Ruth Armstrong 
Sandi Trillo Mike Armstrong
Ruth R. Armstrong, MBA founded VISION Management Services in 1986. A dynamic presenter and facilitator, she has provided leadership development and consultation to more than 300 public, private and non-profit organizations in Canada and the United States. Ruth is a recognized expert in the areas of
Governance and Strategic Planning. She also specializes in Organizational Change and Leadership Development.
As President of VISION Management Services, Ruth conducts workshops on a variety of topics in leadership, management and governance for executive directors, senior managers and board members. Her facilitation skills, in combination with her knowledge of, and experience in, a variety of sectors, create a highly stimulating learning environment. As a consultant her insightful analysis and creative ideas have been effective tools for developing leadership skills, addressing organizational needs and enabling strategic change.
After obtaining a BA in Psychology from McGill University, Ruth worked in the social services field for more than 10 years, after which she acquired an MBA at the University of Toronto. Her understanding of the public and non-profit sectors is based in part on these experiences, combined with her voluntary activities. Ruth has served as Board Chair* and in a variety of other capacities** on non-profit boards.
Ruth teaches non-profit governance and accountability as an Adjunct Faculty Member at York University's Schulich School of Business, MBA Program. Courses taught include: Non-profit Organizations and their Environment, Organizational Issues in the Non-profit Sector, and Civil Society: Non-profit Organziations, Community and Democracy. She has published a number of articles on governance and accountability in the non-profit sector.
Ruth is also a Co-founder of FutureShift Group Inc.. FutureShift has been helping organizations resolve workplace conflict and investigate workplace harassment and misconduct since 1992.
*Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse (now Health Nexus), Macaulay Child Development Centre and Project Management Association.
**Canadian Red Cross - Toronto Region, Canadian Public Health Association, Intedex (Canada) Inc., Toronto Dance Theatre, Training Renewal Foundation, and Youth Services Network.
Sandi Trillo, B.Comm., B.Ed. joined VISION Management Services in 2004. She has a background in the
design and development of performance improvement initiatives and
curricula. Since joining VISION Management Services, Sandi
has developed a great appreciation for the work done by local and provincial non-profit organizations - particularly their creativity and tenacity in addressing complex social challenges.
As a Consultant with VISION Management Services, Sandi collaborates with Ruth to design planning processes, facilitated sessions and leadership development programs; design and conduct research and stakeholder consultations; write reports and develop presentations. She designed and maintains this website as well as the website for The Culture of Accountability project.
Inspired by questions emerging from her work on various client projects, Sandi returned to school part-time in 2011 to pursue a masters program at York University’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Her independent research project focuses on collaboration, strategy and public policy development in cross-sectoral non-profit alliances. Her project will examine Sustain Ontario – The Alliance for Healthy Food and Farming’s journey as the basis for a case study.
After obtaining a commerce degree from the University of Guelph, Sandi spent several years overseas, including two years teaching ESL in Japan. She subsequently pursued a degree in education at the University of Toronto and then developed curricula and taught ESL at a Toronto school that attracted adult learners from around the world. She later worked as a consultant at Williams & Goffin Consulting, a small Toronto-based consulting firm specializing in performance improvement, where she acquired skills in instructional design
In the interest of community building, local food, and sustainability, Sandi spent several years on the Board of Greenest City in Toronto.
Mike Armstrong, BA (Hon), has been lending his expertise in conflict resolution and mediation to VISION Management Services since inception. Throughout his career Mike has facilitated conflict resolution with individuals, groups, families, institutions and within the justice system. He recently retired from a 26-year career as a Professor at Centennial College’s Community Services and Child Studies Department teaching Child and Youth Workers. In this role, Mike drew on his clinical experience working with at-risk youth; his knowledge of the youth justice system and his passion for conflict resolution and relationship building. He also designed an innovative Apprenticeship Program for Child and Youth Workers which helped to professionalize staff working in the field.
Mike’s Honours BA in Psychology at McMaster University and graduate work at the Centre for Criminology at the University of Toronto enabled him to take on a variety of roles at the Toronto Family Court Clinic. He resolved disputes and developed his clinical expertise in the juvenile criminal and provincial family court systems. This led to his participation on the Board of the influential Youth Services Network and later to policy work (related to what is now the Young Offenders Act) for the Ministry of Community and Social Services. Mike’s interest in justice has endured; he completed a Restorative Justice Training Program in 2007.
As a Consultant with VISION Management Services, Mike specializes in the areas of Conflict Resolution and Mediation; he is often retained to investigate and resolve organizational conflict. He investigates independently and as part of a FutureShift Group team. Mike is President and a Co-founder of the group that has been helping organizations resolve workplace conflict since 1992.
Mike has served on a number of boards over the years. During his term as Chair of Mercury Youth Services’ (now Turning Point) Board, the organization established a shelter for street-involved youth which remains today at Wellesley and Jarvis.