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James Umpherson: Founder, Researcher, Writer, Trainer
Over the course of my career, I have moved fluidly between studying, researching, and applying the principles of community economic development, economic geography, political-economy, and economics. Whether it was my academic career or as a practitioner in the field, my career has taken me across Canada in support of communities, entrepreneurs, and student. My academic teachings and practitioner career has had me traversing the North, the West, Central, and Atlantic Canada.
Academically, I have been a researcher and lecturer for a cross section of undergraduate and professional development courses at Trent University, University of Waterloo, Aurora College, and EDAC (Economic Development of Canada). I have instructed university and professional development courses to a wide range of students, including young adults, First Nation people, government professionals, entrepreneurs, and adult learners.
As an academic in economic development, my graduate work focussed on the developed of the “Aboriginal Index” as an assessment tool for community and economic vitality of urban centres and their ability to integrate indigenous people into the local economy and social fabric.
Building on my work in community and economic vitality, this led to the framing of an economic development capacity building framework for communities to build from within rather than the perpetual approach to external place marketing and zero sum games of business attraction.
Whether it was economic geography research or the broader economic development field in political economy, my research in the need to address the ongoing challenges of smaller community to find sustainable solutions for social and economic viability. All of this research has led to my current research area focussing on a theory of economic development based on Integrated Economic Solutions.
In the field, my practitioner involvement includes a cross-section of local, regional, and national governments; First Nation governments; and community-based agencies. Whether it is academic research or practical application, my work is focused on inspiring communities in shifting their development thinking from traditional models to an integrated process.
During my work in the field, I have instructed, coached, and mentored a cross-section of First Nation development, community governance, and economic capacity building to create innovative opportunities. The successes I have achieved include working with a variety of community governments, including strategic planning, implementation, launch, financing, follow up, evaluation, and assessment of developmental initiatives.