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From the Classroom to the Boardroom

The Network is pleased to present in partnership with Sobey School of Business Graduate Career Services on January 11, 2022 at 11: 30 am to 1:00 pm AST the webinar From the Classroom to the Boardroom. The pandemic has caused a shift in the overall approach to securing employment in this rapidly evolving job market. We are left with questions: What are the challenges and opportunities for graduates to obtained employment? What skills and competencies are required in this new world order? Roles that graduates’ take after university can have a significant impact on their career paths and influence what doors open to them later on down the road. With these important decisions in mind, it is important to equip yourself with the right tools and resources, in order to achieve your career goals. In the post pandemic environment how, we connect, and network is different. It is our intention to facilitate meaningful discussion during this session in order to bridge the hiring gap in a post-pandemic period while highlighting strategies that help elevate connections between employers and our students.

Featured panelist and speakers are Jason Byrne, VP HR, Farm Boy, Jessica Case BComm ‘13, HR Operations, Shopify, Andrea Anderson, Public Service Commissioner for the Government of Nova Scotia, Michelle Clare EMBA ‘21, Regional VP, RBC, Jana Buchanan MBA ‘19, Consultant, Deloitte, and Michelle Meringer, Consultant, Deloitte. As well the event will be co-moderated by Dr. Wendy Carroll, Associate Professor and Academic Director EMBA Program at SMU, and Tim Damon with Graduate Career Services at SMU. More information about the panelist and speakers can be found below.

Link to register: Click to Register for From the Classroom to the Boardroom

Dr. Wendy Carroll is on of the Network’s Experts, which you can find more information about Dr. Carroll on the expert’s page.

Jason Byrne - VP HR, Farm Boy  

Jason is currently the VP HR with Ottawa based food retailer, Farm Boy (a Banner with the Sobeys Group).

 Jason has progressive HR experience in a variety of industries and provinces across Canada. He has been with Sobeys for 30 + years and contributed to many aspects of the HR offering in all parts of the company.

 He has an affinity for employee engagement and enjoys the challenge of bringing strategic vision to life.

Jessica Case - HR Operations, Shopify

Jessica graduated from the Nova Scotia Community College Business Administration program in 2011 where she specialized in management studies. It was there she found and interest in pursuing a career in human resources which lead her to Saint Mary’s University. At SMU, she continued her education in HR and graduated from the BComm program with a certificate in Human Resource Management in 2013. Since graduating, she has been an active member of the Alumni community. 

 Jessica started her career in Halifax working as a technical recruiter at Meridia, an Atlantic Canadian recruitment firm. She now works for Shopify, a Canadian commerce platform. There, she has held various roles on the Talent team in administration, global operations, acquisitions and integrations. 

Originally from Halifax, Jessica currently lives in Ottawa

Andrea Anderson- Public Service Commissioner

Andrea Anderson is Nova Scotia’s first Black/African Nova Scotian Public Service Commissioner, bringing decades of experience as a human resources professional and a long-standing passion for diversity and inclusion work to this important role. 

 Andrea began her career as a Facilitator of Race Relations with the federal government and went on to hold many positions within Nova Scotia’s Public Service Commission.

 Most recently, Andrea was the Executive Director of People & Culture, leading a team of professionals responsible for diversity and inclusion, learning and development, recruitment and selection. She has also led government’s recent work on anti-black racism and unconscious bias. 

 Andrea graduated from Acadia Divinity College with a Master of Divinity. As an ordained Minister, she also serves as the Assistant Pastor of Leadership and Administration at Emmanuel Baptist Church, where she leads several ministry teams in a growing multi-cultural congregation.

Michelle Clare - Regional Vice President, Metro Halifax RBC Royal Bank

Michelle Clare is responsible for delivering an exceptional client experience and driving sustainable growth in Metro Halifax, RBC’s largest market in Atlantic Canada.  She directly leads a team of more than 250 leaders and advisors across 14 branches and works in collaboration with other partners including Small Business, Financial Planning, Commercial and Career Sales to fulfil RBC’s commitment of a “One RBC” approach for our clients and communities. 

 Since joining RBC in 1995, Michelle has held a wide variety of sales, coaching and leadership roles. Prior to her current executive appointment, she was Regional Vice President for RBC’s Central & Western Nova Scotia Market.  She was also Vice President of Group Advantage, the bank’s comprehensive group benefits program for private, public and not for profits sector entities. Michelle held this role, which encompassed all of Atlantic Canada, for three years. 

Michelle holds an Executive Master of Business Administration degree from Saint Mary’s University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cape Breton University. 

 A strong believer in giving back to the community, Michelle has served on various not for profit and business boards in Nova Scotia including the South Shore Regional Hospital Foundation and the Dartmouth Boys and Girls Club. 

Michelle resides in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia with her partner and two teenage children.

Jana Buchanan - Consultant | Operations Transformation, Deloitte

Jana is a Consultant in Deloitte’s Core Business Operations practice as a member of the Operations Transformation team. With 8 years experience servicing the public sector, Jana has worked with clients in education, healthcare, justice, and various other labor groups. Prior to joining Deloitte, Jana served as a key member of the legal support team for Pink Larkin law firm. 

As a Certified Associate in Project Management, Jana comes with a broad understanding of project management and change management tools and methodologies. At Deloitte, Jana has demonstrated her training and understanding most recently as a member of the Project Management Office for a large provincial government infrastructure project. 

Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jana serves on the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) - Atlantic Institute Board. She is also Regional Representative for CMC-Canada National Growth Committee, and Canadian representative with the CMC-Global Future Leaders Forum. She is an active member of the Project Management Institute and the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, Nova Scotia chapters.

Jana holds a Masters of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University, and an undergraduate in Business Administration with a concentration in legal studies from Cape Breton University. She is currently pursuing her CMC designation.

Tim Damon - Sobey School Graduate Career Services

In addition to managing the day-to-day tasks of his team, Tim is a group facilitator with over ten years of experience in mindfulness spaces and in higher education, holding the space for meaningful dialogue and connection. Tim loves having the opportunity to meet with students to share the various professional development resources that are available to them. He looks forward to lending his support in bridging the gap between our employer community and the amazing talent here at the Sobey School of Business.

Michelle Meringer

Consultant | Operations Transformation, Deloitte

Based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Michelle is a Consultant in Deloitte’s Operations Transformation practice. She is a highly versatile professional with strong research, analytical, and communication skills. At Deloitte, Michelle brings her experiences working across multiple verticals within the healthcare and life sciences sectors to her work with public sector clients. Ranging from clinical research, digital health, and pharma, Michelle has experience solving complex issues existing in healthcare using innovative digital solutions.

Prior to joining Deloitte, Michelle worked in Supply Chain Analytics at Roche where she engaged in large-scale digital transformation projects as part of their global operations team.  She also has a background in HealthTech sales at AlayaCare, a Canadian home care SaaS startup based out of Toronto. 

Michelle completed her Master of Biotechnology at the University of Toronto in 2021 with a focus in Digital Health Technology. Prior to this, she received an Honours Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences and Certificate in Business from the Queen’s University.

Earlier Event: November 24
Health & Wellbeing Series : The Stigma-Free Zone, Opening Up About Our Mental Health
Later Event: January 13
Executive-In-Residence Showcase

Executive-In-Residence

Ian Smith headshot.jpg

Ian D. Smith | Chief Executive Officer

Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership

Ian D. Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of Clearwater Seafoods.  Mr. Smith joined Clearwater in May 2010 and has over 33 years of international experience in the food and consumer products industry.  Prior to joining Clearwater, Mr. Smith held senior leadership positions at the Campbell Soup Company within Canada, the United States and China.  Prior to his time at Campbell’s, Mr. Smith held various marketing, sales and international business development positions with Allergan, Colgate-Palmolive and the Gillette Company.

Mr. Smith currently participates as a director on a number of boards and advisory councils focused on international trade and public policy including; The Business Council of Canada and the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council of the Asia Pacific Foundation.  He is a graduate of McGill University (BA Economics, MBA), a former Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and currently serves as Honorary Colonel of 36 Canadian Engineer Regiment located in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Alumni-In-Residence

Wendy Luther | President and Chief Executive Officer

Halifax Partnership

Wendy Luther Proud Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University. EMBA’08

Wendy Luther is a leader in economic and export development, with vast experience promoting Nova Scotia and its assets globally. Halifax Partnership is Halifax’s public-private economic development

organization. Wendy joined as President & CEO in 2019. In 2023, Halifax

Partnership was honoured with four Excellence in Economic Development

Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)

including Gold for Economic Development Organization of the Year. Prior to joining Halifax Partnership, Wendy was President & CEO of EduNova, a co-operative association of public and private-sector education providers committed to promoting Nova Scotia’s knowledge economy internationally. Under her leadership, EduNova was honoured with the prestigious international PIEoneer Association of the Year Award in 2017. Earlier in her career, Wendy worked in export development with the Atlantic Canada World Trade Centre and Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) where she led trade missions to over twenty countries and has mentored and advised hundreds of Nova Scotian exporters on how to be competitive in international markets. At NSBI, through her role as Nova Scotia’s first Private Sector Liaison Officer (PSLO), she was appointed by the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank to connect entrepreneurs and institutions to opportunities funded by International Financial Institutions. Wendy has served on and led numerous boards and committees including advisory boards for two private sector companies (Canada and U.S. based). Currently, Wendy serves on the Board of Directors and the Management Resources and Compensation Committee of Canadian-owned LED Roadway Lighting; the Board of Directors and as Vice Chair of the Governance Committee of Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization focused on increasing Canada’s innovation competitiveness; and is Membership Chair on the Executive Committee of the International Women's Forum (IWF) Atlantic Chapter. Born in Vancouver, Wendy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, and an MBA from Saint Mary’s University. She holds a Certified International Trade Professional designation (CITP) and is an alumna of the Caribbean Canada Emerging Leaders Dialogue and Royal Canadian Navy Canadian Leaders at Sea (CLaS) Program. In November 2023, she attained her ICD.D designation through the Institute of Corporate Directors, Director Education Program and is really geeking out on governance! In March 2023 Wendy was honoured with Atlantic Canada's 25 Most Powerful Women in Business award.