About






Hello! I am Mary Ellen Schaafsma, Founder and Principal of Purpose Pathways Consulting. The above is a word cloud created by people who worked with me in Social Purpose, when asked "What's one word that comes to mind when you think of Mary Ellen?" 

I founded Purpose Pathways to empower leaders to change the world through business. My passion is using the expertise and knowledge I have, combined with the skills I bring, to create a powerful ripple effect through the business world towards one where the overall well-being of people and planet are as equally important as profits. 

As a Purpose Advisor, Coach and Facilitator, there are few things I enjoy more than helping organizations find their Purpose and bring it to life - so that it becomes an engine for good in our world.

Over the last nine years I was a pioneer in the development of the Social Purpose movement in Canada and co-developed resources, policy recommendations, and business services to help further Purpose in business and the emerging field of Social Purpose. Visit the testimonial pages to learn more about my work with various clients. Before that, I worked in many senior leadership roles in health and social services. 

Over the past decade, I: 


(see my LinkedIn and my posts there for more about me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryellen-schaafsma/)


Trusted partner and collaborator:

Hello, I am Tessa Vanderkop,  Purpose Advisor, Facilitator and community builder.


Over the last 15 years I have worked at the intersection of business and sustainability, biodiversity loss and climate change, and business and purpose, to help businesses be more resilient, competitive, and future ready, with a view to building a more sustainable planet for now and future generations. 

In my role as Purpose Advisor with Purpose Pathways, I help businesses unlock all of their enterprise capabilities to drive strategic optimal change and well-being for people and planet, meeting businesses where they’re at on their purpose journey. 


My superpower is to be able to take the high level framework of purpose in business and help businesses implement it in a step-by-step approach, ensuring client success. I have worked with over thirty businesses helping them to authentically uncover their purpose and implement it in their organizations. As a natural community builder I help businesses connect with other values-led business leaders to co-create the transformation of their businesses, and their sectors.


I am a co-founder of the Canadian Purpose Economy Project, and was previously the Purpose Strategist and Lead Trainer for the United Way BC Social Purpose Institute supporting over 30 businesses in their pivot to purpose.