top of page

ABOUT ME

What becomes possible when we focus less on what something is going to look like and more on what it is going to feel like?

Photo of Jennifer Williams with heart shaped rock

I am a first-generation Canadian and am grateful to call Ottawa, the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People, home. 

 

I am a community-minded and forward-thinking educator and facilitator who is passionate about helping people uncover passions, build confidence, and explore what it means to be human. I leverage my background in outdoor, environmental and experiential education to design and host transformative learning experiences for youth and adults with community at the heart of it all.

 

Most importantly, all of my work comes from a place of love, joy and compassion. 

What if we could leverage the power of building community into all programming?​

My work has led me to thrive beyond the confines of most conventional learning spaces. Much of my career has been at sea, hosting learning experiences on ships. Living at sea taught me about interdependence, about living and working with people different than me and about how we might thrive as a community with finite resources. On a ship,  actions are met with instantaneous feedback, mirroring the broader impact we have on each other and our planet. These experiences all enriched my understanding of human connections – to ourselves, to one another, and to the world, and I apply these learnings, and many others, into all the programs and events that I run. 

What becomes possible when we step together into the intentional practice of learning deeply from the natural world and from each other?

All of these experiences have also developed my strong environmental consciousness and sense of social responsibility, personally and professionally. I obtained my Master’s in Environmental Education to teach about global environmental concerns and have been fortunate to lead many groups in exploring climate change, biodiversity, conservation, and the interconnection of all of these issues. Even when this is not the focus of programming this ethic is weaved into everything I offer.

​

Working in, and with, nature gifted me the skill of thriving in the messiness that results when things don't go as planned. And let's be honest, they rarely do! I have learned to thrive on the spontaneous magic that unfolds when this happens. It has also developed my skill for emergent programming. My approach doesn't merely deliver programs; it fosters an environment for participants to co-create their own learning journeys. Intentions guide me, but the collaborative power of group dynamics often charts the course.

What becomes possible when we explore today’s global environmental issues, such as climate change, while also exploring ourselves, our values, our actions, our communities, and our place in this world?

I have been designing and delivering cross-cultural experiential experiences for youth and adults for more than 20 years, working to uncover passions, build confidence, and explore what it means to be human. 

 

Building strong learning communities is the core of my practice with experiences extending beyond the classroom, including many diverse outdoor spaces, conference delegations, and virtual spaces.

 

A strong advocate of social-emotional learning, I utilize unconventional spaces to spark conversations about self, community, and the broader world. These dialogues inherently address our planet's current state, aligning my purpose with organizations dedicated to forging a sustainable future.

Reach out to me if you're looking for:

 

- Innovative program design and/or facilitation

- Education team support 

- Curriculum development

- Or if you have other visions for collaboration

Past Projects

Students on Ice Foundation logo
Subject to Climate logo
Adventure Canada logo
A+ World Academy logo
Arctic Research Foundation logo
Synthesis logo
bottom of page