FOUNDERS AND PRINCIPALS

Dr. Desmond Berghofer

Desmond is the President of Creative Learning International, a Vancouver-based learning corporation focusing on leadership and creative management of change. He is the cofounder (1997) of the Institute for Ethical Leadership in Vancouver. Desmond holds a MEd and PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Alberta and a BA in English Literature from the University of Queensland.

Desmond's leadership experience includes 11 years as Assistant Deputy Minister of Advanced Education in Alberta from 1977-88. He represented Alberta on the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada and has had considerable international experience on educational delegations to UNESCO and China. He is a member of the Canadian Commission to UNESCO. He has taught as a visiting professor at the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia.

Desmond is a leader of new thinking for a sustainable future. He is passionate about the need for humanity to rise to the challenges of leadership in the 21st century of escalating complexity with enormous potential for good or ill depending on which choices are made. He brings a lively and diverse perspective to his work ranging from business management consulting to the writing of futuristic fiction. In his non-profit work he is the Chair of the International Foundation of Learning and the Gulf Islands Centre for Ecological Learning.

Dr. Geraldine Schwartz

Geraldine is a Psychologist, applied scientist and researcher, a poet, and a successful business woman, celebrating more than 25 years as the Principal of the Vancouver Learning Centre.  She is the President and founder of the International Foundation of Learning (1983) and cofounder of the Institute for Ethical Leadership in Vancouver (1998).

Gerri is noted for organizing innovative events and conferences that have had long lasting impact on their participants, including Advances in Research and Science for Children with Special Needs to celebrate the United Nations Year of the Child (1979); the Quantum Mind, a conference on creativity for leaders in education (1986); Global Citizenship 2000, a youth congress on global citizenship (1997); and 68 forums and meetings for the Institute for Ethical Leadership (1998-2004).

Gerri is a team leader whose colleagues and partners include leaders in business, non-profit organizations and government.  Her work is innovative and original.  She is a dynamic teacher who is passionate about the causes she embraces to make the world a better place.  She holds an interdisciplinary PhD in Education and Psychology, a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology, and a Bachelor of Arts and Teachers Diploma, all from McGill University.