Michael Ross

Experience

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  CIBT Education Group Inc.

  Jan 2000 - Jul 2000

  Business Instructor

  Taught business communications and cultural understanding with multi-national corporate employees in Beijing China. Developed an intimate understanding of Chinese culture and ways of doing business. Can get buy in Mandarin and honed skills of cultural interactions while doing business. Studied Asian Business at the University of Western Australia and UBC.

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  The Globe Foundation

  Jan 2000 - Aug 2004

  Corporate Social Responsibilty - Program Manager

  Built and delivered executive education experiences for corporate and government delegates. As part of a dynamic team we executed an international conference on sustainability that drew 10,000 participants from 85 countries. Topics included climate change, energy, building sustainable cities, conscious capitalism, import/export opportunities. Personal interactions with Ray Anderson - Interface Carpet, David Suzuki, Yvonne Chouinard - Patagonia, Justin Trudeau, Vice President Sustainability - Ford Motor Company, VP Sustainable Capital Markets - RBC and hundreds of other Senior Executives. Extensive networks with the United Nations, Corporate Canada and America, Sustainability Professionals, Service Providers and Non Gov't Organizations. Show less

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  The University of British Columbia

  May 2004 - Jul 2005

  Advisor / Recruiter / Start Up Team

  Start up a University in your home town? Yes please. As one of the first employees on the new UBC campus in the Okanagan days where long and adversity was abundant. Duties included recruiting new students for nebulus programs, advising current students, setting up facilities, dealing with HR issues, media engagements and campus master planning. UBC Okanagan est. 2005. I did that.

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  Lake O'hara Program

  Sept 2006 - Jan 2019

  Executive Director

  Led a human development program based on values of carpe diem, conservation and community. The annual grad expedition culminated in a week long backpacking trip to the national parks of the Rockies. 150 grade 12's chaperoned by 35 trained adults busted through comfort zones, gained a deep appreciation for Canadian wilderness and created communities around a campfire. Delivered a training program, executed event logistics including transportation, wilderness permitting, designed teams, dealt with HR issues and led with laughter and levitiy. www.okmlakeohara.weebly.com Show less

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  Collingwood School

  Sept 2006 - Jun 2007

  Round Square Coordinator

  Lead service learning projects in Dominican Republic for youth to build housing for localsLead leadership teams of youth to Paris, France and Gordonstoun, Scotland.Co-created the Round Square Conference at Collingwood and Glen Lyon Norfolk School in Victoria

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  Central Okanagan Public Schools (Official Site)

  Sept 2007 - now

  Educator

  Director of Experiential EducationPlan, execute and celebrate transformational experiences for youth including tall-ship sailing on the Pacific, week long wilderness trekking in the Rockies, Stand Up Paddle touring BC rivers, lakes and ocean and cultural and economic studies in Costa Rica and Ireland.

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  Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission

  Sept 2014 - Jun 2020

  IGen Challenge - Executive Director

  Coaching youth to make impact through entrepreneurship. The iGen Challenge in collaboration with the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission and the League of Innovators is developing youth to make a difference by training them in the start up process and linking them with the ecosystem of innovators in BC. www.igc23.com

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  Quest BC

  Sept 2017 - Jan 2021

  Co-Founder Quest BC

  Disrupting the education system is challenging but Quest BC has created a community of kind, courageous and curious people in the service of others to make and impact. QBC develops whole-hearted humans through campfire conversations, challenging comfort zones and making meaning from extraordinary experieces such as: sailing a Tallships in the Pacific Ocean, climbing peaks in the Rockies, canoeing the lakes of BC, ziptreking the coastal mountains, volunteering at a pre-k forrest school, or creating a conscious coffee company. http://questbc.weebly.com/ Show less

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  Circle of Courage Collective

  Sept 2017 - Sept 2018

  Professional Development Coordinator

  Taking guidance from the West Bank First Nation and the land the Circle of Courage Collective created a series of experiences to indigenize curriculum and mindsets for over 300 educators. Connecting to the wisdom of the land through sacred ceremonies, paddling, crafting, hiking, medicine wheel and spending time in nature are some of the practices transferred by the CCC.

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  Quest BC Coffee Co.

  Sept 2018 - Jan 2023

  Co-Founder

  Started a coffee sales company from scratch. Managed youth to develop sales training practices, manage inventory, track sales data, learn account management systems and foster a values based mission driven culture.