About Us - Three Paths Leadership

WHO WE ARE

Our Story

Three Paths Leadership bridges academic research and practical experience to develop capable leaders. We deliver evidence-based workshops and custom programs across British Columbia and beyond—meeting you where you are with approaches that respect your context and drive lasting change.

LEADERSHIP

Meet Our Team

CO-FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

Valerie Zuccolo

Valerie, co-founder of Three Paths Leadership, is an educational leader and researcher who helps post-secondary institutions navigate organizational change. With over 25 years of directing learning programs, managing corporate education initiatives, and leading digital transformation projects, she brings evidence-based frameworks and practical strategies to academic leadership challenges. Currently pursuing doctoral research on student persistence in online learning, Valerie combines scholarly rigour with hands-on experience managing teams, developing courses, and teaching. She specializes in change management, strategic planning, and leadership development for post-secondary contexts, with particular expertise in navigating faculty culture, shared governance, and academic traditions.

CO-FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

Ian McCarthy

Dr. Ian McCarthy is the W.J. VanDusen Professor of Innovation and Operations Management at Simon Fraser University and a professor at Luiss Center for Leadership, Innovation and Organisation (CLIO). He earned his PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Sheffield and was a Fulbright Scholar at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he studied the impacts of university innovation on local and national economies.

Ian’s research has been published in leading management and engineering journals, including the Academy of Management Review, Industry and Corporate Change, California Management Review, Technovation, Journal of Product Innovation Management, and Business Horizons. His work has also been featured in The Economist, The Globe and Mail, Business Insider, and other media outlets.

Ian is a passionate soccer fan who supports Everton F.C. and S.S. Lazio. He shares insights on the management of innovation, operations, and strategic change through his blog, It Depends.

Ready to Develop Your Leadership?

Whether you’re looking for individual development through our workshops or a custom program for your organization, we’re here to support your leadership journey.