ROOTED IN CANADA.
BUILT FOR IMPACT.
 LEADING THE TRANSFORMATION OF ASSESSMENT ACROSS CANADIAN SCHOOLS.
The Canadian Assessment Centre (CAC) was founded on a simple but powerful idea: change assessment, change everything.
Our goal is to help every educator, school, and district in Canada move beyond outdated grading systems toward evidence-based, human-centered assessment practices that elevate learning and confidence for all students.
Meet Our Team ↓IT STARTED WITH A SHARED VISION & A LOVE FOR HOME
For more than a decade, Tom Schimmer had been traveling the world speaking, consulting, and writing about modern assessment. From Burnaby to Beijing, his work helped schools and systems move beyond traditional grading toward practices that empower learning.
Meanwhile, Natalie Vardabasso was leading transformation on the ground in Canada, guiding a K–12 school through a full shift in assessment and reporting, before launching full-time into consulting and founding The Empowerment Ecosystem to unite educators who believed that when we rehumanize assessment, we rehumanize education.Â
By 2024, as both Tom and Natalie continued their international work, a shared realization began to take shape.Â
Their strengths, Tom’s global perspective and Natalie’s expertise in modern learning and digital innovation, were complementary pieces of the same puzzle. Together, they saw an opportunity not just to serve Canada more deeply, but to amplify Canadian excellence in assessment on the global stage.
The Canadian Assessment Centre (CAC) was born from that alignment. A national hub designed to elevate Canadian educators, celebrate local innovation, and lead the next evolution of assessment with a distinctly Canadian voice.
OUR NORTH STAR
 MISSION STATEMENT Â
To lead the transformation of assessment across Canada by equipping educators with high-quality professional learning experiences that challenge outdated practices and cultivate modern, meaningful approaches to student learning. We empower teachers, leaders, and districts to make assessment the heart of instruction, driving clarity, accuracy, and confidence for every student.
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 VISION STATEMENT Â
We imagine a future where assessment is no longer seen as an add-on or afterthought, but as the foundation of great teaching and learning. In this future, Canadian schools move beyond percentages and point accumulation to embrace rubrics, reflection, and 21st-century competencies. Assessment fuels student growth, strengthens teacher identity, and becomes the primary lever for deeper learning and system-wide equity.
Download the CAC Charter of Beliefs ↓
WHAT WE STAND FOR
 Our Charter of Beliefs guides everything we create.Â
From kindergarten classrooms to district boardrooms, we champion assessment that is:
- Accurate and Fair — rooted in professional judgement, not averages.
- Empowering — building confidence in students and teachers alike.
- Clear and Coherent — ensuring transparency across schools and systems.
- Meaningful and Modern — designed for our students’ future, not our pasts.Â
THE TEAM BEHIND THE MOVEMENT
A collective of experienced educators and consultants helping schools make assessment the heart of learning.
TOM SCHIMMER
FOUNDER
International speaker, author of 11 books including the bestseller Grading from the Inside Out, and consultant in over 25 countries. Tom began his career as a high school history teacher in 1991, before moving into administration for 11 years in various middle and high schools in Penticton, BC, where we led assessment and grading reform. Tom has spent more than 20 years leading the charge to modernize grading, reporting, and assessment systems. His work has influenced educators globally and continues to shape the conversation around outcomes-based assessment.
NATALIE VARBADASOÂ
FOUNDER
 Natalie is known for her dynamic approach to professional learning and her ability to merge research, empathy, and practicality in every experience she designs. Her previous ventures, from the #EduCrush podcast to the Empowerment Ecosystem, have empowered educators to rethink what’s possible. In May of 2025, she co-authored her first book Rehumanizing Assessment: Gathering Evidence of Student Learning Through Storytelling.Â
DANIELLE PALOPSKI
CONSULTANT
Expert in system-level innovation and classroom assessment with a focus on authentic learning and teacher empowerment.
JOSH OGILIVE
 CONSULTANT
Physical and Health Education national leader who helps schools design competency-based assessment models that spark student motivation.Â
KARLEY ALLEYN
 CONSULTANT
Consultant specializing in assessment identity, passionate about creating assessment that inspires growth and self-awareness.
BUILT ON DECADES OF EXPERIENCE
  While CAC is new, our team’s expertise is anything but. Â
Together, we’ve:
- Partnered with schools and ministries across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
- Authored 11 books and contributed to multiple international publications.
- Designed and facilitated hundreds of workshops and keynotes.
- Supported system-wide reform in dozens of Canadian schools and districts.
LET’S TRANSFORM ASSESSMENT, TOGETHER
Whether you’re exploring professional learning for your team, seeking a keynote for your next conference, or looking to collaborate on district-wide reform, we’d love to connect.
