Hello
Why Meaningful Engagement Matters
With years of experience in municipal government and consulting, Patricia has led projects in strategy, policy, and process development, infrastructure planning, public events, and cultural transformation. Through this work, she has seen firsthand the impact of meaningful engagement—and the consequences when it’s missing.
✅ When communities are genuinely included in decision-making, outcomes are stronger, more sustainable, and widely supported.
✅ When engagement is an afterthought, decisions face resistance, delays, and a lack of public trust.
Patricia is committed to empowering engagement practitioners, leaders, project managers, and decision-makers with the knowledge, skills, and tools to lead effective, inclusive participation efforts. By making engagement a core part of decision-making—not just a procedural step—she helps organizations create stronger, more effective, and community-centred outcomes.
My Story
The Role of Community in Shaping Decisions & Outcomes
Patricia Quinn-Nichols has spent her career navigating the intersection of community interests, public needs, and organizational priorities. From securing land for essential services to coordinating major public events and shaping policy, her work has consistently reinforced a core principle—when decisions impact people and places, engagement is the key to making them better.
Early Lessons: Real Estate & Community Context
Patricia’s career began in real estate valuation, where determining a property’s highest and best use meant looking beyond its financial potential—considering surrounding land uses, community needs, and long-term development patterns. This experience reinforced a key principle: property decisions are not just about economic value but about how they fit within and contribute to the broader community. Understanding these dynamics early on shaped Patricia’s approach to engagement, emphasizing the importance of connecting decisions to the people and places they affect.
Municipal Government: Leading Engagement & Impactful Projects
During her 16 years in municipal government, Patricia led and contributed to projects spanning policy and process development, strategic initiatives, infrastructure planning, public art, public events, and cultural transformation. She worked alongside internal teams, external stakeholders, and communities to ensure that those affected by decisions, actions, or outcomes were actively involved in the decision-making process.
Key Areas of Impact:
✅ Infrastructure & Services – Secured land and facilities for police, fire, EMS, recreation centers, homeless shelters, and major events.
✅ Public Spaces & Social Policy – Shaped policies for placemaking projects, festivals, and events that transformed roadways into vibrant community spaces.
✅ Public Events & Logistics – Led Event Services for the City of Calgary, overseeing 300+ public events annually, including:
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City-led celebrations – Canada Day, New Year’s Eve, Grey Cup Parade, and the Olympic Torch Relay.
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National & international events – Stampede Centennial Celebration, National Track & Field Championships, and the Royal Tour.
Major global initiatives – Served as Project Manager for:
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WorldSkills International Skills, Trades & Technology Competition
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Inter-American Development Bank Annual Meeting
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International Play Association (IPA) Conference, advocating for children's right to play (UNCRC Article 31)
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City of Calgary’s Cultural Transformation Project – recognized with:
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🏆 International IAF Facilitation Impact Award
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🏆 IAP2 Canada Core Values Award for Public Participation
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Consulting: Supporting Strategy and Engagement Projects
Building on these experiences, Patricia now contributes to projects in the public sector, ensuring that processes are in place for informed, inclusive decision-making. Recent projects include:
✅ United Way Calgary and Area – Established processes and structures to equip senior management with the necessary tools and insights for informed decision-making in the launch of a new giving platform.
✅ Calgary’s Olympic & Paralympic 2026 Bid – Working with the engagement team to ensure Calgarians had accurate, accessible information about the bide before voting on the 2018 plebiscite.
✅ Community Policing Strategies – Helping ensure that municipal funding decisions were informed by community input through interviews, town halls, and advisory committees.
✅ Welcoming Cities Strategies – Co-created a Welcoming City Strategy and action plan to address systemic inequities and foster a more inclusive municipality, ensuring participatory decision-making processes that reflect diverse voices and community needs.