About Us

Mary Ann Baynton, MSW
As a workplace relations specialist Mary Ann supports employers, governments, organizations, unions, teams and associations that wish to resolve issues involving mental health, psychological safety, conflict or performance concerns. She helps improve working lives while supporting organizational excellence.
Mary Ann has been called the “godmother of psychological health and safety”. She served as co-chair of the Technical Committee for the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, was a member of the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Workforce Advisory Committee, and a member of the Employment Standards Committee for the AODA.
She has presented keynotes, presentations and workshops at hundreds of conferences and events across Canada for vastly diverse audiences. Mary Ann is the author of several books in the field of workplace mental health including the free download The Evolution of Workplace Mental Health in Canada: Toward a standard for psychological health and safety.
She is currently an advisor to Mindful Employer Canada and a senior consultant for My Workplace Health.
Mary Ann also proudly serves as the Director of Strategy and Collaboration for Canada Life’s Workplace Strategies for Mental Health which provides free, practical ideas, tools and resources to help with the prevention, intervention and management of workplace mental health issues.
Mary Ann strives to reduce unnecessary workplace stress, distress or conflict because they are…unnecessary.

Sarah Jenner, B.A.
Sarah has been associated with Mary Ann Baynton & Associates since 2012. She is the Executive Director of Mindful Employer Canada and a published author. Sarah provides guidance to those who support employees, including supervisors, managers, occupational health professionals, human resources, and union reps. She hosts workshops on a wide variety of topics related to workplace mental health including emotional intelligence, accommodation strategies, and conflict resolution. Sarah is one of the founding CMHA Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisors and can help organizations and teams address and improve workplace issues.
Sarah is a remarkable talent who really is improving working lives.

Susan Jakobson
Susan Jakobson is an associate of Mary Ann Baynton & Associates. As a nursing leader, human resource professional, and the former Director of Health, Safety & Wellness at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Susan has helped develop healthy workplace programs as well as mental health and diversity strategies and programs. She specializes in organizational assessment and planning to improve workplace mental health, human resources consulting, and workplace mental health strategies for the public sector, especially in the field of healthcare.
Susan is the also the owner of Jakobson Consulting & Analytics, her own consulting business that offers investigation and health analytic services.

Leanne Fournier
Leanne Fournier’s impressive creative writing and editing skills have helped us to the finish line on some of our most complex projects. She collaborates closely with other team members to help develop training guides, articles, web content and various materials to help our clients achieve and maintain psychologically healthy and safe workplaces. Her work with Mary Ann includes co-writing The Evolution of Workplace Mental Health in Canada: Toward a standard for psychological health and safety and continued commitment to expanding knowledge and awareness through free resources featured on Workplace Strategies for Mental Health.
Leanne and her life partner Michael also run MightyWrite where they combine their talents to provide content, marketing and branding solutions for a variety of business clients.