Judges
Dr. Alan Middleton
Susan Robinson
Barb Conway
Brad Harper
Geri Markvoort
Mardi Walker
Dr Alan Middleton is executive director of the Schulich Executive Education Centre. Before joining Schulich he was CEO of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency in Japan and executive vice president of the global company following 21 years in marketing and advertising in four countries. He is the co-author of "Ikonica - a Fieldguide to Canada's brandscape" and author of chapters and articles on management education and branding.
Susan Robinson is a Principal at Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions. She has more than 20 years’ experience as an HR executive and became Xerox Canada’s first female executive in 1989. She has held senior human resources positions at AGT/Telus, Baxter Healthcare, Manulife Financial and Securit. Robinson is a founding director of the Canadian Learning Directors Forum and The Learning Partnership and holds a Masters in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University.
Barb Conway is the Vice President of Human Resources at Carswell, a Thomson Reuters business. A senior Human Resources professional with several years of experience, Barb has been responsible for developing HR strategies and programs that have supported Carswell’s achievement of being named a Top Employer, Best Employer and/or Best Workplace in Canada in each of the past 8 years. Barb holds a business diploma from Durham College, a CHRP (Certified Human Resources Professional) designation through the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPA), a Certificate in Human Resource Management through the HRPA and is currently completing a Bachelor degree focused on organization development.
Brad Harper retired from TELUS Communications at the end of 2010 as their vice-president of e.HR Workforce Solutions, which includes payroll, benefits, health and wellness, e.HR (HR website and tools development), SAP testing and workforce solutions (management information and reporting development). Harper currently sits on the board for Theatre Calgary and is an advisory member of the Learning Partnership.
Geri Markvoort, CHRP, is the Director of Total Rewards in KPMG’s Human Resource Function. Geri has over 30 years of experience in delivering human resources to support business needs for small to large organizations in various industries. She has spent the last 11 years with KPMG in senior HR leadership roles. She is a passionate champion for change, strong HR leadership and Employer of Choice.
Mardi Walker is senior vice-president, people at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., where she leads the HR, labour relations, training and development, and internal communication for one of the largest sports and entertainment companies in North America. Mardi has over twenty-five years of experience leading human resources in hospitality and entertainment with companies such as Marriott Hotels and Canada’s Wonderland. She sits on a number of advisory boards and is a co-lecturer for the Osgoode Certificate in HR Law. She holds the designations of both CHRP and SHRP and has been proud to promote the CHRP designation for the HRPA.