Team
Stephanie La
Stephanie La (she/her) is a Toronto-based professional with a specialized background in Retail Operations and Management.
Our Team
The people within organizations drive a mission. Get to know what motivates us, and how we intend to add value to your organization and the public more broadly.
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Team
Chad Martin Lawrence
Dr Chad Lawrence (he/him) has nearly 20 years of experience across diverse sectors, including academia, where he balanced scholarship and teaching with his role as an Academic Affairs Specialist at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine, and corporate environments such as executive search.
Team
Erica Ing
Erica has worked in both a boutique and international executive search firm, and has gained considerable experience providing operational, client service, and delivery support within a variety of sectors, including real estate, public sector and academia, and leadership coaching and assessment.
Team
Melissa Sumnauth
Melissa brings an abundance mindset to her work, fueled by over 17 years of cross-industry experience focusing on human dynamics, culture, learning and development, recruitment, organizational growth, and resilience coaching.
Team
Sarah Khan
Sarah Khan embraces her Indo-Guyanese identity with pride. She brings extensive experience and knowledge in project coordination and management to BES Executive Search, leveraging a proven track record of contributing to the success of multiple projects.
Team
Laurie Toulouse
Laurie Toulouse is Anishinaabe kwe, a member of Serpent River First Nation. She grew up on the lands of the Kwikwetlem First Nation and Coast Salish Peoples and currently calls T’karonto, Dish with One Spoon treaty territory her home.
Team
Helen Mekonen
Helen brings 16 years of experience in executive search recruitment and has built a proven track record of identifying, attracting, assessing, and hiring top diversity talent.
Team
Urmilla Mahabirsingh
Urmilla brings 20+ years’ experience leading recruitment, talent acquisition, and career coaching services in the not-for-profit, private, and public sectors.
Team
Olivia Shallow
Olivia has spent several years in consulting, specifically working with a number of people and companies across the public and private sectors for more than 15 years.
Team
Jason Murray
Jason is an executive search and EDIA leader with experience on 500+ executive searches and extensive work advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility with organizations across sectors.
Thought Leadership Videos
Watch recent thought leadership videos on inclusive leadership, workplace culture, and transformation.
Watch on YouTube
Why Confidence Stops Working at Executive Level
When interviewing for jobs at the executive level, confidence is expected—and so it’s no longer a differentiator. In this short, Jason Murray shares tips on what executive hiring committees are listening out for, which includes evidence of sound judgment and being able to navigate ambiguity.
Watch Why Confidence Stops Working at Executive Level
Watch on YouTube
The Interview Mistake Strong Leaders Make
When interviewing for executive roles, strong delivery is expected—so it’s no longer what sets you apart. In this short, Jason Murray shares a common mistake leaders make: answering like high performers instead of future peers.
Watch The Interview Mistake Strong Leaders Make
Watch on YouTube
What Executive Presence Actually Is
In this short, Jason Murray breaks down why hiring committees look for calm, clarity, and restraint, and how presence often comes through in what you don’t say.
Watch What Executive Presence Actually Is
Sustainability/Stephanie La
Green AI: The Role of AI in Sustainability
Green AI emphasizes the importance of balancing innovation with environmental responsibility, addressing the significant environmental and ethical challenges posed by AI development, such as high carbon emissions, energy consumption, and data privacy concerns. While AI offers transformative benefits, including climate change prediction, pollution monitoring, and public health insights, its rapid advancement often prioritizes speed over sustainability. By adopting Green AI practices—such as energy-efficient algorithms, renewable energy sources, and sustainable development goals—organizations can reduce their environmental impact, align with sustainability objectives, and foster long-term growth while contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future.
Learn more
Leadership/Melissa Sumnauth
The Importance of Pronouncing a Name: An Act of Inclusive Leadership
Names are not just labels; they are powerful reflections of identity, culture, and history. In this article, Melissa Sumnauth explores the significance of correct name pronunciation in leadership and organizational culture. Drawing on her experience in executive coaching, executive search, facilitation, and people & culture she illustrates how mispronunciation can function as a microaggression and a barrier to inclusion, while intentional effort to say names correctly fosters dignity, belonging, and trust. With practical tools and a call to action for leaders, this article reframes name pronunciation as a vital practice in advancing equity and respectful engagement.
Learn more