Manage HR Magazine: Specials Magazine

Michelle Dolan combines HR leadership with a strong background in learning, facilitation, and organizational development. An MBA graduate of Royal Roads University, she has worked across aviation, recreation, and community-focused organizations, with experience spanning recruitment, instructional design, employee engagement, workforce planning, and workplace culture. Her professional interests include agile leadership, AI adoption in HR, talent development, and building adaptable teams within fast-moving operational environments. Shaping Culture from Within I often describe my work in HR as balancing operational excellence with the employee experience, particularly in an environment where workforce diversity, scale, and constant role transitions create ongoing complexity. At MNP Community & Sport Centre, that balance is not theoretical. It is reflected daily in how people are hired, supported, developed, and retained.

Filomena Armeni leads HR initiatives at Victaulic Canada, a global manufacturing leader headquartered in Easton, Pennsylvania. With a career spanning retail operations and industrial manufacturing, she has shaped HR into a strategic function built around frontline leadership, workforce stability, and holistic employee well-being. Here is our conversation with her. From Transactions to Strategy I began my HR career at the store level in retail, where success depended on operational precision, ensuring employees were paid accurately, benefits were administered effectively, and day-to-day workforce concerns were resolved consistently. That work matters, and it still does, but over time, I recognized that it was only one part of the picture.

Jillian Martin leads Human Resources at Harrison Pensa, overseeing talent acquisition, performance management, compensation, employee relations, and organizational development. As a Certified Human Resources Professional and CHRL Candidate, she is a graduate of Fanshawe College's Honours Human Resources Management program. With a passion for creating meaningful employee experiences, she takes a people-focused approach to building strong workplace cultures where individuals feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. Culture, talent, and performance in sync At Harrison Pensa, I lead the Firm’s HR strategy across talent acquisition, employee engagement, compensation and benefits, performance management, and organizational development. I work closely with Firm leadership and our lawyers to ensure our HR initiatives align with the Firm’s business objectives while fostering a high-performing and inclusive workplace culture. My focus is on creating an environment where employees can thrive. The ultimate goal is to ensure our HR strategies support both employee success and the delivery of exceptional service to our clients. Building a Culture Where People Can Thrive Throughout my career, I’ve championed initiatives to attract and retain exceptional talent while fostering an engaged, high-performing workplace culture. By strengthening recruitment strategies, enhancing the employee experience, and creating opportunities for meaningful connection and growth, we’ve built an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. My leadership approach is rooted in curiosity, honesty, and integrity. I believe the strongest organizations are built when leaders listen to understand, communicate transparently, and make decisions that reflect their values. When people feel heard, trusted, and supported, they are empowered to do their best work. For us, building trust means creating opportunities for people to connect, giving