I view employee engagement as a leadership responsibility with direct consequences for business performance. People are more likely to contribute when they understand what success looks like, feel respected, and see that leadership follows through. Accountability becomes credible when those expectations apply to managers as well as employees.

My perspective comes from working across retail, distribution, and automotive operations, alongside experience as a business owner. As Senior People Operations Manager at Clutch Canada Inc., I support a national workforce of more than 800 employees and partner with senior leaders on performance, organizational design, employee relations, and leadership effectiveness. These responsibilities have reinforced my belief that culture is shaped by the decisions employees experience every day.

Engagement begins with listening, but listening must lead to visible action. During my time in human resources at The Home Depot, my work included town halls, Voice of the Associate initiatives, recognition programs, and reviewing onboarding feedback and exit interview trends. These activities provided different ways to understand the employee experience. My approach is to identify recurring concerns, clarify who owns the response, and communicate what happens next. Employees deserve an explanation when an issue cannot be resolved immediately.

Frontline managers play a central role in turning that feedback into a better workplace. At The Home Depot, I participated in weekly business walks and coached leaders on service behaviours. At Clutch, my work includes developing manager guidance and strengthening performance management practices. I place particular emphasis on helping leaders set clear expectations, hold constructive conversations, recognize contributions, and address concerns early. Promoting a strong individual contributor into management should come with preparation for leading people.

Accountability works best when employees understand both the standard and the support available to meet it. Before responding to a performance concern, I want leaders to consider whether expectations were clear, training was sufficient, and the employee had the resources to succeed. From there, feedback should be specific, timely, and consistent. Fairness also requires understanding individual circumstances. That approach allows leaders to address performance firmly while preserving dignity and trust.

Recognition should reinforce behaviours that help the business succeed. My experience with recognition programs has shaped my preference for acknowledging specific contributions: a colleague who supports a new employee, raises a safety concern, improves a process, or delivers excellent service. Motivation also depends on opportunity. Development conversations, internal mobility, and meaningful feedback help employees see a future with the organization and understand how their contribution matters.

My entrepreneurial experience adds a commercial perspective. As co-owner of Bello Clip and Clothe and owner of AAA Vending Investments, I worked across customer experience, supplier relationships, operations, and financial oversight. Those responsibilities connected people decisions to service quality, costs, and business continuity. They inform how I approach HR: engagement initiatives need a clear purpose and should be evaluated alongside operational outcomes.

I also believe leaders need evidence beyond a single engagement score. Survey themes become more useful when considered alongside turnover, onboarding feedback, safety concerns, and leadership follow-through. A positive overall result can conceal challenges within a location or team. I want reporting to help leaders identify where support is needed and assess whether their response is making a difference.

This is the perspective I would bring to a board: practical experience connecting workforce culture, leadership capability, and business execution. My advisory committee work with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services further informs my interest in prevention and organizational risk. At board level, I would focus on whether management has reliable insight into employee experience, clear ownership of workforce risks, and credible plans to develop leadership capacity. I would contribute informed challenge and support while respecting management’s responsibility for day-to-day operations.

For me, an engaged workplace is one where people can speak openly, understand their responsibilities, receive fair treatment, and see leaders act on their commitments. Building those conditions is a continuing discipline that supports both employee confidence and the organization’s ability to perform.