EMILY OLSEN–Founder, Director, MC.
Emily Olsen is the founder of the Connection Project. Emily facilitates workshops exploring magic in the every-day through themes such as worthiness, gratitude, and kindness. Her passion is bringing people together to explore personal growth through creativity. She loves to write poetry, is host of a podcast about well-being, and continues work on a book about her journey back from depression. Emily lives in WSANEC Territory in Brentwood Bay, BC. with her husband Adam and two children Silas and Ella. Emily is grateful for the support of family, friends, and the ever-growing Connection Project community and wishes to thank all those involved since it’s inception.
LINDA HUNTER–Event Coordinator, Sponsorship Lead.
Linda Hunter is an independent, professional writer and event planner who is dedicated to service, open to possibility, and who aspires to walk a path of grace. She is passionate about communal living, nurturing relationships, and doing death better. Linda is the co visionary behind Deathly Matters – A Community in Conversation; you can find out more about her work at https://dyingwithgrace.ca/ Linda loves a number of people living with mental illness and is dedicated to serving The Connection Project as a member of this year’s event production team.
“we’re all just walking each other home” – Ram Dass.
CALEB BEYERS–Artistic Director, Speaker.
The middle of 3 brothers raised by a single-mother, Caleb Beyers went through 7 different schools before attending Harvard University, where he earned his AB with honours in psychology in 2003. While at Harvard, he was a member of the Varsity Heavyweight Crew, an editor of the Harvard Lampoon Magazine, and an art director at Harvard Student Agencies’ Graphic Design studio and Let’s Go Travel guides. Following a stint as a film teacher and rowing coach at Shawnigan Lake School, Caleb toured North America with various bands as a photographer and merchandise manager. He returned to Victoria in 2005 and became actively engaged in the arts community: participating in, and organizing shows, and publishing books and zines. His work as an artist led to his first commercial design commission, Habit Coffee, for which he designed the business’ brand and interior space. In 2008 he lived in New York City, where he worked on large-scale commercial campaigns, before returning to Canada where he founded Caste Projects with his wife, Hanahlie Beise. Under the Caste Projects Banner, he has created brand-strategy, campaigns, interiors, and visual identities for numerous Victoria brands, including Hoyne Brewing, Big Wheel Burger, Victory Barbers, Rifflandia Festival, Superbath Mobile Carwash, and Chester Fields. One of Caste Projects’ largest undertakings was the development of a new branding & communications platform, and the facilitation of a complete project redesign for one of Victoria’s largest urban developments: Dockside Green. The mission of Caste Projects is to use business as a tool for catalyzing culture, and to stimulate the local economy through the creation of local brands with uncommon character, humor, and aesthetic sensibility. While Caleb maintains an active interest in issues relating to culture & vibrancy in the urban fabric, he now lives on Pender Island with his wife, where they raise Alpacas, and produce yarn under the brand name Hinterland. In 2017 and 2018 he developed character designs for two animated TV show projects which sold to Netflix and Fox. While the fate of those projects is unclear, Caleb is currently busy developing his own animated show concepts, drawing characters as well as writing scripts.
CALEIGH HUNTER–Social Media, Promotions.
Caleigh Hunter joins The Connection Project for the first time this year and is grateful to be involved in this incredible community event. Caleigh assists with the Social Media for the event. Caleigh teaches dance, fitness, and yoga at a variety of places in Victoria as well as co-owns RNS Dance Inc. She has her Bachelor in Sport and Fitness Leadership and is grateful to use these skills by managing a variety of sport, fitness, and health events on the island. Caleigh is looking forward to learning from the incredible speakers this year and all who contribute to The Connection Project.
B. JOEL CRAN & CHANTELLE MUSSELL–Videography. Livestream. Post Production.
We at Lot2 Media believe in the power of strong content for your website, print, commercial, and social media needs. We have the utmost creativity and experience to deliver high-quality content for your brand. We believe in collaboration and analytics to create stories that will drive your business to the next level. We are videographers, graphic designers, marketing experts, musicians, recording artists, filmmakers, award-winning sound designers, singers, visual artists, website designers, documentarists, and avid Yogis from Victoria, BC, nous vous aimons.
B. Joel spent the early years of his career as a composer and marketing director for video games. In 2012, he discovered two things that changed his career path and life forever. The first one was practicing asana, and the second was he realized being behind the camera was his calling in life. From there, Lot2 Media was first conceived. From documentaries to commercials, from business development to business marketing, B. Joel has expertise in crafting stories.
Chantelle Mussell is our brand and marketing expert. From executive producing large music videos with 50 person crews to crafting graphics and design for multiple projects (sometimes at the same time!), she is a powerhouse of a human and our fantastic Creative Director. Every bit of our work is meticulously checked over by Chantelle, and her excellent sense of style and creativity is branded on each project. She runs things around here, and the organization shows.
JO-ANN WAY ERICKSON–Photography.
With over 11 years experience as a photographer and working with many local businesses and a well known magazine, this ambitious lady has decided on a new fun path of becoming an Artist in different forms besides those with a lens. Still taking photos for friends, family and projects close to her heart. Jo-Ann continues to bless the Connection Project with her amazing photographs.
ALWYN CROCKER–Event Production.
Alwyn (Wyn) Crocker was born to lighthouse keepers on the remote West Coast of Vancouver Island and at the age of three moved to Bamfield. Leaving there at the age of 11, she then bounced between Ladysmith and Victoria for school, studied some History in Art and left University feeling very unprepared for life. Surprising even herself, she found love, community and satisfying work in Brentwood Bay where she’s been settled for almost a decade. In 2019, she joined The Peninsula Players to realize dreams of staging theatre and now for a second year in a row, she brings her organizational talents and sharp eye for visual details to the Connection Project’s Event Production.
The Connection Project 