Director, People & Culture and Office Operations | Senior Leadership Team at Canadian Football League (2024-08 – 2026-05)
Member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), reporting directly to the Commissioner, and head of the People & Culture and Office Operations functions for the Canadian Football League. Responsible for aligning HR strategy with league priorities, coaching and advising SLT, driving culture, workforce transformation, organizational effectiveness, and employee experience initiatives across the League.
- Lead workforce planning, people budgeting and organizational design initiatives, delivering over $800k in compensation and headcount cost optimization while aligning talent investments with strategic business priorities.
- Developed and executed the annual People & Culture strategy for ~100 office employees and ~250 seasonal employees, in alignment with League goals, enhancing organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, and employee engagement.
- Partnered with the SLT to drive talent planning, succession strategies, and workforce optimization.
- Serve as member of the Human Resources & Compensation Committee (HRCC), working closely with Board leadership on executive performance, people strategy & compensation, and organizational risk matters.
- Serve as member of Management Council alongside SLT members and nine Club Presidents to support operational and strategic decision-making.
- Directed organization-wide change and restructuring initiatives, advising leadership through transformation efforts impacting structure, culture and operational effectiveness.
- Led total rewards and benefits strategy, achieving annual cost savings while enhancing employee programs and strengthening the employee value proposition.
- Modernized performance management processes and leadership programs to strengthen accountability, talent development, and high-performance culture outcomes.
- Oversaw the full employee lifecycle, including talent acquisition, onboarding, performance management, and offboarding processes.
- Leveraged people analytics and workforce metrics to support data-driven decision-making and improve organizational effectiveness.
- Championed employee wellbeing, inclusion, and workplace safety initiatives, including implementation of a national workers' compensation program, pregnancy leave benefits, and a Gender-Based Violence & Harassment training program for all Club HR Leads.
- Resolved complex employee relations and organizational matters with a focus on risk mitigation, leadership alignment, and maintaining a positive, high-performing workplace culture.
- Directed workplace modernization initiatives, including an office renovation supporting return-to-office strategy, collaboration, and employee experience objectives.
Head, People & Culture at Legacy Plus Foundation (formerly WE Organization) (2019-09 – 2024-08)
Head of People & Culture for Legacy Plus Foundation, a Canadian and US-based non-profit organization partnering with global companies, foundations, and individuals to bring their world-changing ideas and purpose to life through movements (large scale events, campaigns, etc.) that make significant impact in the world. Partners include Martin Luther King III (Realize the Dream), Microsoft, Hershey, etc.
- Designed and executed the annual People & Culture strategy, HR operating plan, and people budget for an ~100 employee organization, ensuring full alignment with organizational priorities, executive direction, and Board-level objectives.
- Served as a strategic partner to the Executive Leadership Team, supporting business growth, organizational scalability, and leadership capability development across the business.
- Led end-to-end people strategy for the launch and establishment of new operations in Canada and the United States, including the design and implementation of HR infrastructure, systems, policies, and workforce programs to enable successful market entry and expansion.
- Developed workforce planning, talent forecasting, and succession strategies to identify capability gaps and ensure sustainable talent pipelines supporting high-growth operations and evolving business needs.
- Directed full-cycle talent acquisition strategy and governance, ensuring compliant, consistent, and effective recruitment practices across Canada and the U.S., aligned with employment legislation and organizational standards.
- Championed Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and employee wellbeing strategies, in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion (CCDI), including leadership of a 14-week wellness program and redesign of the Group Benefits Plan to strengthen employee experience, engagement, and retention.
Head, People Operations & Culture at WE Organization
Head of People Operations & Culture for the WE Organization, an international non-profit organization focused on domestic programming in Canada, the US and UK and the implementation of development programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America, focusing on education, water, health, food and economic opportunity.
- Led enterprise-wide change and employee relations strategy through a significant organizational restructuring impacting ~600 employees, including the closure of WE Charity Canada, ensuring responsible workforce transition and organizational continuity.
- Provided executive-level people leadership and crisis management during a prolonged period of political, reputational, and media scrutiny, supporting workforce stability, engagement, and retention throughout a two-year organizational disruption.
- In partnership with Founders and senior leadership, designed and executed HR strategies and people programs aligned with organizational goals, business priorities, and evolving operational needs for remaining 200+ employees.
- Designed and launched a comprehensive talent management framework focused on capability development, performance management, and succession planning to strengthen organizational resilience and leadership pipeline readiness.
- Introduced and implemented learning and development systems and tools, including LinkedIn Learning, CliftonStrengths, and Tilr, to enhance workforce capability, support continuous learning, and drive employee growth and engagement.
Human Resources Director | Global Head of HR at SDI Marketing (2008-09 – 2019-09)
Head of Human Resources at SDI Marketing, a global sport & event marketing agency providing innovative services to top brands including Pepsi, Starbucks, Shell, Rogers, Tim Hortons, CIBC, MBNA, President's Choice, Citibank, MolsonCoors, and NHL.
- Built and led the global Human Resources function from inception, establishing scalable people infrastructure and governance frameworks supporting a workforce of 150+ office employees and 1000+ field employees across Canada, the United States, and Qatar, enabling organizational growth and operational expansion.
- Transformed HR from an administrative support function into a strategic business partner model, repositioning human capital as a key driver of organizational performance. Designed and implemented customer-centric HR services, talent management programs, and learning and development strategies that enhanced capability, leadership development, and workforce performance.
- Served as a strategic advisor and trusted partner to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, shaping the people strategy and aligning workforce initiatives with business objectives, organizational priorities, and long-term growth plans.
- Directed HR strategy, policies, programs and governance across multiple business units and international operations, including SDI Canada, SDI USA, SDI Doha, and IA360, ensuring organizational consistency, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
- Led and developed a high-performing HR team of up to 15 professionals, providing strategic and operational oversight across employee relations, talent acquisition, total rewards, performance management, learning and development, benefits administration, and legislative and corporate compliance.
- Provided strategic leadership in organizational design, role architecture and compensation strategy, reassessing job structures and redesigning compensation frameworks to support equitable, competitive, and market-aligned pay practices while strengthening talent attraction and retention.
- Championed a people-first culture and modern HR service model that strengthened employee trust, engagement and organizational effectiveness. Delivered measurable workforce outcomes, including a 2% year-over-year reduction in attrition and 5% increase in employee engagement and satisfaction.
- Led benefits strategy and broker negotiations, redesigning the group benefits program to improve value and sustainability while delivering $130k in annual cost savings. Established compensation and reward frameworks that strengthened governance and informed promotion, salary, and workforce investment decisions.
