Cynthia Donahue

Cynthia is results-driven leader who is passionate about partnering with leadership teams for better people and business outcomes. She has over 15 years of experience with a proven track record leading teams in HR Business Partnering, Learning and Organizational Development, Business Integrity/Ethics and Equity Diversity and Inclusion.

In her current role as Director, Inclusion and Equity, she leads equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, and ethics and business integrity at Laurentian Bank. Previously, Cynthia held various leadership roles. As the Director of HR Business Partnering and Learning and Development at AlayaCare, a high-growth tech company, she led teams to implement best practice, transforming the company’s HR practices.

In her role as Global HR Business Partner at Maples Fund Services, she was a strategic partner for the executive leadership team and supported the global transformation of the fund services business. Prior to this, she was Vice-President, HR Business Partner at BNP Paribas, where she led the strategic transformation of the HR Business Partnering function in Canada.

A high-impact collaborator, she works transversally and is known to breakdown silos and drive results. She takes a strengths-based approach to leading and engaging her teams.

Cynthia has both a Bachelor and a Master’s degree in Industrial Relations. She is continues to expand her learning and skillset, and has completed an Executive Certificate in Conflict Management, and courses in leadership, design thinking, and diversity and inclusion.

Active in her community, Cynthia is a Board member of the Refuge des jeunes the Montreal, an organization supporting homeless young men. Prior to this, she was a volunteer community mediator for several years.