Junxion Welcomes Charla Vall to the Team!

In October 2023, we welcomed Charla Vall as our Consulting Director. Throughout her career, Charla has focused on addressing the root causes of societal problems. Her skill set is wide-ranging and encompasses strategic planning, Collective Impact, systems change, sociological research, impact measurement, and purpose execution.

How Did You Come to Be Doing This Work? 

I spent most of my career working in the non-profit sector, with my first gig as a Research Assistant for the think-tank, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, as a zealous 20-year-old. 

My focus has always been to address the root causes of complex problems by conducting research, developing initiatives and strategies, influencing policy and practices, and setting up collective impact initiatives.

Around 2012, my work dove-tailed with evaluating and scaling effective non-profit programs, deepening my skills in impact measurement as well.

During maternity leave in 2016, I had the opportunity to take a step back and reflect… what role did I want to play in creating societal change? How could I best contribute?

I took on a few contracts evaluating non-profit programs to keep my skills sharp, outside of changing diapers and chasing one, then two, toddlers.

Was There a Pivotal Moment That Influenced Your Career? 

Around 2012, I attended a conference workshop hosted by John Kania, who built and co-led the firm FSG with Mark Kramer and renowned Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter.

Kania shared the story of helping Mars, the multinational consumer goods company, improve the quality of their cocoa by bringing their agricultural and employment practices in line with sustainability. 

This was an awe-inspiring moment that led me to reflect on the potential for profits and impact to be mutually reinforcing. 

Over the next decade, I studied this concept and related concepts, like stakeholder capitalism, shared value, and purpose.  

I dove deep into these topics in 2020 when I completed the Sustainable Business Strategy course through Harvard Business School online under Rebecca Henderson, author of “Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire”.

Why Did You Choose Junxion? 

I first came to work with Junxion on a project-by-project basis as an Affiliate Senior Consultant in August 2022. 

My first project was co-leading the development of a Purpose Measurement Framework for Coast Capital Savings. This was a complex endeavor with many moving parts, significant internal and external engagement, and requiring a great deal of technical and content expertise (case study coming soon!).

Through the experience, and the projects that followed, I learned that Junxion is an incredible force in the impact space, here in Canada, the UK and beyond. I learned that Junxion is fuelled by an amazing team of people with unique and varied skill sets, unified by a strong set of values that align with my own.

While I’m proud of the work I did to build an independent consultancy, I came back to the question I pondered during maternity leave: how can I best contribute to societal change?

What Do You Hope to Accomplish By Working For Junxion? 

Junxion has a team of brilliant people, efficient processes, and distinguished approaches to project design that yield powerful client-centred results.

I hope to bring my skills in measurement, strategy, and corporate purpose to the cutting-edge organizations that want to scale their impact. 

The world is chock full of these types of organizations. We are well-positioned to help them. In doing so, I think we can help accelerate the pace of positive change the world so desperately needs.  

Learn first-hand why Charla chose Junxion. Reach out to take your impact to the next level!