ABOUT US

Why We Exist and Our Team

THRIVING TEAMS — EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS

INTERCONNECTED INDEPENDENCE

OUR STORY

In the last quarter-century, the concept of “teamwork” at work has exploded as a business phenomenon. Businesses everywhere have climbed aboard the “build great teams” bandwagon. Unfortunately, at the core of this thinking is an underlying assumption that each of us automatically knows what to do and how to act in our team roles. In reality, however, most of us don’t fully understand our impact on the team, or the impact the team has on us.

Today’s companies produce fewer widgets and more services, relying heavily on the fruits of intellectual capital. A relentless push for innovation requires us to invent things that don’t currently exist, in a creative process that demands we make the most of our individual creativity while spring-boarding from the creativity of others.

Meanwhile, the globalization of businesses has created more diffused and “virtual” teams unlikely to occupy the same physical workspace, providing even less opportunity for organic team cohesion, and amplifying some of the underlying team misunderstandings, behaviors and inefficiencies. This creates the potential for greater team disconnection and increased worker silos, leaving teams facing growing disenfranchisement, ineffectiveness and underperformance.

Fortunately, in concepts as old as Aristotle, research is providing greater understanding and direction in what makes “great teams great,” and how to best unlock the full potential of both individuals and teams. Successful businesses are learning that they must actively work to achieve fluidity and a productive team rhythm in this new global workplace.

This deeper understanding of the roles each of us plays on the team, alongside a laser-focus on business priorities and goals creates an “interconnected independence”, the key to today’s high performing teams and sustainable business success.

At Authentic Impact, we have been helping companies achieve interconnected independence for years. Our mission is to help professionals get clear on business priorities, as well as get a handle on their strengths and how to best deploy them for themselves and the team. Through a customized, affordable and simple process, we help shed light on what’s truly important and what can be left behind. As trusted partners, we listen, coach and lead individuals and teams toward achieving their greatest potential, unlocking higher levels of growth and success. We help cut through the noise and distractions that mire down performance and zero in on the right things, so team members feel stronger, more confident, more engaged, more resourceful and, ultimately, more productive. Team leaders feel empowered to manage less and achieve more.

We know the business world is ever-changing, and tomorrow’s demands on teams and team leaders will drive us to another level of growth and understanding. We will happily work with these changing needs to create an ongoing, coherent and positive experience. By being accountable to business objectives, Authentic Impact will provide what’s needed, when it’s needed. Our proven approach is easily implemented and ensures consistent results, every time.

Every team and every team leader is different; every company has different goals and priorities. Our team shares a passion for continuous personal and professional growth and for finding the right solutions for every client. With our focus on leadership development, executive coaching, strategic planning and team dynamics, we can help, no matter what the business world throws at you.

COMMITTED TEAM

Co-Founders

HELEN KAIN

HELEN KAIN is the co-founder of Authentic Impact. and the Founder and CEO of The Coaching House, a Toronto based executive coaching firm. She is an evidence-based coach whose approach is deeply rooted in Positive Psychology, Appreciative Inquiry and brain science.

Helen’s interest in coaching began during her extensive career as an investment professional. A passion for uncovering and understanding her clients’ relationship to money fueled her research into motivation, effective change and human excellence. This focus resulted in long-standing relationships of mutual trust and confirmed her interest in the human side of the investment business.

Prior to launching The Coaching House, Helen was Managing Partner of the Toronto office and an Investment Counsellor/Portfolio Manager in the Private Client area of Phillips Hager & North. She had previously served in similar roles for Sceptre Investment Counsel, Royal Bank Investment Management and predecessor firms. Helen holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is Past-President of the Toronto Society of Financial Analysts.

Helen’s coaching certifications & accreditations include: Certified Professional Co-Active Coach through The Coaches Training Institute, Kolbe Certified™ Specialist, and Crucial Conversations® training. Helen divides her time between Ancaster, Ontario and Cape Cod.

GORDON PARRY

GORDON PARRY is the co-founder of Authentic Impact. He has over 20 years experience working for global organizations in a senior executive capacity. He is also the founder of Aristotle Group, a firm dedicated to leveraging human capital at the individual, group, and organization level.
His corporate experience includes leading the human side of growth through innovation, acquisitions, mergers, spin-offs, and IPOs. Included among his clients and past employers are: First Data Corporation (formerly NYSE: FDC), Western Union, the American Red Cross, and American Express.

Gordon holds a B.S.B.A. in Personnel Administration from the University of Arizona and a MBA from the University of South Dakota. He is also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a Master’s Degree in Applied Positive Psychology. His thesis “Recrafting Work: A Model for Workplace Engagement and Meaning” connects emerging research in applied positive psychology to human capital strategy and practice.

He holds professional certifications in Human Resources (PHR), Compensation (CCP), Benefits (CEBS), and a variety of leadership assessment and development tools including Emergenetics®, Hogan Assessment Systems®, and Emotional Intelligence EQi™ and TESI™. He is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach through The Coaches Training Institute™.

Gordon lives in Omaha, Nebraska.

Our Team

WENDY BENEDICT

Wendy Benedict's Bio

WENDY BENEDICT has over 20 years of experience leading human resources for large public companies. She has also served as a human capital consultant to companies of all sizes, in a variety of industries. The combination of corporate leadership and consulting has given Wendy an exceptionally strong expertise in all areas of human capital management.
Employers and clients have recognized Wendy’s ability to deliver human resource programs and services that are aligned with business goals.
With a focus on leadership effectiveness, organization performance, talent management, executive compensation and transition management, Wendy has held executive level HR roles for Alliance Data Systems, EBI Companies, and First Data Corporation. While at First Data, she was responsible for the transformation of human resource programs and practices to support the company’s long term strategy and priorities.
Wendy is experienced in a range of executive and team development techniques and tools, including a certification in the use of Emergenetics®.

Wendy lives in Dallas, Texas.

GLENN BRYANT

Glenn Bryant's Bio

GLENN BRYANT draws on over 25 years of experience in his legal career, where he gained a reputation as a common sense, practical lawyer, always focused on the best possible outcome for his clients. His primary areas of practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations and shareholder issues and agreements. His approach resulted in long-established client relationships of mutual respect and trust. This approach has yielded the same results in his executive coaching and business consulting career that began in 2006

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Glenn is a Certified Coach (ACC) and a Certified Mentor Coach (CMC) through the Mentor Coach program. He has attended The Coaches Training Institute as well as Crucial Conversations® training. Prior to his coaching career, Glenn was a partner with Beach Hepburn LLP in Toronto and Martin Hillyer Bryant in Burlington. Although his professional pursuits have shifted to coaching, he remains a member in good standing of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Glenn divides his time between Ancaster, Ontario and Cape Cod.

JULIA HERNANDEZ

Julia Hernandez's Bio

Julia has nearly 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has worked cross functionally as a leader in merchant processing, human resources, treasury services, information technology, wealth management and deposit pricing. She been part of the executive leadership team and has also led a national sales team working with Fortune 500 clients and has coordinated communications and execution the areas of project management. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer of fin-tech company serving clients in 20 states.

Julia is a Gallup certified strengths coach and is certified in numerous other personality inventories. She has served as an instructor at the University of Nebraska- Omaha and has frequently spoken at conferences and seminars and executive symposiums. She also earned the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP), and completed the Lean/Six Sigma program from Villanova University.

Julia has been active in non-profits as a board member for youth mentoring organizations, young professional organizations as well as the church she attends
Julia grew up working in a family-owned business, which was in her family for 100 years. Learning business from the ground up provided Julia with sense of the scope of projects and prioritization required to successfully keep a business profitable and current.

She received a BA in Psychology from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and an MA from University of Nebraska – Lincoln in Human Resource Development with an emphasis in Organizational Design.

GLENN PARRY

Glenn Parry's Bio

For more than 20 years, GLENN PARRY has helped business leaders develop human capital strategies and organizational structures that help companies prosper. A seasoned HR executive, Glenn has considerable expertise managing organizational design and development, employee relations, compensation and benefits for corporations in the insurance and financial services industries. He has also served as an instructor in compensation, benefits, and human resources.
Glenn has consistently earned recognition from employers and clients for his mastery of delivering direct, honest feedback in a way that builds trust, promotes sustainable positive change, and measurably improves individual and company performance.
Glenn has an MA in Counseling, Guidance and Personnel Management from the University of South Dakota. He earned his BA degree at the University of Arizona, where he majored in Personnel Administration. His professional certifications include Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) and Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS).
Glenn lives in Beloit, Wisconsin.

MONIKA WALASEK

Monika Walasek's Bio

MONIKA WALASEK has 14 years of experience in the financial services industry. She spent the early part of her career with a retail foreign exchange company; three years as a senior advisor specialist, administering accounts for a major global custodian. Most recently, Monika was on a High Net Worth Client servicing team at RBC Phillips Hager & North Investment Counsel, assisting the Investment Counsellors in providing daily portfolio maintenance, administration and client service. There she received a Performance Award for superior client service in 2011. Monika’s long career on Toronto’s Bay Street has taught her that while she is good with numbers, she is even better with people. B.A. Honours in Economics and Psychology, York University (2002).

Monika lives in Mississauga, Ontario.

We help organizations cut through the noise so they can do what they do best.

We help leaders and individuals identify organizational and personal priorities, then gain insight and take action.

The result? Desired productivity.

Our approach integrates:

Business needs, including:

Specific growth or human capital opportunities
Critical junctures in the evolution of the business
Renewed focus on business practices

Expertise – We have extensive industry-specific knowledge and consulting experience.
Evidence-based tools – Our work is rooted in Appreciative Inquiry and Positive Psychology and our solutions are empirically stress-tested for effectiveness.
We look for the simplest and most authentic way to address priorities, and adapt our approach to fit with our clients’ culture, values, and leadership style to enhance leadership credibility.