Susan Low – Principal Consultant
Susan Low is the founder and principal consultant of Directis Consulting. Susan has fifteen years of diverse professional experience in business consulting, training, process improvement and facilitation.
Susan earned an MBA from the University of Calgary in 2002. Prior to that she started, built and sold a web design company and worked in quality management documentation, policy development and retail. She also holds a BA in English and Professional Writing from UVic.
For more information, see Susan’s bio.
Christy Anderson, BCom – Business Consultant
Christy holds a commerce degree in entrepreneurial management and has over ten years’ experience working with small business start-ups and their owners. She has a passion for community development from a grassroots level and has been involved in many not-for-profit organizations as both an advisor and as a facilitator. Her experience with non-profit sectors is varied and includes collaboration and work with an independent film festival, rural technology cluster development and meaningful youth engagement. A recent convert to urban living, she resides in Victoria with her family and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, canoeing, yoga and biking.
Linda-Mary Bluma, BA (Hons), CGA, CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) – Financial Management Consultant
Linda-Mary Bluma has recently retired as the Director of Finance for Victoria Women’s Transition House Society. A few of the highlights of her work with the society included developing and reporting on financials for projects and grant applications, developing and monitoring program budgets, government financial reporting, and Charity Returns.
Linda-Mary’s 35-year career in financial management, accounting, and internal auditing include positions with Coast Capital Savings, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Bastion Theatre, Farmer Construction, and various small retail businesses, as well as budgeting and forecasting positions in the BC Government. Linda-Mary possesses an enormous depth of knowledge in managing both small businesses and non-profit organizations with a firm, friendly eye on the finances.
Leah Howard – Graphic Recording
Leah Howard has a diverse background in policy and program planning, project management, and facilitation having worked in both public and private sectors, as well as doing extensive volunteer work for non-profit organizations. After graduating from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Science in Economics in 2004, she worked as an analyst for the BC Provincial Government and went on to complete her Masters Certificate in Project Management from the University of Victoria in 2009.
Leah has had a strong interest in art and has collected creative hobbies since her early childhood. No artistic pursuit is too intimidating for her to attempt (at least once!) and she is constantly seeking new challenges to grow her talents and expand her repertoire of artistic abilities.
Although artistic ability is not the only skill required to be a graphic recorder, cultivating her creativity since childhood has helped Leah to become an effective graphic communicator.
Aside from the creative aspects of graphic recording & graphic facilitation, it requires effective listening skills and the ability to synthesize information communicated from different perspectives. One of Leah’s greatest assets is her ability to translate complex and abstract concepts into material that is easily understood by all audiences. Her sense of humour helps to convey the messages in a unique manner and this is often apparent in her graphic style.