Our Team
Management
Joy Neuhold
Co-Owner, Senior Training
& Consulting Manager
Joy’s entrepreneur journey began while working in a corporate environment, where she worked on internal projects and training. However, she saw a gap – many of her colleagues returned from external training and couldn’t connect what they learned to their day-to-day roles.
So, in 2002, she started what is now The Great Canadian Training & Consulting Company and never looked back. She has surrounded herself with an amazing, hardworking and passionate team that shares her zeal for excellence.
Fun Fact: Joy loves adventure, from taking a bobsled run in Lake Placid to canyoneering in Utah.
Jon Neuhold
Co-Owner, Business Developer
& Consulting Manager
Jon joined the Great Canadian team in 2005, focusing on Excel and Access training and development.
Over the past 15 years, he has built databases in use at companies both large and small. Jon is exceptional at the details and learning how each of our clients operate to serve their needs better. Jon also helps with our business development, IT support and training facility design.
Fun Fact: Jon combines his love of Excel and hockey to dominate his local fantasy hockey league with back-to-back championships.
Training & Learning
Christine Irons
Senior Software Instructor
& Courseware Designer
Before moving to Ottawa in 2018, Christine worked in Human Resources at York University for over 20 years as an instructional designer, trainer, and learning specialist.
Christine has a knack for making even the most complicated concepts practical and exciting! Our students love her engaging training. We love Christine’s passion for developing new courses and ensuring our courses are useful for today’s workplace.
Fun Fact: Christine is the voice behind the Ottawa-based SOS Band – The ABBA Experience.
Gloria Ngwenya
Software Instructor
Gloria is a multi-passionate individual who loves to learn and to teach! She was always the tech person in whatever job she did until she ended up working full-time in computers in 2016. Technology has transformed our world, and it is Gloria’s mission to show everyone who’s willing how technology can change their life.
Gloria feels very honored to be part of The Great Canadian Training and Consulting Company team and she learns so much every day.
Fun Fact: Gloria is a part-time florist and make-up artist.
Training Management
Erica Baillie
Training Manager
Erica joined the team in October 2020 as a Training Coordinator. She enjoys being on the front line, chatting with all our wonderful clients over the phone and by email. She works with the team and our customers to ensure that training runs smoothly.
Erica is amazing at coming up with creative ways to get in front of our clients and has a passion for creating a fantastic customer service experience.
Fun Fact: She’s a certified Tea Sommelier!
Amy Hope
Assistant to the Senior Training & Consulting Manager
Amy has been with The Great Canadian Training & Consulting Company since 2017. She has over 15 years of administrative experience and is especially great at helping clients organize the training that’s just right for them.
Amy is also a trained proofreader and editor and puts her detail-oriented mindset to good use!
Fun Fact: Amy is fluent in Spanish and has lived in Panama and Ecuador.
Avery Ash
Lead Training Coordinator
Hi, I’m Avery! I have recently received the opportunity to join the team as a Training Coordinator! I love helping people and providing great customer service on the front lines. I am excited to be part of such an awesome team at The Great Canadian Training & Consulting Company. I look forward to meeting all of our amazing clientele over the phone!
In my spare time, I love to try new escape rooms!
Fun Fact: I have a passion for theatre, and taught Musical Theatre to kids!
Debbie Alas Ordoñez
Training Coordinator
Debbie joined our team in May 2022 as a Training Coordinator. She graduated from Algonquin College in 2012, where she studied accounting. Her previous work experience ranges from teaching online to working at a financial institution, working for an accounting company, and doing some transcription and administrative work.
We love her attention to detail and focus on getting things just right.
Fun Fact: Debbie is multilingual - her native language is Spanish. She did some schooling in French, learned English at age eight and is now learning sign language.
Marketing, Administrations
& Operations
Jim Irons
Accounts Manager
Jim’s background in operations makes him our resident expert in helping new clients determine the right solution for them! Not only does he maintain our Ottawa lab, he also maintains our relationships, making sure our clients are satisfied with the service that they receive.
Fun Fact: Jim has been drumming for most of his life, and has recorded and performed for over 40 years.
Susan Tonkin
Sales Assistant
We are excited to have Susan join our team here at Great Canadian Training! Susan spent the better part of the last decade as an on-premise sales rep for an international beverage brand. As someone with whom people always want to start a conversation, she quickly realized she has a knack for connecting with many different types of people and businesses. She loves learning about what people truly need and helping them to achieve it. Susan has joined us at GCT to support our sales team. She will make sure that your path to greater success starts off on the right foot.
Fun Fact: Susan is very outdoorsy and loves being in nature, whether it’s tending to her garden or fishing with her family.
Melanie Ziltener
Administrative Assistant
Mel loves assisting our team behind the scenes so that things can run smoothly. Her administrative experience spans over 15 years and many industries, from small businesses to large organizations.
Fun Fact: In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, gardening, and reading.
Development
Yvann Argentin
Full Stack Developer
Yvann completed his first paid web developer gig at age 15 and never looked back since. He studied computer science at the University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland, while continuing to work as a freelancer.
He has collaborated with both small and large companies, assisting them in their digital transition as well as creating a variety of custom software to fit specific needs and requirements.
Fun Fact: Yvann is a travel addict, with more than 39 countries visited on 5 continents. When he's not working, you can find him volunteering or kitesurfing somewhere near the coast.
Ezequiel Chalupa
Web Developer
Ezequiel completed a three-year Computer Engineering program at the UNI (Nicaraguan Engineering University) and then studied English and Marketing Accounting for 2 years.
Ezequiel is diligent, detail-oriented and an asset to our team!
Fun Fact: His last name, Chalupa, was his great grandfather’s popular nickname that his family legally adopted as their last name.