Who we are
Elevate The Path represents a partnership between Ian Howatt and Maureen Parker, of Echo & Elevate Consulting and PathLight Strategic Services, respectively. Together, we bring 30+ years of combined leadership experience and decades of workplace and life experience.
When you work with us, you can expect:
Collaborative and insightful approaches, rooted in decades of experience
Inclusive practices to engage diverse voices and perspectives
Well-designed experiences that are human-centred, connective, and impactful
Creativity and innovation
Outcomes and next steps
Moments of spontaneous joy and humour
Short interviews with Greg Crone from Municipal World:
About Ian Howatt, MA
Ian has served in a variety of roles across the public sector, with almost two decades in senior leadership roles. Described as a servant and empathetic leader that loves using a combination of humour, accountability, collaborative decision-making, and meaningful impact, Ian is not afraid to challenge the status quo or utilize appreciative inquiry to drive innovation. Ian prides himself on leading with authenticity and vulnerability, with previous team members describing him as the “best leader they have ever had.”
In his years of service, Ian has led large teams (100+ individuals), managed dozens of complex projects, and developed and sustained vital change imperatives for organizations. He now excitedly seeks to translate his learnings to others through his consulting practice, bringing to bear his expertise, practical knowledge, and decades of servant leadership practice.
Ian’s leadership journey has been cultivated through years of experience, opportunities, and formal training, including an MA (English/First Nations Studies), PROSCI Change Management Certification, and as a Global Fellow and Mentor with the League of Intrapreneurs and a member of the BMW Responsible Leaders Network.
Career experience by sector:
Post-secondary education (2 years + 4 years)
leadership of multi-department, front-line services for students, systems and strategic thinking, issues management, team and staff development
Municipal (16 years)
strategic planning, complex project management, policy development, community and stakeholder engagement, human-centered design, internal consulting
Provincial government (5 years)
strategic planning, environmental scanning, performance measurement, survey and data analysis
About Maureen Parker, MEd
Spanning three sectors over nearly three decades, Maureen has been designing and facilitating conversations and experiences to support professionals, organizations and teams to grow, navigate complex issues, align their strategy and culture, and make shifts to spark progress and innovation.
With an emphasis on advancing relationships, results and equity, Maureen listens and collaborates to build clarity, curiosity, courage, and shared understanding. In formal leadership roles for many years, she is a systems and strategic thinker focused on understanding and perspective-building for purposeful impact.
Maureen’s consulting, design and facilitation skills were developed through learning experiences including an MEd (Leadership), Certified User Experience Researcher (CXR by Akendi), and participatory leadership practices such as Art of Hosting, the Circle Way, and Holding Space. Board and Committee experience have added meaningful dimensions to her personal and professional life.
She is currently on her way to becoming a Qualified Mediator through the ADR Institute of Alberta.
Career experience by sector:
Post-secondary education (5 years)
organizational culture, leadership development, staff development, employee engagement, psychological safety implementation
Crown corporation financial institution (4 years)
leadership and cross-functional development, organizational culture, Agile development, enterprise-wide Google adoption
Education (19 years)
system leadership, professional development, collaboration, curriculum and technology implementation, innovation, systems and strategic thinking
