Alexandra Duval has over twenty years of leadership experience. In the last decade, she followed her passion and refocused her career specializing in applied industrial organizational psychology obtaining her MSc in Applied Psychology from Saint Mary’s University. In this capacity, she has in-depth experience in personnel selection, specialized selection, career counseling, and career transition services. She has consulted for various small and large organizations developing program assessment protocols and organizational assessment tools. She has taught undergraduate university courses in the fields of leadership and psychology. She currently works as an applied researcher developing empirically based selection tools, crafting organizational assessments, and exploring leader character. A dynamic and outgoing person, she thrives when working with others, and loves one-on-one mentoring as well as large scale workshops.

Ana Ruiz Pardo is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate with the Ivey Business School at Western University. Before joining the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership at Ivey, Ana completed her Doctoral studies in Cognitive Psychology, specifically the investigating smartphone presence and predictors of smartphone reliance. Through this she gained transferable skills by conceptualizing and organizing over ten research projects and their respective data analyses using various statistical software platforms.

Ana has also been able to pursue her passion in the field of leader character and collaborated with colleagues at Ivey since 2016—focusing on the field of leader character. Specifically, she explores topics such as the concept of character-competence entanglement and how the strength of individual character can enhance organizational learning. Currently, Ana’s work has focused on investigating mitigating bias in the performance management process using character development. Ana completed the Certified Leader Character Practitioner Program in 2023.

Dr. Cassie Ellis is an Assistant Professor at Western University. Cassie teaches leadership and leader character classes for Ivey Business School as well as for the department of Kinesiology in fields of physical activity, health, and leadership. Cassie received her Ph.D. in Kinesiology from Western, which focused on making physical activity more pleasurable, with a focus on manipulating music to enhance the exercise experience. Her postdoctoral work was spent with the Leadership Institute at Ivey and studied the effects of using music to activate leader character. Cassie is currently studying various ways to develop leader character through exercises such as music, mindfulness, and improvisation. Along with her collaborators, Cassie has helped develop a theory that explains the interconnectedness of our anatomical systems and ability to activate and control our demonstrative behaviour, regardless of context. In addition to her academic life, Cassie is a health and wellness advocate. She teaches a variety of group fitness classes, including Yoga and Pilates, and coaches the strength and conditioning programs for the local Club and Varsity swim teams.

Christine brings over thirty years of consulting experience with expertise in executive coaching for professional and career development, leadership assessment and branding, the design of performance and talent management programs including tools, and training, the design and delivery of organization-wide 360° feedback programs, leading organizational change initiatives and coaching to facilitate individual transition within the change context, team effectiveness assessment and the design and facilitation of team development processes and programs to promote high performance, self awareness and well-being.

She has worked with private sector executives and leadership teams in Canada, the US and Europe, and has coached individuals and teams across the Canadian public sector at the federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal levels.

Christine has an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree, from the University of Ottawa (1985), with concentration in Psychology and Applied Psychometrics. She is certified to administer and interpret various psychometric tools for development and coaching purposes, including Sigma’s LCIA which measures the Character based Leadership Dimensions as developed by Ivey Business School.

Christine’s early career included several years of Executive Search, Leadership Assessment and Development, Executive Succession, Strategic Planning and Implementation, and Career Transition consulting with a national consulting firm, and 7 years as a Principal with Watson Wyatt Worldwide (now Towers Watson), a human capital consulting firm with operations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Following the birth of her daughter, Christine founded Christine Crossman Consulting with a belief that “you lead based on who you are’, and a focus on coaching leaders to “Be aware, Be authentic, and Be accountable” for how they “show up” every day, underscoring that leadership impact extends far beyond competence-based results to organizational culture, strategy, innovation, employee engagement and even well-being.

In her work as a Leader Character Coach, Christine has been engaged by public sector leaders at the Director General, Assistant Deputy Minister, and Deputy Minister levels across multiple federal departments, and by private sector leaders, Associations, NGOs, and health care administrators to advance Character based leadership across their teams and to integrate Leader Character with performance and talent management processes, recruitment and selection processes and as a framework for individual leadership development.

Christine is proficient in both Official Languages and has valid Security Clearance to the Enhanced Reliability level (File #95884241).

Corey Crossan is a teaching fellow at The Oxford Character Project where she develops and facilitates character development programs for students, industry, and university partners. She recently completed her doctoral studies at Western University, Canada, which examined how character can be developed and its impact on performance and well-being in sport. Her undergraduate work in Exercise Science inspired her unique application of exercise and habit development towards her research that shed light on what it takes to implement a daily practice of character development. Corey’s love for elite performance developed as she competed in top-level athletics for most of her life, highlighted by competing as a NCAA Division 1 athlete. Corey translated her understanding for elite performance into a passion for helping individuals and organizations develop sustained excellence. She is also a co-developer of the Virtuosity Leader Character Development software application which was created to support the daily, deliberate practice of character-based leadership development.

Fraser is a seasoned professional with a distinguished background in both military and civilian sectors. With a decade of dedicated service in the Canadian Armed Forces, he honed his expertise as a Combat Engineer and Intelligence Operator. In 2019, Fraser embarked on a new career path, joining the ranks of Employment and Social Development Canada as a Senior Consultant.

His journey in the public service continued as he transitioned to The Canada Revenue Agency, where he assumed the role of Senior Human Resources Advisor within the Character Leadership Centre of Expertise. Here, Fraser and his team were instrumental in implementing the Character Leadership framework, infusing character-based leadership practices into executive staffing and leadership development. He established governance protocols and best practices to ensure the model’s consistent and principled application.

Having ventured beyond the public service, Fraser now serves as the Director of Human Resources and acts as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Amity Management, a comprehensive dental management consulting firm. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, he plays an active role on the board of directors for the Strathroy Caradoc Hospital Foundation.

Fraser’s dedication to leadership development extends to his collaboration with the Ivey Academy and Ivey Business School, where he serves as a mentor for Pathfinder Leadership Associates. In this role, he orchestrates hands-on learning experiences that bridge the divide between theory and practice for graduate students and C-Suite executives, delivering accelerated leadership development.

Further highlighting his commitment to education, Fraser has shared his knowledge as a Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Performance at the Lawrence Kinlin School of Business. He holds an Executive Masters of Business Administration from the prestigious Ivey Business School at Western University.

H. Christian Breede is the founder of H+1 Solutions, a leadership and decision-support consultancy created in 2020 and he is also a research analyst with the Government of Canada. A veteran with 25 years of military service in the Canadian Armed Forces as an Infantry Officer and later as a member of the military faculty at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), Christian has developed a passion for understanding and developing teams and leaders. He holds a BA in Political Science and Economics from RMC, an MA in political studies from the University of New Brunswick, and a PhD in War Studies from RMC. He has published on the topics military culture and helped several companies in the health and emerging technology sector make decisions and develop and lead their teams.

Jessica has a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph, as well as a Certificate in Civil Mediation, a Certificate in Communication Processes, and is a Certified Leader Character Practitioner. Her current expertise focuses on understanding and reducing conflict and incivility in the workplace. Her recent project involved discussing with mediators and different parties to understand both perspectives in how these difficult interactions evolve to better prevent escalation and promote reconciliation.

Her goal is to help organizations thrive by helping them select, promote, and develop their leaders. She also focuses on group dynamics by empowering organizations to foster positive communication, to address conflicts, and to create a harmonious work environment that promotes employee engagement and performance.

Since 2014, she has worked as a consultant and researcher with experience improving group dynamics, as well as developing, implementing, and validating selection tools (e.g., interview, work sample, situational judgment test, etc.). Her current projects include the development of tools to hire effective leaders with strong character and helping them understand/develop their character. Other projects also included helping leaders develop their management skills such as conducting interviews, delivering feedback, setting goals, and promoting professionalism.

Jessica is a dynamic and captivating public speaker with a passion for inspiring and empowering others, she has a talent to engage her audience by blending humour, storytelling, and insightful anecdotes. Her services include but are not limited to developing selection processes, providing conflict assessments, developing customized resolution strategies, conducting mediation, facilitation services, workshops, and transformation initiatives.

Fun facts: Jessica is an ice hockey and ball hockey player during her spare time and used to be a portrait artist.

Joy Klammer is a seasoned leader, researcher, and consultant in the HR domain. Passionate about getting the best results for her clients and their organizations, Joy deliberately sought out certifications as both a solution-focused coach and a leader character practitioner. She believes that these skill sets, in combination with her PhD in Industrial/Organizational psychology, allow her to offer her clients more holistic support in the HR realm. An engaging presenter, in her down time, she can often be found on the pickleball courts, in her garden, or honing her yoga practice.

Judith has worked for the Federal Government for 31 years and most of her work has been in Human Resources. She has worked for a number of Federal organizations including the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Coast Guard, the Correctional Service of Canada, and the Public Service Commission. Judy has spent most of her HR career working in the field of Learning and Development and in Recruitment. She has held various positions as a Team Leader and most recently as a manager.

Judith is a lifelong learner and has a passion for coaching others and watching them grow and develop.

When Judith is not working, she devotes her time to cooking, exercising, and outdoor adventures. She has four grown children and two granddaughters and loves to spend time with them when she can.

Karen is an experienced leader and manager. As a former employee of the Government of Canada, she spent over 35 years building a career with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). She has occupied various uniformed leadership positions across Canada and has a strong interest in integrity promotion, leadership advancement, positive organizational culture, employee development and succession planning for a diverse and skilled workforce of the future. Karen’s experience relates to border management, training and development, people management and development, coaching, facilitating, leadership development, and capacity building.

She is strong communicator who thrives on building dynamic teams by developing employees and managers while creating positive work environments. She has significant experience of partnering with employees and managers to establish and assess career goals; and providing opportunities for these individuals to learn, develop and grow.

Karen is a skilled and experienced facilitator who has presented regionally, nationally and internationally. Karen is a continuous learner and holds certifications as a practitioner of Character Based Leadership (CBL), Professional Coaching and Coaching for Resilience. She is a recognized Integrity Expert by the World Customs Organization.

For leisure, Karen enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling with her husband to new destinations and learning about other cultures. She is an avid reader and enjoys photography and being physically active. Karen resides near Calgary, Alberta.

Melissa Marcelissen founded Vision Leadership CG in 2021 to help corporate leaders unlock the power of their diverse teams.

In her roles as sales and operations leader, human resources business partner, and advisor-coach to c-suite leaders throughout 20+ years in corporate finance and insurance, Melissa discovered the impact of empathy, trust, and inclusion on team performance. With mentorship from exceptional, inclusive leaders, Melissa focused her commitment to live guided by purpose and authenticity and specialize in Inclusive Leadership Development.
Melissa supports corporate leaders through coaching and consulting, builds team engagement through workshops (Your Team’s Unique Advantage, Leadership Through Storytelling, Creating a Culture of Gratitude & Recognition, Infusing Character Based Leadership) and is a dedicated change agent advancing community, organizational and social understanding of the importance of Diversity & Inclusion.

Melissa graduated from the Ivey School of Business’ Executive MBA as her class Valedictorian, is a Certified Leadership & Executive Coach, a Fascinate Certified Advisor, and has been certified by the Ivey School of Business Leadership Centre as a Character Based Leadership Practitioner. Vision Leadership CG provides development and implementation of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Strategies, Inclusive Leadership Development, Team Building and Executive Coaching.

Michael Bain served 20 years within the Canadian Armed Forces as an Infantry Officer with deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait. His leadership and operational experience has extended from training and mentoring national police forces in security operations, to coordinating and supervising support to military operations overseas, to supporting domestic emergencies in Canada. He holds an MA in Human Security and Peace Building from Royal Roads University, focusing his major research project on increasing interagency cooperation within peace building operations.

A Leader Character Practitioner, he has found his true calling in creating strong teams that exhibit a growth mindset, based on empathy and inclusion for all. During his last years in the military he focused on improving the organizational culture of the Royal Canadian Air Force. A motivational and energetic public speaker, he truly believes that by putting people first organizational performance will follow.

Randa’s mission is to help good leaders accelerate their greatness towards delivering impactful results in a values-based culture. As a global leader with a progressive career and proven track record in defining people strategies, she focuses on solutions that cultivate high-performing teams and a culture that drives strong business outcomes.

With decades in leadership and organizational development, both as an employee and as a consultant, Randa has worked with leaders and teams in Europe, North America and APAC, coaching and empowering them towards high performance. Her experience of leading individuals and teams to design and deliver development solutions leverages her formal education in Adult Learning and Human Resources, including leading strategic initiatives focusing on leadership and culture, competency models and architecture, talent identification and assessment, as well as the creation of tools and resources to maximize organizational performance. Randa’s performance consulting and relationship management has contributed to the organizational priorities of various Fortune 500 companies, Not for Profits and Charities, Municipalities as well regulatory organizations. Her most recent role was with Manulife Financial leading a global multi-disciplinary team within a Centre of Expertise focused on leadership strategy and development, organizational change management and organizational design.

Her approach is anchored in helping clients generate greater self-awareness and reflection allowing them to discover practical solutions for personal success to maximize results. She is a dynamic facilitator and certified in Kolbe, EQi 2.0, Birkman, Hogan, Leadership Character Insights Assessment (LCIA) and other tools to facilitate clients’ professional growth.

Randa is appreciative of the time she spends giving back as a volunteer on her local United Way, currently as Board Chair. When not traveling with her husband, she also enjoys cooking and experimenting to create new recipes that she can share during her cherished time with family and friends.

Taelor Smith is a Certified Leader Character Practitioner and Policy Analyst at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), with a background in Human Resources.

In her previous role as a Senior Leadership Development Advisor within the CBSA’s Character-Based Leadership Centre of Expertise, she has led the integration of CBL into the Agency’s HR programs, practices, and processes. This ongoing work includes the design, development, and facilitation of various workshops and a train-the-trainer program. Taelor’s efforts were recognized as a nominee for the 2022 Michelle C. Comeau HR Leadership Awards – New Human Resources Talent.

She recently embarked on an assignment with the Agency’s Travellers Branch, Strategic Horizontal Initiatives Division, where she continues to apply her Leader Character subject matter expertise to files and initiatives such as operational workforce review, accessibility, GBA+, anti-racism, and more.