Our team

I’ve done a lot in a short amount of time. I got a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Toronto before turning 30-years-old. I did brief stints as a reservist in the Canadian Armed Forces and an intelligence analyst at a private investigation firm. I spent a summer on an archaeological dig in Peru. I worked in the non-profit sector on issues of free expression, privacy, and access to information, during which I helped persecuted journalists around the world find safety.

In 2020, I came on board to lead Challenge Factory’s research mandate. After working in academia, joining a small business was a thrill. Every day, I use my expertise in qualitative research methods to develop work-related business insights, carry out projects that measure purpose-driven impact, and create content that our clients and audiences want to read and find useful. This role also means I’m able to continue telling people’s stories, which is why I pursued anthropology in the first place.

Anthropology is the study of humanity: human behaviour and identity, communities and cultural groups, structures and systems, language and so much more. (Did I mention I also got a degree in linguistics, way back when?) Making sense of the Future of Work allows me to explore an essential part of humanity and what it means, simply put, to be alive today.

I’m also Challenge Factory’s resident writer and copyeditor. Need a perfectionist who’s always looking for ways to ‘word that better’? I’m your person. I’m a certified business ghostwriter with over 10 years of professional writing and editing experience. These days, I do freelance work for academic, small business, and corporate leaders, including a wonderful independent non-fiction publisher.

My own writing can be found in publications like the Toronto Star, Policy Options, Careering, and Challenge Factory’s blog. I’m the co-author of The Canadian Guide to Hiring Veterans and editor of Workforce Architecture.

Over my 40-plus-year career, I’ve matured from an enthusiastic young oilfield worker into a seasoned veteran with decades of C-suite experience. My time in business and non-profit leadership has given me a unique perspective and helped me hone a keen understanding of complex problems, building teams, and coaching individuals. As a lifelong learner, I’ve continued my journey through a longstanding mindfulness practice and by expanding my understanding of social justice, the environment, global energy policy, and workplace safety.

I’m keenly focused on rethinking the Future of Work through interdisciplinary and multigenerational teams. I’ve become a voice for energy industry reform and innovation, writing for the Huffington Post, Houston Chronicle, and several blogs. I authored Disaster on the Horizon, a book about the deepwater well blowout, and have appeared on national and international news networks.

A native Texan, I worked pipelines during the days while earning my Bachelor’s degree at Eastern Michigan University at night. Navigating my way from the field into management, I completed my education at Harvard Business School and earned an MBA at Southern Methodist University. After a stint in energy banking, I ran public and private companies for over thirty years, holding the positions of Chairman, CEO, COO, and CFO while leading multinational operations, mergers, and turning around failing companies. In later years, I branched out from traditional energy into innovative renewables, cryptocurrency banking, and international trade.

Today, my focus is helping others maximize their highest potential for themselves and their companies while working to leave behind a better world for my children and grandchildren. I’m a member of the Board of Directors of Space Center Houston, retired chairman of the Board of Directors of the Houston Grand Opera, and co-founder of Recipe for Success Foundation, dedicated to improving childhood nutrition.

Karine Lachapelle enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1996 after studying the Middle East and Russia at the Université de Montréal. After completing the Basic Intelligence Officer Course in 1998, she was attached to 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment in Valcartier, Quebec, and deployed to the Former Yugoslavia, where she served as Battalion Intelligence Officer, supporting NATO stabilization efforts in the Balkans.

After working in Ottawa, Karine returned to CFB Valcartier in 2004, where she was Opposing Force Officer at the Valcartier Simulation Training Center. An innovative leader, she saw the value of experiential learning, introducing a first-person computer training platform to increase situational awareness for units preparing to deploy to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

In 2006, Karine was invited to serve with the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) in Petawawa, Ontario, where she remained until 2011. She served as Fusion Officer, integrating Intelligence and Operational data in support of Special Operations missions in the Sahel, Caribbean, and Afghanistan, including a deployment to Kandahar with a Special Operations Task Force in 2009 as part of the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom. Following three years at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium, Karine retired from the Department of National Defence in 2014.

Since 2016, Karine has worked at Barrick Gold Corporation, where she is Senior Manager, Group Risk Management & Business Assurance. Karine is responsible for the quarterly Group Risk report to the Board, the annual enterprise-wide risk assessment, and conducting operational audits in support of the audit plan for the North America region.

Karine has worked and traveled in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. She is married and has two adult children. She is fluently bilingual English/French.