Ted has over 30 years of experience as an in-house and external consultant, trainer, and facilitator to a diverse range of for-profit, non-profit, and public sector organizations -- from the automotive, mold making, airline, power generation, petrochemical, agricultural, and telecommunications industries, to corrections, education, mental health, child welfare, hospital, public health and first responder sectors. Ted specializes in leadership development, strategic planning, dispute resolution, intervention in and prevention of workplace violence, identifying and counteracting individual and systemic abuses of power, and culture transformation.
Ted has a Specialized Honours B.A. in Psychology from York University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Applied Social Psychology (specialization in Industrial-Organizational Psychology) from the University of Windsor. His practical leadership and managerial experience include serving as Second-in-Command of an Air Force officer candidate training school, as Executive Director for a mental health centre, and as Executive Partner of Vokes Leadership Group.
Ted teaches undergraduate and graduate students in the Psychology Department and the Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor. In addition, he is a lead Trainer, Facilitator, and Executive Coach for St. Clair College's Micro-Credential Certificate Programs in Leadership & Culture Management.
Ted thinks he’s pretty cool because he likes to use big words like “tumultuous”, "concomitant", and “deleterious” when he writes reports. No one else is impressed.
Amir has a B.Sc. in Industrial Management, an M.A. in General Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Applied Social Psychology (specializing in Industrial-Organizational Psychology). Prior to becoming a Partner with our Practice, he held a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the Psychology Department at the University of Windsor.
His main interests and expertise revolve around personality in the workplace (with a focus on ‘personality derailers’ or ‘the dark side’ of personality), leader and employee counterproductive work behaviours, motivational processes, change leadership, and organizational neuroscience. As our Senior Partner, he is responsible for Psychometrics and Applied Research. He keeps us on the cutting-edge of social and neuroscientific advancements. He and his Applied Research Team are responsible for identifying and countermanding management pseudo-science and developing applied theories that translate social and neuroscience advancements into practical solutions for leadership and organizational challenges our clients routinely face. He and his team are skilled in both qualitative and quantitative methods in support of their research and applied theory development.
Amir is a lead Trainer, Facilitator, and Executive Coach for St. Clair College’s Micro-Credential Certificate Programs in Leadership & Culture Management. In addition, he teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in the Psychology Department and Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor.
Amir thinks he is pretty cool because he knows what you are thinking. As it turns out he’s usually right. #howdoesheknowthat? #getoutofmyheaddoc #carefulwhatyouthink
Adrian has a B.A. (Hons) in Psychology and Disability Studies from the University of Windsor, and an Educational Support Diploma from St. Clair College. He is passionate about facilitating workplace culture transformation by integrating different perspectives of social psychology, neurodivergence, personality theory, social power theory, and cognitive neuroscience. Adrian also has experience working as an educator and disability support worker in a variety of non-profit, educational, and corporate settings.
In the Practice, he is responsible for theory development, leadership training, organizational change management, personnel selection, culture-fit interviewing, workplace culture reviews, and social power analyses. He brings particular expertise to our work in supporting clients as they identify and remedy culturally toxic dynamics in the workplace.
Outside of work Adrian is known for his love of music, movies, coffee, and being an unapologetic extravert first thing in the morning. We introverts manage to endure his morning shenanigans. Mostly.
Narjes is an HR Research and Analytics Specialist who turns complex workforce data into clear, decision-ready insight for leaders navigating culture, change, and growth. With more than ten years of experience across higher education, non-profit, and large-scale financial institutions, she has led workforce analytics and organizational research initiatives impacting more than 20,000employees, integrating engagement surveys, performance metrics, and HR data to inform evidence-based HR strategy.
Narjes holds a PhD in Sociology and is a PhD Student in Applied Social Psychology(specializing in Industrial–Organizational Psychology), combining strong research rigor with practical, business-ready insights. In her work at the University of Windsor, she has led mixed-methods research on leadership, culture, and engagement, and designed and delivered a conflict-resolution training program for the $3M SSHRC-funded Indigenous Workways project.
Across roles in the banking sector and beyond, Narjes has supported large-scale people analytics initiatives and built executive dashboards and reports that translate findings into strategy. Highly adept in both qualitative and quantitative methods, and skilled with SPSS, NVivo, Power BI, and modern data visualization tools, she specializes in translating data into stories that leaders can act on to strengthen culture, improve retention, and align people practices with strategic goals. With our practice she plays the lead role in workplace culture reviews and power analyses, with particular focus on the integration and interpretation of large volumes of qualitative and qualitative data to help our clients understand what aspects of their cultures are aligned and misaligned with the achievement of mission-critical objectives.
Narjes thinks she’s pretty cool because she started out in marine biology and knows fish every bit as well as she knows people. We think, if forced to choose, she’d side with the fish.
Mila is an accomplished business executive and head of human resources with over 30 years of experience across industries such as natural gas, insurance, health care, not-for-profit, including more than 25 years in the automotive sector. Mila is dedicated to helping individuals and teams achieve their full potential, driving exceptional business results.
Mila holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Windsor, as well as CHRE (Certified Human Resources Executive) and GPHR (Global Professional Human Resources) designations. Mila specializes in leadership and team development, organizational culture, employee relations, and performance optimization, with a proven ability to leverage key people strategies for business success.
Currently, Mila focuses on executive coaching and consulting in strategic areas that enhance both people and business outcomes. Mila is also an experienced speaker and facilitator, and actively contributes to the community by serving on local boards. In addition to professional pursuits, Mila enjoys time with family and her Shih Tzu, Lil’ Leo, as well as decorating, cooking, entertaining, and international travel.
Halina holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Windsor.
As Head of HR, Finance, Logistics, and Scheduling, Halina plays a key role in keeping day-to-day operations organized and running smoothly. She brings strong business sense, attention to detail, and a proactive approach to everything she does—helping the team stay focused, supported, and on track.
Known for her love of structure and continuous improvement, Halina is always exploring new tools and ideas to streamline processes and make things work better. Her work is grounded in integrity, professionalism, and authenticity—values that guide both her decision-making and how she connects with others.
When she's not working, Halina enjoys spending time with her cats, soaking up the sun, and taking on personal projects—like building her own PC. She's always up for learning something new and finding smart ways to blend creativity with practicality.
Trent (or Trenton) brings a dynamic blend of technical expertise and creative problem-solving to the Vokes Leadership Group. With advanced training in Computer Game Design and 3D Digital Graphics from Toronto Film School, and foundational studies in Public Relations from St. Clair College, Trent is highly skilled in digital tools including Microsoft Office, Unreal Engine, 3DS Max, Adobe Photoshop, Maya, Blender, and Unity. His background equips him with a keen eye for detail, adaptability to new technologies, and the ability to manage complex digital projects with confidence.
As the Project Coordinator, Trent supports the team through meticulous project management, HRIS software administration, and seamless client communication, ensuring that every virtual meeting, document, and data record is handled with precision and professionalism. Trent's passion for learning and his dedication to excellence help keep our operations running smoothly and our clients well-supported.
Trent thinks he’s pretty cool because he can turn pixels into masterpieces and make government administrators swoon over his work. (But don’t ask him to sing... or for that matter, tap dance.)
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your leadership development and culture management needs!