Team CCHRA (l to r): Stephanie Duff, Maureen Campbell, Mary Abra, Nazia Bundhoo, Bill Palamar

By Maureen Campbell

Change is inevitable in a progressive society. Change is constant.
– Benjamin Disraeli, Oct. 29, 1867

This year has seen a lot of change, especially in the political landscape on Parliament Hill. I for one am eager to see how our new opposition party will fare, but it is clear that what British Prime Minister Disraeli said in 1867 still holds true today. We live in a world where change is constant – from new initiatives and project-based work to technology to people – all of these things come together to drive change in the way we work. This can sound a little intimidating, as change can sometimes feel, but it is something that we live and grow with, and most of the time, we don’t really notice it happening.

Take for example, the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA), which has continued to evolve since it was established in 1994. Its mission hasn’t changed, but people have come and gone, and roles have changed. As such, we thought we’d take a few minutes to re-introduce you to the CCHRA staff team and their roles.

Bill Palamar, the executive director, has long been involved with the CCHRA in a variety of capacities. He is an ex-officio member of the CCHRA Board and committees, which actively involve him with the major initiatives and activities that support CCHRA’s strategic plan. His passion for volunteerism, community, and the diversity of the Canadian federation aligns with CCHRA’s core values of integrity, innovation and collaboration. Palamar enthusiastically engages with the CCHRA staff and provincial member associations, supporting a national collaborative environment to gain strength in CCHRA and the CHRP designation.

Many of you already know Stephanie Duff. Her role has evolved over time from the administrative coordinator to the exam coordinator and projects manager. She supports the programs and processes related to the CHRP designation and maintenance of the HR profession’s body of knowledge, as well as supporting the Standards Advisory Committee and Exam Board. Stephanie manages the administration of the NKE and the NPPA exams nationally by assisting member provincial HR associations with their certification and recertification activities. Stephanie passionately digs into every project, and this, along with her long-standing history, makes her a most valuable asset.

Nazia Bundhoo is the administrative coordinator and board secretary. She provides direct support to the CCHRA Board and numerous committees including the executive, audit & finance, and governance & nominating committees. Nazia also provides all in-house accounting, administers the HR and compensation functions, and manages the day-to-day administration of the CCHRA office. Quite simply, she manages all of the minute details with the CCHRA, the Board, and the staff so efficiently that it appears an effortless task to pull together Board documentation, national meetings or compensation packages without a flaw.

CCHRA also has a part-time administrative assistant, Mary Abra. Mary provides general administrative support for CCHRA activities including reception duties, answering general inquiries, and assisting with the preparation and distribution of Board and Committee documents. Mary’s ability to provide support gives the CCHRA team the confidence required to work, and commit to results, under tight deadlines.

The most recent hire at CCHRA was the communications manager, and that would be me, Maureen Campbell. My primary mandate is to enhance the communications between CCHRA and the Member Associations while promoting and ensuring the understanding of the CHRP designation.

I support the national marketing & communications committee, as well as promote CCHRA, including its values, mission and goals, from a federal standpoint; I also develop, implement and monitor our existing and new communications initiatives. In a nutshell, I advocate the value of CCHRA, its Member Associations, and the CHRP designation to a variety of audiences.
Although the team is small, each member is talented. Like any great team, we rely on one another’s strengths – be it communication, organization, guidance, adaptability or passion – to reach our common goals. The mutual respect we all have for one another (both within CCHRA and Member Associations), in addition to our core values, is what sets us apart and changes our working team to a integrated, powerful team capable of almost anything we set our mind to.

Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier said that Canada shall claim the twentieth century. It is the people that will claim the twenty-first, Palamar agrees, “I really do believe that this is HR’s decade. CCHRA and the Provincial Associations have the talent and the enthusiasm to move forward and make this happen.”

(PeopleTalk: Fall 2011)