Cecilia McKenney

SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, Quest Diagnostics

Marnie Wright

Chief Human Resources Officer, AVP, University of Saskatchewan

Michelle Beiter

Chief People Officer, The Suddath Companies

• Michelle leads The Suddath Companies’s global HR team, fostering a rewarding workforce experience in which more than 2,000+ diverse team members across 45 locations and multiple roles can thrive and grow.  The company is made up of five business lines including: Logistics, Workplace Solutions, Household Goods Moving and Storage, Corporate Relocation Services, and Military Relocation Management.   She believes wholeheartedly that an organization’s people are its greatest assets, or the “secret sauce,” as she likes to say, and is driven by a passion for helping companies, clients and employees succeed, together.

• Before joining Suddath, Michelle held executive HR positions with ODW Logistics and Safelite AutoGlass, where she successfully led large and geographically dispersed HR teams to achieve and exceed their talent and business goals. She is well versed in change management, having led organizations through strategic acquisitions and the revision of talent planning and development models. She has implemented new performance measurement and total reward programs as well, helping to drive efficiencies, grow market share and improve employee engagement.

• Michelle brings more than 25 years of experience to her role, cultivated across several HR disciplines in logistics, financial services, healthcare, insurance and retail industry sectors. She holds a B.A. from Ohio University.

Mardi Walker

Executive Counselor, McLean & Company

• Mardi brings decades of experience as an HR Executive to her role as Executive Counselor at McLean & Company, where she supports and guides CHROs to be strategic business partners in achieving organizational and professional success.

• Prior to joining McLean & Company Mardi led Human Resources for high-profile, growth-oriented companies in sports, media, entertainment, hospitality, manufacturing, and high tech. As a member of senior executive teams, she participated in setting strategic organizational direction, ensuring goals were aligned to the company’s vision, values, and priorities. Mardi is passionate about creating and sustaining a best-in-class culture where employees can thrive and grow. She has extensive experience with organizations undergoing change, particularly through growth and acquisition, and oversaw a successful HR transformation in an organization that more than quadrupled its value in 15 years.

• Mardi holds a degree in psychology from the University of Western Ontario and both the CHRL and CHRE professional designations. Over and above her CHRO roles, Mardi is active in the HR community. She was the first recipient of the Professional Leadership Award from the HRPA, recognizing her commitment to the human resources profession. As a member of the HRPA’s Human Resources Experts Bureau, Mardi was a sought-after media contact for HR issues. Mardi has also served as a professional advisor and guest lecturer for George Brown College, Humber College, Ryerson University, and Osgoode Hall Law School.

David McLean

Executive Counselor, McLean & Company

• David McLean brings over 25 years of experience as an HR and business leader to his role as Executive Counselor at McLean & Company, where he supports and guides HR leaders to map out their HR strategy and prioritize HR initiatives that will have a measurable impact on the business.

• David brings a diverse background to McLean & Company. His HR experience encompasses leadership roles in both the public and private sector, with expertise in organizational development, change leadership, organization culture, learning & development, HRIS implementation and HR strategy. His HR leadership experiences include holding the CHRO role for both a private and public sector organization. His industry experience spans the Transportation, Healthcare, and Higher Education sectors.

• He is passionate about leadership development strategies that create organization capabilities and culture that enable organizations to win in the marketplace. With his client-focused approach and growth mindset, David has earned a reputation as a strategic thinker and a life-long learner with a deep knowledge of what it takes to build a culture in which employees will thrive. He is a recipient of the President's Award for Leadership from London Health Sciences Centre for his work in leading culture change initiatives.

• David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western University, a postgraduate certificate in Human Resources, and a Master’s degree in leadership from the University of Guelph. He holds a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation.