Our Story | People First HR Services

Our Story

Founded in 2001, People First HR Services began with a mission to provide end-to-end human resource solutions to Canadian organizations. Our mission hasn’t changed and our services have evolved to support your HR team or become your HR department.

We started with our Winnipeg headquarters and a focus on Manitoba clients. Being acquired by People Corporation has allowed us to scale to help our customers. We’ve opened offices in Calgary, Regina, and Toronto, while serving clients in every Canadian province. We offer all of our services virtually in provinces where we don’t have a physical presence.

With a growing team of 30+ staff, we service clients across industries in all of Canada. We support every part of the employee journey and are proud to be the trusted HR partner of thousands of Canadian organizations.

Meet the team

Israel Mendez, PhD, MBA

SVP, Client Solutions

Israel oversees the People First HR team as the Senior Vice President of Client Solutions at People Corporation. He has held a variety of senior leadership roles in the HR industry and supports our key enterprise organizations by advising them to successful outcomes.

Linda Chammartin

VP, Professional & Management Recruitment

Linda draws on a background of operational people and sales leadership roles and her strong experience in client services to support clients across a wide range of HR challenges, initiatives, and people needs. Linda builds partnerships with a customer-centric approach and strives to provide insights that offer the best solutions to support the client’s goals and objectives.

Liz Bilton

VP, Career Management

Liz brings over 25 years of experience in client services, business development, and human resources to each client partnership. If you're seeking a trusted partner to support your organization’s employee needs, you will benefit from Liz's expertise and dedication to achieving exceptional results.

Karin Pooley

VP, Senior Management & Executive Search

Karin is a business leader and facilitator with over 30 years of experience in search and consulting. As the leader of the Executive Search practice at People First HR Services, she has led, planned, and delivered numerous C-Suite and executive searches across local, national, and international levels.

Lisa Anderson

Director, Strategic HR Consulting

Lisa is a seasoned HR professional with over 30 years of experience in human resources and organizational leadership. As a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR), Lisa brings a deep expertise and a client-focused approach to her work. Certified in DiSC and EQ-i, Lisa specializes in leadership coaching and training, leveraging tools like DiSC, EQ-i, and Five Behaviours of a Cohesive Team to help organizations develop high-performing leaders and teams.

Misty Fraser, CPHR

Director, Career Transition

Misty is a Career Coach and HR professional with a passion for guiding individuals through career transitions. She specializes in uncovering clients’ unique strengths, showcasing their professional brand, and helping them navigate the challenges of job loss to secure new opportunities with confidence. Misty is dedicated to creating a supportive and collaborative environment where clients feel heard, valued, and empowered.

Johanna Hildebrand, CPHR, SHRM-SCP

Director, HR Solutions

Johanna is an award-winning HR professional with over a decade of HR experience. Partnering with organizations of all sizes, Johanna translates complex HR challenges into practical, results-driven solutions, developing HR foundations that create inclusive cultures based on and implementing effective HR practices.