Writer, teacher, podcaster and consultant based in Whitehorse, Yukon

About Me

If you’re looking for my weekly Substack, it’s here!

I’m a writer, podcaster, communications consultant, university instructor, public speaker, and theatre professional. In addition to my communications and copywriting work, I’ve written travel nonfiction, plays, short stories, and poetry. In 2024 I was selected as one of six artists for a residency at the Arctic Circle Retreat, where I continued working on a novel. My poem, “Sunshine Cinema”, won Arc Poetry’s Award of Awesomeness.

I hosted the weekly podcast, What On Earth is Going On?, which featured guests such as poet and biographer Rosemary Sullivan, fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay, broadcaster Terry O'Reilly and many more. I have since produced and developed several successful podcasts, such as PuSh Play.

My plays, such as I Am The Serpent, Fiery Eyes, Wealth, The Opera Suicide, and a new translation of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie, have been produced in Canada and the UK.

I teach Creative Writing, Literature and Theatre at Yukon University, and am a founding board member of Yukon Words, a nonprofit society dedicated to promoting the literary and word arts. I also write for What’s Up Yukon and The Yukon Lookout.

I live in Whitehorse, Yukon, with my wife and two kids. Every week I write a free newsletter called Walking Down the Street Naked.

Portfolio

Some of my work is hosted on this site or linked to from here. However, I can share my larger writing portfolio upon request. Let me know!

For my communications work, I am happy to share my past work as well as references from previous clients, such as ATS Automation, the Cannabis Council of Canada, the City of Calgary, Fueling Brains, Kingston WritersFest, PuSh Festival for the Performing Arts, Queen’s University, Raven ReCentre, the Royal Bank of Canada, and the Yukon Star.

My Work

Here are some of my creative projects. For a complete list, send me an email.

  • A play by Harold Pinter I co-directed in Calgary, 2014. Learn more!

  • Wrote this play for one performer and was also the performer. Surprisingly, it’s about the writer’s ego.

  • A travel blog of my trip from Paris to Tanzania overland. Read it!

  • A short story. Learn more.

  • A poem, winner of Arc Poetry’s March 2024 Award of Awesomeness. Read it!

  • I’m a D&D DM. I get a little too involved with worldbuilding to run campaigns and one-shots. Want to play or learn more? Send me an email.

  • A free weekly Substack newsletter. Subscribe now.

  • An updated version of Orson Wells’ classic radio play. Listen now!

  • A play, produced in London and Edinburgh, UK. Learn more!

  • A podcast, produced from 2018-2020. Over 100 episodes. Listen now!

Testimonials

Claire Bouvier

“I have had the chance to work with Ben in several different capacities. I have also been interviewed many times and I can say that Ben is by far the best person to be interviewed by. He is incredibly sharp, witty and has an amazing ability to anticipate where the conversation is going. His intuitiveness keeps the conversation engaging, topical and inspiring. Ben is also a very strong communicator and writer. He helped me write a speech for one of my events for FEiST. I have learned a lot from Ben over the years and can say he is one of those individuals that you never forget. He is gregarious and full of life. It is truly his genuine nature and curiosity that intrigues me. I couldn't recommend Ben more for any project you are working on in the communication, hosting, writing, public speaking space!”

Robyn Crawford

“Strategic, creative and incredibly hard-working, Ben knows how to make things happen. He brings strong communications skills and insight, while being a trusted, positive team member and leader. He makes teams better. If you get the opportunity to work with him, take it.”

Jaret Hargreaves

“Working with Ben on the campaign was an extremely rewarding experience. His contributions to the Leadership Team and leadership of the Communications Team were both vital to a win in such a close race. As the Deputy Campaign Manager, Ben demonstrated a powerful capacity for strategic thinking. I learned a lot watching him integrate information from the field program, fundraising, event planning and data management to inform coherent strategic plans to guide the campaign. He always provided sound advice and threw the full weight of his effort behind the course selected by the team. The results from the Communications Team led by Ben speak for themselves. Multiple sources - both internal and external to the campaign - reported that they had never seen a more consistently positive and on-message campaign. Given that it ran for more than a year, that is nothing short of remarkable and speaks to his leadership of the team. I would strongly recommend Ben for any position requiring strong communications skills, working collaboratively in small teams where trust and discretion are essential, or where an ability to contextualize the potentially wide-ranging impact of a given course of action is required.”

Jody MacPherson

“It's not often that you can say you made history. But in Ben's case, he can say it with pride. Ben led the communications team for Kent Hehr's campaign for Member of Parliament in Calgary Centre. He was instrumental in electing a Liberal in a city where none had been elected federally in over four decades. Ben quickly earned respect for his work ethic, his knowledge of communication and his ability to manage a large team. Juggling multiple projects at once, on tight budgets and even tighter deadlines, Ben came through every time. He was a trusted and admired member of the campaign's inner circle. Without hesitation, one of the most talented managers I know.”

Jennifer Proche

“Ben is a tremendous asset to everything he is involved in. I’ve had the chance to work alongside him in two roles—Kent Hehr for Calgary Centre and at the Office of the Councillors at the City of Calgary. In both roles, he is a quick study and is very adaptable. Not only is he one of the hardest working people you will meet, he is also one of the nicest people. He is a natural leader and his leadership on the Kent Hehr Campaign was the glue that kept the team together. He is also passionate about wanting to help others and to understand what they are trying to say which makes him an amazing listener. Ben is also a very talented and gifted writer and public speaker. He has the ability to draw people into his message with a grace that I have not seen too many people have. ”

Janice Andersson

“Ben is a remarkable colleague and natural leader. He is solution-focused and has an intuitive sense of when to step in and take action. He is positive, creative and highly motivated.”