HR Executive Peer Forum 2026

Shazia Mazhar

Senior Managing Partner

Shazia is an accomplished leader with a powerful blend of business leadership and human capital expertise. As Managing Partner, Executive Services at McLean & Company, she partners with senior leaders to unlock organizational performance through strategic people practices that align with core business objectives.

With a career spanning more than 25 years in Telcom, Engineering and Financial sectors, Shazia has held leadership roles that bridge the gap between HR strategy and enterprise growth. Her experience advising global organizations has honed her ability to deliver high-value insights, enabling clients to address workforce challenges, improve operational agility, and drive sustainable results.

She specializes in areas such as strategy, leadership development, cultural transformation, and operational excellence — all framed through a lens of strategic business alignment. She brings clarity to complexity and is adept at navigating change with both decisiveness and empathy. Whether advising on enterprise strategy or guiding executive teams, she has a passion for helping organizations—and the people within them—thrive.

Shazia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Guelph, a postgraduate certificate in Communications and Public Relations from the University of Western Ontario, and a Diploma in Adult Education from Durham College.

Tiphani Krueger

Executive Counselor

Tiphani Krueger brings a unique blend of business acumen and people-focused HR leadership to drive impactful, enterprise-wide outcomes. With more than 25 years of experience across global asset management, financial services, telecommunications, and management consulting, she is a trusted HR executive and strategic advisor known for delivering results in high-profile, complex organizations.
A highly collaborative leader, she partners with senior executives to accelerate growth and transformation through innovative HR strategies. Her areas of expertise include leadership development, organizational effectiveness, culture alignment, workforce planning, global talent management, and advancing inclusion and belonging. She champions the importance of people-centric leadership as a catalyst for business performance and long-term success.
Drawing on her experience as a chief human resources officer, Tiphani remains active in the HR community as a coach and mentor. She is deeply committed to developing others and contributing to advancing the broader HR profession.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with a minor in psychology from the University of Iowa and is certified in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Hogan Assessment Systems, and Lominger (Korn Ferry) Leadership Architect Competency Mapping.

Stacey Shepherd

Senior Executive Counselor

Stacey is a sought-out, trusted HR advisor to senior leaders with over 30 years’ experience working with both public and private sector employers, helping organizations navigate complex business transformations and successfully manage through change. With extensive experience coaching and guiding leaders to successfully execute on their strategic agendas, she operates with integrity, authenticity, and a keen sense of humor.
Prior to joining McLean & Company as an Executive Counselor, Stacey held senior HR leadership roles across many diverse industries, including newspaper and magazine publishing, financial services, law enforcement, and municipal government.
She brings a passion for elevating the HR function and team and has specific experience in leading and influencing HR modernization and transformation programs across businesses, positioning HR as a true strategic business partner.
Stacey holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and is a graduate of the Advanced Leadership Program at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Chicago.

Sally Cornet

Executive Counselor

Sally Cornet is an award-winning HR executive and Executive Counselor at McLean & Company, where she partners with CHROs and HR leaders to navigate complex organizational challenges and accelerate strategic impact. With over three decades of global talent and culture leadership, Sally brings deep expertise across high-tech, financial services, healthcare, retail, and customer experience sectors.

Prior to joining McLean & Company, Sally led HR teams for some of the world’s most iconic global brands, overseeing workforces of 80,000+ employees and HR functions with over 120 professionals. She is recognized for her ability to align people strategies with business priorities, transform HR operations, and build innovative, high-performance cultures.

Sally holds an MBA with a concentration in Organizational Behavior from the University of Central Florida and a BSBA in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin. She is a certified SPHR, GPHR, and ICF PCC-certified coach, as well as a Master Practitioner and Trainer of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). Her work blends strategic insight, operational excellence, and advanced coaching methodologies to elevate leadership and organizational effectiveness.

Known for her engaging style and pragmatic wisdom, Sally brings clarity, confidence, and lasting impact to every project she steps onto.

Dessalen Wood

Chief People Officer, Syntax

Dessalen Wood, CHRP, is the Global Chief People Officer at Syntax, a global provider of cutting-edge cloud and managed IT solutions. Dessalen leads company-wide human resource strategies, fostering a vibrant culture for over 2,800 employees in 15 countries.
With over 25 years of experience, Dessalen has built and developed People & Culture teams, creating customized professional development initiatives at renowned Canadian and US enterprises like Reitman’s Canada, Hudson’s Bay Company, and The Disney Stores. Before Syntax, Wood served as Chief People Officer at ThoughtExchange and Vice President of Talent Development at Cineplex Entertainment. Recognized with multiple awards, including the Retail Council Award for Talent Development, Waterstone Top 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures, and most recently is proud to announce Syntax having been named a Great Place to Work by their employees in all the countries in which they operate.

Louis Ansara

Executive Counselor

Louis Ansara brings 25 years of business operations and HR leadership experience to the Executive Counselor role at McLean & Company, where he will support and guide HR leaders to map out their HR strategy and prioritize HR initiatives that will make a measurable impact on their businesses.
With deep experience in several different industries including Retail and Manufacturing & Transportation, Louis has supported and led teams ranging from 6,000 to 30,000 employees. He has deep expertise in talent management, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, change management, compliance, and strategy & culture. His passion resides in developing others to achieve their career goals while also making a positive impact on business results and growth in the skills of team members.
In partnership with the COO and SVP operations, Louis led an organizational restructure that resulted in growing the company from eight regions to twenty, improved results and growth opportunity for employees at all levels, and set the foundation for the operating model of the company today. He has completed expatriate assignments in Australia and Japan as a business operations leader.
Louis attended the University of Toledo studying business administration. He holds certifications from Gallup University in their Great Managers and StrengthsFinder programs, and the Stephen Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective People course. He is pursuing certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the University of South Florida.

Tom Turcich

Global Adventurer & Storyteller

Tom Turcich, the tenth person to walk around the world and the first to do so with a dog, captured the world's imagination with his remarkable journey. After the death of a close friend, Tom resolved to make the most of life. The day before his twenty-sixth birthday, he stepped out his front door to begin an adventure spanning seven years, twenty-eight thousand miles and thirty-eight countries.

By traversing the globe on foot, Tom immersed himself in the diverse cultures and landscapes. From the bustling streets of Istanbul to the tranquil beauty of the Kyrgyz mountains, Tom embraced the challenges and triumphs of an extraordinary pilgrimage. But his expedition was not just a physical feat but a profound introspection. Each step was a testament to an unwavering commitment to self-discovery and a search for understanding.

Through encounters with strangers, weeks of solitude, and a sheer resilience of spirit, Tom emerged as a beacon of inspiration for countless individuals yearning to find purpose in their own lives. His tale serves as a reminder that fulfillment lies not solely in reaching a destination but in the transformative power of the journey itself.

Tom has been featured on CNN, BBC, Good Morning America, The Guardian, and countless other news outlets.

Robert Garmaise

Vice President, AI Research

Robert was most recently the Chief Innovation Officer at Fasken, where he was responsible for transforming firm operations by pinpointing the products, process improvements, and business model changes that would best position Fasken for future success.

Robert has led major business transformation projects and held senior positions at McKinsey, Microsoft, Workbrain Corporation, Blockbuster Canada, and TheGuarantors.

Robert holds an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Harvard University and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Lisa Highfield

Principal Director, Research and Advisory Services

Lisa Highfield is the Principal Director, Human Resources Technology and Artificial Intelligence, for McLean & Company. Lisa creates and delivers practical HR research and advisory services to help leaders drive strategic results. She is a progressive leader with over 25 years of strategic, technical, and operational experience in human resources, IT, and finance. As a former Research and Advisory Director of Enterprise Applications for Info-Tech Research Group, Lisa is uniquely positioned to assist organizations around HR technology and operations.

Lisa has knowledge across several HR disciplines, including HR strategy, HR technology, HR operations, culture, and learning & development. She has expertise in helping organizations connect their business, HR, and IT objectives into priorities, action plans, and results. She is passionate about positioning HR leaders and their teams to optimize investments by developing digital HR strategies.

Leveraging her experience in client advisory and research, Lisa is well-versed in guiding members through their application lifecycle, including application portfolio management, strategy, selection, optimization, and operations. Lisa has expertise in many software categories, including human capital management, payroll, learning and development, workforce management, recruiting, and enterprise resource planning (ERP).

A lifelong learner, Lisa has an Executive MBA from the University of Fredericton in Global Business, a degree in HR from Ryerson University, a post-graduate certificate in Information Technology from Lambton Colleges, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Guelph. Lisa has also embraced the field of Artificial Intelligence, which she is studying through courses at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Mardi Walker

Executive Counselor

Mardi brings decades of experience as an HR Executive to her role as Executive Counselor at McLean & Company, where she supports and guides CHROs to be strategic business partners in achieving organizational and professional success.

Prior to joining McLean & Company Mardi led Human Resources for high-profile, growth-oriented companies in sports, media, entertainment, hospitality, manufacturing, and high tech. As a member of senior executive teams, she participated in setting strategic organizational direction, ensuring goals were aligned to the company’s vision, values, and priorities. Mardi is passionate about creating and sustaining a best-in-class culture where employees can thrive and grow. She has extensive experience with organizations undergoing change, particularly through growth and acquisition, and oversaw a successful HR transformation in an organization that more than quadrupled its value in 15 years.

Mardi holds a degree in psychology from the University of Western Ontario and both the CHRL and CHRE professional designations. Over and above her CHRO roles, Mardi is active in the HR community. She was the first recipient of the Professional Leadership Award from the HRPA, recognizing her commitment to the human resources profession. As a member of the HRPA’s Human Resources Experts Bureau, Mardi was a sought-after media contact for HR issues. Mardi has also served as a professional advisor and guest lecturer for George Brown College, Humber College, Ryerson University, and Osgoode Hall Law School.

Jennifer Rozon

Division President, McLean & Company

Jennifer Rozon is the Division President of McLean & Company. She manages the overall vision and strategy for research, product development, business development, and customer experience. She is passionate about elevating HR departments and translating innovative ideas into execution through inspired team members. Jennifer is an analytical leader who drives bottom-line results while staying people focused and embraces change as an opportunity to drive breakthrough performance. She is a firm believer that creating an exceptional employee experience will in turn create a better member experience.

Since joining the organization in 2006, Jennifer has held positions in research, business development, corporate strategy, and product development. Jennifer pioneered some of the first blueprints and diagnostic products, including the development of the Employee Engagement Program.

Prior to joining McLean & Company, Jennifer held roles at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, BlackBerry, and Wal-Mart. Jennifer received her Honors Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at Western University.

David McLean

Executive Counselor

David McLean brings over 25 years of experience as an HR and business leader to his role as Executive Counselor at McLean & Company, where he supports and guides HR leaders to map out their HR strategy and prioritize HR initiatives that will have a measurable impact on the business.

David brings a diverse background to McLean & Company. His HR experience encompasses leadership roles in both the public and private sector, with expertise in organizational development, change leadership, organization culture, learning & development, HRIS implementation and HR strategy. His HR leadership experiences include holding the CHRO role for both a private and public sector organization. His industry experience spans the Transportation, Healthcare, and Higher Education sectors.

He is passionate about leadership development strategies that create organization capabilities and culture that enable organizations to win in the marketplace. With his client-focused approach and growth mindset, David has earned a reputation as a strategic thinker and a life-long learner with a deep knowledge of what it takes to build a culture in which employees will thrive. He is a recipient of the President's Award for Leadership from London Health Sciences Centre for his work in leading culture change initiatives.

David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western University, a postgraduate certificate in Human Resources, and a Master’s degree in leadership from the University of Guelph. He holds a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation.