing in identifying existing strengths and finding unique ways to communicate them. His past projects are linked by a common goal of helping to bring outstanding products and services into the view of a broader market.

Scott's observation and communication skills have allowed him to thrive in cross cultural settings. His international background includes extensive overseas travel, business and studies.   An advocate of strong relationship building, Scott's network of contacts stretches across industries and across oceans.

Scott holds an Honours B.A. from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.   In addition, he has completed a diploma in Asian Studies from Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan and is a graduate of the Asia Pacific Management Cooperative Program at Capilano College in North Vancouver, B.C.

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Ralph Perez: CMP Program Instructor

As an educated adult, I have many responsibilities that I must meet to be truly successful in life. First, I am obligated to respond to the needs of my community and make contributions to society. I am the type of person who naturally wants to help others. I believe to be a success it is important to contribute to society through one’s own chosen profession. A firm believer in adult education, my hope is that I never lose my desire to learn. If the following is true, that “Professional growth is about assuming responsibility for our own renewal, about acknowledging that as teachers we must also be learners, and as professionals, we are ourselves like the students we teach: “works-in-progress”, therefore we owe it to ourselves to enroll in professional development courses on an ongoing basis during our professional teaching career.

A quick overview of my professional development career so far is as follows:

• A graduate of Simon Fraser University, I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Film Studies (BA 1982) and a Masters degree in Educational Leadership (M.Ed. 2002)
• Possess the Professional Instructors (PID) Diploma and a “Train the Trainer” certificate from VCC, April 19, 2000
• As an entrepreneur I operated a video production company (from 1996-2002) producing commercials, educational, and instructional videos for various clientele such as The Canadian Cancer Society, The Vancouver General Hospital, The Loewen Group, BC Furnace Services and hundreds of actors demo reels for various working actors in the lower mainland, to name a few….
• Since 1994, I have also worked as a facilitator / Employment Counsellor in both the private and public sectors facilitating programs such as Career Exploration Programs, Job Search programs and EIP Programs (Employment Intervention Programs)
• Currently employed as a Case Manager at the YWCA ERC (Employment Resource Center); as an Employment Counsellor, I conduct in-depth employment needs assessments, and determine any barriers to employment; assist clients to develop a Return to Work Action Plan (RTWAP), and advise, guide and support clients as they process through their plans; and negotiate financial assistance as part of government funding for clients attending training, and assisting them in making good consumer choices in regards to skills training resource among other duties…

Instructional Skills:

• Teaching Assistant for Professor Senyshyn’s Master of Education classes at Simon Fraser University – summers of 2003 & 2004.
• Presented a workshop on Filmmaking Techniques (Editing) at Vancouver Community College (VCC) as part of the Provincial Instructors Diploma Program.
• Delivered curriculum and workshop materials to include resume writing, personal development, career exploration, interview, problem solving and decision making skills.
• Currently researching and writing a Dissertation at SFU entitled “The Philosophy of Film Education” (PhD-ABD).

Finally, Douglas Macarthur, the great American general once commented that “There is no security in life; there are only opportunities” Opportunities are everywhere. Because of the fast pace of technological changes and the global village, there are more opportunities today than there has ever been in all of our human history. One needs only to follow their dreams, keeping in mind that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step.” As such, I have always believed that life is a journey, not a destination.

In closing, I am reminded that we are, as individuals, powerful beyond measure:

Our deepest fear is that is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson, as quoted by Nelson Mandela, 1994 inauguration speech.

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