Canadian HR Reporter

We looked… and we found — the top 25 human resources practitioners across Canada. From corporate culture and strategic labour relations to gender equity, health and safety, and mentorship, they had HR covered. Evert Akkerman XNL HR Once again, Evert Akkerman, owner and principal consultant at XNL HR in Newmarket, Ont., has had a ful lling year. He did a review of job descriptions with one municipality, along with assisting in a job evaluation and writing a communication plan for the streamlining of two departments. At another company, Evert created an employee manual and went on a road show with the controller to present the new policy to employees. He also helped with renewal of the bene ts plan. And at a third employer, he suggested the launch of a co-op program to attract skilled talent in a competitive eld, with four universities getting involved, and multiple applications from students. Laurie Armstrong Prophix Software Having joined Prophix Software in Mississauga, Ont., in 2013, Laurie Armstrong has made great strides. As manager of HR, she initiated a project to improve the HR infrastructure and align with company strategy by implementing international programs meant to enrich the employee experience, while promoting a culture of continuous improvement. Laurie developed innovative programs in the areas of change management, employer branding, new hire onboarding, enhanced recognition, new bene ts plans, and an employee needs assessment to initiate the creation of an employee wellness program. Laurie helped the company achieve top employer awards in 2016 and 2017. Vin Berman William Osler Health System Under the leadership of Vin Berman — interim vice-president of HR and organizational development — the HR team at William Osler Health System has implemented a number of initiatives meant to maintain and further enhance staff morale and a great work culture. She has also been involved with strategic labour relations, the launch of an employee wellness program, a management competency model, and management- focused workshops. Vin de nitely has an "open-door" policy, and people always come rst. She joined William Osler in 2012 and was promoted to the role of executive director in 2014, then CHRO in 2016. Debby Carreau Inspired HR Vancouver's Debby Carreau has continued to gain recognition as an HR expert, with regular appearances in this capacity on the daytime television show The Social. As founder and CEO of Inspired HR, Debby is highly regarded as a thought leader and author. This year, she organized and participated in a roundtable of the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders, created by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and United States President Donald Trump. She has more than 20 years' experience in the HR eld. As director of talent at MaRS — a Toronto innovation hub — Daneal Charney is a thought leader on topics related to the future of work. Her mission has included pushing HR as an agent of change amidst arti cial intelligence (AI) and other innovative changes, increasing gender equity in tech leadership roles, creating an inclusive, safe workplace, and opening up a global talent pool for employers. Daneal's mandate includes providing talent advisory services to startups in information and communications tech, clean tech and health tech. Alongside her work as an HR innovator, Daneal is an author and speaker. Daneal Charney MaRS

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