Our Team

Meet Our Team

The Learning Bird team is a talented group of educators, instructional designers, project managers, graphic designers, and media/video editing specialists.

United by a passion for education, we collaborate closely with our First Nations, Métis, and Inuit partners to produce engaging, culturally relevant education materials.

Meet some of the dedicated individuals who bring our mission to life and drive our commitment to empowering Indigenous learners through innovative education solutions.

Andrea Simmons

Director of Business Development

Andrea has over 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, and communications. She has worked with organizations across North America to design, develop, and deliver projects across multiple industries.

In recent years, Andrea has helped dozens of First Nations bring their education, language, and culture projects to fruition.

In her spare time, Andrea loves to bake, swim, garden, explore nature with her family, and walk her giant dog.

Annette Furo

Education Consultant

Annette has over fifteen years of experience in teaching and instructional design. As part of her commitment to putting Indigenous knowledge at the centre of the curriculum and school culture, she has worked extensively with First Nations communities to develop curricula that emphasize language, culture-based learning, and land-based education.

In her spare time, she can be found outdoors turning her urban yard into an edible landscape.

Ashley Johnston

Education Consultant

Ashley has over 10 years of experience working with First Nations learners and community leaders in a variety of educational settings. Her experiences teaching English language learners in a post-secondary setting greatly inform her work, which emphasizes decolonizing English-language teaching and learning in post-secondary education.

Ashley’s research interests centre on understanding true allyship and on developing meaningful, personalized land acknowledgments both inside and outside the classroom.

When she is not working, you can find her reading, hiking, and gardening.

Brandy Martin

Education Consultant

Brandy is an experienced educator, instructional designer, and project manager. Before working with Learning Bird, Brandy taught in Alberta for over 10 years, primarily supporting First Nations learners in small rural communities.

Brandy’s work focuses on curriculum design with technology-supported instruction, emphasizing inclusivity, sustainability, and Indigenous learning frameworks while addressing the impact of digital culture in education.

Brandy believes that building long-lasting collaborative relationships is key to meeting the educational needs of communities across Canada.

Hannah McGregor

Grant and Marketing Specialist

Hannah is an experienced grant writer with a passion for problem-solving. She loves helping others realize their vision and achieve their goals by identifying funding opportunities and providing guidance throughout the application process.

Hannah is inspired by community-based work and is strongly committed to language revitalization and Indigenous methodologies.

Outside of work, Hannah enjoys weight training, hiking, backcountry camping, and creating community through music.

Henry Ryan

CEO

Henry grew up in Ireland as the country rebuilt itself after centuries of British colonial rule. His father never had the chance to finish high school, but Henry benefited from a newly rebuilt education system.

When he moved to Canada, he saw First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities building education systems rooted in their own histories and cultures—something he recognized from his own upbringing.

Drawing on more than 30 years of technology and business leadership experience, he founded Learning Bird to build a team to support that work, believing that education has the power to transform lives and nations.

Joelle Chemali

Principal Consultant

Joelle is a lifelong learner and educator who loves to work with other educators to help schools and communities build culturally relevant curricula and resources. She also has a passion for professional development and supporting teachers with classroom instruction.

Her education, experience, and expertise have helped her cultivate a unique skill set, and she is adept at creating effective materials for educators and learners.

Outside of work, Joelle loves playing soccer, travelling, and going on adventures with her family and friends.

Kin Chua

Lead Media Designer

Kin is an interdisciplinary creative who loves helping others enjoy learning, build community, and connect with nature. His cross-training in visual communication and media production has led him to work across various industries, including government, education, food and beverage, fine art, and the non-profit sector.

Whether Kin is designing a brand identity, motion graphics, or a printed publication, he enjoys bridging teams to bring collaborative visions to life.

Outside of work, you’ll probably find him with a camera, on a bike, or immersed in a good movie.

Lauren Muzak-Ruff

Project Coordinator

Lauren is an experienced project coordinator with a strong background in managing complex projects and collaborating with diverse stakeholders. At Learning Bird, she ensures milestones are met on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.

Passionate about community-led initiatives, Lauren provides strategic support to drive meaningful outcomes.

Outside of work, she is a learning facilitator and coach who enjoys exploring the outdoors.

Louis Beauregard

Director of Operations & Technology

Louis is a seasoned business executive and entrepreneur with over 35 years of leadership experience managing professional services delivery, software development, and product design teams. Louis is passionate about designing organizations for success.

When not at work, Louis loves sailing and skiing.

Miranda Carlson-Strain

Education Consultant

Miranda has experience in several roles focused on bringing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) educational programs and professional development to students and educators from grades K-12, with a focus on underrepresented students in STEAM.

She is passionate about building community and instilling a lifelong love of learning in young people.

Outside of work, Miranda is a collector of hobbies. Find her hiking, baking, painting, beading, sewing, playing music, and trying new things.

Naomi Bender

Education Consultant

Naomi has broad experience in education, community programming, and instructional design. She has collaborated with Indigenous communities across Canada to create inclusive educational resources and facilitate programs that foster connection and engagement.

Naomi is committed to building meaningful relationships and designing learning experiences that reflect the needs of educators and learners.

Outside of work, Naomi can often be found testing a new sweet treat, swimming laps, or brushing paint across a canvas.

Nic McWatters

Business Development Specialist

Nic is a passionate, seasoned business development professional who strives to build personal connections throughout the sales process.

He is excited to draw on his academic foundation in history and political science to meet partners' needs.

Outside of work, Nic enjoys watching movies and television, working out, and playing hockey.

Rachel Collins

Lead Editor and Coach

Rachel has over 15 years of experience as an editor, supporting high-quality writing across a range of industries. She is passionate about community building and youth development, and brings a robust skill set in formal and informal education.

Rachel loves using her editorial eye to ensure every resource connects with learners.

In her spare time, you can find her reading, extolling the virtues of the Oxford comma, and enthusiastically making (mostly tolerable) music on the ukulele.

Rebecca Smith

Delivery Manager

Rebecca is an experienced educator who brings collaboration and inquiry to her everyday work. She uses her experience in education and business to help design and support others in implementing projects that meet our partners' needs.

She is motivated by supporting local educational initiatives in First Nations communities, so Indigenous students feel connected to what they learn.

In her spare time, Rebecca loves reading, knitting, and crocheting and delights in eating fruits and veggies from her garden.

Sabrina Goglia

Education Consultant

Sabrina has over a decade of experience teaching English globally and has been a classroom teacher in British Columbia since 2018. Her teaching journey has spanned diverse classrooms worldwide, allowing her to connect with students from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Locally in Vancouver, Sabrina has worked closely and volunteered with Indigenous communities, deepening her knowledge and understanding of Indigenous ways of life. Each of these experiences has shaped her teaching philosophy, which emphasizes inclusive, equitable, and experiential learning opportunities.

Samantha Cameron

Business Development Specialist

Samantha has over a decade of experience building partnerships. As a partnerships specialist, she developed work-integrated learning programs with educational institutions worldwide to prepare students for success in their careers and lives.

Samantha is motivated by creating sustainable programming and strong relationships.

When not at work, Samantha can be found training for triathlons, spending time outdoors, cooking, or reading.

Interested in joining our team?

Help us create meaningful language, culture, and education resources with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.