Sussannah D. Kelly

Managing Director

Toronto

Sussannah is a Managing Director at Boyden global executive search, and a co-owner of the Toronto, Central and Eastern Canada practice.

With over 20 years as a senior leader, Sussannah brings an executive perspective to every assignment she handles.  Most recently, Sussannah was Senior Vice President, Human Resources with MDS Proteomics, a global biotech firm.  She has held similar roles with Merisel (U.S. and Canada), NCR Canada, Rogers Communications, Amdahl, Bank of Montreal, Lloyd’s Bank, Transamerica, and others.  For an 18-month period, Sussannah worked with a well-known Toronto-based search practitioner and developed a multi-faceted practice reflecting her deep experience in talent management and acquisition.  She also worked with Price Waterhouse conducting operational audits and senior executive search assignments.

Sussannah’s expertise has been acquired by managing and implementing change in companies that have experienced high growth or business volatility.  As Senior Vice President, Corporate Human Resources at Rogers Telecommunications, she led and managed the integration of 6,000 employees for three companies into an existing base of 8,000.  She has designed and built HRIS processes, as well as a world-class science recruiting program for a complex and challenging biotech startup.  Sussannah developed a Human Resources function for a high technology company that received Toronto Life’s “Top 10 Employers in Toronto” Award and The Vision Award from the Federal Government for Employment Equity.  She has conducted talent audits resulting in increased productivity for aligned, vital, and focused organizations.  In addition, Sussannah developed highly effective diagnostic tools that reduced attrition, and designed leading edge retention, talent attraction, compensation, and orientation processes and programs for clients to support high performing working cultures and successful business executives.

Sussannah is a popular keynote speaker at conferences in Canada and the United States, speaking on topics such as Cultural Alignment, Employee Empowerment, Employee Diversity, and Effective Cultural transformation.  She is a founding member of the Human Resources Software Council of Canada; and a current member of INNET and IWF (International Women’s Forum); a past member of the Conference Board of Canada and Information Technology Association of Canada; and a past board member of the Ontario Breast Cancer foundation, West Park Board of Governors, and The Royal Ontario Museum Foundation.

Her qualifications include an Executive Management Diploma from Stanford University, California; a Bachelor of Arts and Secondary Teachers Certificate, Rollins College and Crosby Quality College, Florida; and she is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP).