Professional Development
Perfectionnement professionnel
Interpretation Canada hosts a variety of professional development opportunities through the year. These activities aim to inspire and engage members, encouraging them to reflect upon and share their professional practice. Interprétation Canada tient une vaste gamme d’activités de perfectionnement professionnel au fil de l’année. Ces activités ont pour but d’intéresser et d’inspirer les membres et de les encourager à réfléchir et à échanger sur leur pratique professionnelle. |
“Inspiring Montgomery” Exhibit, Green Gables Heritage Place (Parks Canada). Photo: Parks Canada Exposition « Inspiring Montgomery », site patrimonial Green Gables (Parcs Canada). Photo: Parcs Canada |
Current Offerings
Check back, or watch for the next Interpretation Canada members’ newsletter, for future upcoming professional development events.
How Historic Chinatown Tours have Transformed Urban Development in Calgary's Chinatown
Presenter: Alice Lam, Founder, Friends of Chinatown, Calgary
Join Alice Lam as she shares a session outlining the power of historic Chinatown tours and the impact that the Friends of Chinatown have made to revitalizing calgary Chinatown over the past decade.
The importance of sharing a diverse perspective when sharing Canadian history, doing so can have a tangible impact on city planning. In Calgary historic ChinaTown tours transformed urban development. By the end people will learn about how interpretation can have a positive impact in tangible way to local communities.
This 30-minute presentation with a Q&A session is relevant for tour guides and historical interpreters.
Presenter bio:
Alice Lam is a born and raised Calgarian to Vietnamese-Chinese refugees. She is passionate about sharing the history and culture of Chinatown to ensure that the stories of the past are not lost and lessons learned are not undone for future generations. She believes in history's ability to help us continue the legacy of our ancestors and the importance of allyship in telling our tales.
Cost to attend:
- IC Members: this event is free, but we invite you to choose to donate between $5 and $20 to help IC cover costs of planning our professional development sessions
- Non-members: $60
Drawn Lines: Labor, Management, and the Strike That Shaped EBPARKS
Presenter: Christopher Sulots, Supervising Naturalist, East Bay Regional Park District, Redwood City, California
Join Christopher Slots as he explores the history of the union of East Bay Regional Parks (EBPARKS), touching on the evolving relationship between labor, interpretation, and the communities we serve.
In this session, we will step away from interpretation practice to look at how unions can shape workplace structure. Join Christopher Sulots for an exploration of the history of the union of East Bay Regional Parks (EBPARKS), California. Christopher will touch on the evolving relationship between labour, interpretation, and the communities we serve.
By the end of the session, participants will have gained insight into how historical labour decisions continue to shape workplace structure and interpretation today and connect labour history to the interpretive work of public-facing institutions. Such insights can inform a reflection on an interpreter's own position within that legacy.
This session is suitable for park interpreters, rangers, and frontline staff, union members and stewards, or anyone in public lands or cultural heritage work interested in labour history.
Presenter bio:
Christopher (he/him) is a supervising naturalist for the East Bay Regional Park District at Coyote Hills Regional Park, with a varied background in studying, interpreting, and educating about Bay Area ecosystems.
Previously, he worked at the California Academy of Sciences, where he managed its docent program and annually trained hundreds of volunteers on interpretive techniques and natural history. He has been an educator, park ranger, naturalist, librarian, and volunteer manager across a range of habitats and institutions throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Cost to attend:
- IC Members: this event is free, but we invite you to choose to donate between $5 and $20 to help IC cover costs of planning our professional development sessions
- Non-members: $60
Personal Interpretation is Effective and Should be Supported
Presenter: Glen Hvenegaard, Professor of Environmental Science, University of Alberta
Join Glen Hvengaard as he shares learnings from data analysis on personal interpretation.
Personal interpretation is widely used in many park, wildlife, and tourism settings, but managers rarely evaluate its effectiveness. Looking at the hard data collected over a period of 2 years from 11 provincial parks, 1672 surveys, 135 evaluations, this new research from Alberta will demonstrate the value of interpretation and can help interpretive planners and frontline staff manage and improve target outcomes from personal programs.
This 40-minute presentation with 20-minute small group dialogue session is suitable front line interpreters, supervisors, planner, and managers.
Presenter bio:
Glen Hvenegaard is a former interpreter and is now a Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Alberta. He studies human interactions with nature, focusing on interpretation, parks, and birds. He is a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas and co-author or co-editor of Frank Farley and the Birds of Alberta (2025) and Parks and Protected Areas: Mobilizing Knowledge for Effective Decision-Making (2021).
Cost to attend:
- IC Members: this event is free, but we invite you to choose to donatebetween $5 and $20 to help IC cover costs of planning our professional development sessions
- Non-members: $60
Cancellation policy:
If you wish to cancel your registration and are a non-member who has paid for a ticket, please note that refunds are only offered if the cancellation is made 72 hours or more in advance of the event. No refund will be issued if you cancel within the 72-hour period. Refunds can only be offered via e-transfer and may take 1-2 weeks to be processed. To request that a refund, please email info@interpretationcanada.ca. Non-attendance at an event does not qualify for a refund.
Activités actuelles
Consultez cette page ou surveillez l’arrivée du prochain bulletin d’Interprétation Canada pour connaître les activités de perfectionnement professionnel à venir.
Les détails sont affichés dans la langue de chaque offre.
Previous Offerings
JOINT NAI & IC SESSION—More Than Small Talk: Making Interpreter Networks Actually Work
May 28, 2026 11:00 AM MT (US and Canada)
Host: Jacquie Gilson, InterpActive, and IC Chair
Join members of NAI and Interpretation Canada for a lively, one-hour InterpTalk networking session that goes beyond swapping business cards (or LinkedIn requests). As Interpretation Canada looks to grow networking opportunities, we’re curious—what actually works when it comes to connecting with each other?
This is a chance to swap stories, share ideas, and learn across borders about how networking can truly support our work—and maybe even make it more fun.
We’ll explore questions like:
- Which connections have actually made a difference in your work or your impact with visitors?
- What can we learn from how interpreters connect in different contexts?
- If you could design your ideal networking experience, what would it look like—less awkward icebreakers, more… what?
Cost to attend:
Free for IC (and NAI) members. This session is not open to non-members, but to learn about IC membership, visit our Join Us page.
All Interpretation Canada members (with active membership on the date of the session) are welcome to join; you do not have to be an NAI member.
JOINT GAHI & IC SESSION—More Than a House: Rethinking Macdonald’s Story
May 5, 2026 3:00 PM EST
Presenters: Tamara van Dyk and staff of Bellevue House
Explore how dialogue is reshaping the interpretation of Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. Presenters Tamara van Dyk and staff of Bellevue House will share how multiple perspectives, including Indigenous voices, invite visitors into meaningful conversations about Canada’s past.
Presenter bio:
Tamara van Dyk (she/her) is the Site & Visitor Experience Manager at Bellevue House where she builds teams, fosters engagement, and provides experiences that incorporate an inclusive approach to interpretation of this historic site, located on Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe traditional lands, in Kingston Ontario. With over 35 years, she has worked across Canada in interpretation, outdoor education, and product development to inspire protection of Canada's diverse natural and cultural heritage.
Cost to attend:
Free for IC members and non-members.
Cross-Disciplinary Interpretation: Art, Science, and School Learning
April 2, 2026: 2:00 PM EST / 11:00 AM PT
Presenters: Shirin Divanbeigi and Madalina Raduta, Aga Khan Museum; Julie Jones and Martin Fischer, Ontario Science Centre
Join our presenters as they discuss their collaborative school-museum partnership. A Q&A will follow the presentation.
This session introduces collaboration, outlines its learning goals, and examines the value of school–museum partnerships. The presenters will share how they developed and implemented cross-disciplinary interpretive approaches.
The Aga Khan Museum and the Ontario Science Centre collaborated to reinterpret the Aga Khan Museum’s collections for school audiences through both artistic and scientific ways of thinking. Grounded in object-based learning and inquiry-driven pedagogy, this partnership created interdisciplinary pathways for engaging with Islamic art.
Presenter bios:
Shirin Divanbeigi works in interpretation and digital learning at the Aga Khan Museum. She creates interactive programs, media, and educational resources that translate complex artistic and historical ideas into meaningful visitor experiences, making Islamic art accessible and relevant to contemporary audiences. Her work combines educational strategy, creative direction, and cross-department collaboration.
Madalina is the full-time Educator at the Aga Khan Museum. In her role, she develops and teaches award-winning school and community programs. As an Ontario Certified Teacher and a visual artist, Madalina strives to deliver programs through a welcoming and accessible learning environment.
Julie’s formal education is in Forestry, and she has a passion for physics. During her 30+ years at the Science Centre she has developed both exhibits and public programs. For the last 10 years, Julie has led the operation of Science School and developed/delivered curriculum-based programs for students.
Martin loves combining scientific rigor with creativity and curiosity, inspiring both learners and teachers to experience awe and wonder through hands-on exploration and deep questioning. He holds a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Zurich and has been a science educator for 25 years.
Cost to attend:
IC Members: this event is free, but we invite you to choose to donate between $5 and $20 to help IC cover costs of planning our professional development sessions
Breaking Barriers: Inclusive Interpretation in Action
Presenter: Barbara Myers, Aequum Global Access Inc.
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 10:00am PST / 1:00pm EDT
60 minute webinar
Registration information to follow.
Join Barbara Myers for this two-part session on making interpretation inclusive for everyone.
- For Interpreters: Learn how to communicate in ways that reduce barriers, challenge stigma, and foster inclusion.
- For Program Managers: Discover how to invite, register, and accommodate persons with disabilities—both physically and digitally—so everyone can fully participate.
Forty-five years ago, Barbara got her start as an interpreter with the Public Programs Department of the Manitoba Museum. She later worked with the National Museums of Canada, the Museum Assistance Program, The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh Scotland and the Montreal and Winnipeg Children’s Museums among others. Today, she is an Urban Planner focused on accessibility with Aequum Global Access Inc. in Victoria and Toronto. Barbara works with a multidisciplinary team of accessibility experts in teaching, business, digital solutions, occupational therapy and design. Aequum advises, trains, creates policy and provides digital and technology solutions for non-profits, government, universities and business.
Inspiration Knows No Borders: Interpreters Inspiring Each Other Across Landscapes and Lines
A partnership between Interpretation Canada and NAI
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 11:00am PST / 2:00pm EDT
90 minute webinar
Join your fellow interpreters from across Canada and the United States for a free, interactive webinar that celebrates the power of shared inspiration.
Dr. Jacquie Gilson will draw from her doctoral research on inspiration in interpretation to explore what keeps visitors, staff, volunteers, and organizations energized and engaged—especially in times of challenge. Together, we’ll reflect on how we can support one another across borders, share ideas that uplift, and most importantly, discover ways to stay inspired in our own practice.
IC Connects Discusses
How Do We Best Interpret Difficult Stories?
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. EDT
What defines difficult stories and how do we interpret them in meaningful and engaging ways?
You asked for this topic! Now, it’s time to add your voice to the conversation in the first of Interpretation Canada’s 2025 Professional Development sessions. This is not a lecture—this session will be driven by participants, featuring real discussions, shared experiences, and collective learning.
Come prepared to contribute your insights, share your stories, and exchange valuable resources with fellow interpreters from across Canada. If you can, please bring examples of relevant policies and procedures from your institution.
This interactive, conversation-based workshop will not be recorded.
Interpreter Training Exchange: Ideas, Feedback, and Enhancements
August 15, 2024
Summer is coming to a close! Now is a great time to reflect back on training and how it helped you have a successful season. Joining your colleagues in this session you'll have the opportunity to discuss interpreter training, share valuable experiences, and suggest meaningful improvements for future training. Benefit from the insights and expertise of IC board members Jacquie Gilson, a seasoned trainer, and Shaney Nadalin, a recent trainee, who will guide us through a series of thought-provoking questions.