Barbara Meens Thistle is an experienced senior leader who works with organizations as a senior level strategic Human Resource advisor, providing guidance on strategy to create strong workplace cultures and strong teams. She has extensive experience as a senior executive within large, complex organizations, both in public and private sectors, providing counsel to senior leaders to help them achieve strategic business priorities through individual, team, and organization wide leadership and talent development goals.

She began her career over 25 years ago in British Columbia holding progressive senior leadership roles at Westcoast Energy Inc., as the Vice-President of Employee Experience at Playground (an Intrawest company), Acting CHRO at Provincial Health Services Authority (contract through Western Management Consultants), and as the CHOR at BC Hydro (a Crown Corporation). In 2007, Barbara moved back to Halifax joining Eastlink as their National Director, then joined Nova Scotia Power (an Emera company) as the General Manager HR and was promoted to the Chief Human Resources Officer role of Emera Inc., with oversight of the HR, safety, and health and wellness functions across the entire Emera Group of Companies.

Barbara returned to Vancouver in 2014 to take on the role as Vice President of HR and Strategic Services for the Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC – a Crown Corporation) and then she became the Vice President of Human Resources at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Barbara returned to management consulting in 2019 when she returned to Halifax and now works with clients in all sectors in Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Alberta, and in British Columbia. Her practice focuses on organizational design reviews, HR organizational reviews, governance reviews, interest-based negotiations, executive coaching, and leadership development.

Barbara has extensive board experience having reported directly to Boards of Directors for more than 15 years in a professional capacity and as an active community volunteer. She recently joined the Symphony Nova Scotia Board and is the Chair of the HR Committee. Barbara recently completed a seven-year term as a Board Member with Ocean Wise (a global ocean conservation organization) headquartered in Vancouver. She previously held Board positions with the NS College of Early Childhood Education, Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Bangor Hydro (an Emera subsidiary), and the Dalhousie School of Medicine Advisory Board. Barbara received her Fellow in Board Governance designation from the Canadian Board Diversity Council in 2017 and is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD).

Joined the board in 2022. Entering the first year of a two-year term (until 2025) on the board.