Our Core Team

Our Core Team

Khatereh Ramouzi

Founder & Director

Khatereh Ramouzi is the Founder and Director of Zest Circle a consultancy that specializes in assisting entrepreneurs as they develop their ventures and nurture their businesses. Through her years of experience with different clients in different industries, she has gathered expertise in guiding and partnering with clients to help them achieve their goals. Incorporating her skills as a project manager with a keen ability for marketing, she has successfully led many clients to enhance their reach in the market.

Previously, Khat worked as a program manager for numerous institutions within politicly dynamic environments, such as non-profits, municipal and federal government organizations, and financial sectors. Her professional background encompasses a wide array of skillsets such as budgeting, stakeholder and finance management, mentorship in corporate training and employee engagement, strategic consulting, leadership, recruitment, and leveraging tech for optimizing business processes.

Khat is a strong advocate for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. She is constantly implementing strategies to enhance these efforts through corporate organizational settings and new enterprises. She graduated with honours from the University of Calgary in Human Resources Management and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from York University, additionally, she has certifications in Business Administration, Digital Marketing and Advertising, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Tatjana Beocanin

Chief Operating Officer, Zest Circle Corporation

Tatjana Beocanin is a distinguished leader with over 20 years of experience in human resources, organizational change management, and talent acquisition. As the Chief Operating Officer of Zest Circle Corporation, she is at the helm of a company known for its cutting-edge approaches to business transformation and talent-driven growth.

Tatjana's career is marked by a relentless pursuit of innovation, enabling organizations to thrive in rapidly changing environments. Her strategic vision and deep expertise in leveraging data-driven insights have made her a trusted partner in optimizing talent acquisition processes, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and agility.

In addition to her executive role, Tatjana is a highly sought-after speaker and thought leader. She frequently shares her insights at industry conferences, webinars, and through published articles, where she addresses the latest trends and challenges in talent acquisition and organizational development. Her thought leadership is underpinned by a passion for entrepreneurship, which drives her to continuously innovate, create, and overcome challenges in building impactful, successful ventures.

Beyond her professional achievements, Tatjana is recognized for her strong interpersonal skills, unwavering integrity, and deep commitment to diversity and inclusion. She is dedicated to cultivating inclusive work environments where diverse talent can flourish, contributing to the overall success and sustainability of the organizations she serves.

Osaki Edunro

Marketing and Brand Management

Osaki is a passionate Marketing professional and a certified project manager with over 10 years of progressive experience in Brand Management, Marketing communications and Project Management in the Energy and FMCG industries.

Currently working for Enverus as a Growth Marketing Manager, Osaki is responsible for growth marketing plan creation and go-to-market strategies for the relevant solutions within the Enverus SAAS product line. She previously worked with other global energy companies as a Marketing Manager and Digital Projects Manager directing global and local marketing initiatives within the entire energy value chain.

She graduated from the University of St Thomas, Minnesota, USA with an MBA and from Concordia College, Moorhead with a BA in Business Administration and Marketing. In her free time, engages with entrepreneurs to solve problems, she loves to cook, travel and experience new cultures and spend time with her family. She lives in Calgary, Alberta

Hadi Gaafar

Entrepreneurship | Media Production

After 15 years in Canada, Hadi moved back home to Egypt in 2019 and set out to be a part of the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Joined a leading startup accelerator aiming to provide FinTech startups with the tools to grow, allowing Egypt to reach financial inclusion. While working with Startupbootcamp, Rainmaking's flagship accelerator, Hadi worked with a cohort of tech startups, graduating 8 startups from the ideation stage to product market fit. He then joined Womena as an accelerator program manager. The accelerator was industry agnostic and geared toward female founders. As the company pivoted into a media company, Hadi entered the media and production field, becoming Womena's production manager.

Tatjana Ilic-Balas

Consultancy | Talent Management | HR Advisor

Tatjana Ilic-Balas is a Sr. Consultant in MNP’s Organizational Renewal service line, working out of the Calgary office. She is a talent and HR advisor and strategist with over 14 years of experience in industry (primarily energy), public sector and consulting.

Tatjana applies science and best practices to solve talent management and OD/OE challenges - including those related engagement, inclusion, teams, organizational culture & leadership. Tatjana uses change management & project management approaches to plan & implement talent, organizational effectiveness & organizational renewal initiatives. She focuses on creating accountability for behavioral change as well as identifying & tracking metrics to demonstrate talent, OE & Org. Renewal initiative value & effectiveness. She partners with business leaders & HR at all stages of program design & implementation to ensure client satisfaction.

Expertise and experience in assessment, strategy, design, delivery & evaluation of organizational effectiveness & talent management initiatives including leadership development & alignment, team effectiveness solutions & interventions, engagement surveys & reports, assessment design & delivery, inclusion & diversity strategies & initiatives, performance management programs & processes, learning strategy & training programs, career development & mentoring programs, selection and recruitment, change management and competency-based talent management solutions.

Steve Drysdale

Steve Drysdale is an educator and life-long writer with experience in teaching and creating written content for specialized learning materials, reporting, business writing, grant writing, copywriting and radio advertising.

Steve believes strongly in a client-centred approach to help people find the source and voice of their big ideas to broadcast a clear and concise message to connect to their audience, accomplish their goals and find success.

Over the last several years, Steve has used his expertise to assist in successfully funding business department initiatives, securing grants for Artists/Entrepreneurs, and creating and teaching a wide variety of course content. Overall, Steve feels that writing in all mediums can be an exciting process to discover ideas and help guarantee results for clients or their businesses.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta and a Bachelor of Education from Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Samuel Obadero

Professional Photography

Samuel Obadero is a talented and passionate photographer, hailing from Nigeria. Samuel developed an early fascination with visual arts and storytelling. He dedicated his life to capturing the essence and vibrancy of the people, and cultures that surround them. From a young age, he was drawn to the power of images and their ability to convey emotions, narratives, and unique perspectives. His captivating photographs have garnered widespread recognition within Canadian arts community. Beyond his artistic endeavors, Samuel has actively used his skills to contribute to social causes and empower local communities. Through his artistic vision and passion for storytelling, he has illuminated the beauty of immigration and traditions, while also inspiring audiences to see the world through a fresh perspective. Samuel aspires to create impactful photo documentaries that promote cultural understanding, inspire social change, and ignite conversations about important global issues.

Kendra Rolheiser

Career and Leadership Consultant

Kendra Rolheiser is not just a Career and Leadership Consultant; she's an entrepreneurial powerhouse dedicated to empowering individuals to unlock their full potential and drive their career success with unshakeable confidence. With Kendra's guidance, clients discover how to leverage their unique strengths, gifts, and experiences to navigate the professional landscape while staying true to themselves.

Clients praise Kendra for her ability to instill a sense of empowerment, encouraging them to take intentional action and pursue their career aspirations without compromise. Whether it's providing direction on pressing workplace issues like career progression, succession planning, or interpersonal challenges, Kendra offers a blend of strategic guidance and insightful introspection.

For those embarking on an entrepreneurial journey, Kendra serves as a motivating force, ensuring they stay focused and continue moving forward toward their goals. With over 25 years of experience leading professionals across diverse industries, Kendra brings a wealth of expertise to the table. As a certified change management professional and leadership development specialist, she possesses deep knowledge in organizational effectiveness, conflict management, project management, stakeholder engagement, networking, career transition, and talent acquisition.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Kendra's heart lies with her family. Married with a vibrant five-year-old son, she cherishes every moment spent with her loved ones. And when she seeks solace and rejuvenation, you'll likely find Kendra amidst the majestic mountains or indulging in a well-deserved glass of wine, truly embracing life's simple pleasures.

Yuliia Labartkava

Yuliia is a distinguished project management professional, bringing her Ukrainian roots and extensive expertise in agile and change management to every endeavor. Renowned for her exceptional skills in process creation and optimization, she consistently drives efficiency improvements, cost reductions, and substantial revenue growth. Her commitment to excellence is evident not only through her professional achievements but also in her personal milestones, such as her strategic relocation to Canada, highlighting her planning and execution prowess.

Yulia excels at identifying innovative solutions and proactively implementing strategies that deliver significant organizational benefits. Her strategic foresight, unwavering dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence make her an invaluable asset to any team. Yulia’s ability to lead with precision and impact ensures that she consistently delivers outstanding results, solidifying her reputation as a powerhouse in project management.

Khatereh Ramouzi

Founder & Director

Khatereh Ramouzi is the Founder and Director of Zest Circle a consultancy that specializes in assisting entrepreneurs as they develop their ventures and nurture their businesses. Through her years of experience with different clients in different industries, she has gathered expertise in guiding and partnering with clients to help them achieve their goals. Incorporating her skills as a project manager with a keen ability for marketing, she has successfully led many clients to enhance their reach in the market.

Previously, Khat worked as a program manager for numerous institutions within politicly dynamic environments, such as non-profits, municipal and federal government organizations, and financial sectors. Her professional background encompasses a wide array of skillsets such as budgeting, stakeholder and finance management, mentorship in corporate training and employee engagement, strategic consulting, leadership, recruitment, and leveraging tech for optimizing business processes.

Khat is a strong advocate for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. She is constantly implementing strategies to enhance these efforts through corporate organizational settings and new enterprises. She graduated with honours from the University of Calgary in Human Resources Management and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from York University, additionally, she has certifications in Business Administration, Digital Marketing and Advertising, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Tatjana Beocanin

Chief Operating Officer, Zest Circle Corporation

Tatjana Beocanin is a distinguished leader with over 20 years of experience in human resources, organizational change management, and talent acquisition. As the Chief Operating Officer of Zest Circle Corporation, she is at the helm of a company known for its cutting-edge approaches to business transformation and talent-driven growth.

Tatjana's career is marked by a relentless pursuit of innovation, enabling organizations to thrive in rapidly changing environments. Her strategic vision and deep expertise in leveraging data-driven insights have made her a trusted partner in optimizing talent acquisition processes, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and agility.

In addition to her executive role, Tatjana is a highly sought-after speaker and thought leader. She frequently shares her insights at industry conferences, webinars, and through published articles, where she addresses the latest trends and challenges in talent acquisition and organizational development. Her thought leadership is underpinned by a passion for entrepreneurship, which drives her to continuously innovate, create, and overcome challenges in building impactful, successful ventures.

Beyond her professional achievements, Tatjana is recognized for her strong interpersonal skills, unwavering integrity, and deep commitment to diversity and inclusion. She is dedicated to cultivating inclusive work environments where diverse talent can flourish, contributing to the overall success and sustainability of the organizations she serves.

Osaki Edunro

Marketing and Brand Management

Osaki is a passionate Marketing professional and a certified project manager with over 10 years of progressive experience in Brand Management, Marketing communications and Project Management in the Energy and FMCG industries.

Currently working for Enverus as a Growth Marketing Manager, Osaki is responsible for growth marketing plan creation and go-to-market strategies for the relevant solutions within the Enverus SAAS product line. She previously worked with other global energy companies as a Marketing Manager and Digital Projects Manager directing global and local marketing initiatives within the entire energy value chain.

She graduated from the University of St Thomas, Minnesota, USA with an MBA and from Concordia College, Moorhead with a BA in Business Administration and Marketing. In her free time, engages with entrepreneurs to solve problems, she loves to cook, travel and experience new cultures and spend time with her family. She lives in Calgary, Alberta

Hadi Gaafar

Entrepreneurship | Media Production

After 15 years in Canada, Hadi moved back home to Egypt in 2019 and set out to be a part of the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Joined a leading startup accelerator aiming to provide FinTech startups with the tools to grow, allowing Egypt to reach financial inclusion. While working with Startupbootcamp, Rainmaking's flagship accelerator, Hadi worked with a cohort of tech startups, graduating 8 startups from the ideation stage to product market fit. He then joined Womena as an accelerator program manager. The accelerator was industry agnostic and geared toward female founders. As the company pivoted into a media company, Hadi entered the media and production field, becoming Womena's production manager.

Tatjana Ilic-Balas

Consultancy I Talent Management I HR Advisor

Tatjana Ilic-Balas is a Sr. Consultant in MNP’s Organizational Renewal service line, working out of the Calgary office. She is a talent and HR advisor and strategist with over 14 years of experience in industry (primarily energy), public sector and consulting.

Tatjana applies science and best practices to solve talent management and OD/OE challenges - including those related engagement, inclusion, teams, organizational culture & leadership. Tatjana uses change management & project management approaches to plan & implement talent, organizational effectiveness & organizational renewal initiatives. She focuses on creating accountability for behavioral change as well as identifying & tracking metrics to demonstrate talent, OE & Org. Renewal initiative value & effectiveness. She partners with business leaders & HR at all stages of program design & implementation to ensure client satisfaction.

Expertise and experience in assessment, strategy, design, delivery & evaluation of organizational effectiveness & talent management initiatives including leadership development & alignment, team effectiveness solutions & interventions, engagement surveys & reports, assessment design & delivery, inclusion & diversity strategies & initiatives, performance management programs & processes, learning strategy & training programs, career development & mentoring programs, selection and recruitment, change management and competency-based talent management solutions.

Steve Drysdale

Steve Drysdale is an educator and life-long writer with experience in teaching and creating written content for specialized learning materials, reporting, business writing, grant writing, copywriting and radio advertising.

Steve believes strongly in a client-centred approach to help people find the source and voice of their big ideas to broadcast a clear and concise message to connect to their audience, accomplish their goals and find success.

Over the last several years, Steve has used his expertise to assist in successfully funding business department initiatives, securing grants for Artists/Entrepreneurs, and creating and teaching a wide variety of course content. Overall, Steve feels that writing in all mediums can be an exciting process to discover ideas and help guarantee results for clients or their businesses.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta and a Bachelor of Education from Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Samuel Obadero

Professional Photography

Samuel Obadero is a talented and passionate photographer, hailing from Nigeria. Samuel developed an early fascination with visual arts and storytelling. He dedicated his life to capturing the essence and vibrancy of the people, and cultures that surround them. From a young age, he was drawn to the power of images and their ability to convey emotions, narratives, and unique perspectives. His captivating photographs have garnered widespread recognition within Canadian arts community. Beyond his artistic endeavors, Samuel has actively used his skills to contribute to social causes and empower local communities. Through his artistic vision and passion for storytelling, he has illuminated the beauty of immigration and traditions, while also inspiring audiences to see the world through a fresh perspective. Samuel aspires to create impactful photo documentaries that promote cultural understanding, inspire social change, and ignite conversations about important global issues.

Kendra Rolheiser

Career and Leadership Consultant

Kendra Rolheiser is not just a Career and Leadership Consultant; she's an entrepreneurial powerhouse dedicated to empowering individuals to unlock their full potential and drive their career success with unshakeable confidence. With Kendra's guidance, clients discover how to leverage their unique strengths, gifts, and experiences to navigate the professional landscape while staying true to themselves.

Clients praise Kendra for her ability to instill a sense of empowerment, encouraging them to take intentional action and pursue their career aspirations without compromise. Whether it's providing direction on pressing workplace issues like career progression, succession planning, or interpersonal challenges, Kendra offers a blend of strategic guidance and insightful introspection.

For those embarking on an entrepreneurial journey, Kendra serves as a motivating force, ensuring they stay focused and continue moving forward toward their goals. With over 25 years of experience leading professionals across diverse industries, Kendra brings a wealth of expertise to the table. As a certified change management professional and leadership development specialist, she possesses deep knowledge in organizational effectiveness, conflict management, project management, stakeholder engagement, networking, career transition, and talent acquisition.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Kendra's heart lies with her family. Married with a vibrant five-year-old son, she cherishes every moment spent with her loved ones. And when she seeks solace and rejuvenation, you'll likely find Kendra amidst the majestic mountains or indulging in a well-deserved glass of wine, truly embracing life's simple pleasures.

Yuliia Labartkava

Yuliia is a distinguished project management professional, bringing her Ukrainian roots and extensive expertise in agile and change management to every endeavor. Renowned for her exceptional skills in process creation and optimization, she consistently drives efficiency improvements, cost reductions, and substantial revenue growth. Her commitment to excellence is evident not only through her professional achievements but also in her personal milestones, such as her strategic relocation to Canada, highlighting her planning and execution prowess.

Yulia excels at identifying innovative solutions and proactively implementing strategies that deliver significant organizational benefits. Her strategic foresight, unwavering dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence make her an invaluable asset to any team. Yulia’s ability to lead with precision and impact ensures that she consistently delivers outstanding results, solidifying her reputation as a powerhouse in project management.

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Our Call to Action is to build the future of Canadian Businesses by investing in entrepreneurs and business owners at the ground level. We believe all pieces of Canada’s cultural mosaic are a rich bank of knowledge that can be used as a source of innovation. We empower dreams, embrace diversity, and believe that together we thrive. 

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