This award recognizes an HR manager or executive who is a leader in the HR function across their organization and/or the public service level. The individual plays a pivotal and strategic people management role in their organization and has a demonstrated track record of excellence in people management leadership.
Recipient
Sacha Bonacci
Director, Executive Group Services and Talent Management
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Since assuming the position of Director, Executive Group Services and Talent Management in November 2021, Sacha Bonacci has not only made a significant impact in this role within a short timeframe, but has also demonstrated remarkable achievements in her previous positions in HR at ESDC. Sacha offers a curious mind, limitless energy and a deep level of expertise to her management team and collaborators. Having accumulated many years of experience in both the department and the human resources field, she is able to navigate her many mandates with ease, offering a strategic outlook and a capacity to identify key stakeholders and natural enablers within the organization. Her role in executive resourcing offers her a unique opportunity to leverage these competencies when providing integrated and strategic advice to senior management.
Sacha is recognized for paving the way for meaningful initiatives, such as the implementation of ESDC Leadership Norms and Behaviours for the hybrid work environment. Furthermore, she provided invaluable support to tailored sponsorship initiatives with a focus on diversity and facilitated a rigorous approach to talent management to safeguard workforce sustainability. Sacha mobilizes staff and partners alike across her many key files impacting ESDC’s workforce and endeavors to recruit, retain and develop the skilled workforce required to meet the department’s current and future priorities.
“Sacha represents the best of leadership in action in human resources; she is able to execute but also strives to embody the values she cherishes, providing sound advice and guidance while leading with inclusion and belonging as her driving force.”
Finalists
Catherine Desormeaux-Dufour
Director, Workplace Culture and Wellness
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
Catherine Desormeaux-Dufour has held the position of Director of Workplace Culture and Wellness for nearly two years. In this role, she oversees six programs, including the Accommodation Centre of Expertise, which was created due to her dedication and advocacy for implementing a program that addresses the unique needs of individuals with disabilities and other accommodation requirements. During the entire process, Catherine worked closely with networks, partners and bargaining agents to ensure its success; she has truly been the driving force behind the establishment of this center.
Catherine is also the Chair and Co-Chair of the Mental Health Ambassador Lead Committee, the Department Achievement Award Committee and the Values and Ethics Advisory Committee. She also actively participates in many other consultation committees, where she is very involved in their activities and meeting organization.
Catherine is a humble, dedicated and human-centric manager, known for her sound judgment and the dedicated support she gives to her team. She values diversity, fosters dialogue and actively seeks input from her team members. Catherine consistently endeavors to involve and leverage the strengths and knowledge of others to effectively meet client and organizational needs. Furthermore, she is highly respected for her policy and technical expertise. Highly appreciated by employees, colleagues and clients, she is praised for her attentiveness, openness and collaborative nature.
“Catherine has a people-first attitude which builds upon her nurturing skills. She is a leader who exudes compassion and strives to build a better, healthier and safer workplace for all.”
Shannon Mezzetta
Manager, Employment Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
Shannon Mezetta led the activation of the Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (AIDE) Team in the Human Resources Branch of NRCan. As the team’s leader, Shannon is responsible for ensuring that multiple aspects of the department’s HR efforts are aligned with strategic efforts towards cultural change. Within the HR branch, her team is continuously engaged with staffing, classification, planning, official languages, data analytics, workforce development and wellness teams to ensure that accessibility, diversity and inclusion aspects are measured.
In addition to leading HR efforts towards diversity and inclusivity-consciousness, Shannon’s endeavors in stakeholder engagement have also resulted in greater awareness, understanding and cooperation among departments and external organizations. In particular, her team works in partnership with the Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Diversity to support the development of employment equity (EE) plans and guide sectors in maintaining their intended pathways. Under Shannon’s leadership, the team has not only helped the department achieve notable EE gains, their efforts to enhance accessibility through the Accessibility Action Plan has also resulted in the recognition of NRCan as a strategic leader in accessibility planning.
Shannon leads by example, cares for people authentically and embodies an approachable energy that motivates those around her and inspires trust among members of the department’s networks. Her modest leadership style, hard work ethic and dedication have resulted in initiatives and achievements that are worthwhile of recognition.
“As the leader of a team that is focused on liaison, coordination and synchronization of departmental efforts towards EE, her experience and relationship-building skills have been paramount to its success.”
Notable Nominees
Jessica Bassil
Manager
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Jessica Bassil is the Human Resources Manager for the Business Management Services division of ESDC’s Innovation, Information and Technology branch (IITB). Under her leadership, a small team of HR advisors provide HR services to a fast-growing IITB. Jessica is also responsible for providing strategic advice and recommendations to IITB’s management team. She liaises with ESDC’s Human Resources Services Branch to ensure that IITB adheres to departmental policies and procedures, in addition to coordinating responses to corporate taskings.
Although she excels in her technical HR skills and leadership competencies, it is her exceptional emotional intelligence that truly sets her apart. During discussions, she has a unique ability to perceive unspoken nuances, grasp the entire scope of an issue by connecting the dots and fearlessly offer advice – even if it isn’t the most popular choice. Her exceptional composure in chaotic situations further demonstrates her exemplary professionalism and leadership.
Katie Dinsdale
Manager, Staffing – Client Services
Health Canada (HC)
Katie Dinsdale’s client group included the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Regional Operations who provided front line services at designated land borders and airports throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She demonstrated solid and consistent guidance to her team and clients, ensuring a high-touch service to support a temporary business line with high turnover given the complexities and challenges related to the pandemic border measures. In recent months, she continued to exemplify leadership to support an adjustment to this same temporary workforce as they pivoted their operational posture following the lifting of border measures. Katie guided her team to respond quickly to collaborate with clients and demobilize a specialized temporary workforce.
Katie has demonstrated strong leadership to both her clients and her team throughout this period. She has supported her team during high pressure workloads to develop and deliver consistent strategies to offer high-quality client service, recruiting and sourcing highly specialized scientific, policy and medical personnel to support the pandemic response.
Trish Dorken
Team Lead, National Staffing Operations – Atlantic Region
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
Trish Dorken is the epitome of a great leader. She consistently puts her team members’ needs above her own. She is always available and deeply values her employees while upholding company standards. She leads by example and embraces change while motivating her employees. Trish is open, honest and readily shares information and how it affects her team and the work they do. She inspires teamwork and collaboration by building a respectful and trusting workplace and work environment.
Trish is fair and transparent. She doesn’t put the needs of one team member over another, but ensures that her employees have equal opportunity and access to learning, development and projects. She is careful to ensure that workload is fairly distributed in support of a healthy work-life balance. Trish gives credit where it is due; she acknowledges individual contributions during team meetings and to senior management, never taking credit for work done by team members. When mistakes are made, she encourages accountability, but never places blame or criticizes employees; instead, she treats it as a learning opportunity.
Diane Fahlman
Director, Human Resources
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Diane Fahlman, Director of Human Resources for PSPC Pacific Region, has provided exceptional leadership on multiple transformational initiatives this past year, such as equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), mental health and wellness (MH&W), talent management and evolution of work/hybrid work arrangements. Her engaging leadership style and ability to solicit high-quality feedback has enabled her to develop approaches that are people-centric, contributing to a culture that will attract and retain talent.
Diane was successful in synthesizing disparate ideas into coherent plans focused on the highest impact actions. As a result, PSPC Pacific Region has developed action plans for EDI and MH&W and is successfully implementing actions to contribute to a positive and diverse culture. Diane also developed a talent management framework, including a mentoring program for staff at all levels this past year. Despite a heavy workload, Diane always finds time to support her team. She contributes to a positive and cohesive culture by providing regular feedback to build a high-performing team. She has also been a tireless champion of HR across PSPC, leading discussions with national headquarters and other regions to share best practices.
Nadine Gauthier
Executive Director, Organizational Design and Classification Centre of Expertise
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Nadine Gauthier is recognized as a key leader in the core public administration and HR classification community at ESDC through her contribution to the Executive of the Organizational Design and Classification Council for several years, in addition to her active involvement in numerous departmental and interdepartmental HR committees.
In a field in which there is a shortage, Nadine demonstrated exemplary leadership by rebuilding a dynamic and committed team of 60 employees, which has been entrusted to serve ESDC with several new mandates. Despite an unusually heavy operational workload in recent years, Nadine managed her team brilliantly to complete 99% of the job description assessments for the PA conversion and provide the necessary support during the passport crisis. Nadine is frequently called upon by management for her expertise and management skills in developing action plans, finding solutions and providing reliable advice; as a result, she continues to earn the appreciation of the senior management committee at ESDC.
Shane Heath
Director, HR Reporting, Analysis and Systems
Health Canada (HC)
Shane Heath, Director of HR Reporting, Analysis and Systems at HC and the Public Health Agency of Canada, has built a career off leadership successes in the world of data and systems. His most recent and ambitious ventures promise to make us rethink how we interact with data in the public service.
Shane has developed a team of dedicated professionals and aligned data in various HR disciplines to reduce errors and automate the most frequent requests. The result has been a shift away from intensive manual efforts in favour of advanced analytics that give leaders the information needed for decision-making, answering the “why” over “how much,” in a much shorter turnaround time. In addition to his success in people management and data, he has streamlined systems to allow access to data to be put in the hands of more people, with fewer errors. Shane is also recognized for his implementation of complex systems with minimal disruptions, in a fraction of the time that previous initiatives have been put into place, thanks to his dedication to ensuring that systems always keep the outcome to Canadians in mind.
Jennifer MacRae-Gaudet
Manager, HR Centre
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Jennifer MacRae-Gaudet has worked as the Manager of the HR Centre at AAFC since 2021, where she leads a sizeable national staffing administrative team that supports HR advisors and hiring managers. She has been part of the federal public service for only eight years, however, she has made a significant mark as an HR leader by positively impacting the community and creating a better future for all.
Jennifer is a strategic thinker who analyzes situations and creates fresh ideas to address them. She is action-oriented, engages partners and works collaboratively to achieve end goals. Jennifer also has a strong work ethic and is praised for her passion and energy. Always open to input from staff, she helps realize ideas into action while ensuring that her proposals support the organization’s vision and plans. When decisions are required, she shows sound judgement, even in stressful situations and with unexpected obstacles. Jennifer stands out as a manager committed to delivering on all aspects of her responsibilities. She has set an admirable example that will continue to resonate among all HR professionals with whom she has interacted.
Julie Massicotte
Assistant Director, Leadership Assessment and Support Section
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Julie Massicotte is a seasoned public servant with a wide background of expertise in various organizations, including central agencies. During her tenure in the Human Resources Branch of the CRA over the past few years, her work has had a significant impact across the entire agency. Notably, she took the lead in developing the future of learning vision, which focuses on humanizing, digitizing and simplifying learning within the CRA.
Taking on a new leadership role in the past year, Julie prioritized the development of leaders, emphasizing self-awareness and emotional intelligence. With her small, yet highly effective team, she has taken sponsorship, mentorship and coaching to new heights. Her dedication to supporting the leadership development of employees who identify as members of employment equity groups has been superb. Moreover, she actively supported the Heads of Learning Forum and shared the best practices of CRA with the Centre for Diversity and Inclusion at TBS. Her influence in the learning and leadership fields extends far and wide across the agency, and her passion for forward-looking, modern approaches is truly contagious.
Chantal Seeton
Executive Director, Workplace Health and Diversity Directorate
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
As the Executive Director of the Workplace Health and Diversity Directorate at CFIA, Chantal Seeton has devoted her professional career to advancing the interests of others. She is a dedicated and fearless advocate for equity, diversity, inclusion, mental health, official languages, harassment prevention and employee safety. She expertly leads a team of over 80 people who are motivated to create a workplace that is as diverse as the people who are served by CFIA. Her responsibilities encompass a wide range of areas, including: occupational health and safety; mental health and wellness; employee well-being; equity, diversity and inclusion; official languages; informal conflict resolution; and the prevention of workplace harassment and violence.
Chantal is also the Champion for the National Indigenous Advisory Circle at the CFIA, a position she has held for the last five years. She works to increase awareness and understanding of the cultures of Indigenous peoples within the agency, fosters discussions and shares information on creating a healthy, respectful, welcoming and inclusive work environment for Indigenous employees. Over the course of her career, she has mentored countless employees, advocated for diversity and inclusion and been strong proponent of official languages in the workplace. Chantal is well respected by all who work with her.
Melanie Thibault
Manager, Performance and Talent Management
Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB)
Melanie exhibits the qualities, competencies and attributes that form a great leader. As the IRB’s manager of performance and talent management for executives and employees, Melanie exhibits the characteristics that motivate, inspire and empower employees to achieve goals. She is respectful and fosters an environment of trust with her employees, colleagues, clients and senior management. She models all the behaviours and values of the IRB and the public service and conducts her work in a manner that reflects a commitment to client service excellence and professionalism. She is passionate, innovative and eagerly embraces projects that further support senior management in developing leaders at all levels. She takes every opportunity to inject creativity, question conventional approaches, explore alternatives and provide solutions to mitigate risk.
Melanie is committed to an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace, as demonstrated through her diverse team. She has a high level of engagement, allyship and dedication towards equity and is committed to talent management initiatives which focus on equity-seeking groups. As explained by her passion, commitment, work ethic, high-quality results and propensity to lead by example, Melanie has all the qualities of an HR Leader.
Véronique Tremblay
Director, Office of Values, Recognition, Assessment and Resolution
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
In her role as the Director of the Office of Values, Recognition, Assessment and Resolution, Véronique Tremblay influences workplace culture and sets a positive tone. Under her exemplary leadership, her team designed innovative solutions to difficult challenges, including introducing refinements to the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act investigation processes, as well as developing robust and integrated communication strategies to raise awareness of the disclosure process and to socialize ESDC’s core values. These are just a couple of examples that speak to Véronique’s strategic vision and continuous efforts to enhance workplace wellness.
Over and above her impressive program and service delivery accomplishments, what distinguishes Véronique’s leadership is her people-centric approach. She goes out of her way to ensure her employees and colleagues feel valued, actively cultivating a sense of inclusion and belonging. She builds these same principles into the programs and services she manages, striving to enhance workplaces for all employees. In fact, her innovative and inspiring initiatives and programs have contributed to efforts to strengthen respect in workplaces across the federal public service.
Leanne Whelan
Associate Director, Classification Center of Expertise
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
During the pandemic, Leanne assumed the position of Associate Director of the Classification Center of Expertise, transitioning from her previous role as Team Leader. At that time, the team confronted numerous challenges, including staff shortages, high turnover and increased service demands. Despite these difficulties, Leanne took a strategic approach. Under her leadership, she successfully elevated the profile of classification and organizational design services within the department; she demystified the process and made it more accessible to both clients and employees.
Leanne is at the helm of a team of approximately 40 employees that plays a vital role in delivering classification and organizational design services to the department. As Leanne’s top priority is the well-being of her team members, she implemented effective mechanisms to manage the increased workload, collaborated closely with clients to improve work prioritization, and focused on recruiting and retaining top talent in the field. Most notably, she fostered a culture of open communication, empathy, continuous development and seamless integration within the team. Leanne’s leadership style is truly inspirational; she empowers individuals by recognizing their strengths and supporting their development. Additionally, she has successfully instilled a culture of high client service standards within the team.
