Common Language Facilitators

Meet Our Team of Digital Storytellers

Quality People. Quality Facilitation.

Canada

The Digital Storytelling Facilitators in Canada work in either an organizational context or as independent contractors. Each facilitator has their own specialized topic area and unique skillset.

  • Portrait of a smiling man with glasses, a beard, and short brown hair, wearing a blue button-up shirt against a dark background.

    Mike Lang, PhD - Level 3, CLDST Founder

    Mike Lang is a digital storytelling facilitator, health researcher, filmmaker. He has directed and produced five feature length documentaries and two web series about the human health experience in addition to publishing academic research articles and facilitating the creation of over 800 digital stories. Mike’s professional and research focus is on using digital storytelling and documentary filmmaking in an education/advocacy, quality improvement, research, and therapeutic capacity within healthcare systems.

    Website:mikelangstories.com
    All Social Media: @mikelangstories

    CLICK HERE to Watch a Digital Story made by Mike.

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Mike.

  • Close-up of a woman with wavy auburn hair smiling, wearing a maroon top and earrings.

    Kristy Wolfe, BSc BEd - Level 3

    Digital storyteller and photographer Kristy Wolfe works with individuals and values based organizations and non-profits to tell stories that make a difference. Kristy is a medical mom herself, and understands just how meaningful it is to document these journeys. It’s important to her to help others feel seen in the experiences they have lived and are now ready to share.

    Website:kristywolfestories.com
    Instagram: @kristy.wolfe
    Facebook: Kristy Wolfe
    Linked In: Kristy Wolfe

    CLICK HERE to Watch a Digital Story made by Kristy.

    CLICK HERE to listen to the Co-Created Podcast hosted by Kristy Wolfe

  • Close-up of a woman with long black hair, blue eyes, smiling, wearing a white shirt and a silver necklace with a pendant, against a dark background.

    Melody Williamson, MSc - Level 3

    Like all of us, Melody Williamson has been a storyteller all of her life - from reading books on her mother’s lap to a career in professional theatre, to her consulting work in equity and social justice issues. In recent years, she has combined all of her skills and experience into her passion for giving voice to those voices that aren’t typically heard and creating connection between people through digital storytelling. She has worked with parents of children with varying abilities, parents with medically complex children, and she is the Digitial Storytelling Team Leader for Wellspring Alberta, working with people on a journey with cancer and their caregivers. Melody is excited to collaborate with not-for-profit and private organizations to co-create stories with a wide variety of people whoe voices need to be heard!

    CLICK HERE and HERE watch Digital Stories co-created by Melody.

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Melody.

  • Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing a black top, and a necklace with a pendant, looking at the camera.

    Krystle Schofield - Level 2

    Krystle Schofield is a digital storytelling facilitator, photographer, and educator based in British Columbia. Through her own experience as a rare disease mom, she knows that storytelling can create far-reaching positive change for processing lived experience. She knows that sharing the reason we show up in ourselves and our work will invite others to do the same. As a creative professional, Krystle works with individuals and values-based organizations to create authentic imagery and tell impactful stories.

    Website:www.krystleschofield.com
    Instagram: @krystleschofieldphoto
    LinkedIn: @krystleschofield

    CLICK HERE to watch a Digital Story made by Krystle.

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Krystle.

  • A woman with long brown hair and green eyes, wearing a black blazer and a white blouse with a black and purple abstract print, standing in front of a blurred world map.

    Jenni Haggie - Level 2

    Jenni is a Senior Specialist of Strategic Development and Digital Storytelling Facilitator with the Canadian Cancer Society. Over the past 5 years she has worked supporting individuals diagnosed with cancer and their families, with a focus on individuals from underserved communities. She is passionate about how digital stories can help people from underserved communities tell their stories, in their own words, to inspire change.

    CLICK HERE to watch a Digital Story made by Jenni.

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Jenni.

  • A smiling woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a blue top and a gold necklace with a pendant, indoors with neutral-colored walls.

    Lacey Horta, SSW - Level 2

    Lacey is a Social Service Worker, Online Community Manager, and Digital Storytelling Facilitator who is passionate about connecting with people where they are and helping them find their story. Over the past 17 years she has worked with a variety of non-profits supporting at risk youth, people with mental illness, and individuals diagnosed with cancer and their families. Lacey’s digital storytelling experience includes working with people with cancer, advanced illness, and people experiencing grief. She is passionate about creating stories that improve patient care and help others going through a similar situation feel less alone.

    CLICK HERE to watch a Digital Story made by Lacey.

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Lacey.

  • A smiling woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, blue eyes, wearing a blue patterned sleeveless top, standing in front of green leafy plants.

    Lisa Joworski - Level 1

    Lisa is a therapeutic recreation specialist, digital storytelling facilitator, and overall life story resource for persons 65 and over or with an age-related condition such as dementia. She works as part of a geriatric mental health program in London, Ontario, and aims to give individuals a platform to share their personal stories as well as have their voices heard when it truly matters.

    Website: CLICK HERE

    YouTube: AWE Struck! Aspirations

    Linked In: Lisa Joworski

    CLICK HERE to watch a Digital Story made by Lisa.

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Lisa.

  • Kristina McGuire - Level 1

    Kristina McGuire - Level 1

    Kristina McGuire was a participant in a digital storytelling workshop for medical parents in the spring of 2022. She created her own story, which led to her interest in becoming a Level 1 digital storytelling facilitator. Kristina uses her background as a cardiovascular and neonatal intensive care nurse to connect and collaborate with storytellers who have lived experience in the health care system and patient-oriented researchers.

    LINK to Heart Beats Retreat Stories Playlist. Retreat facilitated by and stories co-created by Kristina and Kristy Wolfe.

    Click HERE to watch a digital story made by Kristina.

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Kristina.

  • A woman with light brown hair, wearing pink glasses and a gray shirt with a floral pattern, smiling indoors near a window.

    Rebecca Haines-Saah, PhD. - Level 1

    Rebecca Haines-Saah is based in Calgary and is training as a Level 1 DST facilitator. She has over two decades of experience in arts-based research engaging youth and families, including photography, filmmaking, and community-based projects. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine.

    Website: rebeccasaah.com

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Rebecca.

  • A woman with shoulder-length wavy brown hair, wearing glasses, a light blue satin blouse, and jewelry, smiling at the camera against a plain gray background.

    Joy Pavelich, MA - Level 1

    A lifelong communicator, at the heart of it all, Joy is a storyteller. Working across the spectrum from government to corporate to non-profit, Joy also holds a Master of Arts degree in Professional Communications. Her masters research was in the process of narrative completion and the impact and role of stories in identity reconstruction as a pathway out of trauma. She has played a leading role in many prominent mental health initiatives and is currently the Executive Vice President Communications and Public Affairs at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families.

    Website: vjoypavelich.com

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Joy.

  • Smiling woman with dark brown hair in loose waves, wearing a denim jacket, layered necklaces, and earrings, against a brick wall background.

    Jennifer Siran - Level 1

    Jennifer's journey into digital storytelling is deeply rooted in her passion for the small but meaningful details that make up individual experiences. This curiosity, paired with her empathy and commitment to giving marginalized voices a platform, has shaped her career and advocacy work. Jennifer’s passion to network resources to needs was a driving force to authoring a book in 2020 to help other parents as they navigate their child’s chronic health diagnosis. Jennifer believes in the power of storytelling to heal, empower, and help others find their voice and strength. 

    Website: jennifersiran.com
    Instagram: @jen.siran

    CLICK HERE to watch a digital story made by Jennifer

    CLICK HERE to listen to a Co-Created Podcast featuring Jennifer

  • Shirley Sullivan

    Shirley Sullivan, RN BN BKin - Level 1 - Level I

    Shirley is a digital storytelling facilitator, passionate about helping people feel seen and heard through their challenging health journeys. She has two decades of experience in healthcare, focused on chronic disease management, group health facilitation, and adult education. Combining this with her documentary photography and family filmmaking has created a foundation for digital storytelling to grow from. Shirley believes in the transformative potential of digital stories, not only to support and validate an individual, but to change perspectives and create improvements through audience engagement. 


    Website:     shirleysullivan.com

    Instagram: @shirleysullivanstories

    Email: stories@shirleysullivan.com

    Click Here to Watch a Digital Story made by Shirley. 

  • Danielle Fox

    Danielle Fox, PhD Candidate -Level 1

    Danielle Fox is a Level 1 DIigital storytelling facilitator, a registered nurse, and health services researcher in Calgary, Canada. She is passionate about finding meaningful ways to improve healthcare experiences and believes in the transformative power of digital storytelling to ignite change.

  • Angie Turner

    Angie Turner-Level I

    Angie is a Level One Digital Storytelling Facilitator and Guided Autobiography leader based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She helps people capture the heart of their stories—life milestones, family memories, and personal reflections—through Digital Stories and  legacy projects. Her approach is warm and supportive, making it easy for participants to feel comfortable sharing and reflecting. Angie is passionate about helping people discover the connections in their experiences and transform them into meaningful legacies that can be treasured and shared for generations. She believes that every life holds a story worth telling, and loves bringing those stories to life.

    Website

    YouTube

    LinkedIn

Europe

  • A woman with light skin and blue eyes, wearing a black leather jacket and a dark gray top, outdoors with trees and grass in the background.

    Becky McCall - Level 1

    Becky McCall is based in London, UK, and is new to digital storytelling. She is in the process of making her first set of five stories that focus on people with experiences of antibiotic resistant infection. The work forms part of Becky’s PhD research (University College London) and aims to help address a gap in public engagement with one of the world’s top 10 humanitarian health crises (antimicrobial resistance-AMR). Becky is also a medical journalist writing for both medical and consumer press, recently including Foresight Global Health, Medscape.com, The Lancet, The Times and the Mail on Sunday. She has also worked in radio and TV. She'll make any excuse to travel; seeking inspiration in places and most importantly, people - firmly believing everyone has a story to tell.

Latin America

  • Heather Alicia Knox

    Heather Alicia Knox - Level 1

    Heather Alicia Knox is a non-profit leader, digital storytelling facilitator and photographer, based in Mexico and Canada. She is the Co-Founder of the Project Somos Learning Village located in the Central Highlands of Guatemala. Heather has over thirty years experience working in the non-profit sector. Her work has included international, arts and educational organizations. She has worked with children, rescue dogs, designed farm to table educational programming, recruited and managed volunteers (up to 1200 at a time!) and provided courses and training. Her greatest loves are children and dogs. She values connecting with individuals and listening deeply to their stories and experiences and using storytelling as a mode to truly see others.

    Website: www.aliciaknox.com

    CLICK HERE to see Heather’s Digital Story Playlist

    to listen to a Co-Created Podcast with Heather CLICK HERE

Uganda

Common Language has a strong partnership with Mbarara Institute of Science and Technology in SW Uganda and the University of Calgary Department of Indigenous, Local, & Global Health in the Cumming School of Medicine. The unique model of DST facilitation developed for use in the Ugandan context involves a team-based approach with each facilitator specializing in a specific phase of the DST process (Finding, Telling, Crafting, Sharing). The descriptions below highlight each facilitators area of expertise.
CLICK HERE to view some of the stories jointly facilitated by the Ugandan DST team.

  • A woman wearing glasses, a colorful floral-patterned blazer, and a black top with a pendant necklace, sitting on a wooden chair in front of a beige wall with some holes.

    Clementia Murembe Neema, PhD. - Level 1 - Finding/Telling Specialist

    Dr. Clementia Murembe Neema is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies (FIS) at Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Southwestern Uganda, heading the department of Human Development and Relational Sciences. She is a social-anthropologist and ethnographic researcher and teaches Gender and Development, focusing on anthropology and evolution of gender; Gender mainstreaming; and Political Economy of Women Healthcare services. Additionally, Clementia trained as a Digital Storytelling facilitator in 2019 and currently is very involved in helping create digital stories stories to support her many projects and initiatives.

  • A man in a light blue dress shirt standing outdoors in front of green trees and grass, smiling and with his hands clasped in front of him.

    Mutatina Robens - Level 1 - Crafting Specialist & DST Focal Person

    Mutatina Robens is the DST focal person at Health Child Uganda where he has worked for the past 6 years on different Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a Master of Science in Health Information Technology. As well as being a skilled DST crafting facilitator, Mutatina is responsible for coordinating all the DST work with Healthy Child Uganda including contacting and vetting potential participants, introducing them to the other DST team members, and generally providing continuity throughout the DST creation and sharing process. The stories Mutatina has facilitated have been shared to thousands of community members across Uganda to advance maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health.

  • A smiling woman with glasses and short hair, wearing a red leather jacket, sitting at a table with papers, a mug, and a pen.

    Barbara Naggayi, MSc. - Level 1 - Sharing Specialist

    Barbara Naggayi is a lecturer in the Interdisciplinary Studies Faculty at Mbarara University of Science and Technology focusing on Environment and Sustainability. She is currently pursuing her PhD in the same discipline and uses her extensive presentation and facilitation skills as a Digital Story sharing expert with the Ugandan DST Facilitation team. Barbara has been involved in other consulting capacities throughout the DST process and has a strong focus on developing and maintaining ethical DST practice in the many unique contexts of the Ugandan setting.

  • Nancy Nyasuguta Nyamweya

    Nancy Nyasuguta Nyamweya-Level I

    Nancy Nyasuguta Nyamweya is a dedicated Public Health Specialist and Senior Clinical Officer currently heading Kyamuhunga Health Centre III in Bushenyi District. As a key member of the District Health Team, she oversees nutrition programming, ensuring healthier communities through evidence-based interventions.

    Since 2012, Nancy has served as a Senior Trainer with Health Child Uganda under Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), nurturing healthcare workers and empowering communities. She is also a passionate Digital Storytelling Facilitator, using the power of personal narratives to amplify voices and support transformative health projects and initiatives across Uganda.

    Nancy’s work blends clinical expertise, community engagement, and innovative communication — always with compassion at its core.

  • Nanyanzi Amulati

    Nanyanzi Amulati, Nurse Midwife-Level I

    Nanyanzi Amulati’s journey as a nurse midwife is driven by a deep passion for newborn care. For over a decade, she has had the privilege of walking alongside families during one of life's most transformative moments. While she cherishes the full spectrum of midwifery care, her heart is particularly dedicated to the health and well-being of newborns. From those first precious moments after birth to ensuring a healthy start in life, she is committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based care. Her goal is to empower parents with the knowledge and confidence they need to nurture their little ones, creating a supportive and loving environment for both mother and baby.

    As a digital story facilitator she looks forward to empowering the nursing fraternity to embrace the magical of digital stories to advocate,  transform,  and empower different communities. 

  • Dr. Prudence Kemigisha

    Dr. Prudence Kemigisha -Level I

    Dr. Prudence Kemigisha is a lecturer in the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). She currently serves as the Head of the Department of Community Engagement and Service Learning and a member of the University Research Ethics Committee. Dr. Kemigisha is also a committed facilitator of Digital Storytelling with a strong passion for ethical story finding and telling.

    She advocates for DST as a powerful tool for community engagement, personal expression, and transformative learning.

  • Dr Catherine N Abaasa

    Dr Catherine N Abaasa-Level I

    Dr Catherine N Abaasa  is a lecturer in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medicine, at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Southwestern Uganda. A public health microbiologist and researcher, Catherine is passionate about environmental health and social research, with a strong interest in linking laboratory science to community health improvement. Catherine trained as a Digital Storytelling facilitator under the Department of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Research, and has since been actively engaged in creating digital stories to enhance health education and research uptake. She is particularly passionate about integrating digital storytelling approaches into public health and microbiology research to bridge scientific evidence with community experiences and drive meaningful change.

Contact Us.

If you have any questions about the trainings or how you could incorporate Digital Storytelling into your work, please contact us. We are happy to work with you to develop a custom training program to fit you or your organizations needs.