Olive Dempsey
Olive Dempsey brings more than two decades of experience in designing and facilitating processes to advance strategic clarity, collaboration and collective capacity with a focus on complex topics such as climate communications and engagement, decriminalization and poverty reduction.
In addition to her role as a director with SHIFT Collaborative, she led the development of SFU鈥檚 eight-week course Strategic Dialogue and Engagement for Climate Adaptation, with a focus on collaborative, equity-based and decolonizing methodologies. She continues to teach the course as part of the university鈥檚 Climate Action program.
She also acts as an advisor on participatory process design for Re.Climate, Canada鈥檚 leading centre for training, research and strategy on climate change communications and public engagement, where she has supported strategy and training sessions for climate communicators, as well as local governments such as the City of Ottawa and the City of Calgary.
Olive has an ongoing commitment to learning and development, and has an SSHRC-funded MA in environmental education and leadership, certifications in Authentic Leadership, Human Systems Dynamics, and Co-Active Coaching, as well as advanced training in Deep Democracy conflict and dialogue processes. Her work reflects a deep commitment to dialogue, capacity building, and participatory processes that support sustainable systems-level change.