Our Team of Diversity Professionals

Evelina Silveira has over 20 years of Diversity and Workplace Inclusion expertise and has won nine professional awards for her work with over 100 organizations and businesses. She is a field innovator who has designed and produced many programs to improve communications and enhance workplace inclusion. These include her 1:1 sensitivity training for workplace bullies and telephone customer service training for 9-1-1 call takers.

​

Evelina is an accomplished public speaker who delivers empowering and change-making training programs and webinars. She takes a non-judgemental approach to her training, creating an engaging and open forum for discussion and learning. Evelina is a practical, creative, analytical person with a reputation for customer service excellence. Client feedback indicates increased job confidence and performance from Evelina's sound (not simply theoretical) suggestions and job aids.

​

Evelina distinguishes herself from competitors because she is not afraid to tackle challenging diversity issues with humour, respect, empathy, honesty, and humility. In addition, she embraces the notion that creating an inclusive workplace requires a continuous learning journey.

​

A pioneer of diversity outreach, she began her career in the human services sector. Her early work improved new Canadians' services in health, employment, and women abuse programs. She helped coordinate the first study on immigrant professionals and tradespeople in London and cultivated links between employers and Indigenous communities for job creation and employer-equity goals. In addition, Evelina was appointed to lead a year-long interfaith dialogue group in London, offering necessary communication and sharing opportunities.

​

Evelina worked at Collège Boréal (London campus) for five years to coordinate placements for new Canadians. During this time, she coached new Canadians and employers on intercultural communication to make the transition smoother. Using her unique talents for bridge-building and creating rapport between people, she capitalized on individual strengths in her screening processes. As a result, she successfully placed over one hundred new Canadians in unpaid work placements, leading to paid employment.

​

Education:

​

Mediation and Dispute Resolution - Certificate Herzing College  2023

Teaching English as a Foreign Language Level 3 Certificate  - Tefl Academy  2022 

Human Resources  - 10 courses  - Fanshawe College

B.A. Sociology, King's College, University of Western Ontario

B.A.  Political Science (Honours Standing)  - concentrated on international politics and ethnic conflicts/genocides

​

English is her first language; she speaks Intermediate Portuguese and understands Spanish and intermediate French. 

​

Evelina recently expanded her business to include executive coaching clients in China regarding Business English communications.

 

Evelina has co-authored three publications with her associate Jill Walters:

The globally endorsed, The No-Nonsense Guide to Workplace Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion on a Budget

The Building Blocks of Workplace Inclusion  -published by TD at Work

​

AWARDS:

​

2012 – Outstanding Contributions to Race Relations  - City of London Mayor's New Year's Honours List

2013 – Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity Award for Service and Innovation- Corporate Provincial Category  - The Community Inclusivity and Reference Group

 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 – Canadian Human Resources Reporter – Readers' Choice for Diversity, Employment Equity Consultants

2019 – Canadian In-House Lawyer Magazine – Diversity and Employment Equity Consultants

 

​

With a Bachelor of Arts Degree, TESL and CLB Language Assessor Certifications Judy Thompson began her career designing and delivering English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for the Peel Board of Education and Sheridan College. A special interest in teaching English Speaking was the inspiration for her first book, English is Stupid, Students are Not, which is a runaway international success. Six more books including the newly released Backpacker’s Guide to Teaching English trilogy make Speaking English simple and accessible for every level learner. Judy has become a popular teacher trainer in five continents. 

The Pattern Approach and Experiential Learning models she promotes have been embraced by the corporate world. Working with Diversity at Work, Judy has  helped foreign-trained professionals with their speaking skills obtain quick results. Bradesco, Oxford University Press, the Royal Bank of Canada, Chapters, Murata Power, McMaster University, Cargill… are some of her satisfied clients. 
 

An award-winning orator, TEDx Speaker and founder of Thompson Language Center, Judy is committed to forwarding Education particularly in the English language teaching industry. As founding member of Radical English and the Language Coaching Association Judy is a leader in forging the future of Teacher Training and Language Coaching in Canada and around the world. 

Wen Zou is a seasoned professional project manager with over 20 years of experience in IT. In 2005, he obtained a PMP certificate from the American Project Management Institute (PMI) in Canada. In the same year, he was one of the founders of  Canada's largest Chinese project management non-profit organization, www.CPMPac.org. In addition to these skills, Wen has several years of experience conducting business in Canada with companies in China. He has developed a comprehensive set of courses delivered to thousands of learners and Chinese companies  www.freepmo.com. His knowledge of Chinese culture and business practices along with his impressive ability to represent a bridge between the two countries makes him a trusted adviser. 

In his published ebook, The Growing Pains of a Project Manager, he narrates the story of Michael, covering the hurdles of the most complex experiences faced by those in his career. Real-life case studies are included. This is an essential reference for anyone interested in project management. For more information, please visit https://www.amazon.ca/Growing-Pains-Project-Manager-ebook/dp/B079QN7P9T
 

Wen has been recognized for his ability to complete projects on time and within budget with the goal of exceeding customer expectations. He is a motivational leader, with exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills. Wen offers project management, business consultation, and technical support for educational webinars and local businesses. He speaks Mandarin and English.

Jill Walters has been writing about workplace diversity for more than 20 years. From 2006 to 2018 she has been publisher of Diversity! in the Workplace, Canada's only online newsletter dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and the producer of The Diversity! Calendar, the only complete, comprehensive, bilingual calendar honouring the workplace and its heroes, and listing hundreds of multi-faith, multicultural and diversity-related holidays, festivals and observances, including explanations. She is also co-author of Diversity and Inclusion on a Budget: How to have a more engaged and innovative workforce with little or no dollars and The No-Nonsense Guide to Workplace Inclusion with Evelina Silveira.

​

​

She was introduced to the topic of diversity back in 1998 as a writer for Workplace Diversity Update. She has also been the principal writer for the syndicated radio series, Canadian Consumer: the Radio Edition with Helen Hutchinson, and producer of the television series, Caregiving with June Callwood.

​

Her company, Quasarts Communications, has written for The Globe & Mail, Canadian Healthcare Manager, The Ottawa Citizen, Comfort Life, Homemakers, DiversityWorks, Maclean's, The Training Report, SOHO, Canadian Business, Prime50 News Journal, MoneySense, Broadcaster/Cablecaster, Toronto Star, Abilities magazine, The Caregiver, the Canadian Bankers Association publication Access and the Children's Mental Health Ontario publication Heads Up.