The Ampersand - Unplugged

Send us Fan Mail The Ampersand Unplugged brings you an audio version of our June 2026 edition of The Ampersand, read aloud by the author. In this edition, Adam reflects on the recent passing of his father, Dan Pekarsky—a legendary Edmonton lawyer and the man who, without either of them fully realizing it, shaped the foundational principles behind everything Adam has built. From dinner table aphori...

Send us Fan Mail The Ampersand Unplugged brings you an audio version of our May 2026 edition of The Ampersand, read aloud by the author. In this milestone 200th edition, Adam reflects on what you find when you stop looking at the mannequin in the window and walk the shop floor instead. From touring client sites across Alberta to a fumbled answer under hot lights at an awards luncheon, he makes the...

Send us Fan Mail The Ampersand Unplugged brings you an audio version of our October 2025 edition of The Ampersand, read aloud by the author. In this edition, Adam reflects on what it means to navigate the start of a career—and what the rest of us can learn from watching the next generation figure it out. On the surface, this edition is about early-career twenty-somethings showing up at his office...

Send us Fan Mail The Ampersand Unplugged brings you an audio version of our April 2026 edition of The Ampersand, read aloud by the author. In this edition, Adam reflects on what artificial intelligence means for the deeply human work of executive search.  From the death of the Rolodex to the resurgence of vinyl records and Legion bingo nights, he makes the case that as the world speeds up and algo...

Send us Fan Mail The Ampersand Unplugged brings you an audio version of our November 2025 edition of The Ampersand , read aloud by the author. This month’s piece reflects on mentorship, service, and the quiet wisdom of those who help carry the weight for others.  Through stories of caddies, a day spent looping for his son at a golf tournament, and the lasting influence of a beloved mentor, Adam ex...

Send us Fan Mail The Ampersand Unplugged brings you an audio version of our March 2026 edition of The Ampersand, read aloud by the author. This month’s piece explores the value of patience, discipline, and the quiet work behind lasting results—from building a backyard rink to building a business, and everything in between. It’s a thoughtful reflection on why process matters, especially when outcom...

Send us Fan Mail The Ampersand Unplugged brings you an audio version of our December 2025 edition of The Ampersand , read aloud by the author. This month’s piece reflects on change, continuity, and the quiet ways our perspectives evolve over time in our work, our careers, and our lives. It’s a thoughtful look at how much shifts, how much stays the same, and what those patterns reveal as one chapte...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Season 5 of The Ampersand Unplugged . This season, we’re doing something a little different. While Kiara Tyler—the creative force behind our first four seasons—is away on maternity leave, Adam Pekarsky will be bringing you audio readings of our monthly Ampersand blog posts. For 17 years, The Ampersand has landed in inboxes as a written reflection on work, leadership, co...

Send us Fan Mail For those who prefer to listen, The Ampersand Unplugged brings you an audio version of our February 2026 edition of The Ampersand , read aloud by the author himself, Adam Pekarsky. This month’s piece reflects on decision-making, missed opportunities, and the enduring question of “what if?"—from large-scale civic moments to the quieter choices leaders face every day. You can f...

Send us Fan Mail As we bring Season 4 of The Ampersand - Unplugged to a close, it’s time to step back and reflect on the journey we’ve been on with Candidate Confessionals . In this final episode, we take an honest look at the highs and the lows, admitting a few things. From our favorite episodes to the lessons learned along the way, we discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what’s in store for Sea...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Ampersand - Unplugged , we sit down with Max Dawson, an expert in executive recruitment and a fellow Partner at the Humanis Edmonton office, Max has over a decade of experience navigating North America’s corporate and sporting landscape. A former three-sport varsity athlete, Max’s journey took him from the field to the boardroom, earning an MBA in Sports Man...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Ampersand - Unplugged , we sit down with Alisha Reynolds, the new President and CEO of Tourism Calgary. Joining the organization in June 2024, Alisha brings a wealth of experience from her time at Northland Properties Corporation, where she held senior leadership roles across the hotel and restaurant industries, including Sandman Hotel Group, Moxies, and Cho...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Ampersand - Unplugged , we sit down with Lucia Juliao, the Partnerships Director at the Calgary International Film Festival. Lucia's path to the arts was anything but conventional. Growing up near Toronto, she pursued a career in Engineering, driven by her aptitude for math and science. After nearly a decade in the engineering field, Lucia decided to ma...

Send us Fan Mail On this week’s episode of The Ampersand - Unplugged, co-hosts Kiara Marika and Adam Pekarsky sit down with Matt Mayer, Founder of the Arete Initiative and sessional instructor at the Haskayne School of Business. Pronounced ah-reh-tay, the term was used in Ancient Greece and can be considered as the confluence of moral virtue and excellence. Arete is the “act of living up to one’s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Ampersand - Unplugged , we sit down with Nicole Springer, Managing Director at Xylem, who has transformed a local MNC subsidiary into a global powerhouse across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Israel, and Greece. Nicole's journey from general counsel to a visionary business leader is a testament to her passion for people, growth, and sustainable success. ...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of our podcast, we dive into the remarkable journey of revitalizing the Calgary International Film Festival with our guest, Steve Schroeder, a seasoned arts leader who took the helm during a financial crisis and steered the festival to unprecedented success. Get ready for a captivating conversation as we explore: The bold strategies that turned around a struggling...

Send us Fan Mail Join us on this episode of "Transitions in Leadership" as we delve into the dynamic career of Cheryll Watson, the CEO of Junior Achievement Northern Alberta. Cheryll’s journey from supporting small businesses at Intuit to enhancing Edmonton's entrepreneurial ecosystem is nothing short of inspiring. Discover how she founded Innovate Edmonton, ran for Mayor in 2021, a...

Send us Fan Mail Join us on this episode of The Ampersand - Unplugged as we welcome Diane Wheatley, a proven leader with over 30 years of experience. Diane, the Managing Partner of Humanis in Edmonton, shares her inspiring career transition from senior management in finance and lending with one of Canada's top banks to her current role overseeing all corporate functions at Humanis. We'll...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Chantel Butt, the driving force behind Covalency Coaching, to explore the transformative world of psychometric assessments and personal development. Join us as we delve into Chantel's journey, her passion for coaching, and the innovative techniques she uses to help individuals and organizations unlock their full potential. Whether you're...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Raj Bhatti, a Partner at Humanis Edmonton, to explore his impressive career journey and gather insights into the recruitment industry. Raj shares his experiences from over a decade in search-related roles, starting with his work in a global firm where he specialized in placing senior-level professionals in accounting, finance, and business systems...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to The Ampersand: Unplugged! We're thrilled to be back after a hiatus, and let us tell you, these past few months have been quite the journey. In this episode, we're excited to finally reveal what we've been up to lately! This season, we're diving deep into candid conversations with both our clients and candidates. It's all about revealing the...

Send us Fan Mail In this season finale episode, we take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we've had during Season 3, where we dove deep into the world of ESG and its profound importance in today's business landscape. From exploring sustainability initiatives to discussing ethical investing and corporate social responsibility, it's been a season filled with eye-opening in...

Send us Fan Mail As we draw the curtains on another enlightening season of The Ampersand: Unplugged, join us for a special wrap-up episode with Christy Elliott, SVP, Sustainability, External Affairs & General Counsel at Keyera. Together, Christy and our co-hosts dive deep into the world of ESG strategy and overall business sustainability. Throughout this season, we've explored the intrica...

Send us Fan Mail As we begin to close this season off, we have Matt Mayer, Founder of Arete Initiative, an organization whose mission is to help people and organizations live up to their highest potential through strategy, innovation and organizational excellence. The clients and initiatives that Arete works with are driven by realizing a sustainable future for people, planet and profit, and Arete...

Send us Fan Mail In an era marked by the pressing need for sustainable practices and environmental stewardship, the significance of Indigenous relations in the realm of ESG cannot be overstated.  Join us in this enlightening episode with the Vice President, External Affairs at Pembina Pipeline Corporation, Sarah Schwann, as we delve into the profound intersection of Indigenous communities, corpora...