Business Analysis, Project Management, Strategic Leadership

David Barrett, Program Director at The Schulich ExecEd, Schulich School of Business at York University. In his spare time David has developed a series of presentations designed for all types of audiences ranging from project managers, business analysts, senior management and executives and general audiences for all types of sectors. David has written a number of articles over the years primarily focused on project management. Recent additions to this library will focus on other areas.

David Donaldson is an experienced leader of change, facilitator, trainer, courseware developer and consultant with more than 30 years’ experience building and delivering solutions for clients internationally. David holds a Masters Certificate in Adult Training & Development (MCATD) from Schulich, Change Management Practitioner (CMP) Designation from APMG, a Project Management Professional (PMP) designation from the Project Management Institute (PMI) and is a Certified Training & Development Professional (CTDP). He is an active member of The Institute for Performance and Learning which demonstrates his ongoing commitment to development for himself and his students. David’s diverse training experience extends beyond the corporate setting. In his spare time he trains fledgling pilots to get their wings and young horses to trust their mounts.

Big Data and Analytics

David Elsner has more than 20 years of business experience. David has worked with many of the world’s leading organizations across a multitude of industries, including Retail, Automotive and Finance. His specialties lie in managing projects to implement solutions, guiding business leaders to make maximum use of their data assets, and developing cost-saving strategies, all with a focus of leveraging analytics to support successful, data-driven decisions. An experienced lecturer and trainer, David provides analytical and professional classes to a wide range of academic programs and corporate clients, including the Rotman School of Management, the Ted Rogers School of Management, the Schulich Executive Education Centre and the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Ontario. David’s philosophy for training, consulting, and solution building is simple: focus on what’s important and leverage the power of vision. He’s passionate about competing on analytics and getting organizations around the globe to not only understand the power of analytics, but also how critical analytics are to their survival. David Elsner holds Bachelor degrees in material engineering and economics and an MBA in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from the University of Toronto. David is also the Executive Director of the Yorkville Exotic Car Show, the premier annual Father’s Day event in Toronto that raises funds for Prostate Cancer Canada.

David brings 25+ years of senior management and training experience, including 20+ years of executive leadership in corporate and agency organizations. He has coached and trained leaders at all levels, including C-suite executives, from some of the most recognized and influential brands in Canada and the world, including Bell, TD Bank, Scotiabank, Tim Hortons, Mastercard, Intel and many others. David has been an adjunct instructor at Schulich ExecEd since 2018, coaching emerging and existing leaders. Participants are trained using tangible strategies and techniques and leave as better prepared, effective and dynamic communicators. David is also a former award-winning journalist for 10 years. Previously, he was a senior vice president at the world’s fourth largest full-service communications agency, and held VP and director roles at TD Bank and Tim Hortons. In the past, David taught a post-graduate level course on Leadership Development at Western University in London, and developed one of Canada’s first post-secondary social media courses at Mohawk College in Hamilton.

Marketing, Retail

David Pullara is a senior business leader with almost two decades of diverse and progressive experience in marketing strategy, brand management and innovation. He has spent 12 years of his career working with four world-renowned, consumer-centric, Fortune 500 organizations: Starbucks, Yum! Brands (Pizza Hut), Coca-Cola and Google. His most recent role was as chief marketing officer for the Hill Street Beverage Company, a TSXV-listed producer of alcohol-free and cannabis-infused adult beverages. David earned his Honors BBA (marketing) and MBA (strategic management, international business) from the Schulich School of Business at York University, and a certificate in “Disruptive Strategy” from Harvard Business School Online. He is recognized as a Chartered Marketer by the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA).

Project Management

Deanna Davies is an experienced higher education professional, educator, project leader, and community builder with over 27 years of experience in business, project management, economic development, sustainability, and leadership. She has spent the past eight years focused on teaching and more than 25 years facilitating workshops, strategic planning sessions, and community engagement initiatives. Deanna served as Program Coordinator and Professor in the Postgraduate Project Management program at St. Lawrence College’s School of Business for six years and now serves as full-time faculty. She brings real-world experience into the classroom through a learner-centered, values-driven approach. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes collaboration, reflection, and relevance. She creates inclusive, engaging learning environments that foster critical thinking, experiential learning, and meaningful connection—empowering students to build both competence and confidence. Her professional specializations include project leadership, stakeholder engagement, the social economy, emotional intelligence, and community development. Passionate about the human side of projects, she emphasizes socially responsible project management and leadership for sustainable impact. Deanna received the 2023 Academic Leader Award from St. Lawrence College and the 2024 Collaboration & Teamwork Award from PMI Ottawa Valley Outaouais. She is also the founder

Deborah Jann draws on 20+ years of experience in HR and innovation consulting, adult education, sales & marketing and entrepreneurship. In addition to being a Master Facilitator, she is a trained Management Coach and Certified Assessor of numerous psychometric profiles.

Derek is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.). He is currently Technical Director-DCC/DND and Senior Electrical Engineer at Englobe in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and a Schulich ExecEd instructor. He has led teams of over 100 engineering professionals in a variety of different industries. Prior to joining Englobe, Derek was employed as an engineering manager and program/project manager in a variety of industries, including marine engineering, physical security infrastructure, oil & gas and buildings, infrastructure and energy. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (2017) and completed the MCPM program in 2008. Derek has been a project management instructor for over 10 years, having delivered courses for PMI – Nova Scotia Chapter and Dalhousie University. In his personal time, Derek enjoys golfing, curling and playing squash.

Marketing

Detlev is also on the faculty at the Schulich School of Business. He has more than 15 years of experience teaching at the MBA and executive level at Schulich, as well as leading business schools in the US, Europe and Asia. He has published many articles and he is the co-author of the edited volume entitled Inside Marketing (Oxford University Press, 2011).

Communication, General Management

Diana Kawarsky has been on the Faculty at the Schulich ExecEd at York University since 2006 and is among the top 3% of teaching faculty student rankings. Her experience has breadth from working with a variety of professionals – from new hires to seasoned executives, totaling more than 20,000 learners to date. Diana is a Certified Coaching Professional (CCP) working one-on-one, in-person and remotely, building individual success skills. She also holds an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies. She is the author of two well-reviewed books: Skills Volume 1, and The Soft Cs. In 2021 Diana attained the rank of #26 in Global Gurus’ “Top 30” in the Communication category. Top 30 Gurus, in their respective categories are the “Cream of the Crop”, the World’s Top 30 most influential Professionals Speakers and/or Trainers in their areas.

Diana Williams is the CEO and Co-founder of Kinetic Energy Entertainment, a multi-platform venture studio that develops and produces culturally impactful and accessible content across all media. With a diverse portfolio, Kinetic’s slate includes projects such as a K-Pop TV series in development at HBO, the political simulation videogame Political Arena, and a documentary feature film with Apple+. Diana’s expertise spans IP development and business building, with a focus on the inclusion of all voices and talent in the evolving entertainment landscape. Prior to founding Kinetic, she was the Creative Development and Franchise Producer for Star Wars at Lucasfilm, where she worked on Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One, and groundbreaking VR/AR projects at ILMxLAB. A seasoned producer, Diana earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her feature film Our Song and other credits include notable documentaries such as Room 237, Dear Mom Love Cher and the Emmy Award-winning Sylvia Drew Ivie. She is also deeply involved in the advancement of digital and immersive storytelling, serving on the boards and advisory committees of organizations such as The National Academy of Sciences’ Science and Entertainment Exchange, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the Peabody Interactive Board of Jurors. Additionally, Diana is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Marketing

Don Ball has held a variety of engineering, marketing and sales positions in technical fields over the last 20 years, and understands the processes and challenges involved in commercializing technology products. He is keenly interested in developing and commercializing technologies that improve the environment and the quality of our lives. He played a key role in planning and implementing a flagship satellite-technology commercialization initiative, the RADARSAT User Development Program (RUDP). He is currently involved in assisting early stage space and earth observation technology companies in their commercialization and growth plans. Throughout his career, Don has worked with leading Canadian space-technology, information-systems and R&D organizations in Silicon Valley North and the Montreal area. He has consulted with the Canadian Space Agency, National Defence, Canadian International Development Agency, Satlantic Inc., Atlantis Scientific Inc. and Passat Ltd. Prior to becoming a management consultant, Don worked with E.H. Industries (Canada), Canadian Astronautics Ltd. (now EMS Technologies Canada), Digital Equipment of Canada and Computing Devices Company.

Coaching and Collaboration, Communication, General Management

Donna Tomie has more than 20 years’ experience in human resources, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness, including both internal and external consulting roles. She has an exceptional track record of partnering with leaders to create and execute on business strategy and talent plans. Donna is highly regarded for the tremendous energy and real life experiences she brings to the classroom. Her areas of expertise include leadership, coaching and mentoring, communications, employee engagement and talent development. Donna is a graduate of Dalhousie University with her Master’s in Public Administration and a Certified Executive Coach from Royal Roads University.