Carrie McManus breaks down barriers and embraces change as the Director of Innovation and Programs at Sagesse. Her natural curiosity and passion for eradicating domestic abuse allow her to ask “what if” when developing initiatives that change long-standing beliefs and empower individuals, organizations and communities to disrupt the structure of domestic abuse. 

Through Carrie’s leadership, Sagesse has grown beyond its grassroots foundation. She has supported the development of new programs and initiatives that take a closer look at the unique needs of rural and remote survivors of domestic abuse and build the capacity of friends and family to recognize and respond to individuals experiencing domestic abuse in their communities.

In addition to creating programs to meet diverse needs, Carrie has created a contemporary way of thinking about revolutionizing the way Sagesse and other organizations approach program design, which has helped secure Sagesse as a well-respected domestic abuse agency across Alberta and around the world.

Her innovative approach to service delivery, especially when tackling a difficult topic such as domestic abuse, has caught the attention of individuals and organizations beyond Alberta’s borders. She continuously advocates for research, development, and innovation in the non-profit sector, and works closely with organizations in a variety of industries to use Sagesse’s organizational design ideas to uncover growth opportunities, shift paradigms and establish new ways of working. With this work in mind, Carrie spearheaded the creation of ByDesign, a social enterprise dedicated to stimulating real change by challenging the status-quo and breaking down the barriers to allow organizations in any sector to reach their full potential by shifting their thinking to an innovation-based model.

Carrie has over 20 years experience in strategic and program development, small business management, facilitation and education. She started her social work career with Mount Royal University’s Stepping Up program, a peer-led domestic abuse program in Calgary. Carrie then transitioned into her role with Sagesse. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie University in Halifax and a Diploma of Social Work from Mount Royal University in Calgary.