This award recognizes an administrative support professional who has excelled in supporting human resources (HR) service and/or HR program delivery. For instance, employees who occupy HR Assistant, HR Clerk, HR Support, or HR Program Assistant positions.
Recipient
Margaret Carew
Acting Planning & Project Support Officer
Canada Revenue Agency
Margaret is a professional and dedicated member of the Atlantic Human Resources Center of Expertise. As an experienced administrative assistant, she is always ready to support her colleagues and mentor new administrative assistants, helping them integrate into the organization.
Margaret’s exceptional organizational skills, collaborative spirit and deep knowledge of the administrative support role made her a natural fit for a leadership position in establishing the Atlantic Administrative Learning Group. Through this group, she expanded the learning network within the region, providing administrative professionals with a platform to better support each other and exchange best practices.
Passionate about her work, Margaret consistently goes the extra mile to provide her colleagues and management team with the information and support necessary to run an efficient and effective program. Her extensive knowledge of policies and procedures enables her to expertly navigate what is permitted and what is not. She diligently follows required protocols and thoroughly investigates any ambiguous situations to provide compliant options.
Margaret’s positive attitude, willingness to help others, extraordinary professionalism and profound expertise have been instrumental in maintaining an exceptional work environment. She contributes to a healthy, respectful and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and motivated to remain part of the team.
“Margaret exhibits the highest professional standards in every task, every conversation and every encounter that she comes across on a daily basis, while maintaining confidentiality in her role.”
Finalists
Patricia de Matos
HR Coordinator, Human Resources Operations, People & Culture
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Patricia exemplifies dedication, resilience, flexibility and a remarkable ability to navigate complex issues with ease. Her exceptional communication skills and proactive approach have made her a key contributor to the collaborative work environment within the People and Culture sector at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. She effectively liaises with colleagues, HR professionals and other partners, facilitating seamless service delivery.
As the primary contact for the Fast Track staffing inbox, Patricia promptly and courteously communicates with clients, keeping them informed about requirements and deadlines. Patricia manages staffing requests from start to finish with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and fostering collaboration among teams. She leverages all available resources to answer complex queries and employs external networks to provide timely solutions.
Patricia’s integrity and consistent exemplary performance set her apart as a role model within her team. Her unwavering commitment to excellence is evident in her every action. She actively mentors new employees, providing comprehensive training during onboarding. Patricia is a true team player, always ensuring to inform her colleagues of the latest procedural changes and template updates to cultivate a positive learning environment within her team. Beyond her formal duties, Patricia assists colleagues with various staffing processes, demonstrating her selflessness and dedication to teamwork.
“Patricia’s integrity and commitment to ethical conduct elevate the entire team, making her an invaluable example for others to follow.”
Jennelle Sherven
HR Coordinator
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Jennelle is a passionate HR administrative professional who drives change and growth to support government-wide commitments and priorities in diversifying the workforce, removing bias and barriers, and ensuring accessibility. She goes above and beyond to provide exceptional administrative services and technical guidance. Janelle continuously challenges the status quo and strives to improve multiple innovative, transparent, inclusive and accessible national employment equity recruitment initiatives.
In her role to support the National Talent Acquisition team at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Jennelle has significantly enhanced the candidate experience. She has implemented accessible formats, features and assessments within Vidcruiter to reduce barriers for applicants. Jennelle actively engages with candidates and external partners to gather feedback and identify areas for improvement. She collaborates with various HR disciplines to share and learn new information, contributing to ongoing advancements. Additionally, Jennelle seeks to optimize her team’s services through hosting various information sessions and developing PowerPoint presentations, guiding documents and resource materials.
Jennelle consistently meets her team’s business objectives to the highest standards. Her efforts have been instrumental in attracting diverse talent, significantly reducing the department’s overall representation gaps. Her passion for HR and commitment to accessibility and inclusivity make her an invaluable asset to her team.
“Jennelle’s embodiment of professionalism, teamwork and dedication, combined with her strong analytical mind and critical thinking skills, greatly contribute to the team’s success.”
Notable Nominees
Andre Lavallee
HR Assistant
Transport Canada
Andre has been a valuable member of the Prairie and Northern HR Team since June 2019, consistently excelling in HR delivery. As a quick learner who takes pride in his work, Andre easily makes connections between various HR disciplines. He consistently delivers high-quality support and services to his colleagues and clients. Andre collaborates effectively with his teammates and his contributions are crucial to ensuring excellence in service delivery. Highly regarded by his peers, his leadership skills are evident in his role as a liaison between assistants, students and team leads, addressing questions and pursuing procedural clarifications. Efficient in day-to-day services, Andre is also resourceful in recommending and implementing process improvements. He carries out his work steadily and consistently, demonstrating personal integrity and embodying public service values and ethics in his interactions with colleagues and clients. Andre’s dedication and proactive mindset make him an indispensable asset to his team.
Lyne Sylvain
Coordinator, Managerial or Confidential positions
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Lyne is the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s point person for senior and confidential positions with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, departments and bargaining agents. Her straightforward, diplomatic communication style is highly effective, especially when she receives requests from departments to ensure consistency in new job proposals. She has earned the trust of the bargaining agents by demonstrating that she always maintains a high degree of confidentiality, enabling her to prioritize informal consultations and provide departments with better guidance on their submissions. The corporate memory Lyne has acquired over the years makes her an invaluable resource within the management team. In addition to her regular duties, she replaced two administrative assistants in an effective and professional manner. She quickly became proficient with the request interpretation tracking system and developed a guide for new employees to ensure optimal customer service. Lyne often exceeds the expectations of her role, adding significant value to the team.
