Our People
Our people are effective because they are not just trainers; they are leaders and managers who train.
Our Team
JOAN DEEKS, PhD, Principal
Joan Deeks brings over 25 years of experience in management and training expertise to her role as the strategic prime on all leadership and management training programs at Advantis. Prior to founding Advantis in 2000, she served in a senior management capacity at Orca Bay Sports & Entertainment and several municipal governments in BC, offering significant expertise in strategic planning, leadership development and human resources.
Joan founded the Labour Relations Roundtable of BC and is an adjunct professor at the school of business for Trinity Western University. She is an active member of the BC Human Resources Management Association and has a Certified Human Resources Professional designation. Joan also has a doctoral degree from Oxford Graduate School in Tennessee, an MBA and B.Comm from City University, and an HR certificate from BCIT.
SUSAN BORAS, Consultant
Susan Boras is a key trainer and core program developer for Advantis Consulting Group. She has over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including executive roles at several premiere hotel chains in Canada and the United States. She also has significant expertise in training executive staff and line managers in areas ranging from strategic planning to customer service to conflict resolution. Susan speaks regularly on HR and management issues for BC Tourism and a wide variety of BC colleges and schools. She holds a bachelors degree in hospitality management from Vancouver Community College and a tourism and hospitality diploma from BCIT.
ALISON BERG, Consultant
Alison Berg researches and designs training solutions and marketing programs for Advantis. She has ten years of experience in senior marketing and human resources roles at high tech firms in BC, with an additional 8 years of HR management experience in the municipal sector. She co-founded OctigaBay Systems in 2000, which was acquired 3 years later for $115M, one of the largest acquisitions of a private high tech start-up in Canada. Alison holds an MBA in marketing from City University, a BA from Simon Fraser University and an HR certificate from BCIT.
LINDA MOTT, Consultant
Linda Mott has delivered management training and leadership programs for Advantis since 2001. She has over 17 years of management, consulting, and training experience in all areas of HR. She has experience in both the private and public sector and is a well known trainer for her creative approach, humour and professionalism. Linda is currently working on her MBA and has a bachelors degree in communications from Simon Fraser University, and a diploma in personnel management from BCIT.
KEN DEEKS, PhD, Adult Learning Specialist
An expert in adult learning methods, Ken Deeks advises on curriculum design. Since the inception of Advantis, Dr. Deeks has designed and delivered over 50 courses and has personally trained hundreds of leaders. He supervises college curriculum design and sits as an educational advisor on several boards and committees. Ken has a research doctorate in the dynamics of personal growth and a masters degree in education from the Oxford Graduate School in Tennessee.
ULRIKE SCHEUCHL, Research Advisor
Ulrike Scheuchl has provided Advantis with research and curriculum design skills since 2005. She has over 10 years of experience in project management, business requirements analysis, and marketing support. She has co-authored several publications and has provided training to leadership teams on a wide variety of topics. Ulrike holds an MBA in HR Management from the University of Phoenix and a masters degree in social and economic sciences from the University of Graz.
Our Associates
JOHN CAPLIN
John Caplin is a certified executive coach, a senior Birkman consultant and the principal of John F. Caplin Coaching and Consulting. John has over 25 years of executive leadership and strategic planning experience. He is a published author and holds a graduate certificate in executive coaching from Royal Roads University and a master of arts degree.
ALAN SIMPSON
Alan Simpson provides a strong background in conflict management, leadership development, and team building. He has over 10 years as a senior leader and trainer in adult education. He is the current director of transitional leadership at Outreach Canada and serves on several boards of directors. Alan holds a Masters degree in Conflict Analysis from Royal Roads University, an undergraduate degree in theology and a certificate in conflict resolution from the Justice Institute of BC.
ANDREA SOBERG
Andrea Soberg is the principal of People First Consulting and dean in the business program at Trinity Western University. She has over 30 years experience consulting with public and private organizations throughout Canada on their HR plans, processes and systems. She has a Master’s degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Toronto and a BA in Labour Economics and HR from Simon Fraser University.
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Advantis Consulting Group has assisted our company over the years, and I have found their services to be professional, personal, and reliable.