Seema Jethalal.
Creative vision and strategy for the future of arts, culture and the creative industries.
I partner with artists, organizations and public institutions across North America bringing creative vision and strategic thinking together to shape a more inclusive cultural future.
Seema Jethalal.
Creative vision and strategy for the future of arts, culture and the creative industries.
I partner with artists, organizations and public institutions across North America bringing creative vision and strategic thinking together to shape a more inclusive cultural future.
Photo Credit:
John G Hampton
Photo Credit:
John G Hampton
Seema
Jethalal.
Creative vision and strategy for the future of arts, culture and the creative industries.
I partner with artists, organizations and public institutions across North America bringing creative vision and strategic thinking together to shape a more inclusive cultural future.
Photo Credit:
John G Hampton
About Seema
I'm an executive leader and creative producer with two decades of experience across the non-profit, private and public sectors. I've led festivals, cultural hubs, programs and advocacy initiatives from concept to completion, guided by a creative process: imagining boldly, refining ideas collaboratively, and delivering work that resonates with communities, especially those the sector has underserved.
I'm known for bringing together people who rarely sit at the same table: funders and artists, governments and grassroots organizations, established institutions and emerging voices. I create space for rigorous, candid conversations about transforming the sector, with equity and power at the centre and artists included in the decisions that affect them. By building trust, I help partners bridge differences and move toward meaningful progress and bold solutions.
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Extra Cardamom
Consulting
Extra Cardamom Consulting is a boutique consulting collective that collaborates on thoughtful, strategic, and values-driven work with organisations across sectors that are ready to make a meaningful change.
Our team includes heart-centred and purpose-driven leaders who believe the process is equally important to the results, and that equitable art and culture is essential to shaping thriving cities and communities.
Services
Building cultural infrastructure. Designing the next generation of institutions, networks, funding models and spaces where artists and communities can thrive.
Qualitative research and engagement. Interviews, consultations and engagement processes that centre lived experience and turn insight into strategy and action.
Memory-keeping and archiving. Preserving the stories, histories and knowledge that matter, so communities can hold them and future generations can carry them forward.
Strategic planning and advising. Equity-grounded plans, frameworks and advice designed for real-world implementation.
Building cultural infrastructure. Designing the next generation of institutions, networks, funding models and spaces where artists and communities can thrive.
Qualitative research and engagement. Interviews, consultations and engagement processes that centre lived experience and turn insight into strategy and action.
Memory-keeping and archiving. Preserving the stories, histories and knowledge that matter, so communities can hold them and future generations can carry them forward.
Strategic planning and advising. Equity-grounded plans, frameworks and advice designed for real-world implementation.
Approach
My work is collaborative, candid and rooted in care. Every engagement is shaped around the people it serves, with a team assembled to match.
My work is collaborative, candid and rooted in care. Every engagement is shaped around the people it serves, with a team assembled to match.
Collaborators
Lauren Gould
Lauren Gould
Lauren Gould
Lauren is the former CEO of Oshawa’s landmark Robert Mclaughlin Gallery, and a seasoned arts leader who has held leadership positions at the Gardiner Museum, National Museums Liverpool, School of Toronto Dance Theatre and more. She supports organizational change, board management, finance and operations, policy development, community engagement and much more.
Lauren is the former CEO of Oshawa’s landmark Robert Mclaughlin Gallery, and a seasoned arts leader who has held leadership positions at the Gardiner Museum, National Museums Liverpool, School of Toronto Dance Theatre and more. She supports organizational change, board management, finance and operations, policy development, community engagement and much more.
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Hima Batavia
Hima Batavia
Hima Batavia
Hima is a cultural leader, artist and community organizer known for her diverse skills in research, strategy, curation, programming, facilitation, learning design, strategic foresight, and production with organizations like TED, Centre for Social Innovation, East End Acts, Luminato, Woodgreen Community Services, Artscape, ROM, and many more.
Hima is a cultural leader, artist and community organizer known for her diverse skills in research, strategy, curation, programming, facilitation, learning design, strategic foresight, and production with organizations like TED, Centre for Social Innovation, East End Acts, Luminato, Woodgreen Community Services, Artscape, ROM, and many more.
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Rehana Tejpar
Rehana Tejpar
Rehana Tejpar
Rehana is a Montréal-based facilitator, leadership coach, mediator & movement artist known for midwifing transformative journeys with individuals and organizations including Righting Relations/ Catherine Donnelly Foundation, Greenpeace Canada, Outward Bound Canada, Saje Wellness, Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund, and many more.
Rehana is a Montréal-based facilitator, leadership coach, mediator & movement artist known for midwifing transformative journeys with individuals and organizations including Righting Relations/ Catherine Donnelly Foundation, Greenpeace Canada, Outward Bound Canada, Saje Wellness, Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund, and many more.
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Clients
Clients
Testimonials
“Seema is an empathetic and strategic leader with strong values. She is adept at bridging disparate communities to drive forward meaningful change. Seema and I worked together at the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) from 2018 to 2022 when she was Regional Director General (Ontario) and Federal Lead, Anti-Racism Engagement. Having joined the senior ranks at PCH directly from the non-profit sector, she had a unique and valuable perspective as someone with a deep understanding of the issues facing the communities we serve. She was able to juggle complex files and lead diverse teams thoughtfully while influencing policy. I appreciated Seema’s commitment to raising awareness about systemic barriers gracefully, her reflex to design for communities at the margins, and her ability to address barriers at their root. She is an excellent collaborator who developed trusting relationships across teams and branches to drive forward ideas with impact. What I will remember most about Seema is the way she modelled the change she aimed to inspire across the department”
- Isabelle Mondou,
Deputy Minister, Canadian Heritage
“Seema’s deep knowledge of issues of inclusion and anti-racism, coupled with her leadership style steeped in empathy, humility and collaboration enriched IDEA office’s knowledge and enabled us to create a more informed and grounded long-term IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) action plan”
- Jenny Ratansi-Rodrigues,
Director General & Corporate Secretary, Canadian Heritage
“Seema’s practice feels like a warm fire…provides comfort, you are tended to with care, you are drawn to its presence. I was searching for someone who understand nuance, is highly emotionally intelligent, creative, and trustworthy - Seema went above and beyond when matching these traits. There are not many people I would trust with my team on an intimate, two-day staff retreat - but I trust Seema, and after our retreat with her, so does our entire staff team”
- Kamilah Apong, Founder & ED, Lil Sis
Working with Seema was pure joy! As an exceptional listener and deep thinker, Seema was able to hear multiple voices and perspectives, analyze and synthesize the information, and beautifully capture the common viewpoints. I truly appreciated her regular communication, clear project timelines, ability to shift gears when needed, and openness to everyone who was involved in our project. Seema brilliantly facilitated our strategic planning process.
- Lauren Gould, former CEO Robert McLaughlin Gallery
"Seema has been incredible to work with – she's navigated and facilitated discussions between Peggy and other potential collaborators, including governmental and non-governmental organizations, with excellent structure, tact, and practicality. She understands and shares our desire to better support visual artists through artist resale rights using Peggy's unique AI technology. Not only does she help us feel prepared, but her presence and support during these meetings and thoughtful follow-ups have been exceptional. I can't imagine working with anyone else. It's a big task to try and bring a resale royalty for artists to life, and Seema's efforts to move this dream closer to reality have been instrumental. Thank you Seema for the continued effort and impact, we are so grateful!"
- Craig Follett, CEO Peggy
"Working with Seema has been a distinct pleasure. She supported our strategic planning process with clarity and generosity. As a guide, facilitator, and collaborator, she stayed grounded in her values and helped us dig into ours. Along the way, she shared perceptive questions and thoughtful suggestions that kept us moving forward effectively. Throughout, Seema remained truly responsive and flexible with respect to our unique process and organizational constraints. We hope to work with her again in the near future!"
- Megan Andrews, Executive Director, Dancer Transition Resource Centre
“Seema is an empathetic and strategic leader with strong values. She is adept at bridging disparate communities to drive forward meaningful change. Seema and I worked together at the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) from 2018 to 2022 when she was Regional Director General (Ontario) and Federal Lead, Anti-Racism Engagement. Having joined the senior ranks at PCH directly from the non-profit sector, she had a unique and valuable perspective as someone with a deep understanding of the issues facing the communities we serve. She was able to juggle complex files and lead diverse teams thoughtfully while influencing policy. I appreciated Seema’s commitment to raising awareness about systemic barriers gracefully, her reflex to design for communities at the margins, and her ability to address barriers at their root. She is an excellent collaborator who developed trusting relationships across teams and branches to drive forward ideas with impact. What I will remember most about Seema is the way she modelled the change she aimed to inspire across the department”
- Isabelle Mondou,
Deputy Minister, Canadian Heritage
“Seema’s deep knowledge of issues of inclusion and anti-racism, coupled with her leadership style steeped in empathy, humility and collaboration enriched IDEA office’s knowledge and enabled us to create a more informed and grounded long-term IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) action plan”
- Jenny Ratansi-Rodrigues,
Director General & Corporate Secretary, Canadian Heritage
“Seema’s practice feels like a warm fire…provides comfort, you are tended to with care, you are drawn to its presence. I was searching for someone who understand nuance, is highly emotionally intelligent, creative, and trustworthy - Seema went above and beyond when matching these traits. There are not many people I would trust with my team on an intimate, two-day staff retreat - but I trust Seema, and after our retreat with her, so does our entire staff team”
- Kamilah Apong, Founder & ED, Lil Sis
Working with Seema was pure joy! As an exceptional listener and deep thinker, Seema was able to hear multiple voices and perspectives, analyze and synthesize the information, and beautifully capture the common viewpoints. I truly appreciated her regular communication, clear project timelines, ability to shift gears when needed, and openness to everyone who was involved in our project. Seema brilliantly facilitated our strategic planning process.
- Lauren Gould, former CEO Robert McLaughlin Gallery
"Seema has been incredible to work with – she's navigated and facilitated discussions between Peggy and other potential collaborators, including governmental and non-governmental organizations, with excellent structure, tact, and practicality. She understands and shares our desire to better support visual artists through artist resale rights using Peggy's unique AI technology. Not only does she help us feel prepared, but her presence and support during these meetings and thoughtful follow-ups have been exceptional. I can't imagine working with anyone else. It's a big task to try and bring a resale royalty for artists to life, and Seema's efforts to move this dream closer to reality have been instrumental. Thank you Seema for the continued effort and impact, we are so grateful!"
- Craig Follett, CEO Peggy
"Working with Seema has been a distinct pleasure. She supported our strategic planning process with clarity and generosity. As a guide, facilitator, and collaborator, she stayed grounded in her values and helped us dig into ours. Along the way, she shared perceptive questions and thoughtful suggestions that kept us moving forward effectively. Throughout, Seema remained truly responsive and flexible with respect to our unique process and organizational constraints. We hope to work with her again in the near future!"
- Megan Andrews, Executive Director, Dancer Transition Resource Centre
Let's Connect!
Extra Cardamom is based in Tkaronto, Treaty 13 Territory and the ancestral lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples.
We have considerable learning and unlearning to do - internally, interpersonally and systemically - to move forward in right relations with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. We commit to deepening our understanding of Indigenous cultures and histories, making conscious efforts to interrupt patterns that harm Indigenous communities, and moving towards meaningful and equitable reconciliation.