Who we are
FICS consultants are professional Quality Improvement facilitators committed to lifelong learning. They are seasoned leaders and educators that come from a variety of sectors including health care, public school system, non-government organizations, corporations, etc. All FICS facilitators have been rigorously trained in the structured facilitated approach to organizational transformation developed by Kathrina Loeffler, Founder and Executive Director, FICS.
We are:
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Committed to you and your goals
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Dedicated/hard working/passionate
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Quality Improvement and Risk Management expertise
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Certified Lean Practitioners
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Seasoned Leadership expertise
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Collegial attitudes guaranteed to engage
Why we do it
It doesn’t matter what sector you work in, all organizations experience difficulties with staff engagement, resource shortages, client demand and process/system inefficiencies. You could be a restaurant, retail company, government or private business, whatever your sector, our services will bring out the expertise and passion in your organization, building capacity to function at the highest level over the long term!
Benefits of FICS programs:
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Organization-wide, felt by each department and celebrated by the organization
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Inspire and motivate for improvement and enhance engagement of those who do the work
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Turns not only the responsibility but also the success to those who experience it, those who carry out the work in their day-to-day lives
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Implementation is propelled by ownership and being part of the solution(s)
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It’s in the empowerment that Lean and Effective leadership lead to success
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Motivate, reward and lead to results
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All of the FICs components, including the leadership and lean support and training and the highly effective facilitation skills, take organizations along a journey to success
Our promise to you
A transformed, sustainable organization with engaged staff committed to excellence.
Kathrina Loeffler
Founder and Executive Director
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Bachelor's in Education
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Master's in Education in Organizational Studies
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More than 30 years of experience in Adult Education.
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Certified Health Executive
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Certified John Maxwell Affiliate Member
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Certified Lean Practitioner with experience in Quality and Risk Management. Expert in the Model for Improvement and Performance Measurement and Management.
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Certified Professional Facilitator by the International Association of Facilitators
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Certified Leads Facilitator
Kathrina is an exceptional educator who has spent her career studying how organizations succeed. Her conclusions led her to study and apply the principles of Continuous Quality Improvement which led her to process improvement methods. LEAN and the study of efficient processes is where she discovered her passion. She is a transformational leader, committed to improving productivity and process efficiency. Most recently she led the highest functioning team in her organization to triple productivity and double revenue in a challenging economy.
Meet Our Staff
Christian Vulpe
Partner and Chief Operating Officer
Christian’s background is in education. He holds a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Education and a Master’s in Educational Psychology and Learning Sciences. Christian joined FICS as he enjoys the challenge of taking on new projects and learning new areas of work. Outside of work, Christian enjoys taking up new hobbies and learning on the go with audiobooks and podcasts. He has also almost always lived with cats, despite being quite allergic to them.
Scott Andrew
Accreditation Specialist
Scott’s background is in Healthcare and Adult Education. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Biology) and began his career in massage therapy, quickly entering the field of massage therapy education. Scott has more than 20 years’ experience as a Registered Massage Therapist and 12 years of experience in massage therapy education in Ontario and New Brunswick. He has also contributed to legislative development, competency and standards review, and has worked as an accreditation surveyor. He supports FICS in accreditation, standards development and education. Away from work, Scott enjoys exploring Canada’s great outdoors with his wife, their two children, and the family dogs.
Joan Fernandez
Project Specialist
A nurse by profession, Joan brings a varied background to FICS including clinical work experience in public health and ambulatory care. She has extensive experience in accreditation, quality improvement and patient safety working for pan-Canadian organizations in these areas for over 18 years. She supports FICS in accreditation, education and policy initiatives. Joan holds a Bachelor’s in Anthropology, a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and a Master’s in Public Health. In her free-time, Joan enjoys gardening and reading.
Svitlana Kotseruba
Finance Officer
Svitlana is a Certified Professional Bookkeeper. She holds a diploma in Bookkeeping and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance in Accounting & Audit from Ukraine. She is an experienced Business Administrator and dedicated QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor with experience in many industries including non-profit, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and construction. Svitlana joined FICS to lend her expertise in supporting non-profit and charitable organizations, as well as learn new skills and expand her knowledge of the field of accreditation. Outside of work, Svitlana enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family and dog.
Mark Loewenberger
Program Coordinator
Mark’s background is in medicine. He holds a Bachelor’s in science with a specialty in paramedicine. He has worked all over Canada as a paramedic, most recently as a critical care flight paramedic working in the Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. He has also taught wilderness medical courses for over 10 years. Moving back permanently to Ottawa, Mark was looking for an opportunity to explore health policy at multiple levels, including international, which brought him to FICS. Outside of work, Mark is a wilderness enthusiast and enjoys canoeing, woodworking, masonry, playing various instruments, and spending time with his family.
Laura Murray
Executive Assistant
Laura holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Electrical Engineering) and started her career in telecommunications but has found a new passion in supporting non-profit corporations and accreditation organizations. Laura joined FICS to continue growing her accreditation, governance and communications experience and to lend her expertise in supporting not-for-profit Boards and committees. She enjoys her work in communications, administration, and business development. Outside of work, Laura loves hiking with her dog, board games, and being a hockey and dance mom.
Terence Wade
Senior Advisor
Terence's experience includes working as a law professor, Senior Director of the Canadian Bar Association, senior policy advisor to federal ministers, management consultant specialising in functional and organizational review, and development and executive performance coach. He was attracted to FICS as an opportunity to apply his public sector experience in a different environment. Terence is from New Zealand and is proud to be part Maori. Outside work, Terence enjoys indie movies, modern dance, fast cars and is an excellent cook.
Millicent Zichawo
Director of Programs and Project Support
Millicent holds a Master's degree in Public Health and a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and has primarily worked in the field of international development. Millicent has substantial program management experience in the human rights and international development sectors. She has engaged with pioneer organizations both in Africa and Canada whose focus is on health, nutrition, food security, child rights and gender equality in both the humanitarian and developmental organizations. Outside of work, Millicent enjoys reading and traveling.