CityXLab Team
Dr. AnneMarie Dorland i is leading the active experience research stream for the CityXLab. AnneMarie is an Assistant Professor in the Bissett School of Business at Mount Royal University. Named a Joseph Armand Bombardier Scholar by SSHRC and a member of the University of Calgary’s Teaching Academy, Dorland has been committed to bringing together her background as a graphic designer, brand strategist and qualitative researcher to develop innovative, creative and design-oriented undergraduate learning experiences for the past decade. Dorland has played an integral role in the design and leadership of the inquiry-based and experientially focused UCalgary Global Challenges curriculum, the first of its kind in Canada, and in the development and implementation of undergraduate research support for a U15 Canadian University. A creative practice researcher and contributor to several international publications on the use of design-based problem solving, she is passionate about using the practices of the studio to help students create new and innovative ideas in their marketing, branding and design work.
Dr. David Legg is leading the active experience research stream of the CityXLab. Dr. Legg is actively involved as an educator, researcher, and volunteer in sport management and adapted physical activity. In addition to his role as a Professor and two-time Acting Chairperson at Calgary’s Mount Royal University, David was a visiting professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, in 2004 and at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, in 2008-09. For the past five years David has also been a visiting scholar for the Erasmus Mundus Masters in Adapted Physical Activity at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.
David is past President for the Canadian Paralympic Committee, past Board Member for the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games, Member of the International Paralympic Committee’s Sport Science Committee and a Leadership team member of Canadian Sport for Life.
Jackie McAtee is an advisor to the CityXLab. Jackie works at the intersection of where brand, marketing and customer experience meet. Jackie is passionate about ensuring that customers get an extraordinary experience that lives up to brand expectations in a meaningful way.
Jackie believes that customer-centricity can be created in every part of a business – and that business leaders have a duty to build a culture that puts the customer at the centre of decision making.
Through the course of Jackie's career, across hospitality, F&B, healthcare, not-for-profit and most recently financial services, she has worked with and managed multinational teams of talented people and aspiring designers – always with a view to driving competitive advantages and building lasting business success.
Now at ATB Financial Jackie works to understand their customers, their needs and aspirations, so that ATB can provide the support, guidance and financial solutions the customers need to achieve what’s most important to them.
Mathew Stone is is an advisor to the CityXLab. Mathew is the co-founder of Stone-Olafson. A strategist who strives to quickly identify what is important, why and what can be done about it. Fifteen years experience advising organizations on issues management, brand and marketing strategy, consumer engagement, strategic planning and performance management. Mathew specializes in leveraging insights in developing marketing and communications strategy and applying common sense approach to challenges while looking for creative solutions.
Dr. David J. Finch is the Director of the CityXLab. David is leading the learning experience research stream for the CityXLab. David holds a PhD in management and is an active educator, scholar and practitioner. He currently holds several academic appointments including as a Professor at Mount Royal University’s Bissett School of Business, a Visiting Fellow at the Henley Business School at the University of Reading (UK) and an Adjunct at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph. Dr. Finch has authored over 50 scholarly papers and published in journals such as the Academy of Management Learning & Education, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Sport Management and the Corporate Reputation Review. His most recent book, Implications and Impacts of eSports on Business and Society: Emerging Research and Opportunities (Finch, O’Reilly, Abeza, Clark & Legg) explored emerging themes in esports. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Finch held progressively senior roles in areas of corporate strategy in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. In this role as a senior fellow at the Institute for Community Prosperity, Dr. Finch will be leading the Institute’s City Experience Lab (CityXLab). The CityXLab explores the intersection between a city’s learning, creative and active experiences; community prosperity; and its ability to attract, develop and retain human capital.
Cassandra McAuley is an advisor to the CityXLab. Cassandra is the Vice President of corporate communications, stakeholder engagement and strategy development at Tourism Calgary. Cassandra has a demonstrated history of working in emergency management and tourism industries. Skilled in crisis communications, media relations, strategy and stakeholder collaboration. Strong business development professional with a Master of Arts (MA) focused in Leadership from Royal Roads University University.
Simon Raby is is leading the experiential learning research stream of the CityXLab. Simon is a 'pracademic' working as an Assistant Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Mount Royal University's Bissett School of Business and Co-Founder of Business Improvement and Growth (BIG) Associates Ltd. BIG identifies the drivers of growth, challenges convention and offers practical ways for ambitious business owners and their organizations to achieve sustained growth and performance.
Simon's research program is focused on uncovering the strategies, practices and methods of support that enable business growth, leadership transitions and people performance. Most recently, Simon delivered a program of research on the growth of Alberta's Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to understand the drivers of growth, innovation and diversification for these firms. This research has since led to the creation of The Leader's Growth Mindset.