Flourishing Workplace

Mr. Stacey Petersen has gained national recognition for his leadership in the addictions sector and the homeless serving sector as the Executive Director of Fresh Start Recovery Centre for the past 17 years and was the President and CEO of Simon House Recovery Centre where he worked for 9 years prior to that.  Mr. Petersen helped steward Fresh Start to restructure its entire operating and funding model both securing multi-year funders as well as increasing the agencies profile in the community and addictions sector in Calgary and Canada. Under Mr. Petersen’s stewardship, Fresh Start has been named one of the top three treatment agencies in Canada by the Fraser Institute 2006-2012 and the number one treatment facility in all of Canada in 2010, 2013, and 2014 as well as receiving the prestigious Peter F Drucker Award for Non-profit management in 2014 and the overall Donner Award for Excellence in Social Services.  Charity intelligence Canada also chose Fresh Start as a Canadian Top Agency from 2007-2020. Mr. Petersen has led the agency to broker the City of Calgary’s very first Good Neighbour Agreement with the communities of Greenview, Thorncliff, and Highland Park and oversaw the completion of their purpose-built 50-bed treatment facility. The new facility opened in June of 2012. In 2012 Fresh Start received a Calgary Award for Advocacy. In 2020 Fresh Start acquired a 23-bed co-ed treatment center in Lethbridge Alberta.

Mr. Petersen is a Registered Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers and has been involved in the field for more than 33 years and is a person in long-term recovery with as many years clean and sober. In 2011, Mr. Petersen was the recipient of the McKillop Award honoring individuals working in human services who demonstrate a personal commitment to improving the social fabric of Calgary and he had previously been chosen as one of Calgary's top "40 under 40" in 2001 for leadership, earning this distinction while President and CEO of Simon House. During nine years at that agency, he helped lead the agency to receive several national recognitions and awards.

He has worked in both the non-profit and government sectors, bringing with him such experience as staff management, fundraising, public speaking, public relations, group facilitation, outcomes measurement, accounting, and overall agency structuring.

Mr. Petersen has served four terms on the United Way’s Agency Advisory committee, three terms as Chair of the Calgary Addiction Sector served on the Addiction Initiative Steering committee for the Norlien Foundation(Palix), and Co-Chaired of the Services Sub-Committee of the Calgary Committee to End Homelessness (10-year plan). Stacey has done two TED X talks for Alta Link where he spoke on Innovation and Change. Mr. Petersen served on the National Recovery Advisory Committee and serves on the Canadian Research Initiative for Substance Misuse. In late 2019, Mr. Petersen was appointed to the Alberta Mental Health and Addiction Advisory Council. Mr. Petersen serves on three different boards of directors - the Alberta Addiction Service Providers, Recovery Access Alberta, and the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre in Winnipeg Manitoba.

Ian has over four decades of experience in inspiring, networking, and provoking individuals and organizations to think bigger. His ability to ask difficult questions, stir vision, impart faith and create leadership development processes are the hallmarks of his coaching style.

He has proven his ability to connect resources with opportunities by developing sustainable organizations. In addition, he has traveled globally engaging communities of faith, NGOs, organizations, and businesses to become solution orientated in their areas of influence.

Abe Brown, MBA, CMCT, CPHSA is known as the Coach’s Coach and is an Entrepreneur, Professional Speaker, International Best-Selling Author, and High-Performance Leadership Coach.  He is also the Founder of the Flourishing Life Coaching Program and has trained and certified thousands of Life & Executive Coaches over the last decade.  Along with being passionate about mental health, Abe is the CEO of Wellness Innovate Corporation, which brings holistic and data-driven solutions for resilience, well-being, and mental health into the workplace.

Abe has been a professional speaker for over two decades, generated millions of dollars in speaking fees, and has spoken professionally in 4 continents and over 20 countries around the world, from audiences of two people to tens of thousands.  Abe Brown positively impacts people all over the world.

Graham Sherman is a self-professed “high-level geek” who met his business’ Co-founder while working throughout Afghanistan on contracts for the Canadian and US governments and military forces installing encrypted, tactical communication networks. While overseas, they rolled around Afghanistan in armored vehicles, “geeking out” in the world of satellite communications. But when back home in Calgary, they aimed their obsessive, high-level thinking at perfecting batches of craft beer brewed out of Graham’s backyard Tool Shed.

Now sold in over 1000 locations throughout Canada, Tool Shed Brewing Company has a beautiful 22,000 square foot brewing headquarters in Calgary.

When Graham’s NOT at the brewery he can be found speaking across the country delivering keynotes on entrepreneurial passion, disruptive marketing, and promoting local agriculture!

Graham has been nominated as Canadian Entrepreneur of the year, was named as Calgary's 2016 “Top 40 Under 40” recognition from Avenue magazine, and is a recipient of the 2018 business leaders in Calgary award. In 2020 Graham received the tremendous honour of being selected as one of Canada's 250 emerging leaders to embark on the Governor-General of Canada's leadership convention.

This Mental Health Week, our focus on Mental Health goes beyond just your workplace and the individual and impacts families. It’s time to put the HUMAN back in work.

Leora Hornstein is a passionate health and wellness professional focused on cultivating individual and

organizational well-being. Leora is a certified Occupational Health Nurse and has worked in various

industries but predominantly in Oil and Gas where she has worked for over 15 years. She is also a fitness

and yoga instructor and relies on physical activity to counter the challenges of her busy life! In moments

between working full time and being a mom of three active boys, you can find Leora on a spin bike, on a

walk in nature, or in the kitchen cooking up nutritious food. Leora most enjoys the diversity of her role,

though her current scope of practice is centered around mental health and total wellness protection and

promotion. Presently, she is most grateful for being in love with life and recognizing this and waking up

each day feeling a sense of honour in fulfilling her life’s purpose by doing work that serves others. Leora

knows there is always something good to be found - you just need to look for it and hopes to nurture

this sentiment in others.

Jason Hancock is the Director of the National Hope Movement, and a mental health advocate with a passion to help others find their place in the world. He also serves as an Employment Counsellor.

Jason Hancock

Human Resources/Connector

(403) 929-2102

Jeff works with leaders to build high-performing teams.

The Ally Co. - https://www.theallyco.world/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ally-co-team

Jeff - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffcouillard/

Zach Mercurio, Ph.D.

Author, “The Invisible Leader”

Zach is an author, researcher, and consultant specializing in purposeful leadership, meaningful work, mattering, and positive organizational development.

Some of his clients and partners have included The University of Notre Dame, Hewlett-Packard, The National Park Service, The Food and Drug Administration, The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, Crocs, Broadcom, and The Alzheimer's Association.

Website: www.zachmercurio.com

Riley Ohler is a design-based education specialist with an incredibly diverse background. Completing his Master's of Education in 2020, Riley focuses his time on helping others, building strong organizations through human-centered design practices, and building resilient communities. Following the death of his son Colin in 2018, Riley has worked to improve the mental health of the community of grieving parents in Calgary. As a Co-founder of the group Dad's In Grief, he has helped provide Calgary with a much-needed outlet for Dad's experiencing the loss of a child between 0-18.  Riley has also spearheaded an informational film for recently bereaved parents, giving parents a place to turn to in those early stages of loss. This project is expected to be released early this year through the Alberta Children's Hospital Grief support program. Riley's main message is always focused on his three main values: Love-Connection-Community.

Karen Young (she/her) is President and CEO of United Way of Calgary and Area, a visionary leader who knows the power of partnership and collaboration to achieve a common purpose. She is driven by her belief that all Calgarians have the right to a good quality of life. Under her leadership, UWCA has raised more than $370 million for the local Calgary community, delivering a profound impact to people from all walks of life. Follow Karen on Twitter @KarenYoungYYC.