Our Team

Shelbie Sutherland, PhD

Senior Strategist

Shelbie is a Senior Strategist at BEworks. She works closely with clients to identify psychological barriers that prevent people from acting in their best interest and to design solutions that support people’s decision-making and overall well-being. Many of the projects she leads involve changing people’s perceptions in various contexts (e.g., workplaces, communities, consumer markets) around the world (e.g., North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, LATAM). These projects help her approach learning the nuances of a context to understand the specific barriers in place and develop tailored strategies that drive impact. Shelbie is passionate about the application of behavioural science insights and methods, especially when they are designed to improve equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

Before her time at BEworks, Shelbie spent over 10 years investigating cognitive biases that exist when people interpret new information. Such interpretations affect the beliefs, memories, and inferences people carry with them following the presentation of new information. Her primary research is published in top-tier academic journals and is recognized internationally. She holds a PhD in Development Psychology from the University of Illinois that was fully funded by Canadian and US national awards. Shelbie completed a Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto, where she also received a nationally recognized Insights Development Grant. She also earned an MA in Psychology (University of Illinois), and an MASc in Developmental Communication Sciences (University of Waterloo). 

Shelbie’s other passions lie in creating contexts for children to harness their energy and curiosity in ways that support their well-being. 

What does Shelbie love the most about working at BEworks?

What Shelbie loves most about working at BEworks is the incredible people. She is in consistent awe of the opportunity to work with such thoughtful scientists from wide backgrounds who love identifying challenges and developing solutions, and who have fun doing so together. 

FEATURING Shelbie

  • Strategy News: Trust the Science
  • VIDEO BEworks Summit 2021: Creating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Programs​

Shelbie's Featured Events

Humans Interacting with Humans: Reframing the Unexpected

2022-06-27 | 7pm - 9pm

First impressions are not created in a vacuum - we enter every encounter with expectations. 

  • Ada Le, PhDVice President, Strategy

    Ada Le, PhD

    Ada Le, PhDVice President, Strategy

  • Shannon O'Malley, PhDBehavioral Science Consultant

    Shannon O'Malley, PhD

    Shannon O'Malley, PhDBehavioral Science Consultant

  • Wardah MalikChief Executive Officer

    Wardah Malik

    Wardah MalikChief Executive Officer

  • Nina Mazar, PhD Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Advisor

    Nina Mazar, PhD

    Nina Mazar, PhD Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Advisor

  • David Pizarro, PhD Chief Science Officer

    David Pizarro, PhD

    David Pizarro, PhD Chief Science Officer

  • David R. Lewis, MBA, CFA, PhD President, BEworks Research Institute

    David R. Lewis, MBA, CFA, PhD

    David R. Lewis, MBA, CFA, PhD President, BEworks Research Institute

  • Nathaniel Barr, PhD Senior Innovation Advisor

    Nathaniel Barr, PhD

    Nathaniel Barr, PhD Senior Innovation Advisor

  • Michelle Hilscher, PhDVice President, Strategy

    Michelle Hilscher, PhD

    Michelle Hilscher, PhDVice President, Strategy

  • Sean Donnelly Senior Vice President, Client Strategy

    Sean Donnelly

    Sean Donnelly Senior Vice President, Client Strategy

  • David Thomson, PhDVice President, Strategy

    David Thomson, PhD

    David Thomson, PhDVice President, Strategy

  • Keegan Varella MBA, MSc. Fin, CPA, CMASenior Vice President, Finance & Operations

    Keegan Varella MBA, MSc. Fin, CPA, CMA

    Keegan Varella MBA, MSc. Fin, CPA, CMASenior Vice President, Finance & Operations

  • Adalberto Palma Executive Advisor, LATAM

    Adalberto Palma

    Adalberto Palma Executive Advisor, LATAM

  • Juan Camilo Salcedo, PhDRegional Director, LATAM

    Juan Camilo Salcedo, PhD

    Juan Camilo Salcedo, PhDRegional Director, LATAM

  • Miles Atwell, MBA Director, Operations, HR, Strategy

    Miles Atwell, MBA

    Miles Atwell, MBA Director, Operations, HR, Strategy

  • Angela Cooper, PhDSenior Strategist

    Angela Cooper, PhD

    Angela Cooper, PhDSenior Strategist

  • Shelbie Sutherland, PhDSenior Strategist

    Shelbie Sutherland, PhD

    Shelbie Sutherland, PhDSenior Strategist

  • Pierre-Jean Malé, PhDSenior Strategist

    Pierre-Jean Malé, PhD

    Pierre-Jean Malé, PhDSenior Strategist

  • Erick Roat, PhDAdvisor

    Erick Roat, PhD

    Erick Roat, PhDAdvisor

  • Mona Zhu, PhDAssociate

    Mona Zhu, PhD

    Mona Zhu, PhDAssociate

  • Julia Van de Vondervoot, PhDBehavioral Science Consultant

    Julia Van de Vondervoot, PhD

    Julia Van de Vondervoot, PhDBehavioral Science Consultant

  • Matthias Berkes, PhDAssociate

    Matthias Berkes, PhD

    Matthias Berkes, PhDAssociate

  • Youval Aberman, PhDBehavioral Science Consultant

    Youval Aberman, PhD

    Youval Aberman, PhDBehavioral Science Consultant

  • Ian Roberts, PhDAssociate

    Ian Roberts, PhD

    Ian Roberts, PhDAssociate

  • Fernando Heffner, BA Senior Graphic Designer

    Fernando Heffner, BA

    Fernando Heffner, BA Senior Graphic Designer

  • Jovana Todorovic, BFA Graphic Designer

    Jovana Todorovic, BFA

    Jovana Todorovic, BFA Graphic Designer

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