Sartaj Sarkaria (She, her)

CEO

Sartaj Sarkaria is a transformational executive leader with over a decade of experience driving strategic growth, operational turnarounds, and inclusive culture change across sectors. Her work is grounded in the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA), and she brings a deep commitment to fostering spaces where people feel empowered to be their full selves.

Sartaj’s leadership philosophy is anchored in continuous learning, humility, and the courage to adapt as the IDEA space evolves. She values lived experiences, champions transparency and accountability, and is driven by a belief in collective progress toward meaningful social change.

She most recently served as CEO of Holstein Canada and held senior executive roles at the Canadian Marketing Association, including Chief Operating Officer (acting CEO) and Chief Diversity Officer. In these roles, she led financial and cultural transformations, strengthened governance, launched national DEIA initiatives, and built high-performing, purpose-driven teams.

Sartaj holds a BA from Wilfrid Laurier University and has completed executive education through Queen’s University, eCornell, and Osgoode Hall Law School. She holds both the Governance Professionals of Canada designation (GPC.D) and Certified Human Resources Leader designation (CHRL) and is currently pursuing the ICD.D through Rotman and the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Deeply engaged in Canada’s nonprofit and governance sectors, Sartaj serves in leadership positions on the boards of the Human Resources Professionals Association, United for Literacy, and the Do More Agriculture Foundation, where she currently serves as Board Chair.