Board of Governors

Meet the Team

The TeamThe Board of Directors The Board of Governors

Deputy Chief Marc Andrews

Deputy Chief, Peel Regional Police

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Colin Brown

Past – VP Operations and Projects, Engineers Canada

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Rodney C. Cook

VP, Workplace Health and Safety Services, Workplace Safety & Insurance Board

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Neil Crawford

Practice Leader, Strategic Human Resources Consulting
Stratford Managers Corporation

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Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou

Commissioner of Social Services for the Region of Durham

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Yvonne de Lint

Deputy Managing Director, Currency, Bank of Canada

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Rani K. Dhaliwal

SVP, Transformation and Strategic Partnerships,
Humber College

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Marie Doherty

Director, Client Service Team, Queen’s University

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Allan N. Ebedes

President & CEO, Excellence Canada

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Martha Harley

Vice President of Finance, Administration & Risk, University of Guelph

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Sue Ivay

Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Calian

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Julian Jugmohan

Vice President Finance, Customer Administration & IT, Ricoh Canada Inc.

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Cori Lawson-Roberts

Assistant VP, Disability Innovation & Integrity, Manulife

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Dr. Peter Legge

Chairman & CEO / Publisher, Canada Wide Media Ltd.

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Ruth Mojeed

Founder & Chief Equity Officer,
The Inclusion Project.

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Bob Nakagawa

Registrar, College of Pharmacists of British Columbia

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Laura Nashman

CEO, Pension Corporation

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Richard Perri

Chief Financial Officer,
ADP Canada

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David Rennie

Executive Director, Strategies & Initiatives, Regional Municipality of York

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Anil Sankar

Director, Business Operations, CBC Marketing & Communications

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Gary Seveny

Past Chair, Excellence Canada and Co-Founder, PB Capital Inc.

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Shirlee Sharkey

Chair, Excellence Canada and President & Chief Executive Officer, Saint Elizabeth

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Andy Taylor

Chief Administrative Officer, City of Markham

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Cindy Taylor

Assistant Vice-President (Human Resources), Carleton University

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Heidi Theelen

Manager, Organizational Excellence
Engineers Canada

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David Thompson

CEO, Canadian Forces Housing Agency

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Dr. Marilyn Thompson

Associate Provost, Human Resources, University of Waterloo

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John Wilson

Founder & CEO, CEO Global Network

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Deputy Chief Marc Andrews

Deputy Chief of Police
Peel Regional Police

Deputy Chief Marc Andrews is a Jamaican-Canadian who was born in Savannah-la-Mar. He is a long-time resident of Brampton, who grew up in and attended high school in Mississauga. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto and has a Masters degree in Business Administration.

While attending the University of Toronto he was voted an All Canadian Running Back in 1983, and had short professional stints in the CFL with Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

Prior to joining Peel Regional Police in 1990, Deputy Chief Andrews was a commissioned officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, serving with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry for five years during which time he was involved in numerous operations and completed a United Nations peacekeeping tour in the Middle East. He retired from the military in 1990 as a captain.

Deputy Chief Andrews began his career as a constable at 12 Division in Uniform patrol; where received the Dwayne Pikkula award for his distinguished service, he was subsequently assigned to the Morality Bureau where he was involved in numerous high profile drug investigations, both as an investigator and as an undercover operative. These investigations ranged from the street level to international organized crime level. As a result of his involvement in these investigations, he became a court acknowledge expert in the production, importation and distribution of a variety of illicit drugs.

In 1998, Deputy Chief Andrews moved on to Homicide bureau, where he received his first promotion to Detective. While assigned to Homicide, Deputy Andrews was the primary investigator on a number of high profile homicide investigations including the Thomas Ku and Frank Groves homicides.

In September 2003 Deputy Andrews was promoted to Staff Sergeant and subsequently held postings in a variety of areas within the organization including; Radio Operations, the Morality Bureau, Field Operations, 21 Division and the Airport Division before being promoted to Inspector and assigned to the Duty Inspectors office. In December 2011 Deputy Andrews was assigned to 21 Division as the Uniform Inspector, before being promoted to Superintendent and transferred to 11 Division as the officer in charge, in May of 2013.

Also in 2013 Deputy Andrews is a recipient of the Queens Diamond Jubilee (QDJ) Award, as a result of his extensive history of working within the local community as a fundraiser, mentor, and role model. An example of his continuing commitment to the community is his leadership of the Peel Regional Police Basketball Team for the last 26 years, which annually raises thousands of dollars for various charities and works to build bridges with youth in our community. In 2017 the team raised and donated $25,000 to the Special Olympics Summer Games. He has been a valued partner of the Free for All Foundation for over a decade.

Since September 2013 Deputy Chief Andrews has been an aide-de-camp to The Lieutenant Governor of the Ontario, serving under the honourable David Onley, and the current Lieutenant Governor the honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell. On February 23^rd, 2018 Marc Andrews was appointed Deputy Chief of Police.

Deputy Chief Andrews is married to his wife Tiina, for 34 years and has two sons Ryan and Tyler, he has been a resident of Brampton for the past 20 years.

Colin Brown

Past Vice-President Operations
Engineers Canada

Colin Brown retired from his position as Vice-President of Operations for Engineers Canada in 2019. He now provides consulting services as a certified professional coach.

Throughout his career Colin gained extensive experience in various sectors, including regulation, financial services, workplace automation, software development, telecommunications hardware development and manufacturing, and telecommunications operations.

In senior management positions with British Telecom, Mitel Corporation, JetForm, Alterna Savings Credit Union and Engineers Canada he provided leadership in many disciplines including strategic and operational planning, quality improvement, project management, product management, marketing, information technology, technical support and customer service. Colin has also been recognized as an insightful, thoughtful and committed mentor and motivator of staff.

Colin holds a certificate in Telecommunications Technology from Peterborough College, England, and is a Certified Professional Coach.

Rodney C. Cook

Vice President
Workplace Health and Safety Services
Workplace Safety & Insurance Boar

As Vice President of Workplace Health and Safety Services at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Rod Cook oversees all aspects of the organization’s workplace health and safety programs, with an emphasis on being at the forefront of innovation and best practice.

Recognized as an outstanding leader of people, Rod has built a career around maximizing human capability and potential, and has pursued his passion for labour relations, strategic human resources, and delivery excellence in both private and public environments. He has developed specialized competencies in leadership, employee engagement, HR planning, labour relations, reward design and talent acquisition.

Prior to his current position, he spent four years as the WSIB’s Vice President of Human Resources. Under Rod’s leadership, the function transformed into an efficient, high-performing division that drives business results through strong leadership of people and effective use of metrics and analytics. Before joining the WSIB, Rod held leadership positions at Rogers Communications, Allstream and AT&T Canada.

He has a BA in Economics (with distinction) from Concordia University and a Master of Industrial Relations from the University of Toronto.

Practice Leader, Strategic Human Resources Consulting
Stratford Managers Corporation

Neil Crawford is currently Practice Leader of HR Strategic Consulting at Stratford Managers Corporation responsible for the financial performance and growth of the practice across a wide range of content areas including Human Capital Strategy, Change Management, Culture, Engagement, HR Effectiveness and Talent Management.

Prior to joining Stratford Managers, Neil was a partner of Aon Hewitt and led its Canadian Talent, Rewards and Performance Practice. For fifteen years, he also led the annual Best Employers in Canada study, conducted by Aon Hewitt and published nationally in Canadian Business Magazine.

Neil has worked extensively with many national and international organizations to define business-aligned people and rewards strategies, measure and improve employee engagement, track cultural change and improve the effectiveness of their HR functions. He is a frequent speaker on employee engagement, leadership, aligning people and reward strategies with business strategy, and creating great workplaces.

Neil is a mathematics graduate of the University of Waterloo and is a qualified actuary. He is also a Chartered Professional in Human Resources.

Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou

Commissioner of Social Services
Region of Durham

Stella Danos-Papaconstantinou is well-known and respected within the Social Services community, with more than 15 years of formal leadership experience in the human services sector. As Commissioner of Social Services for the Region of Durham, Stella leads a team of more than 2,000 employees—who provide professional and high-quality services to Durham residents. The department demonstrates a long-standing commitment to excellence through its numerous awards: Silver, Gold and the Order of Excellence (from 2003 to 2015); and Gold Standing with Excellence Canada’s new Excellence, Innovation and Wellness Standard.

Prior to her current role, Stella held the position of Director of Community Access (which oversees access to Ontario Works, Child Care Fee Subsidy and Homelessness programs) for the Region of Peel.

Stella’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto, where she majored in Sociology; a Prosci Change Management certificate; and completion of the Community Health Leadership Program from the Rotman School of Management.

Stella demonstrates passion and commitment to social services and the community through her active participation and membership on various boards, including the Provincial-Municipal Social Assistance Employment Committee (PMSAEC), on which she is also the Co-chair of the Employment and Stabilization Committee. Formerly, she was a board member of the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) and Co-chair of the Policy and Advocacy Committee.

Yvonne de Lint, Deputy Managing Director, Currency
Bank of Canada

Yvonne de Lint was appointed Deputy Managing Director of the Currency Department at the Bank of Canada in April 2012. In this capacity, she is part of the Strategic Leadership Team responsible for all stages of the design, development, production, distribution and management of banknotes in Canada.

In addition, she is responsible for the Currency Department’s external stakeholder relations, evolving key relationships and creating strategic alliances. She also oversees strategic planning, organizational performance and, information and systems management.

Ms. de Lint joined the Bank in 2006 with more than 12 years of experience in strategic planning, business development and organizational performance management. She has developed excellence programs and led organizations to achieve the Canada Award for Excellence in both private and public sectors.

Ms. de Lint is from Ottawa, Ontario. She has a B.Sc. from the University of Ottawa, has been certified in Advanced Technology Management, and is a Certified Excellence Professional. She was also recognized by the Ottawa Business Journal as one of the city’s “Top 40 under 40” in 2004.

Rani K. Dhaliwal

SVP, Transformation and Strategic Partnerships,
Humber College

Rani K. Dhaliwal is the Senior Vice-President, Transformation and Strategic Partnerships at Humber College supporting the advancement of the college’s strategic priorities focusing on expanding student choice and seamless mobility through system collaboration. In this role, Rani oversees the unique partnership with the University of Guelph and serves as a critical shared resource for the Humber-Seneca Polytechnic Partnership, supporting joint goals and leveraging the initiative to advance pathways and collaboration within the Ontario College system.

In her past role as SVP Planning and Corporate Services & CFO, Rani has provided leadership in the areas of Financial Services; Risk Management; Information Technology; Capital Development and Facilities Management; Strategic Planning Institutional Analysis; Public Safety and Campus Services; and is a strong advocate of the sustainability campaign.

Rani has also provided leadership at the college system level serving numerous committees addressing strategic issues with colleges and ministry officials i.e. funding models and financial sustainability.

Rani has also demonstrated her passion for volunteering and working on issues related to health and education by providing her time as an active member on the following Boards: William Osler Health System Board of Directors; World University Service of Canada; UNICEF Canada; OECM; and the Federation of Canadian-Brazilian Businesses.

Ms. Dhaliwal has her CPA/CMA and has been awarded FCPA/FCMA, as well as achieving her Chartered Director Designation from McMaster University. She has a BA in Economics and in Business Administration from York University.

Marie Doherty

Director
Client Services & Organizational Development & Learning
Queen’s University

Marie Doherty is responsible for leading the HR team at Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, providing strategic Human Resources advice on employee relations and service delivery to the university. She leads HR strategies concerning talent management, improving employee performance and engagement, recruitment and selection, conflict resolution, building relationships, organizational development and change management, leadership development and training, and communication and orientation.

Marie is also responsible for overseeing management systems, competency development, education, training for HR-related policies and procedures focusing on continuous improvement, and advising and consulting with executives regarding people issues and strategies.

During the course of her career, Marie has acquired extensive HR experience, including labour relations and collective bargaining, from several organizations. Prior to her current position, she was Associate Director, Faculty Relations at Queen’s University.

She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of New Brunswick and is currently enrolled in the Master of Public Administration Program at Queen’s University.

Allan N. Ebedes

President and CEO
Excellence Canada

Since 2005, Allan Ebedes has led Excellence Canada, formerly known as the National Quality Institute. Working with the Board of Directors, he is responsible for setting the strategic direction of Excellence Canada and delivering on its business plan and mission.

Allan began his business career as a Chartered Accountant (CA) at Coopers & Lybrand, now PWC. He then became a partner at a small furniture and appliance chain, which grew significantly during his ownership, and was subsequently sold to The Brick. In 1979, he started a private career college called the Toronto School of Business, a division of International Business Schools, which grew to become the largest career college in Canada, with 50 locations coast to coast. Allan took the company public on the BASDAQ exchange.

In 2002, Allan founded Management Mentors International, a company dedicated to corporate training and development, coaching and mentoring. He was also appointed as President of the Academy of Learning, a chain of 100 computer learning centres across Canada.

Allan is a CA, CPA and earned an MBA from the University of Toronto (now Rotman School of Management) and an LLM law degree in Global Business through an evening program at the Faculty of Law. Allan is an ICD.D with the Institute of Corporate Directors and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and a group leader with the CEO Global Business Network.

Martha Harley

Vice President of Finance, Administration & Risk
University of Guelph

Martha Harley joined the University of Guelph in 2005. She has worked in the Ontario university sector for more than 30 years. Prior to joining the University of Guelph, Martha was Western University’s Director of Staff Relations, leading labour and employee relations strategy.

As Vice President of Finance, Administration & Risk, Martha oversees six operational units: campus community police, emergency management and fire safety; financial services; hospitality services; human resources; physical resources; and the real estate division. Martha participates in the Council of Senior Administrative Officers, an affiliate of the Council of Ontario Universities.

Sue Ivay

Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
Calian

At the heart of Calian’s long-term growth is its people. Under Sue’s leadership Calian’s HR team is focused is on developing and executing a talent management strategy in support of the Company’s overall business plan and strategic direction.

Sue joined Calian in 1999, gaining progressive management experience and a deep understanding of Calian’s diverse business by working within its service lines. She joined the Human Resources team in 2014 and drove key HR initiatives such as leadership development, business unit partnership and compensation strategies. Sue has distinguished herself as a trusted thought partner, change champion and devoted employee engagement advocate; she accomplishes this through a fierce desire to bring out the best in people. Having played key roles in integrating acquisitions, she seeks to unlock employee potential and strengthen Calian’s brand as an employer of choice.

A University of Waterloo alumnus, Sue advocates for performance excellence, collaborative work environments, and people development through strong leadership and succession planning. Sue was appointed CHRO in 2019.

Julian Jugmohan

Vice President Finance, Customer Administration & IT
Ricoh Canada Inc.

Julian Jugmohan was appointed Vice President, Finance for Ricoh Canada in April 2019.

In this executive position, Jugmohan leads all aspects of Finance including Financial Planning and Analysis, Sales Compensation; Corporate and Sales Tax; Treasury; Accounting; SOX; Policy Design and Administration. His leadership in risk mitigation and utilizing both Ricoh and external partners has provided opportunities to drive organizational revenue and profit.

Jugmohan has been with Ricoh Canada since 2011.

Jugmohan has had several progressive Finance and Business partnership roles in various industries including Telecoms, Healthcare and Food. His entrepreneurial roots in Healthcare has afforded him the experience of creating his own business - providing him with an invaluable understanding of how all aspects of a business operate. He is a designated Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and holds a BBA from Schulich School of Business.

Cori Lawson-Roberts
Assistant VP, Disability Innovation & Integrity, Manulife

Cori is Assistant Vice-President, Disability Innovation & Integrity at Manulife. Cori has been in the health insurance industry for over 25 years and is passionate about helping organizations and individuals improve their physical, mental and emotional health. Cori has a degree in Management from Athabasca University.

Peter Legge

Chairman & CEO / Publisher
Canada Wide Media Limited

As Chairman & CEO of the largest, independently owned media publishing company in Western Canada, Peter Legge controls a network of more than 25 magazines and a diverse range of media services and products, with over $15 million in annual sales.

An internationally acclaimed professional speaker, Peter’s presentations are based on his everyday experiences as a community leader, husband, father and CEO. Among other speaking accolades, he is a member of the prestigious Speakers Roundtable, an invitation-only society comprising 20 of North America’s top professional speakers. In 1998, Peter was inducted into the Canadian Speakers Hall of Fame.

Peter has published 23 books, including The Runway of Life, The Power of Tact, Lunch with Joe, The Power of Tenacity, The Power of Tact 2.0, and his most recent, Under The Influence. His books have motivated thousands of people towards positive change.

He is the recipient of three honourary doctorate degrees from Simon Fraser University, Royal Roads University and British Columbia Institute of Technology. He tirelessly devotes his time to many worthwhile organizations. In 2008, for his lifelong commitment to serving the community, Peter received the province’s highest award, the Order of British Columbia.

Ruth Mojeed

Founder and Chief Equity Officer
The Inclusion Project

Ruth Mojeed is the Founder & Chief Equity Officer of The Inclusion Project. She brings extensive lived experience and grounded expertise to her work in racial equity, diversity and inclusion (REDI). Her research and solutions design focus on an intersectional and inter-generational approach to address complex issues of race, decolonization and gender equity. She leads organizational EDI strategy development and coaching among multi-level stakeholders in public and private sectors, including finance, tech, non-profit, media, academia, among others.
Ruth is indigenous to the Yoruba tribe from western Nigeria. She migrated to Canada in 2015 to pursue a master’s degree in intercultural & international communication at Royal Roads University. She also holds certificates in community organizing & leadership from Harvard University and community-based participatory research from the University of Victoria.
Ruth is a Black History Month laureate - she was awarded the Community Leadership Award (2019) and recognized by the Premier & Lt. Governor of British Columbia for her contribution to supporting newcomers to the region. She was part of a youth delegation to the World Economic Forum (2018) where she led conversations on gender, race and migration. She is a fellow with the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (2018), a lead researcher and mentor with the UNESCO Knowledge 4 Change (K4C) consortium and an instructor in community-based research at the University of Victoria.
She has contributed to and led many research projects, including the Community Social Planning Council’s Financial Inclusion in the Green Economy, and Simon Fraser University’s Equity in Public Engagement. She is a director on the national board of the Canadian International Council where she leads efforts on inclusive policy development, and she supports other regional boards and committees.
Articles:
The Black Experience in Multicultural Canada: https://douglasmagazine.com/the-black-experience-in-multicultural-canada/
How Leaders Can Nurture an Inclusive Workplace: https://douglasmagazine.com/how-leaders-can-nurture-inclusive-workplaces/
TV/Documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ri048ajrIQ&t=214s&ab_channel=ShawTVSouthVI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U4_cKGzYxw&t=225s&ab_channel=ShawTVSouthVI
Gender Equity in STEM Documentary:
https://youtu.be/7lie2WCo3Ds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQVHInm_niw

Bob Nakagawa
Registrar
College of Pharmacists of British Columbia

As Registrar of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, Bob Nakagawa leads the College’s relationship with its Board, informing and operationalizing its direction, in accordance with legislated requirements. He also manages and provides guidance to the College’s senior leadership team in the creation and fulfillment of strategic goals and initiatives. The College administers provincial pharmacy legislation and protects public health by licensing and regulating pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and the pharmacies in which they practice.

Bob is a registered pharmacist with over 35 years of experience in hospital pharmacy and public health administration. Prior to his current role, Bob was an Assistant Deputy Minister in the British Columbia Ministry of Health.

A leader in BC’s pharmacy profession, Bob has served in numerous positions, including President (Board-Chair) of the College of Pharmacists of BC and of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists. He has also served as the Federal government representative on the Health Council of Canada and chaired the Medical Services Commission, the BC Drug Benefits Committee and the Federal Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee for Canada.

Laura Nashman

CEO
British Columbia Pension Corporation

Laura Nashman is the chief executive officer of the British Columbia Pension Corporation and has been in the role since December 2008.

Under Laura’s leadership Pension Corporation received “Gold” recognition from Excellence Canada, which demonstrates it is one of the best-managed organizations in Canada.

In 2018 Business in Vancouver magazine, Deloitte and TEC Canada recognized Laura as the public sector BC CEO of the Year and in 2017 Laura was named one of the Influential Women in Business. She was also called out as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network and recognized on Vancouver Magazine’s Power 50 list. Laura also has the designation of Director with the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D), and serves on several boards including Excellence Canada, the Conference Board of Canada and the Gustavson School of Business International Advisory Board. Laura is an active mentor for women leaders and emerging leaders who look to her for guidance and direction on their leadership practice and career development.

Laura is a high-performing senior executive who brings a fresh leadership style to her role. She has clear vision and her expertise as a strategic leader that gives her the ability to deliver results. Laura creates the right space for everyone in her organization to thrive. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining strong relationships with staff and all key stakeholders.

In 2012, she spearheaded the creation of a new strategic plan for Pension Corporation called 12 to 21 Our Way Forward. This nine-year strategy is an ambitious plan for business transformation that ensures Pension Corporation meets the changing needs and expectations of plan members, employers, trustees and staff. Above all Laura has reshaped the culture at the Corporation creating the organization-wide engagement and resiliency needed to bring the strategic plan to life.

Richard Perri

Chief Financial Officer
ADP Canada

Richard serves as the Chief Financial Officer of ADP Canada, with almost twenty years of experience in the office technology industry. Having joined ADP in 2019, Richard is a key member of the ADP team with financial responsibilities including the support of the Canadian strategy.
Prior to ADP, Richard was with Ricoh Canada as CFO, responsible for overseeing the Finance and Services business, including strategy development and execution of the growth strategy. Richard partners with the business to help manage all facets of the business and has a proven track record of helping organizations transform to respond to changing market demands.
Prior to joining Ricoh, Richard served as the Vice President of Finance for Pitney Bowes Canada, responsible for a portfolio of Finance, Operations and Business groups.
Richard is a Chartered Professional Accountant, having obtained his designation in 2000, and is a graduate of the University of Toronto. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for both Avanti Systems and Excellence Canada, and is an active member of the CEO Global Network.

David Rennie

Executive Director, Strategies & Initiatives
Office of the CAO
The Regional Municipality of York

David Rennie is a senior management executive with 29 years of public service experience in the municipal government and not-for-profit sectors. In his current role as Executive Director, Strategies & Initiatives in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer at The Regional Municipality of York, David is responsible for bringing innovative and responsive approaches to work which includes strategic planning, emergency management, customer service, continuous improvement, business planning and administration, and a range of CAO-directed projects.

Prior to assuming his current role, David spent more than two decades in human services positions, including as General Manager of Social Services in the Community and Health Services Department of York Region. During that time David had the opportunity to contribute on the board of the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association where he served a term as president.

David holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto and completed a graduate certificate in Municipal Public Sector Management with the York University Schulich School of Business.

Anil Sankar

Director, Business Operations
CBC Marketing & Communications

Anil Sankar is a marketing executive and writer privileged to be working with really smart and talented people at the nexus of content, branding, strategy and story. Anil is the Director, Business Operations for CBC Marketing & Communications, where he leads strategy, planning, operations and diversity and inclusion. Prior to this, he has worked extensively in both editorial and senior managerial roles at the CBC. At CBC News, Anil had editorial responsibility for hourly newscasts as a line-up producer and Senior News writer. On the management side he has extensive experience as a production manager working on large scale live events like Canada from the Hill, the Rolling Stones Concert for Toronto and as well as many high-profile dramas and comedies.

Anil has his MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University, and undergraduate degrees from Ryerson's School of Radio & Television Arts and Wilfrid Laurier University. He is currently earning a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

Gary M. Seveny

Past Chair of Excellence Canada
Co-Founder
PB Capital Inc.

Gary Seveny has been active in the governance of Excellence Canada for several years and served as Chair of its Board of Directors from 2011 to 2016.

Prior to retiring from a career that spanned 35 years, Gary was President and Chief Executive Officer of two financial institutions, Alterna Bank of Canada and Alterna Savings and Credit Union, both headquartered in Ottawa with operations in western Quebec and throughout Ontario.

A recognized leader in the financial industry, Gary has been instrumental in achieving legislative change at both provincial and federal levels. He has been an active spokesperson for industry vision and regulatory change and has appeared before House of Commons Committees and Senate Committees.

Gary remains active in business, as co-founder and corporate director of PB Capital, developing new approaches to creating long-term funding of infrastructure projects under a Public Private Partnership (P3) model. He currently serves on the Boards of Telpay Inc. and ECHO Payment Services and is Chair of Yorkville Asset Management.

Gary has an MBA in Business and Leadership from John Molson School of Business, Concordia University.

Shirlee Sharkey

President & CEO, Saint Elizabeth
Chair of Excellence Canada

Shirlee Sharkey is the President and Chief Executive Officer of SE Health. Under Ms. Sharkey’s leadership, the social enterprise has enjoyed exponential growth and expansion, and facilitated transformative solutions in areas such as Indigenous health, end of life care, and caregiver wellness and support. Today, SE Health delivers 20,000 care exchanges daily through its team of 9,000 leaders and professionals.

Active in public service, Ms. Sharkey is the current Chair of Excellence Canada, and a board member of the C.D. Howe Institute and the Canadian Frailty Network. Academically, she is cross-appointed to the University of Toronto’s Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation as an adjunct professor. Committed to global influence, she has gained and shared health system insights through her experiences in the Middle East, Australia and northern Europe.

In 2017, Ms. Sharkey was presented with an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology for her breakthrough leadership in community-based health care.

Andy Taylor

Chief Administrative Officer
City of Markham

As Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Markham reporting to the Mayor and Council, Andy Taylor leads the corporation with his Executive Leadership Team comprised of the Commissioners of Community & Fire Services, Corporate Services, Development Services and the City Solicitor. Markham, known as the high-tech capital of Canada, is a municipality of more than 350,000 residents centrally located in the Greater Toronto Area. It was the first large municipality in North America to use the Internet in a binding election in 2003 and has continued its use for all subsequent elections. Andy has been instrumental in introducing numerous e-government solutions, including the launch of the Markham Portal Website in June 2011.

Andy holds a wealth of experience in both the public and private sector. He holds a Bachelor of Science and from University of Toronto and Bachelor Honours of Commerce from University of Windsor. In 2017, Andy was elected as a Fellow by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. He champions several local initiatives and sits on a number of boards of directors. Andy is also the President of Markham Enterprises Corporation, a shareholder of Alectra Utilities.

Cindy Taylor

Assistant Vice-President (Human Resources)
Carleton University

Cindy Taylor was named Assistant Vice-President (Human Resources) in May 2019, after leading Carleton University’s Office of Quality Initiatives for 12 years.

Over the course of her career at Carleton, Cindy has distinguished herself by establishing a number of initiatives including Carleton Leader, Service Excellence, [email protected], Healthy Workplace and Mental Health at Work. She has played a critical role in the university’s Strategic Integrated Planning processes and instilling a framework for continuous improvement and workplace excellence throughout the university.

A respected leader, Cindy joined Carleton with considerable experience in the private sector over a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years in both the higher education and financial sectors. She currently serves as the co-chair of Carleton’s Healthy Workplace committee, is a Strategic Integrated Planning co-chair, and is the past president of the Network for Change and Continuous Innovation: Higher Education’s Network for Change Leadership (NCCI)

Cindy holds a number of certifications including as a Personal and Professional Coach, an Excellence Professional in Quality and Healthy Workplace, and a lead verifier for Excellence Canada.

Heidi Theelen

Manager, Organizational Excellence
Engineers Canada

Heidi is Manager, Organizational Excellence at Engineers Canada where she is responsible for Engineer’s Canada’s Excellence journey. A PMI certified Project Manager, she has over 14 years of experience in both profit and non-profit environments applying quality tools, proven methodologies, and best practices to deliver a variety of technology-based projects and organizational process changes.

Heidi has a broad-base of experience, including results-based management, strategic planning, business analysis, process improvement, project management, program management, portfolio management and PMO implementation and evolution. Her work demands high levels of collaborative planning, analyzing, problem solving, and scalable solution definition with various levels of stakeholders, including senior management.

She has been involved with Excellence Canada since 2006, and in that time has obtained her Certified Excellence Professional designation and has participated as a site verifier for a variety of organizational certifications against the Innovation Excellence and Wellness Standard

Heidi has also been an active member of the Project Management Institute, Ottawa Valley Outaouais Chapter (PMI OVOC) where she has held secretary and other interim board roles for marketing and at-large positions. Before that, she was Sponsorship Director and has supported the PMI OVOC Board of Directors in their annual planning activities.

A graduate of Algonquin College Business Administration, Information Systems & Materials Management Program, she is ITIL V3 Foundations and Prosci change management certified and is currently pursuing her Certified Canadian Association Executive designation.

David Thompson

CEO
Canadian Forces Housing Agency

As CEO, Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CHFA), David Thompson leads an organization that works to improve the quality of life of Canadian Armed Forces members and their families.

He joined the Public Service of Canada in 2005 in the Comptroller division of the CHFA – National Defence and worked in positions of increasing responsibilities. He then moved to the Infrastructure and Technical Services division, and was promoted to Regional Manager, Central, in 2011, where he managed offices across Ontario that delivered housing services to military members and their families. In 2014, he joined the Department of Justice as Director, Business Management, for the Public Safety, Defence and Immigration portfolio. Later, he was called back to the Department of National Defence where he was General Manager, Housing Operations, leading the delivery of operations and contributing to the implementation of one of largest investment programs in CFHA history.

He holds the designation of Professional in Critical Infrastructure Protection (PCIP), a Master of Infrastructure Protection and International Security (Carleton), a Master of Arts., Defence Management and Policy (RMC), and a Bachelor of Arts., Economics Honours (Carleton).

Dr. Marilyn Thompson

Associate Provost, Human Resources
University of Waterloo

Dr. Marilyn Thompson oversees the administration and long-term planning of all human resources, organizational and human development, and total compensation activities and programs across the University. She provides vision for university-wide initiatives and human resources leadership in service to Waterloo's mission. A senior executive officer of the University, Dr. Thompson plays a key role in strategic planning and decisions affecting the employees of the university.

Before joining UWaterloo, Dr. Thompson was Vice President of the Eastern Regional Health Authority (NL) and Policy Director within Cabinet Secretariat, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. She has extensive executive and senior leadership experience in healthcare, government, education, and various business sectors. She has worked with many voluntary sector, community, professional and business companies and associations providing education, human resources and evaluation expertise. Marilyn holds a BN (MUN), MEd (Toronto) and PhD (Toronto).

Dr. Thompson was President of the St. John’s Board of Trade (2005) and the Newfoundland/Labrador Chambers of Commerce (2001-2004); and Chair of the Ireland Business Partnerships (2002-2004), an organization fostering government, business, and cultural linkages between Newfoundland/Labrador and the Republic of Ireland. She was named to the Strategic Partnership Initiative as a business leader, a forum to build consensus among business, labour and government on the major issues impacting the economy of Newfoundland/Labrador. She was instrumental in establishing a private sector angel investment partnership with the Greater Washington Initiative (DC) to increase trade and export opportunities between the two regions and is a founding member of the ocean biotechnology park collaboration with the Dublin, Galway and Waterford (Ireland) Chambers of Commerce to create a public-private partnership that would commercialize marine biotechnology products. She has been honoured with the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for her contribution to Canada and the communities of Newfoundland and Labrador.

John Wilson

Founder & CEO
CEO Global Network Inc.

John Wilson leads an exclusive CEO peer group organization that creates opportunities for learning and development through monthly group meetings, targeted one-to-one mentoring, and focused learning events. Over the years, John has coached hundreds of high-performing CEOs to greater success and is dedicated to fulfilling the mission of CEO Global Network: “To significantly improve the success and lives of CEOs and executives, their families, and their companies.” He also wrote the acclaimed business book GREAT CEOs and How They Are Made.

John began his career with Ultramar Canada where he worked for 18 years, initially as VP of Sales and Marketing, and then as CEO of Ultramar Ontario Ltd., before moving to California to run a billion-dollar business as part of the Ultramar team in the United States. In 1993, John started his own business that developed a network of fleet fueling sites across the southwestern United States. He and his partners built the business up from zero into a multimillion-dollar company before selling it in 1998.

John has an MBA from the University of Western Ontario.