Experience

• 

  Gerva law firm

  Jan 2005 - Nov 2006

  Lawyer

  GERVA Law Firm was a law firm of general practice that encompassed a broad range of areas such as consumer, labor, civil and commercial law and served specifically small businesses.• Attracted and retained new clients and managed their cases• Provided legal advice to small businesses and also carried out civil and labor hearings• Implemented preventive plans in lawsuits and developed credit recovery actions

• 

  J.g. assis de almeida - sociedade de advogados

  Dec 2006 - Apr 2008

  Staff lawyer

  J.G. Assis de Almeida LLP is a boutique law firm specialized in commercial, civil and labor law that provides support to corporations in South America and Europe.• Prepared and analysed commercial contracts, business plans and business strategies. • Planned and executed the budget process cycles.• Carried out weekly civil hearings and oral arguments in the Regional Labor Court and Small Claim Court.• Directed and managed daily operational aspects of the office in São Paulo.• Created standardized methodology for new and existing cases. Show less

• 

  Bradesco

  May 2007 - Jun 2008

  Instructor (contract law and consumer law)

  Bradesco Foundation Bank is a charitable, private and non-profit institution created with the objective of providing education and professionalization to young people and adults.• Coached and mentored teams in the fields of leadership and compliance through workshops about leadership, business development and strategy.• Developed educational materials and courses on display in consumer and business law to groups of employees with up to 40 participants each.

• 

  Peppe e bonavita advogados

  Aug 2008 - Dec 2010

  Staff lawyer

  Bonavita, Lara & Mendes LLP is a boutique law firm specialized in matters of corporate interest.• Practiced business, employment and civil law, analyzed commercial contracts for companies from various sectors of economic activity, and represented clients before tribunals and courts.• Attracted and retained clients in need of strong business acumen and solid expertise in executive briefings and assisted them in identifying and exploring business opportunities.• Negotiated impactful and complex deals in commercial, civil and labor matters which included strategic planning, risk mitigation, growth, compliance and governance issues.• Maintained a robust and growing network of contacts in the legal industry, participated in education events on behalf of the office, trained and supervised articling students. Show less

• 

  Puma

  Dec 2010 - Dec 2011

  Legal counsel

  PUMA Sports is a German multinational corporation that designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel and accessories. • Engaged with senior officers in decisions with potential risk exposure to the operation to uncover opportunities within the company, existing clients, and prospect projects.• Championed to the industry standards, led the Counterfeit Goods Seizure Project and liaised with regulatory and governmental bodies in South America to educate and equip their staff. • Represented the company before PWC in auditing assignments and in local and international conferences, especially at the 2011 WFSGI Footwear Stakeholder Conference, lobbying with counterparts in Asia.• Designed and implemented strategies to improve the relationship with other sportswear brands, built solid and positive partnerships, and coordinated board meetings aiming to drive a culture of pursuing common business interests. Show less

• 

  Npdcls (legal aid ontario)

  Feb 2012 - Jun 2023

  NPDCLS is a non-profit community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario that provides legal advice to people in Brampton, Caledon and Dufferin County.• Oversaw the management of the largest area in the office, represented clients on a weekly basis before the Social Benefits Tribunal, train and supervised the performance and productivity of staff and volunteers.• Drove partner management in Peel Region to develop goals and create policies towards efficiency and community empowerment which made the office a reference in innovation in the Southwest region.• Prepared and presented reports to the Board of Directors in annual general meetings, interacting with the decision-making body and answering questions pertaining to the management and workflow of the office.• Facilitated workshops about leadership at Sheridan and Humber College with the intent to promote the office and gave students a first-hand experience in social justice and community responsibility. Show less • Prepared and presented reports to the Board of Directors in annual general meetings, interacting with the decision-making body and answering question pertaining to the management and workflow of the office.• Facilitated workshops about leadership at Sheridan and Humber College with the intent to promote the office and give students a first-hand experience of social justice and community responsibility.• Managed the largest area in the office with over three hundred cases per year, hired, trained and supervised staff and volunteers, their performance and productivity and created policies, templates and protocols for the ODSP Project making the office a reference in innovation in the Southwest region. Show less

  • Senior Legal Advisor

    Aug 2015 - Jun 2023

  • Case Manager & Strategist

    Feb 2012 - Jul 2015
• 

  Sheridan college

  Jan 2013 - Oct 2019

  Faculty lecturer

  Conducted leadership workshops to provide students with hands-on exposure to social justice and community responsibility.

• 

  Humber college

  Jan 2013 - Oct 2019

  Faculty lecturer

  Conducted leadership workshops to provide students with hands-on exposure to social justice and community responsibility.

• 

  Grillone, bekiaris llp

  Apr 2014 - May 2014

  Paralegal (internship)

  Internship in a personal injury law firm.• Assisted lawyers and paralegals in proceedings, meetings and interviews with clients.

• 

  Gerva academy - school of business

  Jan 2015 - Jul 2023

  Executive director

  Gerva Academy School of Business is a consulting company specialized in sustainable governance.• Assisted professionals and organizations interested in initiating, revamping or expanding business operations.• Advised organizations on strategies regarding design thinking, profit increase, process improvement, value creation, and sustainable business growth. • Mentored executives and entrepreneurs in one-on-one and group settings on high performance, leadership and change management.• Developed and led seminars and webinars to traders about business strategies, partnership engagement, customer experience, and innovation.• Guided organizations in social impact initiatives. Show less

• 

  Toronto metropolitan university

  Aug 2015 - Aug 2019

  Mentor

  Guidance on the implementation of career strategies.• Advised, supported and guided students with their transition from Ryerson University into career-related employment upon graduation

• 

  City of toronto

  Aug 2016 - Jan 2018

  Business mentor

  Guidance on the implementation of business strategies.• Support to overcome challenges during the business launch/expansion• Additional skills and resources needed to operate a successful company

• 

  Mount forest chamber

  Apr 2018 - Jul 2020

  Director

  Member of the Board of Directors.• Recruit staff, provide direction, present results at the AGM and identified new business opportunities.

• 

  Endeavour consulting for non-profits

  Nov 2022 - Nov 2023

  Vice president, volunteer experience

  Endeavour Consulting for Non-Profits is a Canadian charity that provides management consulting to improve organizational capacity and community impact for non-profits. · Leveraged knowledge and relationships to identify and support innovative partnerships, programs, and/or initiatives to strengthen volunteer experience.· Contributed to organizational sustainability through actively participating in initiatives such as the Corporate Portal and working with the Director of Evaluation to evaluate training program outcomes and feedback.· Designed the volunteer experience for Endeavour, with a special focus on the Board of Directors and internal staff. Show less

• 

  Toronto business development centre

  Jul 2023 - Nov 2023

  Director, oinp-esi project (contract)

  Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) is the bridge between entrepreneurs and Ontario’s government resources, industry leaders, and investors that drive the business ecosystem and economic investment and innovation in Ontario.· Planned and executed the milestones and quality of deliverables of the project.· Supported an effective relationship with key stakeholders, both in the government and in the innovation community. · Reported project outcomes and/or risks to the appropriate management channels as needed, escalating issues as necessary based on project work plans.· Worked with local and international teams to execute a regional-focused strategy to ensure effective domestic partnerships are formed and maintained.· Led the team (5 reports) including business development, marketing, partnerships, and client management. Show less

• 

  Cambrian college

  Jan 2024 - now

  Professor of business

  Cambrian College is a college of applied arts and technology in Greater Sudbury, Ontario.• Design and deliver programs aimed at aiding students in exploring fundamental legal principles essential for businesses planning global expansion.• Develop content that cover issues such as legal startup requirements for Canadian business going global, importing, exporting, and global supply chain management.

• 

  Futureworx

  Jun 2024 - now

  Director, client services

  Futureworx Society is an innovative organization that delivers employment and skills development services in every county of Nova Scotia and every Canadian province and works with partners across the country and around the globe.• Maintain external and internal relationships with all stakeholders and support the implementation of a public relations/communications strategy related to operations.• Ensure that financial and physical resources related to Futureworx programs and products contracts are managed in an efficient and effective manner for budgets exceeding $2M+ annually.• Provide leadership to operational & program managers (4+), and oversee associated staff teams (20+), motivating them to follow methodologies and policies to ensure excellence is achieved in program and service delivery. Show less