SMCE2000 F25 Leadership for Transformative Changemakers in Catholic Organizations (Micro Credential)

• Delivery: Hybrid
• Duration: 4 weeks
• Dates
  • Thursday, October 9, 2025
  • Tuesday, October 14, 2025
  • Thursday, October 16, 2025
  • Saturday, October 25, 2025
• Time and method of delivery:
  • Weeknight sessions: Online Via Zoom, 6:30-8:30pm
  • Saturday session: In-person on campus at Charbonnel Lounge, Elmsley Hall, 81 St. Mary St, Toronto from 9:00am-1:00pm
• Course Fee: $550 (includes HST)

Course Overview

What does it truly mean to lead with empathy, inclusion, and purpose in Catholic communities? How can better conversations foster stronger organizations? What can interdisciplinary problem-solving teach us about innovation in our institutions?

Leadership for Transformative Changemakers in Catholic Organizations is designed for senior leaders seeking practical tools to support meaningful change. Taught by expert instructors in coaching, theology, education leadership, health education, and community engagement, the course blends theory and real-world application through Problem-Based Learning. You’ll leave with new skills, renewed purpose, and a supportive network. 

Micro Credential

The University of St. Michael’s College Continuing Education Division is proud to offer micro credentials—digital, verifiable credentials that you own and can share on your resume, LinkedIn profile, and more. Micro credentials are certifications of assessed learning that focus on specific, relevant skills and competencies. These programs are designed for professionals seeking rapid, practical training to meet today’s social and environmental challenges. Whether you’re advancing your career or deepening your expertise, our micro credentials deliver focused learning backed by real-world relevance and academic excellence.

Sessions

This course includes four 2-hour online sessions and one 4-hour in-person session over four weeks.

Session 1: Organizational Responses to Issues in Catholic Communities 

Thursday, October 9, 2025, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Zoom)

This session, facilitated by Dr. Michael Salvatori and delivered by Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology professors Dr. Cynthia Cameron and Dr. Jean-Pierre Fortin, and John Kostoff, Executive Director of the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers Association, examines the intersection of faith and life in the contemporary world. How can theology, church doctrine and faith-driven leadership guide leaders in responding effectively to the issues impacting our communities today? 

Session 2: Inclusive Leadership 

Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Zoom)

Led by Leadership Development Educator and Coach Annie Simpson M. Ed., explore how inclusive leaders operate with empathy, awareness, and courage to foster teams & organizations where diversity is valued, and everyone feels they belong.

Session 3: Effective Conversations (Online via Zoom; Thursday, October 16th, 6:30-8:30)

Communication Scientist Dr. Haesun Moon explores how having better conversations builds better teams, and better organizations.  This session introduces practical ways to understand what actually happens in conversations—what was said, what was heard, and what was meant. Using insights from communication science and coaching, participants will learn how to listen more precisely, respond more intentionally, and support others through everyday conversations at work. Tools like the Dialogic Orientation Quadrant (DOQ) offer a clear and simple way to organize complexity and stay grounded when things feel emotionally charged or unclear.

Session 4: Leading to Serve (In-Person at the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, Saturday, October 25th, 9:00-12:00, followed by closing celebrations 12:00-1:00)

Our communities are complex, and the issues that impact those on the margins within them have never been more complicated. Dr. Fok-Han Leung and Dr. Chase McMurren share how their work with vulnerable communities offers insight into the challenges, and opportunities, present in community-level interventions and structures. Following these presentations, Ken Chan will lead the group in an exercise which applies an interdisciplinary approach to affecting change in organizations through Problem-Based Learning. 

Method of Teaching

This hybrid program will be delivered via Zoom (weeknight sessions), and in-person on campus at the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto (final Saturday session).

Interactive discussions, Problem-Based Learning and reflection will be used to practice application of theories to explore outcomes that foster innovation and positive change in organizations and within teams. 

A final assessment is required to earn your micro credential.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the principles of coaching conversations and their relevance to Catholic leadership.
• Explain current social, cultural, and organizational issues affecting Catholic communities.
• Analyze the potential roles of Catholic leaders in addressing challenges.
• Compare interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving in organizations.
• Apply inclusive leadership principles to real-world, faith-based contexts.
• Design innovative solutions to complex problems using course theories and tools.

About the Instructors

John Kostoff (B.A. B.Ed. M.Ed. Dip in Ministry) Experienced educational leader currently serving as Executive Director of OCSOA, representing Directors of Education and Supervisory Officers across Ontario’s 29 Catholic school boards. Strong background in teaching, administration, and Catholic education advocacy, with extensive board and community involvement.

Dr. Cynthia Cameron (B.A., MAR, M.A., PhD) Associate Professor of Religious Education and the Patrick and Barbara Keenan Chair in Religious Education at the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology.

Dr. Jean-Pierre Fortin (PhD ) Associate Professor of Practical Theology in the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology. Dr. Fortin holds a PhD in systematic theology from the University of St. Michael’s College, a PhD in philosophy from Université Laval and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from Regis College. He serves as Director of Field Education and Pastoral Formation, overseeing the field placements of students completing professional (ministry-oriented) degree programs. He is the author of Evolving Grace: The Spiritual History of a Christian Doctrine (Lexington/Fortress Academic, 2025). 

Dr. Michael Salvatori (B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed., PhD) Career educator and author, Dr. Salvatori serves as Director of Continuing Education at the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto.  Prior to this role, Michael served as Vice President of Strategy and as Associate Professor at Niagara University in Ontario.

Annie Simpson (B.A., M.Ed., PhD-ABD) Experienced leadership educator, and coach. Founder of Annie Simpson Consulting, and recent Senior Facilitator/Consultant with the Talent, Learning and Engagement team at Western University, Associate Director, Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering at the University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. Expertise includes: Emotional Intelligence in Leadership, Team Building, Conflict support, Stress reduction, Leader well-being, Equity and Inclusion. 

Dr. Haesun Moon, Ph.D., is a communication scientist, an educator, and author of Coaching A to Z: The Extraordinary Use of Ordinary Words and several collaborative books, including Thriving Women, Thriving World, and Foundations of Brief Coaching, a short handbook for professional coaches.

Dr. Fok-Han Leung (MD, MHSc) Family physician practicing general family medicine and inner city health out of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Associate Professor and Director of the Health in Community curriculum for the MD program at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, focusing on the formation of future physicians as contributing members of society, and Associate Program Director for the University of Toronto family medicine residency. Previous physician lead of the St. Michael’s Health Centre at 80 Bond and helped to build, staff and establish the clinic.

Dr. Chase Everett McMurren lives and works in Tkarón:to [tk – loon – dough]

| GichiKiiwenging | [gih – chee – gay – wuh – ning]  Toronto, though comes from sikóóhkotoki  [ sick – oh- kih- toke – ee ] | Lethbridge, Alberta, which is on traditional Siksikaitsitapi [ sik – sik- at – sit – app -ee ]  | Blackfoot Confederacy Territory and is covered by Treaty 7. His clan is the Turtle and one of his spirit names is Water Song Medicine Keeper. His ancestors are Métis, Celtic, French and Ukrainian. He is a son, brother, partner, friend, & neighbour who gets to practice medicine in various places & multiple ways. 

Dr. McMurren feels privileged to practice medicine & provides integrative medical psychotherapy, primarily for physicians and artists struggling with grief and challenges related to being neurodivergent. Dr. McMurren also has a small home-visiting palliative practice for long-living people with advanced illness & serves as an occasional rural generalist.

Currently, Dr. McMurren serves as the Chair of the Scientific Planning Committee for the Peer Connect Program at the Ontario College of Family Physicians, is part of the Expert Working Group focused on Physician Humanism for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada’s CanMEDS framework, & served as Co-Chair of the National Circle for Indigenous Medical Education (NCIME [ en – sime ] ) Working Group on Indigenous Physician Wellness and Joy in Work.

Dr. McMurren is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine & is honoured to be the Theme Lead for Indigenous Health in the MD Program where he guides curricular renewal & implementation, supports current Indigenous medical students, & chairs the Indigenous Student Application Pathway (ISAP) Circle.

Dr. McMurren is also a “sometimes harper, composer, & poet” and uses the harp in his work as a home-visiting palliative physician.

Dr. Ken Chan (BA, MBA, MFAcc, PhD) is a Partner and the Health, Government, and Public Sector Practice Leader at Optimus SBR. He has held senior leadership roles across government, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. An experienced board director, educator, and coach, Ken brings a unique cross-sector perspective to strategy, leadership, and transformative change.

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