People and Culture

Bernadine Jules is an emerging leader due to the consistent and meaningful DE&I transformation she has delivered at BNP Paribas in Canada, both inside and outside her day-to-day operations. As a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Talent Acquisition Partner, she specializes in recruiting diverse talents for the Canadian organization, spearheading new partnerships with various local associations to diversify BNP Paribas' access to talent. In addition to leading inclusive recruitment efforts, Bernadine is driving the integration of internal DE&I initiatives, events, and topics that help employees grasp the profound value that ethnocultural, gender and neurodiverse inclusivity brings to the bank. For example, she founded the Black Heritage Employee Resource Group (ERG), putting concrete actions in place to create a safe, respectful, diverse, and inclusive environment for the Black community within the Canadian organization. In addition, she successfully created and launched the global "CulturALL" initiative, a network of various BNP Paribas groups from around the world that aims to raise awareness among all staff on the discrimination and barriers that employees of ethnocultural diversity face. Above all, Bernadine has become a subject matter expert and authority on DE&I and inclusive leadership both within the bank and the broader financial services and banking industry. Finally, as an emerging leader, Bernadine is committed to lifelong learning: she is currently completing her Masters in Sustainability & Management at HEC Montréal, in addition to being a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional (CCIP) and holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies from Concordia University.

Founder by day, a content creator by night, and a mountain adventurer for life.

Background in building products and leading teams from zero to 1 in early-stage startups that collectively raised $200M+ in early-stage funding, with 2 acquisitions (ElementAI, NestReady).

Currently running an online community of 50k newcomers and building a tech startup to help newcomers transition to the Canadian workforce faster and with intention.

Emilio is a seasoned professional with expertise in organizational strategy, HR, innovation, law, and technology. He leads transformative initiatives for multi-billion-dollar corporations, enhancing profitability through cost-effective models. Emilio's influence extends to his tech venture affiliated with ISED Canada, where he leverages technology to identify top talent. A dedicated philanthropist, Emilio serves as Co-Chair of the Legacy Project at CANFAR, showcasing his commitment to health research in Canada. With a diverse skill set and industry knowledge, Emilio is a valuable ally for navigating the complexities of modern business.

Allison Hicks is a dynamic HR Executive with over 15 years of experience spearheading global people and culture operations. With a track record of success, Allison excels in creating and scaling HR functions across diverse regions, fostering transformative growth within organizations.  Currently serving as the Vice President of People & Culture at Trulioo, Allison brings a wealth of expertise to her role, having successfully navigated the complexities of HR operations in both progressive startups and established organizations. Prior to joining Trulioo, Allison held various positions in world-renowned companies such as Kaseya and the Rival Group. Recognized as a trusted mentor and coach, Allison provides invaluable guidance to individuals and teams, aligning their efforts with organizational objectives. Committed to her own professional growth, she holds designations as a CHRP and SHRM, continuously enhancing her executive presence and expertise in HR. Her diverse background enriches her approach to HR leadership, making her a valuable asset in any organizational setting.

Brooke Graham is a DEI strategist & facilitator who aims to transform workplaces. Her passion drives her impactful DEI leadership and dynamic training sessions. Brooke currently leads DEI at LifeLabs, a nationwide organization with over 6,500 employees, scaling programs for all levels of team members. Brooke's expertise & care extends widely from her work with Indigenous communities to global financial firms, demonstrating her commitment to fostering change and equity in every and any space.

Brooke's collaborative and empathetic approach leads to what she believes is the underpinning of DEI: authentic & accountable relationships. She believes in the power of community, and with this, she strives to communicate the work of DEI through values alignment and inclusive strategies to lead businesses on the path toward their vision & purpose.

Maria Vassiliou is a thought leader in mental health, death, and grief, a social innovator, and Strategist with Eirene Cremations. Her work has been featured in World Economic Forum and United Nations publications. Her expertise in marketing and communications results in insightful, approachable, and highly engaging content about a topic that most find hard to discuss. Her podcast, Philotimo Life, has organically attracted listeners in over 20 countries and generated thousands of downloads. Through her personal experiences and over a decade of expertise in this field, she has become a trusted practitioner and advocate in this space, and is dedicated to revolutionizing coversations around death, dying and grief. 

Katherine Mior (pronoun she/her) is the Co- founder of Empowering Auto, a not for profit with the specific aim of attracting and retaining women and equity deserving groups into the auto industry. Through our annual conference partnership, recruitment strategies and on-going conversions Katherine’s goal is to build a stronger, more diverse automotive industry. Katherine is also an HR professional who is passionate about creating an inclusive and welcoming culture, as well as, supporting team members achieve their career goals and dreams! 

Julia leads LCBO’s social impact platform, delivering on the organization’s commitment and government mandate to help shape a more sustainable Ontario. She plays an integral role in driving impact for the organization and its stakeholders while influencing positive change in the beverage alcohol industry. Julia is currently leading the development and execution of LCBO’s new innovative ESG strategy. 

With nearly 15 years’ experience in social impact, Julia has worked in charitable fundraising, community investment, corporate strategy, and built a career in both the non-profit and corporate sector. Julia champions equity, spearheading new education programs that provide scholarships and bursaries, while also launching authentic charitable partnerships with the BlackNorth Initiative, Indspire and Women’s College Hospital Foundation. 

Recognizing a need to increase diverse representation and foster inclusion in the industry, Julia pioneered the Spirit of Inclusion Initiative. The program is designed to create opportunities for diverse women to enter, advance, and thrive in the beverage alcohol industry. 

As an advocate for inclusion and representation, Julia has always envisioned a career in social impact. In addition to her work at the LCBO, she participated in a development internship through McMaster University in Uganda, Africa where she worked to implement community health programs. 

Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a postgraduate certificate in Public Relations from McMaster University. She is also an ESG and CSR board member for Board Org and sits on the BlackNorth Initiative gala planning committee. Julia is currently completing Rotman School of Management’s Sustainability Leadership certificate.

As a First Nations Ojibwe and French-Canadian wife, mother, entrepreneur and speaker, Jennifer Ménard-Shand always dreamed of leading a purpose-driven organization. Today, she lives that dream as the founder & CEO of Staff Shop, an award-winning certified diverse staffing firm. Through sharing her inspirational entrepreneurial journey as well as insight into truth and reconciliation in the workplace, elevating Indigenous-women-led businesses; supplier diversity; and the Canadian labour market, Ménard-Shand inspires leaders and their teams to reach their full potential both at home and work.

Jennifer began her career in 2008 at one of Toronto’s most trusted full-service recruitment agencies, The Bagg Group. In 2013, she created Bagg @ Your Service, the organization’s first hospitality and event division, before purchasing her creation in 2018 and evolving it into Staff Shop. Today, her company services hundreds of clients across North America and deploys thousands of employees across Canada as a full-service, multi-service line staffing and consulting firm with a focus on global expansion.

Ménard-Shand’s entrepreneurial story celebrates the triumph of resiliency. She is a survivor of abuse, abandonment, domestic violence, imposter syndrome and PTSD. She is committed to breaking the silence and putting an end to generational trauma and unhealthy cycles. There is no limit to the positive impact Staff Shop and Jennifer can have on humanity. This is what drives her to do her best and inspire others to leave a legacy worth following for future generations.

Jasmine Cumberland is Co-Founder and Principal at TROIS Collective, a fractional people and

culture consulting firm founded in 2021 to support start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses. She brings her human resources and operations expertise from Series A to Fortune 50 companies, in industries including technology, professional services, retail, and entertainment, to her clients, providing progressive HR solutions to help their businesses thrive. 

Community engagement is incredibly important to Jasmine and she currently serves on the Paralympic Foundation of Canada Board of Directors and as Chair of the Governance & Nominations Committee. Jasmine is also a Managing Partner at Women’s Equity Lab Toronto, which aims to increase female representation in angel investing and investments made in female-founded companies. She was previously President of the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Alumni Association Board of Directors and a founding Board Member and Chair of the JDC West Board of Directors. 

Jasmine was recognized for her contributions as the inaugural recipient of the SFU Beedie School of Business Alumni Impact Award.

She holds a Master of Laws in Innovation and Technology (University of Toronto), a Bachelor of Business Administration Honours (SFU), and is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources. As an Associate Certified Coach (International Coaching Federation) she coaches leaders and executives through Moli Atelier, the coaching company she founded.

Jasmine is proud of her mixed-race background and enjoys travelling. She has lived in Europe and Asia, and has explored many areas of the world, including memorable trips to Easter Island and hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Hey there, I'm Aamna!

I help transform the way we work + live in the great city of Toronto, Canada. Currently, Head of People Operations at Voiceflow and OISE Adult Education Graduate Student at University of Toronto. Previously, People Analytics and Talent Acquisition at TELUS Digital and at Cineplex Entertainment, Instructor & Course Developer at York University and Toronto Metropolitan University (Ryerson).

My sweet-spot is getting companies operationally ready to grow & scale effectively - developing the people foundation, getting the HR tech right, hiring & attraction, ensuring the people data collection is set up from day 1, and laying the groundwork to build a great team.

I’ve been lucky to help some of Canada's most exciting businesses (start-ups & enterprises) through periods of growth and digital transformation. Plus, I get serious satisfaction in helping people accelerate their careers.

At the core, I'm a mom who loves exploring the city, staying active and Pinterest-ing new things to make.

Howdy! My name is Imran and I love working in the People space. I enjoy learning and making a workplace the best possibly space it can be for everyone. I like to take advantage of the varied career path I've had to help me in my current role as leading the People Experience at DrugBank. Working in the HR/People space over the last three years has been a wonderful journey, getting to meet incredible folks and ability to learn from them. Being on the People Team gives you the ability to impact and touch a lot of aspects of an individual's journey and I take that responsibility seriously. From onboarding to offboarding, my goal is to give everyone a smooth and hassle free experience.

Born and raised in Toronto, I've spent my years building, leading, and scaling the People & Talent function at multiple Toronto start-ups/scale-ups. I focus on developing strategies to attract, engage, and retain the best talent in order to build diverse, high-performing teams. I pride myself on building a culture of psychological safety and strong employee engagement. Community and sharing experiences is really important to me. I spend a lot of time learning, giving, and receiving knowledge through a ton of forums (Slack groups, events, coaching, etc). When I’m not working, you can find me mentoring, hanging out with friends, at a boxing class, dancing, or reading.

Elissa Gurman is a Principal at MacPhie, a boutique management consultancy based in Toronto, where she specializes in organizational development, strategic facilitation, and inclusive communication. Elissa earned her PhD in English literature from the University of Toronto, her Diversity, Equity and Inclusion certificate from Cornell University, and her Change Management Practitioner Certification from Prosci. When she’s not working with leaders on their complex business challenges, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her husband and two young children.

Balbina Knight is a visionary leader dedicated to pushing the boundaries of traditional workplace dynamics. As the VP of People & Culture at Thrive Digital, she serves as both a people experience architect and activist, striving to create a more humane and innovative world of work. With over 13 years of experience in technology and marketing, Balbina has led top marketing teams in North America, managing growth campaigns for renowned brands. Her journey has evolved to fuse business strategy with progressive people practices, recognizing that sustainable organizational growth hinges on the success and well-being of its individuals.

Balbina is committed to driving transformation by fostering a culture of courage and compassion. She believes that true innovation emerges from a deep understanding of human needs and aspirations. By championing a human-centred approach, she empowers workplaces to adapt and thrive amidst rapid change, positioning the needs of people as the cornerstone of business success. Balbina's mission is clear: to cultivate environments where every individual's potential is nurtured, knowing that when people flourish, so too does the organization. With her unwavering dedication to both business excellence and the holistic well-being of individuals, Balbina Knight is shaping the future of work one transformative initiative at a time.

As a Certified Human Resources Professional, I bring a wealth of experience in various HR functions, including recruitment, training, and development. My expertise extends to HRIS systems and data analysis, allowing me to optimize processes and strategies.

In my role as Talent Acquisition Manager at Giant Tiger, I lead a team responsible for recruiting across various departments. I prioritize collaboration and results, ensuring alignment between organizational goals and employee needs.

Beyond managing recruitment efforts, I offer strategic guidance and support to client groups, using data insights to enhance decision-making and planning.

I'm particularly passionate about coaching and supporting new hires, fostering their growth and integration within our teams.

Overall, I strive to contribute positively to our organization's success by balancing organizational objectives with the well-being of our employees.

With an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, Char specializes in supporting organizations as they scale up by nurturing value-driven cultures and elevating A+ talent. Char is passionate about living her life with what she calls "BEEE," or Big Empathy & Equity Energy, both inside and outside work. Currently, she is working at Beacon HR as their People Operations & Talent Strategist, where she works with a variety of small to mid-sized companies across Canada to build out their people & culture practices from scratch.

Nour utilizes her 15 years of experience as a workforce advisor, mentor, and influencer to inspire youth to make informed career choices that challenge the status quo.

Nour Hachem wants to change global perspectives on women’s contribution to society. Inspired by her mother’s perseverance to excel in a male-dominated field, Nour dug deep into the “why” behind the lack of women in skilled trades. She realized that the barriers keeping women out of these rewarding careers were common to other male-dominated paths, so she founded a non-profit to encourage and empower young women to explore careers they may never have considered.

Nour’s challenge to listeners is that one must first address internal preconceptions before being capable of making significant strides that transform our work and world. A brilliant connector and facilitator, audiences are drawn to her candour and unique perspective from an extensive career in workforce development and her lived experiences as a woman of colour. She shares energetic stories of what leaders are doing right and offers real-world examples of how embracing diverse workplaces accelerates success.

Nour earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Windsor and expanded Build a Dream across Canada while completing her MBA, raising children, and earning many awards and accolades. Most recently, she WXN recognized her as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada in 2022. She spends each day following her passion: creating equity not just in the workplace, but in all the spaces around us.

Marina Darling is a change agent, facilitator, and organizational development consultant, driven by a passion for innovation, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and leading impactful change management initiatives. As an alumnus of Queen’s University, Marina holds a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy and a Master of Management Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the Smith School of Business. She is also certified in Change Management (PROSCI) and Process Management (Excellence Canada). Currently, Marina is the Organizational Development Consultant in Human Resources Organizational Development and Learning team at Queen’s University. Marina brings her expertise to individuals and departments across the institution through organizational design services, customized training, team development, and change management support. Marina leverages her background in innovation and entrepreneurship to integrate creative problem solving and design-thinking frameworks into her work, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and agility. Marina deeply believes in personal and professional growth through embracing new challenges and connecting with her community. Accordingly, Marina leads an Ontario-wide Community of Practice for Organizational Development Professionals and serves as a member of the Queen’s Women’s Network (QWN) Logistics Committee, and the Wellness Champions Advisory Committee (Queen’s University). Outside of her role at Queen's, Marina is a Consultant and Strategist dedicated to supporting individuals and organizations advance strategic projects and navigate wicked problems. In her personal life, Marina cherishes moments spent with her family (husband, toddler, dog, two cats, and a turtle included), practicing her photography skills, and going on adventures in nature.

Nora is an unconventional HR expert specializing in the design of technical and creative organizations. After helping Canadian startups like Wealthsimple and Freshbooks grow, she founded Bright + Early, a consultancy of forward-thinking HR experts on a mission to craft the world’s best workplaces. Bright + Early has helped organizations like Mozilla, Mejuri, Endy and Kotn build inclusive, people-first organizations. Nora is also a frequent speaker and writer and serves as co-editor of Early Magazine, a digital publication exploring the future of work. Nora believes that the best people strategies are human first and data-informed, with a dash of design thinking.