The Schulich School of Business at York University has appointed four leading executive coaches from diverse backgrounds to mentor and provide career advice to students enrolled in the school’s Executive MBA, MBA and International MBA programs.
Rob Hines
The executive coaches, who have on average 15 years of corporate experience and come from diverse backgrounds, will offer high-end career and leadership development advice to help graduate students reach the next level in their careers. In the case of Executive MBAs, they will serve as trusted advisors for mid-career executives preparing to successfully transition to a new job, new industry or a new area of expertise following graduation.
“Executive coaching will help ensure mid-level executives attain the finishing touches in their leadership development as they complete their Executive MBAs, as well as help Schulich’s MBA and IMBA students reach their true personal and career potential upon graduation,” says Rob Hines, executive director of Schulich’s Career Development Centre. “Our executive coaches are trained to help Schulich’s leaders of tomorrow zero in on their career priorities, reach their personal goals and maximize their leadership performance. They will help ensure Schulich graduates get noticed for their leadership potential in the workplace.”
For mid-level executives who are pursuing an Executive MBA and wish to consider alternative career paths upon graduation, personal consultations with an executive coach can help them make the transition more smoothly, according to Su-Lan Tenn, director of the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA program at Schulich.
Su-Lan Tenn
“The Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA program is committed to offering the best possible leadership development support to our students through one-on-one sessions with an executive coach, as well as a wide array of self-assessment tools to develop self-awareness and identify areas for growth,” says Tenn. “Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA graduates leave the program with a fully developed strategic career plan in place and all of the leadership skills needed to realize their goals.”
The appointment of executive coaches is just one of several new initiatives announced this month by Schulich’s Career Development Centre, which is committed to offering exceptional career services and resources to all Schulich students. Last week, the Career Development Centre announced the appointment of Entrepreneur-in-Residence Chris Carder, co-founder of ThinData, Canada’s largest email services provider, and a senior executive with Kinetic Café Inc. Schulich has also embarked on a new partnership with Kinetic Café Inc., an innovation consulting firm, to help undergraduate, MBA and Executive MBA students launch their own start-up companies.
Executive Coach Biographies:
Helen Roditis
Roditis is an Associate Certified Coach and member of the International Coach Federation. She has helped hundreds of professionals and business teams transform their life, career and workplace. She does this by raising their self-awareness, cultivating their strengths, and integrating wellness into her coaching programs.
With 20 years of diverse experience in corporate finance, marketing and consulting, Roditis can see 360 when working with her clients. Her strong business acumen, integrity and warm personality build immediate trust with her clients, and empower her coaching relationships. She also shares her knowledge and experience through her writing. Her articles, “Empower Your People and Reap the Rewards and Proactively Managing Employee Stress”, have been published in various business magazines. Her recently published book, LITE Up Your Work and Life, is selling in bookstores globally. Passionate about inspiring professionals and entrepreneurs to express their full potential, Roditis is a frequent speaker at fundraising events, conferences and other forums.
Lindsay Sukornyk
A recognized leader in executive coaching in Canada, Sukornyk has extensive experience in strategic management consulting with top global enterprises. Since founding North Star Coaches in 2002, she has implemented Scalable Coaching Solutions® into leading Canadian organizations such as Rogers, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, LLP, Accenture, A.T. Kearney and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, among others. Prior to founding North Star Coaches, Sukornyk was a strategic management consultant with A.T. Kearney, a global management consulting company. Sukornyk is a certified professional co-active coach and a graduate of the Co-Active Space Leadership program in San Francisco, California.
Stephen Friedman
Friedman is a recognized executive coach, career coach, facilitator and trainer, working in the areas of leadership and management skills development, group and team development, organizational learning and human resource management for numerous organizations and individuals. His experience within this area spans more than 20 years, making him one of Canada’s most sought after facilitators and coaches. He specializes in teaching management professionals about various aspects of interpersonal communication, leadership development, Human Resource Management and group development in the workplace as well as career enhancement and development. Friedman has been on the Faculty at the Schulich School of Business since 2000, where he teaches Organizational Behaviour, Human Resource Management and Leadership at both the undergraduate and MBA levels. He also teaches custom seminars in group development and leadership/management skills for Schulich’s Executive Education Centre. Friedman specializes in coaching, group facilitation, training, instructional design and delivery of corporate education and development programs. Using an energetic and highly experiential delivery, Stephen establishes achievable goals and objectives, strategically involving the participants in the delivery and discovery process. He holds an MA and an Honours BA in psychology.
Bill Swift
Swift is an executive coach and leadership performance and change consultant with more than 30 years of corporate leadership experience. He has also led large retail and commercial banking organizations. His consulting experience stretches across operational leadership, marketing, sales, customer service, call centre management and human resources. He brings this dynamic experience into his coaching and consulting relationships with an enthusiastic business focus to inspire leadership development and deliver results.
Swift has a bachelor degree from the University of Toronto majoring in economics. He has also completed an Advanced Executive Program at the Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. Swift is a CoachU accredited Coach, an ICF affiliate and is licensed for the delivery of programs in Essential Conversations for Developing Others, and the Coaching Clinic, both deliverables of CoachU/Inc. Swift has recently completed the Advanced Corporate Coaching designation with CoachU. He is also a trained moderator and licensed facilitator with Barrett Values Systems, Values Based Leadership Program. He partners with Profiles International in offering and administering a full suite of behavioural assessment tools, including 360s.