Pender & Howe Called in by the Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada to Find New Leader
June 12, 2025 – Toronto-based Pender & Howe Executive Search has been called in by the Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC) to lead in its search for a new CEO. Michelle Moore and Sean Casey are leading the assignment. “This is a pivotal moment in WEOC’s journey,” said Shauna Harper, CEO of WeBC and board chair of WEOC. “With our loan fund in place, we are uniting ecosystem partners to unlock the full economic power of women entrepreneurs—strengthening Canada’s economy, driving inclusive growth, and building a sustainable future. We seek a values-driven leader to build on this momentum and deepen our connections with government and foster stronger connections within our ecosystem.”
The incoming leader will be the trusted advisor to the Government of Canada on unlocking the economic power of women business owners. They will help expand access to its network of women entrepreneurs and Women Enterprise focused organizations. This executive will create a leading center of excellence for learning, research, and leadership in Women Enterprise focused organizations. In addition to leading a national network, the new CEO will act as the organization’s key external representative with Ministers, Deputy Ministers, funders, and other stakeholders shaping Canada’s entrepreneurship and economic development policy.
The Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada strengthens the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem by supporting Women’s Enterprise Centers and related organizations across Canada. As a development lender, ecosystem convener, and trusted partner to government, WEOC works to advance inclusive economic growth through strategic funding, research, advocacy, and national collaboration.
Pender & Howe Executive Search is a boutique executive search firm with offices in Toronto, Montreal, New York, Edmonton, Vancouver, and San Francisco. The firm has more than 30 years of combined experience in leadership advisory and executive search. Pender & Howe focuses on collaborating with governing boards and CEOs in identifying world-class executive leaders. It provides leadership solutions that encompass venture capital firms, private equity, new technologies, emerging sectors, as well as board advisory positions. Its clients range from pre-seed start-ups and VC-backed disrupters to global public companies. Specialties include executive search, CEO search, leadership strategy, succession planning, executive assessment, talent management, executive recruiting, culture transformation, board services, and digital transformation.
Travis Hann is a co-founding partner of Pender & Howe. His primary focus is partnering with investors and C-suite leaders on complex executive searches. His latest projects have included a CEO search on behalf of a global family office, building a leadership team for a Series C VC-backed tech company, and replacing a long-standing founder of a business that went public on the NASDAQ.
As the co-founder and partner at Pender & Howe, Glenn Lesko brings over 25 years of human capital advisory and targeted search experience to his clients. He co-leads Pender & Howe’s North American operations. Previously, Mr. Lesko built and led the education, life sciences, and consumer goods practice for Lock Search Group, Pender & Howe’s sister firm in Western Canada.
Ms. Moore serves as director, executive search at Pender & Howe. She draws on years of experience in talent-focused leadership roles within the Big Four and mid-market firms to recruit for organizations across the professional services and venture capital space. Ms. Moore, an MBA candidate, has built a vibrant network of relationships across the Americas.
Related: Pender & Howe Executive Search Recruits CEO for CAAIN
Mr. Casey brings over 17 years of professional, results-driven, and relationship-based leadership recruitment experience to the team at Pender & Howe as director, executive search. Starting his career in executive search in Tokyo he has since worked with leaders and organizations throughout North America, helping companies build teams and impactful leadership cultures. Mr. Casey works across multiple sectors, including higher learning, technology, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Covenant Health Search
Pender & Howe was also recently retained to lead the search for a chief operating officer, acute & primary care for Covenant Health. The COO at Covenant Health will play a pivotal role in shaping the delivery of acute and primary health services within a dynamic, mission-driven organization. Reporting directly to the CEO, the COO will oversee a large and growing portfolio that currently includes approximately 1,000 beds across high-acuity urban hospitals and rural acute care sites, with expansion plans to reach 1,700 beds. This portfolio carries a budget of approximately $700 million.
The ideal candidate is a visionary and strategic leader—capable of designing actionable roadmaps for change, navigating complexity with confidence, and driving entrepreneurial solutions that improve patient outcomes, organizational performance, and the long-term sustainability of healthcare in Alberta.
Covenant Health also called in Pender & Howe to lead in its search for vice president, mental health and addictions. This leader will advance recovery-oriented, culturally responsive approaches as well as influence policy and system-wide strategy. They will also build coalitions across clinical, community, and government partners.
Related: Kestria Adds Pender & Howe to Network
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
