Speaker & Facilitator
About Jill McPherson, B.A.Sc.(Child Psychology), B.Ed., Counsellor
I spent nearly three decades teaching students across Canada, from a one-room schoolhouse on the Alberta prairies to busy elementary classrooms in different districts. I started with a degree in Child Psychology, a deep love for children, and a belief that I could make a difference. But over time, I saw how the system’s focus on control and compliance didn’t match the connection I wanted to build.
The classroom management strategies I’d been taught sometimes worked, but they often left both me and my students feeling drained. I didn’t become a teacher to manage behaviour or play the bad cop. I became a teacher to help people grow. The turning point came when I stopped asking, “Why is this happening to me?” and started asking, “Why is this happening for me?” That question changed everything.
That shift led me beyond the classroom — hosting wellness events, creating my TV show Awakening Within, and earning a Diploma in Spiritual Direction. When I discovered the framework of Nonviolent Communication, I finally understood why old strategies felt wrong: they were built on control, not connection.
And here’s what I know now — when authority is rooted in control, people shrink. When leadership is rooted in trust, people grow.
Today, my classroom looks different.
I work with leaders, teams, educators, and entrepreneurs to replace conflict with connection, fear with trust, and compliance with genuine collaboration. I help people create environments where others feel heard, valued, and empowered to bring their best.
If you’re ready to lead in a way that helps people grow, I’d love to help
you get there.
“In June 2024, I officially resigned from teaching,
not because I was leaving education, but because I
was expanding my classroom to the world.”
I deliver keynotes and lead workshops grounded in the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) framework. This approach has transformed every part of my life—from my work with leaders and teams, to raising my four children, to my marriage.
I help people navigate their toughest conversations with more calm, clarity, and confidence.
Together, we uncover how old habits (often ones we don’t even realize we have) quietly erode trust and teamwork. Then I share simple, practical tools to replace them with a more collaborative, respectful way of communicating.
Science is clear: when communication and connection improve in the workplace, productivity increases, morale strengthens, and people feel more engaged. The result is a team that solves problems faster, works better together, and brings their best to the table.
I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to help people and organizations have conversations that build connection instead of conflict.
Stacey Tarrant, Brand Strategist & Visual Storyteller
Meet Stacey
Stacey Tarrant combines her expertise in brand strategy, marketing, and business development to amplify Jill’s voice and impact. She brings both big-picture vision and meticulous execution, ensuring Jill’s message connects deeply and reaches the audiences who need it most.
From crafting compelling narratives and building marketing campaigns to managing partnerships, speaking opportunities, and audience growth, Stacey handles the details so Jill can focus fully on delivering transformative work. Her mission is simple: to make sure Jill’s ideas spark meaningful change in every space they touch.