Mary Ellen Schaafsma

Lead Consultant & Senior Research Specialist

Mary Ellen is a trusted consultant, facilitator, and researcher with over 20 years of leadership experience in the social and health sectors. She brings a decade of consulting expertise helping organizations navigate change, align around a clear direction, and bring their purpose to life through strategy, education, and stakeholder engagement.

Mary Ellen has supported strategic planning, purpose clarity, education and facilitation efforts for a wide range of clients—from The Ottawa Hospital and the Cochrane Collaboration to the Canadian Real Estate Association and the BC Chamber of Commerce. Her collaborative approach helps teams build practical, inclusive plans grounded in their unique context.

As the former Director and Co-Creator of the Social Purpose Institute at United Way BC—and Founder of Purpose Pathways—Mary Ellen brings a strong purpose lens that ties strategy to deeper social impact. She has helped more than 45 organizations uncover and embed their social purpose as a foundation for growth.

At United Way BC, she also served as Director of Research and Product Development, leading research that guided strategic decisions and deepened donor engagement. She’s a proven grant writer and fundraiser, having secured over $12 million in funding over her careers for various initiatives.

Mary Ellen is known for her clarity, warmth, and ability to move teams from insight to action—helping organizations grow their impact while staying grounded in what matters most.