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Dessalen Wood, CHRP, is a seasoned HR executive, facilitator and leadership coach who has specialized in passionately leading People and Culture teams within blue-chip Canadian and US organizations. Dessalen has 25 years’ experience in mid-size and large size Canadian and US organizations, such as Reitman’s Canada, Hudson’s Bay Company, The Children’s Place & The Disney Stores.

Prior to joining Syntax, Dessalen started her career in retail store management, making the move to corporate roles in the field of recruitment and training. She soon developed an interest the entire employee life cycle and moved HR management roles at major both Canadian and US based retail chains. In 2009 Dessalen and her family re-located to Toronto, where she was hired by Cineplex Entertainment initially as the director of Talent Development, later being promoted to Vice President, Talent Development, after relocating back to her hometown of Montreal, Quebec. In her 10-year tenure at Cineplex, Dessalen created multiple programs and support systems designed to create engaging corporate cultures, developing high performing leaders at all levels.

In 2019 Dessalen made the move from the service industry to the tech industry, in the role Chief People Officer at ThoughtExchange, a BC based tech start up that empowers leaders to bring people together and solve problems with their employees, community and customers through crowdsourcing.

Dessalen holds the CHRP designation, in addition to a Psychology degree from McGill University, where she also completed the mini-MBA program in 2016. In 2018 she also completed the Adler Professional Coaching program. She is a 3-time winner of the Waterstone Top 10 Most Admired Corporate Culture award, in addition to having been recognized by the Retail Council of Canada, with their award for Talent Development.