Fractional CHROs in Toronto Making Things Happen in 2025

Toronto Interim Chief People Officers to Know

Toronto’s business landscape is bold, diverse, and scaling fast. From AI startups and fintech challengers to public institutions and nonprofit accelerators, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is home to companies that are rethinking how work gets done—and that means rethinking how executive leadership is structured.

At Digital Reference, we’re seeing a powerful shift: more companies across Toronto are turning to fractional CHROs and Chief People Officers (CPOs) to drive strategic alignment between people, purpose, and performance. These leaders bring deep experience, flexible scope, and trusted insights—without the delay (or cost) of a full-time hire.

Some run solo firms. Some are executive advisors. All are embedded, strategic operators who help founders, boards, and leadership teams lead with clarity—especially in moments of growth or transformation.

How We Select Fractional CHROs for Toronto

Our methodology at Digital Reference is designed for quality, not quantity. We highlight professionals who:

• Are actively working in the Greater Toronto Area or serve clients locally
  
• Self-identify as fractional, interim, or embedded Chief People Officers or CHROs
  
• Have public-facing credibility (via LinkedIn or company websites)
  
• Demonstrate real-world experience in high-growth, mission-driven, or complex organizations
  
• Are known for bringing repeatable results and reputation-based referrals
  

We’re not just listing talent—we’re elevating verified professionals shaping the modern C-suite.

Featured Fractional CHROs in Toronto

Kelly Glass

Fractional CHRO & Inclusive Workplace Strategist
🔗 LinkedIn

Kelly Glass is a values-first HR leader who brings a deeply strategic and equity-centered approach to organizational transformation. With extensive experience working with mission-driven organizations, Kelly has made a name for herself as a trusted fractional CHRO across nonprofit, government, and community-led sectors. Her work emphasizes inclusive leadership development, psychological safety, and systems-level change.

✨ What sets Kelly apart:

• 🌱 Deep expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) frameworks
• 💡 Guidance on trauma-informed leadership and wellbeing-based HR
• 🛠️ Experience facilitating transformation across grassroots and institutional organizations

Whether guiding a startup on people ops or helping a nonprofit rethink its performance frameworks, Kelly creates HR systems that are human-centered and high-impact.

Shalini Phillips

Founder, The Fractional CHRO
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

With two decades of HR experience under her belt, Shalini Phillips helps Canadian SMEs unlock scalable HR strategy without the cost of a full-time hire. As founder of The Fractional CHRO, she’s known for blending policy precision with leadership coaching—helping businesses not only stay compliant but also thrive.

✨ What sets Shalini apart:

• 📊 Offers tiered fractional HR packages for early-stage companies
• 🧭 Specializes in HR transformation for scaling startups and family-owned businesses
• 🎓 Known for leadership coaching that bridges tactical and emotional intelligence

Her impact extends beyond individual clients—Shalini is also a thought leader in the fractional talent space, sharing insights with the broader Canadian business community.

Brenda Schacht

HR Executive | Board Advisor | People Strategist
🔗 LinkedIn

Brenda Schacht is a seasoned CHRO who has held senior HR roles at iconic brands and is now bringing that enterprise-level excellence to smaller companies through fractional leadership. Her approach is grounded in business acumen, change management, and mentorship.

✨ What sets Brenda apart:

• 🧩 Deep background in mergers, acquisitions, and organizational restructuring
• 💬 Trusted voice for boards navigating executive transitions
• 📈 Helps founder-led companies operationalize HR in their scale-up journey

Brenda has a reputation for balancing strategy and empathy, guiding leadership teams through growth without sacrificing culture.

Reene Mehta

Founder & Principal, HR Partners Inc.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

As the driving force behind HR Partners Inc., Reene Mehta is committed to building HR systems that are as strategic as they are scalable. With a background in organizational development and HR compliance, she’s become a go-to fractional leader for fast-growing companies in need of structure.

✨ What sets Reene apart:

• 📂 Brings decades of experience across sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare
• 🛡️ Offers robust employment law and HR audit services
• 🔄 Helps clients align people strategy with business transformation goals

Clients love her no-fluff approach: Reene is solutions-focused, candid, and laser-aligned with long-term impact.

Adriana Scali

Founder & HR Partner, Link HR
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Adriana Scali blends business consulting with people-first HR solutions. Her firm, Link HR, supports growing companies across Ontario with everything from policy implementation to leadership development. She acts as an embedded HR executive, ensuring alignment at every level.

✨ What sets Adriana apart:

• 🧭 Focuses on proactive HR strategies for scaling companies
• 🔍 Supports DEI alignment and executive coaching
• 📋 Experienced in creating compliant frameworks and job architecture

Her talent for simplifying complexity has made her a favorite among lean teams navigating change.

Anna Petosa

People & Culture Leader | Fractional CHRO
🔗 LinkedIn

Known for her work scaling media companies and fast-moving tech firms, Anna Petosa is a trusted partner for founders ready to professionalize their people practices. She brings strong operational acumen to HR, along with a deep belief in values alignment.

✨ What sets Anna apart:

• 📦 Background in startup environments and fast-paced industries
• 🧭 Expertise in employee experience, engagement, and internal communications
• 🔧 Skilled at building people infrastructure from the ground up

Anna knows how to scale without sacrificing soul.

Alison Hemmings

Founder, Hemmings HR
🔗 LinkedIn

As the founder of Hemmings HR, Alison Hemmings is all about accessible HR excellence. Her work spans recruitment, retention, and compliance, and she’s particularly skilled at serving small businesses and nonprofits who are new to structured HR.

✨ What sets Alison apart:

• 👥 Specializes in people strategy for under-resourced teams
• 📚 Builds HR playbooks that demystify compliance and employee relations
• 🎯 Passionate about creating equitable, sustainable HR systems

Her approachable style makes her a beloved partner to purpose-driven companies.

Kaitlin Sandor-Kerr

Founder, Support Panda
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

Kaitlin is the brain behind Support Panda, a boutique firm offering strategic HR and operations support. With experience across tech, retail, and service-based businesses, she understands the balancing act of small business leadership—and builds HR structures that actually help.

✨ What sets Kaitlin apart:

• 🐼 Offers flexible, fractional HR support for small teams
• 📊 Combines tech implementation with people strategy
• 🧠 Known for mental health advocacy and workplace wellness programs

Her work is compassionate, practical, and built for modern workplaces.

Marieta Mendoza

Principal, MetaHR
🔗 LinkedIn | Website

With a warm yet direct approach, Marieta Mendoza has helped dozens of Canadian organizations untangle complex people challenges. She’s the founder of MetaHR, a consultancy that supports values-driven organizations across Toronto and beyond.

✨ What sets Marieta apart:

• 🧩 Combines business strategy with trauma-informed HR
• 🛠️ Offers policy development, investigations, and strategic planning
• 💬 Fluent in the language of founder dynamics and mission alignment

Marieta is especially known for her ability to bring clarity and calm to high-stakes situations.

Gord MacDonald

Fractional CHRO | Talent & Culture Architect
🔗 LinkedIn

Gord MacDonald brings enterprise-level insight to startups, scale-ups, and mission-led ventures. With decades of experience in financial services, he now partners with executive teams as a fractional CHRO, offering both governance savvy and culture-building expertise.

✨ What sets Gord apart:

• 🧠 Extensive experience in board relations and succession planning
• 🔄 Skilled in change management and organizational alignment
• 🛡️ Offers strong support in HR risk mitigation and performance structures

He’s a builder, a fixer, and a strategic thought partner.

Why Toronto Is a Magnet for Fractional People Leaders

Toronto has long been a global talent hub. But what’s changing is how that talent is deployed. Companies here are getting sharper about executive hiring—and more creative in how they access senior leadership.

Fractional CHROs are showing up in key moments, including:

• 💸 Post-funding growth where culture needs to scale with headcount
  
• 🔄 Founder fatigue, where leaders need operational backup on all things people
  
• 🧱 Infrastructure gaps (e.g., lack of HR systems, undefined policies, compliance needs)
  
• 🤝 M&A activity or investor reporting that demands strategic HR fluency
  
• 🌎 DEI and ESG initiatives requiring guidance with depth and care
  

These aren’t tactical HR hires—they’re strategic thought partners who build trust fast and help teams make smart people decisions.

Toronto Use Cases: When to Bring in a Fractional CHRO

🧭 Pre- or post-Series A/B funding: Build people infrastructure before pain points hit
🏢 Professionalizing culture: Move from “vibes” to values-based performance
💼 Post-acquisition integration: Navigate multiple teams, systems, and norms
📉 Burnout risk or team misalignment: Bring in strategic support and clarity
🔎 Preparing for compliance and scale: Get HR maturity without full-time bloat

A great fractional CPO can help you build your HR foundation now—so your full-time people leader can scale it later.

Why Reputation > Resume in Fractional Hiring

We say it often at Digital Reference: what others say about your work matters more than what you say about yourself.

In a fractional world—where trust is the product and time is limited—reputation is everything. That’s why our platform prioritizes reference-backed professionals, not just polished profiles.

The CHROs featured here aren’t just experienced. They’re endorsed, referred, and trusted.

Related Resources on Digital Reference

Dig deeper into the rise of fractional executives and how to use them well:

📘 How to Hire a Fractional Executive
A practical guide for founders and operators navigating interim leadership.

📍 The Importance of Professional References
Explore why third-party credibility is more critical than ever in today’s trust-driven hiring market.

📘 Collecting Professional References: The Dos and Don’ts
References are often the make-or-break element of your next opportunity. Yet many professionals still treat the reference process as an afterthought or, worse, scramble to collect them last minute.

📗 The Talent Ecosystem: Why Fractional Operators Are Reshaping the C-Suite
Explore the structural shifts behind the rise of fractional leadership and what it means for your next hire.

Final Thought: Toronto’s People Leadership Playbook Is Changing

You don’t need to hire a full-time CHRO to get full-scale people strategy. Toronto’s fractional executives are proving that you can have high-context, high-impact leadership—without a long hiring cycle or full-time headcount.

Whether you’re navigating headcount growth, team resets, or founder fatigue, the fractional CPO is one of the smartest hires you can make.

Kelly, Shalini, Brenda, and Reene are already helping organizations across the GTA lead with purpose, clarity, and heart.

They’re not just consultants. They’re partners in building better companies—and they’re making things happen.

✅ Check Out Our Local Directories of Fractional CHROs & Interim Chief People Officers by City

This resource highlights city-specific guides to some of the most impactful interim and fractional Chief People Officers across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Each directory offers a look into the unique business culture of the region and the leaders driving people strategy forward.

• Atlanta
  Fractional CHROs in Atlanta Making Things Happen
  Atlanta’s talent leaders are shaping diverse, tech-forward workplaces in a city that’s become a magnet for startups, logistics firms, and entertainment enterprises. Fractional CHROs here are experts at managing rapid growth and culture change.

• Chicago
  Fractional CHROs in Chicago Making Things Happen
  In this powerhouse of industry and innovation, Chicago’s fractional CHROs help organizations scale intentionally—blending legacy systems with modern people practices in finance, healthcare, logistics, and tech.

• Columbus
  Fractional CHROs in Columbus Making Things Happen
  Columbus combines Midwestern values with high-growth potential, and its interim people leaders bring strategic clarity to fast-growing startups, educational institutions, and service-sector employers.

• Denver
  Fractional CHROs in Denver Making Things Happen
  Known for its entrepreneurial spirit and wellness-driven culture, Denver is home to CHROs who specialize in building values-aligned teams and sustainable HR infrastructures for growing businesses.

• Detroit
  Fractional CHROs in Detroit Making Things Happen
  In the heart of the Midwest’s manufacturing revival, Detroit’s people leaders are reinventing what workforce strategy looks like across automotive, tech, and nonprofit sectors.

• Houston
  Fractional CHROs in Houston Making Things Happen
  Energy, healthcare, and logistics dominate Houston’s economy, and the city’s CHROs are uniquely equipped to address complex compliance needs and workforce transformations.

• Indianapolis
  Fractional CHROs in Indianapolis Making Things Happen
  As Indianapolis grows into a regional tech and biotech hub, its interim HR leaders are guiding companies through strategic hiring, leadership development, and HR tech implementation.

• Jacksonville
  Fractional CHROs in Jacksonville Making Things Happen
  Jacksonville’s fractional CHROs serve fast-growing industries like finance, logistics, and healthcare—offering guidance on culture-building, operational scale, and remote workforce policy.

• Las Vegas
  Fractional CHROs in Las Vegas Making Things Happen
  Beyond hospitality, Vegas is growing its footprint in tech and healthcare—and its HR consultants are ushering in next-gen talent strategies in industries that rely on high performance and adaptability.

• Los Angeles
  Fractional CHROs in Los Angeles Making Things Happen
  In this entertainment and startup capital, LA’s CHROs specialize in hybrid teams, talent branding, and aligning creative and corporate cultures under fast-paced conditions.

• London
  Fractional CHROs in London Making Things Happen
  London’s fractional HR leaders support multinationals and scaleups across finance, fintech, and creative industries—navigating global labor trends and cross-border compliance with precision.

• Miami
  Fractional CHROs in Miami Making Things Happen
  Miami is a rising tech and finance hotspot with a diverse workforce—and its interim people leaders are fluent in multicultural management, bilingual team dynamics, and global HR systems.

• Naples
  Fractional CHROs in Naples Making Things Happen
  In Naples, fractional HR leaders help small to midsize companies and family-owned businesses build professionalized systems without compromising close-knit cultures.

• New York City
  Fractional CHROs in New York City Making Things Happen
  From Wall Street to SoHo startups, NYC’s fractional CHROs are masters of navigating complexity—balancing regulation, rapid scaling, and inclusive leadership in high-pressure industries.

• Orlando
  Fractional CHROs in Orlando Making Things Happen
  Tourism, healthcare, and education anchor Orlando’s economy—and its CHROs provide high-touch leadership solutions that prioritize retention, well-being, and frontline empowerment.

• Phoenix
  Fractional CHROs in Phoenix Making Things Happen
  Phoenix is booming in construction, healthcare, and tech—and local CHROs are helping businesses mature people operations while retaining agility in competitive labor markets.

• Raleigh
  Fractional CHROs in Raleigh Making Things Happen
  As part of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is home to biotech, education, and tech talent—and its HR leaders are supporting scaleups with science-backed people strategies.

• Salt Lake City
  Fractional CHROs in Salt Lake City Making Things Happen
  SLC combines entrepreneurial energy with deep-rooted values, and its fractional CHROs offer people solutions that honor both innovation and integrity.

• San Diego
  Fractional CHROs in San Diego Making Things Happen
  Life sciences, defense, and tourism converge in San Diego—where fractional CHROs are helping companies adapt to hybrid work and global growth strategies.

• Seattle
  Fractional CHROs in Seattle Making Things Happen
  Seattle’s HR experts are key players in navigating tech sector challenges—from layoffs to equity planning to scaling culture across global engineering teams.

• St. Louis
  Fractional CHROs in St. Louis Making Things Happen
  This Midwestern city is home to major employers in healthcare, finance, and manufacturing—and its fractional CHROs support operational resilience and inclusive workforce planning.

• Washington, DC
  Fractional CHROs in Washington DC Making Things Happen
  In the nation’s capital, people leaders serve nonprofits, associations, and purpose-driven orgs—providing strategic clarity and DEI leadership in highly regulated environments.

‍