Elizabeth McSavaney is SVP and Chief People Officer for Zurich Canada with more than 25 years of experience leading enterprise change and shaping people strategies across insurance, consumer goods, technology-enabled organizations, and government. Known for driving complex transformation and simplifying execution, she brings a pragmatic, business-first approach to aligning talent, leadership, and culture with measurable business outcomes. At Zurich Canada, Elizabeth leads the country’s people strategy and HR transformation agenda, focused on modernizing the HR operating model and embedding AI-enabled, data-driven decision-making. She is a frequent speaker on HR transformation, leadership effectiveness, and the future of work. Elizabeth also serves as a Board Member with the Pinball Clemons Foundation, supporting education and opportunity for youth from marginalized communities.
Carina Vassilieva is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Apotex, a Canadian-Based Global Health Company, responsible for all aspects of Apotex’s global people, talent, and culture strategy. She brings more than 25 years of global strategic leadership in public and private sectors, combined with management consulting experience in a tier one management consulting firm.
Previously, Carina was Global CHRO at Mundipharma, a UK-based pharmaceutical company with operations worldwide. She also held leadership roles at Sofina Foods and Rexall Pharmacy Group. Carina is certified in HR & Compensation Committee (HRCC) Effectiveness by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD). She was a Chair of York Region Housing Help Centre & ID Clinic Board of Directors, is a Program Advisory Committee member for the MS Biotechnology in Northeastern University, and a member of Human Resources Professionals Association, WorldAtWork, Society for Human Resources Management, and International Coaching Federation.
Carina holds an MBA from California Coast University and a BSc in Engineering from the State University of Printing Arts, Moscow, Russia. Carina is a Certified Executive Coach, Certified Compensation Professional, and Certified Global Remuneration Professional.
Erin Kuzz is a seasoned employment lawyer and workplace strategist renowned for her expertise in navigating the complexities of labour and employment law and fostering productive and compliance-oriented work environments. With more than two decades of experience, Erin has established herself as a trusted advisor to organizations of all sizes, providing tailored legal solutions and strategic guidance to address a wide range of employment-related challenges.
Erin's commitment to professional excellence and her contributions to the fields of labour employment law have garnered recognition from her peers and industry organizations alike, including as one of Canada's leading employment and labour lawyers by Lexpert®, Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers®, Chambers Global®, Who’s Who Legal® (Global Elite Thought Leader & Most Highly Regarded), and Best Lawyers®. She is also a Fellow of the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers®. Erin sits as a member, representing employers, of the Labour-Management Advisory Committee, advising Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
Sherrard Kuzz LLP’s dedicated team of legal professionals is committed to delivering exceptional counsel and advocacy to employers across various industries. The firm's client-centric approach, and unwavering dedication to achieving favourable outcomes, have earned it, and Erin, a reputation for excellence and integrity within the legal community.
Lola Obomighie is a healthcare executive and Certified Human Resources Executive (CHRE) with the HRPA. With over 20 years of international leadership experience across healthcare, higher education, and the public and not-for-profit sectors in England and Canada, she currently serves as Vice President, People, Culture & Organizational Effectiveness at Northumberland Hills Hospital.
A strategic and values-driven leader, Lola is recognized for advancing workforce transformation, organizational effectiveness, equity, diversity and inclusion, and people-centred cultures that support engagement, well-being, and sustainable performance. She is passionate about HR metrics, evidence-informed decision-making, and cultivating inclusive workplace cultures that align people strategies with organizational priorities and long-term sustainability. She is also known for her collaborative leadership style and systems-thinking approach.
Lola holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics and Statistics, an MSc in Human Resources Management, and has completed the Rotman Global Executive MBA in Healthcare and the Life Sciences (GEMBA-HLS). She is also a Certified Health Executive (CHE), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), and Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), UK.
Executive Advisor, Author, & Sr. Director of Technology
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About Dr. Kalifa Oliver
Dr. Kalifa Oliver is a global HR industry expert and award winning Employee Experience (EX) strategist, distinguished scholar, author and a luminary in the intersection of academia, business, and innovation. Focused on creating brilliant employee experiences based on data analytics, people-centered design, and customer experience philosophy. Her groundbreaking research, talks, and published works have not only expanded the boundaries of knowledge but also inspires a new generation of leaders. Dr. Oliver’s unique ability to articulate complex ideas and tell stories with clarity and enthusiasm transcends traditional academic confines, making her a sought-after voice in both expert circles and with broader corporate leadership and executive audiences.
Dr. Oliver is the author of I Think I Love My Job: Secrets to Designing a People-Centered Employer Value Proposition (That You Can Actually Boast About) a must read book for professionals and executives connected to the HR space.
Over the course of her career, Tammy has worked in various HR leadership roles with known industry leaders like TELUS, Grand & Toy, OfficeMax, OpenText. She currently leads an HR function as an CHRO at Edgewood Health Network Inc. Tammy holds board positions at several non-for-profit community organizations and is currently serving as a President of one of Ontario’s oldest Figure Skating Club, WFSC and as a chair of the HRPA Central East Chapter. Tammy is a graduate of University of Toronto with honors, currently holds SHRM, CHRP and CHRL, CHRE designations. She holds an active certification by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in Adult Mental Health First Aid USA and has recently completed a Labour Law program at York University – Osgoode Hall Law School and specialization program with Harvard Business School.
Katie Duarte is on a mission to improve feedback at work by challenging traditional approaches. With a masters degree in Organizational Psychology and a research background in feedback dynamics, she brings insights to help organizations make impactful improvements to feedback by considering the parts that both the giver and the receiver play. Taking a systems approach to her work, Katie also holds two professional designations: one in training and development, and one in organization development, acknowledging that truly effective feedback requires a cooperative effort between the environment (processes, policies, and procedures), the feedback giver, and the feedback receiver.
