Outstanding Experience, Outstanding Solutions
François Ducharme, Ph.D.
François (Frank) has more than 27 years of consulting experience in organizational development, succession planning, career pathing, competency-based management, leadership assessment and development, facilitation, and coaching. François has spoken at conferences and in public fora organized by clients on the topic of competencies, assessments, resilience and leadership. Prior to founding Cognita Talent Inc., François worked for over 22 years at Hay Group, now Korn Ferry, and held the positions of VP and Senior Partner for over 10 years. Before Hay Group., he worked at Ernst & Young and the Public Service Commission of Canada. François is located in Ottawa and is perfectly bilingual (French and English).
François has worked with numerous clients across a variety of industries in the public and private sectors to assess the strength of their leadership cadre. An expert in psychometric and 360 assessments, François has assessed over 2,500 executives and leaders. He has advised, developed and coached more than 175 leaders, including CEOs, COOs, Deputy Ministers, and Presidents of a myriad of organizations, as well as their teams.
François obtained his B.A. in Psychology from McGill University, and a Master and a Ph.D. degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Montréal University. François has been a member of, and is licensed by the Quebec Order of Psychologists since 1992.
Ramona Packham, MBA, CHRL
Ramona has over 20 years of experience working collaboratively with clients, delivering successful business solutions for a wide range of organizations. Her expertise includes facilitating strategic planning retreats, competency-based human resources management, leadership assessment and feedback, human resources advisory services, HR audits, workplace assessments, team building, talent management, performance management, conducting 360 assessments and feedback, and career counselling. Ramona is located in Ottawa.
Prior to founding Caerus HR consulting, Ramona worked with the Hay Group (now Korn Ferry) for more than seven years as an organization effectiveness and management development consultant. Ramona also brings 12 years of experience at KPMG where she was a manager specializing in Career Consulting and Coaching.
Ramona has completed a Master’s in Business Administration and is a Certified Human Resources Leader through the Human Resources Professionals Association. She also earned a certificate in the Advanced Program in Human Resources Management with Rotman School of Management.
Claudio Gardonio, MBA
Claudio Gardonio is the Managing Partner of CGC-Talent based in Montréal and speaks French and English.. CGC-Talent are Integrated Independent Advisor on Human Resources, Recruitment, Compensation and Governance matters. Claudio specializes in executive compensation. Claudio has worked as an executive compensation consultant for three major compensation firms, including Hay Group, now Korn Ferry.
Claudio designs and implements compensation policies and strategies, strategic organizational guidelines and performance metrics for senior executives. He is recognized for his analytical skills and extensive expertise in compensation to assist directors in making critical decisions regarding executive compensation, performance and governance. Claudio also been a public speaker on Compensation Matters.
Claudio holds an MBA, specializing in financial services from the ESG UQÀM, is a fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers, and has a CRHA (Québec) and CEBS Designation. Lastly, Claudio is a member of the board of directors of the Réseau ESG UQÀM and the Fondation Santé Urbaine
Diane Whittaker, MA
Diane Whittaker is passionate about collaborating with clients to help them achieve their goals and see the possibilities beyond the horizon. She started a successful consulting business over 30 years ago and is grateful to have been a trusted partner with organizations across many sectors in North America and beyond.
Diane has coached hundreds of executives and leaders to support them in enhancing their effectiveness. As a facilitator, her early years in Katimavik provided the foundation for expertise in designing and facilitating high caliber experiential learning events. Diane is valued by her many long-term clients as a creative, supportive, and reliable partner.
Diane holds a BA from the University of Waterloo, and a MA in Adult Education from the University of Toronto. She is an accredited coach with the International Coaching Federation (Professional Certified Coach) and holds her CPCC (Certified Professional Coactive Coach). She is also accredited in numerous instruments/tools including Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Personality Dimensions, DISC, Leadership Circle, EQ Emotional Intelligence and Short Sims.
Rick Lash, Ph.D.
Dr. Rick Lash brings over 30 years of experience working with senior leaders and their teams to accelerate learning and improve performance. He believes that by helping individuals realize their core purpose, they can transform themselves, their teams and their business.
Prior to founding Rick Lash Inc., Rick worked for over 25 years at Hay Group, and then at Korn Ferry. Over the years, Rick has been recognized and valued for his deep expertise, thoughtfulness and engaging approach.
Rick is very active in talent management, leadership assessment and development at all levels of leadership. He deeply understands the challenges associated with communicating, developing and administering talent management programs. Rick has served as an executive coach and trusted advisor for leading organizations across a range of industries in Canada, the United States and internationally. He is also a registered psychologist and publishes extensively on leadership, contributing to the Wall Street journal, Chief Executive magazine and the Harvard Business Review. Rick is located in Toronto.
Patricia Bibb, B.A.; H.D.P.M.; Hons B (B&A); MBA (cum laude)
Pat accesses over thirty-five years’ experience in corporate HR roles and management and human capital consulting across four continents to bring unique and innovative insight when partnering with clients to solve complex people issues. Pat partners with clients to identify and develop the critical leadership talent and benchstrength required to deliver the business strategy – today and tomorrow. Pat has extensive experience working with senior executives to help them understand and drive strategic corporate talent management and address their personal leadership development. Pat works with individual executives as well as executive teams to generate high performance through increased awareness of the choices they make and the impact of those choices on others.
Pat has held roles in South Africa, Canada, Indonesia, Australia and Saudi Arabia and brings a depth of experience and cultural knowledge from her work with an extensive range of organizations, executives and executive teams across all four continents. Pat has worked with multinational clients across many industries and has a speciality in the financial services and resources sectors and a passion for challenging individuals, teams and organizations to achieve their full potential.
Pat has recently returned to Johannesburg, South Africa. She continues to deliver to clients through Pushing the Envelope – which has operated in Canada, Australia and now South Africa – and her alliance with YB12.
Catherine Decarie, B.A., LLB, Certified Integral Coach(TM)
Catherine is a lawyer, a former Chief Human Resources Officer, an experienced financial services executive and a certified coach. She collaborates with leaders, and senior teams, enabling them to overcome obstacles; build new capabilities; and create lasting, sustainable change.
As a former Chief Human Resources Officer, Catherine has worked with countless leaders and executives – helping them increase their effectiveness, and evolve their careers. She brings over 25 years of business experience to her coaching and consulting work. This includes the insights and perspectives gained during her tenure in three different executive level positions with Export Development Canada. (Canada’s export credit agency). These roles included accountability for: Human Resources; Communications; External Relationship Management; Governance (Board Secretary); Legal Services; Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility; Front-Line Customer Delivery; Product Development; Business Development & Marketing.
Catherine has completed the Advanced Management Program at the Columbia School of Business, and also attended the Institute for Sustainability Leadership at the University of Cambridge. She is a member of the International Coaching Federation.
Bryan Davies MA, MBA
Mr. Davies is an associate Senior Principal of Cognita Talent Inc., and partner in Dorricott Davies & Associates which provides coaching and consulting services to organizations and individuals. He holds an Honours BA in Economics from University of Toronto and an MBA with a major in Finance from York University’s Schulich School of Business. He earned an MA in Counseling Psychology from the Chicago-based Adler Professional School and a certificate in Conflict Management from the University of Waterloo. He has obtained a certificate in Foundations of Stereotype Systems Thinking from University of Alberta.
His professional background encompasses more than 20 years in the Canadian financial services industry. At Royal Bank of Canada, he held positions in commercial lending, marketing, and training and development. Later he was Vice President Human Resources at CIBC. For 23 years before starting his own consulting company, he was an associate client partner with Hay Group, now Korn Ferry. In this role he travelled the world to work with clients, designing and delivering senior leadership programmes and providing executive coaching services.
Mr. Davies is a member of the Board of Directors of three social service agencies including Highland Shore Children's Aid and Children's Mental Health Service in Belleville Ontario. Most recently he joined the board of St. Lawrence Youth Association Kingston. He is a vice president of the Trenton Lion's Club.
His book, Standing Four Square – Forthright Leadership, now in its second edition, is based on his experiences. He continues to write a monthly blog which can be accessed at this site.
Ghislaine Saikaley, B.A., Certified Coach (ICF)
Ghislaine is passionate about leadership, teamwork, professional and personal development. She has been working as a professional coach since January 2021, after 35 years in the federal public service,
including 20 years as an executive. She has held positions of increasing responsibilities during her career, up to the rank of assistant deputy minister and interim deputy minister (Assistant Commissioner and Commissioner -Governor in council appointment).
Her mission as a professional coach is to accompany people in the achievement of their goals, helping them overcoming challenges and obstacles, so that they can fully manifest their unique qualities and develop, personally and professionally.
Ghislaine is certified in Lean Management and in the ICF accredited coach training program (ACTP). She is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and of the ICF Quebec chapter. She also holds an Honours degree in Criminology- clinical intervention, from the Université de Montréal. Ghislaine offers her services in French and English.
Carey Stevens, Ph.D.
Dr. Carey Stevens is an award-winning authority on business psychology. Carey has over 40 years of experience consulting internationally and in large organizations. He is the founder of Business Psychologists where he helps organizations by integrating psychological principles and practices to achieve business objectives and to navigate, mediate or resolve complex organizational challenges.
Carey’s combined psychotherapeutic skills and business experiences have refined his expertise in executive coaching, change management, talent management, career transition, strategic business transformation, as well as personal growth and development.
Carey’s personalized, insight-oriented advisory services have optimized leadership and upper management performance in Fortune 100 companies and large-scale organizations around the world.
Shannon Poole, B.A., M.A. (Educational Psychology)
Shannon has more than 22 years of experience working with clients in the public and not for profit sectors within Canada and internationally. She works with leaders on tailor-made solutions to address challenges related to strategic workforce planning, succession planning, talent development and performance management.
Shannon has extensive management experience, having managed diverse teams of professionals for the last nineteen years, and most recently served as an HR executive within the Canadian federal public service. She has managed significant change initiatives, including an overhaul of a department’s approach to the assessment and selection of executives, the introduction of rigorous workforce planning efforts and the drafting and implementation of an organization’s first Diversity and Inclusion Plan. As a coach, her focus is on supporting leaders to create safe, collaborative spaces for co-creation, where all voices are heard.
Shannon has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from McGill University and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Psychology from the University of British Columbia. She holds certifications in Strategic Workforce Planning from the Human Capital Institute, is Certified as a Training Director through Langevin Learning Services, is a certified Fierce Conversations facilitator, and is accredited to apply The Thinking Environment Coaching Model in her coaching approach. She is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association and is fluently bilingual.
Yan Kruger, B. Com.
Yan solves problems. Throughout his 15+ year journey, he has always believed in leaving a place in better shape than he found it. Wearing multiple hats – Coach, Consultant, Business Advisor, Mediator and HR expert, he has an established track record of helping leaders and organizations succeed. Yan has worked across the full remit of human capital and brings a unique blend of experience as a consultant as well as internal employee and leader.
Yan has had the privilege of partnering with leaders and businesses across the Asia Pacific region including industries & sectors within Tech, Financial Services, Education, Aviation & Logistics, FMCG, Utilities and Not-for-Profit. At the same time, his direct experience in senior internal roles allows him to bring commercial acumen and first-hand understanding of leadership challenges to his consulting and coaching work. Yan’s internal roles have included heading HR Business Partnering & Operations in APAC for a leading Global Market Maker and numerous HR Business Partnering roles at one of Australia’s big four banks. Prior to starting Growth Wave, he also worked at a number of leading global and local Consulting firms.
About Growth Wave
Cognita Talent is proud to associate itself with Growth Wave. Growth Wave is a consulting firm in the business of delivering outcomes. Helping people grow is something we are passionate about. Our services Conflict Resolution, Business & HR Advisory, Leadership and Coaching, are designed to help our clients succeed. Our team of Consultants, Coaches, Mediators, and Advisors each bring over 15+ years of experience in industries globally. We combine the best mix of theory and behavioural application and then give our clients the tools and resources to ensure change is embedded and long-lasting. We are concentrated in Asia Pacific, and have physical presence in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Johannesburg and Manila.