contributors
MEGAN BURKETT
Megan Burkett is an associate in Keyser Mason Ball’s Employment and Labour group. She
provides her clients with support and proactive advice on all aspects of employment law and
labour relations, including employment contracts, workplace policies, terminations, employment
standards, human rights, litigation and grievances. Burkett regularly appears in matters
before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Superior Court of Justice and at the
Ontario Labour Relations Board. She also conducts workplace investigations in the areas of
harassment, discrimination and bullying. She often speaks on various employment and labour
relations topics at conferences hosted by the Human Resources Professionals Association,
the Canadian Payroll Association and the Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association.
Read her article on how to handle risky terminations, starting on page 15.
CLAUDE BALTHAZARD, PH.D., C.PSYCH., CHRL
Claude Balthazard is vice president, Regulatory Affairs and Registrar at the Human Resources
Professionals Association (HRPA). He joined HRPA in 2007. Since starting at HRPA,
Balthazard has championed the cause of the professionalization of HR by developing the rules
of professional conduct, pushing for a new public act and leading the development of HRPA’s
updated Human Resources Competency Framework and its new designation framework.
Balthazard has a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Waterloo, is a registered psychologist
in the Province of Ontario and holds the CHRL designation. Read his article about the
untold story of HR professionalization by turning to page 24.
SARAH MCVANEL, CHRP
With roots in humanistic psychology, Sarah McVanel has spent the last 15 years honing her
craft as a coach, professional speaker, facilitator and consultant to help leaders and organizations
leverage the power of recognition to increase engagement, retain top talent and improve
their bottom lines. Whether as a senior leader or, more recently, as the “chief recognition
officer” of her own business, Greatness Magnified, McVanel helps individuals, teams and organizations
leverage their existing gifts and talents to reach their full potential. She is a certified
professional in the fields of human resources, organizational development and coaching, and
belongs to the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. Read the article she co-wrote
about employee recognition, starting on page 51.
BRENDA ZALTER-MINDEN, MSW, MCOD, CSFT
Brenda Zalter-Minden is the founder and principal of BZM Solutions – a consulting practice
specializing in solution-focused approaches. Her passion for this line of work grew throughout
her 27-year employment in health care. Her areas of specialization include leadership,
team building and coaching in addition to creating and facilitating workshops. Zalter-Minden
teaches solution-focused interventions on a variety of topics. She adapted this philosophy
and created Forever Recognize Others’ Greatness™ (FROG), and recently co-authored a
book, Forever Recognize Others’ Greatness: Solution Focused Strategies for Satisfied Staff, High
Performing Teams and Healthy Bottom Lines, with Sarah McVanel on the subject. Read the article
she co-wrote about employee recognition, starting on page 51.
4 ❚ MAY/JUNE 2016 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL