Judges
Judging for OHS Honours is done by our volunteer, independent expert panel. Here’s a look at the judging panel for the 2023 competition:
Maureen Shaw
Maureen Shaw has spent over 30 years as a leader in Occupational Health and Safety – provincially, nationally and internationally. She is the former President and CEO of IAPA (Industrial Accident Prevention Association) headquartered in Toronto, and led IAPA in the development of its Healthy Workplace Model, which integrates leadership, physical health and safety, wellness and psychological health into organizational strategy and culture. The Healthy Workplace framework and model has been adopted by the World Health Organization as their global strategy. Maureen is a thought leader, lecturer and presenter in boardrooms, conferences and in the education community, and is a regular writer and contributor on organizational wellness and mental health for Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine. Maureen is a lifelong learner and teacher of organizational leadership, governance, and people.
Maureen has been recognized nationally and internationally for her leadership, including being one of 60 Canadians to be recipients of the Inaugural Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal; being recognized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) for her “contribution and commitment to the worldwide advancement of occupational safety and health”; receiving the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Confederation, also referred to as the Canada 125 Medal; being a recipient of the Calgary YWCA Woman of Distinction in Business, Labour, and the Professions Award; and, receiving the Canada Safety Council National Award.
Maureen is passionate about all things creative. She encourages innovation and creativity in all aspects of life and work, and is a lifelong love of reading, writing, visual and performing arts.
Shelagh Robinson
Shelagh started her EMS career with Humboldt Ambulance in 1990, followed by a 20-year career as an Advanced Care Paramedic with MD Ambulance Care Ltd. in Saskatoon. After sustaining a workplace injury, she participated in multiple therapy programs and return to work accommodations and was eventually assigned to her first industrial contract on the Lanigan Potash Mine.
While working on this site, Shelagh started to understand how and why her workplace injury occurred and she developed a passion to learn more about injury incidents, prevention and a process for managing return to work programs on site.
Shelagh has now worked with clients and employers from Baffin Island to Vancouver Island and in multiple industries including, Oil and Gas, Potash Mining, Hydro Electrical Mega Project, Steel Fabrication and Erection, Civic Government and Transit Operations just to name a few.
Prior to the global pandemic, Shelagh became certified as a Psychological Health & Safety Advisor through the Canadian Mental Health Association with the ability to implement and monitor mental health programs and complex psychological RTW programs for her clients. In 2022, Shelagh became a certified Mental Health First Aid facilitator with the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
She is passionate about helping injured workers and supporting employers with her experience and knowledge to return workers as early and as safely as possible to their pre-injury employment. As a specialist she strives to capitalize on advances in technology, social networks and remote work force alternatives to set new standards of excellence.
In September of 2022, Shelagh was inducted into the inaugural OHS Canada Hall of Fame in Toronto as one of three Canadians. Her experience and commitment to helping ALL injured workers in the workplace continues to drive her to provide education and awareness as it pertains to mental health and a psychologically safe workplace environment.
Sherry Novak
Sherry Novak is director Inclusive Housing and Complex Supports at Brantwood Community Services. “For the six years I have been here I have been a part of the Joint Health and Safety Committee. I am a RPN by trade, do the N95 Mask Fitting and was a member of the IPAC Hub. During COVID-19 I played an important part of writing and implementing the policies to keep People we Support safe and Staff Members,” she says.
Tara Beaton
A sought-after speaker in workplace safety, diversity and accommodation, Tara Beaton brings over 25 years of leadership and expertise in disability management, occupational rehabilitation, and accessibility to inspire organizations to create safe, inclusive workplaces that thrive.
Having provided guidance to thousands of leaders, specialists and practitioners, Tara’s knowledge is founded on a history of grassroots work with injured workers, their employers, representatives, health care providers, and insurers. Her experience is balanced by her credentials: In addition to 2 undergraduate degrees, she completed a Master’s degree focused on work reintegration policy, as well as a Diploma in Disability Management. She holds multiple professional designations including as a Certified Disability Management Professional, and is a former member of VRA Canada’s Board of Directors.
A specialist disability management programming – including strategies for Return To Work and the use of safety technologies and ergonomic supports – to date, Tara has created and delivered training for 8 universities and colleges from coast to coast, in addition to the extensive training programs she has developed for the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Published as an expert on the topic of workplace mental health as far back as 2008, Tara is a passionate advocate for workplace psychological safety.
Bill Howatt
Dr. Bill regularly contributes to workplace mental health research such as Canada Pandemic Pulse Check: COVID-19’s Impact on Canadians’ Mental Health with the Mental Health Commission of Canada; Moving to Action: Implementing the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services’ Mental Harm Prevention Roadmap; and Canada Standards Association Investigating employers’ practices in response to COVID-19 for safeguarding employees’ psychological health and safety in the workplace.
He has 30 years’ clinical experience in mental health and addictive disorders. 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[1]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.