NEW BOOK
OUT NOW!
“A brave, raw, and honest narrative written with the hope and intention to spark change.
Yes, it is a book about family violence AND it is also a pivotal dialogue point with law-enforcement and the courts – should they choose accountability.”
— Dr. Sheila French, researcher and practitioner of offender rehabilitation and corrections
DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE CHAPTER
Chelsey holds a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University, a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Justice Studies, a Child and Youth Care Diploma, and a General Studies Diploma from Lethbridge College. Her education is complemented by advanced training in Risk-Need-Responsivity (LS/CMI), Core Correctional Practice, Negotiation Mastery (Harvard Business School), Leadership Academy (OrgCode Consulting), Trauma-Informed Care, The Working Mind First Responder, A New Direction (Hazelton Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies), Indigenous Awareness, SafeTalk Suicide Intervention, MANDT, and First Aid. Together, this foundation informs an approach that integrates leadership, behavioural science, organizational development, and evidence-informed practice.
Throughout her career, Chelsey has partnered with judges, police services, corrections, probation, Indigenous governments, educational institutions, and community organizations to build programs, develop leaders, and improve collaboration across justice and human services. Whether designing organizational frameworks, facilitating leadership development, implementing evidence-informed practice, or advancing cross-sector initiatives, her focus remains the same: building institutions capable of protecting safety, advancing wellbeing, and shaping stronger outcomes across generations.
About THE AUTHOR
Award-winning Founder and Director of Roots & Rise, Chelsey De Groot has spent more than two decades building leadership, justice, and organizational capacity across corrections, public safety, human services, Indigenous partnerships, education, and community systems. From frontline practice to executive leadership, she has worked alongside governments, justice agencies, educational institutions, and community organizations to translate evidence-informed approaches into sustainable, high-impact systems change.
In Chelsey’s new book, I Shouldn't Have to Play the Victim, published by Landon Hail Press, extends that work through her own journey, offering a deeply personal perspective on the very structures she has spent her career helping to evolve.
Today, through Roots & Rise, Chelsey’s work centers on the policies, programs, complexities, and leadership that shape how safety is cultivated, protected, and experienced. At the heart of this work is the understanding that every responsive leader, effective institution, and coherent system holds both the capacity and the responsibility for creating a world in which individuals, families, and communities can thrive.
Curious to learn more?
Whether you’re interested in bringing Chelsey’s story to your community or want to learn more about Roots & Rise, schedule a call today and let’s see what we can build together!