Meet The Advisory Team

As a seasoned operations leader with over 20 years of hands-on experience in the manufacturing sector, I’m dedicated to driving operational excellence, Lean transformation, and continuous improvement. My career has been defined by successfully leading change, building high-performing teams, and enhancing efficiencies across complex operations.

While metrics and methodologies matter, my true passion lies in unlocking human potential. I firmly believe in the transformative power of people development and the vital role each team member plays in our journey toward excellence. This belief has been the cornerstone of my approach, shaping a culture where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow.

By blending strategic planning with Lean principles, I aim to foster environments that promote both business growth and personal development, where team members are not only engaged but inspired to contribute meaningfully to our shared goals.

I’m excited to share insights, strategies, and perspectives with the community on continuous improvement, talent growth, and leadership.

For those passionate about these topics, I invite you to join the Lean4Gain Learning Community – a network of leaders collaborating to expand knowledge, solve real-world challenges, and drive sustainable improvement. Explore areas like Process Improvement, Leadership, People Development, and Culture with professionals who are as committed as you are to making a difference.

Let’s connect, learn, and elevate our impact together!

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with 16 years of experience in project management, Lean deployment in concreted and carpeted areas of organizations & warehouse distribution.  I have been employed at Allied Air for close to 10 years in various roles while I also work on building my training and consulting business, The Lank Institute.  I have a passion for teaching and for the power of DMAIC and Lean.   I have built my training around a practical teaching of the Six Sigma DMAIC problem solving method and the lean tools that are appropriate for each phase.  I consider myself a life-long learner on this journey of Lean.  I thrive on coaching & mentoring others along their journeys and consider it my purpose to pour into others, helping them to find ways to see the waste in all processes (work and life) and get rid of it to decrease throughput time and build processes full of value (in work and life).  

Doug has over 40 years of experience in leadership roles, ranging from Supervisor to President, overseeing production, quality control, sales, and distribution. For the past 13 years, he has specialized in employee engagement, founding Manage2Retain in 2021 to help organizations improve employee retention through strategic programs. Doug emphasizes that retention is rooted in creating an environment where people want to work and belong. His company’s approach focuses on diagnostic assessments, manager training, and tools that help build strong manager-employee relationships, improve trust and communication, and meet career expectations. Our ground up work focuses on the heart of retention; the manager-employee-team dynamic. By addressing the core drivers of retention—engagement, rewarding work experiences, and career development—Doug has successfully helped businesses overcome retention challenges and foster high-performance teams.

A solutions driver, seasoned, multi-plant Servant Leader, I have worked in various industries throughout my career, in ever increasing leadership responsibilities.  I wake up in the morning specifically to help manufacturing in Ontario grow, and stay competitive, through critical thinking and strategic problem solving.

With putting people first, companies can be right-sized, turn a profit, and become successful.  It is amazing what happens when you create a strong team of great people!

David is an expert in organisational change, leadership, and the application of neuroscience to modern business practices. With a deep understanding of Lean principles, David has developed the BTFA (Believe-Tink-Feel-Act) model. Striking a balance between the logical and emotional worlds we bring together in our places of work, BTFA provides a thinking framework for fostering continuous improvement, respect for humanity, and sustainable success in organisations.

David has spent >30 years studying the intersection of human behaviour, cognitive neuroscience, and leadership, offering unique insights into how the brain functions best in supportive, purpose-driven environments. A sought-after speaker and consultant, he has helped numerous organisations transform their cultures by embracing beliefs that underpin effective Lean leadership and by reducing workplace stressors that hinder productivity, change and innovation.

In his work, David draws on the rich history of Toyota and TPS, using the lens of neuroscience to explain why so many organisations struggle with change while others thrive. Through his research and practical approach, David empowers leaders to build environments where human potential is unlocked, and positive, sustainable change becomes possible.

Dan Hansen is a highly experienced operational excellence leader with over 20 years dedicated to driving transformative change in billion-dollar organizations across public and private sectors. Most recently, he served as Director of Strategic Operations for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where he applied lean methodologies and performance management strategies to lead enterprise-wide improvements.

Throughout his career, Dan has achieved substantial results, including major process time reductions and notable cost savings. He has optimized processes impacting over 30,000 employees, established performance management systems across multiple state departments, and decreased process times by as much as 90.6% in government operations.

In the retail sector, Dan served as Director of Profit Improvement for both Burlington Coat Factory and Foot Locker, where he led global profit improvement programs, generating millions in annual savings and over $1.2 billion in cumulative savings.

As a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Dan excels at cultivating a culture of continuous improvement, strategic planning, and risk management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in Accounting, from La Salle University, combining his extensive public and private sector experience with a strong foundation in lean principles.

With over 25 years of expertise in manufacturing, Matthew Rassi, the lead Lean Manufacturing Consultant at Twenty Helping Hands and proud father of 11, prioritizes 'flow' over 'command & control' achieving remarkable 10x target returns for manufacturing companies. Matthew's extensive career journey spans from plant and engineering manager to operations manager and director, culminating in his role as a seasoned consultant. 

Notable companies under his guidance include Greenfield Contractors, Watershed Foods, and Gates Washer - just to name a few. 

He specializes in empowering manufacturers to boost revenue and production without additional hires or equipment, fostering a people-first culture to lead self-directed teams by implementing lean practices. 

With more than 20 years of experience in both large corporations and medium-sized companies, I am currently acting as freelance consultant supporting companies in defining and implementing their transformation process as well as developing people.

My competences and experiences are spanning though manufacturing technologies, quality, lean, supply chain, engineering, project/program management and leadership.

Ralitsa is a training expert with over a decade of experience in designing, facilitating, and delivering training programs, competency-building initiatives, and talent development solutions.

She has worked as a Talent Development Business Partner in global organizations like AIG, Foundever, and Accenture and as an external consultant across various industries.

Ralitsa has led initiatives such as leadership development academies, client relationship training, soft skills workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, and team coaching. Her expertise also includes problem-solving, and ideation programs tailored to organizational needs.

Throughout her career, she has trained over 1,800 professionals at various seniority levels, spanning a wide range of industries and roles.

Ralitsa is dedicated to fostering growth and enhancing skills, making her a trusted partner in organizational development and employee success.

An experienced Lean Six Sigma business transformation leader, with proven track record in value creation and continuous improvement across Fortune 500 companies like Chevron and Vale. At Chevron, he served as a Lean Six Sigma Advisor, while at Vale, he worked in Asset Management leading enterprise performance management programs across multiple countries. 

Victor's expertise spans industries such as construction, oil and gas, logistics, and mining. He has successfully trained over 4,000 professionals including executives and achieved more than $150 million in verified cost savings. Specializing in strategic performance improvement, KPI creation, complex project management, and building high-performing teams. His ability to drive bottom-line transformation is demonstrated through comprehensive value creation programs and operational excellence initiatives.