Strategic Career & Workforce Advisory
The Future of Healthy Work
What helps people build healthy, sustainable careers, and what makes that possible inside small organizations?
Acorn Avenue is developing an applied research and implementation practice focused on healthier, more psychologically safe and neuro-inclusive ways of working.
The first proposed area of research will explore how smaller New Brunswick businesses and organizations can support employee learning, growth, wellbeing and career development when there is no large HR department or dedicated workplace-development team.
This work will bring together the experiences of employees, small-organization leaders, career-development professionals and community partners. The goal is to understand what is already working, where barriers remain and which practical changes small workplaces can realistically implement and sustain.
You may be able to participate by sharing your perspective, joining a future consultation, supporting the research, helping to test practical approaches or sharing the final resources with your community.
About Us:
Acorn Avenue Consulting was founded on the belief that good decisions take time, care, and clear thinking, especially when people, learning, and work intersect.
Our approach is grounded in:
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career development theory and practice
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educational psychology and adult learning
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systems thinking and reflective decision-making
We work alongside organizations as a strategic thinking partner, helping make sense of complexity, connect ideas, and design approaches that are both thoughtful and practical.
What we do
Acorn Avenue provides strategic advisory support to help organizations:
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Think through complex people and program decisions: When the “right” answer isn’t obvious, we help surface assumptions, weigh trade-offs, and clarify direction.
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Design frameworks, processes, and strategy: From career development models to internal processes, we help create structures that are thoughtful, usable, and grounded in real-world practice.
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Make sense of change and uncertainty: Whether navigating shifting workforce needs, program redesign, or evolving expectations, we support reflective decision-making in uncertain contexts.
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Strengthen career development offerings: We bring evidence-informed insight from career development theory, adult learning, and educational psychology to enhance programs, services, and systems.
Our role is not to tell you what to do, but to help you think better about what you’re doing and why.
Who we work with:
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Organizations delivering career development or employment services
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Educational institutions and training providers
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Workforce development and community organizations
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Leaders and teams responsible for people, programs, or strategy
Engagements may include advisory conversations, strategy development, framework design, or reflective planning support.
Jessica McKenna
Lead Strategist and Founder
Jessica brings a combination of research expertise, systems-level thinking, and grounded, relationship-based practice to her work. Her background spans career and workforce development, education, and organizational support, with extensive experience working with individuals, teams, and programs focused on learning, work, and transition.
She is particularly interested in:
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how adults learn, change, and make decisions
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how systems and processes shape people’s experiences
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how career development and workforce programs can be designed more intentionally and sustainably
She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Human Relations and is the co-author of peer-reviewed research examining professional identity, beliefs, and practice.
Jessica is known for her ability to bridge policy, research, and frontline realities, helping organizations design workforce strategies that are practical, respectful, and responsive to community context. She works collaboratively with leadership teams, practitioners, and partners to support sustainable workforce development grounded in trust, clarity, and long-term impact.
Land Acknowledgement
At Acorn Avenue Consulting, we acknowledge that our work takes place on the traditional, unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) people. The land surrounding the Wolastoq (Saint John River) has long been a place of gathering, learning, and connection, and the stewardship of the Wolastoqiyik continues today.
We honour the enduring relationship between the Wolastoqiyik and this land and recognize the ongoing impacts of colonization. Through our work, we are committed to learning, listening, and contributing to reconciliation by fostering inclusion, respect, and equitable opportunities.
We invite our clients, partners, and community members to reflect on how we can collectively support Indigenous sovereignty, amplify Indigenous voices, and take meaningful steps toward reconciliation.