Kind Words

Sun Life

"I have worked with Rise Consulting for almost three years and I continue to recommend them to friends and colleagues working on advancing Truth and Reconciliation. What I love about Rise is that they are driving for real Reconciliation - not just performative actions. They want to ensure the organization is doing the work to embed the right practices and processes across the entire organization. They have helped us set guiding principles for our Reconciliation work that continue to drive our organization almost three years later. They are amazing thought partners and do a great job of meeting us where we are, including sharing guidance as we move through the CCAB PAR Program, towards certification. They have helped us understand industry best practices from supplier diversity programs to employee programs. I am incredibly thankful for the relationships and friendships we have built with Annie and the team at Rise." Amanda Pate, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Sun Life Canada

RJ MacLean

“Rise has provided our team with clear direction, strategy, and an understanding about Indigenous inclusion that we would not have been able to achieve without their involvement. The approach used by Rise is both refined and highly professional; execution is down-to-earth and extremely approachable for any organization, from small businesses to large corporate players. Built on Annie’s extensive knowledge of the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada and the path forward and opportunity for truth and reconciliation, the values-based approach Annie has built allows for personalized and strategic planning for clients, resulting in the ability to build meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities.” Kiely MacLean, President and CEO

CH2M (formerly TERA Environmental Consultants)

“Annie is a strong leader and strategic thinker who works in a collaborative way with the people around her. I worked with Annie on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project and found her ability to synthesize an issue and work toward a solution utilizing the strengths and skills of those around her to be outstanding. Annie is highly organized and an excellent communicator making working with her a pleasure. She is also a genuinely kind and pleasant person with a strong understanding of Aboriginal engagement, regulatory elements and economic principles.” Julie Greenwood

Universal Geomatic Solutions Corp.

“Rise is best-in-class when it comes to leadership, community relations, economic development, DEI and ESG. I cannot thank Annie and her team enough for all they have done and continue to do for Universal Geomatics Solutions Corp. Many of our most strategic and sustainable business and project opportunities over the past two and a half years are directly related to our Indigenous Inclusion Program (IIP), which would not be what it is today, and would not have the potential it has, without Rise. Our IIP is still at the early stages and we have much work to do, but the positive impact on our core business and bottom-line has already been more significant than we ever could have imagined. The long game is much shorter than you might think.” Mandy Lunn, VP Strategic Growth

TerraPro Inc.

“I was introduced to Annie in 2015 as we were looking for some help and support respecting some relationships with Indigenous groups we had in place as well as to help us think about what we wanted to establish as our Indigenous Inclusion Strategy. Annie, through her expertise, creativity, passion and kindness, became much more than an advisor to the members of our team to the point where she is a trusted colleague, teammate, coach, driver of accountability and confidant. She very quickly educated herself about our organization, values, existing partnerships and desired outcomes and used this knowledge along with her experience and expertise to guide us in setting out our Indigenous inclusion strategy along with the work plans to support it while also utilizing her extensive network within Indigenous communities and the Indigenous advisor / professional community to help us forge a variety of connections that, we believe, will be long-lasting. Annie operates at an executive level of thinking while demonstrating care and kindness to every person she meets and connects with. Given the rapidly evolving and dynamic nature of Indigenous inclusion, Annie’s support and guidance along with her willingness to pull up her sleeves and do some of the dirty work of document drafting and follow-up phone calls has been (and continues to be) critical to our growth in this area as an organization.” Jeff Schellenberg, Former Co-CEO and CFO

Pitbull Energy Services

“We engaged with Rise Consulting after identifying the need for an Indigenous Inclusion strategy in 2020. While Annie has graciously connected our leadership, business development, employment and community relationships to our inclusion strategy, she has also become a sounding board for our organization. Her strong work ethic, high standards and continued determination is inspiring and adds another dynamic to our team. There isn’t a business venture that we will ever get involved in that won’t have Annie’s input. Annie is a special individual that is truly passionate about her work. I have the utmost confidence in her abilities and I am excited to watch her grow her business!” Sami Hayek, President

Young Pipeliners Association of Canada

“The Young Pipeliners Association of Canada had no idea where to start when we asked ourselves - how do we begin to engage in Indigenous Reconciliation? What does an Indigenous Inclusion Strategy look like for our organization? Rise has led us through the discovery, knowledge building, and development of that work and it has been a genuine pleasure to learn, listen, and engage with her and other Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, Elders, and Advisors over the past year. Annie is professional, committed, organized, and has focused on finding the right fit for our organization. Without Rise, we couldn't have moved from idea to action.” Molly Beckel, President and CEO