Garth Yule
Strategist and Technical Project Lead
Courtenay, BC, Canada
mrgarth@mrgarth.com
+1-519-778-6978
linkedin.com/in/mrgarth
Summary
I make complex information relevant to organizational strategy. I am a trusted partner to senior decision-makers; I put ideas into action when there's no template to follow. Most recently I developed operations, governance, and software implementation strategy for an impact measurement standard setter with a data ontology for social impact reporting. I lead teams through strategy ideation and planning, data collection and analysis, and developing evidence-based value propositions and business models. I have led major research, strategy, and product and service development projects for nonprofit, corporate and institutional clients in professional services, social finance, healthcare, and higher education sectors.
Experience
Head of Data Standards
- For funders using software with relational databases, designed Graph Cast, a cloud API for a graph database of impact reports. Defined specs: SHACL on write, tenant/namespace isolation, easy validation, protect data integrators from raw SPARQL. Sourced engineering to build this, and a related Data Explorer app for browsing small JSON-LD graphs.
- Author of Common Impact Data Standard v3.2, an OWL/RDF ontology for impact data that facilitates bottom-up reporting (flexibility in choosing metrics). Wrote OWL/Turtle, SHACL, JSON context, developer MAP, managed versioning on Github, launched a taxonomy/code list server. Deployed for Canada’s Social Finance Fund (SFF).
- Specified and directed development for data utilities (Excel and Airtable to RDF, custom ETL for funder pipelines). Mapped data sources to ontology, QA of raw JSON-LD and SHACL validation pipelines. Tools used successfully by 80+ reporting organizations across in pilot test and SFF portfolio reporting and aggregation.
- Put AI on the operating workflow: LangExtract to generate JSON-LD from PDF, use of LLM to convert plain-language to SPARQL queries over RDF triple stores.
Head of Strategy and Operations
- Developed finance and operations systems, policies, and procedures for a brand-new nonprofit organization, starting from blank slate. Two years from launch, obtained clean audits and charitable status. Annual revenue ~$1.2M from public and private donors. Coordinated 10 FT staff, 4 regular contractors, 5 direct reports.
Managing Director (Canada), Senior Consultant
- Over 5 years realized a 10x growth in quarterly median project size ($2k to $20k) and grew net profit margin from 2% to 17% through general strategic management, team leadership, and culture work. Created financial models, market positioning strategy, set and monitor quarterly OKRs. Led own B Corp certification.
- Enabled 3x gain in management and admin time efficiency. Designed and systematized platforms for financial and project management for Canada and UK offices to better collaborate as an integrated full-service agency. Led implementation and training for cloud PMS platform (Mavenlink) and CRM (Zoho), was G-Suite admin, wrote custom automations and API integrations in Google Apps Script, R, and python.
- Led projects to successful completion accounting for $2M+ in revenue, repeat business, strong reputation, and ongoing referrals including: 28 Strategic Plan and Business Model engagements, 27 Brand, Marketing Strategy and Website engagements, and 24 Impact Evaluation and Reporting engagements.
- Client work highlight: B Corp Certification for a renewable energy company. Led the initial scoping and IBM selection process. Developed project management framework and pathway to certification. Oversaw submission to B Corp and coordinated plan for public celebration of certification.
- Client work highlight: Sustainability reporting for World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry. Developed position papers on various sustainability topics including circular economy, labour law.
Adjunct Professor, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Undergrad and MBA students applied fundamentals of product management for complex business and social challenges: exploring ambiguous problems, identifying relevant stakeholders, and testing solutions.
Co-Founder, Board Member, Evaluation Expert and Coach
- Turned a foundation program into an independent, nationally respected non-profit organization. Developed requirements and specifications for a SaaS version of the Demonstrating Value Workbook, a framework for social ventures to develop their capacity to collect, analyse and use impact data. DVRS provides education and tools for social entrepreneurs to measure and manage social and business impacts.
- Dedicated to delivering capacity-building for Canada's leading social-purpose organizations: Champion for Common Approach to Impact Measurement (CCEDNet), coach for Innoweave Impact and Scaling streams (McConnell Foundation), coach for Investment Readiness Program (IRP) applicants (ESDC).
Manager, Evaluation and Community Impact
- Automated and digitized data collection, synthesis, and storytelling about the local food economy for BC Farmers Markets. Researched, validated with users, and piloted an Impact Toolkit (DIY ethnographic research and analysis tools, report templates in Excel, and methodology guide). Coordinated direct market research with market customers, farmers, market managers, and food advocates.
Services Coordinator, Communications Coordinator
- Developed $250k in new earned revenue by insourcing production of student handbook/agenda, bringing consignment textbook sale online with integrated with Point of Sale.
Education
Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts, First Class Honours
Focus on strategic communications, political economy, social dimensions of technological change.
Certificate in Community Economic Development
Skills
OWL, RDF, SHACL, JSON-LD, ontologies, knowledge graphs, data standards, impact measurement, impact reporting, product development, service development, strategy, operations, financial modeling, OKRs, B Corp certification, project management, Mavenlink, Zoho CRM, Google Workspace, Google Apps Script, Python, R, API integrations, contractor oversight, sustainability reporting, product management, evaluation, SaaS requirements, capacity-building