Canadian Accredited
Independent Schools

Using Data to Inform Strategic Planning

In late 2019, and through COVID, the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools embarked on a strategic planning process that resulted in a bold new strategic plan, launched on Oct 19th at the Heads and Chairs Conference.  Berlineaton provided end-to-end consulting support from rethinking vision, mission and values to reporting templates that measure progress.  In addition, our Data and Insights Team designed and administered a Member Survey to all members nationally.

Key Team Members
Shelly Berlin
Mackenzie Farrell
Tobias Mehra

A Profound Experience

In late 2019, the CAIS Board embarked on a process to re-envision the future and embody this in a new 5-year strategic plan for their association.  Berlineaton provided consulting support and partnered with the CAIS Board, Advisors, Strategic Directions Steering Committee, and the CAIS Team using our six-step methodology.  The new plan in two words:  bold and courageous – reinforcing their unique mission and importance to independent schools in Canada.

This project was highly engaging, collaborative, and inclusive.  It started out with in-person workshops and pivoted to online in March – without missing a beat. Our work included scanning the environment to understand the current context, envisaging a powerful future, mission and values, and then building a purpose-built set of goals, strategic priorities and tactics to guide next steps.

Practical Solutions

As CAIS is member-driven association, having current data about their members’ experience was critical to their understanding of members’ needs and expectations as part of setting its future direction. 

In addition to providing consulting services through each of our six steps, our Data & Insights Team designed and administered an online member satisfaction survey focused on understanding how the CAIS organization is meeting member needs and expectations – overall and across all program areas. This generated important insights about satisfaction and value, as well as future anticipated needs and desired future services – enabling CAIS to identify where to put its efforts to create greater value for members.  This along with other best-practice research and SWOT analyses set a strong foundation upon which the future could be built.

Bolder Futures

On October 19, 2020 CAIS launched its new Strategic Plan at the Heads and Chairs Conference, presenting…

  • A new Vision, “Leaders in education, shaping the future of a courageous, compassionate world” – emphasizing the important role that CAIS and its member schools play and the kind of future they will create together
  • A revised Mission of “Continual school improvement through the advancement of standards, support, and a strong Canadian network”
  • A commitment to driving member value by striving to achieve three Goals: School Improvement and Innovation; Networking and Collaboration; and Strength and Permanence.

Click here to see the full CAIS Strategic Plan.

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  • I've been most grateful for the expertise and professionalism of Berlineaton. You have a great process and the experience and flexibility to read the capacity and needs of the group both in person and online. Thank you for your outstanding work.

    Board Member,

    CAIS

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    Shelly Berlin

    BA, MBA, FCMC, ACC
    Strategist, Confidante, Entrepreneur.

    Shelly Berlin brings over 30 years of strategic insight and transformational leadership to Berlineaton as co-founding and managing partner.

    She began her consulting career with Andersen Consulting and Price Waterhouse – global experience that led to the launch of Berlineaton in 1996. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Alberta, an MBA from UBC, is a Certified Management Consultant and an ICF-certified Executive Coach. In 2017, Shelly and her partner Richard Eaton were named Fellows of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants and were later honoured with CMC’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. She also holds an ESG governance designation from Competent Boards.

    Throughout her career, Shelly has worked with more than 1,200 clients across government, not-for-profits, independent schools, and private sectors. She is known for her inclusive, collaborative approach and her ability to help clients execute strategy that achieves significant impact.

    As Chair of the St. Michaels University School Board, now in her fourth term, she led the global Head of School search that resulted in Dr. Jeff Aitken’s appointment and co-led the development of the Floreat 2020–2030 strategic plan.

    Shelly lives in Victoria with her family, including two teenagers, husband Richard Eaton, two cats, and a frog named Froakie.

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    Mackenzie Farrell

    BSC, MMgmt, CMC
    Collaborator, Community Builder, Go-Getter.

    Mackenzie is an Engagement Lead and Independent School Practice Lead at Berlineaton. Known for her experience in strategy development and execution, she brings an innate sense of curiosity, meticulous attention to detail, and a strong interpersonal focus to all aspects of her work.

    Mackenzie specializes in working with independent schools, helping them to navigate unique challenges and build stronger, more sustainable institutions. She has worked with over 20 schools across Canada.

    With a deep-seated passion in helping organizations foster visionary futures for themselves, Mackenzie excels in guiding organizations through an engagement and people-centric approach on growth and improvement. Her strategic insights and commitment ensure that her clients achieve sustainable success.

    Outside of the office, she can be found taking advantage of all the world-class access to nature that the West Coast of Canada has to offer, including her favourite past times, skiing, surfing, and hiking with her husband and dog Molson.

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    Tobias Mehra

    BA, MSc, MIB, CMC
    Problem Solver, Ear-Lender, Globetrotter.

    Tobias is an Engagement Lead. He joined the firm in early 2019. He draws on his various academic and professional experiences in business strategy, market research and corporate sustainability to provide simple and elegant data-driven solutions. 

    Tobias discovered his passion for working with people from a diverse set of backgrounds and enjoys helping organizations confront complex challenges with simple data-powered solutions. 

    Originally hailing from Austria, he moved to Victoria in 2018. Tobias loves exploring the outdoors and loves Vancouver Island as much as he loves Austria. His newest love, though, is his daughter, born at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.