Meet Your Guide Team
At Flint & Steel, we’ve scoured the globe to assemble your elite dream team of talent strategists and consultants to provide you with an unparalleled ecosystem of expertise. Our partners and advisors bring diverse, world-class thought leadership and hands-on support that will guide you to excellence. We maintain a singular point of contact strategy for each client, ensuring seamless communication and quick resolution of challenges. Our approach is highly personalized and based on concierge-like model ensuring we meet your unique talent and culture needs with precision, expertise, efficiency.
Jay Kipps, CHRL, Founder
Jay is a globally recognized talent strategist and the visionary founder of Flint & Steel. With over 25 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies like PepsiCo, L’Oréal, Bell, Magna, CSIS, CRA, Tellus, RBC, TD, Scotiabank, Vale and countless others, Jay has mastered the art of aligning talent strategies with organizational culture. Through Flint & Steel, he integrates cutting-edge technology, data-driven insights, and high-touch advisory services to help companies build world-class employer brands that resonate with top talent worldwide. Jay’s unique approach not only enhances employer branding but also ensures that the cultures behind those brands can live up to their promises. He is currently writing a book on developing high-performance cultures and high-performance brands packed with tactical takeaways. For Jay, it’s about helping organizations unlock sustainable growth through innovative, performance-driven talent strategies.
Graham Donald, Partner
Graham is one of North America’s foremost experts on attracting, recruiting, and engaging students and graduates. As Flint & Steel's Data Partner in Canada, his firm, Brainstorm Strategy Group, has spent over 20 years improving the school-to-work transition, working with institutions like McGill University, UBC, and Rutgers, and corporate clients such as KPMG and Deloitte. Graham leads the largest career preference research database in Canada, gathering insights from over 300,000 students to shape how organizations connect with emerging talent. He also chairs key events like the Campus Recruitment Forum and other events that support career educators and campus recruiting initiatives. For Graham, it’s about empowering organizations to enhance student outcomes and build the future workforce.
Mike Parsons, Partner
Mike is a seasoned employer branding expert with over 20 years of experience. As a Flint & Steel Partner and co-founder of Fathom, Mike plays a key role in employer brand development and research, partnering with notable mentions to work done across Asia and beyond with Unilever, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, EY, , MediaTek, IRAS, MINDEF, Viettel, FPT, SCB, HAECO, Siemens, DSO, DSTA, AStar. Mike has been instrumental in the creation and management of Rio Tintos global Employer Brand over the last 5 years. He brings deep expertise in external and internal surveys, focus groups, competitor analysis, and C-level interviews to deliver actionable, data-driven insights. Mike’s work ensures that clients can build high-performing, inclusive cultures and attract, engage, and retain top talent. For Mike, it’s about leveraging the power of data to shape organizational cultures that drive sustainable success.
James Robbins, Partner
James is a highly skilled employer branding marketing and digital communications expert with over 20 years of experience. As a Flint & Steel Partner and co-founder of Fathom, James leads digital marketing across the APAC region and globally, working with leading companies like Luxottica, Diageo, Vodafone, McLaren, and the Mercedes F1 Team, Ferrari, DBS, HP, Nokia, and Manchester United FC. He specializes in conducting comprehensive marketing, advertising and social media activation, providing clients with measurable content engagement results, polished reports and interactive dashboards. James is passionate about helping organizations build compelling employer brands that resonate with top talent, ensuring they attract and retain the best in the market. For James, it’s about turning talent data into a strategic advantage that drives business growth and enhances organizational culture.
Katie Rothschild, Partner, VP Client Services
Katie is a seasoned Brand & Marketing professional and Client Services leader with over 20 years of experience in brand strategy, design, marketing, and communications. As a partner with Flint & Steel and leader at Pinch Social, a full-service social media marketing agency, Katie provides clients with innovative, social-first campaigns to build thriving online communities. She excels in fostering strong client relationships, leading creative teams, and merging strategic insight with creative execution. Her portfolio includes internationally renowned brands across industries, and her deep understanding of consumer, corporate, and employer branding enables her to deliver impactful, engaging campaigns. For Katie, it’s about crafting thumb-stopping content that drives engagement and amplifies brand presence.
Aaron Boles, J.D., Advisor
Aaron is an expert at engaging audiences through cross-platform strategies that skillfully navigate today’s evolving information ecosystem. His disciplined communications approach has been sharpened through decades of working for the world’s largest asset managers, global banks, publicly traded companies and consulting firms. Aaron has been a trusted advisor to Flint & Steel for more than 20 years, and his methodical approach to mapping and measuring the impact of multidisciplinary strategies has proven effective in building reputations, driving awareness, gaining political traction and managing crises. For Aaron, it’s about aligning strategic communication with organizational success and resilience.
Sean O'Grady, Partner
Sean is a globally experienced marketing, communications, and employer branding leader with nearly 20 years of expertise in management consulting, advertising, and broadcast journalism. As a Flint & Steel Advisor and the founder of Work Brand, Sean’s diverse background includes roles with Deloitte, the United States Olympic Committee, and Time Warner. He brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, creative direction, and team leadership to the firm, guiding client engagements and managing high-performance teams. Sean is known for his deep ability to build emotionally intelligent, inclusive cultures that drive performance and innovation. For Sean, it’s about helping clients craft employer brands that resonate both with talent and within the organizational culture, ensuring that the brand promise is lived every day.
Warren Collier, CHRL, Partner
Warren is a strategic operational and HR leader with 30 years of expertise in talent assessment, acquisition, and consulting. He specializes in psychometrics, talent analytics, and organizational design, leveraging AI-driven insights and data analytics to optimize recruitment, enhance selection processes, and elevate the employer brand and team performance. His holistic approach encompasses role clarity, resource mapping, and change management, fostering agility, innovation, and sustained growth. By collaborating with high-growth companies, Warren transforms internal processes, improves employee and customer experiences, and aligns organizational design with business strategies. For Warren, its about driving top-line revenue growth, operational efficiency, and meaningful change for his clients.
Terry Thompson, CFO
Terry is a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of senior management experience specializing in scaling businesses and building high-performance cultures. As Executive VP & GM of 4Refuel Canada for 14 years, he played a pivotal role in growing the company to over $200 million in sales and earning recognition as one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies and Best Places to Work. Partnering with Flint & Steel, he implemented innovative training, talent acquisition, and employer branding strategies, positioning the company for a successful sale. Now, Terry focuses on mentoring business leaders, developing early-stage companies, and co-authoring books, including Millennial Leadership. His latest collaboration, with Jay Kipps, explores strategies for cultivating high-performance cultures. For Terry, it’s about equipping organizations with the financial acumen and strategic foundation to scale while fostering resilient, future-ready teams.
Janet Candido, Partner
Janet is a seasoned HR strategist, Flint & Steel Partner, and Founder of Candido Consulting Group, with over 20 years of experience in human resources, organizational development, and corporate restructuring. She specializes in HR strategy, compensation, benefits, and legal and regulatory issues, offering innovative solutions for navigating complex HR challenges. Janet has successfully guided mid-market companies across North America, focusing on organizational redesigns, leadership coaching, M&A planning, and creating tailored strategies aligned with business goals. With executive experience at Lloyds Bank and Delcan Corporation, Janet brings a wealth of knowledge in restructuring and driving sustainable change. For Janet and her team, it's about a no-nonsense approach to equipping corporations with the right systems to grow and succeed while minimizing risk and ensuring compliance and regulatory alignment.
Sonya Matheson, Partner
Sonya is an accomplished Talent Marketing specialist with extensive experience in employer branding, candidate attraction, and inclusive hiring. She excels at helping clients define their Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) and establishing their employer voice. With a strong background as a strategic lead and project manager, Sonya is dedicated to upholding hiring best practices, driving process improvements, and enhancing brand positioning. With 25 years in the industry, she has collaborated with some of North America's most renowned companies, including Loblaw Companies Ltd., BMO Financial Group, Vale, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, RBC, and Telus. For Sonya its about transforming the candidate experience and eliminate barriers for all job seekers.