Shift Lab Stewards
SHIFT LAB BIOS Terms: Lab Stewards This term describes a group of five people (Jodi, Ashley, Ben, Sam, Aleeya) who were responsible for the development of lab design and the processes used, the coordinating activities, adapting and responding to feedback, and organizing the logistics of the lab. Terms: ‘Core Teams’ This term describes the Core Lab teams at the heart of the Shift Lab. These teams were the driving force behind developing the prototypes that emerged. Striving to be a diverse representation of the system being explored, the Core Lab teams did sense-making of the key challenge. They also did scrappy and rapid research, made sense of insights, came up with possibilities, as well as prototyped and tested solutions. In Shift Lab 2.0 there were four teams of around six to nine people each. The Core Team came from a variety of academic, nonprofit, and public sector backgrounds. Core Team members living directly in or near poverty also participated and contributed greatly to this work. While greater participation from all of these communities was possible, we were confident that the Core Team represented a true crosssection of Edmontonians affected by racism.
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Jodi Calahoo-Stonehouse Jodi Calahoo-Stonehouse is the Executive Director of the Yellowhead Indigenous Education Foundation. She spent many years at the University of Alberta, serving in faculty development, advancement, recruitment, community relations, and as reconciliation advisor. During her time at the U of A she helped found the Wahkohtowin Law & Governance Lodge with the Faculty of Law. In 2021, Jodi was appointed to serve on Edmonton’s Police Commission. Jodi also worked with former Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Chief Wilton Littlechild in bringing the 2nd World Indigenous Nations Games to Edmonton in 2017. Jodi’s graduate research focused on Indigenous women’s experience of waterways downstream from the Alberta oil sands. Aside from academics, Jodi’s passion is media and community building. She has won multiple awards for her film productions and radio show production. Ashley Dryburgh is an anti-racist feminist who has committed her personal and professional development to learning and talking about racism, with a particular focus on engaging her fellow white folks. In previous work, Ashley pursued graduate research with a focus on whiteness in Canadian queer communities and was the Executive Director of the Facilitating Inclusion Cooperative, which provided community-based research training and services for immigrant and Indigenous women. In her role at ECF, she explored the development of targeted granting opportunities that will support the broader Edmonton community. Ben Weinlick is the Executive Director of Skills Society, a nonprofit that is one of the largest disability rights and service organizations in Edmonton. Ben helped create and launch the Skills Society Action Lab which stewards social innovation alongside community to tackle complex challenges and make systems change where it matters most. Aleeya Velji brings systems change to the policy space by designing labs and infusing new thinking into public sector organizations. She developed her understanding of complex systems by working as an educator, taking on a fellowship with ABSI connect, and by supporting systems change through various intrapreneurship roles within the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government. She is stellar to collaborate with as she brings a spirit of play and kindness to all the work she does. Sameer Singh melds journalism and design thinking with public engagement in Edmonton. He holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Business and an MJ from Carleton University. He is passionate about community development, stitching great ideas together, and getting projects off the ground.
