I-O Alumni/Careers
We have many MA and PhD graduates. In the history of our program, 100% of our graduating students have secured employment in our field within months of completing our program. These positions have been in academia, consulting, and Fortune 500 firms. The accomplishments of the PhD graduates are highlighted below.
As past PhD graduates update us about their status, we will add links to their names
so you can see what they are doing now.
Ph.D. Alumni
Cocivera, Tracy
Chawla, Anuradha
Chung-Yan, Greg (Academic)
Corbett, Tania
Cree, Tara
Ducharme, Mary Jo
Evans, Charles
Francis, Lori (Academic)
Getkate, Maury
Harvey, Steve (Academic)
Lamerson, Cheryl
Matejicek, Amanda
McElwain, Allyson
Miller, Deborah
Newsome, Shaun
O'Keefe, Damian
Oliver, Tom
Patenaude, Julie
Risavy, Stephen
Rogers, Kimberley-Ann
Rog, Evelina
Schat, Aaron (Academic)
Schneider, Leann
Slan Jerusalim, Rebecca
Sherin, Jessica
Smiderle, David
Whelly, Dorin
Tracy Cocivera
Tracy Cocivera is an internal Leadership and Organizational Development Consultant specializing in leadership assessment and development, leadership succession, and talent management for one of Canada’s best-known and most-successful retailers, Canadian Tire. In addition to providing coaching and consulting services, she has developed several national leadership development programs. Dr. Cocivera’s diverse background began with a variety of co-operative work terms during her psychology undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, which include Sunoco and Talisman Mountain Resort. During her graduate studies in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Guelph, Dr. Cocivera operated her own management consulting company. Some of her clients included Clarica-Sunlife Financial, Johns Hopkins University, and Jackson Leadership Systems. Dr. Cocivera is the recipient of the annual RHR International Outstanding Dissertation Award and the International Alliance for Human Resources Research Award for the Best Ph.D. Dissertation in HRM. Dr. Cocivera is also affiliated with the Society of Consulting Psychology and the Society of Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
Anuradha Chawla
Dr. Anuradha Chawla has worked with high-profile clients in the public and private sectors including Dofasco, Toyota of Canada, Weston Bakeries, United Nations, Ontario Ministry of Environment, and Ontario Power Generation. Her clients have relied on her breadth of experience in assessment, retention practices, and change management to strategize, develop, implement, and/or evaluate human resources initiatives that focus on talent management and organizational development. She partners with business leaders/management to strategize, design, and implement credible end-to-end interventions that ensure a high-performance and motivating organizational culture. Dr. Chawla has published articles on organizational change management, best practices in human resource management, and employment equity issues pertaining to selection practices. She is currently a member of the Canadian Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and the Academy of Management. She is the task force Chair for the International Congress on Assessment Centre Methods. She is currently working with Development Dimensions International, an Industrial-Organizational Psychology consulting firm.
Greg A. Chung-Yan
Dr. Chung-Yan received his B.A. in psychology from York University and his M.A and Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph. He also oddly holds an electronics technician diploma obtained during his undergraduate work. After a brief tenure as a sessional lecturer at the University of Guelph teaching statistics, psychological measurement, I-O psychology and human resources management, he is currently an Assistant Professor in the applied social psychology program at the University of Windsor. His research includes bias and fairness in employee appraisals, aversive racism, workplace adaptability, person-environment fit, and work stress. He has published in such journals as the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology and the International Journal of Selection and Assessment. He has also worked with the Public Service Commission of Canada, the Assessment Centre for Executive Appointment, Organization and Management Solutions, and Human Systems Incorporated.
Charles Evans
Charles (Chuck) Evans received his B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, and his Master’s and Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph. Currently he is the president of the consulting firm Evans Group. Prior to establishing Evans Group Chuck was the managing partner at Jackson Leadership Services and he has also worked as a consultant with RHR International. During his career, Chuck has gained considerable international experience in consulting to large publicly traded organizations. He continues to work with groups and individual executives throughout North America, as well as in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa on leadership issues such as succession management, executive selection and leadership development. In addition, Chuck has presented at numerous conferences on executive coaching, succession planning, organizational change, and building internal leadership bench strength.
Lori Francis
Lori Francis received her PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph in 2003. She is currently an assistant professor in the department of psychology at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax Nova Scotia. Dr. Francis has broad research interests in organizational psychology including occupational health and safety and workplace fairness. Her research on work related stress and preventive stress management is funded by the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation. Her dissertation on the relationship between the exposure to injustice and the experience of stress received both a Canadian Psychological Association Certificate of Excellence and the International Alliance of Human Resources Researchers Dissertation Award. Dr. Francis is a member of Saint Mary’s University’s Centre for Leadership Excellence as well as the CN Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Lori also has an active consulting record having worked with the government, military and private industry. You can reach Lori via email at Lori.Francis@smu.ca.
Steve Harvey
Dr. Steve Harvey received his MA and PhD in I/O psychology from the University of Guelph. He is currently Professor and Chair at the Williams School of Business at Bishop's University in Lennoxville Quebec and is an adjunct professor on the Graduate Faculty in the Department of Psychology at the Université de Sherbrooke. Dr. Harvey is very involved in both teaching and research and has been the recipient of various teaching and research awards for these efforts. His research over the years has spanned several areas of organizational behavior and management on topics related to personality, hostilities at work, occupational stress, leadership, professional ethics and the experiences of young workers. His published work has appeared in an assortment of international journals, book chapters and conference proceedings in either French or English. This research has been supported by a number of research grants including most recently grants from the l'Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail (IRSST) and the Eastern Townships Research Centre. He is member of the Academy of Management, the American Psychological Association, the Canadian Psychological Association and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Dr. Harvey also maintains an ongoing practice of consultation with organizations in both the public and private sectors.
Shaun Newsome
Shaun Newsome is a Registered Psychologist practicing in Halifax Nova Scotia where he offers human resource assessment and development services. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph, his Master’s degree from Saint Mary’ University and his Undergraduate degree from Mount Saint Vincent University. Prior to starting his own practice in 2000, he was a full-time faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Saint Mary’s University where he taught I/O psychology, personnel selection, career counselling and organizational development. He is currently an adjunct faculty at Saint Mary’s and he continues to teach on a part-time basis. In his private practice he has been responsible for the design and implementation of personnel selection systems for entry-level to executive level applicants. He has designed and administered behaviorally based job interviews, conducted job/competency analysis, administered assessment centre protocols and conducted organizational morale surveys. Shaun has also worked with clients to design and implement multi-rater feedback systems. In addition, he has provided counselling services aimed at helping individuals enhance work-related competencies.
Damian O'Keefe
Dr. Damian O'Keefe received his Ph.D in Industrial/Organizational psychology in 2006. He has extensive experience conducting applied personnel research with both the Canadian Forces and the Australian Defence Force. As a research team leader, Dr O'Keefe was responsible to manage an applied research programme, which played a crucial role in the development of personnel selection policy for the Canadian Forces. He also taught at the Royal Military College of Canada and currently teaches on a part-time basis at Saint Mary's University. Dr O’Keefe has presented his research at national and international conferences, such as the International Military Testing Association (IMTA), and the International Applied Military Psychology Symposium (IAMPS). As well he has represented Canada on international working panels such as, the Technical Cooperation Panel 10 (Survival Psychology), and Technical Cooperation Panel 3 (Human Resources), which is comprised of senior research personnel from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Dr O’Keefe is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association, and the Examining Board of the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations. Dr O'Keefe is currently self-employed as a Consultant in Organizational Psychology with expertise in: Developing and Validating Personnel Selection Systems, Conducting Organizational Assessment Research, and Executive and Career Coaching. You can reach Dr O'Keefe at d.okeefe@bellaliant.net.
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver is an internal Talent Management consultant who specializes in developmental assessment, and employee surveying and reporting. He is currently at Cenovus Energy Inc. where he has designed, managed, and evaluated key components of their leadership development and coaching programs. Tom received his MA and PhD in I/O Psychology from the University of Guelph. His research passion centres around understanding how to systematically account for situational factors within assessment practices. Tom’s publications include an accepted article in the Journal of Management. His time in Guelph also involved consulting with Jackson Leadership Systems, MICA Consulting Partners, and Organization & Management Solutions (OMS). For current information about Tom, see his profile on LinkedIn.
Stephen Risavy
Stephen Risavy received his PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph. Previously, Stephen completed his undergraduate education at the University of Waterloo (BA, Hons.) and also earned a Master of Applied Science (MASc) degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the University of Waterloo. He is currently working as the Director, Human Resources for Fusion Homes. Prior to his role at Fusion Homes, Stephen was employed as a human resources management consultant by Organization & Management Solutions, Knightsbridge Human Capital Management, and the Waterloo Organizational Research & Consulting Group. During his graduate studies, Stephen won the annual International Alliance for Human Resources Research Award for best Master’s Thesis and the RHR Kendall Award for best student paper presented at the annual Canadian Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology conference. In addition to these awards, Stephen’s research has been published in both national and international journals.
Evelina Rog
Evelina is a seasoned consultant, coach, and facilitator who has partnered with private, public and not-for-profit sector organizations to design and deliver engagements at the individual, team and organizational level in the areas of: career management, leadership assessment, development and coaching, culture and change, performance management, team development, conflict mediation, strategic planning, and organizational effectiveness. After spending a rewarding 6.5 years with LHH Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions in an external consulting and coaching role, Evelina decided to move into an internal consulting and coaching role in the Learning and Development & Consulting Services unit of HR at the University of Guelph. In her current role, Evelina designs and facilitates learning and organizational development solutions and provides coaching services for employees at all levels. Evelina completed her Ph.D. in Industrial & Organizational Psychology at the University of Guelph where she focused her dissertation on authentic leadership. Passionate about developing others, Evelina’s expertise lies in helping people to clearly see and embrace the path they were wired or inspired to achieve. See her LinkedIn profile.
Aaron Schat
Aaron Schat received his B.A. (Honours) from Redeemer University College and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management in the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. Dr. Schat’s research interests are in the areas of work-related stress, health, and safety and he specializes in the study of workplace aggression. He also conducts research on people’s attitudes toward money, including factors that influence the development of attitudes toward money and how they are associated with people’s attitudes toward pay and work in general. He teaches courses in Human Resource Management and is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, Canadian Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and the Academy of Management. In addition to his research and teaching activities, he has also served as a consultant to several public and private sector organizations and been a reviewer for the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, and a number of scholarly conferences.
Leann Schneider
Leann received her HBsc in Psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, and her MA and PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Guelph. She currently works as a managing consultant for Jackson Leadership Inc. In her role she helps deliver leadership development programs by coaching, conducting talent assessments, facilitating workshops, and coordinating with clients and organizational stakeholders. Her research on employment interviews is published in outlets such as the International Journal of Selection and Assessment. See her LinkedIn profile.
Jessica Sherin
Dr. Jessica Sherin joined RHR International in 2013 and is a partner in the Toronto office. Jessica is an expert in organizational dynamics, and she guides leaders towards choices that make the most of their talent at the individual and team levels. Jessica has been a trusted partner with businesses in industries including financial, healthcare, telecommunications, technology, retail, and the nonprofit sector.
Before joining RHR International, Jessica worked as a senior consultant in one of the top 30 global leadership development consulting firms. She is the author of numerous articles on the topic of executive development, in demand as a speaker on strategic influence and coaching, and has conducted research in the areas of board governance and identifying and developing high-potential leaders.
Jessica received her Ph.D. and master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Guelph and is a registered psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. Her memberships include the College of Psychologists of Ontario, the Canadian Psychological Association, and the American Psychological Association.
To connect with Jessica, please visit her LinkedIn page.