Team – VitalShift Consulting – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Education and Training Solutions

Astrid brings extensive experience in DEIB to her consulting and training work at VitalShift. For over twenty years, Astrid has been a changemaker moving forward diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) initiatives in workplaces and the communities where she’s lived. She has extensive experience working with government, nonprofit organizations and corporations on anti-racism and other DEIB initiatives and training. Astrid has also been a leader in the creation of grassroots organizations addressing local issues.

Astrid has delivered workshops focused on DEIB to over 50 nonprofit organizations, boards and agencies in a career spanning almost two-decades with the federal and provincial governments. As a past Manager of the Multiculturalism Program for the Ontario region, she assisted more than twenty-five organizations in the development of short to long term anti-racism action plans and provided advice on issues of equity and diversity. Astrid also has experience offering consulting services to organizations on how to develop programming and policies using an anti-racism lens.

Astrid was a senior manager with the Workplace Discrimination Harassment Prevention Office (WDHP) for the Ontario Public Service where she provided advice to senior management on how to address discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

As an engaged citizen, Astrid has volunteered with nonprofit organizations such as: GRILA – Group for Research and Initiative for the Liberation of Africa for over a decade. Astrid also hosted a pan-African radio show called Amandla for years for Saturday Morning Live with Norman Otis Richmond. She also co-founded several initiatives such as the Community Solidarity Against Racism in Construction in Toronto’s east end. This initiative successfully organized against the leaving of nooses for Black workers on construction sites and successfully lobbied for mandatory anti-racism plans in federal construction contracts. Astrid was also one of the co-founders of CMAST -The Committee to Memorialize the Abolition of the Slave trade. In addition, she organized several initiatives after the earthquake in Haiti, including La Maison d’Haiti du Grand Toronto.

In addition to her consulting work with VitalShift, Astrid is currently a senior manager with the Ontario Public Service, where she leads a team that supports healthy organizational culture initiatives and programming as well as people engagement.

Jash takes a keen interest in combining public policy, equity, and inclusion at large corporations and organizations. He has played a role in driving diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) internally in organizations and institutions that he’s affiliated with as well as playing an external consulting role with others.

Jash is a graduate of the Honours Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business. While in London, Jash served as an educational consultant in multiple DEIB initiatives at both the Ivey Business School and Huron University College. He developed onboarding content focused on DEIB, along with self-reflection exercises that emphasized intercultural sensitivity and learning as central to the student experience. Jash has also delivered several guest lectures on equity and inclusion at Huron University College.

Additionally, Jash worked with the City of London as a Community Connector, advising on neighborhood activation and engagement strategies for various city-wide programs. He co-published two case studies with the City, which were incorporated into Ivey Business School’s third-year curriculum to enhance equity and inclusion initiatives at the school.

In addition to his DEIB consulting work with VitalShift, Jash works at RBC as a Product Manager in the Credit Cards Industry. Most recently, Jash is leading DEIB enablement efforts at RBC focussed at making identity and reflection a core part of the RBC employee experience.

Jash is fluent in English, Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi. He also speaks basic French. He has lived in Canada since 2018 when he first arrived as an international student at Western University. In his free time, Jash likes to go on road trips, read Wikipedia pages and play with his dog, Mira.

Karen B. K. Chan (aka BK) is a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) subject matter expert and an award-winning educator with more than 25 years of experience. Above all, BK is dedicated to having difficult conversations that are real, transformative, and kind.

Known for her accessible style and sense of humour, BK integrates curriculum content into stories, and theory into practice. She works with individuals, groups, and organizations, and trains professionals across disciplines.

In addition to being a DEIB professional, BK is a sex and emotional literacy educator. BK’s YouTube video Jam is used as a teaching resource internationally, and her chapter on the importance of creative play was part of the AASECT 2014 Book of the Year. BK’s work has also appeared in Toronto Book Award finalist Any Other Way (Coach House 2017), Sexology International, the Tete-a-Tete, and Action Canada’s national education manual.

BK has training in Creative Facilitation, Productive Thinking, Non-Violent Communication, and is a facilitator for YES!, which hosts intensive gatherings for social changemakers worldwide. These influences, and more, shaped her favourite ways to learn and teach: through stories, metaphors, diagrams, and things that make people laugh.

Aside from “synchronous” DEIB work via workshops and webinars, BK has also been the author, co-author and peer reviewer on multiple eLearning modules including DEIB fundamentals, Allyship, Emotional Intelligence and Cultural Competence.

Kate is a bilingual diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) subject matter expert and award-winning educator who ignites powerful transformations. Drawing on her global insights, professional expertise and lived experience, Kate helps clients recognize patterns, shed limiting beliefs, and step boldly into their power to transform themselves, their teams and their organizations.

With more than 30 years of leadership experience in the field of DEIB, Kate is a seasoned professional. She has partnered with 80+ diverse organizational clients to support them in their DEIB journeys. A sought-after keynote speaker and co-facilitator, Kate delivers powerful workshops and webinars that leave a lasting impact. She has also co-authored customized eLearning modules on numerous DEIB topics for clients.

Kate brings a wealth of experience from working, volunteering, studying, and travelling in over 40 countries. She is fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of Spanish. Kate’s held leadership roles as Executive Director of the Ten Oaks Project, Manager of the Federal Multiculturalism Program, Facilitator with Skills for Change working with internationally educated professionals, Coordinator of Toronto Metropolitan University’s International Services for Students Department as well as leadership roles overseas with non-governmental organizations.

In 2013, Kate founded VitalShift. After working more than 20 years in the corporate, non-profit and government sectors, she pursued her dream of creating a company that would help individuals and organizations to make meaningful and inclusive shifts. Seeking out other individuals who shared her belief in the power of DEIB, Kate brought together the talented, collaborative team that makes up VitalShift.

Kate holds an M.A. from Université Laval, a BEd. from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, a B.ES. from the University of Waterloo (including a year at the Université de Nantes, France), and is a certified Transformation and Leadership Coach from the Hendricks Institute.

A parent, partner, and active 2SLGBTQI+ community member, Kate draws on her diverse background to fuel her work. In her free time, she enjoys open-water swimming, camping, travelling, reading, and time with her family.

Kevin is an award-winning educator with vast experience in working with adults and students in the broad spectrum of the educational system – locally and globally. He has keynoted major professional development events, presented at numerous conferences and Faculties of Education, and trained countless educators on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) topics. His professional background also includes designing and delivering workshops and webinars for non-profit organizations and corporations.

With a focus on DEIB and 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion, Kevin has worked extensively with public and private school boards throughout Ontario, Alberta, Yukon, and Newfoundland. He has worked as a curriculum consultant with the Toronto Catholic District School Board and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board for a combined thirteen years of his thirty years in education. Kevin was seconded by the Ministry of Education to Egale Canada, the National Human Rights Organization for 2SLGBTQI people and issues, where he worked extensively with administrators and educators for six years.

Kevin is an annual instructor for the Ontario College of Teacher’s Additional Qualification Course “Teaching 2SLGBTQI+ Students” for Queen’s University. He is currently working with Rainbow Faith and Freedom to develop inclusive practices within faith-based schools. He is adept at recognizing the sensitivity needed in working with delicate and challenging situations, especially within the school system. His commitment and passion for social justice throughout his career was recognized when selected as Teacher of the Year by Toronto Secondary Unit in 2012, and the Family Life Educator of the Year Award in 2016.

Kevin was educated at the University of Toronto School of Theology where he earned a M.Div and B.S.T. from Regis College. His B.A is from Gannon University, in Pennsylvania. As an Ontario College Teacher, he holds a BEd from the University of Toronto.

Kevin, with his partner, share 5 children – all with diverse identities in their unique ways. For fun, Kevin is an avid cyclist, competitive table tennis player, creative gardener, and distance walker.

j has over twenty years experience working with a wide range of clients on diverse projects connected to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and justice. j has extensive experience working in and for school boards supporting them to be more equitable and just, particularly in relation to gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation.

j is an Assistant Professor in Queer Studies in Education at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan. j teaches about “Education for Justice” and “Sex, Gender and Sexuality in Education”. j’s research interests include co-research with children, understanding ways young people are resisting transphobia and what young trans, Two Spirit and gender diverse people need to thrive. j completed a PhD in Curriculum Teaching and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto in 2022.

Meet the VitalShift Team

Astrid Jacques

Jash Kalyani

Karen B. K. Chan

Kate Moore

Kevin W. Godin

Dr. j wallace skelton