Mountain Communities Conference 2005: Speakers

William Roberts

William comes to be the executive director of the Whistler Forum from his 20 years leading faith communities, seven years as a provincial legislator and ten years managing capital campaigns and special projects for a host of non-profit groups in the Pacific Northwest.

His studies at Harvard and Coumbia in the late seventies led to his masters of divinity and his involvement with the Centre for World Religions. In the early nineties he graduated with a masters degree from the executive programs at the University of Colorado, Denver’s School of Business, and his contact with the Aspen Institute. These experiences led to his commitment to interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and addressing issues of contemporary culture.

As a member of the legislative assembly of Alberta for seven years, he spearheaded policy forums on health care, human rights, settlement services, and energy policy.

For the past ten years Roberts has worked throughout the Pacific Northwest with non-profit organizations in the arts, health care, environment, and faith communities. He led and managed campaigns that raised more than $10 million for capital and special projects and well as strengthening boards and diversifying their sources of revenue.

In Whistler he has discovered a place that “lifts us out of our usual selves”. He is passionately committed to working with the Board to build this public utility for dialogue — to use tools of dialogue to enhance citizen engagement and strengthen community leadership