Our Team

Meet our permanent employees and volunteer committees

Women in Governance’s activities are driven by a dynamic and committed permanent team, and supported by loyal and devoted volunteers who work in committees on the different aspects of our mission.

We take it to heart that our team reflects our core values of diversity and inclusion. As all studies have shown, a diversity of perspectives results in better financial performance, more innovation, and a more robust decision-making process throughout the organization. By applying this principle in which we sincerely believe, we ensure Women in Governance’s continued success!

Permanent Team

Caroline Codsi
Founder and Chief Equity Officer
Negar Haghighat
Vice-President, Strategy
Stéfanie Bug
Senior Director, Business Development
Madona El-Hajj
Senior Director, Global Operations
Cédric Meyer
Director, Finance and treasury
Catherine Diplock
Senior Operations Manager, Parity Certification
Ilham Heouali
Office Manager (maternity leave)
Danie Nélus
Executive Assistant to the Founder and Chief Equity Officer
Flavie Morin
Advisor, Communication, Marketing and Events
Sara Abdelmalek
Coordinator, Operations

Board of Directors

Monique F. Leroux - CO-CHAIR
Senior Advisor, Fiera Capital; Former Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Desjardins; Corporate Director
Norman Steinberg - CO-CHAIR
Vice-Chair of the Board, BFL Canada; Former Chair Emeritus and Global Chair, Norton Rose Fulbright; Corporate Director
Caroline Codsi
Founder and Chief Equity Officer
Valérie Durand
Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Sustainability, Air Canada
Anik Lapointe
General Manager of the New York Branch and Chief Operating Officer, National Bank of Canada Financial Inc.
Sylvia Metayer
Non Executive Director, Aéroports de Paris; Former Chief Growth Officer, Sodexo
Nicole Piggott
President, Synclusiv
Annick Robinson
Communications Lead, Services Operations – North America, Alstom

“We know that businesses who achieve gender equity perform better; therefore our work in support of parity is not only helping women thrive, but helping Canadian businesses do so as well.”

 

Phyllis Yaffe
Chair of the Board, Cineplex; Former Chief Executive Officer, Alliance Atlantis; Former Consul General of Canada in New York

Parity Certification Committee

Louise Champoux-Paillé -
CO-CHAIR
Certified Corporate Director

“My commitment to Women in Governance began with my participation in the Certification Committee when it was in its early days. I later shared my diverse research on gender parity and collaborated with the Government Relations and Mentoring Committees. This commitment allows me to meet women looking to break the glass ceiling while maintaining a balance between work, family, and personal life, which is so essential to living a good life.”

Joanie Coutu-Bellerose -
CO-CHAIR
Director, Talent Management and Total Rewards, Richter

“It is by actively contributing and persevering that we will make a real difference.”

 

Stéphanie Boisvert
Senior consultant and board administrator
Giovanna Buscemi
Senior Human Resources Executive

“In order for more women to achieve corporate leadership and attain Board positions, we must first create the conditions for success. I’m very proud to contribute to this important mission in association with Women in Governance.”

Suzanne Daneau
Vice President, Human Resources, EXFO

“My involvement with the Women in Governance team is fundamentally motivated by my desire to assist women so they can realize their full potential, develop self-confidence and be truly aware that they should have equal opportunities. I want to share my experience and help them grow professionally.”

Arlette Edmunds
Chief Human Resources Officer, AGF Investments

“I often think about what the future of gender equality means, not only for me, but also for my two daughters… Sitting back doesn’t help; getting involved does. Women in Governance makes that involvement easy: I feel truly engaged as a volunteer, and by supporting organizations to make meaningful, customized changes that help the advancement of women, I feel I am actually part of building a better future for everyone.”

 

Sophie Méthot
Manager, Human Resources and Payroll, Omnitrans
Rafael Moya Herrero
Senior Advisor, Program and Content, International Economic Forum of the Americas
Julie Sylvestre
Organizational Development Consultant, Société de transport de Montréal

Global Expansion Subcommittee

Séverine Sambin - CHAIR
Senior Director, Human Resources, Trans-Canada Capital

“Having worked in different regions of the world, I have always been keen to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of my organization’s HR strategies. Each country has its own culture and its own history, but everywhere still in 2021, integration and equity for women in the workplace remain crucial issues. It was important for me to get involved as a volunteer with Women in Governance to help companies evolve, as well as to discuss this very important subject with other professionals from a variety of fields!”

Corinne Derboeuf
France Diversity, Inclusion and Well Being Director, Schneider Electric
Anne Gueugnot
Ecommerce Consultant, Amazon
Marcelle Laliberté
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, HEC Paris
Sakina Loutfallah
International Lead Talent Consultant, SHL
Valerie Trassard
Vice President, Talent and Business Partner-Corporate Functions, Technicolor
Riva Walia
Founding Managing Director, France Canada Chamber of Commerce - Ontario (FCCCO); Co-Founder and CEO, SmartLabs Inc.

“I fundamentally believe that we must all be seen as human beings first, without any consideration for our sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or the color of our skin. Personally, I am defined by the world as ‘a woman of color’, which in fact does not define who I am! Those core beliefs sustain my strong association with Women in Governance (WiG)—where I have had the honor of mentoring some wonderful women—and they motivate me to spread the word in my corporate network on the impactful work WiG is doing.”

Mentoring and Governance Training Committee

Frank Bernard - CO-CHAIR Mentoring / Executives
Associé, Recrutement exécutif, Octave Mæcenas
Ray Kazan - CO-CHAIR Mentoring / Professionals
Global Human Resources Director - Civil Flight Services, CAE
Laure Broisin
Director, Talent Acquisition, La tête chercheuse
Laure Cohen van Delft
Facilitator, Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner & Business Coach
Carolyne Evangelidis
Senior Director, Talent Services, House of Commons of Canada
Anik Lapointe
General Manager of the New York Branch and Chief Operating Officer, National Bank of Canada Financial Inc.
Carolina Lerena
Human Resources Business Partner, Maples Group

“Living out my passion through others’ development. Fostering their well-being by guiding them in the emergence and progression of their talents.”

Michael Rubenstein
Operating Partner, Private Equity - Quebec, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec

“Diversity and gender parity is not only the right thing to do, it is the thing to do if you’re interested in driving better business performance. When hiring for my teams, I have always said that I would hire the best man for the job… which is often a woman!”

Soumya Tamouro
Vice President, Business Development, Sémaz

Communication and Media Relations Comittee

Annick Robinson - CHAIR
Communications Lead, Services Operations – North America, Alstom

“We know that businesses who achieve gender equity perform better; therefore our work in support of parity is not only helping women thrive, but helping Canadian businesses do so as well.”

 

Marc Desmarais
Vice President, Government Relations - Ottawa, NATIONAL

“The will to defend some of my fundamental values motivates my collaborations with WiG: pay equity and the access of diverse women to Board seats and/or high-management positions are principles that I deeply believe in. I am very fortunate to work in a milieu that respects and applies them, but there is still so much to do… For example, there are only 26 female Heads of State or Government worldwide at this moment! The future of our planet is in the hands of the Angela Merkel, Tsai Ing-wen (Taiwan) and Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand) of today and tomorrow.”

Marie-Christine Masseteau
Founder, Mille et une pages

“Parity. Parity as a whole. A value transmitted in my home, in my child’s education. Now on a professional level, nothing is more natural than for me to be involved and to concretely support Women in Governance’s remarkable actions.”

Erwan Picard
Consultant at the General Directorate, 150th Anniversary Project, Polytechnique Montréal

“I am proud to contribute to the mission of Women in Governance. Way beyond better economic performance, equity and diversity are essential morally and socially. We can and must do better.”

Carolyne Van Der Meer
Principal, CVDM Communications

“Women in Governance needs the support and expertise of professionals who can help grow its reach. My belief in leadership development for women has led to my offering my personal and professional support to this inspiring organization.”

Special Counselors

Robert Bonneau
Senior Partner and Co-Founder, Décarie Executive Search

“Ladies: keep going for it and believing in yourself! And to some gentlemen: just imagine for a moment that being born a “white man” reduced *in and of itself* your hope for progress and enrichment… Change will not only come through women themselves leading the way. It will also come (quicker) with open-minded men.”

Winston Chan
Entrepreneur, Member of the Employment, Entrepreneurship and Education Taskforce, G20 Business 20

“I am particularly proud to have been Chair of the first gender-balanced Board for the Quebec Federation of young chambers of commerce (RJCCQ – Regroupement des jeunes chambres de commerce du Québec), from 2011 to 2013. By being involved as a volunteer with WiG, I want to send a clear message to Presidents and Chairs, both in private and public organizations: it is your responsibility as leaders to ensure that parity, diversity and inclusion are values reflected by your Boards.”

Sergina Guéry
President, EvenemenCiel
Sara Herrero
Independant Consultant and Former Master's Program Director, Business Administration, Universidad Europea de Madrid
Elodie Meyer
Partner and Chief Legal Officer, Bradley & Rollins Cybersecurity
Careers

Our team
is expanding!

No open position? Or it/they don’t suit you? You can still send us your resume at [email protected]

JOIN US

You want to join us in making a difference?
Get involved!

There are a number of ways you can support us:

Partners and Sponsors

You would like show your commitment to the advancement of women publicly and financially support our mission?

Become a partner or a sponsor
Volunteers

You share our values and
would like to offer your time and know-how? Volunteer in a committee or at our events.

Become a volunteer
Mentors

Would you like to share your experience
and expertise with women who could benefit from it
and boost their careers?

Become a mentor