The origins of Altitude Heritage and Resource Protection Canada trace back to the rugged field sites of archaeological digs and wildfire zones. Following his postgraduate studies in Digital Cultural Heritage, Theo Shaheen-McConnell launched a pioneering initiative designed to reimagine the future of field-based operations, bringing bold digital innovation to spaces overlooked by technological development. Theo recognized a persistent pattern: crucial knowledge was often fragmented across isolated systems, limiting its accessibility and impact. This insight fueled his mission to design collaborative frameworks where data could flow more freely and serve those it most directly affects.
As Theo’s career evolved, so did the environments he worked in. He took on roles as a resource advisor on wildland fires, where he helped minimize damage to cultural and environmental resources during emergency response. Within that high-pressure context, he spearheaded emerging strategies that aligned planning, operations, and resource protection, advancing real-time collaboration and more integrated decision-making. That’s when Altitude HRPC was born – providing a platform designed to improve how information flows across stakeholders, partners and communities in land stewardship and resource-based projects. Think First Nations, wildfire response teams, utility crews, construction firms, land mangers and government planners – everyone needing access to the same situational data, fast and clearly.
The technology Theo is developing ensures that vital knowledge can be easily shared with the right teams, whether they’re fighting a fire, surveying land, or shaping long-term ecosystem strategies. “There’s a real sense of collective energy around this,” he says. “Seeing teams light up with possibilities is incredibly motivating and what keeps me going. It’s a sign that we’re on the edge of something groundbreaking.”
Originally from the Bay Area, Theo studied at UBC and worked his way across British Columbia before settling in Whitehorse after meeting his wife in Prince George. He’s now an active member of Tech Yukon, using the community as a place to grow, learn, and connect.
If you’re managing place-based projects and looking for better ways to communicate across teams, Theo encourages you to reach out. Altitude HRPC is building the tools to support the frontlines of resource management and land stewardship in the North.
