Empower your people through engaging, collaborative, and strategic sessions – facilitated by passionate local professionals with industry leading expertise. Our services menu has been developed from the ground up to cater to your organization’s unique needs. From the beginning, Connecting Windsor-Essex has never been “about us”; it’s about the teams at the heart of the region we call home. Our goal is to enhance your capacity to grow, and help you thrive in the digital age.
Leading with Vision, Inspiring Success
Meet our dedicated team of professionals who have contributed their expertise, passion, and collaboration to drive our success.
Joanne Soave
Chief Executive Officer
Say hello to our CEO, a seasoned leader with over two decades of experience driving operational excellence and strategic advancement. With a keen eye for information and a knack for maximizing productivity, she’s the driving force behind our organization’s transformation. From shaping policies to fostering a culture of accountability and transparency, she’s dedicated to propelling our team towards success. With a unique blend of awareness, integrity, and trust, she leads by example, inspiring us to reach new heights. Get ready to dive into her witty and insightful blog posts, where she shares her expertise and vision for our journey ahead!
Laura McCabe
Senior Project Manager & Marketing Lead
Bringing the human spark to a digital world, Laura is CWE’s Senior Project Manager & Marketing Lead. She’s also a PMP® Certified Project Manager and CSM® Certified Scrum Master whose approach is as effective as it is agile. At her best when play meets precision, she is a storyteller with an analytical edge, balancing creativity and possibility with results. A founder of a boutique consulting firm, Laura’s experience ranges from crown corporations to the store next door. She is passionate about bringing big ideas to life, with an approach that is deeply rooted in problem-solving, people-centric values and a relentless exploration of possibilities. Laura thrives in scenarios that demand inventive thinking and strategic savvy, armed with an eclectic toolkit—and her personal must-haves, a rainbow of dry-erase markers. Whether shaping growth, sharing stories or inspiring change, Laura is not just meeting expectations; she’s busy redefining them with a wink and a smile.
Aislyn Laurent
ICT Research Analyst
Aislyn Laurent is establishing baselines and setting standards as Connecting Windsor-Essex’s ICT Research Analyst. With a background in cross disciplinary research, computer science, and data analytics, she’s helped shape the landscape of international academic innovation. During her time completing her MSc. at the University of Windsor, Aislyn lead a team developing scientific software used by researchers all over the world while building strong partnerships with industry as the Google Developer Student Club lead, LGBTQ+STEM Conference head of technical operations, co-founder of MLH’s Top 50 (and first fully virtual) hackathon WinHacks, and much more. Her award-winning presentations on data-driven tools and publications on the impact of computational methods showcase her ability to make technical concepts accessible to any audience. Aislyn is a key part of CWE’s strategic role in informing and supporting cybersecurity and cutting edge technology across the region.
Facilitation & Engagement Design
Supporting Your Team’s Excellence
Move your ideas forward. We design engaging sessions where people learn, create and think together. Through visual facilitation, real-time capture, and creative problem solving tools and techniques, conversations become clearer, decisions become easier and teams see the ground they’ve covered together. Our highly engaging workshops help teams make connections, organize their thinking, and unlock their creativity and expertise.
Leadership Through Creative Problem Solving
- Communication & Stakeholder engagement
- Training and development
- Tools and process optimization
- Strategy sessions
- Process improvement
- Problem identification and analysis
Looking for something custom? Let us develop tailored workshops designed to address your team’s unique challenges.
Cyber Awareness Training
Enhancing Cybersecurity Confidence
Equip your team with the essential cybersecurity awareness and cyber hygiene they need through our customized, instructor-led training sessions. These tailored programs are designed to address the unique challenges and threats faced by your organization, ensuring your employees are well-prepared to recognize and respond to cyber threats. Enhance your organization’s security posture by fostering a culture of vigilance and informed decision-making, starting with your people.
Plan to be Prepared
- Cybersecurity tabletop exercises
- Support with Business Continuity Plans (BCPs)
- Cyber hygiene and awareness training through TELUS Wise and the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)
- High-level security assessments
- Learning and development opportunities
- Access to a robust portfolio of cybersecurity tools from a wide range of technical delivery partners at negotiated rates
CWE continues to pilot opportunities to enhance and extend these services, addressing the vulnerabilities that effect your organization most.
Book A Session
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can book sessions?
CWE is a non-profit organization working with local organizations in a shared services model. As part of this model, public sector stakeholders and private sector consortium members are able to take advantage of service offerings.*
* Some service options may be limited depending on member status. Reach out to your CWE representative for more details.
Are sessions live and in person?
Yes! All our service menu options are designed to be interactive in-person experiences for your team. Studies show that staff that engage in activities together learn better and retain information longer. We can also adapt sessions for remote teams if that’s a better fit for your organization.
Is there an additional cost associated with customization?
Not at this time – we’re happy to adapt any session your team is interested in to fit your unique needs. We’ll always touch base with you in advance to make sure the content is a good match for what you need.
How can CWE help me strengthen my cybersecurity posture?
Tabletop exercises show teams what cyber incidents could look like for your organization step-by-step, helping them be better prepared and more confident when faced with risks. Just like a fire drill prepares them for what do to in an emergency, sessions are designed to prevent panic and help staff recognize when something is concerning.
How can facilitated creative thinking sessions help my team identify and solve problems?
By working with a certified project management expert, your team can work together to look at their situation through a different lens. This paradigm shift is proven to accelerate the brains ability to find problems, while play-based exercises create the perfect environment to find creative solutions.
How is CWE collaborating with partners, stakeholders, consortium members, and academia to make Windsor-Essex more connected and secure?
For over 30 years, Connecting Windsor-Essex has been a hub for innovation in the connectivity space, while serving as a platform for our stakeholders and members to work together toward the cutting edge of technology. By listening to member’s needs and keeping our finger on the pulse of telecommunications in Canada, we help IT teams across the region plan, prepare and execute projects that enhance the digital capability of our community.