David Hartley Testimonials

A) Training & Consulting Testimonials: 

“Thank you again for your invigorating Board best practices session yesterday. I’ll now say that I got my undergraduate degree in Board Governance through the Institute of Corporate Directors, and my graduate degree in attending your session on Best Practice Board Governance.”  David Wexler – Board of Directors of CancerCare Ontario, Board of Directors Vaughan Community Health Centre, and Advisory Board for The School of Human Resources at George Brown College.

“Three hours of fantastic material!   Thanks so much for your time and energy, the board has really enjoyed your work with them [virtually] and I think this will go a long way in strengthening the strong board we have.  I am so appreciative of your expertise and professionalism.”  Terry Caporossi, Executive Director, Alzheimer Society Sault Ste. Marie & Algoma District. 

“David’s recent Board Governance training session with the Georgian Bay FHT and Georgian Bay FHO was excellent.  He gave us insightful advice and informed perspective on the current [Winter 2023] landscape within Primary Care.  His depth and breadth of knowledge around governance as well as familiarity with recent structural changes within the Ontario Health system provided an ideal background for discussion with Primary Care Boards and leadership.”  Harry O’Halloran M.D., Co-Chair South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team“

“David was tasked with a challenging and complicated task for our organization. David immediately demonstrated deep insight, understanding and wisdom. He listened carefully, asked important questions and was able to raise critical considerations for us to deliberate on. His genuine concern for the wellbeing of our organization was clear from the very beginning. His passion for his work is obvious. His ability to carry out frank conversations helped our board tackle important issues. I was thoroughly impressed with David’s character, competence, deep knowledge and expertise, and commitment to the best interest of our organization. I would not think twice to hire him again for any future consulting needs.”  Nabil Sultan, Board Chairman, Muslim Association of Canada

“David is a master of engagement. In a well-designed session, he helped an opinionated group with a wide range of experiences and perspectives coalesce around a plan and priorities that everyone felt proud of and vested in.“  Ken Mayhew, President & CEO William Osler Health System Foundation, Brampton, Ontario [and a committee member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Canada) for which David was facilitating strategic work].

“Thank you David for all the [4 virtual] training sessions for our network. The information was timely and practical.” Sheri MacDonald, President, Ontario Network of Victim Service Providers (ONVSP)

“Having spent a significant amount of time learning about best practices for governance in the past I know that this is typically a very dry topic.  Thankfully, David provided a dynamic and engaging review of the issues facing a charitable board.  His knowledge was impressive.  He encouraged interaction without pressure.  His personable style called us out and pushed us ahead in reviewing our structure of meetings and the board.  To put things simply: I left the presentation feeling that my time, which I value highly, was well spent.”  Nathan Baker, Barrister & Solicitor.  Board Memberships: (1) Federation of Ontario Law Associations, (2) Rugby Ontario.

“David is a highly gifted trainer and consultant on the topics of risk management, governance and nonprofit management. David has an in-depth knowledge of these topics, and perhaps more importantly, a true gift for sharing this knowledge with others in a way that is practical, helpful, dynamic, engaging and immediately useful for nonprofit organizations both large and small.  We’ve engaged David for both face-to-face workshops and online webinars and his engaging and informative presentations have always been extremely helpful and in fact have transformed how we assess risk and governance in our nonprofit organization. Somehow, David makes dry and daunting topics manageable, practical and engaging! Now, that’s a gift!”  Joanne Kaattari, Executive Director, Community Literacy of Ontario

“David had the challenge of delivering a Board governance session to a Board most of whom began their clinic day early, followed by an early evening Board meeting and then into the training.  It is a testament to David’s energy and style that he began with a group whose energy was definitely on the wane and brought them into what became an active and productive session.” Duff Sprague, C.E.O. Peterborough Family Health Team 

“David Hartley has a fun, energetic and never pretentious approach to bringing any group together to provide excellent workplace training that is sensible, easy to implement and uplifting.  Time spent with David is a great investment for our organization.”  Andrea Cromie, CEO, The Peterborough Clinic.  [David held a retreat for over 150 of their staff and physicians.]

“David will take you and your group through action-packed discussions on board governance, risk management and leadership, while building your team together at the same time. He encourages everyone to be courageous and gracious, and challenges individuals to think big.” John Burton, Regional Director for Atlantic Canada, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada [We also worked with John and his staff to develop a Strategic Plan for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Halifax when he was CEO there.]

“Thanks so much for delivering as you did.  It was everything I expected and more.”  Kim Connors, Executive Director/ Directeur Exécutif, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), Winnipeg, Manitoba. [David worked with this small nonprofit and staff and political leaders from multiple provinces and territories to create their strategic plan.]

“Your high energy and fun approach created a great space to learn, ask questions, and move forward with confidence!”  Tracy Callaghan, Executive Director, Adult Language and Learning, Chatham, ON

“I have attended numerous sessions over the years.  Normally governance training is stagnant at best.   Yours was more than the opposite, it was actually entertaining.  Thank you.”  Ronald Boerchers, National Director, Holstein Canada 

“Thanks for a great risk management training yesterday, very interesting.”  Salvatore Mannella, Facilities Manager, St. Catharines Public Library  

“Exhilarating, motivating and a very good team-building experience for the entire board and the staff. ” [Strategic Plan including Board Training] Chair-person (also a Ontario Provincial Police Sargeant so we are keeping name confidential), New Starts Women’s Shelter, Sioux Lookout, Ontario

“The best workshops on governance and risk management that I have attended! David presented two difficult subjects and kept the entire Board engaged and interested for two days!”  Adrienne Smith, Executive Director B.C. 4-H, British Columbia

“Thank You for the wonderful work that you do.  It has been a pleasure working with you (even with COVID limitations).”   Stacey Lambe, Executive Director, Hoshizaki House Dryden District crisis Shelter

“The knowledge and resources have helped us out immensely and highlighted potential risks that we can now work to mitigate.  You do amazing work for the nonprofit sector!”   Melanie Bouck, Chief Executive Officer, Alzheimer Society Sarnia-Lambton

“David’s dynamic, energizing, down to earth and practical style is refreshing! He has remarkable knowledge surrounding Good Governance and Risk Management and the ability to transfer knowledge in a very meaningful and impactful way. We now have some great strategies that will move us forward.” Sharon Pitawanakwat, CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Just completed an enjoyable and informative Governance training session with David Hartley. I feel energized to make some changes and have some tools I can use right away.  Yes I said “enjoyable” and “governance training” in the same sentence!”  Jeff Poll, Executive Director, Grandview Medical Centre FHT, Cambridge, Ontario 

“Thank you David for your informative and lively virtual sessions for our Board.  Your insights are invaluable.”  Steven Russell, Board Chair, North Durham Family Health Team 

“David’s workshop Leadership in the Non-Profit Sector was exactly what our leadership team and culture needed.  His style balances current theory with practical application.  The interactions and activities were fun and engaging; while David’s humour and transparency kept the day going without a single boring moment.  This was one of the best workshops our leaders have ever participated in and I would strongly recommend it.  Any current nonprofit leader who wants to excel would be enriched and inspired by it.”  Ben Fry, CEO, Addictions Foundation of Manitoba

 “Our Board enjoyed David’s prior session on Board Governance so much that we just had him back to teach us about Risk!  He is a very enthusiastic, informative, and engaging trainer.  Our Board quickly implemented many of his suggestions with great success. Our meetings are now more focused and productive. As Board Chair I have taken his advice with respect to enhancing the Chair-Executive Director co-operation to heart with improvement to an already great working relationship. I whole-heartedly recommend Dave to any Board looking to enhance their skills and knowledge.”  Dr. Marta Wesolowski, Board Chair, Peterborough Family Health Team, Peterborough, Ontario  [Over 100 physicians practice here.]  

“I wanted to thank you and let you know that I, along with many others, was extremely impressed with your presentations. It is easy to understand why you are consistently being asked to consult with non profits across the country.”  Scott Furman, Director of Operations, Hockey Manitoba

“Thank you for a great [board] training day!” Doug Rawson, Helping Hands, Orillia

“David is an expert in his field and is able to bring all concepts to life with his abundance of real life examples. Participants continually comment on his engaging style and wealth of knowledge. David is extremely professional and a pleasure to work with!”  Janet Davidson, Town of Milton, Ontario

“Thanks David for the insightful [Board governance] training session. Great use of the board’s time and a valuable tool to migrate to being a “great” board. Much appreciated.”   Dr. Tom Richard, 2019 AFHTO Board and Peterborough (Ontario) Family Health Team Board

“Thank you again for [two days in 2019] great meetings last weekend.  Your skill in facilitating helped address some toxicity … which in turn allowed us to focus on moving forward in positive and unified ways. We were pleased with the progress made!”  Barbara Long, Executive Director, Federation of Canadian Music Festivals

“Everything went well !  Great engagement and good discussion.”   Ove Hansen, Corporate Secretary and Director of Member Relations, Gay Lea Foods Co-operative 

“The best 3 hours I’ve spent in years” [Board governance training]  Tom Malone, Chief Executive Officer, Winnipeg Clinic, Manitoba

“Thank you for the excellent presentation at the OACFDC meeting last week. I found the information very interesting and practical in my role.   We are already implementing some of the suggestions you described.” Jan Dines,  Board Chair, Frontenac CFDC

“An incredible experience! David has been a wonderful facilitator, helping to guide our team through a great process to help us achieve what we had set out to do.   He was on point, funny, considerate, an expert who really knows his stuff.  I would not hesitate to bring him back and to recommend him to any others.”  Joe DaSilva, Executive Director, Markham Family Medicine Teaching Unit

“Just a quick note to say how much I like your work.”  Dina Bell-Laroche, Partner, Sport Law & Strategy Group.

“Very inspiring [2023 Virtual Board Governance Training Package].”  Rhonda Bulmer, Executive Director, Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick 

“David Hartley was hired to assist our Board. It was amazing how he managed to convey the principles of good governance and get us all understanding our roles.  In the training, he exhibited immense knowledge, was direct, straight forward and very entertaining. I would love to have him back next year to do a follow up – he was a genuine pleasure to work with and he seemed to pick up the heartbeat of the group very quickly. Thank you David!”  Sudip Minhas, Executive Director, Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women

“It was great to hear you present yesterday in the big-ish city of Chatham!  I have heard you before and your guidance is always helpful.” Teri Thomas-Vanos, Executive Director, Linck Child, Youth and Family Supports

“Bad Ass Workshop!  Simply terrific.”  Art Ladd, Executive Director, BUILD (Building Urban Industries for Local Development), Winnipeg

“Everyone was impressed by your [risk management] course”.  Cat Ross, Senior Manager, Winnipeg Humane Society

“David has been instrumental in providing experienced, enthusiastic and educational sessions … Extremely valuable for the evolution of our Board and Governance Model Development.”  Dr. Martin Kane, Lead Physician, New Vision Family Health Team, Kitchener, Ontario

“David’s board governance training is an excellent way to leverage a nonprofit’s limited training resources to train an entire board. The workshop content in one day mirrored content I spent 3 days plus travel time at a [costly] Rotman School of Business course. ”  Wes Moore, Board Chair, Algoma Children’s Aid Society, Ontario

“David Hartley has provided over a dozen workshops and seminars for us and for clients of our organization.  He is always prepared, engaging and thought provoking, encouraging participants to take control of their learning and their organization’s destiny.  Participants find David’s workshops enjoyable and they are always engaged throughout.  They leave the workshop with new skills, information and resources that will assist them in their leadership journeys going forward.”   Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Ontario Institute

“I attended your November session in PEI, just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for getting through the amount of material you did today.  As someone new to the ED world, having been a Board member for a number of years and now having it be my “day job” , I really benefited from your practical information and will be mining it for many days to come!”  Joel Dennis, Tremploy, Charlottetown, PEI

“The session [board governance] was excellent.  I really appreciated your high energy, mixing in fun and active things throughout the day, reinforcing critical points from different angles.”  Ian Frazier, Board Vice Chair, Algoma Public Health

“Simply inspirational.”  Tracey Webber, H.R. Manager, Barrie & Community Family Health Team

“Really engaging and interesting for a topic [board governance] that can be quite dry.   Today was really informative, I am going away with a lot of “to-do’s” I actually can do!  Thank you so much for making a tough topic manageable.”  Karen Chezick, Clinic Manager, Agassiz Medical Centre, Manitoba

“I so enjoyed your session and I can’t wait to use [the new tools]. ”  Lynda Carrey, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Club of Riverview, New Brunswick

“You knocked it out of the park.”  Marie LaRose, Executive Director, Georgian Bay Family Health Team, Ontario

“I got more out of this session today then in a multitude of sessions on a similar topic.  This was results-oriented and cost-effective.”  Brian J. Patterson, President & CEO, Ontario Safety League

“The best workshop on being a Leader that I’ve ever heard. REALLY encourage your Executive Directors to bring their whole senior staff team so they learn together. This material is all the “stuff” you need to know in practical terms with lots of concrete ideas of “here’s what you actually do”.  David is humorous, energized, motivational and engaging.”   Paul Wheeler, Chair – Board of Trustees, Community Services Benefits Trust, Surrey, B.C.

“The best workshop on being a Leader that I’ve ever heard. REALLY encourage your Executive Directors to bring their whole senior staff team so they learn together. This material is all the “stuff” you need to know in practical terms with lots of concrete ideas of “here’s what you actually do”.  David is humorous, energized, motivational and engaging.”   Paul Wheeler, Chair – Board of Trustees, Community Services Benefits Trust, Surrey, B.C.  

“This [customized board training] was an excellent session.  It has already proved to be invaluable for our agency and will enhance the work of our Board as we move forward. ”  Anita Lloyd, Executive Director, STRIDE (Supported Training & Rehabilitation in Diverse Environments), Milton, Ontario 

“The tools you provided and your insights were immeasurable [Board and senior staff team session].”  Sandra Black,  Executive Director, Oshawa Senior Citizens Centres, Ontario

“I have attended numerous sessions over the years.  Normally governance training is stagnant at best.   Yours was more than the opposite, it was actually entertaining.  Thank you.”  Ronald Boerchers, National Director, Holstein Canada 

“After two sold out sessions earlier this year and at the request of those participants, United Way of Winnipeg is very excited to again partner with David Hartley in October [for 3 more full day sessions]. An exceptional trainer, David’s risk, governance and leadership workshops are met with rave reviews across Canada. His deep knowledge of the nonprofit sector and the content make his workshops a ‘don’t miss’ learning opportunity for Executive Directors, aspiring Leaders and Board members.”  Linda Brazier, Director Learning & Innovation, United Way, Winnipeg

“I am very impressed with what you are pushing out to nonprofits. Great stuff and presented in a practical way!!”  Maureen Crawford, Director, Habitat for Humanity Canada

“Thanks for all you have done up here for our nonprofits”.  Lyda Fuller, Executive Director, YWCA, Yellowknife, North West Territories

“I want to thank you for the Governance Workshop yesterday. It was great to listen to someone with the energy and ability to relate to people the way that you did.” Nancy Archer, Executive Director, Brighton Quinte West Family Health Team, Ontario

1)”David managed to keep the attention of a group of farmers for a full day without farm talk”; 2)”From 8:30am to 5pm he had our attention 100%, that is not an easy task for any speaker”; 3)”Very dynamic, kept his presentation interactive”; 4)”Extremely valuable information that can be utilized on a board and in our everyday lives.”  4 participants at the 2016 Future Leaders Development Program, funded by CanWest DHI, EastGen, Dairy Farmers of Ontario and Holstein Canada.  90% of participants ranked both presentations “excellent”.  [Received this feedback from the program host].

“David developed and delivered a well-received series of 5 Risk Management webinars to senior staff of the Settlement Sector. He is a very knowledgeable professional committed to delivering the best quality service.”  Jolanta Nozka, Sector Capacity Development Manager, OCASI (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants).

“In the course of a 21-year career and 13 years of volunteering in the not-for-profit sector, this was the most beneficial one-day training event I can recall, both in terms of quantity of new and usable information and in quality of delivery. Within days we began implementing new strategies outlined during the training.”  Mike Davey, Sergeant, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service and board chair, Victim’s Services of Nipissing District, Ontario

“Thank you for the assistance you provided our organization and myself particularly as we tackle a number of issues we face.  It was entertaining to watch you quickly figure out individuals, identify gaps and ask poignant direct questions to help self-realize deficiencies … there were times I found myself wishing I had brought the popcorn!” Executive Director, provincial sports organization, Alberta.

“In addition to the excellent content provided in his workshops on Leadership, Risk Management and Governance, he has been a tremendous support to me in my role as a not-for-profit director.  As an advocate for both staff and volunteers who work in the third sector, David has been available – and approachable – when there is an issue that needs a timely – and candid – response.  And … his caring nature and sense of humour make time in these sessions well spent!”  Karen Kirkwood-Whyte, Executive Director, United Way Chatham-Kent, Ontario

“At the end of the training, we were so inspired that 10 participants signed up for a monthly working group to develop Risk Management Systems for each of our organizations.”  Stacy Ashton, Executive Director, Community Volunteer Connections, serving Tri Cities, New Westminster, British Columbia

[This United Way required all of their agencies to attend both risk and governance training.]  “We have had rave reviews about the day – the information, the format and your energy.”  Brenda Aynsley, Executive Director, United Way, Thompson Nicola Cariboo, British Columbia

“We started at 8 am on Saturday am and you could have still heard a pin drop at 3pm.  David makes governance come alive with sage wisdom, tools, actionable solutions and his high energy and sense of humour.  After attending his workshop for the second time this year, I had 3 pages worth of ‘to do’s’ of great ideas to improve my performance, that of my team and board and ultimately my organization.  What’s more, I was able to implement many of the ideas within days of the session because the tips were so practical.  After participating in workshops with David earlier, I knew our team of United Ways had to bring him back.  We subsidized the workshop/training for Executive Directors and Governance for Boards to ensure it was accessible to any charity in our province.  Wendy MacDermott, Executive Director, United Way Saint John

“Thank you very much for the great session on Friday. We were thrilled with the excitement and engagement in the room!”  Lisa Davey, Vice President, AFP Canada / Vice-présidente, AFP Canada (Association of Fundraising Professionals / Association des professionnels en philanthropie)

B) Board Coaching/Prioritization Testimonials: 

“David has been instrumental in providing experienced, enthusiastic and educational sessions for the improvement of our Family Health Team.  Extremely valuable for the evolution of our Board and Governance Model Development.”  Martin Kane  M.D., C.C.F.P. Lead Physician, New Vision Family Health Team, Ontario

“Thanks for providing us with a knowledgeable, thought-provoking and energizing session. We managed to get a lot accomplished in a half day!”  Lynn McLarnon, Executive Director, St. John Ambulance – York Region Branch

“I feel totally stoked by today’s experience, thanks so much for putting your time and energy into it and improvising to adapt to what we needed in the time we had. You are a real pro and make the experience fun, memorable and I think transformative in some important ways. We’re a good bunch and getting to do something like today [half day training, half day consulting] just makes us stronger and better connected. I only wish we could have you for a week.”  Peter Powning, Board Chair, Sussex Arts & Culture Centre, New Brunswick

“Thank you so much for all your help.  I now see signs of a completely different board.  I do have hope for the future.”  Executive Director (Name Confidential), Manitoba

“We are so grateful for David working with our board and cannot wait to have him back to see the improvements we have made”.   John Cheyne, Senior Pastor, Faith Tabernacle Church (PAOC), Halifax, Nova Scotia

“Can you please add this to your testimonials please: David’s approach is so refreshingly honest!  I have never witnessed anyone command a room the way he does and it’s doubtful I ever will again. He is truly remarkable and original and every board needs him!  I am forever grateful for his expertise and teaching that courageous ness needs to be balanced with graciousness. I am continuing to work towards that beautiful goal!  Thank you David!  Donna Kroocmo, Executive Director, Rainy River Women’s Shelter

“Thank you very much again for an excellent seminar. Your advance preparation was thorough and your leadership in the process of preparing a strategic plan was well organized. Your sense of humour and well-timed prodding kept us on course.” Glenn Griffin, Lead Physician and President, Brighton Quinte West Family Health Team, Ontario

“David Hartley was hired to assist our Board. It was amazing how he managed to convey the principles of good governance and get us all understanding our roles.  In the training, he exhibited immense knowledge, was direct, straight forward and very entertaining. I would love to have him back next year to do a follow up – he was a genuine pleasure to work with and he seemed to pick up the heartbeat of the group very quickly. Thank you David!”  Sudip Minhas, Executive Director, Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women, Windsor Ontario

“It was outstanding … and it really opened my eyes to opportunities to further enhance our processes.  I absolutely recommend David’s seminars to enhance an organization’s governance processes.”  Ian Barnes,  Director of Finance and Operations, Jewish Foundation of Manitoba

“David has provided invaluable guidance in our efforts at Board transformation at Goodwill Industries. David’s knowledge of the subject matter and enthusiasm make a great delivery combination.” Dave Watson, President Board of Directors at Goodwill Industries – Windsor Chatham Sarnia, Ontario

“David’s dynamic, energizing, down to earth and practical style is refreshing! He has remarkable knowledge surrounding Good Governance and Risk Management and the ability to transfer knowledge in a very meaningful and impactful way. We now have some great strategies that will move us forward.” Sharon Pitawanakwat, CEO, CMHA, Thunder Bay

“Thank-you so much for the excellent presentation on Friday.  It was educational, thought provoking and entertaining!  I really appreciated how you gave best practices over-all, but still allowed the board some time to get into specific applications of the information presented.  Rave reviews on our end from board members!  As always – a pleasure to work with you.  ”  Debra Brown, Executive Director, 4-H Ontario

“Thank you again for your presentation Saturday.  The board was a very different Board at the brief meeting following the presentation which carried over to Sunday morning.  Both the President and past President had a lot of ideas for positive growth that they plan to implement starting with our next meeting – I am very happy.”  Terri-Lee Higgins, Executive Director, Hemophilia Ontario

“This [customized board coaching/training] was an excellent session.  It has already proved to be invaluable for our agency and will enhance the work of our Board as we move forward. ”  Anita Lloyd, STRIDE (Supported Training & Rehabilitation in Diverse Environments), Milton 

“David Hartley has an excellent understanding of board governance and the non-profit world. He is energetic and engaging with the ability to relate in an easy-going and effective manner.”  Alanna Barr, Executive Director, Community Living Fort Frances and District, Ontario

“This year we decided to go outside the box and hire a consultant from outside the real estate industry.  David was very highly recommended to our Association, and after a full day of consulting, was extremely well received by our Board of Directors.  David’s insight, intuitiveness and vast knowledge of the “inner workings” of Not-for-Profit Associations was a huge benefit to our organization.” Meg Cameron-Hammel, Executive Officer, Parry Sound & Area Association of Realtors, Ontario

Dr. Anil Maheshwari, Lead Physician, Grandview Medical Centre: “David Hartley is an excellent presenter who’s experience working with dozens of FHTs shines through. His enthusiasm is contagious and he offers a real world evaluation and suggestions for improvement regarding Board governance. We feel a lot better equipped to manage many of our issues thanks to his well attended risk management review and strategic planning sessions with our FHT. I highly recommend him to any organization looking to improve their governance structure or organizational focus.”

Dr. Caroline Bowman, Lead Physician and Board Chair, Georgian Bay Family Health Team (FHT): “Thank you so much for organizing our FHT strategic planning sessions. Not only was it an incredibly useful process, it was also a lot of fun! I have been part of strategic planning before and this experience was completely different.”

Dr. Martin Kane, Lead Physician: “David has been instrumental in providing experienced, enthusiastic and educational sessions … Extremely valuable for the evolution of our Board and Governance Model Development.”

Dr. Sarah Shaw, Physician: “I want to thank you. It was the best visioning process we’d had in the 7 years I have been with the FHT. It was inclusive, very-focused, very task-oriented. The process really kept us going and also I really liked how we moved from activity to activity, so no one ever got bored, you actually keep focused all while mixing with people that you don’t always get to see.”

Dr. Jim Sugiyama, Physician: “The strategic planning process has been a wonderful, fun, useful, practical experience”.

Lianne Davies, Orillia Medical Clinic (FHT) Executive Director: “The time we spent together was great! You met our team “where they are at” with varying knowledge of and experience with strategic planning. You have been innovative and creative in the strategies you have used to engage team members.”

Dr. Alissia Valentinis, Physician: “Really enjoyed the pace of the strategic planning time, normally these things are really dragged out, boring, the energy in the room was excellent, really due to the facilitator”.

Michelle McLaughlin, FHT RN: “The process was very valuable to evaluate where we are at and where we want to move to as a team. I like that there was representatives from all different areas of the FHT: physicians, nurses and all allied health, in order to bring their perspectives.”

Lynne Davies, Medical Clinic (FHT) Executive Director, Orangeville: “I can without a doubt say that I got the best bang for my buck hiring you. You had the physicians, allied health and admin staff all engaged and you made them feel like their voice mattered and their suggestions counted.”

Sherry Kennedy, Executive Director, Medical Clinic (FHT) Toronto: “David helped us zone in on what is important to us. He facilitated an inclusive, energetic and meaningful process in which 96% of the [over 40] staff and physicians rated as good to a very good use of their time. I love the visuals and the one page per year approach.”

C) Risk Management (Specific) Consulting Testimonials (more are found in the risk section): 

“David is very knowledgeable and shared useful information [to both our regular and foundation boards] that helped us learn how to confidently manage risks and ask the right questions for the protection of our organization and our people.”  Lisa Talbot, Executive Director, KidsAbility Foundation, Waterloo

“David Hartley deservedly has earned the reputation as being one of Canada’s best Risk Management consultants in the not-for-profit field. He provides a 360 degree look at what your organization’s Risk Management needs are and is able to deliver the solutions that protect your organization at all levels on time and on budget. His passion for helping people and organizations is delivered in a professional manner with a personal touch.”   Mike Nowosad, Chief Executive Officer, National office, 4-H Canada

“David’s engaging, direct and no nonsense style is accentuated by his ability to listen. I would hire him again in a heartbeat”.   Neil Hayward, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario

“Thanks so much for a great workshop.  There was so much learning- which I loved. Thanks for taking the time also to chat after the session. I appreciated the thoughts you shared.”  Clovis Grant, Chief Executive Officer, 360°kids, Ontario

“David has an exceptional ability to combine first-rate presentation skills with an intuitive understanding of an organization’s governance and risk development needs, thereby delivering concrete ideas and solutions.”  Brian Cole, CEO of St. John Ambulance Ontario 

“David is quite simply the best at what he does: consulting nonprofits and charities in Board Governance, Risk Management, and Leadership. He always brings a unique and refreshing perspective.”  Erik Butenschon, The Banff Centre, Alberta

“Your expertise in Risk Management is amazing!  I truly appreciate your skills in working through the structure of our project to determine how it functions and to identify the key areas (red flags) of risks as they pertain to this project and to set a new path.”  Dianne Lichti, Manager, Community Outreach Services, Milverton, Ontario

“David’s expertise in risk management for not-for-profit organizations will assist any size organization. David incorporates practical advice and humour in his training. He engages his audience while equipping them with the skills they need to proceed managing and leading their departments and organizations without unnecessary fear.”  Melodie Bissell, CEO, Winning Kids 

Dr. Anil Maheshwari, Lead Physician, Grandview Medical Centre: “David Hartley is an excellent presenter who’s experience working with dozens of FHTs shines through. His enthusiasm is contagious and he offers a real world evaluation and suggestions for improvement regarding Board governance. We feel a lot better equipped to manage many of our issues thanks to his well attended risk management review and strategic planning sessions with our FHT. I highly recommend him to any organization looking to improve their governance structure or organizational focus.”

D) Conference Presentation Sample Testimonials:

“No one ever has enough training for this! I would suggest any leader should have this training workshop yearly. David did a great job getting his message across through interaction. Really well done. I still remember certain hooks and phrases!”

“The information in this presentation was phenomenal. David was an excellent speaker and is by far ranking among the best I have personally seen. I will be contacting him in the future to come and speak at my own events and I believe that is the best praise I can personally give.”

“David has a knack for teaching people without them realizing they are learning.”

“Excellent!  After hearing about his earlier presentation [large national conference], I switched sessions to be in this one and I believe many others did too – the room was standing room only!  David was excellent.”

“David had a great way about him. He kept the day moving along quickly but still delivered the information in a way that was easy to follow and understand.  He did a great job keeping everyone involved.”