Canadian HR Reporter is proud to introduce the members of its new editorial advisory board, made up of well-respected, well-known HR, legal and academic professionals from across Canada. They will be providing much-needed perspectives on the world of human resources, and we look forward to improved content and insights thanks to their involvement.
Anthony Ariganello, president and CEO of the Chartered Professionals of Human Resources (CPHR) of BC and the Yukon, and CPHR Canada
“I believe participating on this board reflects a collaborative approach to ensuring our HR profession benefits from the collective, national wisdom of so many HR leaders and I am very honoured to be able to participate.”
BIO: Tony Ariganello was president and CEO of CGA (Certified General Accountants) Canada and a key leader in the merger of the three accounting bodies into CPA (Certified Professional Accountants). Prior to CGA Canada, he was president of Avon Canada, the world’s largest direct seller.
Holding the ICD director designation, Tony serves as chair of the Audit Council for Local Government supporting the Auditor General for Local Government for British Columbia. He also serves as the chair of the board of Re:Sound, a Canadian music licensing company, and is board director of Spinal Cord Injury B.C. Tony also sits on the World Federation of People Management Associations as a board director.
Tony is a graduate of McGill University in Montreal and holds the following designations: fellow CPA (Canada), fellow CGA, fellow CCA (UK), CPA (Delaware), CGMA (U.S.), CPHR and ICD.D.
Tony Bennett, HR analytics and planning, human resources Alberta Health Services in Edmonton
“I am looking forward to being on the advisory board as it will give me the opportunity to learn what our brilliant HR colleagues are achieving and discover ways to import that value to my organization and my career.”
BIO: Tony Bennett has worked in HR for more than 30 years — mostly in compensation, labour relations, organizational design and now workforce planning and analytics.
He strongly believes HR provides important, value-added, innovative services to an organization through the development and management of strategy-based services while providing practical value to clients.
Petra Bergner, director of HR services at the government of New Brunswick in Fredericton
“I believe in the profession of human resources, the leveraging of human capital to improve organizational success. I want to know what issues are important to the profession and, as a member of the advisory board, my intent is to address topics and trends that are important to people. The workforce is changing and the needs for metrics, leadership, talent management, engagement, trust and collaboration are critical in achieving organization goals and building engaged workforces.”
BIO: Petra Bergner was born, raised and educated on the West coast of Canada. After gaining substantial senior HR experience advising public and private sector leaders within large Canadian employers, Bergner decided to make a move to the East coast.
In her current role, she has experience in human resources, strategic initiatives, labour and employee relations, leadership development, conflict and dispute resolution and employee engagement to lead her team and grow a progressive HR community within the organization.
Petra was recognized as one of nine finalists in Canada for The Leadership Agency Award for HR Leader of the Year 2019; is certified as an executive coach from Royal Roads University; and certified as a CPHR and serves on two certification boards. She holds a master of arts degree in leadership from Royal Roads University.
Alina Constantin, Director of human resources, payroll and health and safety Grieg Seafood in Campbell River, B.C.
“I have agreed to be on Canadian HR Reporter’s board to be able to make an even bigger positive impact in the Canadian HR field and to stay in a learning mindset.”
BIO: Alina Constantin is also a board member for the Campbell River Hospice Society and provides HR consulting services for EI talent.
She holds a master’s and a bachelor’s degree with specialization in human resources management, a BCIT Human Resources Management Certificate with Distinction and she is a certified emotional intelligence and leadership development expert. Alina has also been awarded the 2016 and 2017 Top 25 HR Professionals in Canada and the 2018 HR Professional of the Year Honourable Mention by Canadian HR Reporter. She holds a CPHR, SHRM-SCP, PCP and HRPM.
Marie-Hélène Budworth, associate professor in the School of Human Resource Management at York University in Toronto
“Canadian HR Reporter plays an important role in our community by providing both professional insights and bringing academic research to broader audiences. I am pleased to be a part of the board of a publication that speaks directly to the HR community.”
BIO: Marie-Hélène Budworth’s teaching is concentrated in learning and development and negotiations with a particular focus on encouraging and supporting developmental relationships. Her program of research seeks to understand how people learn, acquire knowledge, make choices and negotiate with one another in order to succeed.
Her work has been published in top-tier academic journals and presented at conferences internationally. Marie-Hélène created the negotiation education program for her school and has trained thousands of emergent workers and executives.
Marie-Hélène recently completed her master’s in public administration from the University of Victoria.
Nita Chhinzer, Associate professor in HR management and business consulting in the Department of Management University of Guelph in Ontario
“Technological advancements, hypercompetition and workforce composition changes require active and strategic HR contributions. I aim to enhance our evidence-informed, empirically grounded perspectives of HR, to help prepare HR leaders and practitioners for strategic challenges of today and tomorrow.”
BIO: Nita Chhinzer is also an advisor, awardwinning researcher and best-selling author of Canadian human resource management issues. Her research and teaching are focused on business consulting, change management and decision-making, with a specific interest in downsizing and layoffs.
In addition to her PhD in management (specialization human resources and industrial relations), she holds an MBA and an employment law certificate. Nita is an active contributor to the HR community, currently sitting on the board of directors at the Toronto Centre of Learning and Development, as well as Hospice Toronto.
She is also the HR/OB chair for the 2020 International Labour and Employment Relations Association conference, and she has had more than 50 speaking engagements in HR over the last five years, along with being involved in the Human Resources Professionals Association.
Karen Collins, Chief talent officer BMO Financial Group in Toronto
“I am honoured to be a member of the editorial board for Canadian HR Reporter. We all have a role to play in creating an inclusive society. By equipping people with insightful information to learn, grow and thrive in the workplace of the future, we can unite and make a difference. I understand the impact that strategic human capital management can have on an organization, its people and its culture and I am interested in sharing my perspective and developing others.”
BIO: In her role, Karen Collins has enterprise accountability for talent acquisition, leadership staffing and succession; diversity and inclusion; learning and development, BMO IFL (BMO’s corporate university) and organizational effectiveness.
Throughout her career, Karen has developed and implemented enterprise strategies and individualized plans to assist leaders in achieving their potential, passion and purpose and to create engaged, inclusive and productive teams.
She holds an MBA from the University of Calgary and a BA from the University of Victoria.
Marni Johnson, Senior vice-president, human resources and corporate affairs BlueShore Financial in Vancouver
“More than ever, HR professionals play a critical role in organizations’ success. In order to contribute at the highest level, we must all be continuous learners and be on top of industry trends and changes in the workplace. Being on the Canadian HR Reporter advisory board provides me with an opportunity to give back to the HR community by sharing my expertise, while at the same time learning from other HR professionals.”
BIO: With more than 25 years’ experience in financial services, Marni Johnson provides overall leadership and strategic direction in the areas of human resources and corporate affairs. Under her leadership, BlueShore Financial has been named an Aon “Best Employer in Canada” for nine consecutive years, named three times to Waterstone’s list of “Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures” and recognized with a national Canadian HR Award for Best Change Management.
Prior to joining BlueShore Financial, Marni held marketing management roles in the consumer packaged goods, financial services and telecommunications industries.
Marni is a trustee of the B.C. Central Credit Union employees’ pension and benefits plans, and serves as treasurer of the board of Chor Leoni Men’s Choir.
Rodney Miller. President and CEO, CPHR Alberta in Calgary
“I personally feel human resources is the profession of the future. As the world of work evolves, HR will be required to provide guidance to organizations and define the people strategies to help organizations achieve success locally and globally. Knowledge, education and conversations about HR topics are important for HR professionals to grow in their practice and career. Canadian HR Reporter is a vehicle to educate, communicate and connect on the issues that matter to the HR profession.”
BIO: CPHR Alberta is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 6,000 members within the human resources community in Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. In his role, Rodney Miller is responsible for the strategic direction of the organization, advocacy for the profession and overseeing the standards for the CPHR designation in the region.
Rodney's career began in the pharmaceutical biotech industry where he led the introduction of novel biotech medicines into the Canadian market, resulting in substantial growth for the organization. He also led the Calgary operation of an international recruitment firm, building an awardwinning organization while driving culture change. Miller led the corporate development organization at a large post-secondary where he and his team implemented workforce development initiatives across the globe, including projects in Angola, Australia, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan and Mexico.
Rodney holds undergraduate degrees in zoology and economics, along with an MBA in leadership and strategy. He is a holder of the CPHR designation and chartered member of CPHR Alberta and holds the SHRM-SCP designation. As a committed member of the community, Rodney has sat on numerous boards in the course of his career with the intention of giving back wherever he can.
Louise Taylor Green, CEO, Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) in Toronto
CEO Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) in Toronto“I’ve always been impressed with the quality of Canadian HR Reporter and the insights one can quickly glean from the publication. I’m honoured to be a member of such an esteemed advisory board and be able to partner with such a passionate editor.”
BIO: Louise Taylor Green is one of those rare CHROs who has transitioned in and out of HR and into running a line of business. She’s done this several times in multi-billion-dollar corporations in aviation, financial services, property and casualty insurance and health care.
Over the course of her career, Louise has held an unwavering belief that an organization’s talent is the key to unlocking organizational performance. By advocating for a talent-first agenda, she believes that HR leadership must assume responsibility as the architect of optimal organizational effectiveness through intentional culture design, a dynamic HR operating model and an HR team that has real skin in the game for its clients’ success. She believes that HR has never been more influential than it is right now in the corporation’s success but also in the lives of the organization’s leaders and employees and broader stakeholders.
Louise is a certified HR professional, an ICF-certified coach, a certified management consultant with CMC Canada and an accredited director with ICD.
Tennyson Devoe, Director of organizational development and learning, Purolator in Mississauga, Ont.
“I agreed to be on this board in order to help ensure the future of HR in Canada. With more and more CEOs relying heavily on their HR functions, it is critical that we as an industry continue to innovate and evolve. With close to 20 years of cross-functional HR experience, I am happy to share my experiences and contribute in any way I can to ensure that the future generation of HR practitioners has resources and guidance available as needed.”
BIO: In his role at Purolator, Tennyson Devoe leads a national HR team in reinforcing strong company culture, driving employee engagement, leading training and development programs and implementing reward and talent management strategies that support the achievement of business goals and objectives.
Before joining Purolator in 2015, Tennyson worked for Telus Corp, Groupon and Canada Post leading various human resources functions.
He holds a master’s degree in organizational development and change from the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto.
Manon Poirier, CEO, Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés (CRHA) in Montreal
“In today’s context of labour shortages and organizational change, it is vital that the voice of the HR profession remains strong and united. Canadian HR Reporter is a powerful communication medium for Canada’s HR professionals. It is able to reach the directors and managers of organizations, and make them aware of the scale of the challenge and the inestimable value that HR expertise represents.”
BIO: Manon Poirier has more than 25 years of experience in the human resources field and has been CEO of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés since 2016. The organization’s mission is to protect the public and support Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHRs) and Chartered Professionals in Industrial Relations (CPIRs).
She is passionate about her work and has a reputation for bringing out the best in the organizations and teams with which she works. Before joining the Ordre, Poirier was vice-president of human resources at the YMCAs of Québec.
Manon is a lawyer with a law degree from Université de Montréal. She also has a master's of science in administration from Université Laval and a specialized graduate diploma in management from HEC Montréal. She sits on many committees and is very active in the community and has served as a board member for TDH pour les enfants and for La Relance Jeunes et Familles.
Laura Williams, Founder and principal,Williams HR Law and Williams HR Consulting in Markham, Ont
“Canadian HR Reporter is one of Canada’s most important HR publications and is a leader in providing insights and news on the latest developments across our industry. I’m thrilled to have been invited to join their editorial board and look forward to contributing to its success.”
BIO: As the founder and principal of Williams HR Law and Williams HR Consulting, Laura Williams boasts more than two decades of experience providing strategic advice and legal representation to employers across virtually all industries.
She is an entrepreneur, lawyer, speaker, HR business consultant, workplace investigator and thought leader. Laura is widely recognized as a leader in helping organizations leverage innovative, proactive strategies to reduce liability and costs resulting from ineffective and noncompliant workplace practices.
Laura has been named on the Canadian Business magazine’s W100, which lists the top female entrepreneurs in Canada. Among other awards, in 2018, Williams HR Law was honoured with the Labour and Employment Boutique Law Firm of the Year award at the national Canadian HR Awards. Laura has achieved the coveted Certified Speaking Professional designation, a globally recognized designation held by 70 Canadians and fewer than 17 per cent of the world’s professional speakers.
