Heather McPherson
Executive Director
Email: director@acgc.ca

Heather has worked as the Executive Director of ACGC since 2008. Prior to her work at ACGC, Heather spent over a decade working with Canadian and international educational and community development organizations in a variety of positions. Most recently she worked with Canada World Youth, supporting international youth exchanges with partners in many communities in Western Canada, Bolivia, China, Guatemala and Ukraine. Also with Canada World Youth, Heather traveled to Kenya and Tanzania, supervising trilateral teams of youth from Kenya, Tanzania and Canada working in partnership with winners of the United Nations Development Programme Equator Initiative Prize.

Heather has also been involved with Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders, Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO), and is an appointed member of the Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the Alberta Provincial Government, within the Culture and Community Services Ministry. Heather has a Masters Degree from the University of Alberta in Educational Policy Studies in Cultural, Theoretical and International Studies in Education. She has also completed her Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education.

Joëlle Badman
Program Coordinator
Email: projects@acgc.ca

Joëlle is responsible for engaging with teachers and schools on issues of international development and global citizenship education. Originally from New Brunswick, Joëlle has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Social Work with a specialization in International & Community Development from the University of Calgary. She has worked extensively in the NGO sector across Canada, on local, provincial and international projects with a focus on human rights and community development. Most recently, she conducted a community health research project in Zanzibar, Tanzania with the Aga Khan Foundation. Her travels have taken her throughout Europe, Central & South America and the Caribbean, and East Africa.

While Joëlle’s academic and professional endeavours have taken her all over Canada and the world, she currently lives in Edmonton with her partner, Alec, and their dogs, Freddy and Piper. She enjoys cycling, coffee, and all things related to Maritime culture.

Julia Price
Program Coordinator
Email: julia@acgc.ca

Julia has been with the Council since 2009. Prior to working in the international development sector, Julia was an elementary and junior high school teacher in the UK and Alberta.

She has a Bachelor of Education degree in Elementary Education and Master of Education degree in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Alberta.

Chris Chang-Yen Phillips
Communication and Administration Officer
Email: admin@acgc.ca 

Chris is responsible for many of the ways ACGC communicates with the public and the media. Born and raised in Edmonton, his education has taken him to many corners of the world and back home to tell the stories he’s found need sharing, through journalism and communications. Chris spent most of his university career at Ontario’s Trent University , which suited his need to get outside and get his boots dirty throughout a joint degree in International Development and Environment & Resource Studies. Social justice and ecology are his strongest passions.

Chris was recognized by ACGC as one of Alberta’s Top 30 Under 30 in 2012. He also contributes to an environmental news show called Terra Informa on CJSR, is a member of the Next Up leadership network, serves as a board member for Punctuate! Theatre, and organizes monthly walks around Old Strathcona called Shareable Neighbourhood.