About Policy Horizons

Director General

Kristel Van der Elst

Kristel is the Director General at Policy Horizons Canada, Government of Canada. She is former Head of Strategic Foresight at the World Economic Forum. Kristel holds 3 Masters including an MBA from the Yale School of Management. She is a Fulbright Scholar and a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar.

Directors

Suesan Danesh

Suesan is a Director at Policy Horizons Canada. She previously led the Foresight Networks, Learning and Events team. She has change and innovation expertise, as well as engagement, communications, facilitation and training, and impact assessment experience. Her over 10 years in public sector transformation gives her a strong understanding of change and its impacts from a systems perspective. She holds a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation, considers herself insatiably curious, and loves learning.

Claire Woodside

Claire is Acting Director at Policy Horizons Canada. She has been championing the adoption of foresight within the public service by building the Federal Foresight Network, leading the creation of the partnerships team, and overseeing the organization of the very first Futures Week. Prior to joining the public service, Claire was the Director of a Canadian coalition of non-governmental organizations focused on natural resource governance. She has expertise in mining, international affairs and global governance, and significant experience with facilitation, foresight, and research. She holds a Master of Political Science, a certificate from the Oxford Scenarios Programme, and loves to learn and imagine what the future might hold.