Weaving Words,
Connecting Community
WOVEN
Communication
Mary-Frances moved to Halifax nearly a decade ago to pursue a Master's of Environmental Studies and quickly fell in love with everything that Nova Scotia has to offer. The people, the music, the culture and the coast - she fell for it all.
Since studying Mi'kmaw cultural tourism at Dalhousie, she has remained rooted in Halifax (in between the occasional adventure abroad), focusing her work on people and the environment. She's had the privilege of being at the forefront of Nova Scotia's sustainability scene - as researcher at the College of Sustainability, the first program of its kind in Canada, and as Community Relations Manager on the province's largest wind farm - the South Canoe Wind Farm. Most recently, she's been part of new and exciting food security and economic development initiatives in Spryfield, leading community development in MLA Brendan Maguire's office.
Her love of writing and experience engaging with various groups - rural/urban communities, students of all ages, government officials, private sector leaders, and First Nations groups - stem from a genuine desire to connect with people and work towards greener solutions.
Be it volunteering with organizations in her north-end Halifax and Spryfield communities, dance and athletics circles, or while travelling abroad, she thrives on building community.
Photo by Sándor Fizli
WHAT OTHERS SAY
I have been working with Mary-Frances since the start up of Woven. She is an excellent communicator and listens with interest to client needs. She has conducted both studies and organized region-wide conferences for the Fisheries Dept of the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat (APC). She has good judgment and is able to use a variety of software tools in order to manage people and project components. She is accessible as a contractor and produces quality products. She has built up a great rapport with the other senior staff at the APC who have also hired her for similar high-profile events. I do not hesitate to consider her for any research work or coordination work in her fields of expertise.
Ken Paul / Former Director of Fisheries and Integrated Resources / Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs
Working alongside Mary-Frances, I've witnessed time and again how she instills a sense of confidence in her peers that the job will get done and will be done extremely well. She delivers with attention to detail, thoroughness, and thought. She is a gifted writer and communicater and connects with community in a trusting and lasting manner.
Aaron Long / Director Business Services / Alternative Resource Energy Authority
During her time working with South Canoe WindFarm as liaison to the community of New Ross, Mary-Frances was very generous with her time, made herself available for questions and replied to queries promptly. She worked with our sponsorship committee to provide support to community projects and worked well with funding recipients. She is a good listener, fantastic organizer and was a valuable member of our team and continues to be part of our community.
Debbie Reeves / Member / South Canoe Wind Farm Community Liaison Committee
Mary-Frances is approachable, action-oriented and a very effective communicator. She is an asset to any project as she ensures that no detail is overlooked and that everybody is rowing in the same direction. She has helped us develop educational material on renewable energy, where she translated complex ideas into clear and useful content. She has also effectively led numerous public engagements for our company.
Chris Peters / Energy Project Developer / Minas Energy