Headquarters:

Executive House, 275 Ontario St., 3rd Floor, Kingston, ON K7K 2X5

Year founded:

1937

Number of employees:

Phone:

1 888 858 7838

Email:

irc@queensu.ca

Website:

irc.queensu.ca

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/queens-university-irc

“We prioritise embracing cutting-edge technologies, creative problem solving and continuous improvement to enhance our premium funding solutions and provide exceptional value to our clients”

Brett Bastow, IQumulate Premium FundinG

Alison Darling

Director, Professional Programs

Stephanie Fischkohl

Manager, Operations

Jennifer McGann

Program Team Manager

Leadership

As the IRC’s Director of Professional Programs, Alison Darling leads the Centre’s strategic direction. She is a long-time Queen’s University employee with a demonstrated history of successfully leading teams within the higher education sector. Her expertise lies in the areas of cross-cultural leadership, maximizing operational effectiveness, training delivery, management of multinational teams, coaching, and teaching. Darling is a strong business development professional who is passionate about leading with compassion and prioritizing team well-being. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration honours degree and an Executive MBA from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.

Director, Professional Programs

Alison Darling

Stephanie Fischkohl is the manager of operations and is responsible for growing the IRC’s business operations, recruitment and selection, financial modelling, labour management and engagement, and program development. Prior to joining the IRC, Fischkohl held other management positions in the private sector and internally at Queen’s University, including senior sales manager at the Donald Gordon Conference Centre and program manager, Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Health Sciences. With over 15 years of management experience in quality improvement, team building, and event production, she leverages her real-world experiences to create an inclusive, positive culture and high-performing teams. Fischkohl is a graduate of the Business Administration program at St. Lawrence College and is currently pursuing her Professional Master of Industrial Relations at Queen’s University.

Manager, Operations

Stephanie Fischkohl

Jennifer McGann brings over 17 years of experience in event and program management to her role of program team manager. Throughout her career, she has contributed to a diverse range of organizations, including the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Second Harvest, the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, and CAUBO. McGann is deeply passionate about professional development, valuing its power to transform lives across professional and personal realms. She holds a BA(H) in History and Film from Queen’s University and a postgraduate certificate in Public Relations from Humber College.

Program Team Manager

Jennifer McGann

BRETT BASTOW, IQUMULATE PREMIUM FUNDINGs

Leadership

Lindsay Van Zuylen

Sales and Marketing Manager

Lindsay Van Zuylen is a seasoned sales and marketing manager who leads strategic initiatives to bolster business growth and optimize organizational performance. Leveraging her extensive experience, Van Zuylen collaborates with senior leadership to devise and execute comprehensive plans for new business recruitment and course development. Her previous roles as a client advisor and proposal writer honed her client-centric approach, which enables her to foster robust partnerships and elevate client engagement. Van Zuylen dedication extends beyond professional endeavours, as she actively contributes to community welfare through volunteerism, notably as the volunteer coordinator for a local children’s thrift sale supporting military families. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Kennesaw State University and a Professional Master of Education from Queen’s University.

Sales and Marketing Manager

Lindsay Van Zuylen

Maureen Cahill

Senior Managing Partner

Maureen Cahill is the senior managing partner of McLean & Company's Executive Services team. With 30 years of experience as an HR executive, consultant, and advisor, she leads a team of executive counselors and advisors who support CHROs and senior HR leaders with high-impact, strategic guidance. A former chief HR officer, Cahill has worked across for-profit, nonprofit, and private-equity-backed organizations, building HR infrastructures, advising boards, and guiding executive transitions. She excels at aligning people strategies with business goals and has also led revenue-generating functions. Cahill holds a business degree from North Central College, an MBA, and certifications in executive coaching.

Senior Managing Partner

Maureen Cahill

Stevens & Associates Lawyers is a leading and trusted employment law firm based in Sydney known for delivering high-quality legal expertise in the area of employment law and industrial relations across Australia, alongside a proven track record of effectively and swiftly resolving a variety of workplace law issues. In the past year, the firm’s growth has been notable. It has: • experienced a 213% growth in the number of client matters, increasing from 149 client matters in the 2022 financial year to 390 client matters in the 2023 financial year • improved its online visibility, leading to over 50 online enquiries each month and a conversion rate of client leads of up to 40% • significantly expanded the breadth and type of matters that it advises on day to day, which has increased the firm’s skillsets, diversity and resilience • expanded its community outreach by collaborating with local Sydney venues for client seminars and continuing active participation in a Sydney small/family business group Stevens & Associates Lawyers has adapted to digital trends by implementing an effective strategy with SEO and web design, resulting in a structural shift that has seen increased representation of employees where the firm previously mainly advised employers. The firm’s recognition as a “Fast Firm” attests to its momentum in the employment law space.

“IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started”

Wayne Tower, IQumulate Premium Funding

Whitney Weber

Vice President of Operations and Events

Bardia Jalayer

Associate, Workplace Law Group

Zachary Sippel

Associate, Workplace Law Group

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Whitney Weber is vice president of operations and events at McLean & Company, where she leads operational strategy and client experience. With over a decade of experience in tech and services, she specializes in scaling operations, driving efficiency, and leading cross-functional teams. Prior to joining McLean, Weber held executive roles at JRNYS Wellness and SoftwareReviews and has also worked with Info-Tech Research Group, Nielsen, and IBM. She brings deep expertise in project management, analytics, and customer success. Weber holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University and an MBA in Project Management from the University of Calgary.

Vice President of Operations and Events

Whitney Weber

Bardia Jalayer specializes in employment, labour, and sports law and brings a client-focused approach to every matter. He is a passionate problem solver who helps clients feel more confident in their decisions by offering practical advice tailored to their business goals and needs. Jalayer advises on employment and labour-related matters, including comprehensive policies and training, collective agreements, and issues within the workplace. He also has experience in dispute resolution matters heard before the Superior Court, the Divisional Court, and the Court of Appeal. Jalayer advises unionized and non-unionized clients alike, as well as professional and amateur sporting organizations and player associations.

Associate, Workplace Law Group

Bardia Jalayer

Zachary Sippel is a strong communicator who is passionate about advocating for his clients. He is dedicated to understanding his clients’ businesses and the diverse industries in which they operate and leverages real-world experience to provide practical advice. Sippel’s practice includes a wide range of employment and labour-related matters, including advising on occupational health and safety requirements, labour arbitrations, and collective bargaining. He has appeared before various courts and tribunals across Ontario and Canada, including the Human Rights Tribunal, Labour Relations Board, Small Claims Court, and Superior Court of Justice.

Associate, Workplace Law Group

Zachary Sippel

Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager. As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

One culmination of these efforts has been the real-world, needs-based IQEdge solution. A one-stop online quoting tool designed for both the Australian and New Zealand markets, IQEdge delivers quotes in under 60 seconds. Plus, the solution offers quote comparison and quote versioning capabilities, enabling users to review vital historical and financial data in a single page view. IQEdge can streamline and automate application processing, underwriting document verification and payment collection, cutting the need for manual labour and minimising processing errors. A digital “self-service” platform, IQEdge, reduces the need for customer and administrative support. Meanwhile, borrowers can access their accounts, make payments and manage their policies independently and through sales and support teams, which are always available for further assistance. “We’ve created a quality platform that simplifies the quoting process yet amplifies the customer experience,” says Gordon. “It’s a real game changer.” IQumulate offers an online digital quoting tool to clients. The best-in-market solution enables IQumulate to tailor funding offerings to brokers that align with their prefered distribution channel.

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What does IQumulate have in mind for the future? “IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started,” says Wayne Tower, CEO. “Through continuous engagement with our clients, partners, marketplace and industry, we will listen to the needs as they arise and position our business to be agile and respond to changes as they occur. “Faster decision-making innovations such as AI-powered decision support systems can expedite the underwriting and approval process, leading to quicker responses to clients. This can improve client satisfaction and potentially attract more business, with the potential to allow IQumulate to capture a larger market share, whilst continuing to deliver service excellence to clients.” “As forward-thinkers with a digital and ‘do it better’ mindset, we collectively and proactively look to learn and improve on our customer experience for our clients, paving the way for successful business outcomes for our clients and our business in the coming years ahead. “We’re excited for the future and look forward to what’s on the horizon.”

IQumulate invests in education and people, which are vital to attracting new business and talent to the company. “We have long tenures for several of our key staff, including some in leadership positions, and this sound working knowledge of our business, practices and industry provides great insights and a wealth of experience to offer our clients,” says Bastow. “Our new head of sales, Graeme Gordon, formerly manager for New Zealand, joins us in Australia to drive our sales strategy and lead our team to successful outcomes for our clients and our business. We look forward to great things ahead with Graeme as he continues to be active and present in the New Zealand market as well as building sound working relationships and new connections in Australia.” Clients can also expect a lot from working with IQumulate. “Through active engagement with our trusted broker network, IQumulate provides relevant information, education and training content,” says Graeme Gordon, head of sales. “Our clients can expect IQumulate to support their business in several ways, providing an understanding of what premium funding solutions are available and how IQumulate can spread the cost of insurance and help borrowers get the right level of insurance cover to free up their cash flow for other expenses or business growth opportunities. Premium funding is often considered a tool for those who simply cannot afford to pay their premiums in full. While this is certainly a significant driver for many, it is also successfully used by profitable companies who use premium funding to manage their cash flows more wisely or better manage their liquidity.”

What does IQumulate have in mind for the future? “IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started,” says Wayne Tower, CEO. “Through continuous engagement with our clients, partners, marketplace and industry, we will listen to the needs as they arise and position our business to be agile and respond to changes as they occur. “Faster decision-making innovations such as AI-powered decision support systems can expedite the underwriting and approval process, leading to quicker responses to clients. This can improve client satisfaction and potentially attract more business, creating a competitive advantage with the potential to allow IQumulate to command premium pricing or capture a larger market share. “As forward-thinkers with a digital and ‘do it better’ mindset, we collectively and proactively look to learn and improve on our customer experience for our clients, paving the way for successful business outcomes for our clients and our business in the coming years ahead. “We’re excited for the future and look forward to what’s on the horizon.”

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

Product Manager

Claire Watson

Commercial Manager

Stephen McMillan

Claire Watson

Product Manager

Claire Watson

Product Manager

Claire Watson

“Our training empowers professionals to return to work with enhanced confidence, practical tools, and a deeper understanding of their workplace dynamics”

Alison Darling, Queen’s University IRC

“We offer both in-person and virtual formats, removing barriers related to geography, cost, or scheduling, while maintaining the high standards of quality for which Queen’s IRC is known”

Alison Darling, Queen’s University IRC

Ivan Verescuk

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

Shaun O’Brien

Head of Underwriting

Emily Walker

Head of Strata and Development

Rex Oakman

Head of Operations and Risk

Sandy Newton

Head of Underwriting

Andrew Mitchell

Manager – NSW

Michael Prokopis

Manager – Southern Region

Pam Chhabra

Manager – Residential Strata

Jeffrey Valdivia

Manager – Commercial Strata

Adam Basaldella

Manager – Claims

Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre (IRC) has over 88 years of expertise in advancing human resources, labour relations, and organizational development, establishing itself as a cornerstone of professional learning in Canada. HR professionals seeking cutting-edge, practical development opportunities trust Queen’s IRC for immersive programs that combine academic rigour with real-world impact. Under the leadership of director Alison Darling, Queen’s IRC has embraced modernization and expansion. Darling’s efforts have led to comprehensive curriculum updates, new program launches, and the integration of digital tools such as Salesforce and a dedicated participant portal. The organization is defined by a culture of excellence, collaboration, and lifelong learning. Its identity is grounded in learner-centred design and evidence-based practice, reflected in its programming being continually refined based on participant feedback and emerging workplace trends. Darling explains, “We offer both in-person and virtual formats, removing barriers related to geography, cost, or scheduling, while maintaining the high standards of quality for which Queen’s IRC is known.” Participants engage in transformative learning experiences, guided by seasoned facilitators who are active industry experts. Queen’s IRC is equally committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive community, both internally and externally. Staff and faculty model the values they teach: respect, curiosity, and collaboration. This alignment between organizational culture and program delivery ensures that all learning is authentic and impact driven. “Our training empowers professionals to return to work with enhanced confidence, practical tools, and a deeper understanding of their workplace dynamics,” adds Darling.

A unique differentiator is the IRC’s Labour Relations programming, which brings together union and management perspectives in a neutral, respectful space. Participants also benefit from digital badges and customizable certificates that recognize and validate professional achievements. Other programs, such as Building and Leading Teams and Managing Workplace Conflicts, support healthier communication, which in turn reduces interpersonal friction and lowers absenteeism and turnover. Strategic partnerships, a client-centric approach, and forward-thinking innovation contribute to IRC’s status as a trusted partner in workforce development. Its 96 percent satisfaction rate and rising demand for custom programs (a 60 percent increase over two years) underscore its market leadership and commitment to excellence. Another of Queen’s IRC’s impactful strategies has been its commitment to future-proofing professional development. The organization has overhauled 60 percent of its curriculum, introduced programs like Workplace Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and leveraged data from over 300 professionals in its 2025 HR Trends Report to guide its evolution. Dual-delivery models and learning via webinars ensure accessibility and sustained engagement. Organizations and individuals engaging with Queen’s IRC see tangible results: improved leadership capabilities enhanced conflict resolution stronger team cohesion better labour-management relations Winning industry accolades, such as being recognized in Canadian HR Reporter’s Readers’ Choice 2025 list, only compounds Queen’s IRC’s resolve to innovate. With a legacy of excellence and a bold vision for the future, the organization continues to empower HR professionals to thrive. Darling reflects, “With our clients and participants as partners, we will continue creating meaningful, relevant, and high-impact learning experiences that strengthen workplaces across Canada and beyond.”