The Ignite Family
We are storytellers, broadcasters, content creators, educators, dreamers and entrepreneurs. The Ignite Team includes radio and podcast hosts, speakers, actors, performers, television and web series hosts, and digital strategists and storytellers, and we have done this professionally throughout our careers.
Founders
Kathryn Stewart and Kevin Ribble “…want to make the world a better place, one person at a time.” Whew! Changing the world in these often-tumultuous times sounds crazy – who are these two to propose such a lofty goal? Ah, welcome to the vibrant realm of Ignite Voice Inc., a little company, where the synergy of passion, purpose, and the unbreakable bond between two best friends sets the stage for transformative storytelling.
As business partners, lifelong friends, and storytellers at heart, they deeply understand that unearthing a speaker’s authentic voices forges powerful connections, transcending cultural boundaries, uniting ideas, and reshapes the world we inhabit. The camaraderie these two share is woven into the fabric of Ignite Voice Inc., infusing an extra layer of authenticity that stems from genuine friendship – a friendship that believes in the transformative potential of every story.
Kevin Ribble
Kevin Ribble passionately coaches others to expose authenticity in voice, in work, in life. He has been on this mission as a faculty member at BCIT’s Broadcast and Media department since 1991.
Kevin loves the art of teaching. He finds it somewhat contradictory – engaging, intimidating, rewarding, sleep-reducing, inspiring, challenging – but never dull. He joined BCIT as a professional with a particular expertise but zero knowledge of educational practice. After stumbling through those initial years, he recognized the value of learning about learning. After much education and practice, he feels like he is beginning to acquire a reasonable balance between field experience, hands-on teaching, and educational pedagogy. One of his goals is to share that hard-earned balance with others heading down a similar path.
Kevin toils with unanswerable questions more frequently than he’d ever admit. To fertilize potential answers, he studied adult education at the University of Alberta, then complicated matters with graduate studies at Simon Fraser University in the Communication department. This pursuit of academic life followed a dozen years in the media, including personality performance at LG73 Vancouver (in the embarrassing 80’s). He also dabbled on the journalism front, the music side of the business, as well as management and consulting; Kevin is still not clear what he wants to do when he grows up. His ability to ‘chameleon’ between critical-thinking academic circles and the hands-on experiential world of media performance informs his diverse approach to business and culture. At heart, Kevin is a storyteller who recognizes the nourishing power of truly connecting with others.
Kathryn Stewart
Kathryn started her life on stage. Her love of acting led to a stint at theatre school at University of Victoria and then to Toronto Metropolitan University to study Radio and Television Arts. Good fortune catapulted Kathryn Stewart’s career to performing on-air at LG73 in Vancouver and a stint at the cool CFNY in Toronto. Later she shifted to management as the Promotions Director at JRFM. In the 90’s she realized her true purpose was to inspire others. Her focus shifted to education and she became a faculty member at BCIT. At the same time she created her own marketing company to support clients creatively.
In her quest for knowledge she discovered an interest in understanding the brain and what motivates achievement, she received her Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and Development. On a side venture, her love of propelling projects to fruition steered her toward producing a documentary in Guatemala, ‘Ixoq’, which won several international awards in 2019. Adding to her experience, Kathryn became a certified yoga instructor and Reiki practitioner. She continues her performance career as an actor and has been featured on television and commercials. With a unique mix of stage, radio, television, and education, partnered with her love of research, Kathryn is genuinely interested in guiding individuals to discover the power in their presence to claim their voice and propel connections.
Meet the Ignite Team
Ignite Voice Inc. has a dedicated and diverse team of coaches and leaders. Our team has vast experience in communication theory and curriculum development and is adept at creating unique programs to inspire personal growth. Beyond that, we all have experience working as professional communicators and bring to our clients experience from working in a variety of industries. Our team mission is to guide individuals, organizations, leaders, and performers in their ability to be authentic, have presence, and develop charisma. Move from fear to freedom and find your voice.
Our commitment is to provide you with the tools needed for success: enhanced confidence, improved ability to relate to your audience, and the capacity to release fear and build authenticity. Our guiding principle is to help unlock your full potential and bring a touch of genuine friendship to every story. Together, let’s rewrite narratives, cultivate connections, and ensure that every story, steeped in the spirit of friendship, becomes a powerful agent of positive transformation.
Coaches
Vanessa Chiu
Vanessa Chiu loves working with people and helping them to be the best, authentic versions of themselves. As a coach, Vanessa creates a safe, inclusive, and collaborative space where people can ask questions and learn, not only from her, but from each other.
She is thoughtful and kind in her approach, and encourages the mindset that progress, no matter how much, is perfection. Vanessa is also a top-rated radio host and award-winning voiceover artist with over 10 years of experience in the broadcast industry. She enjoys hosting her podcast “A Journey with Vanessa Chiu”, where she shares what she is learning as she works through life’s challenges, and how to care and nurture mental and emotional health.
When she is not working, Vanessa loves performing stand-up comedy, riding her motorcycle, and eating salty snacks (not necessarily at the same time). Her experience and talent is an asset to Ignite!
Martin Strong
Martin Strong is a communications veteran who has spent more than 25 years on Vancouver radio, including stints on CBC Radio, CKNW, and Rock 101 where he spent 11 years as co-host of The Rock 101 Morning Show.
Martin is also a voice actor who can be heard as narrator of the TV reality series “Jade Fever” which ran on Discovery Canada for 7 seasons and is now syndicated around the world. Martin’s love of performance, writing and education has lead him to become actively engaged as a coach with Ignite Voice Inc. His keen wit, sharp writing skills and excellent observation skills allows him to support clients in enhancing their authenticity and connection in presentations.
Martin has also been a part time instructor in the BCIT Media Arts program since 1996 teaching various courses in both the part time and full time studies programs.
Judith Campbell
Judith’s specialties are teaching. coaching, learning, listening, problem solving, and providing insights.
Her drive is to help others (companies and individuals) achieve their goals. Judith uses her unique style to identify issues and bring out the best in people to create exceptional performance and profitable relationships.
One of Judith’s many strengths is her ability to view problems from many angles. Her ‘first principles’ approach to coaching consistently allows her to work with people to arrive at innovative performances and creative communication opportunities.
Judith is passionate about Ignite’s philosophies as her many years in media, both on-air and in management, along with her work with member associations and within education, combine the forces of her exceptional talent to have a significant impact on the lives of many.
Digital Strategist & Developer
Erica Hargreave
Erica Hargreave is an internationally award-winning storyteller and educator. Using technology creatively to tell stories across platforms is her passion.
Over the past 15 years, her storytelling has focused on emerging, digital and immersive media. Forever experimenting with newer forms of technology and storytelling, she is a leader in adopting new technologies. Erica is adept at digital niche community building and enjoys engaging in various communities.
A force, Erica has written for TV, magazines, books, the web, and the education sector. She’s worked as a creative producer for TV, theatre, web series, and podcasts, directed, and starred in her own TV Show and Documentary Series.
Erica shares ideas around the world as a presenter, a teacher, and builds curriculum at universities across Canada. Her current experiments are in immersive media with AR and VR. She’s also adding layers to her various storyworlds with digital accessibility in mind and is finishing off her Master of Educational Technology.
Helping others to develop digital characters and voices to bring stories to life inspires Erica. She takes delight in doing this for others such as Ignite Voice Inc.
