Cathy has a background stemming from almost 30 years in the aviation industry with over 15 of these years spent in Human Resources where she was the sole HR professional working in Canada for the world’s largest airline.  In this role Cathy wore many hats and acquired a wealth of experience building a diverse portfolio including Labour Relations, Employee Relations, Conflict Resolution, Investigations, Disability Management, Compensation & Benefits, Performance & Development, Occupational Health & Safety, with both unionized and non-unionized workgroups.   A significant portion of her experience was gained through working through the challenging dynamics arising from Chapter 11, restructuring, and mergers.

Cathy launched her own private practice, “Cathy Knapp, ADR Services Inc.” in January 2017, a practice dedicated to neutral work in the areas of workplace mediation, investigation, and arbitration. As a neutral, she assists employers, unions, and employees alike in resolving conflict. Cathy has successfully completed a mentorship with Gabriel Somjen, QC and Wayne Moore in accordance with the Collective Agreement Arbitration Bureau (CAAB) guidelines and has been placed on the Register of Arbitrators by CAAB.   Cathy has been a contract mediator with the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal since September 1, 2018 and is on the WorkSafe BC Prohibited Action Complaint mediator’s roster. She is also the Job Arbitrator for the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union, Local 500 (ILWU).

Professional designations/certifications/memberships:

C.MED, Chartered Mediator

Q.ARB, Qualified Arbitrator

Cert.ConRes., Certification in Conflict Resolution

CPHR, Chartered Professional Human Resources Professional

Advanced Investigation Certificate from Rubin Thomlinson, LLP

Cathy serves on the Board of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of B.C. (ADRBC) as a Director and is a member of its Education Committee.