HRPA Meeting Details

Marcelina Ayow has more than 40 years experience in insurance and employee benefits. Marcelina has spent the last 15 years with a leading insurance organisation in the Asia Pacific Region covering clients across 16 countries. She has gained tremendous Industry knowledge and expertise having assumed many roles in actuarial management with regional oversight responsibilities in the following areas: Product Design and Pricing (Individual, Group and Pensions) Actuarial Change Management Financial Management (Analysis, Reporting, Actuarial Liabilities and Risk-Based Capital) System Design and Implementation Risk Management.

With over 20 years in the insurance industry, Kimberly Ferris, Organizational Health Consultant at Canada Life specializes in disability management and organizational health and wellness. As an Organizational Health Consultant, Kimberly focuses on understanding the unique health needs and absence risk areas of an organization and delivering services tailored to control rising health costs and absenteeism trends. The Organizational Health Consultant plays an integral role within the Canada Life team to support the financial, physical and mental well-being of millions of Canadians. Kimberly has a Bachelor of Arts, Honors, in Kinesiology and Health Science, Group Benefit Administration Certification through International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans and recently completed certification for Mindful Leadership offered through Mindful Employer Canada.

Prior to joining Benchmark Benefit Solutions in 2016, Giorgio worked as both a Technical Underwriter and Sales Representative at one of Canada’s largest Third-Party Benefit Administrators. In 2015, Giorgio was recognized as a “Top Young Gun” under 35, by Insurance Business Canada magazine. Giorgio sits on the Ontario Council of the Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute and is also an organizer of Disrupt HR Vaughan, an annual event bringing together HR professionals and business leaders to inspire innovation and advancements in the world of work.

Patrick is an Associate Vice President in the Benefits & Health practice at Gallagher Benefit Services. He provides critical advice and support for a wide range of plan design, financial management, and administrative services, such as communications support, employee meetings, disability management and wellness plans for all sized organizations. Patrick has been working in the benefits industry for over 17 years on both the insurance carrier and the consulting side of business. Before joining Gallagher Benefit Services, he was a Senior Group Underwriter at one of Canada’s major insurance providers.

Chris Lee is Vice President, Employee Experience and Internal Communication Practice at Gallagher Communication. In this role he helps employers build immersive and experiential internal brands for their employees.

Chris is the Executive Vice President on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Business Communicators Toronto Chapter, and has also served on numerous other boards.

Chris hosts a podcast called Why Does It Feel So Wrong to be Human at Work? He has also published articles in numerous publications, and is often featured as a speaker on communications, brand, and employee experience.

As the National Practice Leader, Drug Solutions in Canada Life’s Toronto Office, Barbara A. Martinez supports sales offices across Canada on prescription drug management initiatives. She plays a key role in supporting advisors and their clients, including designing and managing drug benefit plans with Canada Life Drug Solutions programs.

Barbara joined Canada Life in 2012 after 10 years at Mercer, where she led the Canadian drug benefits consulting team. She’s a regular speaker at industry forums and a frequent commentator on employer drug programs. Her past experience also includes 13 years in the pharmaceutical industry, where she worked in sales and marketing as well as government and professional affairs.

Steve Richardson is the Manager, Claim Watch. In this position, he oversees the Claim Watch unit, a team focused on the detection and prevention of fraud and abuse for a number of health insurance clients.

Steve brings unique and valuable investigative experience to the benefits fraud prevention industry from his key roles in policing and international affairs. Prior to joining Claim Watch in 2017, Steve spent 25 years with the RCMP in various positions, from uniformed policing to running a major crimes unit. His work with the RCMP earned him the RCMP long-service medal. In addition to the RCMP, Steve’s investigative past also includes work as a war crimes investigator with the Commission for International Justice and Accountability in Turkey, and as the Chief, Special Investigations Unit for the United Nations mission in the Central African Republic. In 2010, Steve was awarded the South West Asia Service medal for his service in Afghanistan as part of the Canadian Civilian Police Contingent.

Lisa Stam is the founder of Springlaw​, a virtual law firm advising exclusively on workplace legal issues for employers and executives. She practices all aspects of employment, labour, privacy, and human rights law, with a particular interest in legal issues arising from technology in the workplace. Lisa’s practice includes a wide range of entrepreneurs in the tech space, as well as global companies with smaller operations in Canada. In addition to the day to day workplace issues from hiring to firing, Lisa frequently blogs and speaks on both the impact, risks and opportunities of social media and technology issues in (and out of) the workplace, as well as the novel ways in which changing expectations of privacy continues to evolve employment law. Lisa spent 3 years in union-side boutiques, 7 years at the global law firm Baker McKenzie advising global employers, was a co-founding partner of an employment law boutique in 2014, and launched Spring Law in 2017. She continues to represent both employers and executives. Lisa graduated from Dalhousie Law School, after completing an undergraduate degree in medieval history at the University of Toronto.