This month's guest is Kelvin Ng, Director of Business Operations for Global Relay. Kelvin has over 30 years experience in executive management and project leadership - but it all started in the security industry. Kelvin has carried that knowledge and experience throughout his career and leaned on it both during tough times and opportunities for growth. One area it’s also played a factor: helping Global Relay choose a security provider. 

Episode topics:

• The evolution of the security industry
• What clients look for in a security provider
• Working with ASIS and in security during 9-11
• An in-depth look at the work Global Relay does

This month's guest is Amy Morse, Operations Manager for PalAmerican Security, part of the Paladin Group of Companies. Amy began her career in law enforcement, but a critical incident led her to rethink her career path. She moved into armed security—and eventually, an opportunity with PalAmerican opened up. Now, Amy proudly leads her team in Chicago, contributing her "boots-on-the-ground" knowledge to enhance the security approach within the communities they serve. In the podcast, Amy discusses law enforcement, dealing with traumatic experiences, and the importance of mentorship.

Episode topics:

• Handling trauma and making mental health a priority
• The ins and outs of law enforcement and how it connects to security
• Mentorship and the importance of motivating and leading a team
• Being a woman in security and law enforcement

This month's guest is Yvette Lacasse, Newfoundland & Labrador's Branch Manager.  Before she became Branch Manager, Yvette led the largest healthcare centre in Newfoundland. She is passionate about learning and growing, which is evident when she earned the Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator (CHPA) designation through the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS), making her the first person on the island to hold the designation.

Episode topics:

• What it takes to run a branch
• The power of mentorship
• The importance of training and education
• The ins and outs of healthcare security

Join Paladin Director James Blight as he talks with Connie Marciniuk, the City of Edmonton's Community Safety Liason, about the importance of community engagement and the role empathy-led security plays.

Note: this is an encore presentation of a conversation that happened during a live webinar. 

Episode topics:

• Understanding the nuanced landscape of the marginalized community
• Implementing effective strategies for de-escalation and conflict resolution
• Highlighting best practices and safety considerations
• Supporting compliance with property regulations while fostering positive outcomes for all involved 

This month's guest is Hi Nguyen, Director of Protection Services at the Univerisity of Ottawa. Hi is a former RCMP officer and certified leadership coach and is passionate about educating others on how to become a stronger, more successful leader. In the podcast, he provides his top tip for finding success, whether you're a new supervisor or seasoned employee, as well as touches on the importance of investing in yourself.

Episode topics:

• How to build leadership skills and gain confidence
• The art of difficult conversations
• Transitioning from policing to private security

Interested in hearing more from Hi? Check out his LinkedIn and website!

March is Women's History Month, with International Women's Day on March 8th. The theme is Women who advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Paladin Executive Vice President of People and Culture, Susan Ibach, is this month's guest and shares her experience of moving up in the workforce and the barriers and struggles she faced along the way. She also shares how she was able to have her voice be heard and provides advice to others looking to find success.

Episode topics:

• Promoting inclusion in the workplace
• Why allies are important
• Mentoring vs. sponsoring

This month's guest is former Paladin Branch Manager Cy Thompson. Congratulations to Cy, who recently retired after a 32-year career in law enforcement and a nine-year career with Paladin. In this month's episode, Cy reflects on his time with both the police and Paladin and shares his number one secret to finding success in both fields. If you're interested in law enforcement or security, this is an episode you don't want to miss!

Episode topics:

• His journey up the police ranks from officer to inspector with the Saint John Police Force
• His biggest challenge when moving from law enforcement to private security
• Building a branch from the ground up
• His number one tip for being a good leader

Every February, people across North America participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people and their communities.

To recognize the month, we've put together a special episode of The Difference Makers podcast featuring PalAmerican Regional Director of Operations Johnny Boykins and Paladin Airport Security Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Carol Markwei. Johnny and Carol put forth a captivating discussion about being Black in the workplace, the barriers many Black people face, and what they want to do to help change the way things are.

This month's guest is Paladin Director Matthew Garcin. Matt was instrumental in the creation of Paladin’s first Joint Venture in Alberta and provides a behind-the-scenes look at what the partnership with the Fort McMurray First Nation includes. He also discusses what’s involved with camp work in the Oil & Gas sector and why connecting with the community is so important. It's an episode you won’t want to miss!

Episode topics:

• The importance of connecting with the community
• A look inside Paladin’s latest Joint Venture
• Security in the industrial and oil & gas sectors

This month's guest is the Paladin Group of Companies Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Alexandra Lowe. Alex shares her rise up the ranks to become the company's youngest VP, along with battling imposter syndrome along the way. She also dives deep into the inner workings of the marketing team, discussing everything from disruptive campaigns to a positive employee experience. It's a behind-the-scenes look that you don't want to miss!

Episode topics: 

• What is marketing and communications and how it helps shape a brand
• Why creating a disruptive campaign can lead to positive results
• The importance of providing a good employee experience