About Us
Experienced HR Partners Who Will Protect Your Organization, Improve the Employee Experience, and Deliver Results
With iHR Advisory Services®, you gain access to an entire team of experienced, senior-level HR professionals who get to know your business and become true strategic partners. We have a solid track record of delivering impact for our clients, many of whom have come to rely on us as a critical resource for their business.
We can work together to optimize your team’s performance, protect against risks, and lay the foundation for growth.
What to Expect When You Work With Us
We have worked with organizations at every lifecycle stage, providing customized solutions that cater specifically to their unique challenges. With our support you can modernize your organization, attract and retain talented staff, and deliver more impact for your customers.
When you partner with us, you can expect the following:
- Focus, Patience, and Resilience: Our team has your back no matter your needs. Whether you use us for basic HR needs or strategic engagements, you will have a partner who listens and looks out for your interests.
- Integrity And Professionalism: Our team prioritizes integrity and professionalism, approaching every engagement with the goal of delivering a positive experience and business impact.
- A Partner Who Has Your Back: We are constantly updating our knowledge and staying on top of relevant regulatory and legislative changes, emerging HR themes, and common trends. This ensures that you will remain protected and up-to-date at all times, and allows you to focus on other areas of your business.
- An Accessible HR Ally: HR issues aren’t always predictable. That’s why we’re available for phone calls and check-ins whenever you need support. Get the advice you need quickly, giving you peace of mind and reducing your stress as a business owner.
- Fun And Engaging: We’re good at what we do, and we have fun while we do it! We don’t present information in a dull or mind-numbing manner. Instead, we encourage you to participate and engage in the process as we partner together to drive positive outcomes.
Our Team
With iHR Advisory Services®, you gain access to an entire team of experienced, senior-level HR professionals at a fraction of the cost of hiring full-time staff. By working with us, you can save money and get best-in-class HR support.
Karen Brownrigg, CHRL, CEC
Founder & CEO
Karen is an accomplished certified human resources leader, certified executive coach, and business strategist with more than two decades of experience leading transformational, security-sensitive, and crisis management issues and initiatives.
Over the years, she has worked in the legal, telecommunications, and not-for-profit healthcare sectors, with the Ottawa Police Service, and for a Federal Crown Corporation in the financial sector.
Karen’s career path has required her to adapt to local, national, and global environments, where she has channeled strategic leadership and coaching skills and an advanced understanding of employee and labour relations, change management, conflict resolution, organizational health, safety and wellness, and talent management. She is bilingual and holds a Top-Secret security clearance.
In 2016, Karen refocused her passion for “human resourcefulness” by launching iHR Advisory Services™, providing Human Resources and “people solutions” for growing businesses, with support from an agile community of Human Resources and business experts whom she enlists from across Canada.
In 2017, Karen obtained her Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University. Karen and the Certified Executive Coaches on the iHR Advisory Services™ team believe that leaders who are empowered through coaching are able to see personal results they never thought possible.
Professional Affiliations and Designations
- Certified Human Resources Leader and member of the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario
- Certified FourSight Facilitator – Creative Problem-Solving Mindset/Toolset for individuals and teams,
- Buffalo State University Centre for Creative Studies
- Certified Change Management Professional, Prosci Change Management Program
- Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching, Royal Roads University
- Professional Certificate in Human Resources Management, University of Toronto
- Professional Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Carleton University
- Certificate in Human Resources Management, Algonquin College
- Member of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation
- Member of the Ottawa Board of Trade
Chantal Williamson
Senior Vice President, Human Resources (GTA)
Chantal is a human resources expert with over twenty years experience, previously working with premium brands and top employers, such as BMW Group Canada and Starbucks Coffee Canada. Most recently, she led the human resources department in a high growth, electric vehicle, start-up organization. She is passionate about creating and implementing people focused programs and strategies that drive the success of the business, together with employee satisfaction.
Chantal brings extensive experience in all areas of human resources with a focus on talent management, including employee relations, performance, and engagement as well as organizational development, culture, and total pay. Certified in Mental Health First Aid, she is also an advocate for employee wellbeing and has established and chaired various health and safety committees as well as developed employee wellness programs. She has proven experience creating new programs and establishing culture from scratch, as well as enhancing existing people strategies to be more effective.
She is a collaborative and innovative leader that is focused on helping people and organizations operate at their best. With the many years of experience Chantal has seen firsthand how employee happiness, and solid HR practices, impact a company’s success.
Professional Affiliations and Designations:
• Certified Talent Management Practitioner
• Business Administration Diploma, majoring in Human Resources at Algonquin College
Sheryl Ferguson, CHRP
Vice-President, Human Resources
Sheryl is an accomplished certified human resources leader with more than a decade of experience providing forward-thinking solutions and advice to all organizational levels ranging from C-suite executives to operational managers in a wide range of industries including pharmaceutical, financial, hospitality, energy, mining, forestry, governmental agencies, retail, animation production, and staffing/recruitment agencies.
Sheryl has extensive hands-on experience in leading Human Resources initiatives such as policy development and implementation, performance management, conflict resolution, employee development, and engagement.
Throughout her career, she has gained a deep understanding and experience with provincial and federal employment standards, human rights, diversity and inclusion, privacy legislation, contract law, and accepted Human Resources practices.
Developing strong relationships is the foundation of her professional and personal practice.
Sheryl is a true life learner and is constantly looking to develop her skills in the following fields: Executive Coaching, Agile Methodology for Human Resources, and Design Thinking.
Professional Affiliations and Designations:
- Certified Human Resources Professional
- Member of the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario
- Professional Certificate in Human Resources Management, University of Toronto
Stephanie Lemire
Human Resources Director
Stephanie is a human resource professional with diverse Human Resources experience. Areas of expertise include recruiting, onboarding, training, employee relations, benefits administration, and more!
Prior to joining iHR Advisory Srvices™ Stephanie was the Lead Human Resources Manager for a medium-sized company in the healthcare field. Those years as an in-house Human Resources Manager provided her with the knowledge and skills required to offer sound advice and guidance on a variety of Human Resources matters for small to medium organizations.
Stephanie’s passion for leadership and helping others started at a young age within the hockey community of her small town. She has 6+ years of experience in coaching hockey and most recently was the only female coaching staff in the NCJHL.
Stephanie is currently working on her CHRP designation.
Renée Fullerton
INVESTIGATIONS AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
Renée is a veteran human resource professional with more than two decades of experience delivering people-first programs and strategic guidance across multiple Human Resources domains and for a variety of organizations – including unionized and non-unionized, federally and provincially regulated, and private industry.
Renée joins iHR Advisory Services™ having spent 10 years with a financial sector Federal Crown Corporation in Employee Relations, Wellness, and, most recently, Leadership and Employee Development. Previously, she managed human resources for a not-for-profit organization and for two gaming sites in Ontario. As a well-rounded bilingual (English/French) executive, Renée has spent her career bringing a solution-focused mindset to challenging and complex Human Resources issues.
Renée’s abilities and experience in team leadership, strategic planning, program development, policy design, budget management, contract negotiation, and service delivery are excellent assets for directing operations and achieving successful business outcomes. With a belief in fostering a culture of equity, empathy, accountability, and growth, she blends a creative vision with practical strategies to advance the company’s goals.
She subscribes to a philosophy of continuous learning having been a member of the Institute for Performance and Development for the past 4 years and the Human Resource Professional Association for 20 years, and a regular participant in professional development courses, workshops & seminars, including development courses with the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto & University of Nebraska in partnership with a Provincial Crown Corporation.
Jayne Graham
Principal Consultant, Medical/Dental Practice Group Mentorship Program
Strong mentorship is vital to achieve success in any field. Having someone with industry experience on your side can help guide you through the difficult decisions and unexpected situations ever-present in the healthcare industry. As a former executive director, manager, and consultant across several health sectors, Jayne Graham has the experience to provide you with invaluable guidance to navigate healthcare’s unique administrative challenges.
Jayne’s experience spans across areas such as primary care, hospice, research, and mental health. She has a wealth of knowledge on various topics including human resources, health and safety, and governance. Jayne is committed to understanding your unique challenges, motivations, and goals. She prides herself on her willingness and ability to listen and support others, understand different perspectives, and foster a positive workplace culture. Using lessons learned from both positive and negative experiences in the industry, she offers unique and valuable insights to mentees. Despite the challenges faced in healthcare today, Jayne’s positive outlook and guidance will help you develop the skills you need to accelerate your success.
Arthur
Reception and Security
We believe that every dog will have his day and at iHR Advisory Services®, Arthur is living his best life every day.
Arthur enjoys welcoming both human and canine guests, although he does screen newcomers who arrive unexpectedly. He has been known to work like a dog but balances that lifestyle with daily runs, swimming, healthy meals, and social activities in nature.
Lounging in his favourite chair, Arthur is a great listener and can be trusted not to disclose what was discussed during video conference calls and meetings. He is a faithful companion and advisor to our CEO, with a sense of loyalty that extends to the entire team at iHR Advisory Services™.
The iHR Difference
Our motto is “Steady is our pace! Ready wins the race!” Both our motto and our logo represent that our team leverages its collective focus, patience, and resilience to support our client partners. They capture the essence of who we are and are woven into the fabric of everything we do as a business.
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Our Testimonials
Arguably THE most valuable professional colleague that I have for my dental practice, Karen Brownrigg and her team at iHR Advisory Services® have done the following for me: drafted employment agreements for my team, helped me to deal with difficult HR-related issues (e.g. reprimands, terminations, resginations), and provided valuable and practical team leadership support. Recently I enrolled in iHR's ProgressiveHR program and Karen connected me with her Dental HR expert Sheryl Ferguson. In the first few months of my team working with Sheryl I have witnessed an immediate change in my team and in how my dental practice functions: we have become much more collaborative, my dental team is starting to work together to achieve the practice goals linked to our clinic vision, and the workplace has become a much more positive vibe because of Sheryl's coaching work with my team. For dental clinics in the Ottawa and Gatineau areas that are currently suffering from HR problems and internal strife, I HIGHLY recommend working with Sheryl and Karen and the entire team at iHR - it will TRANSFORM your dental practice team!
Meeting and working with Karen from iHR was, truly, a most pleasant experience. Karen helped me to develop a workplace assessment program for my department and then provided some coaching and development opportunities for members of my leadership team. I am proud to say that following all of this great work, we have a more collaborative, committed, and engaged workforce and a new workplace culture in our department. Ask Karen about FourSight - it has been a game-changer for me!
We are a small boutique firm and Karen has provided us with excellent guidance and support when it comes to dealing with HR issues. She is very professional and we are very fortunate to have been referred to her and her team. Sometimes HR issues arise unexpected and a quick response is needed, which Karen has readily provided to us. We highly recommend iHR Advisory Services®.
Karen and the team completed a Human Resources project for our organization from the beginning helping us to scope out the work, helping us with communications to our staff team, continuously updating on their progress and presenting the results to our board and staff. The work that was done was professional and a result of their impressive knowledge in the area of Human Resources. Our organization will definitely use iHR for future Human Resources projects.