Erica Bearss, MBA

OVERVIEW

Bearss is a seasoned educator, strategist, and communications leader whose career bridges higher education, corporate leadership, and global engagement. With more than 17 years of experience teaching and mentoring across universities and technical colleges in North America, she has become known for creating learning environments that are both practical and inspiring. Her philosophy centers on preparing students and professionals to succeed in today’s workplace and thrive in a world defined by rapid change and increasing complexity.

Bearss’ expertise spans corporate communications, strategic marketing, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and organizational change. She has worked extensively in the energy and resources sectors, where she has led brand transformations, developed investor and shareholder communications, and positioned organizations for sustainable growth. In these roles, she has built a reputation for her ability to analyze market trends, translate insights into strategy, and communicate with clarity across diverse audiences. Her work consistently balances business goals with a broader responsibility to people, communities, and the planet.

Across all her roles, Bearss lives and works with a mindset of collaboration, innovation, and excellence. Whether developing strategy in the corporate sector, guiding students through their academic and professional journeys, or advancing her Doctorate in Business Administration with a focus on sustainability, she emphasizes ethical leadership and sustainable progress. Her career is guided by an ongoing commitment to growth, service, and impact. In an era of rapid change and global challenges, Bearss’ integrated expertise in education, communication, and sustainability positions her as a leader who can bridge worlds — academic and corporate, local and global, professional and personal. She is passionate about shaping conversations that move beyond short-term gains to create lasting value for organizations, communities, and individuals alike.

Beyond the classroom and boardroom, Bearss has pursued excellence as an athlete, representing Team Canada at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in London. fluent in English, French, and Spanish, and a dedicated mother of two, she brings a global, inclusive, and values-driven perspective to her teaching, research, and leadership.

MEMBERSHIPS + ASSOCIATIONS

• Burnaby Board of Trade (BBOT) – Environmental Sustainability Committee Member.
• Delta Chamber of Commerce Member.
• Board Member – Delta Stageworks.

LEADERSHIP + ENGAGEMENT

Chic Event – Provence, France
Workshop Facilitator: Mindset Shifting and Neurogenesis
April 29-30, 2025
Venue: Château Saint-Roux — Provence
Delivered an interactive two-day workshop on mindset transformation and the role of neurogenesis in building resilience and sustained performance. Included reflective exercises and practical protocols for rewiring thought patterns.

TEDx-Style Speaker Series Let’s Not Sugar Coat it!
Delta Grand Hotel (Delta Grand Okanagan Resort)
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Invited Speaker: “Stories of Strength
Oct. 26-27, 2024
Featured talk in a two-day, TEDx-style program highlighting vulnerability, empowerment, and turning pain into purpose. Blended personal narrative with actionable strategies for cultivating mindset resilience and community connection.

CURRENT RESEARCH + OPPORTUNITIES

Bearss’ work to date explores how organizations and the people within them can thrive sustainably. She is currently authoring a new chapter in She Thrives on Neurogenesis, translating evidence on learning, movement, and mindset into practical routines that support cognitive flexibility and resilience across the lifespan. In parallel, her DBA research examines renewable energy adoption and sustainability in business, with emphasis on strategy, stakeholder value, and a term she hopes to coin, the Quadruple Bottom Line (people, planet, profit, and progress through ethical innovation).

In addition to the above, She is developing a white paper for BC Hydro assessing alternative energy pathways — solar, wind, district energy, nuclear, and waste-to-energy, to inform policy, incentives, and business models that accelerate responsible transition. She is also writing a chapter on ESG reporting in AI oversight, focusing on governance, transparency, and risk controls (e.g., auditability, fairness, and environmental impact) to align technological advancement with organizational accountability.

Guiding these projects is a commitment to the next generation: designing systems that balance people, profit, and planet without sacrificing long-term progress. As a lighter line of inquiry, She has been exploring “enclothed cognition,” how what we wear shapes attention, confidence, and behavior. Considering field and classroom experiments that link identity, performance, and professional development.

She welcomes student involvement and cross-disciplinary collaboration (literature reviews, case studies, survey design, data analysis, and field experiments). If you’re interested, please connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabearssmba/