Peer Forum Facilitators
Bios
Greg Smith
Partner, Lighthouse Nine Group and
Founder of SafeBrave Spaces
Facilitator: CHRO Peer Forum (CHRO-1)
Greg is a certified executive coach (PCC) and business advisor who heads Lighthouse Nine Group’s Leadership Development and Coaching practice. He also serves clients in the areas of Change Management, Strategy and Alignment, Organizational Design, Culture, Engagement and High Performing Teams.
Greg is a senior business leader who has thrived in challenging business environments across mulitiple industries for more than 30 years, achieving results that are in line with the required strategic and cultural transformation. He is the author of ‘In Search of Safe Brave Spaces: A Guide to Unlocking and Releasing Potential’ and the co-host of the Safe Brave Stories Podcast and the Talking Not Ranting Podcast.
http://www.lighthouse9.ca
Andrea De Jager-Jackson
Founder and Principal, Limitless Growth Partners
Facilitator: CHRO Peer Forum (CHRO-2)
Andrea is the founder and principal of Limitless Growth Partners, an executive coaching, women’s leadership & culture advisory firm. She works with leadership teams to create the conditions for growth accelerating cultures to come to life, so that people, teams and organizations can live their purpose and create exceptional customer experiences.
With almost 30 years of experience across global, multi-national, and Canadian organizations, Andrea is a former C-Suite executive, now leadership coach, speaker, and trusted Human Resources and Culture advisory partner. Her career has spanned diverse industries and ownership models where she’s shaped culture, scaled businesses and developed next generation talent. She is known as a people first and purpose driven executive, having held senior Human Resources roles at Signature Vacations, Constellation Brands, REVLON, Arterra Wines Canada, and NVA Canada.
She’s not just a strategist – she’s lived it. As a wife, mother, and someone who’s faced profound personal loss and a life-altering diagnosis when she was 47, she walks alongside her clients in their pursuit of growth and brings empathy, integrity, and hard-won wisdom to every room she’s in.
http://www.andreadejagerjackson.com
Joanne Rivard
Principal, Rivard Consulting
Facilitator: CHRO Peer Forum (CHRO-3)
Joanne is an executive coach and Human Resources consultant with over 30 years of experience in diverse industries such as manufacturing, engineering, food and professional services, holding senior Human Resources roles in both corporate and consulting settings. Passionate about coaching executives and helping businesses evolve through change, Joanne works with leaders to tangibly define and measure the effectiveness of their organization’s culture, celebrating the factors that make them successful while re-aligning elements causing pain points.
Val Duffey
CHRO, Ontario Health
Facilitator: CHRO Peer Forum (CHRO-4)
Val brings over 30 years of experience in HR leadership roles in organizations across multiple sectors including KPMG Canada, Aviva Canada and Torys LLP. She was CHRO at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority during a period of significant investment in talent, leadership and workforce development, and also ran a successful consulting practice supporting companies to embrace new ways of working in the wake of the pandemic and calls for social reform. Immediately prior to joining Ontario Health, Val was Special Advisor, Talent & Leadership at University Health Network where she led the development of a nursing talent strategy, restructuring of the recruiting function and creation of their inaugural executive leadership program. Val has been with SCN since 2005, and was a member of the inaugural CHRO Peer Forum. She delights in her role as facilitator and cherishes the engaging and supportive peer network that she and her colleagues have created together.
http://linkedin.com/in/valduffey
Laura Barker
Director of Coaching and Leadership
Development, Talent Rise
Co-Facilitator: CHRO Peer Forum (CHRO-5)
Laura Barker, PCC, CPCC, CPQC, is an executive and leadership coach with more than 20 years of experience in HR and organizational transformation across global industries. As Director of Coaching and Leadership Development at TalentRise, she helps senior leaders gain clarity, strengthen core leadership skills, and lead with confidence and purpose. Her values‑based approach integrates tools like Hogan, Predictive Index, and Positive Intelligence to deepen self‑awareness and elevate leadership effectiveness.
Laura also leads TalentRise’s Fast Start Coaching Program, supporting newly hired executives as they navigate cultural integration and accelerate impact in their first 90 days. With a foundation in HR and a focus on coaching and leadership development, she creates insight‑rich, psychologically safe spaces for leaders—especially CHROs—to reflect, grow, and drive meaningful organizational outcomes.
TalentRise | Executive Search, Coaching, and Leadership Development
Amanda Smith
Amanda Jane Smith, Coach & Facilitator
Facilitator: Professional Peer Forum (PPF-2)
As a leadership communication coach, Amanda works with teams to elevate their inner awareness and their outer expression; helping them uncover their genuine voice, craft compelling stories, and deliver inspiring, effective communication.
As a behaviour coach, Amanda brings her knowledge of fitness, nutrition, sleep and stress to her sessions, supporting people in creating healthy habits and sticking to them.
Amanda has lived and worked in Quebec, Los Angeles, Costa Rica, Sweden, Tanzania, and Japan.
Amanda is a coach, an actor, a mom, and a work-in-progress.
Nadia Padassery
Founder and CEO, unHR Company
Facilitator: SHRL Peer Forum (SHRL-2)
Nadia spent over 25 years leading organizations as a HR Executive at various organizations and industries. During this time, she played a pivotal role in building successful companies such as implementing innovative HR strategies through business and IT transformations, improving employee retention, and organizational performance. She has been recognized for Best Employer, Most Innovative Workplace, DEI, and Leadership awards, demonstrating a commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of human resources.
http://www.unhr.ca
Deborah Jann
Vice President, Client Relationships, Gallagher
Facilitator: Professional Peer Forum (PPF-1)
Deborah is VP, Client Relationships at Gallagher, a trusted Insurance, Risk Management, Benefits and HR consulting firm. Gallagher advises, designs, implements, manages, administers and communicates benefits, retirement, HR, and compensation programs for employers across the globe.
In her business development role, Deborah leverages Gallagher’s bench strength as a global consulting firm, with local, service focused, boutique experience resulting from Gallagher’s acquisition of Optimum Talent and HORN Sales & Leadership Development. She also draws on 25+ years of experience in HR and innovation consulting, adult education, leadership and organizational development to identify solutions that will better the lives of her clients.
In addition to being a Master Facilitator in Effective Intelligence®, resilience and emotional intelligence, Deborah is a trained Management Coach and Certified Assessor of numerous psychometric assessments. She is also a former industry practitioner instructor for Schulich ExecEd, affiliated with York University.
Deborah has been an active volunteer for SCNetwork since 2016.
http://www.ajg.com/ca
Lisa Plain
Career Transition Coach
Facilitator: HR Leaders In Transition (HRLT)
Lisa Plain is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), career transition strategist, and founder of Career Balance Coaching. Named one of Canada’s Top 10 Career Coaches, she senior leaders navigate layoffs, career transitions, and executive job searches with clarity and confidence.
Combining expertise in coaching, Human Resources, business strategy, and finance, Lisa has supported hundreds of professionals as they redefine their careers, strengthen their leadership brand, and secure meaningful opportunities aligned with their goals and values.
Lisa holds a BBA in Human Resources, an MBA, and was previously certified as a CPA. She is also co-host of the Career Builders Podcast, featuring more than 100 episodes on career growth, and navigating change.
Whether clients are pursuing their next executive role, exploring consulting, or reimagining what success looks like in the next stage of their career, Lisa serves as their personal board of directors, helping them make intentional decisions and move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.