Karen has led the training of over 3000 activists on a variety of topics from corporate negotiations and grassroots organizing, to spiritual activism.
Before coming to the Hollyhock Leadership Institute in 1999, Karen worked at Greenpeace Canada for 10 years in a variety of capacities ranging from Forests Campaigner, to Managing Director.  Most notably she designed and led Greenpeace’s successful campaigns to protect Clayoquot Sound, and the Great Bear Rainforest on the British Columbia coast. 

Karen has worked with a variety of organizations on a wide range of environmental and social justice issues including women’s health issues, toxics, nuclear energy, and others, at local, national and international levels. She currently serves as a Director of Conservation Voters of British Columbia.
She has a life long interest in increasing the role, impact and effectiveness of civil society, from a place of compassion, spirit and joy.


Darcy Riddell,
Program Consultant
darcy(at)hollyhockleadership.org

Darcy joined the staff in 2002, designing and delivering programs in Vancouver and at Hollyhock. As the Program Consultant, Darcy supports sustainability and social change projects by offering experienced counsel in strategy development. Through facilitation and project management, she works directly with organizations to develop winning partnerships and focused campaigns.

Previous Darcy worked for the Sierra Club and ForestEthics, as a forest campaigner and communications strategist focused on Vancouver Island and the Great Bear Rainforest. She is the co-founder of the Center for Engaged Spirituality at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and a founder and director of Drishti: Centre for Integral Action.  Darcy has a B.Sc. in Geography/Environmental Studies, and an M.A. in Philosophy, Cosmology and Consciousness. 


Rhian Walker,
Program Director
rhian(at)hollyhockleadership.org

Rhian brings a proven track-record providing strategic counsel and communications support to non-profits, government, health organizations and business.

In her three years as a PR and Strategy consultant for QUAY Strategies Inc, she provided communications counsel and strategic support to a number of organizations.
Recent projects included a campaign on counter-narcotics policies in Afghanistan and a provincial community social services network. A skilled facilitator, she has supported cross-sector partnerships for social services, health, and the community, developing projects and strategies that involved multiple stakeholders.

She is currently the board co-chair of Leave Out Violence BC and has an MA in Philosophy, Religion and Literature. 


Jennie Reckon,
Operations Manager
jennie(at)hollyhockleadership.org

Jennie brings a solid background in management, communications and operations to the Hollyhock Leadership Institute. For both Elections Canada and Globus, her supervisory and organizational skills allowed her to successfully oversee the coordination of 347 employees, 13 polling stations, and manage 13-day tours for guests from all over the world. Her experience in events and attention to detail ensure that all programs are well executed. Jennie has a BA in Sociology, taught in Japan and is an avid traveler.


Natalie Fitz-Earle
(Natalie is currently on maternity leave)

Natalie is a Vancouver native and graduate of UBC’s Asian Studies Department, Natalie joined Hollyhock Leadership Institute in November 2004 bringing seven years of fundraising, communications and operational experience. She has worked in education, health care, social services and most recently in the arts. After living abroad for five years and recently returning home. What interests Natalie most in her work is gathering diverse parts of her community together to connect and collude for the good.


The Hollyhock Leadership Institute activities are overseen by a steering committee and implemented by staff located in the Vancouver office.