“Put Good In, Get Good Out.”
Mary Shaw is an accomplished Talent and Organizational Development executive whose career spans more than four decades of leadership, transformation, and people-centered business excellence. Throughout her professional journey, she has built a reputation as a trusted advisor, strategic thinker, and catalyst for organizational growth. Her expertise in leadership development, talent management, succession planning, organizational effectiveness, and workforce capability has enabled organizations across multiple industries to navigate change, strengthen culture, and prepare leaders for the future.
Mary’s career began with a strong foundation in business, earning an Honors Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Guelph. Combining her academic background in finance, economics, and business administration with a natural passion for developing people, she pursued a career focused on helping organizations maximize the potential of their most valuable asset—their workforce. Over time, she expanded her expertise through advanced studies in Adult Education and Instructional Design at St. Francis Xavier University, along with numerous certifications in leadership development, executive coaching, organizational design, and talent assessment methodologies.
Early in her career, Mary gained valuable leadership experience in the retail sector with Dylex Limited, where she served as Director of Leadership and Store Operations Development. In this role, she was responsible for recruitment, leadership development, succession planning, and operational excellence initiatives. Her efforts contributed to significant reductions in management turnover while improving leadership capability and customer service performance across multiple regions. This experience provided her with a deep understanding of how effective leadership directly impacts organizational outcomes and laid the groundwork for her future success in talent and organizational development.
Mary continued to expand her influence at Berkshire Financial Services, where she served as Manager of Advisor Integration and Development. There, she redesigned advisor education platforms and onboarding processes that dramatically accelerated integration timelines while supporting the growth of financial advisors managing billions in assets under management. Her ability to align learning strategies with business objectives demonstrated her growing talent for creating development systems that generated measurable organizational value.
As Senior Manager of Learning and Organizational Development at Dundee Securities, Mary further established herself as a leader in enterprise-wide transformation initiatives. She spearheaded communications, training, and change management strategies associated with a complex software conversion impacting hundreds of employees, advisors, and branches nationwide. Managing initiatives involving more than $25 billion in assets under management, she demonstrated exceptional project leadership, stakeholder engagement, and organizational change expertise. Her success reinforced her reputation as a leader capable of guiding organizations through periods of significant transition and complexity.
Mary’s career reached a global scale during her tenure at BlackBerry, where she served as Global Manager of Leader Development Programs. At a time when the technology company was navigating rapid growth and industry disruption, she designed and implemented leadership development programs for emerging, mid-level, and senior leaders across multiple continents. She introduced innovative digital learning solutions, facilitated executive assessments, streamlined coaching programs, and established strategic partnerships that improved accessibility and engagement while reducing costs. Her work strengthened leadership pipelines and enhanced organizational agility during one of the most dynamic periods in the company’s history.
Building on her global experience, Mary joined Ricoh Canada, where she served as a Talent and Leadership Development consultant. In this role, she partnered closely with executive leadership to develop leadership development strategies, high-potential talent programs, customer service transformation initiatives, and enterprise learning solutions. Her work influenced hundreds of leaders and employees nationwide while supporting broader organizational goals related to engagement, retention, performance improvement, and digital transformation. Her ability to bridge business strategy with human capital development consistently delivered meaningful and measurable results.
One of the most impactful chapters of Mary’s career was her nearly decade-long tenure with Harvard Business Publishing as Senior Engagement Manager. In this role, she collaborated with some of the world’s most recognized organizations, including Disney, Nokia, MetLife, and Capital Group. She designed and delivered sophisticated leadership development programs that reached thousands of leaders globally. Her expertise in executive development, organizational learning, stakeholder management, and strategic consulting enabled clients to build stronger leadership pipelines, improve organizational effectiveness, and achieve business objectives through people development. Her contributions were recognized through multiple Harvard Business Publishing Client of the Year Awards and a prestigious Brandon Hall Silver Award for innovation in leadership development.
Most recently, Mary served as Manager of Talent and Organizational Development at Stelco, one of Canada’s leading steel manufacturers. There, she led efforts to modernize talent strategies, implement key Workday talent management modules, establish leadership competency frameworks, and create customized high-potential development programs for emerging and senior leaders. Her leadership helped position the organization for long-term workforce sustainability while strengthening succession planning and leadership capability across the enterprise.
Throughout her career, Mary has developed a unique ability to balance strategic vision with practical execution. She is recognized for designing leadership ecosystems that not only address immediate organizational challenges but also build long-term capability and resilience. Her expertise spans talent acquisition, leadership development, organizational design, workforce planning, executive coaching, succession management, employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness. She brings a comprehensive understanding of how organizations grow, adapt, and thrive in increasingly complex business environments.
Beyond her executive leadership experience, Mary has demonstrated a deep commitment to service and community impact. She has served as a board member for Jillian’s Place Second Stage Housing in St. Catharines, Ontario, supporting an organization dedicated to assisting women and families transitioning from situations of domestic violence. Her nonprofit board experience complements her extensive corporate background, providing her with valuable governance insight and an appreciation for mission-driven leadership. She has also participated in public speaking engagements and community initiatives focused on leadership, organizational development, and social impact.
Today, as a semi-retired executive, Mary is focused on leveraging her extensive experience to serve organizations at the board level. She believes that her decades of leadership experience, combined with her expertise in talent strategy, organizational effectiveness, and governance, position her to provide valuable strategic guidance to boards navigating growth, transformation, succession planning, and workforce challenges. She is particularly interested in serving small and mid-sized organizations where she can contribute meaningful insight and help leaders achieve sustainable success.
At the heart of Mary’s leadership philosophy is a genuine belief in the power of people. She understands that organizations succeed when leaders are equipped, employees are empowered, and cultures are intentionally cultivated. Her personal motto, “Put Good In, Get Good Out,” reflects both her professional approach and personal values. It is a philosophy that has guided her throughout her career and continues to shape her commitment to helping organizations, leaders, and communities achieve their highest potential.
Character:
Mary demonstrates integrity in every aspect of her professional and personal life. She consistently prioritizes people, relationships, and ethical decision-making while balancing organizational objectives. Her commitment to service, mentorship, and community involvement reflects a leader who genuinely values making a positive impact on others.
Knowledge:
She possesses deep expertise across talent management, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, and executive coaching. Her experience spans multiple industries and includes both global corporations and mission-driven organizations. She combines practical business acumen with continuous learning to provide informed and relevant guidance to leaders and boards.
Strategic:
Mary excels at connecting long-term organizational objectives with practical talent and leadership strategies. She has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to design systems and programs that strengthen leadership pipelines, improve performance, and support sustainable growth. Her broad perspective enables her to identify opportunities, anticipate challenges, and guide organizations through complex transitions.
Communication:
A skilled communicator who effectively engages executives, employees, board members, and stakeholders at every level. She has extensive experience facilitating leadership programs, coaching senior leaders, and delivering impactful presentations. Her ability to translate complex concepts into actionable insights makes her a trusted advisor and influential leader.
