Champions in business and beyond: Women who are redefining success – Alumni – Ted Rogers School of Management

Laura Salvatore (external link) , Vice President, Human Capital at Centurion Asset Management (external link)  has earned her place among HR Directory’s Top 100 Global Human Resources Leaders in 2023 (external link) , for her exceptional leadership in human resources and strategic impact on organizational development.

Receiving awards amplifies female leaders’ voices, as Salvatore notes, “It puts you at the forefront of speaking to individuals that you typically wouldn’t have ever gotten the opportunity to connect with. It’s amazing because I’m able to listen to their ideas and experiences and then take what they’ve shared with me and apply it to create a better workplace.”

Committed to diversity, Salvatore emphasizes inclusive leadership values, a stark change from her early experience at Centurion, where she was the lone female leader. Now, with four women on the executive committee, she sees this as a positive sign for the future. She underscores, “It’s important for organizations to take accountability, and you can’t take accountability without first understanding where you’re sitting.”

With a twelve-year journey at Centurion, Salvatore attributes her success to her TRSM human resources degree, overcoming the historical undervaluation of HR. Reflecting on her TRSM experience, she advocates for mentorship, stating, “Being a mentor would be a great way to help new and upcoming graduates…Networking with other women is huge. If I could say anything, it would be finding a mentor. Reach out to other female alumni who are in leadership roles. Pick their brains, try to meet with them regularly, find out how they got to where they are, and figure out what challenges they experienced.”

Salvatore’s recognition aligns with TRSM’s commitment to producing diverse leaders. Her achievements highlight TRSM’s education in preparing graduates for leadership roles that extend beyond traditional boundaries. Salvatore concludes, “My team has been recognized as one of the most innovative HR teams for the last three years…we give them the tools they need to become an effective leader one day.”