Our Team

Gregor joined Deetken in 2023. He is a skilled business analyst and project manager with over 10 years of experience implementing successful IT projects, managed IT services, and complex procurements across various industries in both the public and private sectors.  

Gregor has led and supported outcome-based technology projects with multinational organizations as well as within BC’s public sector and Health Authorities. His areas of expertise include implementing and integrating IT services, contract development and negotiation, strategic vendor management and IT lifecycle management.

He holds a BA in Economics from Simon Fraser University and holds Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) certification from the Project Management Institute.

In his free time, Gregor enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling the world with his partner, and seeking out culinary delights wherever he goes.

Howard joined Deetken Insight in 2023. He is a senior IT professional and analyst with 23 years experience in the BC government and private sector, including the BC Pension Corporation (2010 to 2021), the Ministries of Children and Family Development and Housing and Social Development (2008 to 2010), and IBM (2000 to 2008). His skills include IT service management, data analysis, application development and risk assessment. 

Howard holds a Computer Information Systems Diploma from the University College of the Fraser Valley and Microsoft Windows Programmer and Visual Basic certification from Langara College. He also has an ITIL V4 Foundation certificate and has received training in TCP/IP Networking. 

In his free time, Howard likes hanging out with family, including his dog Bishop, and riding his mountain bike.

Jamie joined Deetken in April 2024 as a Senior Consultant specializing in project management, change management, and business process analysis. 

Prior to Deetken, Jamie worked as a Client Services Account Manager at NetLine, a B2B marketing content syndication platform. Before that, she served as a Service Delivery Manager at IBM Canada and as a Technical Services Supervisor and Local Area Network Administrator at West Corporation. 

Jamie holds a BA from the University of Oklahoma, a degree in Information Technology (Network and Internet Support Specialist) from CDI College, and is a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) (Project Management Institute). 

Outside of work, Jamie enjoys spending time with her two boys as well as skiing, visiting local beaches, hiking, and exploring state and national parks in and around California.

Jen joined Deetken in August 2022. Her areas of interest are systems planning and transformation, the social and housing sector, policy and planning, as well as community development. She is passionate about building cross-sector partnerships and collaborating with stakeholders and community partners. 

Jen has nearly 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector, and spent time in front-line social services, management and senior leadership roles. She has also spent almost two years alongside several Canadian municipalities, working to tackle complex social issues. 

She holds a BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Carleton University in Ottawa. She also studied Interprofessional Mental Health and Addiction at Camosun College in Victoria.  

Jen loves spending time in her beautiful surroundings in the Okanagan with her husband and two sons, as well as trail running, gardening and reading.

Jessica joined Deetken Insight in October 2022. Her interests and experience include communications, change management, business analysis and being part of a successful project team. 

Jessica has over 10 years of management, communications and project management experience within the public sector including the University of British Columbia (UBC), BC’s six Health Authorities and the BC Ministry of Health. Most recently, she served as a business/project analyst for the Digital Health Covid-19 Portfolio for the BC Ministry of Health. Prior to that, she led change management communications for the multi-million-dollar Workplace Evolving Services and Technologies (WEST) Transition for BC’s Health Authorities. She has also worked in communications and educational programming for UBC .

Jessica’s educational background is in business analysis and problem solving. She holds a BSc in Business Modeling and Management from Sheffield Hallam University in the UK and is also a certified Prosci® change management practitioner. 

In her free time, Jessica chases after her two small children and loves organizing fun-filled activities with family and friends.

John joined Deetken Insight in September 2023. He is a senior consultant and business analyst with 30 years of experience supporting IM/IT operations and projects across government, Crown corporations and the private sector.

Since joining Deetken, John has served as a project manager and/or business analyst for a major provincial government IT contract transition project and a cyber security contract end-of-term assessment.

Prior to joining Deetken, John worked in the Device Engineering team at Island Health, where he managed small- to medium-sized projects relating to IT devices within Island Health’s health care units and major acute hospitals. Before that, he served in Deskside Services for NTT Data Corp. and before that as a Service Lead in Unified Communications at the BC Ministry of Citizens’ Services.

John also spent 13 years in progressively responsible roles at ISM Canada, an IBM company, most recently as Manager of Technology Engineering Services supporting approximately 35,000 Province of BC desktops and approximately 55,000 Health Shared Services BC desktops.

John has completed certificate program courses in Technology Management from the University of Victoria and has ITIL V2 and V3 certification.

In his free time, he enjoys boating with his daughters and friends in the Sooke waters, catching live music, hiking local trails, and the occasional run or cycle.

Jordan joined Deetken in September 2021. He specializes in quantitative modelling and leads the development of complex workflows that leverage advanced data analysis techniques to derive economic insights for clients. Jordan is an expert in data science and analytics tools such as Alteryx and Tableau. 

At Deetken, he has supported economic impact studies for a variety of industries, including motion picture production, construction, mining, oil and gas, and shipbuilding. He has played a lead role in developing several proprietary economic models, including the Deetken Dynamic All-Economy Model, which estimates detailed economic impacts from large-scale events and policy initiatives. 

Jordan holds an MA in Economics from the University of British Columbia and a BA (Honours) in Economics from the University of Calgary. In addition, he holds diplomas in both Architectural Technology and Theatre Acting. Jordan holds Alteryx Designer Core Certification, demonstrating his proficiency with the Alteryx automated data analysis software.  

Prior to joining Deetken, Jordan worked as a freelance architectural draftsman and as an architectural technologist for Hossack & Associates Architects, a boutique architecture firm based in the Greater Toronto Area. 

Outside of work, Jordan enjoys exercising, watching hockey, and spending time with friends. He is also working to become fluent in French.

Juan joined Deetken in September 2023. His areas of interest include economic competition, development economics, and data science and visualization.

Before joining Deetken, Juan worked at AT&T Mexico as an economist specializing in policy analysis and competition in the telecommunications sector.

Juan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Centro de Investigacion y Docencia Economicas (CIDE) in Mexico City and a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of British Columbia.

Outside work, Juan enjoys playing and watching basketball, exploring British Columbia, and spending time with friends. 

Julie “Jules” McKercher joined Deetken in February 2024. Jules has more than two decades of experience in asset-based community development, focused on developing cross-sector solutions and collaborative partnerships to address critical social issues such as mental health and substance abuse and community safety and well-being. She has deep expertise in change management, stakeholder engagement, project coordination and strategic planning and combines a passion for knowledge translation with a commitment to collaborative problem-solving to address emerging social challenges. 

Prior to Deetken, Jules held various roles in the non-profit sector in Ontario, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, ranging from frontline work in shelters and corrections facilities to leadership positions in rural and urban community development. She has led initiatives at the local, regional, and national levels, including pivotal work in developing cross-sectoral protocols to improve access to services through collaborative partnerships. Throughout her career, Jules has championed stakeholder engagement strategies and collaborated with national organizations on community-based research to address complex social issues.

Jules holds an MA in Legal Studies, specializing in restorative justice, from Carleton University. She is a certified Change Management Practitioner (APMG International) and holds additional certifications in Ethics in Sport (Coaching Canada) and Counter Terrorism. Additionally, she is trained in Results-Based Accountability and Violence Threat Assessment Planning & Response, demonstrating her commitment to evidence-based practices.

Outside of work, Jules is actively engaged in advocacy and volunteer work. She lends her voice to Ottawa Women’s Football as a blogger and fund developer, advocating for women’s leadership in sports. Jules also enjoys spending time with her family, including her three adult children. Her interests include weightlifting, gardening, construction projects, and painting, where she finds fulfillment and creativity beyond her professional pursuits.

Julian has over 20 years of strategy consulting experience. His specialty areas include economic analysis, operational strategy, business case development, agile transformation, and performance management. He also leads Deetken’s economic and labour market research and analysis practice.

Julian is passionate about blending rigorous analysis with deeply intentional facilitation to build winning strategies for his clients. Early in his career, Julian worked as a policy analyst for the Government of Canada in multiple departments, both in Ottawa and Vancouver. Julian completed his BA in Political Economy from Princeton University and his MA in Political Science (Public Policy) from the University of Toronto. He holds the Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) designation.

Julian is deeply committed to working with community partners to help all individuals achieve their quality of life aspirations. He recently served as board chair of the BC Centre for Ability, a leading BC-based non-profit organization that provides family-centred and vocational services to people with disabilities. Julian enjoys spending time outside and exploring his East Vancouver neighbourhood with his family.

Kadriye joined Deetken in August 2023. She is a senior IT/IM strategist with 23 years experience in the BC government and private services sector. Her areas of interest include IT transformation project leadership, creating new programs, organizational change management, and process re-engineering.

Prior to joining Deetken, Kadriye was Project Director for the Managed Workplace Technology Services (MWTS) procurement for the BC Ministry of Citizens’ Services. Before that, she served as Director of Technical Stewardship and Corporate Software Asset Management for the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) where she oversaw teams responsible for the province’s $100 million per year software license portfolio and a 38,000 fleet of devices. Prior to that, she spent five years as an independent contracted Project Director for various BC government IT/IM projects, including the OCIO’s Fleet Management project and Workplace Technology Refresh Program.

She holds a BA in Political Science and post-degree certification in the Application and Management of Information Technology from the University of Victoria. She is a certified business analyst (Royal Roads University) and change management specialist (PROSCI®) and has training in project management, Lean techniques, and negotiations.

Kadriye enjoys art, film and music, and has recently taken up gardening. When not whizzing around Victoria on her bike, she can be found reading while snuggled up with her dogs Marco and Lola.

Katie is a Principal at Deetken. She specializes in applying mathematical and economic principles and big-picture thinking to identify and address the underlying causes of organizational challenges.

Prior to joining Deetken, Katie worked as a market analyst at the Canada Energy Regulator, where she researched energy trends for the Canadian public.

Katie has a BA in Economics and a BSc in General Mathematics, both from the University of Calgary, and has completed graduate level economics courses at the University of British Columbia.

Katie serves as board secretary of the Great Divide Trail Association, an organization dedicated to the completion and long-term protection of the Great Divide Trail in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. In her spare time, she likes to paint, head out to the mountains with her partner, or hang out with her nephew.

Kellee joined Deetken Insight as a part-time Business Development Specialist in June 2023. Her areas of interest include communications and engagement, cultural development and community development.

Kellee has more than 20 years of expert writing experience and specializes in grant writing, plain language communication,  and operations management. She has worked with a diverse range of clients, including government agencies, arts organizations and small businesses.

She holds a BS in Communication from Cornell University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.

Kellee currently volunteers as a board member of the Bowen Island Public Library. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids. You can often find her swimming in the ocean or exploring the forest trails near her home.

Kristiana is a Principal at Deetken and the company’s Director of Business Development. She specializes in business and operational reviews, labour market analysis and workforce development, and change management and transformation. She excels at research design, stakeholder/partner engagement, and report writing.  

Prior to joining Deetken, Kristiana worked for close to a decade with the United Nations Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Political Affairs. She also has several years of experience working for non-profit research institutions in Canada and Central Africa.

Kristiana has a Bachelor in Arts and Science from McMaster University and an MA in Political Science (International Relations) from the University of Toronto. She holds a Prosci® change management certification. 

In her spare time, Kristiana enjoys spending time with her young daughter and their large extended family, and going for long runs all on her own.

Kristy joined Deetken in 2024 as an Associate after completing a summer co-op at Deetken. Her areas of interest include economic policy analytics, simulation modeling, statistical analysis, and data science.

Prior to joining Deetken, Kristy worked as a graduate analyst for the Illinois Department of Human Services on a consulting project focused on enhancing the performance of childcare programs. During her graduate studies, she completed several data analysis projects in marketing, process management, and business development.

Kristy holds a BA in Economics from the Central University of Finance and Economics in China, a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a Master of Business Analytics from the University of British Columbia. She is fluent in Mandarin.

In her free time, Kristy enjoys hiking, photography, spending time in nature with friends, and enjoying delicious food.

Larissa joined Deetken in 2024 as an Associate after completing a summer co-op at Deetken in 2023. Larissa’s areas of interest include social and behavioural economics. She also enjoys working with data and translating it into meaningful information.

Prior to joining Deetken, Larissa worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and assisted undergraduate students in microeconomics. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she also tutored students in various topics related to statistics.

Larissa holds a BA in Arts (Honours) from the University of Manitoba and an MA in Economics from Simon Fraser University. She speaks fluent Portuguese. 

In her free time, Larissa enjoys hanging out with friends and family or staying home with a good book.

Lea joined Deetken Insight in October 2022. Her area of interest lies between causal inference and identifying relationships in developmental, behavioural, and political economics.

Prior to joining Deetken, Lea worked as a research and teaching assistant in BC. She has also worked on impact evaluations of cash transfer programmes with the Applied Economics and Development Research Group at the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon. Since joining Deetken, Lea has continued her work on funding programs for several public sector clients.

She holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from AUB.

Outside work, you’ll find Lea exploring the landscape of Canada, hiking, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Marnie joined Deetken in February 2021. Her areas of interest include business process analysis and design, stakeholder engagement and assessment, financial modeling, transitioning business problems into client solutions, and change management.

Marnie has worked in the postsecondary environment for more than 20 years, providing analysis on timetable development, space utilization and implementing effective business solutions and change management for scheduling processes. During this time, she was also a managing partner (2007-2016) at a prosperous business, where she was accountable for all financials and business operations.

She is currently working toward a BA in Communications, holds an Office Administration Diploma and has completed training in a Leadership Certificate Program and in Crucial Conversations.

In her free time, Marnie likes spending time with family and friends, taking her dog for walks, hiking, yoga and reading.

Martha joined Deetken in 2024 as a Senior Operations Manager. She oversees Finance, HR and Operations for Deetken, drawing on her background as a professional bookkeeper and small business owner and manager. Martha enjoys leadership and management, improving efficiencies and processes, fostering positive relationships, and bookkeeping and operational finance.

Prior to joining Deetken, Martha provided independent professional bookkeeping and management services to several small businesses. She also helped manage her family’s cattle ranch and provided bookkeeping and reporting services for a local seed company.

Martha holds a BASc in Civil Engineering from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She has a Bookkeeping Professional Certificate from Bow Valley College.

Martha is an active member of her community. She serves as Treasurer for the Three Hills Early Childhood Society, recently contributing to the opening of a much needed, new rural day care facility for the Town of Trochu. She also enjoys coaching kids’ sports teams whenever possible.

In her free time, Martha likes being active at the gym or playing pick-up sports, spending time with her kids, and socializing with friends and family!

Mataikya (Matty) Singh joined Deetken in 2023. His areas of interest include predictive and prescriptive analytics, game theory, statistical analysis and data modelling.

Prior to joining Deetken, Matty worked for the City of Vancouver as a data analyst on the Finance & Performance Measurement team. Previously, Matty was a consulting associate at ZS Associates in India where he worked on demand forecasting and KPI dashboards.

Matty holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Computer Engineering from Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology in India and a Master of Business Analytics from the University of British Columbia.

Outside work, Matty enjoys evening walks and cycling (if the weather permits), exploring brunch places and playing badminton, squash and football on weekends.

Michael joined Deetken in April 2024 as a Senior Associate. Michael is an accomplished operations and strategy leader with experience in leading organizations to set strategy, improve operations and deliver transformational change. His expertise spans strategy, operations, corporate development, marketing, risk management, major project management, finance, and innovation.

Prior to joining Deetken, Michael led corporate development and strategy at GCT Global Container Terminals, a major port operator in Vancouver and New York City. Before that, he was a leader in KPMG’s Management Consulting practice working in strategy and operations.  

Michael holds an MBA from University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University, and an Executive Certificate in Technology and Operations from MIT Sloan School of Management.

He is a volunteer board member at a Whistler-based ski club and enjoys skiing, cycling and spending time with his family. 

Michelle Bell is a Senior Associate at Deetken. She has more than 20 years experience in social services, providing leadership, strategic planning, professional development, stakeholder engagement and communications, advocacy and support in government and non-profit child, youth, and family systems. She works through a systems lens with a strong trauma-informed, child-centred, intersectional-feminist approach.

Prior to joining Deetken, Michelle worked in many different social service systems including in external communications and engagement at the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development; Director of Child, Youth and Family Advocacy at The Federation of Community Social Services of BC (FCSSBC); eight years as executive director of a not-for-profit child, youth and family support and counselling agency; seven years as an elected municipal councillor and six years at Island Health as a youth and family substance use counsellor. Michelle has over two decades of front-line experience in mental health and substance use.

Michelle holds a Master of Education in Leadership Studies from the University of Victoria (UVic), a Bachelor of Social Work from UVic, and is currently pursuing a diploma in Public Relations from UVic. Michelle is trained in Core Addictions Facilitation, various cultural training in Reconciliation and Cultural Safety, and Trauma-Informed Practice.

When not busy trying to make the world a better place, Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, two dogs and close friends at home or out for dinners, camping, visiting local islands and chasing the sun.

Michelle joined Deetken in September 2023. Michelle is a skilled project manager with over 15 years of product management, communications and project management experience in the private and public sectors, including for the BC health authorities, the BC Ministries of Health and Citizens’ Services, and TELUS. 

Michelle holds a Marketing Management Diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and a Masters Certificate in Project Management from the University of Victoria. She is also a Certified Scrum Master and a member of the Project Management Institute. 

Michelle is a proud member of “Women Helping Women,” a Victoria, BC-based charity focussed on advancing education in Malawi. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three teenagers, hiking and traveling.

Morgan joined Deetken in December of 2022. Her areas of interest include market research, resource management, business analysis, team support, and data analysis. 

Prior to joining Deetken, Morgan attended Red Deer Polytechnic where she was enrolled in Business Administration. Morgan will earn her Business Administration Diploma in April 2023 and intends to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration at Mount Royal University. 

For fun, Morgan enjoys camping, skiing, boating, surfing and spending time with her friends. She also loves to travel and experience various cultures around the globe with her favourite destination being Central America.

Owen joined Deetken Insight in October 2022. His areas of interest include financial analysis, business strategy, and corporate sustainability.

Originally from Ontario, Owen previously worked in banking as a commercial lender, working with mid-to large-sized private companies from a diverse range of industries.

Owen holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a specialization in Finance from the University of Windsor. He also sits on the Board of Directors for Enactus Windsor, a student-run charity at the University of Windsor, where he previously served as President and Vice-President of Finance.

In his free time, Owen enjoys exploring the many delicious restaurants throughout Vancouver and is a lifelong Detroit sports fan of golf, football, and hockey.

Paul Pelletier is a Consulting Specialist at Deetken where he specializes in Organizational Wellness and Belonging. A successful corporate attorney for more than 30 years, Paul developed a passion for organizational health, diversity and inclusion after becoming the victim of workplace bullying. He went on to write two books about workplace bullying and developed a consulting practice devoted to coaching organizations and corporate leaders on how to build respectful, healthy, supportive and inclusive workplace cultures where all staff thrive.

Today, Paul is a recognized expert in workplace culture, leadership, diversity/equity/inclusion, and organizational health. His clients have included policing organizations, professional associations, healthcare organizations, law firms, universities, technology companies, airlines, retail and food companies, and Project Management Institute (PMI) chapters. He also co-founded and served as chair of the Diversity and Inclusion program at the Legal Services Branch of the Attorney General of BC. Paul is a sought-after public speaker on DEI and organizational health and has spoken at over 200 conferences and events around the globe.

Paul is a citizen of the Métis of BC and a member of the Queer community. He holds an LL.B. from the University of Toronto and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He speaks fluent French and Spanish.

Paul is passionate about travel, culture and gardening. When he isn’t coaching leaders on workplace respect and DEI or adding to the list of countries he has visited, he enjoys spending time at his Gambier Island cottage and garden with his husband.

Richard joined Deetken Insight in October 2022. He has more than 15 years of experience in information technology in roles of increasing scope and responsibility, progressing from technical support to management and executive leadership. His expertise includes outsourcing and contract development, business performance management, project management and IT support.

Prior to joining Deetken, Richard held progressively responsible roles with BC’s Provincial Health Services Authority and Top Producer System.

Richard holds certifications in Vested® Outsourcing and Collaborative Contracting from the University of Tennessee and Project Management with the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Richard enjoys spending time with his two teenage children both on and off the ice as both a hockey player and spectator for his son. He also enjoys motorcycle riding, handywork and home renovations, and, if he has time, playing his PlayStation.

Robin (they/them) is an Associate Partner at Deetken. Robin is an economist and policy analyst with expertise in using empirical research to help solve complex public policy problems. A leading thinker on Canadian competition policy and law, and the intersection of economic, social and cultural inclusion, they have published original research and are a frequent public speaker and media commentator.

Prior to joining Deetken, Robin was a co-founder of Vivic Research, an economic consulting firm dedicated to empowering social justice causes with data-driven research. They are also co-founder and chair of the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project, a think tank dedicated to addressing pressing issues caused by monopoly power in Canada. In 2021, they were a recipient of The Globe and Mail’s Changemaker Award for their efforts to advance public policy centered on advancing social justice through Vivic Research and their academic work on competition policy. 

Robin holds a PhD from Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration. They also hold an MA in Economics from Queen’s University and a BA (Honours) in Economics from the University of Alberta. Robin is a fellow at Public Policy Forum, an Ottawa-based independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization whose members are dedicated to advancing good public policy in Canada.

When not solving economic puzzles, Robin enjoys exploring their neighbourhood, out-of-town adventures, and advocating for a more just world.  

Ruben is a Senior Associate at Deetken where he provides clients with actionable and defensible insights to support their decision and policymaking. Since joining Deetken in 2019, Ruben has built a reputation for rigorous quantitative analysis and for casting an economic lens on complex issues. He focuses on producing results that speak to client needs and that can be effectively communicated and understood, including by senior-level decision-makers.

At Deetken, Ruben has applied his skills to projects in the energy, utilities and natural resources sectors, as well as public health and social services. Notably, he has served as a lead senior analyst for Deetken’s work in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector since 2021. In this role, he has conducted complex analyses, including project cost stack modeling, cross jurisdictional competitiveness analysis, and forecasting of anticipated revenues to the government. He was also a lead analyst on a utility rate impact and competitiveness analysis for a major policy initiative aimed at decarbonizing B.C.’s energy system.

Ruben holds an MA in Economics from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of International Economics and Development from the University of Bayreuth in Germany. 

In his spare time, Ruben enjoys spending time with friends and family, and exploring nature, either on bike or on foot. 

Samir is Co-Founder and Partner of Deetken. He is a seasoned business advisor with over 25 years of experience in business strategy, business optimization and transformation. His experience spans several industries in both the public and the private sectors, including social services, healthcare, workplace safety, insurance, information technology and high-tech. He has a deep understanding of the needs of public sector organizations, the intricacies of the environment in which they operate and the interdependencies with private sector firms. 

Samir specializes in leading projects that have high public visibility with implications for vulnerable populations, children and families, and citizens. These projects often involve consultations with internal and external stakeholder groups, sophisticated collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, service delivery and operations design and/or optimization, and evaluation of strategic options. He aims to bring a high-level of quantitative discipline to inform these decisions. In addition, he is accustomed to working with and providing briefings to senior executives and decision-makers, including Deputy Ministers, Boards of Directors, and the Treasury Branch. 

Prior to co-founding Deetken, Samir was deeply involved in the commercialization of mobile computing technologies at Blackberry and E-One Moli. He holds a BASc in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and an MBA in Finance from Queen’s University. 

In addition to his role at Deetken, Samir is a co-founder and strategic advisor to Deetken Impact, Deetken’s sister company which focuses on social and environmental impact investing in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Outside of work, Samir is a sports fanatic with interests ranging from soccer and football to cricket and is often talking sports in the office or brokering the next office pool. Samir also enjoys traveling and making the most of B.C.’s amazing outdoor activities with his wife and two kids.

Saskia joined Deetken in November 2021. She provides communications and business development support to the Deetken team.

Saskia has more than 15 years of experience in public relations and corporate communications, including most recently as VP of corporate communications for OTC Markets Group, a small, publicly-traded financial company in New York City.  She has also worked at public relations and investor relations agencies in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Saskia holds a BA, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame.

In her free time, Saskia likes to spend time with her husband and their two boys, practicing yoga, reading and taking long walks in the woods.

Shanna joined Deetken in 2022. She is a decisive leader who has deep expertise in project management, leading teams and optimizing major high-value vendor partnerships to deliver effective programs. 

Prior to joining Deetken, Shanna served as a Director at BC’s Strategic Partnerships Office (2014-2019) where she scrutinized and spearheaded major IT/IM procurement projects. She has also worked as an independent management consultant and project manager (2019 to 2022), overseeing major public sector procurement programs for BC’s Provincial Health Services Authority and the Province of BC. In addition, she served more than 18 years in the Royal Canadian Navy building high-performance teams in complex, dynamic environments. 

Shanna holds a Masters of Technology Management (Engineering Applied Sciences) from Memorial University, an Executive Masters of Business Administration from Royal Roads University, and a BA in Psychology/Chemistry from University of Manitoba. She has completed the Graduate Certificate in Project Management from Royal Roads University, an Advanced Procurement Law and Practice: Major Projects and Tendering certification from Osgoode Law School and the Strategic Management Program, Harvard University. She is Prosci Change Management Certified. 

She is the founder of The Malaya Foundation, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the memory of Malaya Roberts and is focused on enabling Inuit Youth to pursue a higher education in health care. 

Shanna spends most of her free time with her family, and playing soccer competitively. In her former life, she represented Canada on the Military Women’s National Team at the International Military Sports Council/Conseil International du Sport Militaire (IMSC/CISM) Women’s World Cup in France.

Shilpa is a bookkeeper for Deetken Insight and is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of the company’s financial records and transactions. 

Before joining Deetken, Shilpa dedicated over 25 years to the field of nuclear medicine, where she honed her analytical and precision skills.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking, and cheering on the Oilers. 

Sophia joined Deetken Insight in January 2024 as a full-time associate. Her interests include digital marketing, project management, communications, market research, and business development.

Prior to joining Deetken, Sophia worked in conference management, digital marketing, and communications. 

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria, where she specialized in International Business.

In her free time, Sophia enjoys exercising, spending time by the ocean, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her friends. She also loves to travel, exploring exciting new destinations and cultures around the world.

Soraya joined Deetken in 2023. Her areas of interest include community engagement, human-centered design, strategic planning and organizational effectiveness. 

Prior to joining Deetken, Soraya spent five years at Viamo, a social impact company, where she  developed and managed multi-country mobile campaigns to benefit isolated populations around the globe. Before that, she spent more than a dozen years in humanitarian response and international development at Oxfam, UNICEF and as an independent consultant in Asia, West Africa and the Caribbean where her focus was on business development, monitoring and evaluation, and community based development. 

Soraya holds a BA in Political Science from McGill University and an MA in Environment and Development from King’s College London.  

In her free time, she enjoys baking with her toddler son, yoga, strength training and rediscovering her home town of Vancouver after living abroad for 20 years.

Stefanie joined Deetken Insight as a Business Development Specialist in May 2024. She has more than 15 years of experience in diverse roles in business development, human resources and recruiting. Her areas of interest include communications, people & culture, diversity & inclusion, mental wellbeing, as well as partner relationship management. 

Originally from Calgary, Stefanie recently relocated to Alberta after living six years in Europe. While in Europe, she served as the Eurasia Benefits & Wellness Manager for Wayfair Germany, where she was responsible for developing benefits and wellness programs for five locations across Asia and Europe. During this time, she project managed Wayfair’s first ever Global Wellness Week in 2020. She also worked as an EU Campus Recruiting Manager, establishing and managing relationships with over 50 key European colleges and university career services teams, student groups, academic leaders, and other on-campus programs.

From 2009 to 2018, she held various human resources and business development roles at Back in Motion, a provider of interdisciplinary rehabilitation, disability management, and employment services across British Columbia and Alberta. As a business development associate at Back in Motion, Stefanie helped write high-quality business proposals, resulting in the company being awarded its first ever federally funded employment program in British Columbia and Alberta. 

Stefanie has a BA in Communications Studies from the University of Calgary and an MA in Intercultural Communications from Royal Roads University. 

Stefanie is passionate about working with people from all over the world and learning from different cultures and backgrounds. She enjoys sharing her love for the Rocky Mountains with her family, especially her young son Kaya, whose name means “rock” in Turkish.

Stephanie is a Senior Associate at Deetken. She specializes in data collection and analysis and quantitative and quantitative modelling and has supported client projects in the healthcare and social services sectors, among others.

Stephanie has an MA in Economics from Simon Fraser University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Ibmec University Centre in Brazil. While completing her bachelor’s degree, she joined a small not-for-profit consulting company together with other students where they provided market and economic analysis services to small companies in Brazil at an affordable price. 

In her free time, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family and experimenting with new cooking recipes.

Steve joined Deetken in May 2022. His areas of interest and expertise include interest-based negotiation, stakeholder management, strategic vendor management, service design and transformational change initiatives.

Steve excels at leading large transformation initiatives with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities, developing and implementing IT services for diverse clients, developing governance models and building strong working relationships with clients and stakeholders, and negotiating and managing strategic vendor contracts. Prior to joining Deetken, he held progressively-responsible roles with the Province of BC and supported the province through numerous and varied engagements with core government and the broader public sector.

He majored in Computer Science at the University of Victoria and has attended numerous professional development courses and conferences on management, CIO leadership and coaching, ASD core technologies, strategic vendor management, information technology project management, and support services conferences.

In his free time, Steve likes to hide out at home playing pool and darts with his wife and exploring the beach with their dogs.

Tom joined Deetken Insight in 2023. His areas of interest include the implementation and transformation of IT Service Management tools, processes and policies.

Prior to joining Deetken, Tom was the Transition Architect and IT Consultant for a large public sector IT services procurement (2021 – 2023) and was a Service Management Architect and lead with IBM Global Services, responsible for the delivery of ITSM solutions (2002 – 2021).

Tom holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He has a Foundation Certificate in ITIL and training in Agile 101. In addition, he has ServiceNow training in IT service management (ITSM) Fundamentals, ITSM Implementation and Field Service Management.

In his free time, Tom likes playing guitar, hanging out with his spouse, Cassandra, and going for long walks with his two Jack Russell Terriers, Daisy and Luther.

Tricia joined Deetken as a Senior Consultant in February 2024. She is a senior data analytics and engineering professional with 20+ years of experience and expertise in data strategy, systems engineering, and analytical modelling. 

Prior to Deetken, Tricia held leadership roles in applied data and engineering at technology companies BlackBerry Ltd. (1998 to 2013) and Emmetros Ltd. (2017 to 2023). She specializes in helping organizations make fact-based decisions through optimal systems and processes and rich insights. 

Tricia holds a PhD in Statistics (2017), a Master of Applied Science in Systems Design Engineering (1998) and a Bachelor of Mathematics (1996), all from the University of Waterloo. She has been a practising Professional Engineer (PEng) in Ontario since 2003. 

Tricia has a passion for statistics that she weaves into her work and free time wherever possible. Outside of work, she teaches college-level statistics courses, fervently tracks baseball statistics, and endeavours to tutor her three children at every opportunity. 

Veli joined Deetken in fall 2023. His areas of interest include applied microeconomics, industrial organization, and data science.

Before joining Deetken, Veli served as a graduate teaching assistant in Intermediate Microeconomics at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Veli holds a BA in Economics and an MA in Economics from UBC.

Outside of work, Veli enjoys indulging in the culinary arts and training in martial arts. 

Vikash is a Principal at Deetken. Since joining Deetken in 2013, he has provided management consulting services to both public and private sector organizations. He specializes in M&A/transaction advisory, financial and business modelling, and procurement and negotiation support.

Vikash supports strategic decision-making by undertaking focused analysis related to deal structuring, negotiations, financial/operational due diligence, and business strategy. He has been involved across the procurement lifecycle on both sides of the transaction and has prepared materials for senior-level executives as well as for Board and Audit Committee members.
 
Recently, Vikash has applied his expert financial analysis and modelling skills to support major transformation projects in the healthcare and social services sectors. Specifically, he has provided guidance on alternative funding models, impacts to potential changes in care delivery models, and tooling to support facility and capital planning activities.
 
Vikash holds a BCom in Finance from the University of British Columbia.

Zack joined Deetken in January 2022. He enjoys using data and critical thinking to solve new and unique problems. 

Prior to joining Deetken, Zack worked as a teaching assistant and did a co-op term as an economic analyst for the Canadian government. Zack holds an MA in Economics from Simon Fraser University and a BA in Economics from the University of Toronto. 

In his free time, Zack likes hiking, gardening, and playing chess.