As I ended off the first quarter of 2024, I am reflective, nostalgic and proud.  

While there is always much to reflect on, my recent focus and nostalgia involved saying goodbye to my former home, which we lovingly call “the farm”. This farmyard is where my Dad and his siblings grew up. We moved to this farm when I was 16 from a nearby farm. “The farm” was very important to my Dad. He grew up studying the migratory birds and playing in the wetlands that the laneway curved around. My parents had great pride in the house they carefully renovated and the majestic yard they meticulously tended to.

It has been nearly 6 years since my Dad passed away after his 2-year battle with cancer. Today, I am proud of my Mom for deciding it is time for new owners to enjoy the yard, the house, and the birds as much as they did. After much sorting and reminiscing over the past year, the farmhouse will soon be passing to new owners. I am thankful that many friends, family members, and neighbours were able to celebrate with us on our last weekend at “the farm”. A piece of my heart will always be in the rolling prairies of southwest Saskatchewan, and I know we will go visit again soon.   

In between visits to the farm over the past few months, I have made big progress on both my Ph.D. and in starting my book. My dissertation has been reviewed, and edited and is ready to go through the next set of reviews with fresh pairs of eyes. The finish line is getting near!

Outside of dissertation writing, I have three papers that have been submitted to academic journals and am working on finalizing the final deliverables for my Ph.D. funders. I am proud of the current dissertation draft and hope my reflections in the final chapter will provide direction for future research and strategies for EDI practitioners. It has been exciting to see the pieces come together as I envisioned and the insights that I am still gaining.   

 My book is also progressing well. I have written a lot over the past 4 years for various classes and assignments, in my business, and for my Ph.D. project. It is an interesting exercise to do a synthesis of my work as I shape it into a book that will hopefully be read by a broad audience. I am also incredibly proud that all of the people I approached to share their stories in my book said yes! I feel incredibly privileged that they believe in my vision and trust me to share their stories with a bigger audience. 4 chapters down, 6 more to go!  

The next three months will allow me lots of focus time for writing, editing, and collaboration. I am looking forward to continuing to support my clients at Prairie Catalyst. The next few months will bring opportunities for facilitation, teaching, and collaborative learning opportunities. I look forward to creating common understanding, strategic alignment and skill-building with leaders and change makers. If you need help with leading change efforts in your organization, please reach out!