About Us

A Team Coaching offers training and development to help grow individuals and teams mentally and physically with a focus on creating safer organizations through the lens of equity, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility (EDIA). Through keynote speaking, signature and tailored workshops, facilitation, policy development and reporting, A Team helps organizations and employees build understanding in cultural competency, equips teams with strategies to recognize the importance of healthy relationships, and to build more inclusive, safe work environments. Our advocacy and training promote lasting system and social changes; ensuring policies, practices and processes within the company are designed to build a more equitable organization.

At A Team, not only do you access our qualified team members, but also our network of partners creating an exceptional experience for your organization.

Angela Simmonds

CEO and Founder

"I highly recommend Angela for any organization who is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and fundamental institutional change."

-Michelle Ward, Kids First Association

Angela Simmonds is an equity, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility consultant, lawyer, former member and deputy speaker of the Nova Scotia legislative assembly, a former small-business owner, and a community mobilizer whose 20-year career extends over the various fields of socio-economic development, education, entrepreneurship, policy, and cultural competency. Her work and expertise on the historical injustice and systemic discrimination with Land Titles Clarification Act has received national attention with support from the United Nations Working Group. Most recently, Angela was recognized as one of the top 100 most accomplished Black women in Canada.

Angela combines her lived experience, education, and backgrounds in law and politics to train organizations and non-for-profits on issues of discrimination, anti-black racism, sexual harassment, and biases. Her background makes her uniquely positioned to address racism, genderism, sexism, and barriers impacting individuals most vulnerable to structural, systemic inequalities in our society. Together, she supports employees and organizations on their path to building cultural competency and integrating equity, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility into their work.

Angelina Simmonds

Founder of Black Girls Pillow Talk | Consultant

Angelina Simmonds is from North Preston, where she spent much of her early life as a competitive swimmer. She has competed provincially and nationally, holding records in Nova Scotia. Her early experiences in athletics instilled a drive to uplift others, especially girls, through empowerment and confidence-building.

Building on her passion for empowering youth, Angelina pursued studies in Women and Gender Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University, fueling her commitment to addressing intersectional challenges. Angelina plays a key role to our training programs and supports client project designs. As a Justice Navigator at the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute, she assists individuals in navigating the justice system. Her role encompasses prevention and mitigation in areas such as criminal law, family and child welfare, mental health, addictions, social justice issues, and addressing factors linked to contact with the justice system. Before this, Angelina held positions at Acadia University and Halifax Partnership, where she built relationships, facilitated connections, and developed, implemented, and reported on evaluating recruitment programs and initiatives.

Driven by her dedication to empowering Black women, Angelina founded Black Girls Pillow Talk, an initiative designed to provide a supportive platform for young Black girls to connect, learn, and thrive. Through engaging events and discussions, Angelina fosters a community where future generations of Black female leaders can flourish and uplift one another. To learn more about Black Girls Pillow Talk read here.

Angelina draws inspiration from the words of Audre Lorde, "it is not our differences that divide us, it is our ability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” Emphasizing the importance of embracing and celebrating differences as a means of unity and empowerment.

Adré Simmonds

Trainer | Leader in Building Safer Spaces for Youth | Athlete

Adré Simmonds is from North Preston and has had a passion for football since his early years. In 2015, he made his mark as a high-performance athlete by joining Team Nova Scotia, where he won the Offensive MVP of the Year award. Later, he played at the prestigious Saint Andrews College, where he received the Offensive MVP of the Year and all-around MVP of the Year awards. In 2018, he was selected to play for Team Canada.

Adré attended Saint Mary’s University, where he was a varsity student-athlete playing for the football team. As the running back captain, Adré inspired his teammates to lead by example, work hard, and never settle for anything less than excellence. His commitment and dedication have provided him the opportunity to secure a position in a pro league with the Lake Fighters Alberta team.

Adré's commitment to football goes beyond playing. He is a certified professional trainer and also coaches and leads the A-Team Precision Play Camp. As the founder and visionary of the camp, his objective is to inspire and empower young athletes. He aims to create an environment where players can refine their skills, build leadership qualities, and make lifelong connections. Adré embodies the values of teamwork, discipline, and personal growth, guiding participants on a transformative journey both on and off the field. You can read more about Adré's inspiring journey by

clicking here.

Adré lives by his favourite quote, "Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can do what others can't" - Jerry Rice.

AJ Simmonds

Consultant

AJ Simmonds is from North Preston and is the proud father of two beautiful young boys, Amari Antonio and Adonis Adre. He is a dedicated father, advocate, facilitator, consultant, and community mobilizer. AJ believes that goals, commitment, and hard work can create opportunities and foster lifelong learning.

In his role as the Program Director of Fatherhood Matters at New Start Counselling, AJ plays a key role in training and supporting client projects. Prior to this, he served as Executive Director at Mulgrave Community Learning and Caring Centre, Halifax Regional Municipality Centre, and The Halifax Partnership's Connector Program. In these roles, he has been deeply involved in the community, driving transformational collective change.

As an alumnus of Acadia University with a major in Sociology, AJ understands the importance of genuine human regard for all people and leads by example, with integrity. He recognizes the significance of building trust and creating positive relationships through community-led initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and establishing partnerships. Empowering first voices and lived experiences is central to his approach to fostering societal change.

Our network of trusted partners

Margaret Schwartz

Communications Consultant

Margaret Schwartz (from Punamu'kwati'jk, Dartmouth Nova Scotia), is a natural connector and storyteller. She believes that language has the power to hurt or to heal. And that healing is best actualized when loving words are reflected with informed action.

Margaret holds a degree in Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University, and most recently, a certificate in Trauma-Informed Approach to Creating Safe Space from the Radical School of Healing. With ten years of experience across the social impact sector and provincial government, Margaret recently launched her own conscious communications firm, Margaret Schwartz Consulting to bring stories of impact to life and prompt thoughtful communication strategies that deepen relationships across community. Recently, while working with Placemaking 4G, she supported the development of the online, 11-module self-led course, Foundations of Belonging in the Workplace, which was co-created with the Nova Scotia Career Development Association to introduce diversity, equity and inclusion as a fundamental approach for building safer workplace cultures. Margaret serves on boards and committees for both TEAM Work Cooperative, and the Macphee Centre for Creative Learning. You can also find Margaret infusing the arts through poetry with traditional strategy work.

Robert S. Wright, MSW, RSW

Consultant & Therapist

Robert Seymour Wright is a queer, African Nova Scotian Social Worker and Sociologist whose 35-year career has spanned the fields of education, child welfare, forensic mental health, trauma, sexual violence, and cultural competence. He recently completed terms of service as the founding Executive Director of both the Peoples’ Counselling Clinic (Nov. 2017 - March 2024) and the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute (Fall 2021 - March 2024) and currently continues at the Peoples’ Counselling Clinic as Director Emeritus, Consultant and Therapist. Robert’s identity and work are grounded in his integrated and activist spirituality.

Robert has served in developmentally critical and notable positions throughout his career. He was the first Race Relations Coordinator for the Dartmouth District School Board, the Executive Director of Family and Children’s Services of Cumberland County and the Executive Director of the Child and Youth Strategy of Nova Scotia. He was an early practitioner of what has come to be known as Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work and he pioneered the introduction of Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs): A specialized, forensic, clinical presentence report for people of African descent. This latter work has received national attention. In August of 2021 the Government of Canada funded to expand the implementation of IRCAs nationally.

Jude Gerrard

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility (IDEA) Consultant

Jude Gerrard was born in Sheet Harbour and is a member of the Millbrook First Nation. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance/HR) degree from St. Mary’s University, a Bachelor of Education degree from Acadia University, and is completing his Master of Education in Equity and Social Justice at Acadia. He has been a speaker at national and international conferences on systemic oppression and racial identity. He has trained with international equity leaders in Cultural Proficiency, Cultural Humility, Beyond Diversity2, Courageous Conversations about Race, and received an Award of Recognition from the Pacific Educational Group for his work in reducing the achievement gap for First Nation and African Canadian students. He has worked for several federal and provincial departments, including the RCMP, CSC, Veterans’ Affairs, Education and Early Childhood Development, (where he helped established Treaty Education in NS) Communities Culture and Heritage, the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency, and the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives, where he helped with Canada’s first Equity and Anti-racism legislation. Jude has worked at several post-secondary institutions in Nova Scotia and served on the National Indigenous Education Advisory Committee for Colleges and Institutions Canada. Most recently he received his Certified Diversity Executive designation from the Institute for Diversity Certification in Indianapolis, Indiana and was the first Mi’kmaw employee to be awarded the NS Premier’s Award of Excellence.