About Us

We translate strategic vision into effective business plans.

Intergage Consulting Group Inc. was founded in 2005 with the goal of helping our clients see their business in the broader ecosystem and understanding the interconnections that impact the achievement of business strategy.

OUR FOCUS

The notion of “business as usual” has become an anachronism. Planning for tomorrow while taking care of today’s business is a key challenge for leaders. Our fast-paced world requires leaders to constantly innovate, manage knowledge as a resource and keep employees aligned with corporate objectives that can change overnight.

In the public sector, the management challenge is further complicated by the need to balance government and ministerial directives while operating in a broader governance ecosystem that requires renewed models of shared governance, client-centred service delivery; stakeholder and citizen engagement; meeting ethical and accountability standards and building collaborative partnerships to manage complex horizontal issues.

To succeed in this environment, innovation, leveraging technology to disrupt current systems and renewal and modernization must top the management agenda.

Intergage works with senior leaders to envision a new future that can require both minor adjustments and major program and organizational transformations.

Our team will help translate strategic vision into effective business plans. Together we align people with business objectives and provide guidance to help organizations deal effectively with current and future management and governance challenges.

Jennifer Smith, President

Jennifer brings to her work over 20 years of consulting experience and has a unique combination of skills that range from strategic planning, organizational renewal, transformation and change management, HR and talent management, organizational assessment including audit and evaluation and measuring results and reporting on performance. Her expertise spans the public, not-for-profit and private sectors with an in-depth experience and understanding of the requirements and challenges of operating in a public-sector environment.

She has a wealth of experience in working with and coaching senior leadership teams in planning for the future and dealing with change in a timely and holistic way; engaging stakeholders at all levels of the organization and externally to inform transformations; and monitoring and reporting on results. Jennifer is a strong believer in the philosophy that “employees support what they help to create” and grounds her change management approach in both the critical work of John Kotter in helping organizations effectively manage and accelerate change and Prosci’s ADKAR model of individual change and capacity development. She has extensive experience consulting with and engaging key stakeholders, employees and unions to inform decision-making and provide input to renewal and business/organizational transformation initiatives. She is a recognized expert in group facilitation.

Jennifer holds a Master of Arts, Public Administration from Carleton University. She is a Certified Management Consultant and Credentialed Evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society.

“At Intergage we are driven to go beyond our client’s expectations and provide solutions that tailored made and to transfer our knowledge and expertise to build capacity within your organization. As a leader, I am driven to help our clients reimagine what could be and to take the necessary steps towards realizing that vision.”

Jennifer Smith

INTERGAGE CONSULTING GROUP

A team tailored to meet your specific requirements.

Intergage Consulting Group’s advantage is in the people we bring to the job. Our staff and network of associates are experienced at helping organizations reach a revitalized future. Our approach is both practical and unique.

Carmen Abela, Associate

Carmen is the Managing Director at WindReach Consulting Services Inc. and has over 15 years of experience in the fields of governance, internal audit, risk and performance management. In addition to holding a Masters degree in Public Administration, she is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and holds a professional designation in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA).

Carmen has a great depth of experience in designing and implementing methods and practices necessary for good public administration and governance. This is matched by the breadth of her client base that extends across government: her clients include senior leaders across all sectors of government, including policy and regulatory departments, complex operational organizations and central agencies. A trained and bilingual facilitator, Carmen’s experience in leading complex consultations with senior management, up to and including Deputy Heads and Audit Committees is considerable.

As part of her commitment to her profession, Carmen volunteers extensively for the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). She is currently the Senior Vice Chair of the Canadian Board of Directors of the IIA and sits on the Global Ethics Committee.

Alan Winberg, Associate

Alan began his consulting practice in 2007, after 30 distinguished years of service in the federal government of Canada. His career includes over 13 years as an Assistant Deputy Minister, including assignments within Canada’s Treasury Board where he held responsibilities for TB policies and guidelines, and oversight of all federal departments and agencies with regard to Socio-Economic Impact Analysis, Program Evaluation, Performance Measurement, and Cost-Benefit Analysis. Alan holds a Credentialed Evaluator certification from the Canadian Evaluation Society.

Alan Winberg has over 40 years’ experience managing change management initiatives, providing advice to top management and elected officials, and conducting and managing organizational effectiveness studies, economic analyses, program evaluations, strategic planning initiatives, performance measurement strategies, and risk management studies. He has been consulting to government clients in these areas on a continuous and unbroken basis since 2007.

Julia Aitken, Senior Consultant

As a Senior Consultant, Julia has over 15 years of professional experience in a number of roles including research, consultation, project management, data synthesis and analysis, report writing, support and administration. During this time, Julia has developed an expertise in the area of evaluation, review and organizational assessment as well as strategic human resources and change management through her involvement on numerous projects for both the federal and provincial governments which included the analysis and synthesis of data collected through a wide-range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies including: literature and document reviews, key informant interviews, focus group consultations, surveys, case studies and best practices reviews.

In support of these methodologies, Julia has experience in the preparation of project planning documents, data collection protocols including interview and focus group guides and communications, surveys, evidence matrices and reports as well as materials and learning tools for end-users (e.g. toolkits). She also has experience in performance measurement including the development of performance monitoring frameworks including key performance and outcome indicators and logic models, and business transformation including the development of business/service models.

Julia has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Ottawa.

Denys Vermette, Associate

Denys has over thirty-five (35) years of experience in the federal public service acquired in various departments, separate employers, a central agency, and a crown corporation. He occupied positions at all EX levels up to and including the EX-05 equivalent level for nineteen (19) years and served twice in the role of Vice-President of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Vermette has a long and successful track record of providing Human Resources advice and services to employees and to all levels of Management including up to the Deputy Minister level. Prior to tenures as Vice-President, Mr. Vermette occupied the positions of Director and Director General of Human Resources in two (2) different organizations.

Since his retirement in 2010, Mr. Vermette has obtained his coaching certification from the Certified Coaches Federation (CCF) and has coached a broad spectrum of over 300 executives and senior staff from approximately twenty-five (25) departments and agencies including GAC. Because of his vast experience in Human Resources, executive level management experience, and coaching experience, Mr. Vermette is particularly well qualified to offer advisory and coaching services to the clients.

Collin Reaney, Associate

Collin Reaney is a Senior Associate with Intergage and a change management consultant specializing in strategic planning, the management ofchange, business transformation and coaching of leadership through the change process. Since 1989, he has specialized in analyzing management processes, tracking changes and developing innovative improvement strategies (including business development, human resource development, marketing, service delivery and communication strategies) for his clients. Collin has conducted extensive research and written about business transformation, management training and information needs for the public sector and in the small business and retail sectors.

Collin has led a number of change initiatives in the public and private sectors including a large global accountability and change process for United Nations agencies with multiple stakeholders and complex mandates. He has designed and delivered training and leadership development programs in policy, regulation, public and employee engagement and leadership. Collin has led numerous situational analysis, strategic planning, performance improvements and risk assessment for numerous federal departments and crown corporations; as well as program and policy improvement focused on small business and multiple business sectors, retail, mining, oil and gas, etc.

Collin holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration in Business Government Relations from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Suzanne Ellenbogen, Associate

Suzanne has run her own consulting business specializing in the public sector for over eighteen years. Suzanne specializes in human resources/organizational development, change management, policy, program review, strategic planning, governance structures, jurisdictional reviews and research. She has worked in many different sectors, from central agencies to the social services and to industry sector groups. Suzanne has worked in Canada and internationally. Recent examples of assignments, primarily within the last five years, include the following. Suzanne is accredited as a Certified Management Consultant (CAMC).

Specialties: Alternative service delivery; benchmarking & performance measurement; business continuity planning; change management; consultation strategy & delivery; human resources/organizational development; training needs analysis; business, strategic & operational planning & reporting; policy development, formulation & analysis; program design & evaluation; project management; facilitation; proposal writing, research & analysis; survey design and training design.

Thomas K. Gussman, Associate

Tom was educated as an economist at the University of British Columbia (BA, MA) and at the University of California, Los Angeles (Ph.D. studies). He spent 14 years in the federal Public Service, working as an economist first at Statistics Canada, then the National Energy Board and lastly with Consumer and Corporate Affairs for almost a decade. His work moved from estimating Real Domestic Product for the national accounts to cost-benefit analysis to policy analysis and federal-provincial consultations at Consumer and Corporate Affairs. In that department, he managed several key legislative initiatives, including the modernization of bankruptcy legislation and the development of the initial Lobbyists Registration Act.

Tom has a strong background in statistical and quantitative analysis and has taken a lead role in methodological and sampling design for many of the research projects conducted under his supervision.

Since entering the consulting field in 1988, he has developed an expertise in public sector accountability; integrated risk management; complex report writing: performance measurement frameworks. He is also President, T.K. Gussman Associates Inc.

Paul Migus, Associate

Paul is currently President, LGT Executive Performance Inc., Retired Assistant Deputy Minister with the government of Canada. He has been a management consultant since 2007 specializing in executive performance in the public (international, federal, provincial, municipal) and not for profit sectors. Areas of experience include: strategic leadership advice, service transformation, strategic portfolio management, and senior executive change leadership.

Specialties: Subject matter expertise in areas such as: social security and pensions, financial transfer payments, service delivery transformation, shared corporate services, regulatory governance, real property, business- technology interfaces.

Project expertise: Coaching, Management, Training, Change Management, Strategy, Project Management, Business Development, Team Leadership, Analysis, Business Planning, Investments, Public Relations, Governance, Program Management, Leadership Development, Leadership, Team Building.

Dean Pallen, Associate

Dean has a Masters in Community Development from Carleton University, specialization in environmental issues and an Honours Degree Economics and Political Philosophy: University of Western.

Dean has over 20 years experience in designing and implementing project and programme activity. From this broad experience he has developed related skills as an evaluator, trainer, writer, researcher and policy analyst. He has conducted evaluations for the Canadian, British and Danish Governments, the United Nations, IDRC, AUCC and various Canadian universities. Dean has acted as an technical advisor for the Canadian, British and American Governments, and the United Nations. He has written a number of publications related to approaches to manage the environmental impacts of small scale development activity such as micro and small enterprises. He has extensive experience in the area of climate change carrying out assignments such as the evaluation of the European Union’s Global Climate Change Alliance. In fact, Dean has extensive experience as an evaluator able to employ a wide range of quantitative and qualitative techniques. He also extensive experience in the area managing the environmental impacts of small scale enterprises. Dean is multilingual (English, French and Spanish) and has extensive experience working in multi-stakeholder contexts acting in various advisory roles. He has worked for such NGOs as the MEDA and the Aga Khan Foundation.

He has written internationally renowned publications like the Environmental Sourcebook for Micro Finance Institutions, Environmental Assessment Manual for Community Development Projects and Reinventing the City the Role of Small Scale Enterprise that have helped to establish performance measurement frameworks for small scale projects and entrepreneurial activity in developing countries. In this regard, Dean has overseen the development and testing of new and innovative methodologies for measuring and evaluating the environmental impacts of small scale entrepreneurial activity.

Ian Sadinsky, Associate

Ian Sadinsky has worked for more than three decades in the public and private sectors, specializing in public policy, strategic planning and communications. Ian is an expert in writing and editing major reports for government and the private sector. His forte is taking complex information and transforming it into readable material.

He also provides training in various communications skills, including speech writing, presentations and plain language writing.

Sandra Zagon, Senior Associate

Sandra is a senior level consultant with experience in public engagement. She encourages informed participation in decision making by citizens, stakeholders, communities, through dialogue and deliberation.

She has expertise in citizen engagement, public involvement, collaboration, conflict resolution, stakeholder/customer/client relations.

Contact us today to request a free consultation.