Meet Sharon
Synapse Learning was founded by Sharon Papish, a performance consultant and learning strategist with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations improve workplace performance.
Throughout her career, Sharon has partnered with organizations across regulated, safety-critical, and operational environments to solve complex performance challenges. Her work spans local, national, and global initiatives, helping organizations strengthen performance through practical, evidence-based solutions that build capability, improve consistency, and support lasting change.
Professional Highlights
- Led the team recognized with the CSTD WOW Award for Innovation for an aviation learning initiative
- Designed instructional storyboards for an innovative computer-based veterinary training program to replace live animal training at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine
- Collaborated with global project teams to write and support international learning and performance initiatives
- Projects across aviation, transportation, mining, healthcare, financial services, government, post-secondary education, and safety associations
- B.Ed. (Special Education), Post-Graduate Diploma (Educational Psychology & Special Education), M.Ed, (Educational Technology and Design)
The People Behind the Work
Fiona Macelli B.Ed, BDes.
Darcy Rollack BA, B.Ed., MSc.
Fiona Macelli B.Ed, BDes.
Fiona brings together instructional design, eLearning development, accessibility, and performance improvement with a strong visual design perspective. With a background in industrial and product design and experience as a visual artist, she has a particular talent for turning complex ideas into learning that is clear, engaging, and accessible.
Clyde Brown BTech, B.Ed
Darcy Rollack BA, B.Ed., MSc.
Fiona Macelli B.Ed, BDes.
Clyde brings nearly two decades of experience in education and online learning, with expertise in instructional design, eLearning development, graphic design, and illustration. With degrees in technology and education and a particular strength in STEM, he combines strong technical knowledge with the ability to make complex subject matter clear and engaging.
Darcy Rollack BA, B.Ed., MSc.
Darcy Rollack BA, B.Ed., MSc.
Darcy Rollack BA, B.Ed., MSc.
Darcy brings together instructional design and eLearning development with a strong understanding of how people think and learn. With a background in computer science and a master’s degree focused on cognition and learning, he combines learning science with a decidedly geeky technical side - particularly useful when the subject matter gets complex.
Ethan Gohring
Darcy Rollack BA, B.Ed., MSc.
Darcy Rollack BA, B.Ed., MSc.
Ethan brings professional audio expertise to projects that need more than standard narration. With a background in music production, audio engineering, and mixing and mastering, he helps create polished, high-quality audio for learning and digital content.
Why "Synapse"?
A synapse is the connection point where one neuron communicates with another. It's where information is transmitted, connections are made, and signals move from thought to action.
That idea inspired the name Synapse Learning.
Throughout my career, I've seen organizations invest significant time and resources developing their people. Yet learning alone rarely changes performance. Lasting improvement happens when the right connections are in place - connecting learning with application, employees with leaders, systems with behaviours, and strategy with execution.
That's why our work starts with learning about yours. We learn how the work gets done, what people are being asked to do, what's getting in their way, and what support they need to succed. Only then do we determine what's needed to improve performance - whether that's learning, better tools and processes, stronger leadership support, or something else entirely.
That's why Synapse Learning exists.
We help organizations strengthen the connections that turn knowledge into action and learning into measurable performance.
Bridging the Gap Between Knowing and Doing.
