We are Employer Brand Experts and Culture Architects
Your company has a brilliant story to tell and experience to cultivate. Whether you are a fast growth start-up, or a highly diversified multinational, our team has the experience and knowledge required for your project to be a success. We are a collection of subject matter experts in workforce research, culture strategy, recruitment marketing, branding, media, change management and people analytics.
If you are looking to partner with a genuine, warm, and purpose-centric team that is passionate about driving business impact, we are your people. We have the results and awards to back up our promises, a roster of brilliant clients and learning opportunities that will ensure you get the most out of your journey with Blu Ivy Group.
Meet Your Team
The people that care about you and your organization’s success.
STACY PARKER (SHE/HER/HERS)
Managing Director & Co-Founder
STACY PARKER
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Managing Director & Co-Founder
Stacy recognized early on that employer branding has the power to transform talent communications and become the catalyst for improving workplace culture, recruitment marketing and business performance. As a founding partner of Blu Ivy, Stacy leads the Business Development and Marketing team and has played a key role in helping to build employer brands for more than 100 organizations. She is driven by the vision that Employer Branding will soon transform and elevate the role that Human Resources plays within organizations globally. Outside of work, Stacy loves time devoted to her husband and two daughters. She regularly practices Kundalini yoga, works on home design projects and ensures her weekends include great wine, indulgent meals and wonderful friends.
LEANDRA HARRIS (SHE/HER/HERS)
Managing Director & Co-Founder
LEANDRA HARRIS
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Managing Director & Co-Founder
Leandra understood very early on in her career the positive correlation between investing in your people and business growth. As founding partner of Blu Ivy and leader of the Delivery team, Leandra has led and managed multiple local and Global employer brand initiatives. She is known for her direct, impactful and strategic approach, attention to detail and building deep trust with clients. Outside of work, Leandra enjoys spending time with family and friends, working out and being an awesome dance, hockey and dog mom.
JAMES POWELL (HE/HIM/HIS)
VP, Client Strategy & Experience
JAMES POWELL
(HE/HIM/HIS)
VP, Client Strategy & Experience
James is a proven leader, builder, and sought-after coach in brand development, culture and engagement, strategic planning, integrative marketing, and conscious leadership in the workplace. James’ 25+ year marketing career has seen him lead high performance teams and work to build successful brands. He specializes in connecting brands to their core values and helping them bring their values to life in a way that authentically engages their customers, employees, and shareholders while positively impacting their bottom line. Outside of work, James is an avid reader, journal writer, podcaster, and workout fanatic. He’s a dog dad with his partner David to Keystone & Luna, Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto and a proud member of the 2SLGBTQ2IA+ community.
Japneet Gill (SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, People & Culture
JAPNEET GILL
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, People & Culture
Japneet is a People-oriented leader who thrives on human interaction and connection. She has over eight years of experience as a Human Resources professional with a background in full cycle HR management. She works as a strategic partner to senior leaders to hire, scale culture, and build people practices. Outside of work, Japneet is an avid traveler, but when she’s grounded (mainly due to the pandemic) she likes to satisfy her sweet tooth by baking or snuggling up with a good novel.
Nour Aziz (she/her/HERS)
Operations Project Coordinator
NOUR AZIZ
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Operations Project Coordinator
Nour is a young professional who has a knack for organizing people and things. She is passionate about helping people grow both personally and professionally. Nour has a background in law, youth and leadership development, executive assisting, project coordination/management, and communications. While Nour is new to the employer branding and HR space, she has experience working with a wide array of people and serving clients from all over the world. She is thrilled to be part of the Blu Ivy Group and looks forward to the journey ahead. When Nour isn’t working, you’ll likely find her traveling, enjoying the company of family and friends, baking, and spending time at the lake.
AIMAN HASHMI (SHE/HER/HERS)
Accountant
AIMAN HASHMI
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Accountant
Aiman is a dedicated, detail-oriented, and broadly experienced accounting professional. She’s worked in many sectors including retail, legal, health, automotive, construction, and marketing. Aiman is passionate about using new tech to improve and enhance financial processes in organizations. She brings enthusiasm and positivity to the team, while maintaining calm under pressure. Outside of work, Aiman enjoys travelling, teaching her Quaker parrot new words. Food excites her and her partner, so they love trying out new restaurants and cafes and testing out new food and dessert recipes at home. Finally, she looks forward to unwinding by spending time with her friends and family.
JOEY FROSST (SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Business Development
JOEY FROSST
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Business Development
Joey is passionate about the way work gets done and cares deeply about understanding environments that empower people to thrive. Her background in human capital consulting enables her to better help organizations execute and answer strategic questions about the future of work. Joey uses her expertise and sharp facilitation skills to the advantage of clients, and is known for her compassion, integrity, and analytical thinking. A fun fact about Joey is that she’s a drummer and has been playing for over twenty years. She also loves to collect and learn about wine and travel.
MIKE HOFFMANN (HE/HIM/HIS)
Director, Growth & Innovation
MIKE HOFFMANN
(HE/HIM/HIS)
Director, Growth & Innovation
Mike is motivated by designing and building high performing cultures for the future of work. He believes in developing employee experiences that align business goals with purpose and empowering people to deliver through exponential productivity. He helps organizations develop magnetic employer brands, so they can recruit and retain amazing talent. Mike leads growth and opportunity areas for clients by bringing people together across organizations, facilitating alignment between leaders to drive outcomes, and exploring new ways to enhance the employee experience. When he’s not working, you can catch Mike wrenching on his Triumph GT6, staying up to date on NBA rumours, playing pick-up basketball, and breaking bread with his fam.
JENNI LAMB (SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Business Development
JENNI LAMB
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Business Development
Jenni derives pleasure from inspiring and coaching organizations to drive highly engaged, high performing workforces across her customer base. She believes in forward-thinking strategies that align business goals with individual purposes and empowering people to do their best work. As an employee and culture advocate, she encourages thoughtful discussion across organizational structures, facilitates alignment between leaders, and drive change that will truly impact the lives of people in workplaces globally. Outside of work, Jenni is an avid gardener, painter, antique furniture restorer, home chef, and baker.
ADRIEL LYONS (HE/HIM/HIS)
Director, Business Development
ADRIEL LYONS
(HE/HIM/HIS)
Director, Business Development
Adriel enjoys transforming organizations into people-first cultures that realize long-term results and business performance. He’s known for his insightfulness and positive problem-solving approach, loves building relationships, and empowers clients to rethink organizational challenges through clear, well-defined strategies. Adriel has worked with leaders across every function and seen first-hand how a powerful EVP and brand can unlock productivity, enhance employee engagement, and attract the very best talent. Adriel has lived in three different countries in the last five years and is originally from Trinidad in the Caribbean.
Khadijah Plummer (she/her/HERS)
Marketing & Content Manager
KHADIJAH PLUMMER
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Marketing & Content Manager
Khadijah is passionate about good storytelling, the way a strong brand voice and tone contributes to stellar client experiences, and bridging gaps between internal and go-to-market teams. She’s worked as a content-focused marketer in several areas of the tech industry, including MarTech, internal communications, employee engagement, and community. As a newcomer to the HR and employer brand space, she’s keen to work closely with both clients and the Blu Ivy team to produce compelling thought leadership, build a community, and serve as the voice of the customer. Outside of work, Khadijah loves to read, work on her interior design diploma, try new food and cocktail recipes, and spend time with partner, friends, family, and dog.
Elizabeth Abell (she/her/HERS)
Employer Brand & Culture Consultant
ELIZABETH ABELL
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Employer Brand & Culture Consultant
Elizabeth is passionate about uncovering the stories and messages that resonate within distinctive teams, and she’s relentlessly resourceful when it comes to finding creative and proven strategies for improving workplace cultures. Liz’s professional background consists of in-house marketing, business development, and HR roles within a variety of industries, and she’s seen the impact that people-centric company cultures have on the long-term success of a business. Outside of work, Liz loves wellness podcasts, sudoku, and planning her next travel adventure.
EMILY CHARCZUK (SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand & Culture
EMILY CHARCZUK
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Emily is a big picture thinker with an eye for detail. She’s passionate about uncovering the unique attributes of an organization and its people and leveraging them to build employer brands that are authentic, compelling, and valued. In every engagement, Emily seeks to make the lives of her clients a little easier, deliver meaningful business results, and facilitate great employment experiences. With experience in recruitment, training, HR technology, talent development, and employer branding, Emily expertly navigates the complexities of large-scale projects. Emily spends most of her time outside of work chasing an active toddler around, but also enjoys running, reading, travelling, and exploring Toronto’s vibrant food scene when her schedule allows.
NICOLE FERNANDES (SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand, Learning & Enablement
Nicole Fernandes, CHRL
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand, Learning & Enablement
Nicole is an employer brand and culture leader with over a decade of experience working with businesses to help solve their people challenges and transform workplace culture. Nicole partners with iconic brands to uncover authentic EVPs, build comprehensive employer brand and culture strategies, and help drive measurable results for HR teams and businesses. She also leads our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) practice, guiding both our internal team and clients in implementing holistic, data-driven, and unique strategies for creating workplace cultures where people can truly belong. Outside of work, Nicole is passionate about music, giving back, and spending time with friends, family, and her hilarious cat.
SHILOH GABRIEL (SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
SHILOH GABRIEL
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Shiloh has 18 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and brand strategy with a decade focused on recruitment marketing and employer brand. She’s creative, strategic, and detail-oriented with just as much love for research and strategy as she has for seeing activations come to life. Having worked for large matrixed organizations as well as smaller entities, she is comfortable working with stakeholders from all levels and finding creative ways to communicate with a range of target audiences. When she’s not working, Shiloh loves eating out, hosting dinner parties, travelling, watching true crime shows, and attempting to keep up with her energetic toddler.
N. ROBERT JOHNSON (HE/HIM/HIS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand & Culture
N. ROBERT JOHNSON
(HE/HIM/HIS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Bob is laser-focused on helping employers find, attract, engage, and retain talent through high impact employer brand, employee comms, and culture-defining programs. He strongly believes that HR must approach talent communications in the same way marketers approach consumers. He infuses workforce preference and engagement data into creative storytelling campaigns designed to connect with, inspire, and prompt talent action. Bob’s work blends evidence-based employment narratives, world-class creative, and custom fit brand activation strategies to strengthen employer, employee, and candidate relationships. Beyond his work at Blu Ivy, Bob spends his time with family and friends, is an active tennis player and golfer, and spends an inordinate amount of time giving belly rubs to the family’s rescue pup, Bailey.
MELISSA KARTICK (SHE/HER/HERS)
Employer Brand Consultant
MELISSA KARTICK
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Employer Brand Consultant
Melissa is a versatile, strategic, and collaborative analyst who cares deeply about cultivating connections with her peers, leaders, and stakeholder partners. In her role at Blu Ivy, Melissa analyzes talent and culture research, discerns trends and insights, and supports the development of programs that enhance all aspects of the talent experience and workplace culture. She is passionate about helping the team and her clients emanate stories that reflect authentic employee experiences. In her free time, Melissa likes doing Pilates, going on walks, listening to music, and trying new teas.
Kimberley Kersys (she/her/HERS)
Director, Creative Studio
KIMBERLEY KERSYS
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Creative Studio
Kimberley is an award-winning, multidisciplinary Creative Director with over 15 years of experience in branding, design, advertising and user-experience methodology. She is inspired by the power ontological design has in shaping the human experience. Kimberley leads with empathy and focuses on human-centered design when delivering strategic creative vision. She’s also passionate about bringing branding programs and design systems to life. Outside of work, Kimberley enjoys playing with fire while making jewelry, photography, reading, yoga, hiking, and travelling the world.
NATASHA MAKOVORA (SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Consultant, Employer Brand & Culture
NATASHA MAKOVORA
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Consultant, Employer Brand & Culture
Natasha is an experienced HR professional with a background in administration, learning and development, talent acquisition, and employee experience. She’s worked with organizations to build inspiring employer brands, and she’s passionate about the future of work, DEIB, and building positive employee experiences. Her areas of interest include employer brand strategy, cultural alignment, organizational effectiveness, and change management. A fun fact about Natasha: She is the only Natasha Makovora on the planet, according to Google. Her hobbies include listening to true crime and pop culture podcasts, watching reality television, dining out, swimming or going to the beach, and going to concerts.
ALEX MEERS (HE/HIM/HIS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
ALEX MEERS
(HE/HIM/HIS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Alex comes to Blu Ivy with over 13 years in management and HR leadership roles ranging from non-profit, privately held, and IPO-level companies. His passion lies in helping companies scale their culture while building HR foundations focused on the employee experience. As a strategic thinker, Alex uses data and storytelling to help organizations build cultures where people love what they do, know how to be successful and strive for excellence. Outside of work, you’ll find Alex working on his other passion…food (eating it, that is, not cooking).
ZEESHAN MERCHANT (HE/HIM/HIS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand & Culture
ZEESHAN MERCHANT
(HE/HIM/HIS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Zeeshan has worked in employer branding, culture, and media for over 14 years. The foundation of his career was developed in the media and advertising spaces, where he led annual media strategies, planning, and campaigns for companies like GE, Beiersdorf, Henkel, and Wrigley. As he took on more people management opportunities, his interest in HR, employee engagement, and culture deepened, and he looked after culture audits, engagement programs, employer branding, and creative career pathing and recruitment. Outside of work, Zeeshan enjoys practicing yoga and meditation.
Emily Morrison (she/her/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Media
EMILY MORRISON
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Media
Emily is a passionate and results-oriented media leader with diverse experience planning and implementing integrated advertising campaigns. Her background includes working with top tier global and Canadian brands in industry sectors such as finance, tech, and government. Emily looks forward to growing the media service line at Blu Ivy to deliver strategic and measurable outcomes for our clients and their employer brands. When she’s not working through the latest media strategy, Emily loves to travel, try out new restaurants, attend dance classes, and spend quality time with her friends and family.
Tai Neumin (she/her/HERS)
Employer Brand & Culture Associate
TAI NEUMIN
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Employer Brand & Culture Associate
Always advocating for the candidate experience, Tai is continuously on the lookout for new ways to increase employee engagement and contribute to meaningful workplaces. Experienced in both the education and tech industries, Tai is ready to channel her in-house experience to client-based work, and empower clients to create and maintain a people-first, culture-centric atmosphere that encompasses their authentic employer brand. When she’s not working, Tai enjoys going on nature walks, dancing up a storm, curling up with a good memoir or novel, and playing word-based board games.
ANDREA NICHO (SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
ANDREA NICHO
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Andrea believes in creating safe and caring environments for employees that allow them to grow, prosper and bring their authentic selves to work. Her professional background as people-first leader encompasses corporate communications & PR, employee engagement & recognition, talent strategy & employer branding, leadership development. She’s also developed and implemented of people, culture, and DEIB strategies. When she’s not working, Andrea likes to challenge herself with DIY home reno projects that are more error than trial, reading a good book outside with a hot cup of tea, and doing outdoor activities (like biking, camping, and going to the beach) with her family.
FATIMA QIZILBASH (SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
FATIMA QIZILBASH
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Fatima’s great passion is connecting organizations to their people in ways that drive awareness and understanding of values and motivations across the employee lifecycle. Her experience spans being a business partner, working with HR systems, leading talent acquisition, as well as managing employer brand strategies for organizations in the tech, marketing and advertising industries. She enjoys capturing moments that show off the employee experience and inspire talent and working with a community of creative partners who work in the employer brand and culture space. Outside of work, you can find Fatima chasing sunsets with her favourite (four-legged) pal, Nessi, working up a sweat in her home gym, checking out the Toronto food scene with her friends, or with her nose in a mystery novel and a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc in her hand.
MEGAN RAFTERY (SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
MEGAN RAFTERY
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Megan is a seasoned workforce, employer branding, and talent marketing professional. Over the course of her career, Megan has designed and led global workforce research, employer branding, and integrated talent marketing campaigns for a variety of Fortune 500 organizations across multiple industries, including staffing/recruiting, consumer goods, and professional services. She’s passionate about building high-performing, inclusive workplaces that both motivate and inspire. In her down time, you’ll find Megan enjoying the company of close friends and family, reading, working out, taking on DIY projects, and creating new playlists (for any occasion), which are best enjoyed at high-volume.
Thomas Reneau (he/him/HIS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
THOMAS RENEAU
(HE/HIM/HIS)
Director, Employer Brand & Culture
Thomas loves stretching his mind around employer branding, designing employee experiences, thinking playfully, and seeing with disparate lenses. As a Global Employer Branding Manager, he played alongside Employee Experience, Talent Acquisition, Marketing, and business stakeholders to attract, retain, and engage talent through programs and events. Here at Blu Ivy, Thomas designs compelling EVPs that help organizations attract and retain key talent. He has a few passions, like traveling and ultra-running, which provide him with the opportunity to discover wild and precious places and people across the globe.
FANTA SELMAN (SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Director, Employer Brand & Culture
FANTA SELMAN
(SHE/HER/HERS)
senior director, employer brand & culture
Over the last two decades, Fanta’s had the pleasure of partnering with some of the world’s most recognized brands and helping them develop their recruitment marketing, employee engagement, DEI&A, and employer brand strategies. She is extremely passionate about customer experience and has spent her career weaving that into everything that she does. Employer branding allows her to help employers create workplaces that encourage thought leadership, diversity, strong work cultures, and, most importantly, happy people. Fanta is driven to help companies create spaces where people can bring their whole selves to work and offer unique and truly compelling reasons to join and stay. When she’s not trying to reform the workplace, you can find her hiking, hosting friends and family, or snuggled up with a good book.
JESSICA SOPER (SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Consultant, Employer Brand & Culture
JESSICA SOPER
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Consultant, Employer Brand & Culture
Jessica is a people-centric Certified HR professional that loves enhancing the employee experience to create opportunities for individuals to become the best version of themselves–professionally and personally. She’s led and supported teams in the legal industry, and gained significant experience in recruitment, employee engagement, and change management. Jessica is focused on achieving client business objectives and committed to understanding and delivering what employees value most. When Jessica isn’t working, she can be found spending time with her dog, Willow on walks and trail hikes and waking up before 5 a.m. to get her “me time” in for the day with her morning workouts.
EMILY VANDERHEYDEN (SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Consultant, Employer Brand & Culture
EMILY VANDERHEYDEN
(SHE/HER/HERS)
Sr. Consultant, Employer Brand & Culture
Emily is an accomplished marketing, sales, and business professional with an ability to create and implement successful strategies with measurable results. She has excellent interpersonal skills and works effectively under pressure. Emily is driven to create positive workplaces that employees and employers can be proud of and strives to build strong and relevant employer brands that take both organizations and candidates into account. After work hours, Emily loves to get outside and get active. Some of her favourite hobbies include gardening, boating, playing sports, and hiking.
Stay in the know
Future-proof your employer brand with resources, articles and research from leaders in the employer branding field.
The Business Benefits of an EVP
March 23, 2023
EX, EVP, EB – what’s with all the acronyms? Admittedly, we use a lot of acronyms within People and Culture work, and it can be
Team Member Interview: Andrea Nicho
March 9, 2023
For this team interview, we asked one of our newer team members, Andrea, to share her thoughts Blu Ivy’s company culture, and her predictions on
Team Member Interview: Shiloh Gabriel
March 2, 2023
For this team interview, we asked one of our newer team members, Shiloh, to share her thoughts Blu Ivy’s company culture, and her predictions on
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At Blu Ivy Group, we bring passion to every project. We build unique employer brands, talent recruitment and retention strategies.
We will not share or sell your personal information. We hate spam and keep your personal information safe and you can opt out at anytime.
