I’m an HR leader with 20+ years of experience helping managers and executives through complex people situations. I began my career in a high-growth start-up, where I saw how culture, innovation, and talent fuel success. I then spent two decades in technology and financial services, where I built deep expertise across a broad range of HR disciplines and grew into a trusted advisor to executives navigating transformation and change.
My approach has been shaped by observing exceptional leaders as well as reflecting on my own experiences – both taught me the importance of empathy, fairness, and focusing on what really matters. Trust has always been at the core of my work, because it’s the key to moving through even the most challenging situations.
Today, I want to share the lessons and best practices I’ve learned in large organizations in a way that’s practical, simple, and easy to apply – whether you’re leading a team, building a business, or navigating a tricky people moment in your corporate job. This site is a library of bite-sized guidance across topics like talent management, succession, organizational design, performance, and employee experience – designed to help leaders make thoughtful, informed decisions that balance business needs with people impact.
Lessons & Insights for People Leaders
Practical insights and examples from my HR work with executives and teams.
How I Can Help
I provide practical, hands-on guidance to help leaders navigate people challenges with confidence. Whether you need ongoing strategic support or targeted advice on a specific project, here’s how I can help.
Strategic HR Leadership
Acting as your HR partner, I provide guidance on talent strategy, workforce planning, performance frameworks, succession, and organizational design. I can step in as a fractional CPO, consultant, or in a full-time HR leadership role.
HR Advisory & Projects
Support for targeted initiatives such as HR projects, temporary staffing, AI HR enablement, or ad hoc challenges – practical solutions tailored to your organization’s priorities.
Learn from my experience...
Two decades of HR leadership across startups, tech, and financial services.
Toronto, ON
As HR Director for a 1100+ person fintech, I partnered closely with the executive team to shape people strategy across product, technology, operations, and client value functions. I built and led a small, high-performing HR Business Partner team and worked with specialized HR centres of excellence – like total rewards, learning, and talent – at the parent bank (Scotiabank) to deliver integrated, future-focused talent solutions.
Toronto, ON
Over more than a decade at CIBC, I advanced through progressively senior HR roles, expanding my scope from advising front-line leadership to advising enterprise-level executives. Along the way, I gained deep expertise in organizational transformation, talent strategy, and executive advisory.
In my final role as Senior Director, HR Advisory, I led people advisory for a diverse portfolio of over 2500 employees across Personal Product, Digital, Data, & Strategy, and Business Banking. I partnered with senior executives to navigate complex organizational changes, address critical talent challenges, and implement strategic initiatives that strengthened performance, engagement, and leadership capability across the business.
HR Program Manager
(various COE's)
Markham, ON
During the decade I spent at IBM Canada, I built deep expertise across multiple HR Centres of Excellence, including workforce relations, compensation, learning, global mobility, and organizational policy. My career there spanned advisory roles, program management, and learning deployment, giving me a 360-degree view of how different HR disciplines work together to enable business success.
I partnered with executives across Canada to advise on performance management, workforce optimixation, employee recognition, and talent development. I also led major projects – ranging from national compensation programs and policy design to multi-day learning conferences and the onboarding of large landed-employee groups – while managing compliance and the full employee lifecycle.
Austin, TX
Before joining IBM, I worked in the high-energy world of tech start-ups, as a corporate recruiter for Trilogy in Austin, Texas. There I led campus recruiting activities at the University of Waterloo – running large-scale information sessions, networking with students, and coordinating the full interview process for top technical talent, enabling the business to scale with speed.
What people say about my work...
Feedback from colleagues and executives I’ve worked alongside.
“What stood out most was Sandra’s ability to build authentic, trusted relationships across our leadership team, and her deep sense of accountability for enabling our success, every day. As the business matured, she continued to be a valued HR advisor and partner to me, helping us navigate both strategic and day-to-day people priorities with clarity and integrity.”
SVP and Head, Global Wealth Transformation & Growth Strategy
Scotiabank
“Sandra brought a calm, focused presence to complex challenges, always grounding her advice in both business strategy and deep HR expertise. Sandra earned the trust of my leadership team through her responsiveness, clarity, and ability to see around corners. I could always rely on Sandra to deliver for our business.”
SVP, Lending & Insurance Product
CIBC
“Sandra provided ongoing coaching and counsel across the full spectrum of HR – from talent acquisition and compensation to engagement and organizational change. What I valued most was her ability to act as a true sounding board, offering thoughtful guidance and consistently following through on her commitments.”
Former VP, President & CEO
CIBC Life Insurance Co