Our Team

Gunnar Mardon

Gunnar Mardon has over twenty years of experience in project management, business development, communications, documentation, and standards consulting. He has worked as a senior executive and consultant within the health care, mining, forestry, construction, chemical, and petro-chemical industries. With North Pacific, Gunnar has worked with government and industry to redefine trade competency standards in British Columbia. He has been a member of several different industry teams that have set the operating standards and competency guidelines for a number of technical trades in British Columbia. 

Gunnar holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Simon Fraser University

Past projects include:

• Conceptualization and project management of web based information and application software projects
• On line training programs for operators of production lines producing speciality consumer products
• Strategic planning and development of project guidelines for health care projects in Africa, India, and Indonesia for Hospital Planning Corporation West Africa, UNITAR (United Nations), and Hospital Planning.org respectively
• Overseeing the business development and chemical trial process for a European chemical company in North America
• Project management for technical consulting projects ranging from the selection and laying out of capital equipment in the 200 million dollar range to on site troubleshooting trials of high speed production lines manufacturing various grades of paper

Taruna Goel

Taruna has over 12 years of experience in learning and development positions involving technical writing, content development, instructional design (e-learning, classroom, and blended), and training management. As a senior instructional designer, she has designed and developed more than 100 training programs for Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, HP, and Intel in the area of IT application, sales and support, and soft skills training. Taruna holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from Lucknow University, India. She regularly blogs at http://tarunagoel.blogspot.com

Recent projects include:

• Developing competency-based provincial assessment questions for trade apprenticeship programs in accordance with the Red Seal Program, executed for the Resource Training Organization (RTO) in British Columbia
• Designing a workshop to promote food safety regarding livestock and meat production in remote communities as a part of a larger initiative, the Remote Sites Consultation Project, for the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport (now Ministry of Health) in B.C.
• Designing and developing several soft skills classroom training to support the front office and retail staff of the world's second largest retailer making foray into the cash-and-carry business in India
• Designing and developing task-based online training modules on customized IT applications for a global leader in production technology in the U.S.
• Designing a comprehensive ITES/BPO training curriculum to support the Government-led ICT strategy in Ghana, Africa
• Designing and developing technical and functional competency dictionaries and detailed job role profiles for a leading provider of human resources outsourcing and consulting services in India

Her expertise includes:

• Training team leadership
• Needs assessment
• Analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of training
• Mentoring, coaching, and recruiting

Curt B. Cain

Curt B. Cain holds an MBA from the University of Hull. A skilled consultant in the areas of project management, business development, and training, Curt has over well over twenty years' experience in the international energy industry. Some of Curt's past roles include Director of Program Standards and Quality Assurance with the Resource Training Organization of BC, Business Manager of the Saudi Aramco Research and Technology Division and General Manager with SAIT National Polytechnic.

His past experience includes:

• Managing international technical training programs in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries
• Managing technical trade qualifications for the British Columbia oil and gas, mining and smelting, petrochemical, wood products, and shipbuilding/marine repair industries

His expertise includes:

• Familiarity with Middle East business processes and protocols
• Project management experience and qualifications
• Education in human resource development
• Canadian inter-provincial power engineering qualifications

Michael McGrath

Michael McGrath is an experienced instructional designer and consultant with nearly 15 years of experience. He has developed numerous courses for heavy industry and has worked in the financial services sector, among others. Organizations he has worked with include: the Canadian Forces, Canadian Pacific Railway, Syncrude Canada, BC Hydro, ConocoPhillips, BP, Johns Manville and Nestle Waters Canada. Michael holds a Master's degree in Education with a specialization in Educational Technology and Instructional Design from the University of Calgary and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Adult Education and Workplace Curriculum Design at the University of Victoria. He has taken courses in workplace health and safety, project management, and performance consulting.

Recent projects include:

• Developing and delivering basic workplace safety training for manufacturing clients
• Creating a new apprenticeship model for shipwrights and ship fitters in BC
• Renewing the apprenticeship program for Power Line Technicians in BC
• Designing instructional and evaluation packages for oil and gas clients including BPAmericas, ConocoPhillips, Suncor Energy and Syncrude Canada
• Writing millwright and metal fabricator trades certification exam questions
• Analyzing training needs for International Paper
• Creating a training program outline for Greater Vancouver Regional District state of the art water filtration facility
• Giving workshops on technical instruction and task analysis for various corporate clients

Cindy Mooney

Cindy Mooney is an accomplished Business Analyst and Technical Writer. She studied technical writing with Simon Fraser University which branched into a broad focus on business/technical communications. Her technical writing skills allowed her to transition to developing business, functional and technical requirements as well as proposal writing. Her projects have spanned developing communications in the online virtual worlds, banking systems implementation, network integration, training materials development and software design. She has worked as a Business Analyst for 12 years.

Recent projects include:

• Technical writing for foundations manual, procedural quick start guides and instructional PowerPoint presentations for Bulk Operator Training Program at the BC Maritime Employers Association in Vancouver. She replicated the Head Checker software system for classroom training and practice
• Development of trade industry exam questions for Millwright, Machinist, Pipefitter, Lineworker and Saw Filer trades
• Business Requirements and RFP development for a global e-commerce system for Disney Online Studios Canada
• Procurement, configuration, data migration, workflow mapping and training of Salesforce CRM and Service Max field service software at Lang's Ventures Inc. Acted as lead resource for RFP development
• Engaged as a consultant to write the technical components for an RFP for a consolidated horse racing wagering system contract valued at 10 million dollars. She created the evaluation criteria and standardized the evaluation weighting process
• Performed banking system implementations throughout the province of BC and Saskatchewan involving current environment analysis, configuration, data migration, testing and training for Open Solutions, formerly Datawest

Corey Chen

Corey Chen holds a Technical Writing Certificate from BCIT and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of British Columbia. Prior to working with North Pacific, she was a Technical Writer with the BC Maritime Employers Association. There, she developed training materials for heavy equipment used in the waterfront industry, wrote exercises for an interactive simulator, and edited training manuals and reference guides.

Recent projects include:

• Developing training manuals and quick reference guides for machinery used in coal mines
• Writing provincial examination questions for a number of trades apprenticeship programs
• Producing figure booklets to be used with crane operator examinations
• Creating detailed Visio task analysis charts

Winsome Parris

Winsome has 18 years experience in education and training, instructional development, and sales and service with Bell Canada, and a further 5 years as a training consultant and project manager for multinational corporations including Cisco Systems, TelCom Training Corp., AT&T Canada, B.C. Hydro, The Public Utility District of Everett, Washington, and others.

Winsome has a Masters of Education degree from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, and has completed Certificate and Diploma programs in instructional design and organizational management.

Over dozens of projects she has completed deliverables including project management, research, content development, technical writing, instructional design, development of student manuals, presentation graphics, and classroom facilitation.

Her skills include:

• Instructional development of multimedia, print-based, and instructor-led courses
• Group facilitation and training delivery
• Evaluation
• Coaching and mentoring
• Communications
• Project planning and resourcing
• Needs assessment
• Job and task analysis
• Business planning
• Team Leadership

David Lemiski

An Instructional Designer and Technical Writer, David is experienced in Telecommunications Technology, Operation Support Systems, and system implementations.

David holds a Masters of Education in Instructional Technology, as well as Bachelor level degrees in Economics and Education. He has extensive experience managing projects, and developing performance improvement solutions that include system, product, and process documentation and training. Documentation solutions have included paper-based and online systems. His experience in developing training and instructional materials has included classroom-based, paper-based self-study, and computer based solutions.

In the field of telecommunications, David has developed documentation and training solutions for hardware products, as well as for telecommunications billing and operational systems. To support system implementations, he has been involved in business process analysis, process mapping, and customization of system documentation, as well as the development of training tools to support the implementation of new systems in Network Operations Centres and call centres.

In addition to experience with telecommunications operations, David has proven experience developing documentation and training solutions for a number of other industries including utility billing and customer care.

• Telefonica SA, Miami, Florida – documentation of business processes and procedures, equipment operation, and network configuration for a Network Operations Centre
• Cincinnati Bell, Cincinnati, Ohio – documentation of business and operational policies and procedures for the Internet Service Provider subsidiary (Zoomtown.com) of Cincinnati Bell
• Ossidian Technologies, Dublin, Ireland – development of a series of computer-based training courses covering wireline, wireless, and satellite telecommunications technology, telecommunications billing, rating, and revenue assurance procedures
• Saville Systems, Edmonton, Alberta – management of user documentation and training teams, and management of internal technical training team, development of technical training materials for this telecommunications billing system provider
• Advanced Technologies Inc., Markham, Ontario – analysis of customer document and needs assessment for development of online documentation for this utility billing system provider
• Snohomish Public Utility District, Everett, Washington – analysis of business procedures and process flows for all customer service functions, and analysis of procedures and system interfaces for customer service representatives
• Alberta Power Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta – development of documentation and training materials to support a customer information system implementation. • Cisco Systems, San Jose, California – development of classroom and computer-based training materials for various hardware and software products

Douglas Taylor P. Ag.

Douglas has 30 years of experience in many aspects of human development strategic planning, and program operations management primarily in the agri-food sector. Doug has an undergraduate and graduate degree in agriculture and a Certificate of Adult and Continuing Education from the University of Alberta.

Doug has been involved in all aspects of competency-based program development from facilitating the community to determine its skills and standards, through designing and managing workplace learning systems, and on to designing and operating assessment and certification systems. He has extensive experience in working with government departments in industry-wide programs in food production skills and career training, having played a pivotal role in developing and operating a unique skills program called Green Certificate. Community-based programming has meant facilitating project development with many NGO and industry associations and groups.

In addition, Doug has experience as a training manager on a $15 million Canadian International Development Agency project in China, where he has also taught competency-based program development capacity building. His prime philosophy is that people development is a key factor in building and sustaining a business.

Doug's special expertise:

• Human development & management, through facilitating customer owned, strategic and operations planning and policy
• Occupational skills analysis and performance standards documentation
• Design and operations management of workplace learning systems
• Group facilitation and adult teaching and training practice
• Program support and training materials production
• Performance assessment – competence certification
• Marketing of skill and career development and training
• Facilitating workforce recruitment through the development and operation of school to work programs with industry
• Job site occupational health and safety
• International project operations management
• Building human capacity through creative and innovative solutions to problems and needs.

Yvonne Stiver-Macleod

Yvonne has over 15 years experience in producing technical, marketing and training documentation. Yvonne's versatile and expansive communications background has given her the opportunity to work with organizations from Canada, Europe and the USA. She has worked with nonprofit, community development, high tech, financial, retail, utilities and educational organizations. 
Yvonne holds a B.A. degree in English from the University of Waterloo, as well as a Scottish Vocational Council's Assessor Certificate in Information Technology (D33).

Some projects include:

• Conducted business process and procedure review to develop job manuals for Marketing Communications department staff. (Knowledge Network)
• Produced documentation suite for rapid development environment and code pattern templates. (MAKE Technologies)
• Constructed and edited content for new corporate web site; assisted with branding, marketing collateral and web presence. (iFusion Solutions)
• Assisted with the development of the Basic Manager/Supervisor Skills (MDP) program -produced the "Making Meetings Work" and "On the Job Training and Facilitation Skills" modules. (Best Buy Canada/Future Shop)
• Co-developed and co-facilitated instructor-led training on a new customer information system, as well as co-developed a job manual for the client services new hire project. (Snohomish Public Utility District)
• Documentation lead for CRM company's R&D department of 12 writers. Team lead for two flagship products. (Pivotal Corporation)
• Managed documentation project to create sales training and user documentation for a metered access solution pay station unit and software. (Lexis Systems)
• Developed web-based tutorials for company's online KnowledgeBase, produced instructional material for several instructor-led courses, and wrote copy for training workshops. (Chancery Software)
• Produced instructor-led business controls fundamentals one-day workshop for a major oil company, as well as content development for several management CBTs. Created documentation for integrated training management and evaluation application. (Claymore Inc.)
• Managed several European Union funded training and development schemes for a local community enterprise in Scotland, including a community newsletter, several training programs and a technology centre. (Merkinch Enterprise)

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