The Team
WWe take exceptional pride in our people. We offer a dynamic, skilled and committed team of professionals who consistently deliver results for our clients. The Alder Group’s reputation as an industry leader is solidly based on the distinct and wide-ranging expertise of our hands-on team.
The owners of the company are Jennifer Schenkel and Malcolm Anderson. They bring complementary experience and expertise to The Alder Group as well as a true passion for health and wellness. Both are avid distance runners.
Malcolm Anderson has been conducting health services research since 1992 in a range of different areas, including knowledge transfer, the use of evidence to inform decision-making, innovation and organizational change, home and community care, program evaluation, performance measurement and the web-based mapping of health-care data.
Dr. Anderson received his PhD at Queen’s University and his Masters at Carleton University. Prior to joining The Alder Group as a managing partner he conducted research at Queen’s University in the Faculty of Health Sciences. He was the Principal investigator of a multi-year grant evaluating the CHSRF EXTRA/FORCES initiative that is designed to increase the uptake and use of evidence in health care organizations. Between 2004 and 2005 he was the Visiting Research Fellow at The Change Foundation, examining the role of innovation in health care organizations.
Malcolm has served on a number of grant review committees and has reviewed numerous papers for a range of journals and book publishers. He is currently serving on CIHR’s Knowledge to Action grant review committee. He taught program evaluation at the post-graduate level for several years and has conducted numerous workshops and training sessions on evaluation, sustainability of innovations and knowledge transfer.
Malcolm has a passion for distance running and has completed numerous marathons and ultra marathons. He has written three books on marathon running and several articles for running magazines. His latest book ‘The Messengers’ is about distance runners from around the world who have each run more than one hundred marathons. Some have completed over 1,000. Based on interviews with more than 120 runners, the book presents stories that are truly inspirational. Some are mind boggling.
Jennifer Schenkel is a managing partner with The Alder Group. Professionally trained as a journalist, she is a versatile and strategic communicator with extensive experience as a writer, communications specialist and project manager in the health sector.
With wide-ranging experience in stakeholder consultations, health communications planning and report writing, Ms. Schenkel is adept at managing complex projects. Ms. Schenkel specializes in strategic communications and planning and enjoys helping clients identify and refine their communications goals, key messages and tactical plans. Among Ms. Schenkel’s key strengths is her ability to manage sensitive communications and frame complex ideas for a variety of audiences.
Prior to joining The Alder Group as managing partner, she held a senior executive position with the Canadian Lung Association, where she managed several large-scale health communication projects designed to inform national communications plans, program development and improve public awareness of lung disease.
Ms. Schenkel’s commitment to health and wellness is more than just a professional focus. Like Malcolm Anderson, The Alder Group’s other managing partner she is an avid marathoner and running coach. She believes endurance running is the perfect metaphor for professional and personal excellence. “Anything worth doing is hard work. There are no shortcuts to successfully running a marathon. The same holds true for achieving results in business.” Malcolm and Jen also conduct workshops on running, goal setting, motivation and inspiration for organizations. The Alder Group is privileged to work with a team of experienced and highly regarded senior consultants who have worked with organizations locally, nationally and internationally.
Some of the highlights of Dr. Trottier’s career include designing and managing the first leadership development program offered by the Canadian government to senior executives. This initiative provided the basis for a variety of leadership development initiatives offered to many government and private sector executives. As part of this initiative, he has acted as a personal coach to hundreds of executives in both the private and public sectors.
Danielle has designed and implemented large-scale health promotion initiatives involving strategic communications, event management and government and public relations. She has conducted strategic planning, consultations and pilot program development and evaluation. Danielle has considerable content development experience, having written and edited numerous reports, manuals, educational tools and websites. Danielle holds an MBA specializing in nonprofit management and leadership from the Schulich School of Business and a BA Honours in History from McGill University.
Before joining the firm, Ms. Fletcher worked as a managing editor and production manager for various agencies, designing the content, structure and layout of a range of books, magazines, kiosks, posters and exhibition panels, for educational, promotional and informational purposes. She has held various positions as a writer, editor and graphic designer, including integral roles at the United Nations, McGill University, the Royal Ontario Museum and Philanthropic Foundations Canada. She brings a strong intellectual perspective in practical ethics and moral education to her projects, and is currently completing her Masters of Arts in philosophy.
In addition to our team of dedicated in-house staff and associates, The Alder Group has a national network of pre-qualified partners. These include highly specialized academic researchers and experts, event planners with local connections and teams with niche practices in areas such as communications, English and French writing, translation and editing, research and evaluation, graphic design and web development.
Malcolm Anderson, Partner
Malcolm Anderson has been conducting health services research since 1992 in a range of different areas, including knowledge transfer, the use of evidence to inform decision-making, innovation and organizational change, home and community care, program evaluation, performance measurement and the web-based mapping of health-care data.Dr. Anderson received his PhD at Queen’s University and his Masters at Carleton University. Prior to joining The Alder Group as a managing partner he conducted research at Queen’s University in the Faculty of Health Sciences. He was the Principal investigator of a multi-year grant evaluating the CHSRF EXTRA/FORCES initiative that is designed to increase the uptake and use of evidence in health care organizations. Between 2004 and 2005 he was the Visiting Research Fellow at The Change Foundation, examining the role of innovation in health care organizations.
Malcolm has served on a number of grant review committees and has reviewed numerous papers for a range of journals and book publishers. He is currently serving on CIHR’s Knowledge to Action grant review committee. He taught program evaluation at the post-graduate level for several years and has conducted numerous workshops and training sessions on evaluation, sustainability of innovations and knowledge transfer.
Malcolm has a passion for distance running and has completed numerous marathons and ultra marathons. He has written three books on marathon running and several articles for running magazines. His latest book ‘The Messengers’ is about distance runners from around the world who have each run more than one hundred marathons. Some have completed over 1,000. Based on interviews with more than 120 runners, the book presents stories that are truly inspirational. Some are mind boggling.
Jennifer Schenkel, Partner
Jennifer Schenkel is a managing partner with The Alder Group. Professionally trained as a journalist, she is a versatile and strategic communicator with extensive experience as a writer, communications specialist and project manager in the health sector.With wide-ranging experience in stakeholder consultations, health communications planning and report writing, Ms. Schenkel is adept at managing complex projects. Ms. Schenkel specializes in strategic communications and planning and enjoys helping clients identify and refine their communications goals, key messages and tactical plans. Among Ms. Schenkel’s key strengths is her ability to manage sensitive communications and frame complex ideas for a variety of audiences.
Prior to joining The Alder Group as managing partner, she held a senior executive position with the Canadian Lung Association, where she managed several large-scale health communication projects designed to inform national communications plans, program development and improve public awareness of lung disease.
Ms. Schenkel’s commitment to health and wellness is more than just a professional focus. Like Malcolm Anderson, The Alder Group’s other managing partner she is an avid marathoner and running coach. She believes endurance running is the perfect metaphor for professional and personal excellence. “Anything worth doing is hard work. There are no shortcuts to successfully running a marathon. The same holds true for achieving results in business.” Malcolm and Jen also conduct workshops on running, goal setting, motivation and inspiration for organizations. The Alder Group is privileged to work with a team of experienced and highly regarded senior consultants who have worked with organizations locally, nationally and internationally.
Michael Trottier
Michael Trottier is a nationally renowned facilitator, course designer and educator with a long and successful history in the field of management consulting and adult education. He has designed and presented countless programs, each prepared after careful research and consultation with the organizations in question. He is a skilled and prolific writer and interviewer who possesses the ability to concentrate all of his energy into designing sophisticated and exceptionally effective programs. Dr. Trottier‘s enthusiasm, diligence and highly refined communication skills ensure that he consistently receives positive reactions from participants in both the public and private sectors. He is often personally requested to facilitate high-profile events and meetings by senior government and political clients, including the Privy Council Office. An expert in helping conflicting stakeholders achieve measurable outcomes in meetings, Dr. Trottier teaches and facilitates in French, English or bilingual settings.Some of the highlights of Dr. Trottier’s career include designing and managing the first leadership development program offered by the Canadian government to senior executives. This initiative provided the basis for a variety of leadership development initiatives offered to many government and private sector executives. As part of this initiative, he has acted as a personal coach to hundreds of executives in both the private and public sectors.
Danielle Paterson
Danielle Paterson is a seasoned health promotion professional with over 10 years experience in nonprofit health organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society, North York General Hospital Foundation and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Former Senior Manager Prevention at the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division, Danielle is experienced in health promotion, strategy and project management. Danielle developed, managed and executed the Society’s first Driven to Quit Challenge in 2006, and managed the planning phase of the 2007 Challenge.Danielle has designed and implemented large-scale health promotion initiatives involving strategic communications, event management and government and public relations. She has conducted strategic planning, consultations and pilot program development and evaluation. Danielle has considerable content development experience, having written and edited numerous reports, manuals, educational tools and websites. Danielle holds an MBA specializing in nonprofit management and leadership from the Schulich School of Business and a BA Honours in History from McGill University.
Natalie Fletcher
Natalie Fletcher is an Associate Consultant at The Alder Group, specializing in the areas of writing, copyediting and print design. Fluently bilingual, she brings 10 years of diverse creative experience in publishing, research and communications. Ms. Fletcher not only offers great writing and design skills to client assignments, she also ensures originality, a strong work ethic and a client-centered commitment to quality. Her ability to clarify and synthesize a project’s objectives into polished deliverables that are unique yet consistent is one of her greatest assets.Before joining the firm, Ms. Fletcher worked as a managing editor and production manager for various agencies, designing the content, structure and layout of a range of books, magazines, kiosks, posters and exhibition panels, for educational, promotional and informational purposes. She has held various positions as a writer, editor and graphic designer, including integral roles at the United Nations, McGill University, the Royal Ontario Museum and Philanthropic Foundations Canada. She brings a strong intellectual perspective in practical ethics and moral education to her projects, and is currently completing her Masters of Arts in philosophy.
In addition to our team of dedicated in-house staff and associates, The Alder Group has a national network of pre-qualified partners. These include highly specialized academic researchers and experts, event planners with local connections and teams with niche practices in areas such as communications, English and French writing, translation and editing, research and evaluation, graphic design and web development.