NRO Emerging Leaders Class of 2022 Yearbook

EMERGING 

LEADERS 

2022 

YEARBOOK 

1

Dear Graduates 

On behalf of the North Region Leadership team, it 

is with great pride and joy that we recognize this 

talented group of individuals for their dedication, 

hard work and passion for personal and 

professional growth. Over the past year, you have 

shown remarkable commitment to the program, 

and your willingness to learn and grow has been 

truly inspiring. 

As Emerging Leaders, you have demonstrated the 

potential to become future leaders in our company. Your passion 

for excellence, drive to succeed and eagerness to take on new 

challenges has not gone unnoticed. Your willingness to embrace 

new ideas and learn from experienced mentors has set you apart 

and is a testament to your commitment to your own personal and 

professional development. 

A big thank you goes out to the facilitators and supporting 

cast, including Katie Peterson (Producer), Katie O’Hara, Sarah 

Alberts, Phil Swaile, Roy Almeida, Mark D. Hopkins, Lydia Tay, 

Susan Schiesl, Rachel Eibl, Brian Butler, Kathleen Helmstetter, 

Lori Kenyon, Jeff Webb, Karen Stenoien and Shaun Zavadsky, 

for taking time out of their schedules to deliver key topics in 

your program. A special shout out to our Market Presidents: 

Mark D. Hopkins, Glenne Manlig, Chris Churchill, Asa 

Sherwood, Mark Gittleman, and Christine Lentz for sharing 

their leader brands with all of you. 

Last but not least, I would like to thank Jayleen Stefaniuk, our 

Senior Director of Training and Organizational Development, 

for her leadership and dedication in designing, planning, and 

delivering this program. It would not have been possible 

without her hard work and commitment to your success. 

As you move forward and embark on the next chapter of your 

careers, we wish you all the best. We are confident that the skills, 

knowledge and leadership qualities you have gained through this 

program will serve you well in your future endeavors. Your future is 

bright, and we look forward to watching your continued success. 

Once again, congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2022 

Emerging Leaders Program. We are proud of your achievements and 

grateful for your contributions to our company. May your journey 

ahead be filled with many opportunities for growth and success! 

JOHN BREA 

PRESIDENT NORTH REGION 

2 

3

Congratulations 

So proud to congratulate each one of you 

- our 2022 North Region Emerging Leader 

graduating class! 

This year you have dedicated many hours 

to invest in your growth and learning. 

In the classroom, independently and in 

your group work, you have been placed in 

various environments, being vulnerable, 

uncomfortable, and acclimated to new 

concepts and ideas. I appreciate the way you have leaned into it and 

allowed all this learning to happen! 

Now you are done: Now what? 

f What will you do with the knowledge you have? 

f How will you ensure that you USE what you have learned to the benefit 

of others you work with? 

Special thanks to your Group Coaches: Jan Magree (IL), Aji 

Montenegro (ON), Arash Ghorbandaei (NRO), Hailey Dorner 

(BC), Karen Stenoien (MN), and Megan Johnston (MO), for their 

dedication to your success! Coming from various markets and 

business areas, these leaders all shared a passion to be Talent 

Champions and grow MORE talent champions! 

Also want to appreciate our outstanding Market Presidents. 

When I reached out to them with the idea to share their Leader 

Brands with the class, they all jumped in to be a part of your 

development! 

Throughout the course of the program, you’ve embraced 

new concepts, built new relationships and invested in your 

own development, all while managing the demands of your 

respective day jobs and personal lives! 

You’ve showed up and represented your Markets, our Region 

and our Company as ambassadors and truly reflect what great 

talent is, and I commend you for it! 

Looking forward to where you each go from here! 

f What is your plan for continued growth and career development? 

f Who do you have in your network that can help you reach your goals? 

I encourage you to consider these questions and take action on a plan for 

your continued growth. Know that you have the support of many added to 

your phone a friend list after Emerging Leaders... please leverage us! 

CLARE JACKSON 

VP HUMAN RESOURCES NORTH REGION 

4 

5

Jayleen Stefaniuk 

Claudia Eftimie 

Congratulations Emerging Leaders Class of 2022! 

You made it! You’ve stuck with all of our workshops, on-line learning paths, 

business books, leader brand, and a presentation to our North Region Executive 

Leadership team, and here you are – Alumni!!! 

I couldn’t be more proud of each and every one of you for seeing this 

through to the end, and for the determination and resilience you’ve shown 

throughout the program. Emerging Leaders is tough, and it’s designed 

that way on purpose. I hope you’ve each gathered some key learnings and 

meaningful insights that you’ll carry with you as you go forward - and find 

ways to apply them in your day- to-day lives. I’d encourage you to come 

back and revisit the content of this program on a regular basis, there’s a lot 

of valuable information here. Congrats team, I’m so excited to see what the 

future holds! Well done!! 

SENIOR DIRECTOR 

TRAINING & ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

NORTH REGION 

VICE PRESIDENT 

TALENT & ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

CORPORATE 

6 

7

Team Energizer Bunny 

COACH 

HAILEY DORNER 

Talent Acquisition Specialist, BC 

TEAM 

Alyson Astleford — Association Manager 

Ariel Garvin — Tier III Support Associate 

Jim Stecko — Property Manager 

THE COACH SAYS: 

Jim 

Most likely to be the 

real power behind 

the throne 

Alyson 

Most likely to be the 

person who pulverizes 

any barrier 

Ariel 

most likely to help you 

create your story 

8 

9

Fun Facts 

Alyson Astleford 

Fun or little-known fact about me: 

I am a triplet 

Ariel Garvin 


I am the youngest of 7 siblings 

Jim Stecko 


My name was inspired by James 

Bond in the 80’s 

10 

11

Ariel Garvin 

Jim Stecko 

TITLE: TIER III ASSOCIATE, 

CUSTOMER CARE CENTER 

TEAM: ENERGIZER BUNNY 

Leadership quote that inspires me: 

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never 

falling, but in rising every time we fall.” 

My biggest “aha” or impact moment: 

The biggest moment from this program was 

learning about DISC and also learning where 

I fall on DISC Model. I have learned to flex 

my style when I am coaching and providing 

feedback. I was able to learn my strengths and 

weaknesses from my management style and 

have been able to work on my weaknesses. I know now that using different 

approaches are beneficial to not only myself but also to those I coach. 

This challenged or stretched me: 

Doing the leadership brand video challenged me the most. It took me out of 

my comfort zone and allowed me to share a piece of my personal life with my 

peers. I was able to learn things about myself during this part of the program. 

I have put this insight/concept into practice: 

Learning about emotional intelligence has really helped me the most in this 

program. I now take a step back before responding to triggering situations. 

TITLE: GENERAL MANAGER, 

ILLINOIS 



“If you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever 

you do, you have to keep moving forward.” 


Developing new relationships with team 

members outside of our market. 


What challenged me the most from the 

program was changing the way I approached 

my existing habits and challenging the 

existing method of thinking as an onsite 

manager. 


Motivating existing team members to be the 

best version of themselves with the idea of 

creating more productivity through inspiration 

and leadership. 

12 13

Alyson Astleford 

TITLE: ASSOCIATION MANAGER, 

MINNESOTA 



“Take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it 

frankly, and try another. But by all means, try 

something.” 


The biggest impact from this program has been 

how I have been able to flex and use DISC to 

work and understand different personalities, 

styles of leadership, and communication, etc. 


To dig deep and really dive into who I am as a person and what things I am 

capable of or need improvement on. 


DISC has been essential for me in my everyday life. It has really helped me 

figure out how to best communicate with my Boards and Homeowners I 

work with and reach results. This has made for more effective meetings 

and conversations which overall positively impact the community. DISC has 

also helped me with understanding coworkers, family, and friends as I have 

learned to appreciate the different styles and not get frustrated if something 

was not coming across to me clearly. Overall, DISC has helped me become 

even more patient and determined to learn & adapt to each style. 

14 15

Team Beast Mode 

COACH 

KAREN STENOIEN 

Director, HR, MN 

TEAM 

Odessa Harrison Gent — Strata Manager 

Jessica Molina — Property Manager 

Prab Dhillon — Corporate Accountant 

Jen Yang — Procurement Manager 

Francine Sanchez — Workforce Team Leader 


Francine 

Most likely to brighten up your day 

Odessa 

Most likely to quietly take over the 

company 

Jen 

Most likely to be a standup 

comedian 

Jessica 

Most likely to get 201 things done 

all at the same time 

Prab 

Most likely to hit you with the 

most random fact at the best time 

16 

17

Fun Facts 

Odessa H Gent 

Fun or little-known fact 

about me: 

I like dinosaurs 

Jen Yang 


about me: 

My first tattoo ever at age 

18 was “Made in China” 

Jessica Molina 


about me: 

I am a specialized greenthumb 

and I’m a cheerful 

giver 

Prab Dhillon 


I grew up thinking I would become a 

journalist or a writer and don’t know 

how I even stumbled into Accounting! 

Francine Sanchez 


I can sing the 1968 rock and 

roll song “Born to be Wild” by 

Steppenwolf…in chicken clucks. 

18 

19

Odessa Harrison Gent 

Jessica Molina 

TITLE: STRATA MANAGER, 

BRITISH COLUMBIA 

TEAM: BEAST MODE 


“If your dreams don’t scare you, then they are 

too small.” 


Skills to navigate hard conversations. 


Being mindful and engaged was challenging 

and learning how to tune out distractions. 


I have learned how to really listen to people 

and not just hear what people are saying. 

TITLE: PROPERTY MANAGER, 

ONTARIO 



“Leadership emerges not only when an 

individual can capably do what needs doing; 

the real test is passed when a person can 

implement what needs to be done through 

others.” 


Realizing it all starts with empathy towards 

oneself. 


Having to verbally express my thoughts “on the fly” 

with many people listening and watching. 


Empathic Listening- not having to find a solution/ 

answer for every problem, rather just listen so that 

the person feels heard and understood. 

20 21

Prab Dhillon 

Jen Yang 

TITLE: CORPORATE ACCOUNTANT, 

NORTH REGION 



“A leader is best when people barely know 

he exists, when his work is done, his aim 

fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” 


Understanding people’s individual 

personality types and how to communicate 

and motivate different people. 


Learning more about my leader style, specifically where my weaknesses lay 

and how to continuously check in with myself to ensure I am flexing patience, 

empathy, support, and empowerment to those I work with. 


DiSC is a big one! It changed the game for me. It helped me identify how to 

better serve and work with my teammates and helped me assess where my 

own communication and thinking process were failing. 

TITLE: PROCUREMENT MANAGER, 

ILLINOIS 



“A good leader leads the people from above 

them. A great leader leads the people from 

within them.” 


The markings of a great leader already lie 

within me, they just need to be cultivated 

and leadership is always a work in progress. 


I was very uncomfortable sharing/ 

presenting/being vulnerable in large groups when I started the program. In 

participating in EL, I’ve since grown a bit more comfortable and feel more 

empowered to continue and master this fear. 


Flexing. Recognizing DISC styles in others and flexing to better work with/lead 

others. It has made working with other more productive and enjoyable which 

ultimately has led to better deliverables and results than before. 

22 23

Francine Sanchez 

TITLE: WORKFORCE TEAM LEADER, 

CUSTOMER CARE CENTER 



“The best leaders are humble enough to realize 

their victories depend upon their people.” 


While there are ‘aha’ moments with just 

about every session we had in class, the 

most important ‘aha’ moment came early on 

when we were focusing on ‘self-reflection and 

awareness’. We were given the assignment to 

interview three people that we were close to 

at work, home and in our personal life, and 

one of the ‘blind spot’ questions we had to ask those 3 people were to provide 

an area of weakness they saw in us. All 3 of my chosen people in separate 

interviews said the same thing…that I hide my feelings or build barriers when 

I am upset/sad to avoid conflict. I had always thought that by not showing my 

emotions or not disagreeing with others, that I was showing how strong I was. 

When I realized that the shadow I was casting needed some work, not only did 

I ‘want’ to learn more through the program, but I also ‘needed’ to learn more 

and was immediately ‘hooked’ on this program. 


Hands down, the biggest challenge for me was Percipio. While I enjoyed the 

lessons, videos and took some of my best notes for tips on handling scenarios 

in the workplace, there were a few technicalities that I had not planned for. 

Once I figured out the details, it was a race against the clock trying to get 

those done on time. 


The DiSC Management guide would have to be the most treasured tool that 

I received in the Emerging Leaders program. Once it was introduced and 

understood, DiSC is used just about everyday when communicating with other 

leaders and team members. Since communication is key to any successful 

relationship, I use DiSC at home as well as with friends and other family 

members. Flexing to somebody else’s style to reach them and gain their 

friendship is life changing. 

24 25

Team Rising Stars 

COACH 

JAN MAGREE 

Training Director, IL 

TEAM 

Noha Elmurtada — Property Manager 

Becca Simpson — Community Association 

Manager 

Pam Moore — Adminstration Manager 

Manuel Calvo — Strata Manager 


Becca 

Most likely to energize her 

team, her market and the 

company 

Noha 

Most likely to stay calm in 

any situation 

Manuel 

Most likely to approach any 

challenge like a tennis game 

Pamela 

Most likely to turn a frown 

upside down 

26 

27

Fun Facts 

Becca Simpson 


I used to play the trombone in high 

school 

Manuel Calvo 


Did the penguin plunge a few years 

in a row on New Year’s Day. Even 

though I don’t like swimming 

28 

Noha Elmurtada 


An extroverted introvert who 

appreciates building great relations, 

with passion for music, food and 

fashion! 

Pam Moore 


I am a twin! (and she looks 

nothing like me) 

29

Becca Simpson 

Manuel Calvo 


MINNESOTA 

TEAM: THE RISING STARS 


“I have decided to stick with love.” 


Listen to understand / DiSC! 


It made me reconsider my relationships with 

others -- to really stop and consider how 

they are left in my conversations with them. 


Listening to Understand -- I had THE BEST board meeting 

EVER in December and it was FULLY from practicing 

this concept. In situations where I have previously felt 

threatened and defensive, I was able to ask questions, 

understand where people were coming from, and listen from 

their world. 

TITLE: STRATA MANAGER - 

TRANSITIONS, BRITISH COLUMBIA 



“Leadership is about making others better 

as a result of your presence and making 

sure that impact lasts in your absence.” 


Biggest ‘aha’ was that I realized how 

important everyone is to the company 

and that all the leaders from different 

markets were present and sharing their 

journey(brand). 


The biggest challenge was to realize I really belonged there and that I could 

be as good as the other leaders in the group. I felt that I had long way to go in 

order to ‘catch up’ (in terms of leadership). 


How to communicate better and be a better listener. I feel it has improved 

my ‘presence’ in council/board meetings. I am getting better notes and 

takeaways out of them, paying more attention, and feeling more comfortable. 

30 31

Noha Elmurtada 

Pamela Moore 

TITLE: SENIOR PROPERTY 

MANAGER, ONTARIO 



“To handle yourself, use your head; to 

handle others, use your heart.” 


Growth in life and career starts with selfknowledge. 

The sooner you consciously 

examine and acknowledge your strengths, 

weaknesses, personal truth and most 

importantly what makes you come alive, the 

sooner you can stop hindering your personal 

growth and become a true and an inspiring leader. 

TITLE: ADMINISTRATION MANAGER, 

MISSOURI 



“Leadership is about making others better as 

a result of your presence and making sure that 

impact lasts in your absence.” 


I learned so many things from the program that 

I will take away with me. Instead of choosing 

one of the items I learned (because everything 

is worthy) I wanted to focus on one of items of 

the pieces of the program I enjoyed and hope 

you will continue in future EL classes. I really 

enjoyed the Leader Brand presentations from 

the market presidents and North Region Leaders. I really enjoyed that part of our 

sessions and felt they were impressionable. 


The first and probably most persistent source of leadership challenges is 


oneself. Growth in life and career starts with self-knowledge. The sooner you 

The time commitment definitely stretched me. Being part of a team and having 

consciously examine and acknowledge your strengths, weaknesses, personal 

regular meetings helped hold me accountable for my team tasks and individual 

truth and most importantly what makes you come alive, the sooner you can 

tasks. Self-Reflection during EL was a something that was a good challenge for 

stop hindering your personal growth and become a true and an inspiring 

me. I am always hard on myself, but really reflecting on how I lead others has 

leader. 

been good. 


I am a visual person, and really loved the different matrixes that were included 

throughout the program. The Skill vs Will Matrix will help me understand what 

kind of leadership to provide to associates when necessary. 

I also enjoyed the stages of leadership and of course DISC. 

Using DISC has helped me know how to communicate 

effectively with other team members 

32 and leadership styles. 

33

Team Social Introverts 

COACH 

MEGAN JOHNSTON 

Human Resources Coordinator, MO 

TEAM 

Amanda Heide — Portfolio Manager 

Heidi Corradi — Association Manager 

Sabrina Wen — ARA Manager 

Waylan Duncan — Connect Systems Manager 


Waylan 

Most likely to be a successful 

On-Air personality 

Heidi 

Most likely to be a celebrity 

Sabrina 

Most likely to become CFO 

Amanda 

Most likely to have a best 

selling Auto-Biography 

34 

35

Fun Facts 

Heidi Corradi 


I taught English in South Korea for 

several months after I graduated 

college 

Waylan Duncan 


I’m from Hawai’i! 

36 

Amanda Heide 


I own a horse that is more like a pet 

than my dog. I have an amazing hack 

for finding the perfect container for 

leftover food. 

Sabrina Wen 


Expect to be retired early 

37

Amanda Heide 

TITLE: PROCUREMENT MANAGER, 

ILLINOIS 

TEAM: THE SOCIAL INTROVERTS 


“Do what you do and do it well. If you want 

to be an ice cream man, be the best darn ice 

cream man in the neighborhood.” 


Learning the way people think. We are not 

all equals in out thought process and how 

we go about our daily lives. 


Time commitment, but worth it in the long 

run. 


Stopping and listening, being in the now. 

39

Heidi Corradi 


MINNESOTA 



“The heights by great men reached and 

kept. Were not attained by sudden flight, 

But they, while their companions slept, 

Were toiling upward in the night.” 


Hearing from all the market leaders and 

hearing their leader brands. It was so 

interesting to learn more about their 

journeys and get honest feedback from our people in those leadership 

positions. One of my other aha moments was remembering that 

everyone else wants you to succeed as well (coworkers, clients, your 

leaders), and to remember that during meetings, giving presentations, 

etc. 


The emerging leaders has stretched me by forcing me to step outside of 

my comfort zone with our breakout groups and roll playing scenarios. It 

forced you to be a little vulnerable and put yourself out there. The same 

with the leader brand video. Emerging Leaders also challenged me to 

plan more efficiently with tackling the additional assignments on top of 

the normal daily workload and finding a way to make it work within your 

schedule. 

It has also stretched me with working on our group presentation and 

working together with so many different personalities and working with 

everyone’s different schedules. I ended up taking on some qualities of a 

different disc assessment and shifted to more of a direct roll. 


Picking up on others disc styles and adjusting (flexing) to that. It was 

something I was already doing somewhat without realizing it but learning 

all the details we did about all the disc styles has given me a lot more 

tools to utilize and more details/info to reference. Another concept I have 

put into practice that came up several times during the workshops is the 

importance of preparing. Before a meeting, presentation, etc. I have really 

put a focus on that and have been making it a priority. 

40 41

Sabrina Wen 

Waylan Duncan 

TITLE: MANAGER, ACCOUNTS 

RECEIVABLE AND COLLECTIONS, 

ALBERTA 



“A leader is one who knows the way, goes 

the way, and shows the way.” 


DiSC assessment. 


Knowing better about the leadership, 

and have met so many brilliant leaders 

to hear their stories and learn from their 

experiences. 


The insight concept I have put into practice is attracting 

and developing talent. 

TITLE: CONNECT MANAGER, 

BRITISH COLUMBIA 



“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what 

ships are for.” 


Understanding how to apply the DISC 

assessment. 


Being vulnerable and bringing my all during 

the breakout rooms or when presenting. 


I use DISC Assessments constantly when communicating with my 

team and colleagues to better understand where I am and where they 

are. It’s lead to me gaining a lot of patience and empathy for better 

communication. 

42 43

Team KA-NI-RE-KE 

K a-Ni-Re-Ke 

COACH 

AJI MONTENEGRO 

Director of Governance & Integration, ON 

TEAM 

Kasandra Von Glockner — Resident Services 

Administrator 

Kerri Robins — Marketing Manager 

Nicole Orfei — Association Manager 

Rei Sulaj — Property Manager 

THE COACH SAYS : 

Kerri 

Most likely to be a guru on 

life 

Kasandra 

Most likely to be a renowned 

trainer and educator 

Nicole 

Most likely to star in a 

reality show about property 

management 

Rei 

Most likely to write a book on 

leadership 

44 

45

Fun Facts 

Kasandra Von Glockner 


I taught swim lessons for 15 years at 

a private learn to swim school. 

Kerri Robins 


I danced and taught highland dancing. 

46 

K a-N 

Nicole Orfei 


I love to cook with my kids 

e-Ke 

Rei Sulaj 


Big sports fan, especially soccer. 

47

Kasandra Von Glockner 

Nicole Orfei 

TITLE: RESIDENT SERVICES 

SPECIALIST, ILLINOIS 

TEAM: KA-NI-RE-KE 


“Leadership is not about titles, positions, or 

flowcharts. It is about one life influencing 

another.” 


My “aha” moment came when we were talking 

about building our brands. I had never written 

down my brand but realized that I already use 

my brand in my everyday life. I love that I now 

have it written down and can share myself 

more succinctly with others. 


During this Emerging Leaders class, I often thought to myself how could I find the 

time to do the work and make sure that I am finishing the day to day work. However, 

I asked for help from my supervisor and team, I found it challenging to ask for the 

help, but in doing so found that I was fully supported and others are willing and able 

to assist with tasks that I had never considered delegating before. 


MINNESOTA 


“Leadership quote that inspires me: 

A leader is best when people barely know 

he exists, when his work is done, his aim 

fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” 


Self-reflecting at my personal strength 

and areas that I still have room for growth. 

Learning the different styles and how to 

adapt to them. 


Self-reflection, being uncomfortable with discussing topics that I am not 

familiar with and being challenged to dig deep in order to grow. 


Flexing my leadership style and adapting to other people’s styles. 


I have changed the way I communicate with my team members based on the way 

they prefer to communicate. It has made a difference and I feel that the information 

I am imparting is being received much better. 

48 49

Rei Sulaj 

Kerri Robins 

TITLE: SENIOR PROPERTY 

MANAGER, ONTARIO 



“I’m not in competition with anyone but 

myself. My goal is to improve myself 

continuously.” 


DISC Assessment was my biggest eye 

opener. It brought my style to perspective. 


Presenting my leader brand and speaking 

about myself. 


Continue to flex my style and provide positive reinforcement to all of my 

associates. 

TITLE: MARKETING MANAGER, 

ALBERTA 



“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope 

for tomorrow. The important thing is not to 

stop questioning.” 


Listening to market presidents’ leader brand 

presentations. I had expected an account 

of professional activities. I was pleasantly 

surprised to hear all the presentations lean 

heavily on communicating how personal 

lives impacted their professional brand 

statement. 


EL stretched me to open up and share personal feelings a bit more. 


Reading people through the lens of DISC to learn personality types. It helps 

with communication / presentation skills. 

50 51

Team Perfect Mix 

COACH 

ARASH GHORBANDAEI 

Director, Operations, North Region 

TEAM 

Adam Garmani — Manager, Property Services 

Nick Mabe — Association Manager 

Lisa Kaltenbach — Administrative Assistant 

Nathaniel Francolla — Manager, Community 

Development & Integration 


Lisa 

Most likely to travel the world 

Nick 

Most likely to become a 

Market President 

Nathaniel 

Most likely to break a world 

record 

Adam 

Most likely to become an 

influencer 

52 

53

Fun Facts 

Nathaniel Francolla 


I have a second degree blackbelt in 

martial arts 

Lisa Kaltenbach 


Avid reader 

54 

Nick Mabe 


I served over six years in the US 

Marine Corps. The majority of that 

time was spent overseas working in 

over 12 countries. 

Adam Garmani 


Every morning I start my day by going 

to the gym for 2 hours. This helps me 

maintain my body while enjoying the 

guilty pleasure of fast foods. 

55

Adam Garmani 

Lisa Kaltenbach 

TITLE: MANAGER, PROPERTY 

SERVICES 

TEAM: THE PERFECT MIX 


“It is better to lead from behind and to put 

others in front, especially when you celebrate 

victory when nice things occur. You take the 

front line when there is danger. Then people 

will appreciate your leadership.” 


Coming together as a group with our 

reflections and seeing how others can see 

things the same way as you are, and also 

seeing things in a different perspective other 

than what we see or assume. 


For me doing the video where I talked about myself and the type of leader 

I am. It was difficult talking about myself and putting that video together 

after 30+ retakes of a mistake was made or if space fillers were used I would 

restart the video. (Did not realize how much of the umm or the ahh). 


Emotional intelligence portion has helped me understanding my colleagues 

more and what they could be going through and also being more self-aware, as 

well the decision-making model is put to use on a daily and helps me keep on 

track with mitigating risks as much as possible. 

TITLE: LEAD ADMINISTRATIVE 

ASSISTANT, ILLINOIS 



“Clients do not come first, employees come 

first. If you take care of your employees, they 

will take care of the clients.” 


The DISC concept of why I am the kind of 

communicator I am and how it relates to 

others. 


Coming up with a personal brand. It made me look at who I am as a 

leader and what has shaped me. 


Leading to develop people. How training and developing people is 

important not just for the person but for the company 

as a whole. 

56 57

Nathaniel Francolla 

Nick Mabe 

TITLE: MANAGER OF COMMUNITY 

DEVELOPMENT AND 

INTEGRATION, ONTARIO 



“The quality of a leader is reflected in the 

standards they set for themselves.” 


There were so many “aha” moments 

throughout the year it’s hard to land on just 

one. A major moment for me was in module 

1, relating to the emotional intelligence 

model. This connected with me in relation to 

my understanding of the ways others think 

and communicate, and how good EI promotes stronger working relationships, 

increased effectiveness, and results. 


The biggest challenge in EL for me was warming up to the vulnerability everyone 

in the group displayed during sessions. Opening up in a work environment in this 

way isn’t always the easiest thing to do. But I found with the support, watching, 

and listening to all the other emerging leaders displaying their openness really 

helped me to reciprocate and be involved to the same degree. 


The insight that stuck with we me and I have put into practice is the DISC 

assessment. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about my work and interpersonal 

traits, along with all the others within DISC. I find myself regularly taking a step 

back in interactions and wondering how I can alter my approach 

with peers to better communicate and match their 

style. 


MINNESOTA 



“No man will make a great leader who wants to 

do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it.” 


The work with EQ has been especially impactful 

for me as I work to be more cognizant of my 

personal state and to then manage that through 

self-management practices. 


The program challenged me in a variety of ways. 

While the workload was not overly burdensome, 

balancing the requirements of the program along with my normal career and 

personal responsibilities definitely stretched my time management skills. It 

pushed me to think more deeply and critically about the problems I was tackling 

and forced me to learn techniques and skills I previously had little knowledge of. 

Finally, EL required me to be more organized, efficient, and effective in the way 

that I approached tasks. 


There are many, but the one most relevant at this time is recognizing my 

tendencies within a professional setting and when interacting with associates I 

manage. By becoming more aware of my thoughts and emotions (including the 

triggers that create them) I have been able to better control my responses. 

This increased self-awareness has allowed me to become more 

intentional, leading to more productive conversations 

and better relationships. 

58 59

Calling The Plays 

Coaches 

HAILEY DORNER 

Talent Acquisition Specialist, BC 

Team Energizer Bunny 

What Hailey got out of coaching her team: 

My favorite part of being an Emerging Leaders team coach 

this year was getting to be a fly on the wall as our team 

worked through each new challenge that was thrown at 

them. Throughout it all they were supportive of their other 

team members as they went through difficult times and 

never stopped working towards the goal. That’s why we are 

team Energizer Bunny, because they just keep going. 

ARASH GHORBANDAEI 

Director, Operations, North Region 

Team Perfect Mix 

What Arash got out of coaching his team: 

Coaching this team was a very rewarding experience. Very 

proud of the work that my team accomplished during 2022. 

Loved how the team bounced ideas off each other although 

they each worked for a different area of the business, it 

felt like they had been working together for years. They 

recognized each other’s strengths and used that as an 

opportunity to grow as a team. 

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Coaches 

Coaches 

JAN MAGREE 

Training Director, Illinois 

Team Rising Stars 

What Jan got out of coaching her team: 

It was my pleasure to watch these “rising stars” learn and grow 

as individuals and future leaders. From their first team meeting 

where no one wanted to talk, through their weekly meetings 

to review the scenario and apply the Decision-Making Model, 

each member found their strengths and applied 

their unique leadership skills to the task at hand. As the weeks went on, the 

confidence level of each team member grew, and the interactions among the team 

became more expressive. Becca, Pam, Noha and Manuel honed their leadership skills 

by listening to ideas, brainstorming to find the best solution and working together as 

a team to achieve success for all. It has been my honor to help guide these amazing 

people as they travel along their leadership journey, and I feel confident they will lead 

FirstService to great success in the years to come. 

KAREN STENOIEN 

Director, HR, MN 

Team Beast Mode 

What Karen got out of coaching her team: 

MEGAN JOHNSTON 

Human Resources Coordinator, Missouri 

Team Social Introverts 

What Megan got out of coaching her team: 

What I got out of coaching my EL team was gratification in 

watching fellow associates grow in their leadership journey 

and being a part of it. Being open and vulnerable in front of a 

group of peers is not easy but is necessary and rewarding and I 

believe that’s something they all took away this year. As having 

went through the program last year, I know you get what you 

put into it, and I’m proud of my team and all participants for 

their time spent and dedication this past year. I can’t wait to 

see what doors open for them! 

62 63

Coaches 

AJI MONTENEGRO 

Director of Governance & Integration, ON 

Team KA-NI-RE-KE 

Facilitators 

What Aji got out of coaching his team: 

My favourite experiences as an Emerging Leaders Coach 

include: learning from the team (although I’m a coach, I 

really enjoyed the experiences each team member brought 

to the table, as I love to hear about others’ experiences and 

learn from them); helping the team see things in a different 

way (helping them expanding their knowledge on the topics 

being learned); being able to share some of my knowledge 

and experience with the team, in a way that helps them 

move forward with their growth and development, both 

professionally and personally. 

64

Facilitators 

Facilitators 

Facilitator: Lydia Tay 

Title: Vice President, HR, British Columbia 

Topic Covered: Change Management, Attracting & 

Developing Talent 

Facilitator: Mark D. Hopkins 

Title: President, Ontario 

Topic Covered: Covered: Leadership Self Awareness 

Advice to Graduates: 

The lessons you’ve learned in this process won’t only help 

you at work, they will help you in life! We’re so excited to 

see what you will accomplish next! 

Leadership Quote that Inspires You: 

“You can conquer almost any fear if you only make up your 

mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist anywhere 

except in the mind.” - Dale Carnegie 

Watch the video on page 80 to get Mark’s advice 

Facilitator: Shaun Zavadsky 

Title: Vice President, Community Management, 

Minnesota 

Topic Covered: NPS 


Everything is fixable. Mistakes will happen, own them 

and then work on a solution (with your mentor if necessary). 


“The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders 

are born - that there is a genetic factor to leadership. 

That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders 

are made rather than born.” -Warren Bennis (American 

scholar & Organizational Consultant) 

66 

67

Facilitators 

Facilitators 

Facilitator: Brian Butler 

Facilitator: Roy Almeida 

Title: Senior Vice President, FP&A, North Region 

Topic Covered: Financial Acumen, Budget Planning 


"What you measure is what you get" 

Title: Senior Vice President, Illinois 

Topic Covered: Emotional Intelligence 


The lessons you’ve learned in this process won’t only 

help you at work, they will help you in life! We’re so excited 

to see what you will accomplish next! 


“You can conquer almost any fear if you only make up 

your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist 

anywhere except in the mind.” - Dale Carnegie 

Facilitator: Rachel Eibl 

Facilitator: Lori Kenyon 

Title: Vice President, Human Resources, Ontario 

Topic Covered: DiSC, Attracting & Developing Talent 


Surround yourself with people smarter than you and 

learn from them everyday. Together you will learn from 

each other, and you will accomplish great things. 


“In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot 

become what we need to be by remaining what we 

are.” Max De Pree 

Title: Vice President, Human Resources, Illinois 

Topic Covered: Emotional Intelligence 


Always be authentic, it takes courage and builds your 

relationships both in and out of work. Congrutaulations 

to each of you, I am incredibly proud to call you 

each colleagues! 


“It is very important to understand that emotional 

intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not 

the triumph of heart over head--it is the unique intersection 

of both.” -David Caruso 

68 

69

Facilitators 

Facilitator: Katie O’Hara 

Title: Vice President, Marketing, North Region 

Topic Covered: Mastering Effective Communication 

Skills 


Be the leader you would want and always remember 

to be authentically you. Forgive yourself for the mistakes 

you make and learn from them. And learn from 

the mistakes of others. You always had it in you and 

now you have the tools and knowledge and you’re going 

to be great! 


“Happiness comes from being who you actually are 

instead of who you think you are supposed to be.” 

Shonda Rhimes 

Facilitator: Sarah Alberts 

Title: Director, Marketing, North Region 

Topic Covered: Mastering Effective Communication 

Skills 


Leadership is a responsibility as much as it is an opportunity. 

Never miss an opportunity to listen, learn 

and grow. 

70 


“Become the kind of leader that people would follow 

voluntarily, even if you had no position or title.” - Brian 

Tracy 

71

Facilitators 

Facilitators 

Facilitator: Phil Swaile 

Title: Senior Vice President, Strategy and Operations, 

North Region 

Topic Covered: Creating & Delivering Effective 

Business Presentations 


Always prioritize the actions that allow the team to 

move forward. Make it your mission to make time for 

them and the rest will fall into place. 


“Management is about persuading people to do things 

they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring 

people to do things they never thought they 

could.”- Steve Jobs 

Facilitator: Jeff Webb 

Title: Vice President, Operations, Ontario 

Topic Covered: Decision Making Model 


Do what’s right, not what’s easy. Make decisions with 

your Head, Heart, Head “RH” 


“What you are looking for is not out there. It is in you. 

The most powerful leadership tool you have is your 

personal example.” 

Facilitator: Susan Schiesl 

Title: Human Resources Manager Market: Missouri/ 

Kansas 

Topic Covered: Coaching for Successful Performance 


When giving constructive feedback make sure you use 

the word AND instead of BUT! 


“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become 

better.” Bill Bradley 

Facilitator: Kathleen Helmstetter 

Title: Human Resources Director, Illinois 

Topic Covered: Associate Experience 


Growth, professional and personal, happen in the 

midst of feeling uncomfortable. Lean into the discomfort 

and allow yourself move through the change and 

fully experience it. You should feel proud of what you 

are able to accomplish and empowered to take on the 

next challenged, more equipped than ever! 


“ A brave leader is someone who says I see you. I hear 

you. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m going to keep 

listening and asking questions.” 

72 

73

Facilitators 

Facilitator: Karen Stenoien 

Title: Human Resources Director, Minnesota 

Topic Covered: AES 


“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every 

experience in which you really stop to look fear in 

the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot 

do.”—Eleanor Roosevelt 

74

Accolades 

DAVID DIESTEL 

CEO 

Congratulations to our 2022 class of Emerging 

Leaders graduates in the North Region, on 

behalf of myself, Lupe and the Executive Team! 

Our company is growing, and we need leaders 

like each of you to help us to continue to reach 

our collective goals so thank you for making 

this investment in yourselves! Leading teams 

to deliver exceptional service to our clients and 

residents is our mission everyday and with the 

incremental knowledge you’ve now added to 

your leadership toolbox, you will continue to be 

ambassadors of our culture and our purpose! 

I encourage you to continue to leverage the 

network of leaders you have built throughout Emerging Leaders and to share what 

you have learned with others. 

I have appreciated hearing from John, Clare and Jayleen about your program 

journey and how you are each progressing in your respective roles. Thank you for 

demonstrating what being Talent Champions is all about in the North Region. 

I look forward to your continued success and seeing how you each Make a 

Difference Everyday for our business and culture! 

David 

CEO 

77

ASA SHERWOOD 

President, Midwest 


First of all, congratulations to all of our graduates! 

The hard work you have put into this point got you 

recognized to be a participant in this fantastic 

leadership program, which is an accomplishment 

on its own. Now you have successfully juggled the 

requirements of this program, while also working full 

time and making time for personal commitments. 

You should all be very proud of the work you have 

accomplished. I can tell you that the leadership 

throughout the North Region sees and applauds 

your commitment. Now what? I challenge you all to 

“aim high” and ask yourselves where do you want 

this path to lead? Think about where you want to be 

in your career in 5, 10, even 15 years. Once you have 

a vision, plan out the actions and goals you must 

take or achieve to get to where you want to go. Write 

them down, and keep them visible. I can confidently tell you that you have an entire 

leadership team in the North Region that is here to support and guide you at every 

point on your journey. We want to see you succeed as much as you want to succeed. 

Work hard, be committed, and hold yourselves accountable to the goals you set. 

Nothing will be given to you, but you can earn everything you want. Remember, be 

the Snowplow! 

Leadership quote: 

“My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to take these great people we have 

and to push them and make them even better.” Steve Jobs 

78 79

MARK D. HOPKINS 

President, Ontario 

CHRIS CHURCHILL 

President, British Columbia 


You are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with. 

Aspire to be the least intelligent in the room and surround yourself 

with people that have more experience, and are not afraid to fail. 

FAIL = First Attempt In Learning! 

As a leader your success is directly linked to your team and 

how effective you are at inspiring them to exceed their own 

expectations. 


“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to 

continue that counts.” 

80 81

MARK GITTLEMAN 

President, Minnesota 

GLENNE MANLIG 

President, Alberta 

82 83

CHRISTINE LENTZ 

President, Missouri 


“Love is Leadership. Lead with love.” 

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GRADUATION CEREMONY RECORDING 

86 

Making a difference. Every day.

NRO Emerging Leaders Class of 2022 Yearbook

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