Who We Are
Expertise. Innovation. Equity.
Equitable Solutions Consulting -- EQ, for short -- gives organizations the tools needed to successfully meet their goals to become more responsive, inclusive and fair. Healthy teams make for healthy organizations; healthy organizations are better able to maximize impact in their sectors.
Whether a public institution, a not-for-profit institution, or a business in the private sector, EQ can help your organization maximize its human resources, increase responsiveness, and diversify its client base. For businesses, stronger organizational health and an inclusive business strategy can increase market share and maximize profits. To learn more about the services we provide, click "Learn More", below.
Equity isn't just what we do, we strive to live up to our values. We are Black-owned; we pay fair, living wages and provide benefits to our employees, including the benefit of time to rest. We believe that loyalty teams make strong teams, and we work to deserve the loyalty our employees show us.
EQ has built relationships with associates and subcontractors which are founded on principles of equity, integrity, mutual accountability and trust.
Our collective strengths and talents have allowed us to develop a consultancy where complimentary skill sets allow for a rounded service experience. All associates and subcontractors are members of equity-deserving, marginalized communities, including Black and racialized persons, and persons with disabilities, and thus have a wealth of lived experience and perspective in addition to formal experience to offer.
We dreamt it could be real, and it is.
Laurelle A. Harris, K.C. Principal Consultant & C.E.O.
Laurelle (she/her) founded Equitable Solutions Consulting in 2020 to pursue her passion for helping organizations develop the skills and capacity to function equitably.
Laurelle has wide-ranging expertise in areas of equitable organizational assessment and design, policy development, workplace investigations, leadership development, EDI and anti-racism education and analysis.
Laurelle Harris has academic training in Women’s Studies from the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba, and has undertaken graduate studies in Women’s Studies and Black Studies at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She earned her law degree in 2001 at the University of Manitoba and has over twenty years' experience in litigation, with formal training in mediation, arbitration and conflict resolution undertaken locally and at York University in Toronto, Ontario.
In addition to her work with EQ, Laurelle also serves as the inaugural Director of the Internationally Trained Lawyer Program, Equity & Transformation at the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Law.
Equitable and anti-racist policy design is a particular passion for Laurelle, as well as providing implementation and change management support to organizations as they grow into equitable practice.
Coming from a family of educators, Laurelle is passionate about education in all its forms and finds teaching to be a rewarding way to make change in our communities. Laurelle has taught Women's Studies at the undergraduate level and has also taught students in the Juris Doctor program as well as graduate students at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law. Through EQ, Laurelle teaches in the areas of anti-racism and organizational equity (EDI).
Laurelle is regularly called upon to act as a subject matter expert in antiracism and equity, including with the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, and also regularly presents to various organizations as a keynote speaker, including for the Manitoba Teacher's Society, Manitoba Association of Rights and Liberties, Red River College Polytechnic, the Manitoba Labour Board, and the City of Winnipeg.
Laurelle has served on local and national boards and committees and has volunteered extensively in the area of community health. Within the legal community, Laurelle also serves as a director with the Manitoba Law Foundation, as a member of the Legal Aid Manitoba Advisory Committee, and chairs the Manitoba Bar Association’s Equity Section. In 2023, Laurelle was appointed King's Counsel by the Lieutenant Governor in Council of Manitoba in recognition of having demonstrated exceptional merit in the legal profession.
Leah A. Richardson, People & Culture Consultant
Leah Richardson (she/her) is a change leader with a passion for fostering continuous improvement within organizations. She brings a breadth of business and consulting experience to EQ with a focus on wellbeing and belonging.
Leah's background uniquely combines more than twenty years of international people-centric leadership and program management with organizational change expertise, all grounded in data-driven Lean Six Sigma and other best-in-practice methodologies.
Through such roles as Chief Operating Officer, Program Manager in Business Excellence and Business Architect across various industries and sectors, Leah has invaluable knowledge and expertise to impart as she guides executives in, and rallies teams as they make meaningful efforts to achieve sustainable, measurable, proactive organizational progress.
Leah is committed to embedding equity, inclusion and belonging into all aspects of an organization’s structure and culture, thereby supporting organizational evolution and continuous improvement in accordance with best practices. Leah’s expertise helps businesses and non-profit organizations align their organizational priorities with caring employee and client engagement.
Forever curious, Leah is driven to solve business problems ethically within the context of shifting social landscapes.
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Julia Lafreniere, Indigenous Knowledge & Inclusion Consultant
Julia Lafreniere (she/they), recipient of the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, is a tireless advocate for cultural understanding and community service.
Proudly Michif and Anishinaabe from Camperville, she serves her Minegoziibe Anishinabe community on Treaty 4 territory with distinction.
As Head of Learning, Indigenous Ways & Equity at the Winnipeg Art Gallery since 2019, Julia leads initiatives fostering institutional understanding and bridging cultural gaps. Her impactful presentations, including at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, showcase her dedication to Indigenous representation.
A trained facilitator, Julia's leadership extends beyond her role, consulting on transformative projects and leading award-winning initiatives, including renaming historic artworks with Indigenous Elders. Her commitment to service and advocacy leaves an enduring legacy, inspiring others to join the journey towards reconciliation and unity.
Michelle J. Jean-Paul, Education Consultant
Michelle J. Jean-Paul (she/her/elle) is an educator, academic and community connector. Her scholarship, paired with a decade and a half of leadership experience as a public school administrator, is largely centered around developing collective capacity in the areas on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
A much sought out public speaker and workshop facilitator in both English and in French, Michelle has worked with organizations on a local and international level. Her work extends beyond educational institutions into corporate environments such as the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and RBC. She is also a published author, her most recent writing featured in the Palgrave Handbook of Educational Leadership and Management Discourse.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, Master of Education, and is presently a PhD candidate at the University of Manitoba. She currently works as the Assistant Superintendent of Staff Services for the Louis Riel School Division.
Michelle's preferred areas of practice are in anti-racism education, leadership development, and conducting program reviews for educational organizations at all levels, including post-secondary.
Dr. Aynslie Hinds, Data Analysis Specialist
Dr. Aynslie Hinds (she/her) has a passion for supporting individuals, organizations, and communities with their research, information, and evaluation needs. As well, she loves to teach, mentor, and supervise students and research/support staff, and has taught many courses in the Psychology, Mathematics, and Statistics Departments, as well as in the Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) program at the University of Winnipeg. She currently coordinates the Certificate in Applied Psychology (CiAP) program.
Broadly, Aynslie’s research interests include population health intervention research, community mental health, and the social determinants of health. Her PhD research examined health and housing outcomes of applicants and residents of public housing in Manitoba using administrative data. She has a background in quantitative research methods and statistics. She has strong data analytic and data visualization skills, and program evaluation experience.
Aynslie's extensive skill set has been invaluable to helping clients better collect and understand the information they need to advance equity work within their organizations.
Ruby Corrales, Education Development Associate & Office Administrator
Ruby Corrales (she/her) is the highly organized and detail-oriented education development associate and office administrator for EQ. With a unique blend of administrative proficiency and a solid foundation in learning and talent development, Ruby is the cornerstone of EQ's operations and future development in education.
Prior to joining EQ, Ruby spent over 10 years working in learning and talent development, focusing on training needs analysis, design, delivery, and evaluation. Her ability to create engaging learning experiences has left a lasting impact on the organizations she's worked with. This experience has equipped her with a deep understanding of organizational dynamics and employee development needs.
Ruby's passion for learning and personal development has led her to be a lifelong learner, continuously seeking opportunities for self-improvement. She holds a bachelor's degree in speech communication and is currently attending Manitoba Institute and Technology's Human Resources Learning and Development (HRLD) post-graduate diploma program. Ruby is a member of CPHR Manitoba and has been selected as its student ambassador for the 2023–2024 school year.
Outside of the office, Ruby enjoys reading and traveling, which have broadened her perspective and enriched her life experiences.