With expertise from a variety of fields, MDW program instructors include university professors, consultants and business managers with strong academic backgrounds.

Jeanie Cockell, BA, MA, EdD, Leadership

Jeanie is President of Jeanie Cockell Consulting Inc. She is a dynamic facilitator who is known for her creativity, sense of humour, sensitivity, and ability to get diverse groups to work collaboratively together. Her work with organizations crosses the spectrum from private and public sector to non-profit. She is a leader in Appreciative Inquiry as an organizational development process, a research methodology and foundation for fostering collaboration in groups. She trains facilitators for http://CenterforAppreciativeInquiry.net. Jeanie built her consulting practice out of her broad background in adult education, including teaching and senior leadership roles.

Ellen Farrell, BPR, MBA, PhD, Business Strategy

Ellen Farrell is at the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University. She specializes in venture capital and "business angel" investors. Dr. Farrell studied at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom (one of the Top 100 universities in the world) where she completed a PhD in finance and management. She has been awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award at SMU Student, Professor of the Year by the Commerce Society, has twice been named one of the "Most Popular Profs" in Maclean's Magazine, and made the list of "MBA Hot Profs" in Canadian Business Magazine. With her coaching, teams have competed at national and international comptetitions amassing a total of more than $130,000 in prizes for students. Dr. Farrell's background includes private and public corportations and her experience in starting companies brings a unique perspective to her teaching. Her hands-on manner and enthusiastic style make her a popular facilitator and professor.

Sandi Findlay-Thompson, MBA, Marketing

Sandi Findlay-Thompson is an Assistant Professor of Business at Mount Saint Vincent University.  Prior to joining the Mount, Sandi gained extensive management experience in the fields of investment planning, project management/operations, sales and marketing.  Her last 15 years in industry were spent with TD Canada Trust in a variety of management roles.  Sandi is currently working on her PhD in Business (Management) at North Central University, Prescott, Arizona.

Wendy Forsyth, Ph.D, MAHEc, Change Management and Creative Problem Solving

Wendy has taught in the Department of Family Studies and Gerontology and the Department of Business and Tourism at Mount Saint Vincent University.  She has extensive experience as a consultant, developing and conducting training seminars and workshops in a variety of business settings.  Wendy recently completed her doctorate at Concordia University.

Elsie Henderson CA - Accounting and Budgeting, Finance

Elsie Henderson became a Chartered Accountant in 1993. She has worked for nine years in public practice and has held positions as a Controller and an advisor during eight years of industry work. For the past thirteen years she has taught various accounting courses at Mount Saint Vincent University as a part time professor. She is currently working in public practice with WBLI , Chartered Accountants in Bedford, Nova Scotia.

Claudine Lowry, MA, Human Resource Management

Claudine is the Dean of Organizational Learning for the Nova Scotia Community College and is responsible for providing leadership in the design, delivery and evaluation of professional development initiatives for college staff.  She has a background in Human Resources and adult education.  Before joining NSCC, Claudine was the director of Human Resources for Mount Saint Vincent University.  As a Human Resource consultant, she has designed and facilitated more than 100 workshops on current issues.

Judi Vincent, PMP, Project Management: Planning for Success

Judi is a Principal of Judi Vincent Consulting.  She is a Project Management practitioner and facilitator for many diverse industry sectors, with a broad range of project sizes and types.  As well, Judi is a founding member of the local PMI Nova Scotia Chapter (Project Management Institute).  Her major goal is to introduce participants to project management concepts, to present them with a toolbox of applicable skills, and to foster professionalism in project management.

Patricia Watson, BA, Business Communications, Organizational Behaviour

Pat is the President of P.W. Associates, Inc.  She has specialized in organizational management and management development and training for the past 22 years.  Her work entails designing and facilitating workshops with special emphasis on Management of Change, Coaching and Mentoring, Leadership, Personal Mastery, Stress Management, Interpersonal Communication Skills, Team Building and Group Dynamics, Strategic Planning Initiatives and Diversity in the Workplace.  Pat continues to work towards her master’s degree in Organizational Behaviour at American University.