Coaching & Consulting

Jesse Barruch is the founder of Avanta Consulting in Vancouver. The company partners with companies to find the right people for high-performance cultures, by focusing on creating access to candidates not looking for work, in a market where job boards fail to deliver top quality candidates. Born and raised in Toronto Jesse moved to Vancouver back in 2006 and can be found hanging with his family (Wife Leanne and 3 kids – Ethan, Logan, and Siena) or hiking the Grouse Grind almost every morning!

Melanie Ewan is Managing Partner at local startup advisory firm, Volition, where she oversees operations and communications, in addition to working with entrepreneurs on funding research and grant writing projects. As COO and Head of Research at Women in Tech World, a national grassroots organization based out of Vancouver. Melanie took to the road for two months this past fall, to provide a platform for Canadian women in tech, and their allies and advocates, to share their experiences and ideas for creating more inclusive and diverse tech communities nationwide. When Melanie isn’t working with clients, colleagues and community members, she can be found traveling.

Diane Currie Sam is an award-winning communications strategist and a sales & marketing expert. She is a master storyteller who has spoken on stages internationally and worked with hundreds of clients to initiate massive growth in their businesses. She has helped clients secure millions of dollars in funding and sales contracts, and initiate change through creating story-based speeches, webinars and investment pitches. Diane is the founder/CEO of “Be a Better Story” business services.

JoAnne Marlow is an educator/trainer, public speaker, professional life coach, and best selling published author of over 15 books and articles. JoAnne is a thought-leader in creating highly productivity multi-generational teams. She’s an advisor to upper management and their teams by assessing the issues within the culture and efficiency of the organization and assisting in the implementation of appropriate solutions and systems.