At the eDemocracy Network,
we focus on making public engagements more fair, accesible, transparent, and effective.
The eDemocracy Network is registered as a non-profit in Canada, as a 501(c)3 in the United States, as well as a Charitable Foundation in Canada.
We help community members achieve fair, accessible and engaging public consultation processes that prioritize making sure all voices are heard. True Democracy means everyone gets a seat at the table, a voice, and proportional sway.
We are committed to centring indigenous rights, racial justice and accessibility in our work.
Partner Entities
The eDemocracy Network is the sister organization of Ethelo, the Vancouver-based social purpose tech company behind the award-winning public engagement and decision-making platform that the Network’s research and projects are built on.
The eDemocracy Research Foundation partners with academics and economists to do public engagement research and we are perpetually focused on improving public engagement processes for all community members.
Our Team
Leadership
Tarah Stafford
CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tarah has founded of a variety of non-profits over the years working at the intersection of climate and communications. As a screenwriter, Tarah is dedicated to telling the stories of who we are and who we might become. While her heart lies in solving the climate crisis, the connection between climate and the failure of our democratic process fuels her desire to understand and mend what divides us.
Ben West
CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ben has played various roles in the environmental movement in Canada over the last 20 years and has been involved in dozens of public engagement processes over the years as a community organizer and as staff in a First Nations community and uses this experience to help shape the best possible engagements for all community members taking part in our processes.
Meagan Blandizzi
Chief Happiness Officer
Meagan loves creative problem solving, collaboration, and true, change-making public consultation. With a background in television advertising, she feels extremely lucky to be helping the eDemocracy team to empower communities towards climate action and equitable engagement. She has worked on hundreds of engagements and is excited to help make your next one a resounding success.
Katharina Voss
Public Outreach Director
Kat is an experienced non-profit professional, designer, and researcher. She is a communications specialist who directs public outreach campaigns, designs creative and effective multi-media materials, and studies their efficacy for constant improvement. She is also currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Sustainability.
The Team
John Richardson
Founder, architect, board member
Andrea De Ascó Cortés
Communications Director
Saad Sabb
Platform configurist
Ahmed Lelamo
Platform configurist, Impact Metrics Analyst
Erin DeGroote
Web Designer, UX Specialist
Laura Williams
Lead Developer
Gabriela Grant
Senior Software Developer
Vatsal Chauhan
Front End Developer
Aileen Gatdula
QA Tester
Dan Hathway
Chief Cat Herder
Bradley Roulston
Community Liaison
Academic Advisor
Professor Stephen Sheppard
Lead Researcher & partner
Dr. Sheppard is an internationally recognized expert and educator in urban forestry, climate change planning and community engagement, public perceptions, and ethical visualization techniques. He directs CALP (UBC), an acknowledged interdisciplinary center of excellence in applying state-of-the-art visualization tools and engagement processes to developing climate change and urban forestry solutions with municipalities & communities. His recent research focuses on engaging citizens in developing low-carbon resilient communities, urban forest stewardship. He leads UBC’s Research Cluster of Excellence on Cool Tools: Social Mobilization on Climate Change using Digital Media