Elissa Gurman

Elissa is passionate about helping teams and individuals reach and exceed their goals. With a background in academia, she is an experienced teacher and researcher, adept at understanding and breaking down complex problems. Elissa loves taking the time to understand an organization’s or team’s core challenges – and developing custom solutions to help them become more high-performing. Her best days are when she gets to lead energizing team workshops and conversations that change the way people work for the better.

During her time at MacPhie, Elissa has been instrumental in developing and leading MacPhie’s High-Performing Teams program. Elissa also spends a great deal of her time working on executive facilitations; she is adept at leading and structuring challenging conversations about strategy and culture. Finally, Elissa has developed and leads MacPhie’s Inclusive Communications Training program: this program combines her passion for people and their development with her skill in facilitating difficult conversations in a productive and comfortable manner. 

Elissa has a PhD in English literature from the University of Toronto, an MA in English literature from Dalhousie University, and a BA, hons. in English literature from McGill University. She taught literature, writing, and oral communications skills to college, undergraduate, and graduate students at the University of Toronto and Sheridan College for several years. Her work has been published in numerous academic journals, as well as trade publications such as Maclean’s, Chatelaine, University Affairs, and Fast Company. Elissa is a certified Change Management Practitioner; she has also completed her DEI Certificate from Cornell University and the Foundations of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion course at the University of Virginia Darden.

Elissa was also selected by The Peak as one of Canada’s Top 100 Emerging Leaders in the category of People and Culture in 2024.

Outside of work, Elissa loves to read romance novels, take long walks, cook and spend time with her husband and two young children.

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