Operations & People Leader
I am a people and operations leader, inspired by curiosity and connections.
I have a deep well of experience spanning over two decades in operations and leadership. My leadership philosophy revolves around circular leadership, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. With a keen understanding of how people, systems, and operations intersect, I prioritize creating environments that promote well-being and community within workplaces.
Drawing from a diverse background across various industries, I’ve honed my skills in team development, process improvement, and operational excellence. My expertise encompasses human resources, recruitment, training, finance, inventory management, branding, and beyond. I have a deep experience in supporting teams and individuals through organizational changes, creating supportive environments for difficult transformations. I thrive on building cohesive teams characterized by autonomy, accountability, and a shared sense of joy.
My leadership style is rooted in creativity and strength, fostering environments where curiosity, growth, compassion, and innovation flourish. I am committed to the active practice of dismantling systems of oppression and creating collaborative communities where trust is earned and impact is accounted for. By championing these values, I cultivate inspired and resilient teams that drive success through collaboration and celebration.
I recognize that every project, organization and team possesses its own unique ecosystem that requires an inspired curiosity that honors its foundations and history while dreaming of new innovative futures that foster well-being and sustainable growth. Through this lens I cultivate collaborative environments and frameworks that empower teams and individuals to pursue their goals and aspirations.
i’m really good at
My knack lies in illuminating the profound connections between individuals, their life and their work, providing clarity and fostering a culture of celebration.
Organizational Assessments and Reviews
Systems, Process and Policy Development
Transitional Support – Organizational and Individual
Recruitment, Training, Facilitation and Coaching
Communications and Culture
Strategic Review and Planning
MY VALUES
I embrace a mindset of perpetual curiosity, constantly seeking new knowledge and insights.
I recognize the interconnectedness of our relationships and our collective responsibility to nurture and heal our communities.
I am dedicated to fostering fairness and healing through equitable practices and restorative justice.
I am committed to actively dismantling oppressive systems within myself and my communities.
Joy is central to our journey, serving as a cornerstone for healing, thriving, building, and connection.
WORK
Director of Operations
People & Culture Leader
Consultant & Coach
25 years+ of retail and operations management experience at all tiers, local and global.
15 years+ of leadership leading unique and diverse teams large and intimate
10 years+ leading operations, developing operating systems, processes, vendor relationships and executing the opening of physical locations
Developed profoundly successful coaching tools and programs for leaders
Designed hiring and training practices that prompted cross functional community based work environments with high accountability and productivity
Developed and delivered multiple series of SOP manuals, operational and logistical systems
10 years+ of assessing teams and systems and unsticking them
10 years+ of small business consulting
Served as a powerful liaison between departments to create systems that benefited the overall goals of the organizations while celebrating the individual and lifting the teams
Created psychologically safe spaces for teams and individuals to flourish
ME
I am a mother to an awesome human.
I am a bike rider, outdoor and urban adventurer.
I am a story collector. I love bike riding, collecting images and connections. I was raised in a creative family driven by justice.
Working in operations and retail over the course of my career has connected me to hundreds of incredible people.
I’m truly inspired by people. I’m very passionate about my relationships.
I embrace grit and hard work.
I’m committed to learning and growing.
I’m curious and excited about life. I believe and practice in the necessary restorative nature of JOY
As I grow community.
My community grows me.
Here are some of the great things people I’ve worked with have said about me.
Let’s talk! Contact me for more information, more great quotes, and my CV.
Some of the companies that have grown with me.
I recommend Leyah to any organization seeking a leader who can not only drive operational excellence but also inspire and empower a team to reach their full potential.
I had the pleasure of working closely with Leyah at LAUFT, a flexible workspace company, and I am delighted to provide my highest recommendation. Leyah is not only a seasoned operational manager but also an exceptional leader with a proven track record of success.
Leyah’s leadership skills were instrumental in steering our team to new heights. Her ability to inspire and motivate team members fostered a collaborative and high-performing work culture. Leyah’s strategic vision and decisive decision-making played a pivotal role in overcoming challenges and achieving our goals.
I'm excited to recommend Leyah Cynamon, a standout leader who has influenced my journey as an entrepreneur.
In her role at LAUFT, Leyah creates environments where people thrive. Her belief in collaboration and building communities has reshaped how I view leadership. Her energy is infectious, and her dedication to empowering others is truly inspiring.
Her guidance has helped me grow and has left a lasting impact on my professional life. I'm grateful for her wisdom and the positive energy she brings to everything she does.
Leyah is truly a leader who cares for people’s past, present and future. Her attitude towards people is genuine and fiercely positive.
I remember well our first long conversation together because she went out of her way to make me feel welcome and supported. I can’t help but smile when I think about how she makes others feel at their best. Leyah has been a positive force in my life and someone I know I can always trust to lean on for support.
It was an incredible experience to have worked in a team that Leyah led at Toronto Arc’teryx.
I got hired, trained and led by her, and her leadership is unlike others. Her honest and caring leadership taught me how to build a strong team working environment where people feel safe, and consequently, they perform their best. She is very keen on offering opportunities to people to cultivate their skills and knowledge, which I feel grateful for especially considering how young most of our team members were in their career development.
She truly embodies “people first” leadership. It has been and will be a legacy to my work ethics.
Truth, tenacity, and leadership. Leyah begins with the "why" and delivers on her goals through any adversity.
Her ability to collaborate with cross-functional partners and build a community around brand is inspiring. I had the pleasure to work with her for over 3 years and we opened many new markets that all exceeded their KPIs. Whether you are creating a brand strategy, motivating a team, or delivering a customer obsessed experience…Leyah would be the leader to get you there!
Leyah is a natural leader whose success derives from her people-centred approach to building and leading collaborative, high-achieving teams.
She nurtures the strengths in every member of her team and creates inclusive, creative, and open environments that encourage people to want to be accountable to one another. Simply put, Leyah improves every community she is a part of.
Leyah may very well be one of the most loving and passionate humans that I have had the pleasure of working with in my time at Arcteryx.
Not only is Leyah about getting the job done, she is about bringing the people around her with on that success journey. Leyah embodies that great quote " ....if you want to go far, go TOGETHER" With a true passion for seeing people rise, Leyah builds great teams and fills the room with support and love, along with a big fat helping of grit and Doin'It mentality. I would choose to work with Leyah on any team, anywhere.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge that the sacred land that we live, work, dream and rest on is the traditional territories of the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, Anishinabeg, Mississaugas of the Credit and Attiwonderonk. We believe that reconciliation and mending relations with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples is our collective responsibility, which requires ongoing reflection and action.
Thank YOU!
I am exceeding grateful for the support of my friends and my community, specifically these creatives for this journey and website.
Site design – Aaron Benson
Photography – Ryan Anthony
Illustrations – Nanako Iwata
Guide – Urszula Lipsztajn
