Every person who becomes an HRPA member or student member has a story to tell.
So, in our 2021 Annual Report, we asked some of our members to share their inspiring stories with us. Meet Emilie Le Tual, HRPA member – and learn how she chased and succeeded in catching her dreams of a thriving career in HR:

It’s hard to imagine a leader that embodies the quote “leave nothing on the table” more than Emilie Le Tual. Born and raised in Quebec, she completed an undergraduate degree in HR, moved to Ontario, obtained her MBA, pursued her CHRL designation and landed a career-changing HR position.

Today, Emilie is Director of Enterprise and Risk Culture in Global Compliance in a global financial institution and is also a member of HRPA’s Board of Directors.

Her career journey is nothing short of impressive. But while much of her success can be attributed to her tenacity and drive, Emilie believes it also has a lot to do with the critical skills she gained from the HRPA Mentorship Program. “When I was relatively new to the workforce in Ontario, I joined the HRPA Mentorship Program and had a mentor who really helped me understand more about the HR marketplace. My mentor also helped me navigate a new career, a new industry, and adjust to the professional landscape in Ontario,” she said. In fact, this experience had such a positive impact on Emilie that it helped her build a mentoring program within her own organization. Coming full circle, she also currently gives back as a mentor in the HRPA Mentorship Program, guiding and advising other emerging HR professionals in the early stages of their careers.


When HR Pros Join Forces

The role and visibility of the HR profession changed significantly during the pandemic. For Emilie this made her connection to the HRPA even more important.

“As a member, I felt like I was able to stay connected to the HR community and build confidence in managing the unknown,” says Emilie. “Pre-pandemic, HR was gaining solid ground as a strategic partner to the business. The pandemic accelerated this trend even further and helped bring together many HR functions and partner groups to actively collaborate, creating new bridges and elevating our ability to redefine employee experiences.”

Staying connected with the HRPA also meant she could tap into countless professional development and learning opportunities, all of which were equally valuable for Emilie last year. “HRPA really brought to the forefront many of the hot topics that were impacting leaders such as returning to work and vaccination requirements,” says Emilie. In fact,
many of these important challenges were discussed at HRPA’s first-ever Summer Conference and Fall Conference, while thought-leadership pieces and the latest research were shared in the Insider, and smaller professional development certificate programs and Chapter-led initiatives were hosted throughout the year.

“The HRPA is creating for its community the experience that all HR professionals should aim to replicate within their organizations, in terms of helping employees find purpose and remain abreast of best practices in the face of constant change. This enables us all to continuously add value.”

Making the Most Out Of It

Emilie has come a long way since completing her undergraduate degree in HR. And while HRPA has been an invaluable part of her career journey, she wants to emphasize that it does take work. “The HRPA membership is what you make of it. If you don’t take advantage of all the training programs (many of which are also free), if you
don’t network, if you don’t volunteer, you may be missing out on some key opportunities to develop and flourish in your career.” But while it does take hard work, it’s not without its rewards. Because when Emilie looks back on her HR career, one word that encapsulates how she feels about it is proud. “We’re not doctors, we don’t have to take the Hippocratic Oath, but as HR professionals we are held to a Code of Ethics. This code sets standards which speak to our commitment to our workplace, our fellow employees, and ourselves to give our best, each and every day.”

Learn more about the HRPA Mentorship Program

For more membership highlights, read the 2021 Annual Report

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