Meet The Team.
An organization’s success is dependent upon its people. We pride ourselves on being a team of multi-disciplinary experts that can challenge and collaborate with one another in a respectful, safe, and fun environment. This sparks thought leadership, an empowering culture, and a unique experience for our clients.
Our team is committed
to your team.
Howatt HR Consulting is a growing Halifax-based company. We believe in fostering an agile work environment in order to bridge the gap between academic research and applied solutions for organizations across Canada. Areas of focus include:
- Mental Fitness
- Employee Experience
- Behavioural Science
- Strategic HR
- Employee Productivity
- Respect in the Workplace
- Psychological Health and Safety Systems
- Predictive Modelling
- Cannabis in the Workplace
- Loneliness in the Workplace
Our Vision
Thriving organizations where health and productivity are connected and an intentional part of the day-to-day culture.
Our Mission
Transform the workplace experience so every employee walks into work with purpose – feeling empowered, energized, safe, and confident to handle whatever comes their way.

Dr. Bill is the former Chief of Research, Workforce Productivity, at The Conference Board of Canada, and the former Chief of Research and Development, Workforce Productivity, at Lifeworks. Dr. Bill has created the senate approved Certificate in Psychologically Safe Leadership and Certificate in Management Essentials, Pathway to Coping and Mental Fitness through the University of New Brunswick. He is the co-creator of the Psychological Health and Safety Facilitator Certificate.
Dr. Bill is a regular contributor and co-authors a blog with the CEO of the Mental Health Commission of Canada for WSPS Ontario CEO Health and Safety Leadership Network. Dr. Bill has published over 50 books, such as The Globe and Mail bestseller, The Cure for Loneliness, and Stop Hiding and Start Living. He is a regular contributor to Talent Canada, OHS Magazine, and The Chronicle Herald and has published over 350 articles with The Globe and Mail.
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR Consulting (1993-Present), Founder and President
University of New Brunswick (2012-Present), Instructor CEL
Chair of National CSA standard on impairment substance use related (2019-Present)
CSA Group - OHS National steering committee (2019-Present)
International Research Advisory Council (IRAC) at Pacific Coast University of Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS) (2019-Present)
Regular contributor to The Globe Mail (2013-Present)
Regular contributor to the Chronicle Herald (2018-Present)
Regular contributor to Talent Canada (2019-Present)
The Conference Board of Canada (2018-2020), Chief Research and Development Officer, Workforce Productivity
Morneau Shepell (2015-2018), Chief Research and Development Officer, Workforce Productivity
EDUCATION:
BSc, BA., MEd, MSc, PhD, EdD, Post Doctorate Behavioral Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
PASSIONS
Golf, Boating, Bulldogs, and Granddaughter

For the last 10+ years, Jesse has worked in the field of corporate health and performance as a senior consultant and National Lead for Morneau Shepell’s Total Health Index (THI) Analytics team, an exercise physiologist for Olympic athletes and business professionals. As the national lead for the THI analytics team Jesse led the development of the THI assessment, employee feedback, reporting and predictive modelling techniques that helped connect and identify key drivers of employee health, engagement and productivity. Along with leading the THI, Jesse was a key contributor to the development of the Employee Recommended Workplace Award.
Jesse is also a contributing author to The Globe and Mail, and white papers with the Mental Health Commission of Canada, The Conference Board of Canada, The HR Reporter and Morneau Shepell. These have a key focus on understanding respect in the workplace, mental health and developing a total health strategy among other topics pertaining to the health, engagement, and productivity of organizations.
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR (2018-Present)
Morneau Shepell (2015-2018) — Senior Consultant and Total Health Index National lead, Health Solutions
Vendura Wellness (2013–2015) — Co-Owner
Adams Exercise Training Programs (2010–2015) — Health and Fitness Consultant
Fusion Halifax (2015–2016) — Director of Health and Wellness
Canadian Sport Center Atlantic (2010–2014) — Strength and Physiology Coach
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION
Dalhousie University — Master of Science, Kinesiology and Exercise Science (2013)
Brock University — Bachelor of Kinesiology (Honours), Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Distinction (2010)

Dr. Lee-Baggley has an active research program on behaviour change, obesity, chronic disease, professional resiliency, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Lee-Baggley has close to 40 peer-reviewed publications and over 115 scholarly presentations. In 2017 she was a recipient of the Women of Excellence Award for her contributions to Health, Sport and Wellness (Canadian Progress Club Halifax Cornwallis). She is the author of the book “Healthy Habits Suck: How to get off the couch & live a healthy life…even if you don’t want to.”
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Dalhousie University/Nova Scotia Health Authority, Behaviour Change Research Institute (2018-Present) — Director
Dalhousie University, Department of Surgery (2017-Present) — Cross Appointed Faculty
Dalhousie University, Department of Family Medicine (2016-Present) — Assistant Professor
Saint Mary’s University, Department of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (2016-present) — Part Time Teaching Appointment
Dalhousie University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience (2016-Present) — Clinical Associate
Saint Mary’s University, Department of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (2015-present) — Adjunct Faculty
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION
University of British Columbia — Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology; CPA and APA accredited; 2006)
University of British Columbia — Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology; CPA and APA accredited; 2002)
University of Calgary — Bachelor of Science (Honours, Psychology; 2000)
Association for Contextual Behavioural Science — Peer Reviewed Trainer for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (2018)
International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy — Certified Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) Couples Therapist (2017)
Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology —Registered Psychologist (#R0598)

Kim is a talented strategist and senior executive who brings extensive experience developing and delivering strategic solutions to emerging occupational health and safety challenges. She has written numerous articles and supported various research projects and CSA technical committees, including training, psychological health and safety in paramedic organizations, and management of substance-related impairment in the workplace.
Kim has also won numerous awards for her design and development and leadership capabilities. This includes winning a National CSSE Special Project award for developing a digital resource toolkit with Dr. Ash Bender for First Responders to support positive mental health and help organizations take a preventative approach to trauma and PTSD. She has also won numerous training design and development awards from the Institute for Performance and Learning (formerly Canadian Society for Training and Development) and held the Certified Training Development Practitioner designation.
Career and Work Experience
• Howatt HR Vice President Customer Success(2021-Present)
• Member, Board of Governors, Ontario Tech University (2020-Present)
• Founding Member, Boots on the Ground: Peer Supports for First Responders (2016-Present)
• Technical Committee Member: Z1008 Management of Impairment in the Workplace (2020-Present)
• Technical Committee Member: Z1003-18 Psychological Health and Safety in Paramedic Service Organizations, CSA Group (2016-Present)
• Public Services Health and Safety Association, Director Acquisition, Strategy and Emerging Markets (2013-2021)
• Workplace Safety and Prevention Services, Manager Innovation and Knowledge Solutions (2010-2013)
• Technical Committee Member:
• Ontario Service Safety Alliance, Manager Research and Product Development (2001-2010)
• Communications Professional – Writer, Technical Writer (1996-2001)
• Chair, Public Safety Strategic Steering Committee, CSA Group (2018-Present)
• Advisory Committee Members, Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease (2018-2020)
• Member, International Scientific Advisory Committee, XXII World Congress on Safety & Health at Work (2020)
Education & Professional Designation
• Certificate in Adult Training and Development, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (2006)
• Bachelor of Arts, English and Communications, University of Windsor (1991)

She is a skilled strategic project manager with a natural ability to identify potential alignments and partnerships between various stakeholders including, government agencies, non-profits and private sector corporations for the purpose of advancing the project and developing business. She has had the opportunity throughout her career to successfully coordinate projects with many cross-functional teams that included executive leadership, outside suppliers and volunteers. Jennifer identifies hidden opportunities and has a unique ability to develop the appropriate relationships and execute plans to fully realize these opportunities.
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR (2019-Present)
Women’s Brain Health Initiative (2020-Present) - Strategic Partnerships Consultant
Free Range Therapy (2019) - Program Management Consultant
Year of the Mind (2019) - Conference Consultant
TEDxHalifax (2019) - Founder
HealthPartners (2014-2019) - Atlantic Regional Account Manager
EDUCATION
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology - Hospitality Management (2000)

From 2017 to 2019, Daena led and delivered on a multi-year Healthy Workplace strategy and implementation plan for a municipality with over 18,000 employees. The strategy integrated HR and OHS departments and philosophies to deliver better health outcomes and improve the employee experience. She also secured funding for a preventative and integrated psychological support program for first responders. For this project, Daena earned an award in the safety category for first-responder mental health initiatives.
Having worked in both the private and public sectors, Daena has had the privilege of working with a diverse group of clients including unionized and non-unionized sectors. Consulting on the CSA National Standard for psychological health and safety, since its inception in 2013, Daena adapts new best practices to transform out-dated corporate systems. She believes that if employers take good care of their employees, employees will take care of the organization.
Daena thrives on leader development and training in mental health, resiliency and coping, mental fitness, strategic wellness planning, social connection, crisis management, respectful workplace, inclusion, and mindfulness. As a certified yoga and meditation teacher, Daena brings a holistic perspective to business practices and effectively bridges the corporate and wellness worlds.
CAREER AND WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR (2020-Present)
City of Calgary (2017-2020)
Homewood Health (2013-2017)
PCL Construction (2007-2009)
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION
Lifestyle Meditation (2020)
Queen’s University – Workplace Mental Health Leadership (2018)
University of Calgary – Leadership Strategies for Supporting Workplace Mental Health (2018)
University of Calgary – Psychology (2012)
Grant MacEwan University – Holistic Health (2006)
Southern Alberta Institute of Alberta – Business Administration (2000)

Through her work with HostOften, Laura worked in an operational capacity and managed 20+ employees while developing business processes to scale. Her involvement in social impact projects within Halifax, such as the Halifax Social Network and Global Shapers, has afforded her experience in business development, marketing/communication strategies, and working with various stakeholders to achieve a common goal.
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR (2019-Present)
Halifax Social Network (2018-2019) – Business Development and Communications Lead
Global Shapers Halifax (2018-2019) – Project Management/Recruitment and retention
Canada Games Centre (2019) – Payroll and office administration for aquatic centre
HostOften (2018) – Operations consultant and general manager of affiliate company, Soapy Cleaning Company
Project Explore St.FX (2017-2018) – Co-founder
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION
St. Francis Xavier University – Bachelor of Science, Human Nutrition (2018)
St. Francis Xavier University – Bachelor of Science, Human Kinetics (exchange to Griffith University, Australia in 2015) (2017)

As a current MSc Statistics candidate at Dalhousie University, Mia’s research focuses on machine learning and artificial intelligence. She hopes to apply her advanced statistical knowledge to building models that are informative, useful and robust.
Mia has completed the following advanced level statistics courses
Advanced Statistical Theory
Bayesian Data Analysis
Data Analysis (graduate level)
Statistical Data Mining
Time Series Analysis
Multivariate Analysis
Design of Experiments
Sample Survey Methods
Probability
Honours Research Project
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR (2019-Present)
Dalhousie University (Present) — Statistics Teaching Assistant
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION
Dalhousie University — Master of Science (candidate), Statistics (present)
Dalhousie University — BSc Combined Honours, Statistics and Psychology (2018)

During her MBA, she had the opportunity to work as a service-learning student and consultant for small businesses and non-profits in Halifax. These experiences allowed her to develop her skills in the functional areas of Human Resources, Strategy, Marketing, and Operations. Her work experience as a Quality Assurance Engineer in the IT industry coupled with her strong academic background in business allows her to articulate business requirements through the lens of an engineer and a business consultant.
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR (2020 – Present)
Tata Consultancy Services (2017-2019) – Systems Engineer
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION
Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University - Master of Business Administration (2021)
Anna University (Chennai, India) – Bachelor of Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering (2016)

CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE:
Howatt HR (2020-Present)
Department of National Defence (2020)
Health Canada (2019)
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION:
University of Ottawa – Honours Bachelor of Science, Psychology (2018-Present)

Bryan joins the Howatt HR team after retiring from high performance sport, competing across the globe as an International level men’s volleyball athlete with Team Canada and respective professional club teams across Europe for 4 years. Returning home to Canada, Bryan began working with CIBC, involved with their customer service and solutions teams, communicating and aiding clients with their financial needs and goals during the challenging COVID-19 times. Bryan taps into his discipline and team player mentality to help improve both the client experience and Howatt HR’s team experience.
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR – 2020 – present
CIBC, Financial Services Representative – 2020
Volleyball Nova Scotia Canada Games Asst. Coach – 2020 – present
Dalhousie University Men’s Volleyball Assistant Coach – 2019 – present
Professional European clubs (Germany, France) – 2016 – 2019
Team Canada volleyball athlete – 2015 – 2018
EDUCATION
Dalhousie University – Bachelor of Science, Kinesiology (2015)

Previously, in India Bhoomi worked in Human Resources and Administration managing the recruitment process, payroll support, employee engagement activities, and administration work for more than 6 years. Bhoomi’s administration and detail-oriented skills help Howatt HR to manage both client and internal projects.

Spencer’s extensive experience in customer services, paired with his education in Commerce have created a passion for supporting individuals and organizations. His past experiences and skills from the food and beverage industry as a guest services manager, and social media coordinator, along with his personal brand and business as a professional photographer help develop Howatt HR’s content and brand as an organization.

Arlo brings over a decade of experience in programming and data collection working in the market research field. He has previous experience working with survey platforms such as Confirmit and Decipher. He possesses a strong foundation in Object Oriented Programming languages such as C++ and Python with skills in database management, frontend and backend development.
CAREER & WORK EXPERIENCE
Howatt HR , 2021 – Present - Scripting Specialist
Dynata (formerly Research Now), 2006 – 2019 – Programmer Analyst and Survey Programmer
Freelance Web Developer, 2015 - 2020
EDUCATION
Ontario College Diploma in Computer Programming - Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology

Morgan graduated with a B. A in psychology and has a background in social sciences. She also brings experience from customer support into the role. In the role at Howatt, Morgan is continually developing her skills and knowledge of psychological health and safety in the workplace to ensure a satisfactory client experience.
Work history:
Analyst at Howatt HR - July 2021- present
Customer support officer at TD Insurance - May 2018 - Oct 2020
Education:
Jr IT Analyst program - May 2021- Aug 2021
Bachelor of arts - combined degree Psychology & Family Studies at MSVU graduated in 2021
Social Services diploma at NSCC – graduated 2017

Career & Work Experience
Howatt HR - (2021) - Present - Data Analyst
Simon Fraser University (Pivot 2020 research study) - (2020) - Team Member
NTT Data - (2020) - Information Technology Support Specialist