At heart, we are community builders.
Our Team
Since 2019, Arising Collective has provided strategic consulting and coaching services to more than 75 local, regional, and national organizations. We are experienced facilitators, planners, researchers, communicators, coaches, and project managers who collaborate together to maximize impact for our clients.
Christie Nash, M. Ed., C.E.
With over 15 years of leadership experience in the not-for-profit and public sector, Christie is a strategic thinker, planner, educator, facilitator, and project manager. Her expertise includes evaluation, community engagement, program development, curriculum design, coaching, and strategic planning. A true community builder, Christie has led local poverty-reduction efforts, actively volunteers in the community, and has facilitated hundreds of community-based research, planning, and evaluation projects. Christie holds a Master of Education and Community Development from OISE and is a Credentialed Evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society.
Jenn Harrington, BESc., MBA
Jenn’s diverse skillset includes an engineering degree, an MBA, and a passion for community that makes her a powerful ally to purpose-driven organizations. With her expertise in management consulting—including project management, planning, research, evaluation, and data analysis - Jenn brings a collaborative and thoughtful approach to her work. She is an active community volunteer, presently serving as Chair of the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough. Previous volunteer roles include President and member of the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton Board of Directors and Chair of the Peterborough Immigration Partnership.
Lauren Hunter, BPAPM
Lauren is currently on parental leave
Lauren has over a decade of experience in strategic communications, public affairs, and government relations in both the non-profit and public sectors. She has held high-profile roles in local government offices and managed political campaign teams. With an emphasis on building trusting stakeholder relationships, Lauren has expertise in developing and implementing strategic and communication plans, engaging with diverse stakeholders, leading fundraising efforts, and researching a wide range of contemporary issues that impact purpose-driven organizations. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management and is based in Haliburton County.
Contact Lauren
Associates
Arising Collective is a partnership-based consulting practice that works with experts and leaders across sectors.
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Suzanne Galloway, M.A., BES, CEC
Suzanne is a creative and pragmatic leader with extensive experience in community-based research, project management, community engagement, evaluation, and strategic planning. She has over 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector focused on working with marginalized populations in the areas of primary health care, homelessness, public health, youth employment, and social enterprise. Suzanne’s career has included senior leadership positions at a primary healthcare clinic and a homeless shelter. She holds a Masters in Community Psychology, an undergraduate degree in environmental studies, and Lean Green Belt certification. She is also a Certified Executive Coach accredited by the International Coaching Federation. Suzanne is an active volunteer with the YES Shelter for Youth and Families and Up With Women.
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Kemi Akapo, BA
Kemi’s drive comes from a strong belief in the importance of collaborative community development work to build communities where everyone feels they belong. Her background includes serving on YWCA Canada and YWCA Peterborough Haliburton Boards of Directors, through which she was a delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Kemi served a 4-year term as a City Councillor for the City of Peterborough, holding several portfolios, including Chair of Transportation and Youth Commission and sitting on the Peterborough Public Library board. Coupled with her other volunteer work, Kemi has over a decade of experience working in the immigration, refugee, and settlement sector, where she has overseen Settlement Services and helped develop both a Refugee Resettlement and Case Management program from the start. Kemi holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies and English Literature and a certificate in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies.
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Andy Mitchell
Andy Mitchell understands government, from the inside out. Most recently serving as the Mayor of Selwyn Township and Deputy Warden of Peterborough County Council from 2018 to 2022, he was also Deputy Mayor of Selwyn Township and member of Peterborough County Council from 2010 to 2014. Andy was elected as a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 2006 and served eight years in the Federal cabinet where he held several portfolios including Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. In 2006, he served as Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition. Outside of elected office, Andy has worked as a senior policy advisor and served in executive leadership roles including President of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians, President of the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation, President of the Peterborough Innovation Cluster, and President of three Chambers of Commerce.
Andy holds a Bachelor of Political Science earned at Carleton University and is an active volunteer in the community. He is currently the President of Swim Ontario and the Chair of the Selwyn Library board and participates in the Peterborough swim club and regularly officiates at swim meets across the Province.
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Susan Bacque, M.A.
Susan has a rare gift of being able to think strategically and implement practically. She has held senior positions in municipal and provincial governments and the healthcare sector. Over the past six years, Susan has worked exclusively in hospital and healthcare settings, including PRHC, Northumberland Hills, and Ross Memorial Hospitals. In various roles, Susan led community engagement, service planning, and consultative program development initiatives. Prior to consulting, Susan managed and directed housing and homelessness programs and services in Toronto and Peterborough. She holds an M.A. in Adult Education from the University of Toronto, a B.Sc. from Trent University, and is a graduate of several invitation-only, employer-sponsored leadership courses. Susan is an active volunteer, currently serving on the Board as Secretary for the ReFrame Film Festival.
Our Compass
Our wish is to see communities thrive. Through our work, we seek to give strategic tools and guidance to purpose-driven organizations to help them achieve their goals. We are united by our five core values—a compass that holds us true to our path.
These values not only guide our work with our clients but also how we work with each other as a team.
Trustworthy
Trust is the bedrock of our work in the community. People are open with us about the challenges their organizations face. They need to know they can trust us to keep what they share in confidence. Without trust, we cannot do our job. We build trust through open and honest communication, demonstrating respect, and the integrity of our work.
Curious
We are curious people who want to learn as much as we can about purpose-driven organizations and how they handle challenges and opportunities. We believe that asking incisive questions is what most organizations need, rather than consultants who think they already know the answers. We are puzzle-solvers who love the work of engaging with people, listening to their perspectives, identifying gaps and solutions, and putting the pieces together.
Thoughtful
Every organization faces unique challenges and circumstances that require a deliberate, thoughtful approach. We take the time to research and analyze your organization and sector, and your specific context, challenges, threats, and opportunities. We want you to be confident that the results we deliver are based on strong evidence and thorough analysis that will produce a positive impact for your organization and your community.
Compassionate
At heart, we are community builders. We care about the organizations and people who make our communities thrive. We respect their work and their dedication to serving others. We are compassionate listeners with a genuine enthusiasm to help organizations achieve their objectives.
Collaborative
We value collaborative relationships that build trust and strengthen communities. We work closely with clients to make sure our approach and end-products will work for them. As a collective, we work closely with each other, complementing one another’s strengths and magnifying the positive impact for clients.
“We approach each project as creative problem-solvers. There’s not one fixed way to do things, we stay flexible and agile in our methodology. We work collaboratively with you to build consensus.”
– Lauren Hunter
“It was an absolute pleasure working with Arising on developing a strategic plan. They broke down the entire process into efficient, digestible steps, and sought insight from all levels of the organization and other stakeholders. The end result was a strat plan with clear goals, expectations, and timelines.”
– Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre
“Working with Arising was a pleasure! Christie really listened to us and her approach and work demonstrated that she understands the work we do as a non-profit. The final evaluation zoned in on the most important points for the intended audiences and displayed them in a way that will get read.”
– WoodGreen Community Services