Alison holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and Masters in Employment Relations from Memorial University and has 17 years of experience as a trainer and speaker for workplaces.

She spent the first part of her career in the non profit sector training on safety, prevention, wellness and disability awareness and is now a business owner with a training focus on mental health, wellbeing, stress management, burnout prevention and work-life balance. She is a Certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Trainer through the Mental Health Commission of Canada and teaches courses virtually and in person across Canada.

Alison has experience working with a wide-variety of workplaces and sectors including  Government, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, community organizations, energy, construction, aerospace, healthcare and more. She works primarily with leaders, managers, human resources teams and occupational health and safety professionals to coordinate and deliver learning opportunities for their teams.

She also holds another important working role as a mom of two young children and is very familiar with the demands of parenting and career in today's workplace.

Alison is passionate about talking about mental health and wellness in a way that everyone can understand and speaks openly about her own mental health experiences as a working professional. She loves engaging with audiences and sharing ideas.

Dr. Alyson Byrne is an assistant professor in organizational behaviour and human resource management at the Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University. She received her PhD in organizational behaviour from Queen’s University in 2013. Prior to arriving at Memorial, Dr. Byrne also worked at the University of Manitoba and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in leadership at the Ivey Business School at Western University.

 Dr. Byrne’s research interests lie primarily in leadership, status, gender and relational outcomes. She has been published in journals such as The Leadership Quarterly and the Journal of Business Ethics and has presented her research at numerous international conferences. She has also been the keynote speaker for a number of public events concerning her research on leadership and gender.

Blair Pritchett manages Intact Insurance’s legal teams in Newfoundland & Labrador and New Brunswick.  Prior to taking on that role, Blair was a practicing lawyer for almost two (2) decades.  Most of Blair’s time in private practice was with McInnes Cooper, where he was a partner and a member of the firm’s Board of Directors.

Blair is a frequent instructor and lecturer on legal topics relevant to the workplace, including employment, human rights, occupational health and safety, employee discipline and the legalization of cannabis.  Blair’s background, which combines legal expertise and hands-on management experience, offers students a unique perspective on the law of the workplace.

Dr. Ford is a Professor at the Faculty of Business Administration with a Bachelors in Psychology, and double major in management information systems and organizational behaviour with her PhD. She conducts research on knowledge management, social media, and cyber deviance, in particular virtual harassment and cyber-incivility. She teaches organizations on how to create respectful workplaces to prevent harassment and bullying through the Gardiner Centre, and has also provided consultation work on remote work and its implications for employees and organizations. 

With twenty years of experience in leadership, Gail has attuned her skill and knowledge of the management of workplace conflict. A coach approach sets Gail apart as an excellent facilitator, which she combines with her passion for creating and contributing to healthy workplaces.  Her areas of expertise include conflict management, leadership, group and team development as well as civility and respect.  A focus on psychologically safe workplaces positions her to assess the current culture and offer developmental solutions through training as well as conflict coaching, facilitation, mediation and restoration.  Gail has a view of conflict both from an organizational leadership position and as an individual practitioner in a career that has spanned private, non-profit, healthcare and government agencies.

Gail holds a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Diploma in Business Administration from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador.  Gail also obtained a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University.  She is a Qualified Mediator through the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada, a Workplace Fairness Analyst (Workplace Fairness Institute) and offers individual conflict and executive coaching. 

Heather Peters is a Senior Consultant and the NL Practice Lead for Leadership, HR and Career Solutions at Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette. An insightful leadership coach, solutions-driven human resources consultant and energetic and engaging facilitator, Heather has helped hundreds of leaders and professionals engage teams and organizations in Canada and beyond.

 As a Senior Consultant and Coach, Heather can easily switch hats to deliver distinctive employee, team, leadership, career and HR solutions. She attributes this ability to over 20 years in leadership, entrepreneurial and strategic HR roles in the insurance, IT, human resources, healthcare and financial industries. Heather's hands-on business and organizational experience helps her connect with her clients and create long standing relationships based on trust and exceptional service.  Heather works mainly in the areas of Performance Management, Organizational Development, Compensation, and Policy, Leadership and Team Development, Succession Planning, Change Management and Career Transition.

Heather is passionate about learning and has completed her Master of Employment Relations (MER) from Memorial University, a Bachelor of Commerce (B. Comm.) from the University of Ottawa, is a Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF), and is an Advanced Certified HR Professional with IPMA (IPMA-ACP). This commitment to life-long learning, coupled with 'in the trenches' experience, allows her to translate academic theory into relevant, impact driven solutions for her clients and also her students as a part-time instructor with the Faculty of Business at Memorial University.

Jordan Wright has experience working with private, public and not-for-profit organizations, both locally and nationally. Jordan is currently Lead 2025 Canada Games at Memorial University and was previously Director - Operations, Conference Services and Events with Memorial University and was responsible for the Operations of Memorial's Emera Innovation Exchange at Signal Hill Campus along with its Graduate Student Accommodations and Conference and Events services for both the Signal Hill and St. John's Campuses. Immediately prior to this, Jordan managed the Office of the Associate Vice-President (Facilities) at Memorial University, where he worked on the University's overall infrastructure planning, which included capital renewal and new construction projects.

Jordan has also worked with the University's Office of Public Engagement, Gardiner Centre as well as the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour. These positions allowed him to work on a number of marketing and communications, event production, human resource development, consulting, economic and business development projects. Jordan has also been involved with Shad Canada, leading Memorial's program while providing guidance on business plan development, project management and leadership fundamentals.

Jordan holds a Masters of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts (French & Economics) from Memorial University, as well as a Masters Certificate in Project Management and Masters Certificate in Leadership from York University Schulich Executive Education Centre. Jordan holds Project Management Institute's (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) designation as well as being a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner. Jordan previously held volunteer roles with the East Coast Trail Association and Horizon TNL, is a past-president of PMI NL Chapter and is a former National Vice-President of Canadian Parents for French.

Lynn Ansara (Best) is a skilled, experienced facilitator who is passionate about supporting the achievement of organizational goals and employee development. Lynn holds a Master's Degree in Adult Education, two undergraduate degrees in Arts and Post-Secondary Education, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching. Lynn also holds a number of certifications including Legacy Leadership(TM),  Emotional Intelligence, Myers Briggs Personality Indicator, True Colors(TM), and Coaching Out of the Box(TM). Lynn uses a coach approach to teaching and learning. She creates trusting, collaborative partnerships and learning environments directed at achieving results while infusing humour, challenge, and accountability.

Lynn is the President of CreAction Consulting, facilitating workplace learning and employee development. She has worked with a wide-variety of public, private and not-for-profit industries supporting organizations and employees in achieving their goals.

Lynn Morrissey has over 25 years' of experience as a facilitator, consultant, and educator.  She has taught academic courses in communications, organizational behaviour, and human resources at the Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University, in St. John's, NL.  She has received many awards for her contributions including the Dean's Teaching Award, the Dean's Service Award, the Dean's Citizenship Award, the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching, and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Lynn has a long-standing relationship with Gardiner Centre, instructing professional development seminars that focus on various fields of workplace culture and communications, and facilitation skills. Lynn consults in organizational effectiveness and human resource management and works regularly with organizations on a variety of strategic initiatives. Her experience includes leading performance review processes, writing harassment prevention strategies, conducting workplace culture reviews, facilitating strategy sessions, and executive coaching.

Martha Muzychka, an ABC, MC, and IABC Fellow, serves as the Principal of Praxis Communications, an independent consultancy located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Founded in 2005, her work centers on various areas, including health, gender equity, education, culture, natural resource, and social policy.

 Martha demonstrates strengths in communications, qualitative research, policy analysis, consultation processes, reputation and crisis management, and writing. In her professional endeavors, she explores innovative approaches for communication and engagement, combining a unique community perspective with a solid foundation in strategic communications principles. Her clientele encompasses both large and small organizations in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as across Canada, spanning the government, non-profit, community, and private sectors. Martha brings extensive experience to the table, including public speaking, workshop development and presentation, and group facilitation.

She offers workshops and training sessions to institutions, corporations, and community agencies, covering topics such as business writing, communications and media relations, evaluation and qualitative research methodology, reputation management, social media, design thinking, and creativity in business development. Since 2014, Martha has been a licensed trainer with MDC, delivering key programs like Think on Your Feet, Writing Dynamics, and The Skilled Presenter to professionals.

Martha specializes in creating custom training for various audiences, including corporate, institutional, and community sectors. Additionally, she develops supporting materials like PowerPoint presentation slides, trainer and participant modules, handouts, and evaluation forms, incorporating innovative teaching techniques designed to support adult learners and reinforce learning objectives.

Since 2020, Martha has invested in professional development focused on online facilitation and engagement. She has adapted her existing training programs to virtual environments and implemented these strategies for new training programs.

Stephanie (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers) is a proud member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and her pronouns are she, her, and hers. Stephanie is CEO of DiversityNL which she started in 2020 following her passion as an innovator who helps organizations implement inclusive policies and strategies for Two-spirited, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, + inclusion in organizations. Her mantra is that high performance teams have 3 secret ingredients - diversity, inclusivity and belonging. These teams outperform by 20%, creating work cultures and breaking down silos enhancing productivity, idea generation and revenue growth. 

Stephanie provides training for diversity professionals. She organizes and provides DEI Panels for organizations representing the historically excluded groups which includes women, indigenous, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+. Stephanie is experienced with strategic planning, needs assessments, benchmarking and workforce training and development sessions to organizations on topics related to 2SLGBTQ+ 101, Unconscious Bias, Gender Inclusive Language and Pronouns, Business Case and Effective DEI Strategies and much more. She coaches CEO's, individuals and organizations helping them progress their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion so everyone feels like they belong and can be their true authentic selves in the workplace. This shows up through culture and design, review and implementation of policies and procedures, guidance, systems and design, sustainability and capacity building as well as leadership and innovation.

Stephanie has a Master of Social Work degree from Memorial and contributes success to following your passion. She is a proud fur momma of 2 fur babies and loves getting out in nature for walks with her wife and 4 legged treasures.

Susan is an adjunct professor with the Faculty of Education, Memorial University of Newfoundland. She also is a guest lecturer for Executive Programs at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, York University and Humber College.At the graduate level, she teaches courses in policy, strategic planning, leadership theory and practice, and HRM theory and practice in post-secondary settings. Her pragmatic approach instills and understanding of both theory and practice, including cross-cultural intelligences, employee engagement, leadership, strategy and an overall focus on quality and excellence across all components of an organization, including stakeholders.

Susan holds a Doctorate in Leadership (DBA) and an MSc. in Business Management Research from Henley Business School, UK. She also holds a Master of Education (Leadership) and a Bachelor of Education, both from Memorial University.She is a globally certified Gallup Strengths Coach and a member of the Forbes Coaches Council 

Concurrently, she is a research and management consultant through her own company, Clearpath Leadership, and has become a globally recognized leadership consultant. Her work spans many organizations and countries, with a focus on the UAE. Most notably, she has a lead role with the Excellence Assessment Program for the Prime Minister's Office in the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Prior to completing her doctoral studies, Dr. Murray had an accomplished 25-year career as a senior leader in the public education system in Canada and was recognized as one of Canada's Outstanding Principals. She is a highly sought speaker for local, national, and international events.

Actively involved in the non-profit sector, Dr. Murray is the Chair of the Kids Eat Smart Foundation Newfoundland and Labrador. She is an advisor, coach and mentor with national organizations including the Canadian Arab Institute, Newcomer Students Association, Women in Leadership and FORA where she coaches young women to serve as board directors.

Dr. Tom Cooper is a Professor at the Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University, where he lectures in the areas of strategy, risk management, management consulting and ethics/values at both an undergraduate and graduate level. His research is primarily focused on the interplay between strategy and risk management. Tom also has research interests in participatory approaches to research and doing business in remote areas.

Tom also acts as an advisor to a number of organizations in Canada and is a Certified Management Consultant. He has sat on the Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador (ICANL) as an appointed public representative since 2008. He was a member of the Governance as well as the Strategic Planning Committee of ICANL. He has also acted as a committee member of the CPA TSC's Governance and Strategic Planning subcommittees. He is the current Chair of Startup Newfoundland and Labrador. He is a mentor with Futurpreneur and is a past a Board Member with the Atlantic Chapter of the Certified Management Consultants.

Prior to taking his position at Memorial, Tom was a Senior Manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers' Performance Improvement Consulting practice in London. Tom worked as a senior consultant in this area for ten years with clients in the United Kingdom, Europe and North America.

Tom's research has been published widely in industry and academic publications. He has been quoted in the Financial Times of London, BBC World Service, CBC, Atlantic Business, and other industry publications. He holds a Ph.D. in Business from the Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, United Kingdom.

Dr. Travor C. Brown is the Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial Univeristy.  He is a Professor of Labour Relations and Human Resources and former President of ASAC (the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada).  He has taught at Memorial University, the University of Toronto and the University of Ulster.  Since joining Memorial University, he has also served as the Associate Dean (Research) and the Director of the Master of Employment Relations, MSc (Management) and PhD (Management) programs.  Dr. Brown has been appointed to the provincial roster of arbitrators.

Dr. Brown has authored over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, a textbook and over 70 conference presentations.  He has also been the sole investigator on two national Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) grants.  Much of his research examines issues concerning goal setting and training effectiveness, with special focus on managment and leadership development.

Dr. Brown's academic background is coupled with extensive industry experience.  He worked in the telecommunications and manufacturing sectors prior to completing his PhD at the University of Toronto and remains active in the practitioner community.  Given this background, Dr. Brown is well known for this ability to engage both practitioner and academic audiences and to show the 'real world' implications of his research.