Griffith Group Advisory Council
Kim Carlin
With over two decades of international consulting expertise, Kim has a proven track record for analyzing business problems, defining a vision for change and implementing sustainable solutions.
She has worked in over 200 world-leading companies on five continents in industries including manufacturing, technology, retail, healthcare, hospitality, and financial services. Kim was the Managing Partner of a global consulting firm and then started her own business as the Co-Founder and President of an implementation-based healthcare consulting practice based in New York City. Kim has applied her extensive industry experience to supporting management students and corporate executive leaders to enhance their capabilities through teaching leadership development programs, results-based training and executive coaching.
Today she is leading an enterprise transformation program for a leading Canadian bank. Kim’s success in coaching and consulting stems from her passion for building relationships and genuine desire to help developing leaders and executives gain the skills and tools to be more effective. She is a regular speaker at industry events in both Canada and the United States, and is an ongoing guest lecturer at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University (NYU) and the Rotman School of Management. Kim holds an undergraduate Degree in Sociology, a MBA in Strategy and a Ph.D. in Organization and Management. Her doctoral research focused on gender related leadership optimization with application towards improved organizational performance.
Thompson egbo-egbo
Thompson Egbo-Egbo, his name is as unique as his journey. Moving to Canada from Nigeria when he was 4 he started playing the piano at the age of 6. His aptitude and affection for the piano would come almost immediately and has stayed with him forever.
Growing up in subsidized government development area of Toronto, Egbo-Egbo is awed by the fact a group of people thought enough of the residences to build a musical school so that the children of the neighborhood could enjoy the luxury of music lessons, and at a fee that was affordable to them. This inspiration has made him compassionate to the arts and its importance in the lives of children and society. It also led him to found the Thompson T. Egbo-Egbo Arts Foundation in hopes that children of all social and economic circumstances can experience the benefits of music.
He has been called upon to play in the presence of many dignitaries, who include H.R.H Prince Charles, H.R.H. Prince Edward, and H.R.H. Prince Phillip. He has also performed for Quincy Jones. In 2007 the Canadian Songwriters hall of fame asked him to produce a medley tribute to their inductees, who included Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot, Oscar Peterson, Joni Mitchell and many others whom attended the event.
Egbo-Egbo’s musical Journey has taken him from playing the tuba with the Hannaford Street Youth band across Canada to Performing on Stage at the Hackney Empire theatre in east end London with the Canadian production “Da Kink In My Hair”. To touring with Canadian R&B sensation Ayah and recording and performing with afro-punk artist Siadah Baba Talibah.
After Egbo-Egbo’s secondary schooling he found himself studying Jazz Performance at Humber College in Toronto, all the while working as a musician throughout school. Upon graduating he continued to work as musician in Toronto and has recently enrolled to continue his studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, which is where you will find him now.
Thompson Egbo-Egbo created The Egbo Arts Foundation to show kids that they can achieve whatever their goals are.
Sunil Hirjee
In his current role at Beneva, Sunil is serving as the Vice-President, Group Sales and Partner Experience for the Ontario, Western, & Atlantic Canada and actively responsible for increasing the visibility and growth of the organization through the acquisition and retention of new and existing business partners.
Sunil has been in the financial services industry for 20 years, and as a group insurance expert, he brings a very strong understanding of the diverse needs of organizations’ in a wide variety of sectors.
Coming from a first generation immigrant family, Sunil grew up in Paris, Ontario. Growing up as a visible minority in southwestern Ontario and being a proud member of the 2SLGTBQIA+ community, Sunil has a passion for issues surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity.
geoff roberts
Geoff Roberts is an Executive Coach and Consultant for administrative leaders in the Canadian and international independent school domains with a specific focus on helping newly appointed Heads of School transition into their schools.
Previously, Geoff Roberts was Headmaster of Crescent School in Toronto, Canada from 2000 to 2014. He has over 36 years of experience as a teacher and administrator in a leading independent school. Most recently, he was the Managing Director of Branksome Hall Asia in South Korea where he coordinated and supported the working relationship of the partners in the Global Education City project: the local South Korean government, Branksome Hall Asia, and Branksome Hall Canada.
He served on the Board of the Conference of Independent Schools (CIS) as Chair, and served as one of two Canadian members on the International Boys’ School Coalition Board for three years. Currently, he is Board Chair of the Canadian Advisory Committee of Neuchatel Junior College in Switzerland.
As an educational speaker, he has authored and delivered numerous speeches on such topics as "Total Admissions," "On Leadership", "Using Drama in the English Classroom", "The Good School", "The Importance of the Deputy Head", and "Effective Parent/Teacher Conversations." He has also spoken at a TEDx event on the importance of building and sustaining strong, healthy cultures in schools.
Allison Sandmeyer-graves
Allison Sandmeyer-Graves is an accomplished non-profit leader with a career rooted in social impact. She is currently the CEO of Canadian Women & Sport—the leading voice and authority on women and sport in Canada. The organization works to create systemic change to expand equity and inclusion at all levels of sport. In her role, Allison works closely with researchers, government decision-makers, sport administrators, media and other leaders across the country to drive learning and action on intersectional gender equity in sport.
Mobilizing large scale, lasting change has been the hallmark of Allison’s career to date. She is a frequent speaker and commentator on the work of creating systems change, has led numerous successful national and global partnership programs, and has played a key role in building innovative, high-performing teams and organizations.
Allison has a degree in international relations from the University of Alberta and a graduate degree in international development studies from Dalhousie University. She currently resides in Calgary, close to her farm roots and at the ready for mountain adventures.
Newsha zargaran
Newsha Dania Zargaran is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. Building on her tenure in executive search, Newsha is pursuing a career in labour and employment law, human rights, and political economy within a social justice and anti-oppression context.
Newsha spent over 5 years in the executive search industry supporting clients in the assessment of senior leaders and developing equity, diversity, and inclusion practices within executive-level recruitment.
In 2021 Newsha will complete a term at Parkdale Community Legal Services, one of the first and now largest community legal clinics in Canada providing services for the eradication of poverty, racism, violence and systemic discrimination.
In her free time, Newsha is a Planning Committee Co-Chair at Homeless Connect Toronto, a volunteer-run charity connecting those experiencing or at-risk-of homelessness with the essential resources on housing, employment, legal, financial, health care, wellness, and other services to end homelessness in their lives.
Newsha holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Smith School of Business at Queen's University.
Jacqueline Foley
Jacqueline Foley is an Executive Brand Coach on a mission to empower female executives and high achievers to take charge of their careers. She offers private and group coaching programs to help women breakthrough to the next level of leadership, impact and recognition, as well as customized corporate programs to support the retention and advancement of valued female talent.
Drawing on 25+ years as a senior marketing leader and brand specialist for top Canadian companies, including Home Depot, Netsuite and Manulife Financial, Jacqueline has advised dozens of executives and business leaders on how to increase their credibility, visibility and influence. This includes a decade as a C-level leader at global executive search firm, Odgers Berndtson, where she played an integral role in repositioning the business and increasing brand awareness and market share – with revenues tripling in six years. During that time, she developed a deep understanding of executive recruitment and selection, career transition, and leadership assessment and development.
Jacqueline is an experienced facilitator and presenter, as well as a trained Coactive coach. Throughout her career, she led many successful corporate events for business leaders across North America and Europe, including a number of leadership programs in partnership with McKinsey, HBR Analytics, The Institute for Corporate Directors, Rotman School of Management, Women Get On Board and The Globe & Mail.
As a corporate leader, entrepreneur, mentor and coach, Jacqueline has helped hundreds of women redefine and achieve success on their own terms.