The WSI Story of Unlocking a World of Possibility

Dan Monaghan co-founded WSI in 1995 and has played a key role in building it into the world’s largest and most experienced digital agency network. His entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 19 and has been defined by a passion for innovation, leadership, and business growth. Over nearly three decades, Dan has helped shape WSI’s evolution in the franchising world. He serves as Chair of the IFA Foundation and sits on the International Franchise Association’s Board of Directors. He is also a recipient of the IFA’s prestigious William Rosenberg Foundation Leadership Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the global franchising industry.

Mark Dobson has been with WSI since our inception in 1995. He has an extensive background in business development in several industries dating back to the early seventies. His knowledge of the development of human potential and his understanding of behavioral patterns has been instrumental in developing the WSI System over the course of the years.

As President, Valerie is responsible for providing support and education to the WSI global franchise system. She is also charged with managing the innovation of the WSI business model as a whole. Overall, Valerie works to ensure WSI Consultants are provided with the tools, systems, and support they need to remain top amongst their competitors.

Valerie first joined WSI in 1999 and has served in a number of roles. Prior to this, she ran her own business and worked overseas in a number of countries. Valerie holds a master's degree from the University of Toronto.

Daniel is a passionate team leader who has been with WSI since 1996. Having come from a long background in franchising, Daniel started with WSI in the early days to help build and grow WSI's franchise model, both locally and globally. After being involved in multiple areas of the digital marketing business, he found his home as Vice President of Franchise Development.

Over the last 12 years, Daniel has worked with his team to build the WSI Network of Consultants worldwide. He stands behind the successful, team-developed model of “Real People Do Real Things.”

Since joining WSI in 2004, Rimma has been instrumental in the growth and development of the company through the various roles she has held, which include Customer Service and Support Manager, Director of Franchise Operations, Director of Compliance, and currently, Vice President of Global Operational Performance.

Prior to WSI, Rimma held executive positions in five countries, along with having started and operated three successful companies of her own. She oversees support, legal & compliance, billing & collections, and financial performance. She is an alumnus of the Certified Franchise Executives program and is the corporate liaison for the International and French Franchise Associations. She also sits on the Board of the Canadian Franchise Association.

Michael Monaghan has had a long tenure within WSI holding several positions in the organization. From 1998 to 2012, he held the position of International Development Director, where he played a leadership role in the franchise development team. From 2012 to 2015, Michael held the title of Director of Master Franchise Operations, where he oversaw the WSI Master Franchise program.

In 2016 Michael was promoted to Vice President of Field Operations, where he now heads up the Franchise Business Coaching as well as leading the channel of WSI supplier partners.

Cheryl is the Director of Marketing & Communications at WSI and has been part of the WSI team since 2003. Over her 20 years with the company, Cheryl has helped WSI win more than 145 WebAwards, including the Top Agency award in 2019 & 2022 from the Web Marketing Association, and has spearheaded the publishing of WSI's three Digital Minds books.

When she's not busy implementing the latest marketing campaign for WSI, she can be found at a rink or ball diamond, cheering on her two sons.

Gennady joined WSI in 2015 and is currently the Director of Business Development and Innovation. During his tenure, he has provided strategic leadership on corporate initiatives related to business and product development.  Some of these include the WSI Agency Accelerator Program, WSI Delivery Hub, and WSI Corporate Store. 

Outside of WSI, Gennady spends his time traveling, cooking for friends and family, and is a lifelong Toronto sports fan.

Robert Mitchell is WSI’s Chief AI Officer, leading the development of AI adoption strategies across the franchise network. His role is centered on helping you and your clients harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in practical, high-impact ways. Robert spearheads WSI’s end-to-end AI consulting framework, guiding businesses through education, training, solution design, and implementation.

As a recognized AI strategist and thought leader, Robert is passionate about making AI approachable, actionable, and profitable. He works closely with WSI Consultants to simplify the complex, turning emerging technologies like generative AI, automation, and conversational intelligence into real business value. His leadership ensures that WSI remains at the forefront of AI innovation in the franchising and digital marketing industries.

Kundan Mohapatra is WSI’s Director of AI and Strategy, where he leads the development of scalable, strategy-first frameworks that empower franchisees to deliver high-value business consulting services. A growth architect at heart, Kundan blends data, creativity, and technology to guide organizations through AI adoption and digital transformation.

His work is focused on helping WSI Consultants unlock new revenue streams by offering strategic guidance to clients—from customer insights and omnichannel marketing to AI-powered business optimization. Kundan has been instrumental in building WSI’s AI-enabled business strategy framework, making it easier for franchisees to lead with insight, deliver measurable outcomes, and build long-term client relationships.