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.

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.

Major-General (Retired) Craig Aitchison is proud to have served Canada for over 38 years.

A passionate and lifelong learner, he has earned a certificate in Culinary Arts from Saint Lawrence College, an undergraduate in Business Administration from the University of New Brunswick, and master’s degrees from Royal Military College and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

He deployed overseas five times including Afghanistan and Iraq, and commanded the Infantry School, Combat Training Centre and the Canadian Defence Academy. He was also very fortunate to act as the Deputy Commanding General for Operations for U.S. Army Alaska, now 11th Airborne Division (Arctic Angels). In 2023 he was invested into the Order of Military Merit at the rank of Commander. He has also been twice (2019 and 2021) awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit at the rank of Officer.

His extensive experience in the military training and education system has created a very strong foundation and focused energy toward leader development, strategy development and design thinking.

For those that know Fiona, they define her as an energetic, enthusiastic, outgoing analytical and a think out of the box person who leads with passion and speaks from the heart.

When connecting with Fiona, rest assured that you will be guaranteed confidentiality, energy, passion and patience. She will guide you in the process and will define an action plan with clear goals to enable you to be the best version of you! She strives for excellence, operates without judgement, is empathetic and compassionate with the goal of supporting others to be the best they can possibly be.

Fiona has a diverse experience in Executive Leadership Development, Human Resource Management & Consulting, Career Development/Transition, Assessment interpretation, Planning, Organizational Design, Training & Learning, Facilitation and many other areas.

Fiona is known to have a unique ability to tap into the human spirit. She quickly identifies and highlights individuals on their working styles, leadership abilities and encourages them and steers them on how to imagine and transform their destiny.

In her career to date and in the past 10 years she has been responsible for Executive Leadership Development and other leadership development programs for various audiences where she has responsibility for designing and implementing highly individualized coaching programs and services to assist Executives and Professionals at all levels in transition and those who are looking to continue to excel further in their professional development in both the Public Service, Private Sector and organizations around the world.

Fiona is in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

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.

James Rychard is a 23-year firefighter/instructor from the City of Burlington, Ontario Canada. He is an accomplished author writing for both Firefighting in Canada and Canadian Firefighter magazines on topics that challenge the status quo; introducing ideas that are unconventional. In 2022, James joined 23 other Canadian professionals with his article “Guarding Against Burnout in the Emergency Services: A Firefighter’s Perspective” published in the Canadian Journal of Criminal Justice Report, Special Issue for Public Safety Personnel. To complement his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, James is a graduate of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs – Humber College’s Fire Service Executive Management Certificate program – a program focused on strengthening senior fire officer competencies. Sitting on several international committees James has a boots-on-the-ground understanding of the issues the fire service sector faces today. He is a passionate advocate for both organizational & personal wellness and has successfully presented at International Chief Fire Officer conferences on burnout, human factors & performance, culture, and character leadership.

In 2022, James received Fire Service Psychology Association’s inaugural Fire Service Leader of the Year award for his work in fire service mental and behavioural health. In his spare time, he enjoys actively engaging in nature, spending time away from the job hiking, cycling, and training his Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Luna.

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.

Rob Webb is a globally respected technology executive, management consultant, and high-performance leadership coach with a proven track record of driving strategic change, accelerating growth, and building collaborative, high-performing teams. He brings a rare blend of global CIO leadership, board level experience and deep leadership expertise in executive coaching to help leaders and organisations thrive through complexity and transformation.

Rob has served as Global CIO and CTO at iconic organizations including General Electric, Hilton Worldwide, Equifax, and Etihad Aviation Group. His cross-industry expertise spans aviation, hospitality, financial services, and government, with a focus on technology-enabled change, leadership strategy, and large-scale transformation.

He has graduated with two masters degrees from INSEAD Business School (EMC) in Singapore and ESCP Business School (MBA) in Paris in addition to completing Executive Education and Advanced Coaching Certification from Columbia, Harvard, MIT Sloan, IMD, IESE and Ivey Business School.

Rob is a trusted advisor to private equity firms, venture capital funds, strategy consultancies, multinational corporations, and government leaders. He specializes in guiding C-suite transitions, advising on leadership dynamics in high-stakes contexts, and enabling artificial intelligence and digital transformations through human-centered strategies.

A lifelong learner and adventurer, Rob is an art enthusiast, BMW motorcycle rider, and longtime yoga practitioner. He currently serves as Managing Partner at AIIR Consulting and Executive Leadership Coach at Ivey Business School, Western University.

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.