About Our Team
Anna Hoferica
Strategy / Governance / ERM / Risk Intelligence Expert
Anna brings over 20 years of expertise in governance, risk management, compliance and strategic leadership, empowering organizations across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to thrive. As a Principal and Chief Risk Officer at Canada Direction Inc., she excels at crafting innovative solutions, enhancing resilience, and driving sustainable growth.
Anna has spearheaded transformative initiatives, integrating enterprise risk management, audit frameworks, and process optimization to enhance resilience and deliver long-term value. Her expertise extends to the autism services sector, where she has played a pivotal role in enhancing capacity for service providers through strategic governance, financial tools, and tailored risk management frameworks. By equipping organizations to adapt to rapid changes in the Ontario Autism Program, Anna has helped create sustainable solutions that ensure effective service delivery for individuals and families.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Anna actively contributes to community well-being as a board member at Wexford Residence and a mentor for the Small Business Advisory Group. Her entrepreneurial spirit shines through as the founder and creative director of Julianna Glass.
Anna holds a Master’s degree in Economics and multiple certifications in risk management and internal auditing. Her unwavering commitment to advancing organizational missions and nurturing leadership excellence defines her as a dynamic force for positive change.
Leona Banfield
Certified Leadership Coach | Behaviour Change Specialist | Social Services Expert | Growth Catalyst
Leona is the Founder and Principal of Ginomai Consulting and Training and works with Canada Direction Inc., bringing over 20 years of expertise in human development and behavior change.
She specializes in helping organizations navigate change with strategic planning and tailored approaches. Rejecting one-size-fits-all "change management" solutions, Leona partners with clients to build resilient leadership and adaptable teams, leading to measurable improvements in collaboration, problem-solving, and alignment.
Leona has extensive leadership experience through her roles in autism service organizations and her work across non-profit and for-profit sectors. She has designed leadership and coaching programs that are practical, relatable, and actionable. She is also actively involved with social change initiatives in Toronto supporting non-profit organizations and charities with business strategy and change management, leadership and culture consultancies in the U.S., and serves on Algonquin College’s Behavioral Science Program Advisory Committee.
A Certified Leadership Coach, Leona holds a master’s in Applied Behaviour Analysis from Brock University. In her community, she volunteers with 100 Women Who Care Burlington and the Burlington Humane Society.
Lewis Cassar
Compliance Professional
Lewis Cassar has engaged in various Risk and Compliance consulting projects, including recently guiding the launch of Canada’s newest Federally Chartered Sch 1 Bank through all OSFI regulatory requirements. He brings an international perspective to his work in financial services with proven success in the identification, evaluation and control of risk and the professional resolution of multi-jurisdiction regulatory issues.
Lewis joined State Street Corporation, the world’s leading provider of financial services to institutional investors, following a distinguished career in auditing, consulting and financial industry regulation. Over a decade in Canada, Lewis was responsible for building and leading the Risk Management and Compliance function while also initiating and completing numerous innovative, state-of-the-art solutions in all areas of the operation, the majority of which were adopted globally by the Corporation. Most recently, Lewis held the position of Vice President, Global Services, Risk Management and Compliance.
Lewis holds a Chartered Accountant designation from both the UK and Canada and a Banking Diploma from the UK Chartered Institute of Bankers. He earned his B.Sc. in Economics, majoring in Finance, from The London School of Economics and his M.B.A. from Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario majoring in Global Strategy, Leadership and the Management of Change. Lewis also enjoyed his role as a Professor (part-time) at The Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto teaching students who intend to pursue a CA and/or CFA designation.