“In the spring of 2018, my husband and I engaged Jade as our Design Consultant for our home renovation project. At the time, Jade was in her second year of studies at the Wilson School of Design, Kwantlen Polytech University. Over the course of our working together, Jade’s creative and intellectual capacity was evident. Together, we worked through the complex, adaptive, and highly detailed process of discovering, designing, developing, and delivering a $100,000 home renovation project that was beautifully executed on time and on budget. Jade proved herself to be creative, articulate, calm, reliable, and flexible. She managed her time well, stayed in regular communication, and was thoughtful in her responses and recommendations. Whenever I needed Jade to clarify design details, confirm measurements, or provide instruction to contractors – often with a tight turnaround – she did so with poise and professionalism. Jade’s appreciation for different perspectives was also evident — not only in her designs and drawings, but also in her ability to address challenges, resolve potential concerns, and receive feedback. The most important elements of constructive feedback my husband and I provided to Jade were in response to her proposed designs. Jade made it clear at the beginning of the process that our honest feedback would be critical to creating the space we desired. She invited and asked clarifying questions, welcomed our input, and reflected our feedback at each stage of the design. When faced with challenges and conflicts, Jade responds with grace and composure. A memorable example was when Jade presented a series of creative design concepts for our living room. We took the opportunity to invite our in-laws to the presentation so they could have a better sense of our plans for the space. My husband and I found ourselves in a heated and emotional argument over our differing preferences and priorities. Remaining neutral, Jade acknowledged our emotions as being indicative of the importance of the decision at hand and reminded us that a decision wasn’t required right away. After the meeting, our in-laws expressed how impressed they were with Jade’s ability to remain calm and diffuse the tension of the evening. Since 2018, I’ve come to know Jade as a proud member of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Han First Nation, who draws upon her lived and learned experience and cultural inspirations to help herself and others create and navigate the world in which they live. I absolutely LOVE the space Jade helped to create for my family. The space captures the essence of who we are, and how we want to be together.”