We Are IH: Change management professional supports others’ growth

March 28, 2024

Christopher Russell enjoys hiking, and exploring the forests around Kelowna.

Name: Christopher Russell (he/him/his)
Job Title: Leadership & Organization Development Consultant
Years of Service: 2.5
Worksite: Community Health & Services Centre
Community: Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: Syilx/Okanagan
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Growth and comfort do not coexist.” – Ginni Rometty, “All things are difficult before they are easy.” – Thomas Fuller

A calm, empathetic and imaginative change management professional, Chris Russell is passionate about working in public service, and supporting the growth and development of others.

From inspiring folks to see new career possibilities through facilitating workshops and development sessions, to being involved in the launch of the Change Leadership and Change Management programs and Interior Health (IH) Change Framework, Chris is a valuable resource as IH navigates change, big and small.

In this Story…

Learn more about Chris’s journey with IH

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Learn more about Chris’s journey with IH

Originally from Port Moody, B.C., Chris spent his high school years in Chattanooga, Tennessee before relocating to the Lower Mainland to attend university at the University of British Columbia. He became interested in leadership development after working in an administrative position at a law firm and seeing the impact of leadership – both good and bad – on the office.

A father, mother, son, and daughter pose in front of fruit trees at an orchard. in Vernon, B.C. The mother has blonde hair pulled back, and wears sunglasses, a light blue chambray shirt, blue jeans, and a black bag. The father wears a blue button-up shirt, khaki pants, and a green vest. The father holds his daughter who wears a purple baseball cap, long-sleeve shirt, navy leggings, and colourful shoes. The son stands in front of the mother, and wears a baseball cap, a striped polo tee, and blue jeans. — Chris and his family enjoy going to Davidson Orchard in Vernon to pick apples each fall.

He decided to go back to university to get his MBA, which led to a job working as a project manager for a firm that did leadership and organization development consulting. “I quickly came to realize that the most successful projects shared a number of commonalities,” says Chris, “As I learned more about change management in the role, I realized these commonalities could be attributed to the strong change management. I decided to pursue my change management certification because of this.”

This experience led Chris to his current role at IH, as a Leadership & Organization Development consultant. His role consists of three key elements: leadership development, organization development, and change management consultation. He regularly facilitates leadership development programs, and designs and implements interventions to enhance team effectiveness and build leadership capabilities, such as design and facilitation support for various leadership conferences. He also offers consultation to support change initiatives around the organization – advising the project team on best practices in change management.

A man with dark hair and facial hair, wearing a grey long-sleeve t-shirt smiles at the camera, while sitting at the table with his arm around a young boy, wearing a navy t-shirt. There is a magazine with many images of cars open on the table in front of them. — Chris and his car-loving son Ryan look at a car magazine together.

I love working for an organization that has such an incredible impact on the community in which it operates. Public service is incredibly important to me and supporting others’ growth and development as they evolve to better serve the community is incredibly fulfilling work.

-- Christopher Russell

Outside of work, you can find Chris exploring the orchards, vineyards and forests of Kelowna with his wife Jessica, four-year-old son Ryan, and two-year-old daughter Rose. He loves getting out hiking, trying out new restaurants, and vising museums and galleries. Though he admits it’s difficult to watch non-Disney films with young kids at home, he’s a bit of a film buff, counting Star Wars, Schindler’s List, Rear Window, and the Exorcist among his favourites. He looks forward to taking his family to the Royal Tyrell Museum in Alberta to see all of the dinosaur fossils later this year.

A man with dark hair and facial hair, has his arm around a woman with long brown hair. They stand on a beach in front of the ocean, with a sunset in the background. She wears a white button-up and white pants, he wears a white Hawaiian shirt with khaki shorts and a black wristwatch. — Chris and his wife Jess on Oahu in Hawaii, visiting family.

When asked what advice he would offer to anyone who’s interested in pursuing a career in change management, Chris suggests that they practice resilience and curiosity. “No project ever goes exactly as anticipated, so you need to be resilient in the face of setbacks," he says. "One of my favourite sayings is, ‘The greatest tool a change agent has is their own disposition.’ If you lose your enthusiasm for the change, it’s going to be difficult to persuade others to embrace it.”

A family of a mother, father, and two young children stands next to Mickey Mouse dressed in tropical attire. The mother, dressed in a black dress, holds a daughter wearing a white t-shirt and purple leggings. The father, dressed in a black tee and khaki green shorts, holds his son wearing a red t-shirt, navy shorts, and a baseball cap. There is tropical greenery and palm trees in the background. — Chris, his wife Jess, and kids Ryan and Rose were excited to meet Mickey at Aulani, the Disney hotel on Oahu.

There’s always something new to learn. People and organizations are incredibly complex and endlessly fascinating. By staying curious you’ll constantly find new ideas and deeper connections. The moment you think you have all the answers is the moment you stop growing.

-- Christopher Russell