The Advisory Committee provides guidance to CCDI and the Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional (CCIP™) team with respect to the general management of the certification, from the initial design to the development of formal policies, procedures, marketing strategies and strategic goals.
Joanne Callahan - HR Talent Management, Nalcor Energy
Joanne has almost twenty years of work experience in the energy and utility business. Twelve of those years are in Human Resources and Diversity and Inclusion. In this capacity, she has worked with various organizations throughout Atlantic Canada to develop and implement diversity and inclusion strategies that support overall business strategies. She is an advocate for promoting an inclusive work environment that meets the needs of all employees. While working in New Brunswick, in partnership with the University of New Brunswick’s HERG center, she helped promote the value of an inclusive work environment that helped all employees achieve their full potential. In 2012, Joanne moved to Newfoundland and Labrador, and currently works with Nalcor Energy. Her focus there has been talent management and diversity and inclusion. Joanne is a graduate of Memorial University.
Chantal Dugas - General Manager, Development, Diversity and Inclusion, Air Canada
Chantal joined Air Canada 19 years ago as a recruiter before she joined the Diversity team in 2000. Not long after, she was also given the responsibilities of Linguistic Affairs. For both portfolios, Chantal helped by her team supports the different departments in the development and implementation of initiatives that meet their specific needs. She also supports the development of strategies to create a better workplace for all employees. Finally, Chantal works very closely with the Talent Acquisition, the Learning and Development and the Succession teams in positioning Air Canada as a top diverse employer.
Mila Lazarova - Associate Professor of International Business at the Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University and Canada Research Chair in Global Workforce Management
Mila Lazarova (PhD, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey) is the William Saywell Professor in International Business at the Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University, Canada. Her research interests include global careers, expatriate management (with a focus on repatriation and the career implications of international assignments), organizational career development and mobility practices in MNCs, and integration of skilled immigrants in the Canadian workplace. Her work has appeared in journals such as the Academy of Management Review, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business, Organizational Science, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, and Human Resource Management Journal. Mila is currently a Consulting Editor at the Journal of World Business and sits on several other editorial boards.
Marni Panas – Program Manager, Diversity and Inclusion, Alberta Health Services
Marni Panas (She/Her) is the Program Manager, Diversity and Inclusion with Canada’s largest health care provider and 5th largest employer, Alberta Health Services. Here she is co-leading the development and implementation of a provincial diversity and inclusion plan aimed at creating safer, more welcoming and inclusive environments for AHS staff, patients and families. She holds a Business Administration - Human Resources Diploma, Computer Systems Technology Diploma and a degree in Health Administration.
Marni has been invited to share her experiences and expertise on inclusive health and cultural safety, particularly for LGBTQ+ patients and their families locally, nationally and internationally. She was part of the work that lead to gender identity and gender expression being added as protected grounds to Alberta’s Human Rights Act and provided testimony the Senate leading to same protections added to Canada’s Human Rights Act and Criminal Code. Most recently she was a member of the Advisory Committee that helped draft the apology that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered to LGBTQ people in Canada in the House of Commons on November 28, 2017 for discrimination and injustices faced by this community as a result of federal legislation, policies and programs.
She received the Human Rights Award from the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, nominated as a YMCA Woman of Distinction and named a 2018 Global Woman of Vision for her commitment to creating a community where diversity is not only accepted, but celebrated.
Margaret Tebbut - Consultant and Trainer
Margaret presents workshops and at conferences on psychological health and safety in the workplace, as well as on mental health in the workplace to help managers, union leaders, and fellow workers develop the knowledge and skills to promote mental well-being amongst all employees and support people experiencing mental illnesses. As Senior Consultant to the Canadian Mental Health Association from 2005 – 2013, Margaret managed workplace initiatives such as Mental Health Works training, workplace-based integrated health screening and the national Bottom Line Conferences on mental health in the workplace. Prior to 2005, she held positions as Senior Advisor, Executive Development for the University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business; Director, Client Service Delivery with Western Economic Diversification Canada; and in Canada’s foreign service at embassies abroad. Margaret graduated from the University of Montpellier (France) with a Maîtrise ès lettres (MA). She completed executive training through National Defense College, UBC Sauder School of Business, and the Canadian School of Public Service.
The work of developing and improving the CCIP program is a long-term team effort. We want to acknowledge the contributions of former members of the CCIP Advisory Committee, who have lent their expertise to make the program what it is today.
The Exam Committee provides guidance to CCDI and the CCIP team with respect to the content of the CCIP exam and the exam marking parameters.
Donna Carter - Senior Advisor Diversity and Inclusion, Alberta Health Services
Donna has had an extensive career in healthcare working with many diverse groups. The majority of her experience was in a management role with Volunteer Resources building a provincial structure and strategy for the involvement of thousands of volunteers in many different roles and programs. Her most recent work has been with a number of Human Resource projects including leading the Recognition Portfolio and currently as Senior Advisor role with the Diversity and Inclusion Portfolio. With many new initiatives under this portfolio graduating from the first cohort of the Centennial College Certificate in Leadership and Inclusion has been an asset. Donna has drawn from her extensive volunteer involvement in her community as well with provincial and national boards. She attributes many great learnings and cherished friendships from her volunteer work. Donna and her husband have celebrated their 43 anniversary and soon look forward to having more time for travel. She has two grown sons and enjoys the company of her young teenage granddaughter and mini dachshund “Taco.”
Giselle Kovary - President, n-gen People Performance Inc.
As president and co-founder of n-gen People Performance Inc., Giselle is dedicated to building strategies and programs that target, motivate and engage a multigenerational workforce. She is a sought after resource to industry leaders, having worked with 18 of the top Fortune 500 companies. Over 60,000 people globally have experienced an n-gen workshop or presentation. She has devoted more than fifteen years to researching the impact that generational differences have on organizational performance. Giselle has co-authored two books: Loyalty Unplugged: How to Get, Keep & Grow All Four Generations and Upgrade Now: 9 Advanced Leadership Skills. She has a Master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Windsor.
Eddie Ng - Professor and F.C. Manning Chair in Economics and Business Teaching and research, Dalhousie University
Eddy Ng is a Professor of Organizational Behaviour and the F.C. Manning Chair in Economics and Business at Dalhousie University. His research focuses on managing diversity for organizational competitiveness, the changing nature of work and organizations, and managing an intergenerational workforce. His work has been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He is actively involved in executive education, and he frequently comments on popular media outlets. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal. In his spare time, he volunteers for a non-profit arts organization.
Thomas Sasso - Co-founder, Sexual and Gender Diversity Research Lab, Centre for Families, Work, and Wellbeing and Sessional Instructor, Department of Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Guelph
Thomas is a PhD candidate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at the University of Guelph. His research is dedicated to understanding and improving the experiences of diverse and marginalized populations in workplaces, with particular emphasis on LGBTQ+ individuals. He co-founded the Sexual and Gender Diversity Research Lab with the goal of improving inclusive and accessible education and research. In addition, Thomas has also worked as an organizational consultant and a university instructor. Thomas has been actively involved in his communities, including serving on boards of directors of community organizations, program advisory boards, and institutional governance committees.
Marna Shecter - Director - Marna Shecter Consulting Inc.
As an advocate for diversity and inclusion across the broad range of diversity, Marna Shecter has spent her career in the field of Human Resources both in the private and broader public sectors. She is most recently the owner and Director of Marna Shecter Consulting Inc. which offers consulting services including harassment investigations, conflict resolution and workplace restoration. Prior to her retirement in December 2016 Marna held the position of Director Human Resources at the Durham Children’s Aid Society where she was instrumental in the organizational implementation of an anti oppressive practice strategy including the first workforce census and inclusion survey. She was a member of, and for 9 years chaired, the Diversity Committee. Outside the organization she was a member of Durham region service provider Diversity Committee and on the provincial child welfare anti oppressive practice Roundtable since its inception in 2008. Since 2010 Marna has participated as a community member on the Diversity Advisory Committee of the Durham Regional Police Service. She was honoured to be asked to participate in the development of the CCIP!
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