FOUNDER
Heather L. MacKenzie, B.A. (Hons.), LL.B.
Heather is originally from Montreal and grew up in Vancouver where she now lives with her family. She graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) from the University of British Columbia and obtained her law degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1992.
A member of the Law Society of British Columbia and the Canadian Bar Association since 1992, as well as a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, Heather practiced law with a prominent Vancouver firm for several years as a civil litigator specializing in employment law, insurance law, and human rights issues including harassment/discrimination. Heather also has extensive experience in the areas of risk management, policy development, negotiation, and mediation.
After a number of years as a litigator, primarily defending organizations when matters went to court, she decided there had to be a better way to deal with employment issues - proactively.
Heather founded The Integrity Group in 1996 and her busy practice continues in the field of human rights law and policy development, working since its inception as a neutral, third-party investigator, trainer, consultant, and mediator. Heather assists employers (both union and non-union) in all industries and sectors, to help them create and maintain workplaces that are free from harassment, discrimination, workplace bullying, and violence. Heather has provided training to a broad cross-section of employers and employees throughout Canada and the U.S. Heather has developed special expertise in the field of workplace bullying and in providing workplace conflict assessments, repairing dysfunctional corporate relationships and restoring productivity to her clients' businesses. She is known as an excellent presenter who has a terrific style and sense of humour - delivering practical information which is applicable in each unique workplace.
Heather has been called upon to speak at a number of legal and human rights conferences and events throughout North America, and is universally regarded as one of the most effective and dynamic workshop facilitators. She is also an accredited ombudsperson through the International Ombudsman Association. She is also a regular columnist for the Globe and Mail Report on Business ("Nine To Five").
Heather has been actively involved in a number of community and volunteer activities for many years, particularly those focusing on improving the lives of persons with disabilities and youth at risk. Through her work as co-founder of the Federally-registered, not-for-profit The Cinderella Project, Heather was the recipient of the YMCA Woman if Distinction Award (2016), YWCA’s Power of Peace Award (2007) as well as the Association of Neighbourhood Houses Good Neighbours Award (2005). Heather was also honoured as a finalist in Flare Magazine’s Volunteer of the Year Award, as well as for the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Award (Social Action category, 2005) and the 2013 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. Heather has also served as Vice-Chair for the North Shore Advisory Committee on Disability Issues, providing guidance to Mayors and Councils on a host of disability-related issues in the community, and currently sits on the National Governance Committee and the National Board of Directors for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
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