STRATEGYCORP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director in StrategyCorp 's Municipal Affairs Practice Group
Aidan is a Director in StrategyCorp's Municipal Affairs practice group with a long history in stakeholder management, Indigenous community engagement, public education, and policy development.
Aidan works with clients across all sectors to find creative solutions to their projects and help them set the strategic direction for their organization. Clients quickly come to rely on Aidan's candour, empathy, foresight, and ability to identify opportunities when charting new strategies, developing trust among their audiences, and overcoming stubborn challenges.
Before joining StrategyCorp, Aidan was a manager at the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs. During this time, he led the work on the public education and stakeholder outreach for the Coordinated Land Use Planning Review and built trusting and meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities, numerous stakeholders, inter-ministerial partners, public agencies, ministries, and members of the public.
Prior to that, Aidan was the water programs manager and a planning advisor for Environmental Defence. He has also held a variety of policy positions in the Ontario and British Columbia governments, including drinking water protection, services for victims of crime and employment for persons with disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- SENIOR ADVISOR
Aleck joined StrategyCorp in 2015, following a successful seven year turn at the Ontario Energy Board.
As Chief Operating Officer, Aleck helped to lead the OEB through a period of considerable change in its governance, regulatory processes, and approach to consumer and stakeholder engagement. During 2014, Aleck led the OEB's review of TransCanada's Energy East pipeline project, including the consultations with communities and First Nations across northern and eastern Ontario.
Prior to joining the OEB, Aleck was Senior Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs for Direct Energy, overseeing the development of a strong regulatory, government affairs and compliance team for Direct Energy's North American operations and managing the regulatory proceedings for major acquisitions in the energy sector in both the United States and Canada. He was seconded from Direct Energy during 2005-2007 to head the regulatory team at Centrica plc, during a period of major change in the UK energy sector.
While at StrategyCorp, Aleck has advised private sector and public agency clients regarding regulatory and public policy matters relating to infrastructure development, strategic planning, cap-and-trade, M & A, consumer protection, and energy sector transformation.
Aleck's experience as a senior executive and advisor in both a leading regulatory agency and the private sector has provided him with a broad and unique perspective on the energy sector and a deep understanding of energy regulation, including rates, licensing, compliance, infrastructure approvals, policy development, and stakeholder engagement.
Aleck holds an LL.M (Hons) from Yale Law School and an LL.B (Hons) from the University of Toronto Law School and attained a BA (Hons) in Jurisprudence from Oxford University. He has served on several public advisory groups, including the Ontario Market Design Committee, the Technical Panel of the Ontario IESO, and the Smart Grid Forum. Aleck is a frequent speaker on energy regulation and public policy and a Member of the Ontario Bar.
Job Titles:
- Associate in StrategyCorp 's Government Relations Practice
Alex Armanious is an Associate in StrategyCorp's Government Relations Practice who brings an in-depth understanding of Ontario's political landscape.
Prior to joining StrategyCorp, Alex worked for a Member of Provincial Parliament who held the critic roles for Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Labour, Training and Skills Development, Children, Community and Social Services and the Anti-Racism Directorate.
Alex supported the 2022 provincial election platform of a major political party where she assisted the Party-Co Chairs through stakeholder consultations and the policy development process, particularly informing on social justice, mental health and economic dignity policy.
Alex has been involved on both candidate nomination and general election campaigns, assisting with strategy, communications and getting out the vote. Along with her experience in provincial politics, Alex spent time on Parliament Hill working for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice.
In addition to her political expertise, Alex worked in the not-for profit sector where she helped youth offenders navigate out of the criminal justice system. She holds an Honours in Political Science and Law from the University of Ottawa and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Government Relations from Seneca College.
Job Titles:
- SENIOR ADVISOR
- Senior Advisor in StrategyCorp 's Management Consulting
Ali is a Senior Advisor in StrategyCorp's Management Consulting practice. He has over 10 years of experience providing strategy and operations advice to clients in a host of industries including: health care, zero carbon, urban mobility, public transit, digital / retail, financial services, education and consumer goods. His past clients include senior executives of Bombardier Recreational Products, AIMIA / Aeroplan, Greystone Managed Investments, Canada Health Infoway, Nelson Education, IAMGOLD, Canada Green Building Council, Canada-Kuwait Petroleum Company, Trillium Health Partners, Ministry of the Attorney General, Presto - Metrolinx and the Federal Government of Canada.
Prior to StrategyCorp, Ali was an entrepreneur who built his own independent consulting practice for several years. His projects included working with C-level executives in three different international geographies; assisting them with developing global strategy, business model transformation, and company-wide cost reduction. In addition, Ali also founded and sold a successful education technology company used by students in 100+ high schools, universities and colleges across Canada.
In the past, he worked for Deloitte Canada (one of Canada's largest management consulting firms), Sears Canada and Kraft Canada.
Ali sits on the following boards:
Empire Club, responsible for attracting high profile speakers, sponsors and the audience at one of Canada's oldest and most influential speakers forums
York University Alumni Board, responsible for the engagement of York University's 300,000+ alumni base in 170 countries around the world
Ali holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business at York University, where he served as Vice President of the Student Government, board member of the Faculty Council, and founder of Schulich's premier student think tank.
Aliya Jiwan-Thawer is a Media Advisor at StrategyCorp and brings 15 years of experience in journalism and communications.
An award-winning journalist, Aliya worked as a television and radio news reporter, anchor and producer with the CBC, CTV and CP24 in Edmonton, Ottawa, Halifax and Toronto and was also stationed at the CBC bureau in London, England, and at the South African Broadcasting Corporation in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Following a successful journalism career, she transitioned into the world of public relations where she has created and executed media relations campaigns in a variety of industries including finance, health, technology, education, and not-for-profit sectors.
Aliya's insight into the workings of a newsroom enables her to identify the ‘hook' that will generate media interest and her strong media connections enable her to secure media interviews for clients on a wide range of topics. Using her experience as a television news reporter, Aliya has also trained countless CEOs and company spokespeople for some of the toughest media interviews.
She has a Bachelor of Journalism and Political Science (Combined Honours) from Carleton University and is a Member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
Job Titles:
- Manager in StrategyCorp 's Ottawa
Allyson Grant is a Manager in StrategyCorp's Ottawa office. She brings with her an understanding of federal politics and the priorities of the current government, ethnocultural community advocacy, and experience working with leaders in Canada's energy sector.
She is experienced in public policy development, stakeholder relations and grassroots advocacy campaigns, particularly building consensus around complex policy issues. Allyson's areas of policy expertise include Canada's energy industry and Indigenous involvement in resource development, sustainable economic growth, and international relations.
Before joining StrategyCorp, Allyson was the Government Relations and Indigenous Affairs Advisor at the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. She has also served as the Director of Government Relations at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and as a Communications Advisor for the Liberal Party of Canada, managing a team and providing policy and communications advice to candidates across Canada.
Allyson holds a Master's degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Ottawa, and an Honours Bachelor's degree in history from the University of Calgary. Outside of work, she is passionate about women and youth in leadership and her Whippet, Laurier. She also volunteers with a number of Jewish community groups, including as a member of CIJA's Young Leaders Circle.
Job Titles:
- Associate in StrategyCorp 's Government Relations
Andres is an Associate in StrategyCorp's Government Relations practice who brings a wealth of political knowledge and understanding of Ontario's political landscape.
Prior to working at StrategyCorp, Andres completed an internship at the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), working in both the communications and government relations departments where he worked alongside various federal and provincial government ministries to further the organization's policy goals.
Additionally, Andres also volunteered at the office of a Member of Parliament who held the role of Opposition Housing Critic in the Ontario legislature and was tasked with drafting briefing notes and performing research related to affordable housing and infrastructure in downtown Toronto. Andres also volunteered for the G20 Research Group at the Munk School of Global Affairs as a Compliance Analyst specializing in tax transparency.
Andres holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Toronto and a Post-Graduate Degree in Government Relations from Seneca College.
Bob Chant is a Senior Advisor supporting our communications, public affairs and business strategy teams. Bob brings with him over 25 years of experience as a corporate leader and political advisor from the most senior levels of organizations in the private and public sectors.
Immediately prior to joining StrategyCorp, he held the position of Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Communication Loblaw Companies Limited. As a member of the Loblaw management board, Bob was responsible for managing the corporate face of Loblaw, Canada's leading retailer, including corporate social responsibility, public relations, government and industry relations, and communication to the company's 200,000 colleagues and franchise employees.
Prior to joining Loblaw, Bob was relied upon by business and political leaders alike. At Labatt Brewing he served as Director of Corporate Affairs. His political career has included service at the highest levels, including as a senior advisor to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Premier Mike Harris and as Chief of Staff to then PC Party Leader John Tory.
Within the community, Bob has recently served as Chair of Breakfast for Learning, and Vice-Chair of President's Choice Children's Charity. Formerly vice-chair of Canadian Stewardship Services Alliance, he also serves as a board director with sustainable technology and packaging firm Evanesce as well as the not-for-profits Recycle BC, Multi-Material Stewardship Western.
A graduate of the ICD-Rotman School of Business Directors Education Program, Bob is the father of three adult children and, with his wife Annie, lives in Toronto, Ontario.
Job Titles:
- SENIOR ADVISOR
- Strategy Corp. As a Senior Advisor
Carol joined Strategy Corp. as a Senior Advisor in July 2020 after retiring from a 38 year career with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where she was a partner since 1995 including PwC Ottawa's Office Managing Partner from July 2012 to August 2018.
As a PwC partner Carol has worked with clients in the private and public sectors across Canada and around the globe. She has covered a number of industries where she has advised companies on valuations, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, internal controls over financial reporting (SOX 404 and 52-109) as well as risk management, internal audit and overall business transformation. She led the audits of companies publicly listed on the TSX, SEC, NYSE and NASDAQ, as well as owner-managed, private equity, venture backed companies, Canadian Pension Plans and Canadian Crown Corporations.
Her range of experience includes providing professional services to organizations in the financial services, technology and public sector (municipal, provincial and federal) sectors of the economy. Based in Ottawa, Carol has strong relationships with key stakeholders in the Federal Government.
Following her passion for women in business and women's rights, including representation on boards Carol completed the Women's Director Developlment Program at Kellogg/Northwestern. She recently joined the Equality Fund as their Chief Financial Officer. The Equality Funds is a not for profit and registered charity focused on gender led investments supporting women's rights and equality for women.
Always one to give back to her community Carol has many years of experience volunteering on Not for Profit Boards where she has often chaired Audit Committees based on her expertise. She obtained her ICD.D in 2017. Carol currently serves on the board of the Ottawa Community Foundation and the International Women's Forum (IWF) - Canada Board. She previously served on boards of Ashbury College, Alzheimer's Society of Ottawa-Carleton, Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario ( CHEO) Foundation.
Carol has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen's University. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant, a Chartered Business Valuator and a Certified Professional Accountant in the U.S.
Carol was named a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA, now FCPA) in 2009. In 2014, the Women's Executive Network (WXN) named Carol one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women.
Job Titles:
- Consultant in StrategyCorp 's Management Consulting Practice
Daniel Blazekovic is a Consultant in StrategyCorp's Management Consulting Practice. Prior to joining StrategyCorp, Daniel worked for the Regional Municipality of York in several policy-related roles within the Finance Department.
Daniel initially joined the Region through the organization's prestigious Triple A - Associate Analyst Program. In this role, Daniel had the opportunity to rotate through several branches of the Finance Department to lead several policy projects. For instance, Daniel co-led the creation of the Region's Enterprise Risk Management Action Plan and spent time providing policy support within the Finance Commissioner's Office. In his role as a Finance Policy and Research Analyst, Daniel specialized in budget development for the Finance Department; in particular, he carried out data collection and analysis to support the development, monitoring and reporting of Departmental strategic and business plans and budgets. Throughout his time at York Region, Daniel helped to develop and present the Finance Department's 2021 and 2022 Operating and Capital budgets for Chief Administrative Officer and Council approval. Daniel also led Finance's 2019 United Way CN Tower Climb #YRCARES team which helped to raise over $6,000 for United Way Greater Toronto.
In addition to his extensive experience in the municipal public sector, Daniel developed a strong understanding of the domestic and international not-for-profit sector while an undergraduate student at Carleton University. After receiving a research grant from the Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs in 2016, Daniel joined a research team at the Peruvian NGO Nexos Comunitarios to help measure the socioeconomic effects of several nationally implemented social assistance programs in the rural Andean community of Cuncani. In addition, Daniel completed an internship at WaterAid Canada where he worked alongside the Director of International Programs to identify innovative tools and strategies to enhance the organization's ability to effectively monitor capacity building initiatives in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector.
Daniel holds a Masters degree from the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of Toronto; and a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management degree with a specialization in Development Studies from Carleton University.
Elan Harper is a Vice President at StrategyCorp who is based in Calgary. To this role she brings over 20 years of senior level experience in the areas of strategic planning, tax planning, dispute resolution, and marketing and communications.
Elan's expert advice has led to positive outcomes for clients in many sectors of the economy including telecom, biotech, transportation, energy, and real estate development. She has spoken and written extensively on the topic of tax policy and corporate reorganization, and has served as both an instructor and tutor for the Canada and Alberta Chartered Professional Accountant organizations.
Elan's experience includes working for several of Canada's top professional services firms, providing national and international tax planning advice and counsel.
Her public sector experience includes as board member and audit committee chair for the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, as well as serving as the Legislative Assistant to a Member of Parliament and in senior roles advising federal and provincial political parties.
Elan has a Master of Law (Tax) from Osgoode Hall Law School and an MBA and BComm from the University of Calgary.
Job Titles:
- Consultant in StrategyCorp 's Management Consulting
Hanae is a Consultant in StrategyCorp's Management Consulting practice, where she brings business expertise to solving complex problems in the private and the broader public sector.
Prior to joining StrategyCorp, Hanae worked as a Risk Consultant in BDO's Risk Advisory Services, where she specialized in evaluating government programs' relevance, effectiveness and efficiency as well as conducting audits to provide assurance on governance, risk management and internal controls within the public sector.
Before consulting, Hanae worked as an Underwriter in American International Group (AIG) where she evaluates the risks involved in insuring organizations in cyber risk solutions and as Risk Analyst in the banking industry where she conducted risk assessments and due-diligence reports in the Cannabis and crypo-currency sectors.
Hanae holds a BCom with specialization in International Management from the University of Ottawa. She is also part of the Yes Alumni community that engages YES alumni in the global community and fosters leadership skills.
As a Senior Advisor, Nancy brings with her 20 years of experience in politics. She started at the local level as a Constituency Assistant to a Member of Parliament. She quickly moved to the Issues Management team in the Opposition Leader's Office managing Question Period for the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper. Following the 2006 federal election, she moved to the Prime Minister's office.
In the fall of 2006, Nancy returned to Saskatchewan to run as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in the seat vacated by her father (MLA Ben Heppner, founding member of the Saskatchewan Party). She won a by-election in 2007 and went on to win in the 2007, 2011, and 2016 general elections. She has served as Minister of Environment, Minister of Central Services, Minister of Highways & Infrastructure, and Minister of Energy & Resources.
She has a keen interest in policy development. While Environment Minister, Nancy helped craft and implement a Results-Based Regulatory system; replacing the prescriptive regime in place thus allowing companies to use their own creativity and ingenuity to reach government's environmental protection goals. As Highways & Infrastructure Minister, Nancy was instrumental in moving that ministry's tendering process from "lowest bid" to "best value".
As well as serving as a member of the Government of Saskatchewan's Treasury Board for 10 years, Nancy also has experience on a wide variety of government boards and committees such as Crown Investments Corporation Board, SaskBuilds Board, Government Operations committee, Priorities & Planning committee, Rail Transportation Innovation committee, and more.
Nancy also understands small business having worked at and managed family-owned retail businesses as well as starting her own small business in 1999 and running it until 2006.
Job Titles:
- Member of the World Economic Forum 's Global Shapers
- Vice President in StrategyCorp 's Management Consulting
Jaiman is a Vice President in StrategyCorp's Management Consulting practice, where he serves a broad range of clients across industries with his work in strategy, operations, organizational effectiveness, and large-scale transformation.
He has completed a broad range of mandates over the course of his career, ranging from supporting some of Canada's largest financial institutions in in designing and executing growth strategies, post-merger integrations, and technology and organizational transformations, to working with public institutions at all three levels of government on improving service delivery and citizen outcomes while reducing costs.
Jaiman joined StrategyCorp in 2019. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Manager in KPMG's Strategy and Operations consulting practice in its Edmonton, Ottawa, and Toronto offices. Before joining KPMG, Jaiman was a manager in CN's Network Optimization group, and a corporate banking analyst with HSBC.
An active volunteer, Jaiman is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers, and has served on the board of a non-profit startup dedicated to improving mental health for young professionals, the Forum for Young Albertans, and a number of political and community organizations.
Jaiman graduated with distinction from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance.
Job Titles:
- Founder of StrategyCorp and One of Canada
On March 3, 2022, we were devastated to learn of the passing of John Duffy, who co-founded StrategyCorp Inc. in 1995.
John's mind was a whirlwind of public policy passion. He was dedicated to progressive causes. He was a committed "city-builder," proud of his influential work on public transit and transit-oriented communities. His quirky grad-school wit was a big part of his style, and as one friend said, "he could charm the birds out of the trees."
He helped build StrategyCorp into the 80+ person team it is now, and helped shaped the modern practice of government relations in Canada.
We mourn the loss of our friend, and offer our deepest condolences to his family, who were the joy of his life.
Steve Paikin, anchor of TVO's flagship current affairs program, offered a tribute to John and his memorial service. It is an outstanding encapsulation of the person he was. We encourage everyone to read it.
John Duffy is a founder of StrategyCorp and one of Canada's leading government relations and public affairs consultants.
Job Titles:
- SENIOR ADVISOR
- Senior Foreign Service Officer
Mr. Alsace is a career Senior Foreign Service Officer (ret.) with thirty-two years of service. His last posting was as U.S. Consul General to Toronto, Canada (2015-2018). He oversaw a staff of 100 colleagues, focused on U.S.-Canada bilateral relations in Canada's most populous province. Key issues included trade and commercial relations, infrastructure development and protection of Great Lakes water resources. His work on cross-border water issues was recognized by Water Canada and the Council for the Great Lakes Region.
Prior to assuming that position, Mr. Alsace served as Assistant Professor at the National War College in Washington, DC. (2014-2015), teaching Strategic Leadership. Additional recent DC postings included as Director of the Office for Caribbean Affairs (2012-2014) and Chief of the War Crimes, Democracy and Human Rights Division, in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (2010-2012.
His return to Washington service followed several years of overseas postings, including in Iraq as Team Leader of an embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team (2009-2010), Economic and Political Counselor in Santiago, Chile (2006-2009), and Consul General in Barcelona, Spain (2003-2006).
Mr. Alsace is a Distinguished Graduate of the National War College (2003). He has also served in Istanbul, Turkey, as Deputy Principal Officer (1999-2002) and in several Washington assignments, including as desk officer for Lebanon and for Kazakhstan, as a staff assistant to the NEA Assistant Secretary, and as Pearson Fellow in the office of Senator Russell Feingold, who was then on the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. Mr. Alsace has also been posted to Karachi, Santo Domingo, and Quito.
Originally from Buffalo, NY, Mr. Alsace is a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and obtained his law degree from the University of Minnesota. He practiced law for three years before joining the Foreign Service. Mr. Alsace has received several State Department Awards, including three Superior Honor Awards and four Meritorious Honor Awards. Married now for thirty-eight years to Nancy, a retired Nurse Practitioner, Mr. Alsace has two children. He speaks Spanish and remembers a few useful Turkish phrases.
Kelly Baker is a Manager at Strategy Corp, offering clients a background in strategic communications and issues management, as well as political and public policy knowledge.
Kelly has over 10 years of experience in public affairs and communications at the provincial and municipal governments. Most recently she served as a spokesperson to Kathleen Wynne as Premier of Ontario and as a Communications Advisor during her Leadership Campaign and two re-election campaigns. She has in depth knowledge of provincial and municipal government policy files and has experience managing high profile issues and providing media relations support to senior officials.
Kelly also brings experience working in the provincial ministries of Transportation, Municipal Affairs and Housing and Aboriginal Affairs. In these roles, she provided communications support on a number of projects including transit and infrastructure, municipal-provincial relations, mining, energy, affordable housing, and consultations with First Nations communities.
Prior to provincial politics, Kelly worked at the Toronto District School Board where she provided communications and media relations counsel to staff on a variety of education issues. Kelly also worked at the Region of Peel where she provided communications support to the Region's municipal departments.
Kelly holds a Masters in Professional Communications from the University of Western Sydney and a B.A. in Business Communications from Brock University.
Job Titles:
- SENIOR ADVISOR
- Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School
As Senior Advisor, Ken Engelhart brings StrategyCorp over 30 years of telecommunications and broadcasting experience and thought leadership in regulatory affairs, public policy and media.
Prior to joining StrategyCorp, Ken was responsible for the regulatory affairs of Rogers Wireless, Rogers Cable, Rogers Telecom and Rogers Media (including Rogers Broadcasting) for 25 years. Ken assumed leadership of the regulatory department in 1999 and most recently was its Senior Vice President.
While at Rogers Communications, Ken provided legal, regulatory and policy advice while representing the company before the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and other agencies. Ken has appeared before the CRTC in most of the major telecommunications and broadcasting proceedings of the past 25 years.
Prior to joining Rogers Communications, Ken was General Counsel and Director of Regulatory Affairs to the Canadian Business Telecommunications Alliance.
Ken is also an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, where he teaches Communications Law.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours (B.A.H) in Economics from the University of Western Ontario, and an LL.B. from the University of Toronto. Ken is a past Board Member and Chair of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of the Sinai Health Systems Operational Effectiveness Committee of the Board
Marni is a Principal at StrategyCorp and leads the Land Development and Infrastructure Practice.
Prior to joining Strategy Corp Marni was Executive Vice President & General Counsel at Live Work Learn Play Inc. Marni led LWLP's corporate and organizational growth, major infrastructure projects and anchor deal making on large scale real estate projects across Ontario and North America. A seasoned infrastructure expert, Marni is involved in all facets of mixed-use community development, and structuring of unique and innovative partnerships on mega projects. Marni was the first in Ontario to structure a private GO station at Woodbine Racetrack, under the new Transit Orient Development model.
Marni was formerly Chief Commercial Officer and General Counsel at Infrastructure Ontario, responsible for leading the Legal Services, Procurement, Transaction Finance, Commercial Projects, Business Strategy & Communications, Records Management, Insurance, Policy and Freedom of Information teams.
In that role, Marni managed and oversaw the teams which were responsible for billions of dollars of procurements annually; creating strategic partnerships with the private sector managing the financial risks and commercial components of financial transactions; and providing legal advice to all IO business units whether in Major Projects, Real Estate or Lending.
Additionally, in her role as Corporate Secretary, Marni was responsible for all IO board governance matters, and was the Vice Chair of the Investment & Risk Committee and Alternative Financing and Procurement Steering Committee.
Amongst other accolades, Marni has recently received the following awards:
Canadian General Counsel Award, Business Achievement.
Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women Award.
Women's Infrastructure Network (WIN) as an Outstanding Leader.
The Premier's Award of Excellence from the Province of Alberta for the Calgary Courthouse Public Private Partnership Structuring.
Prior to IO, Marni was Senior Vice President, Business & Government Affairs and Corporate Counsel for SNC-Lavalin Inc. and prior to that, Marni was a commercial litigation lawyer with two well-known Bay street law firms.
Marni is a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she devotes her time to the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural studies, to the Law Practice Program and the Lincoln Alexander faculty of Law. Marni is a member of the Boards of Directors of Tarion, Technical Standards Safety Authority and CreateTO. Marni is also Vice Chair of the Board at Habitat for Humanity GTA and is Chair of their Women Build.
Additionally, Marni is a member of the Sinai Health Systems Operational Effectiveness Committee of the Board.
Mary Ellen Bench joined StrategyCorp in 2019 and has over thirty years experience in municipal public service, mostly in leadership roles in the legal department at the City of Toronto and as the City of Mississauga City Solicitor. In those roles, she was often engaged on project teams outside of the traditional legal role because of her practical approach to achieving solutions that work for all parties.
While at Toronto Mary Ellen advocated for Toronto to become a Charter City, a project led by the City Manager's office and also was an instrumental part of the team that supported the City's 2008 Olympic bid, led by then Mayor Lastman's office. She supported the governance review of the City that followed amalgamation under the leadership of then Councillor David Miller and participated on staff governance reviews as well.
At Mississauga, as City Solicitor she led the implementation of a Council Code of Conduct and the appointment of its Integrity Commissioner, and has played instrumental roles to achieve key land use planning, economic development, large infrastructure projects and other key projects in the City. She is very familiar with brownfield and other land development, development incentives, elections issues, regulatory and governance models that impact municipalities, risk assessments, project management and options for providing municipal services.
She has gained a reputation as a problem-solver and strategic partner both in the municipalities where she has worked, and in the many advocacy and professional associations she has been involved in, including the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (CCCA), Women's General Counsel Canada (WGCC) and the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA). Mary Ellen is past president of the International Municipal Lawyers Association, and has held various positions on boards and committees that include Canoe Kayak Ontario, Canoe Kayak Canada, and Learning Disabilities Association of Mississauga (now of Peel Region). In these roles she has led mergers and governance reviews of not-for-profits, advocacy initiatives and strategic planning exercises.
Mary Ellen has a BA in political science from York University and attended Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1986, and is recognized by the Law Society of Ontario as a certified specialist in Municipal Law,
Job Titles:
- Manager in StrategyCorp 's Ottawa
Matt Conley is a Manager in StrategyCorp's Ottawa office, with several years of experience in management consulting, public policy, and stakeholder relations. Prior to joining StrategyCorp, Matt worked for as management consultant for Deloitte and also worked in various positions on Parliament Hill including as a senior case management advisor to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
Originally from Lethbridge, Alberta, Matt began his management consulting career in Deloitte's Calgary office, where he advised Canada's largest midstream and integrated energy companies. Specializing in digital transformation and solution scoping for the energy industry, he navigated multi-stakeholder engagements to deliver innovative solutions. While working with Deloitte's Ottawa office, Matt advised several Federal Government and Crown Corporation clients in organizational design and digital government strategy.
During his time on Parliament Hill, Matt has worked for multiple Members of Parliament and provided strategic advice on files relating to Veteran's Affairs, Finance, and Canadian Heritage. While working for the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, Matt collaborated with politicians, staffers, civil servants, and stakeholders across all regions of Canada to address complex immigration cases. He also advised on several policy files including temporary foreign workers, agricultural immigration policy, and the appointments process.
Matt has worked on a variety of election campaigns at the federal and provincial levels in the areas of social media, strategic messaging, and digital communications. He previously worked as a National Digital Field Coordinator for the Liberal Party of Canada's 2019 campaign and served as a local election day chair for the Liberal Party of Canada's 2021 campaign.
Matt holds Bachelor of Commerce degrees in Finance and Marketing from the University of Ottawa's Telfer School of Management. He is fluently bilingual and happy to offer services in both official languages. He is currently the Director of Marketing for Suzart Productions, a non-profit musical theatre company specializing in learning and providing affordable entertainment for the Ottawa community. He is also a Board Member of Jewish Family Services Ottawa, an agency that is open to all members of the Ottawa community and provides services in the areas of mental health, food security, and connection to the community.
Job Titles:
- Management Consultant
- SENIOR ADVISOR
Matt Holland is an entrepreneur and veteran management consultant with over twenty-five years of consulting to medium and large organizations in Canada, the United States and Asia.
During his consulting career, Matt has consulted with medium and large businesses throughout North America with a focus on strategy and organization restructuring. From 1994-2004, Matt worked with The Boston Consulting Group where his consulting practice focused on consumer goods and services. He managed the Toronto office and contributed to the regional management of the North American business. Prior to BCG, Matt worked from 1984-1994 for The Canada Consulting Group, a regional boutique consulting firm with clients in industrial and consumer goods.
Matt has contributed to developing, launching and growing several businesses, including raising capital through private equity investors and angel investors. He is currently involved in an array of logistics services located in the northern Canadian port of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. This project has involved establishing a partnership with the local port authority to provide customs services and acquisition and growth of a local freight handing operation serving leading North American shippers. The business platform continues to expand at the Port of Prince Rupert, and is currently evaluating other West Coast ports for growth opportunities.
Michael Fenn has been a Senior Advisor at StrategyCorp since 2011, following an extensive career as a public-sector executive.
Michael has been an Ontario Deputy Minister under three Premiers, municipal chief administrator in Hamilton and Burlington, the founding CEO of Toronto-area regional transportation authority Metrolinx and earlier, the first CEO of the regional health authority serving the western Greater Toronto Area (Mississauga Halton LHIN). While on leave from StrategyCorp in 2019, he was Special Advisor to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, on the review of regional municipal government in Ontario.
In 2018, Michael was appointed Visiting Fellow (Infrastructure) at Western University / Ivey Business School's Lawrence National Centre, complementing his work as a management consultant with StrategyCorp. A former member of the McMaster University Board of Governors, he is a third-term Board Director with the C$100 billion OMERS pension fund and a Board Director of the Toronto District School Board's realty and property redevelopment arm, the Toronto Lands Corporation. He is a certified board director, having attained the C.Dir. designation in 2014.
Since 2011 Michael chaired the Mushkegowuk Expert Panel on Policing and subsequently, has been Facilitator of confidential negotiations on policing issues, jointly appointed by the Grand Chief of the Mushkegowuk Cree First Nations and the Ontario Solicitor General.
Michael's research publications and reports for ‘think tanks', academic institutions, governments and industry organizations have addressed: post-COVID recovery; regional collaboration in the GTHA; public-private partnerships in Ontario infrastructure; seniors' health care and housing; a risk-based approach to infrastructure investment; reducing regulatory burdens facing small business; ‘megatrends' and the future of Canada's infrastructure; creative approaches to infrastructure finance; the future of rural infrastructure in Ontario; the role of the city manager/CAO in Ontario municipalities and council-staff relations; municipal government "at an inflection point"; the role of infrastructure in remote regions and mining; and, water, wastewater and stormwater policy in Ontario.
Michael's career achievements have been acknowledged by a number of professional awards, including the Lieutenant Governor's Medal of Distinction in Public Administration for Ontario, and the highest award for career achievement from Ontario's two largest municipal administrators' associations, the AMCTO's Prestige Award and the OMAA's Robert Baldwin Award. In 2010, he was one of two Ontarians added to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario's Honour Roll. Michael's municipal management career was profiled with a chapter in Professor Emeritus David Siegel's book: Leaders in the Shadows: The Leadership Qualities of Municipal Chief Administrative Officers.
Michael has an MA in Political Science and the Diploma in Public Administration (Urban/Regional), both from Western University. He has also completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
Michelle L. Gagnon joined StrategyCorp as a Senior Advisor in 2020. To this role she brings many years of experience working with a variety of prominent organizations in both the public and private (philanthropic) sectors including the Policy Research Initiative in the Privy Council Office, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Alberta Health Services, Strategic Clinical Networks and as President and CEO of the Palix Foundation and the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative. More recently, Michelle co-founded and is Chief Operating Officer of Pemi31Therapeutics Inc., a science forward biotech start-up focused on immune therapy for inflammatory diseases.
Combining both an academic and executive background, Michelle's career has focused primarily on the health and social sectors, and in particular on mobilizing knowledge to inform policy, practice and program innovations to improve health and well-being. Michelle is a social scientist with an interdisciplinary doctoral degree in population health, a Master of Business Administration and undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and nursing. She also holds an adjunct position in the Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. Her research interests focus on public policy as a determinant of population and public health and on the policymaking process. Michelle is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD). She completed the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program in September 2018 and obtained the ICD.D designation in November 2018.
Throughout her career, as a credible thought leader with a broad perspective, Michelle has led, collaborated and built bridges across sectors, cultures and disciplines at the municipal, provincial, national and international levels to deliberate and find evidence informed solutions to important and complex public policy issues. Such issues include population and public health, health services quality and access, mental health and addiction prevention and treatment, early childhood development and supporting family and community resilience proactively and during times of crisis, like the COVID 19 pandemic. Over the years, she has regularly negotiated and been involved in public / private collaborations and worked with high ranking leaders from a variety of organizations, including in the community, business, post-secondary institutions and government, both in the bureaucracy and political offices. She excels in organizations and contexts undergoing change and rejuvenation.
Michelle is also active on Boards and committees, including as a member of the CIHR Institute Advisory Board on Health Promotion and Prevention, on the Board of Philanthropic Foundations Canada and as Co-Chair of St. Mary's University Board of Governors in (Calgary).
Mike Cautillo joined StrategyCorp as a Senior Advisor in 2019 after forty years in the transportation and infrastructure industries.
Mike is a seasoned infrastructure and procurement expert who has deep knowledge and experience developing infrastructure projects from concept to completion, including designing innovative public-private partnership procurements.
Mike was a key member and led teams on many high-profile and transformative transportation and infrastructure projects across Canada and abroad. He recently set up the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority - Canada's newest Crown Corporation - and became its first President and CEO.
Cautillo also launched a procurement process resulting in the selection of a private sector partner to construct the $6-billion Gordie Howe Bridge and international crossing. Over his career, Cautillo has worked on projects that have a combined construction value well in excess of $50 billion dollars.
A civil engineer and former senior executive in both the Ontario and federal governments, Cautillo has more than 40 years of experience working in the private sector and for all three levels of government, including more than a decade as a partner with Deloitte's Financial Advisory Services group.
Cautillo holds a B.Sc in engineering and an M.Eng from the University of Toronto. He also speaks French and is fluent in Italian.
Roxanne is a bilingual Consultant in StrategyCorp's communications practice. She brings in a unique set of skills and insights to assist clients in their communication strategies with a broad experience in communications planning, high stakes issues management, reputation recovery and stakeholder engagement.
Prior to joining StrategyCorp, Roxanne worked at a public affairs firm supporting clients in the success of several public affairs campaigns and the implementation of national communication strategies. She assisted major actors in the tobacco, technology, agricultural and tourism sectors, as well as public officials.
Before consulting, Roxanne worked as a political staffer during the 2018 Quebec elections, supporting media relations and communications efforts. Prior to that, Roxanne was an event coordinator for nonprofits in Quebec, planning and organizing major fundraising events across the province.
She holds a bachelor's degree in International Studies and a master's degree in public and international affairs from the University of Montreal. Her studies focused on public sector decision-making processes and how it can be influenced by political factors.
Job Titles:
- Director in StrategyCorp 's Public Affairs
Saad Baig is a Director in StrategyCorp's Public Affairs group and brings six years of experience advising senior cabinet ministers in the Government of Ontario.
Most recently, Saad was Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Finance where he was a pivotal part of the team that tabled Ontario's first balanced budget in ten years. He served as the lead advisor to the Minister on matters relating to tax policy, economic policy and municipal finance. Saad led the development of the 2016 Fall Economic Statement and 2017 Ontario Budget in key areas including transportation, infrastructure, economic development and international trade.
Prior to joining the Ministry of Finance, Saad spent over three years as the lead advisor for infrastructure policy to several ministers where he participated in key negotiations on federal-provincial infrastructure matters, designed municipal funding programs, developed infrastructure planning legislation and coordinated policy and issues for two crown agencies.
Saad has been involved in numerous political campaigns at the municipal, provincial and federal levels including the 2014 central campaign for the Ontario Liberal Party.
He holds a degree from the University of Waterloo in Economics with a specialization in Finance.
Shirley Hoy's public service career has spanned more than 30 years.
She started her career in municipal public service in 1980 with the former Metro Toronto government, Department of Community Services, in the Policy and Planning division. In the late 1980's, within Metro, she assumed various positions, including General Manager of Administration/Corporate Secretary, at Exhibition Place, and Executive Director in the Metro Chairman's Office.
Between 1991 to the end of 1995, Shirley worked in the Ontario Government as Assistant Deputy Minister in 3 ministries - Ontario Women's Directorate, Ministry of Community & Social Services, and the Joint position of ADM of Operation, and CEO of the Ontario Housing Corporation, in the Ministry of Housing.
In 1996, Shirley returned to Metro, as the Commissioner of Community Services. Following amalgamation, Shirley was appointed the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services Department which included the following major services: social assistance, childcare, homes for the aged, emergency shelter, housing and support, parks and recreation, public health and library services.
Between 2001 to 2008, Shirley served as City Manager for the City of Toronto. In this role, she led the public service in providing advice to the Mayor and City Council on the City's fiscal, organizational and service responsibilities, and in ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of municipal programs and services.
Between 2009 to January 2014, Shirley completed a 5-year term with the Toronto Lands Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Toronto District School Board, responsible for managing and disposing of surplus school properties. In this 5-year period, a total of $350 million in revenues was realized as contribution to the School Board's capital budget.
From 2010 to 2012, she also served on the board of the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation, and the Board of Regents of Victoria University, U of T.
In November, 2014, Shirley served on the Transition Team for Mayor-elect, John Tory.
From Mid March to August 2015, Shirley was appointed to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Governance Advisory Panel by the Minister of Education to examine and make recommendations with respect to possible improvements to TDSB governance structure and processes.
Since November 2014, Shirley has been working as Senior Advisor with StrategyCorp.
With respect to community and volunteer activities, Shirley served 3 years as vice-chair of the Governing Council of the University of Toronto, and served as Chair for the term 2016-2017. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of United Way Toronto and York Region for 6 years, and chair of this Board from June 2017 to July 2018.
In July, 2017, Shirley was appointed to the board of the Institute of Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG).
In September, 2018, she was appointed as a public member on the Quality Committee of the Board of Unity Health Toronto -a network which includes Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph's Health Centre, and St. Michael's Hospital.
Stacy Hushion is a Consultant in StrategyCorp's public affairs practice. Stacy combines rigorous evidence-based analysis with political acuity and strategic thinking in her client engagements. With a strong background in research, policy development and stakeholder engagement, she has facilitated public and private sector projects in government relations, strategic planning and issues management.
Tahereh is a consultant at StrategyCorp with a background in urban planning, public policy, and cross-disciplinary research in collaborative working environments. She has a strong knowledge of leading multinational research teams, conducting rigorous data analysis, and communicating outcomes to municipalities, key stakeholders, and executive directors.
Job Titles:
- SENIOR ADVISOR
- Senior Advisor With
NOTE: Effective September 30, 2021 Tony has taken a leave of absence from StrategyCorp and his work at the firm. We look to welcome him back later in 2022.
Tony is a Senior Advisor with StrategyCorp, a trusted public affairs, communications, and management consulting advisory firm. He provides advisory and consulting services, in a team environment to municipal and private sector clients.
He was the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Town of Tecumseh from 2007 - 2019 (retired). He was responsible for the oversite and co-ordination of all administrative, program and service delivery functions, providing advice to Council and for the overall management of the Town.
Previously, he served as the Director, Business Planning & Budgets for York Region. Tony holds a Masters degree in business administration and is an accomplished municipal administrator with extensive experience providing support and advice to Senior Management and Municipal Councils in single tier, lower tier and regional municipalities. He brings a collaborative approach to solutions development.
Municipal portfolios include CAO, General Manager, Deputy Treasurer, Director and Senior Manager in financial administration, budgets, governance and public transit. Tony is a past Director with the Ontario Municipal Administrators Association (OMAA), Co-chair of the ONWARD Initiative and is a past President of the Association of Managers, Clerks & Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO). Community service includes President of the Circle of Seven, Co-chair of Transform Shared Services and Treasurer of Sun County Minor Hockey. He is also the recipient of the 2016 Alumni of Distinction Award from St. Clair College and the 2017 Prestige Award from AMCTO.