Our People
Odyssey Learning Systems is led by a comprehensive team of highly experienced individuals, each of whom is a leader in solving client challenges and maximizing learning potential by connecting learners with adaptive and flexible online tools, resources and support services integrated to meet their unique needs.
Tanya Northcott
President and CEO
For over 25 years, Tanya has forged new paths in the evolution of e-Learning. A literacy pioneer and Youth Employment Skills Canada coordinator in the 1980’s, she became a founding principal and Regional Director for Western Canada for Pathfinder Learning Systems. Through this work, she inspired the early adoption of learning technologies in poorly funded urban education programs and remote and indigenous communities. In 1999, Tanya co-founded Odyssey Learning Systems with a vision of empowering learners to maximize their potential, regardless of who they are, how they learn, where they are, what language they speak. As an Industry leader and President and CEO of Odyssey, she seeks out strategic partnership, creates innovative business models and leads with strong vision and business acumen.
- Founder, Candian eLearning Alliance (CeLEA)
- Past Chair and Founder, eLearning BC
- Past Chair and Founder, Lions Gate Learning Alliance
- Founder, Literacy BC
Brian Ward
Chief Financial Officer
Brian is a focused, strategic minded financial professional. His experience includes over 20 years financial accounting and management, 9 years public accounting and 5 years as an innovative leader in financial management for the technology industry. Other achievements include 5 years as Audit Manager, Deloitte and Touche, responsible for budgeting, management reporting, financial statement and corporate tax return preparation. Brian is recognized in the industry for his extremely well developed business management acumen, and ability to develop high quality strategic business plans through an organized, disciplined implementation approach
Derek Henderson
IS Manager; Technical Lead
Derek has over 10 years experience in client-server development. He has DBA expertise in SYBASE, ORACLE, and WatcomSQL Anywhere. He also has expert programming skills in PowerBuilder, C, Visual Basic, C++, ASP, and Unix. He has served as a member of IEEE committees and is well read in the changing landscape of the e-Learning industry. He was senior developer, technical lead and project leader in a variety of major organizations and companies before coming to Odyssey. His enquiring mind and interest in the development of NautikosConnect™ and the Odyssey customer base makes him invaluable to the team. Derek brings a unique customer and sales-driven approach to overall technology design.
Ellen Kinsel
Operations Manager
With experience as an online learner and facilitator, and a Master’s degree in Distance Education, Ellen brings a unique perspective and understanding of the needs of stakeholders in distributed learning environments. She is the Odyssey “front line,” working with customers to find appropriate product and service solutions to instructing and learning challenges in Moodle, NautikosConnect™, and beyond.
Harry White
Account Representative
Harry brings over a decade of project management and business development to the Odyssey Team, working as a Consultant and Project Manager in the high-tech industry for clients such as Simon Fraser Universiy, and Langara University-College. He holds a BA in Cognitive Science and a diploma in Computer Science. Harry was an editor for the Canadian Undergraduate Journal of Cognitive Science, and Executive member of the Cognitive Science Students Society. Having worked in Sub-Saharan Africa, Harry is of the mind that education should be a right, not a privilege – online learning is one tool that can help bring education to people who need it most.
