Meet The Team
Greg Schinkel, CSP
President
Greg is a recognized expert in developing front line supervisors, managers and team leaders to increase productivity and employee involvement. As a presenter, he has a captivating blend of style and substance, engaging even the most skeptical participants. Greg can advise your organization on how to develop a high performance culture and in all cases he tailors the message and the content specifically to your organization.
Greg has achieved his Certified Speaking Professional designation, held by only 10% of speakers and trainers in the Global Speakers Federation. He co-authored the books Employees Not Doing What You Expect, What Great Supervisors Know, Awakening the Workplace and Fusion or Fizzle: How Leaders Leverage Training to Ignite Results. Greg has impacted more than half a million people, improving performance and leadership teams through consulting, training and keynote presentations.
Kirk Langford
General Manager
Kirk Langford manages the day-to-day operations and leads a team of more than 15 people involved in logistics, marketing support, and production. Kirk builds and implements the systems and processes to deliver numerous large-scale projects simultaneously. He has a passion for organizational and operational optimization, working to improve our organization, efficiency, and productivity, facilitating people working better (together).
Kirk is fluent in French and supports the delivery of content in French. Kirk is a proud Rotarian and enjoys supporting the community through various projects, programs, events, and other initiatives.
Our Team of Experts
Each member of our robust team of consultants has their own thriving practices and collaborates on projects with Unique based on client needs. What does this mean for you? We are able to offer you courses that create experiences that are exclusive to your business requirements and culture. As well, we provide courses in English, French or Spanish. We also have access to dozens of other experts in our network. Based on your needs, we will link you to the expert best able to help with your project or needs.
Engaging Instructors
Ted Bezner
Ted delivers highly rated training for most of the company’s large projects, delivering 80 to 120 days of training to customers across North America. Ted is fluent in English and Spanish and delivers training in both languages. In addition to the sessions Ted delivers to the company’s clients, he specializes in cross-cultural communication and has delivered in dozens of countries worldwide.
Bob Parker
Bob delivers front line leadership training to many of the company’s larger projects, sharing his insights from 30 years as a trainer and facilitator. He taught the Front Line Leadership Certificate Program at Fanshawe College and has served clients throughout North America. He earned his Certified Speaking Professional Designation (CSP) in 2013 through the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, where he also served as its National President. In 2001, he developed his signature program, “The Pit Crew Challenge”, an experiential learning program that teaches high- performing cultures using the metaphor of race-car pit crews.
Brad Coulbeck
Brad delivers sessions aligned with his expertise in stress resiliency. He had a 30-year career in law enforcement, with leadership roles such as Team Leader of an Emergency Response Team and as a Commander of the Provincial Operation Centre. Brad is the author of the book The Resilient Mind: Achieve Success by Building Mental and Emotional Toughness, and he delivers sessions based on the book. When Brad isn’t available to teach his own content, he licenses it for other instructors to deliver.
Jason MacKenzie
Jason does extensive work with organizations helping them drive strategy, shape culture, and engage their people simultaneously using the Appreciative Inquiry Leadership Operating System. For Unique, Jason has delivered the Front Line Leadership public workshops along with several large projects for various clients.
Dune Nguyen
Dune is a professional member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. He has his PMP (Project Management Professional) and CMC (Certified Management Consultant) designations as well as an MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree. He has created and facilitated more than 70 courses for various training organizations. Dune is a new member of the team with extensive experience in leadership development.
Paul Krismer
Paul is a professional member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers and has run his own training and speaking business since 2016. He has an extensive background in safety and worked in senior leadership roles at WorkSafeBC. Paul is a new member of Unique’s team.
Erin O’Malley
Erin O’Malley focuses on communication and connection to build high-performance teams. She is a professional member of the National Speakers Association and was a top-rated instructor for one of the company’s large multi-site clients.
Annie Boilard
For French-language leadership training, Annie Boilard, the principal at Réseau Annie RH, based in Montreal, leads a team of instructors to deliver projects in Quebec, Canada.
Erik Lee Bedoya
Erik has served in a leadership capacity for numerous organizations and has managed and mentored many team members, contractors, and interns during his career. He has worked with a number of North American entities in the advanced manufacturing, logistics, and agricultural spaces. Erik is bilingual, delivering sessions in both Spanish and English.
Jaime Leal
Jaime is the founder and Director of the Emotional Paycheck Institute of Canada, a Mentor for the Institute of Eclectic Psychology in the Netherlands, a MindSonar® Distributor in LatAm and Canada, and a TEDx Speaker. An ambassador of the Emotional Salary in each leader, this is the personal mission of Jaime Leal, who has given workshops, conferences, and seminars in 18 countries in America and Europe.
Emily Nichols, P.Eng.
Emily Nichols nudges technical people to embrace their human skills, so they can become better problem solvers, team players, and leaders. A professional engineer with extensive manufacturing experience, Emily has worked with organizations like PepsiCo, PPG, Janssen, and Henkel, improving products and processes from breakfast cereal to automotive paint and electrical steel. Emily easily connects at all levels of organizations, inspiring deeper understanding and collaborative teamwork. And she makes learning fun!
Amelia "Mimi" Brown
Mimi, a dynamic leader with over 15 years of experience in communication consulting and training, passionately empowers individuals and organizations to enhance their communication, sales, and leadership skills. Her transformative vision resonates globally, and she is celebrated for her captivating stage presence, combining humor with invaluable insights. Mimi is also a prolific author with a trilogy of books dedicated to improving leadership and communication. She has received recognition as one of Michigan's Elite 40 Under 40, a media personality on WDIV's Live In the D, and was named the Best Speaker of 2020 by Michigan Meetings and Events Magazine. Beyond her professional achievements, Mimi's infectious spirit shines in her active lifestyle and love for her cats, Kitty Brown & Macy Gray.
Customer Support Staff
Jennifer Butwell, Scheduler
Jennifer is a problem solver, list lover, and all-around admin wiz. She has 20 years of admin experience helping entrepreneurs and their teams organize their systems and processes so they can focus on the growth of their business.
Perla Cruz, Learning Solutions and Strategy Specialist
With over 15 years of experience in customer success, sales, and training and development, Perla is passionate about the customer experience journey and can assist customers in English, Spanish, and French. Her continuous improvement mindset motivated Perla to complete her Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, which focuses on a thorough understanding of problem-solving skills and aims to improve process quality by creating processes that are efficient and effective. As a lifelong learner, Perla thoroughly enjoys designing and facilitating training that empowers others to grow and develop.
Terry Currie, Videographer
Terry Currie is our most seasoned videographer, ensuring every instructor looks their best on camera and capturing all the best angles to provide participants with an engaging visual experience. Terry is the owner Backdraft Multimedia and has honed his craft for the past 30 years.
Brian Ince, Videographer
With over 35 years of experience in the media industry, Brian is no stranger to cameras, lights, and action, and brings that wealth of experience to his work with Unique. Brian is the owner of Imedia Productions.
Suzanne Jacques, Marketing Coordinator
Suzanne plays a vital role within the team, managing various marketing activities including social media, blog posts, and newsletters to ensure the successful promotion of the Unique brand. She handles all marketing initiatives and collaborates with our partners to guarantee a positive and smooth engagement throughout the campaign lifecycle.
Pavan Jayaraj, Client Project Coordinator
Pavan, specializing in project management and supply chain, excels in client communication, guaranteeing seamless interactions and understanding client needs. With a meticulous approach, he ensures the smooth operation of projects, overseeing details and optimizing processes. Pavan's proficiency extends to organizing and facilitating effective training sessions for team development. He ensures accurate and timely shipment of materials, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to supply chain management. Committed to continuous improvement, Pavan's focus on practical solutions and ongoing learning contributes to a culture of growth within the team.
Shelly Monaghan, Executive Assistant
Shelly is a Certified Human Resources Leader with over 30 years’ experience serving both non-profit and for-profit organizations. Shelly provides administrative support to the executive team, coordinates sales and information meetings, and assists with scheduling of instructors and the production team.
Rosemary Travis, Videographer
Rosemary Travis is not only a great videographer; she's also a Zoom Host extraordinaire. Her ability to work with French and Spanish instructors and participants is a positive asset for our clients.
Robin Schinkel, Controller
In addition to being a co-owner of Unique Training & Development, Robin Schinkel is a foundational member of the administrative team, managing and overseeing the financial activities of the organization. From invoicing to payroll to vendors, she wears many hats, and brings dedication and attention to detail to her role and the team.
And, if we cannot help you,
we'll say so and do our best to point you in the right direction.