Presenters: Biographical Information
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Janice Abbott, CEO of Atira Women's Resource Society. Janice, who was named the 2010 Social Entrepreneur of the Year, has dedicated her life to helping women and children experiencing violence and poverty.
Cathy Auld, Director of Donor Relations and Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors of The Winnipeg Foundation. She serves as a trusted resource for the Foundation's donors, overseeing donor relations and, in particular, donor advised funds. In her time at the Foundation, she has seen philanthropy evolve as giving styles change along with donor expectations. Cathy has a particular enthusiasm for working with youth and was involved in the initial stages of the Foundation's Youth in Philanthropy program. She has also been active in the development of the community foundation movement in Canada and recently concluded her role as Manitoba Regional Coordinator for Community Foundations of Canada.
Dorothy Bartoszewski is Communications Coordinator at Vancouver Foundation where her portfolio includes the Generation Green Awards Program communications and ad design. Dorothy has worked in non-profit communications and journalism for two decades, producing everything from radio documentaries to DVDs to truly scintillating educational manuals and reports on behalf organizations including the David Suzuki Foundation, Eco-justice, the Globe and Mail and CBC Radio. A recent convert to social media, Dorothy relishes snappy, info-packed tweets. Outside of work, she is impatiently looking forward to tomatoes from her 30 heirloom plants.
Kim Bater is the regional co-ordinator for the Community Foundations of Canada for the Alberta/Saskatchewan/NWT and Manitoba regions. He has broad experience in governance, board development, community leadership and engagement as well as strategic planning and thinking.
Kim has also been a faculty member with Leadership Development at the Banff Centre since 1999.
Kim is active putting leadership theory into practice as a community leader. He is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Rockies School Division and was a founding Director of the Banff Community Foundation.
David Berge is the Senior Vice President of Community Investment at Vancity, with $14.5 billion in assets and over 420,000 members. He was the Founder of Underdog Ventures, LLC which creates and manages customized community investment venture capital funds, integrating SRI, community development finance and philanthropy. Its last venture fund created more than 9 x invested capital in equity and cash gifts from entrepreneurs to benefit non-profits. Underdog Ventures was recognized as one of ten U.S. financial institutions providing especially strong benefits to the environment and one of the top five funds supporting social mission.
David is the Chairman and founder of the Underdog Foundation. Previously, David was the Director of Vermont National Bank’s Socially Responsible Banking Fund and is a former Chairman of the Social Investment Forum.
Rahul K. Bhardwaj, President & CEO of the Toronto Community Foundation. He was formerly a corporate lawyer with a leading Canadian law firm, Vice President of the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid, and then CEO of United Way of York Region. He has a long history of community service, includes serving currently as a Board Member of the Stratford Festival of Canada, George Brown College, and Community Foundations of Canada, and previously, United Way Toronto and past Chair of the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, among others. In 2007, Rahul was named by the National Post as one of the "Next Generation of Toronto Civic Leaders." In 2008, Rahul was named as a member of Toronto Mayor David Miller's "Blue Ribbon" Fiscal Review Panel. Recently, the Province of Ontario appointed Rahul to the Board of Metrolinx. Rahul is a popular presenter and speaker, particularly on issues relating to the city, community and leadership as well as Toronto’s Vital Signs®. He has been featured in local Toronto media as well as international media including CBC Newsworld, CNN, and the national Daily News in China.
Vera Billen, Philanthropy Advisor of the King Baudouin Foundation, Vera’s main objective is to establish and maintain contacts with donors and professional intermediaries in Belgium, to formulate advice and develop proposals of management modules tailored to the donor, to manage some of the 320 Funds established by donors within the King Baudouin Foundation.
Veronica Blake is CEO at Placer Community Foundation, in a fast-growing California region. Since 2004 Veronica and her board have transformed this organization and its role in community. It began with taking a private foundation public; continued with development of needed staffing, facilities and systems; led to launch of initiatives supporting nonprofit capacity building, youth development and arts; attracted new donors and asset growth of 95 percent; and generated new visibility and credibility for the community foundation. Veronica has gained a national reputation and speaks at sector events. She is a champion of community philanthropy, and of community foundation leadership.
Tim Brodhead is President and Chief Executive Officer of The J. W. McConnell Family Foundation, a private foundation based in Montreal. Prior to joining the Foundation he was Executive Director of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation (CCIC), a national organization representing over 120 non-profit Canadian international development agencies. Tim attended McGill University and subsequently spent five years in Africa with the Canadian organization CUSO. He went on to do international development work in Africa and South Asia and co-founded Inter Pares, an Ottawa-based non-government organization. In a voluntary capacity he has served on a number of Boards, including currently Vartana, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the ETC Group (formerly Rural Advancement Foundation International) and the Calmeadow Foundation. He is past Chair of Philanthropic Foundations Canada, the national association of Canadian independent foundations. In 2001 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and in June, 2002 received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Carleton University in Ottawa.
L. Robin Cardozo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Trillium Foundation since 1999, Robin Cardozo leads one of Canada’s largest granting foundations in its mission to help build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario. Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Cardozo served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of United Way Toronto. During those years, Mr. Cardozo’s leadership earned him the United Way movement’s highest national honour, the André Mailhot Award. Mr. Cardozo currently serves on the Boards of Bridgepoint Hospital, Centennial College and Diaspora Dialogues. He also serves on the advisory board of The Centre for Effective Philanthropy, based in Boston.
Tania Carnegie. As National Director of Community Leadership of KPMG in Canada, Tania established and leads the firm-wide corporate citizenship and sustainability strategy. One of the four pillars of KPMG’s business strategy, it encompasses the firm’s relationship with the community and focuses the firm’s resources and knowledge to drive social change. Internationally, Tania serves as a member KPMG’s G20 Global Corporate Citizenship Group. A Chartered Accountant, she holds a BSc. from the University of Western Ontario, and an MBA from the University of Toronto. Tania completed the Harvard Business School Corporate Social Responsibility Executive Education Program, and is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Queen’s School of Business Centre for Responsible Leadership. Tania also holds a unique appointment as a Canadian in The Queen’s Household as Lady in Waiting to Her Royal Highness The Princess Edward, Countess of Wessex, responsible for her Canadian communications and visits in support of charitable and community organizations.
Owen Charters, Executive Director of CanadaHelps, Canada’s online charitable foundation. Previously, he held senior marketing and development roles with both Muscular Dystrophy Canada and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Foundation in Toronto. He is currently a board member for the Human Resources Council for the Nonprofit Sector, a member of the Advisory Council and the Public Policy Committee for Imagine Canada, and on the Advisory Committee for the Fundraising and Resource Development program at Georgian College. He holds an MBA, and a Graduate Diploma in Nonprofit Management, both from the Schulich School of Business, York University. He is also a part-time lecturer in the Nonprofit MBA program at Schulich.
Andrew Chunilall, Director of Finance at London Community Foundation, Chunilall oversees finance, accounting, IT, and human resource activities across the organization. Chunilall is an ex-officio member of the Finance and Investment Committees and supports those Committees in executing their fiduciary responsibilities and strategic initiatives. Active in the non-profit community, Chunilall currently serves as the Vice Chair of Community Living London, Treasurer of Art for AIDS International and is the Co-chair of the Family Selection and Support Committee for Habitat for Humanity London. Chunilall has been appointed to the role of Finance and Regulatory Consultant with Community Foundations of Canada to be performed in conjunction with his current role at LCF. CFC is a national umbrella organization for all Community Foundations in Canada. Chunilall holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from The University of Western Ontario and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Windsor. He obtained his chartered accountant designation in 2002. Chunilall commenced his professional career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a manager in the Assurance and Advisory Group, where he provided professional services to some of the firm's top tier clients in the London area. Prior to joining the Foundation, Chunilall worked in a senior financial position at Electro-Motive Canada Company in London, Ontario.
Virginia Clarke, Coordinator for the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF), a project of Community Partners. SAFSF is an international network of grantmakers working to foster communication, shared learning and information exchange among funders about issues connected to sustainable agriculture and food systems. SAFSF seeks to provide funders with opportunities for collaboration, increase awareness of the issues as well as funding needs, and to expand beyond the current membership to increase support and funding in the field. Virginia has worked with a variety of international education programs including the University of California's Education Abroad Program (2000-2002) and the Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria (1995-2000). Fluent in Spanish, she has a Masters in International Administration from the School for International Training. In addition to her years in Austria, Virginia has lived and worked in Spain, Bolivia, Mexico, and seven states in the U.S. She currently lives in Santa Barbara, California with her two daughters, ages 26 and 13.
Catherine Clement, Vice President, Partnerships, Public Engagement and Communications for Vancouver Foundation. In the last three years she has become a storytelling advocate, producing stories in a number of formats including a semi-annual magazine, audio and video podcasts, TV and Web.
President Bill Clinton, Founder William J. Clinton Foundation, 42nd President of the United States
William Jefferson Clinton was the first Democratic president in six decades to be elected twice - first in 1992 and then in 1996. After leaving the White House, President Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation to strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence.The Foundation is tackling some of the most challenging issues facing our communities, including combating climate change, treating HIV/AIDS, fighting childhood obesity, promoting economic opportunity and creating sustainable development in Africa and other countries.
President Clinton is one of the most respected and inspiring philanthropists of our time, renowned for his tireless work on behalf of families and communities across the United States and around the world.
Linda Coady, Linda has built a career using her ability to work with diverse interests on issues requiring social, economic and environmental innovation.
As a senior executive in the Canadian forest industry for 20 years she helped launch a series of collaborations between business, government, indigenous peoples, labour, ENGOs, and community representatives aimed at introducing a more ecosystem-based approach to management and conservation of coastal forests.
As Vice President of Sustainability for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games from 2005 to 2010 she led development and implementation of the first fully integrated sustainability program for an Olympic Games.
Linda’s work has been recognized with awards from the Canadian Business for Social Responsibility, the Ecological Society of America, the World Green Building Council and the YWCA. She is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Liu Institute for Global Issues and teaches Corporate Social Responsibility at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.
Terry Cooke, joined Hamilton Community Foundation as President & CEO in 2010, bringing to the job his leadership abilities, his wide-ranging experience, and most important, his passion for Hamilton. Terry has served in leadership roles in the private, public and non-profit sector, including serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth from 1994 to 2000. Terry has served extensively as a community volunteer, and on the boards of a number of corporate organizations. He is Chair of the Canadian Urban Institute.
Michelle Corfield, Ahp-cii-uk, Dr. Michelle Corfield has been involved with Ahp-cii-uk from the original design to the present day. As a Nuu-chah-nulth leader, she brings a unique community perspective and academic analysis to Ahp-cii-uk. She is also a successful independent businessperson, operating a Seafood Harvesting company for the past nine years, adding to her 17 years of entrepreneurial experience. Dr. Corfield is an active member of the Nuu-chah-nulth Economic Development Corporation, BC AHRDA, BC Fisheries Council, Interim Child and Family Wellness Council, and the Interim Justice Council, and has recently been appointed to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC.
Christi Cruz is one of 30,000 proud team members at TELUS, a leading Canadian national integrated telecommunications company. Her current role includes developing strategy, managing key relationships and supporting the work of the TELUS Calgary Community Board. Most recently, she primed the Go Pink campaign, milestone cause marketing and social media campaign with ten leading breast cancer charities in Canada. For the past fifteen years, she has successfully developed award winning educational technology programs and helped TELUS become a recognized leader in community investment strategy. Other roles at TELUS included national sales serving the needs of some of TELUS’ top one hundred customers. Before joining TELUS, Christi was a senior account manager for a national marketing company in Perth, Western Australia representing customers like Coca Cola, Heineken and High Liner Foods. Christi has presented at international conferences and regularly helps groups to better understand how corporations and charitable organizations can create shared value through partnerships. She has taught at Mount Royal College University and has written two textbooks for curricular use in their Continuing Education Department. She earned an Advanced Certificate in Corporate Citizenship and recently completed her certificate in Corporate Community Involvement Leadership both from Boston College. She can tell a good story in both English and Spanish and makes a really good grilled cheese sandwich. Although passionate about her work, she is most proud of her championship status as an award winning boogey-man chaser and internationally renowned skinned knee kisser. Her favorite family activity is relaxing by a warm ocean keeping one eye on her two young girls and the other eye on a good book.
Karri Dawson, Director of True Sport Operations at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. With more than 15 years of professional experience in the national sport community, Karri currently oversees a team of individuals who are working to grow the True Sport Movement, Canada’s national movement for sport and community, promoting values-based and principle-driven sport for all Canadians. In her previous roles, Karri was responsible for executing programs and working with third party funders on behalf of multi-sport organizations. In addition to over 10 years at the CCES, Karri has also worked with the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Fair Play Canada. Karri holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Sports Administration from Laurentian University.
Lucia Dellagnelo, founder and CEO of ICom, a pioneer community foundation in south Brazil. She holds a doctor degree in Education by Harvard University and is a consultant for national and international organizations on social and community development.
Shannon Drew-Burrows, joined the Victoria Foundation, Canada’s second oldest community foundation, as the Director of Communications in 2006. Working closely with the Foundation’s CEO, Shannon is responsible for communications and public relations strategies, including media relations, social media and communications planning. This year, Shannon and her associates at the Victoria Foundation are working on the execution of the Foundation’s 75th anniversary celebrations. Prior to joining the Victoria Foundation, Shannon was the Manager, Community Investment with BC Ferries in Victoria and is the former Sponsorship and Promotions Manager for CTV affiliate CFCN in Calgary, Alberta.
Cornelia Duck, collaborates closely with her husband whose business success she credits with their good fortune to be active philanthropists. She draws on her hands-on experience in two privately-held businesses to inform and support her work in the community. A lifelong learner, she has applied herself to be well-informed about the critical work many agencies carry out to maintain and improve the quality of life in Ottawa. Her passion is for the common good while tapping all available resources in the city. This, coupled with her uniquely compassionate approach, has made Cornelia a knowledgeable funder in a number of cross-sectoral initiatives in Ottawa.
Cathy Elliott, Chief Executive of the UK’s Community Foundations for Merseyside & Lancashire, the only current example of close collaboration and one of the largest in the UK’s network. Cathy is a trustee of the UK’s Community Foundation Network; member of the Transatlantic Community Foundation Network; Certificated Member of the UK’s Institute of Fundraising; Alumni Member of the international Institute for Philanthropy and Sheila McKechnie Foundation; City University of New York Senior International Fellow of the Centre for Philanthropy and Civil Society and graduate of the University of Manchester, UK. Before joining the Community Foundations in 2007, Cathy worked within the UK’s traditional charity sector for eight years, including the arts, hospice and disability movements.
Deborah Ellwood joined CFLeads as Executive Director in December of 2009. She has a broad background as an advocate, policy analyst, grantmaker, fundraiser and community builder. She served as both a board and staff leader during 10 years with Rochester Area Community Foundation (NY), moving its grantmaking from responsive to highly focused and tapping into the many other non-grantmaking resources to move a community agenda. While at the foundation, she founded a children’s advocacy organization, launched a successful community-wide after-school alliance and led many other community initiatives. An award-winning graduate of Bowdoin College and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Deborah was co-chair of the public policy subcommittee of the Council on Foundations' ProNet affinity group.
Jim Fletcher, has over 30 years experience in venture capital. Jim has launched or funded over 50 companies in a variety of areas. He was a co-founder of BC Social Venture Partners in 2000.
Michelle Fortin, Michelle Fortin has been working in the social service sector since 1985, after completing her BA in Psychology at York University in Toronto. As the Executive Director of Watari Youth, Family & Community Services since 2003, Michelle is responsible for ongoing program development, staff training and fundraising with this Vancouver based community agency. She is committed to the idea of possibilities for individuals and communities, believing in solution focused approaches to the work. Michelle is active in her community through sport associations and volunteer work in the arts and cooperative sector. In her spare time travel, sports and family are her passions.
Michael Furdyk, Co-founder and Director of Technology, TakingITGlobal.org
Through TakingITGlobal.org, an online community for young people, Michael provides a platform for millions of youth in more than 200 countries to engage with social issues. He is a frequent speaker on engaging students and integrating technology and global perspectives into the classroom and Contribute magazine named Michael a top-10 tech revolutionary in philanthropy in 2008. Michael has been at the helm of several successful companies and was named one of Teen People’s “20 teens that will change the world.” He has shared his wisdom on youth engagement and bringing the power of technology to the non-profit sector at dozens of high-profile events, and in media ranging from The Oprah Winfrey Show to Time Magazine to USA Today.
Martin Garber-Conrad has been Chief Executive Officer of Edmonton Community Foundation since March 2005. ECF is the fourth largest community foundation in Canada with 2010 assets of $275 million. For the previous 18 years Martin was executive director of E4C—a community social service organization. While at E4C, Martin established an employment-based social enterprise for at-risk youth. Kids in the Hall Bistro is still operating successfully after more than 10 years. Martin's current passion is the 3 year-old Social Enterprise Fund (SEF), which provides financing for social enterprises and affordable housing projects by registered charities and non-profits from an asset base of approximately $6 million.
Derek Gent is Executive Director at Vancity Community Foundation, an arms-length public foundation associated with Vancity Credit Union that includes more than 110 donor advised funds as well as a core endowment, modeling a progressive approach to investing the assets, making grants and delivering programs with a focus on longer term development rather than aid. Previously, Derek worked for 7 + years within the venture capital arm of Vancity, where he grew and managed a portfolio of investments focused on social enterprises, non-profit organizations and sustainability oriented businesses. He has worked in a variety of roles in the financial services sector, including retail and commercial banking, he served as the first manager of Social Responsibility at Coast Capital Savings and has worked internationally for a management consulting firm. Derek has an MBA from Queen’s University.
Nadien Godkewitsch, Program Officer, Toronto Community Foundation. Nadien has been a part of the Community Initiatives team at the Toronto Community Foundation – connecting philanthropy to community needs and opportunities – since 2007. She works directly on the Vital Toronto Fund grant programs, assisting community organizations seeking funding, supporting the Community Foundation’s grant committees, and develops and implements special initiatives including Toronto’s Vital Signs® annual quality of life Report, dialogues, not-for-profit capacity-building opportunities, public events and convening activities. Nadien brings more than 20 years of experience working with a wide range of community-based initiatives and issues. Areas of not-for-profit expertise include: strategic organizational growth, environment, poverty reduction, social justice, food security, housing, transportation, leadership, youth, arts and culture, work and wellness. Previously, Nadien led the fundraising and communications activities at The Stop Community Food Centre. Nadien has a master’s degree in International Development Studies and has served on not-for-profit boards including St. Stephen's Community House and the Gestalt Institute of Toronto.
Rebecca Graves, Executive Director, CF Insights. Becca oversees CF Insights, the division of FSG Social Impact Advisors that provides a knowledge platform and benchmarking resources for the community foundation field, and is the author of the 2010 publication of Fuelling Impact: A Fresh Look at Business Model Innovation and New Revenue Sources’. She also leads FSG’s Community Cased Philanthropy focus area and, since 2001, has led a wide range of strategy development and evaluation projects for FSG with a particular focus on geographically-targeted or place-based private and community foundations.
Puneet Grewal, Member, Youth Homelessness Initiative Advisory Committee. Puneet is a proud young mom of a two year old son. She has experienced substance misuse, homelessness and unsafe living conditions and is grateful to programs like Watari that help her come out the other end, safely housed and with custody of her son. She currently has two part time jobs as a youth peer researcher and retail sales associate. Puneet is also a member of the Youth Homelessness Initiative Advisory Committee.
Lucy Hensel, Donor, Community Foundation of Ottawa. Lucy Hensel is a long-time community investor and advocate, both through her philanthropic giving and hands-on involvement. Her volunteer commitments so far are Board/Director positions with the Ottawa Community Loan Fund, USC Canada, Elmwood School, the R. Howard Webster Foundation, and as a member of the Grants Committee of the Community Foundation of Ottawa. Funding both personally and from her endowment, has included support for education, community economic development, empowering women and children, and the arts. Lucy has been living in Ottawa since 1976 and received her B.A. (Hons) from Carleton University, followed by the course work towards a Master’s degree in International Development Studies.
Craig Hikida, Director, Development & Donor Services, Vancouver Foundation. Due to his lack of interest in injecting himself with steroids or human growth hormone, Craig's aspirations of a career in professional baseball ended quickly. Thus, he turned to a life of fundraising. Now in his 14th year in the Development field and fourth year as Director of Development & Donor Services with Vancouver Foundation, he and his team are responsible for annually raising upwards of $40 million and stewarding over 1200 funds - and happy to do so without the need of performance enhancing drugs.
Justin Ho, Manager of Business and Membership Development. Justin has a long history (both professionally and through community involvement) in the non-profit sector, including five years employed at Volunteer Canada in Ottawa where he managed several online and communications initiatives. Currently, he is the Manager of Business and Membership Development for the UCS Co-op. As part of the Co-op's Strategic Consulting Partnership, Justin provides marketing and communications consulting services, and in addition he coordinates secretariat services for the BC Social Economy Roundtable. Justin has an undergraduate degree in Commerce (University of British Columbia) and in 2007 completed the Bologna Summer Program on Co-operative Studies at the University of Bologna.
Sandy Houston, is the president of the Metcalf Foundation, a leading private Toronto-based foundation focused on sustainability, creativity and social justice. Sandy has a background in law and mediation and has worked as a consultant and advisor in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. As a volunteer Sandy has served on numerous boards and committees and was the founding Chair of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. Much of his current work is focused on creating opportunities for innovation and collaboration and in advancing new thinking and policy approaches.
Catharine Hume, Director, Grants and Community Initiatives responsible for the Youth Homelessness Initiative, Vancouver Foundation. Catharine is also currently the Site Coordinator for the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home/Chez Soi Project, a national homelessness research demonstration project. Catharine has over 15 years of experience working within the not-for-profit sector with a particular focus on mental health and mental illness. Catharine has two young boys and is an avid soccer mom.
Jane Humpries, Vice-President, Organization and Professional Development. Jane Humphries has been active in the community foundation movement in Canada for over 17 years, and is currently the Vice-President, Organization and Professional Development for Community Foundations of Canada. Jane oversees the creation and implementation of: skills training workshops, on-site consultations, mentoring and coaching programs, the development of CFC’s resource materials; and leads strategic planning and Board leadership development programs. Jane is Conference Director for CFC’s international biennial conference and is currently leading projects on peer learning programs and developing leadership and convening resources. As Project Director for Broadening Philanthropy in Ontario’s Communities, a project which strengthened the capacity of community foundations in their work with youth, professional advisors, neighbourhoods, community outreach and media, Jane directed the development of six new resources listed in CFC’s Bookstore for Grantmakers. For nine years Jane was Executive Director of The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation and brings to her work the experience and knowledge of what is required to build endowment funds, evaluate grants and implement programs at a local level. Jane has worked extensively with community foundations across Canada and has a good understanding of the not-for-profit sector both professionally and as an active community volunteer. She is currently on the Board of the global Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (WINGS) organization and has conducted learning workshops in the USA, Brazil, Thailand, UK and Europe. Jane has a Masters of Management from McGill University, Montreal.
His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D. Governor General of Canada
His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D. His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston became Canada’s 28th Governor General on October 1, 2010. Although his duties as the Queen’s representative in Canada are just beginning, His Excellency’s history of service to Canadian communities is long and distinguished.
His illustrious academic career has enriched many of Canada’s most celebrated universities, including Queen’s, McGill, and most recently Waterloo, where he served as President for 11 years.
During his drive to make Waterloo ‘Canada’s Knowledge Capital’ he promoted the Mennonite tradition of ‘coming together to accomplish what an individual cannot’ and was recognized as a leader in encouraging collaboration and innovation.
Patrick Johnston is Principal and Founder of BOREALIS Advisors. He brings to the practice extensive, diverse and grounded experience with charitable, philanthropic and other non-profit organizations. Patrick has served as Chief Executive of a range of organizations including the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy (now ImagineCanada), the Canadian Council on Social Development and the National Anti-Poverty Organization. He began his professional career as Executive Director of the Richmond Youth Services Agency in British Columbia. Patrick has also served on numerous non-profit Boards of Directors and committees at both a national and international level. His past Board service in Canada includes the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, the United Way/Centraide Canada, Canada World Youth, Philanthropic Foundations Canada and the Weiler Trust. He continues to serve on the Boards of CanadaHelps and the Canadian Centre for International Justice.
Felecia Jones is the Executive Director of the Black Belt Community Foundation in Selma, Alabama. The Black Belt Community Foundation was established to support community efforts that contribute to the strength, innovation and success in Alabama’s 12 poorest counties—the Black Belt. As Executive Director of the Foundation, Ms. Jones values regular input from the communities and works diligently to strengthen the communities in the areas of the environment, health and human services, education, youth, arts and culture, and economic and community development in an effort to transform Alabama’s Black Belt. Prior to serving as Executive Director of the Foundation, Ms. Jones worked as an Internal Auditor in Minneapolis, Minnesota and as an Accounting Supervisor in Memphis, Tennessee for Cargill, Inc. Ms. Jones then returned home to Alabama to serve as Executive Director of the Sumter County Industrial Development Authority. This position provided a tremendous opportunity for Ms. Jones to affect positive change in her home county. With a sincere desire to improve the quality of life for Sumter County citizens, Ms. Jones worked with Auburn University to spearhead Sumter County’s first leadership development program. Ms. Jones is very active in community development, serving on a variety of committees and boards, including Community Foundation Leadership TeamBlack Belt Action Commission, Greene-Sumter Enterprise Community, and Southeastern Council on Foundations. Further, Ms. Jones is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Ms. Jones is a graduate of both Leadership Alabama. Ms. Jones is also 2006 Southeastern Council on Foundations Hull Fellow. She is a member of First Baptist Church in Livingston, Alabama where she serves as Minister of Music for the Youth Choir.
Ruth Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Social Venture Partners International (SVPI), the network of Social Venture Partner organizations in North America and Japan (www.svpi.org). Prior to joining SVPI, Ruth was Manager of Operations at Community Foundations of Canada, and General Manager of Philanthropy Australia, the membership association for Australia’s private, family, corporate and community foundations. Initially trained as a journalist, Ruth has extensive experience in the public and private sector in media and communications and was Chief Executive of the Australian Film Institute for five years, before deciding to focus on working within the philanthropic sector. She is a board member of the international grantmaker association network, Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (WINGS).
Avila Kilmurray has served as Director of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (previously the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust) since 1994. She has been based in Belfast since 1980, working for the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action and as coordinator of the Rural Action Project, an EU Second Anti-Poverty Programme initiative. In 1990, Kilmurray was appointed the first Women's Officer for the Ireland TGWU (Transport & General Workers' Union). She also served on the Northern Ireland Committee and on the Executive Council of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). Initially employed in Derry in community work, Kilmurray worked in a Community Education Project in Magee College, was active in establishing the Women’s Aid organisation and was involved in a range of anti-poverty initiatives. The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is a founder member of the Foundations for Peace Network, a peer network of independent, indigenous Foundations working in divided societies.
Alixe Knighton is the Director of Community Development for the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and is an active partner in the Initiative. She has been able to connect other provincial government partners to the network and spread the principles of this innovative way of working throughout her organization.
Daniela Kortan is the Community Knowledge Coordinator at the Toronto Community Foundation, and has helped grow participation in the Community Knowledge Centre (CKC) website to over 100 community organizations since joining the Foundation last March. Part of the Community Initiatives team, Daniela participates in grant proposal reviews for the Vital Toronto Fund grant streams. Previously, she was a writer and researcher for a think tank investigating collaboration, innovation, and web 2.0 technologies. Daniela holds a Masters in Globalization Studies from McMaster University, with a research specialization in Corporate Social Responsibility, and an Honours in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business. She is also an aspiring yogini.
Meriko Kubota, Manager of Partnerships and Public Engagement has been at Vancouver Foundation since March, 2008. Meriko’s portfolio includes the Generation Green Awards Program, the Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants Program, the Neighbourhood Small Grants Program, Arts and Culture funding, and the Vital Signs report card on the livability of metro Vancouver. Before coming to Vancouver Foundation, Meriko has worked abroad coordinating a special needs program and music and art lessons. She also coordinated the International Internship Program for the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at UBC. Meriko loves riding her scooter to work and eating sushi.
Julia Langer is Executive Director of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund (TAF), an arm’s length agency of the City of Toronto created in 1991 to advance solutions to climate change and air pollution. TAF leverages its $20 million endowment to provide grants, financing and programming for innovative and effective approaches to reducing emissions. During her 16 years at World Wildlife Fund Canada, Julia was responsible for various programs, most recently leading WWF’s climate change campaign. She also established WWF’s Wildlife Toxicology program. Julia served as Policy Advisor to former Ontario Minister of the Environment Jim Bradley and has worked and volunteered with various non-profit organizations. She holds a degree in Environmental Sciences (Toxicology) from the University of Toronto.
Cindy Lindsay, Director of Member Services, Community Foundations of Canada. Cindy has been active in the community foundation movement in Canada for over 10 years, and is currently the Director of Member Services for Community Foundations of Canada. In this capacity, Cindy provides the development and implementation of skills training workshops, on-site consultations, the development of CFC’s resource materials; and leads strategic planning and Board leadership development programs for its members. Cindy also works with financial institutions throughout Canada to support and build philanthropy. In addition she is responsible for the implementation of a unique partnership between Ontario land trusts and community foundations to build endowment funds that support stewardship of land under protection.
For ten years Cindy was the founding Executive Director of The Guelph Community Foundation and brings to her work the experience and knowledge of what is required to build endowment funds, evaluate grants and implement programs at a local level. Previously she was the Executive Director of the Foundation for Rural Living, a provincial foundation focused on sustainable rural communities.
Cindy has worked extensively in the not-for-profit sector both professionally and as an active community volunteer. She is a graduate of the University of Guelph.
Jennifer Litchfield, Donor Relations Coordinator, The Winnipeg Foundation. Jennifer has been part of the Donor Relations team since 2004. Over the past six years, she has had the privilege of learning from leaders in the field - such as Penelope Burk, Michael Seltzer, and Tracy Bailey - through a multitude of workshops and courses related to fundraising, development and philanthropy. Most recently, she was a fellow in the 2010 Emerging Leaders International Fellowship in Philanthropy and Civil Society at the City University of New York. Jennifer was one of the coordinators of the Foundation's Youth in Philanthropy Program for several years and is eagerly seeking ways to keep younger people connected beyond their YiP experience.
Kerry Longpré is the Vice President, Communications for The Calgary Foundation. She has extensive experience in management, marketing and public relations both in the profit and nonprofit sectors. Kerry was a founding member of Leave a Legacy Calgary, established to promote the benefits of charitable giving through financial and estate planning. She served as a consultant for Community Foundations of Canada National Branding Process and on numerous CFC committees dedicated to flourishing of the community foundation movement. Kerry leads several leadership projects for The Calgary Foundation, including Calgary’s Vital Signs, Accelerating Social Enterprise in Calgary, and the Community Knowledge Centre initiative.
Kerry is a committed volunteer who has received several awards for her professional and volunteer activities and is recognized as a leader in the arts, culture and business communities. She has recently been invited by Calgary’s new mayor to serve on the Mayor’s Committee for Civic Engagement. Kerry sits on the board of the Immigrant Access Fund: Micro Loans for Internationally Trained Immigrants, the Calgary steering committee of the Canadian Women’s Foundation and the Calgary committee of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
LuAnn Lovlin, Director of Communications at The Winnipeg Foundation, Canada’s first community foundation. During its 90 years, The Winnipeg Foundation has granted more than $260 million back to the community. In her role, she is responsible for the Foundation’s overall marketing and strategic communications, including print, television, web, social media and special program initiatives. LuAnn currently serves as Vice-Chair of Comma, the Communications affinity group of Council on Foundations (COF). She is a founding member of AFP Manitoba Chapter and served on its local board and at the national level with the AFP Canada Council. LuAnn has presented conference workshops at the local, national and international level.
Betsy Martin is an independent consultant who has worked with community foundations for seventeen years. She is a senior advisor and program consultant for Community Foundations of Canada. She directs CFC’s Mission-Related Investing Program and also leads a foundation initiative in the Lake Winnipeg Watershed. In 2006, she developed CFC’s ground-breaking investment partnership with the Bank of Montreal. She is co-author of the Social Investment Organization's 2009 report on education and training on Responsible Investing for Canadian foundations and endowments and is on the advisory committees of SIO's impact investing initiative and the Community Forward Fund. She is a director of CEGN and the Small Change Fund. She has an MPA from Harvard.
Judith Maxwell, Founding President of Canadian Policy Research Networks [CPRN]. Judith has extensive experience in both public and private sector think tanks, and has established a national reputation as a leading thinker on Canada’s social and economic policy choices. She is also one of the pioneers in deliberative dialogues that give unaffiliated citizens a voice in public policy discussions. Member of the Order of Canada, recipient of eight honourary degrees, former columnist for the Globe and Mail and Chair of the Economic Council of Canada, Judith has served on the boards of BCE Inc, Clarica Inc and the Bank of Canada.
Don McCreesh, Don is an active leader in Canada’s voluntary sector having served for over 35 years as a leader with a number of charities and not for profit organizations. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Imagine Canada where he is leading an initiative to establish standards of excellence for all charities and not for profits in Canada. Professionally Don is a corporate director, a management consultant and is on the faculty of the Directors College. Previously he had roles as a corporate officer and global head of the Human Resources functions at Nortel Networks, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Celestica. Don has an MBA and BA, Psychology from McMaster University and is certified as a Chartered Director by the Directors College.
Anne-Marie McElrone is Director of Communications and Marketing for Community Foundations of Canada. Anne-Marie has more than 20 years experience in public relations and communications and is an award-winning media trainer. After working as a print journalist, she held senior positions in the public, private and non-profit sectors before starting her own consulting practice and eventually joining CFC full-time.
Larry McGill joined the Foundation Center as Vice President for Research in 2007, where he oversees the Center's research on grantmaker trends and practices and on emerging issues in the field. Prior to joining the Center he served as director of research and planning for the Cultural Policy and the Arts National Data Archive (CPANDA) at Princeton University and as deputy director of the Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. From 1994 to 2001, Dr. McGill was director of research for The Freedom Forum and its operating programs, The Media Studies Center and The First Amendment Center. Prior to that, he was manager of news audience research at NBC. He has taught at Northwestern University, where he earned his Ph.D. in Sociology in 1987.
Barbara McInnes, President & CEO, Community Foundation of Ottawa. Barbara has been with the Foundation since its inception in 1987, overseeing its growth to what is now a large and successful organization. Awarded the Order of Canada in 2008 for her contributions as a leader and catalyst for the development of community based philanthropy locally, nationally and internationally, she was a founding director of Community Foundations of Canada. Active in her community, she has been a Governor of Carleton University, President of the Ottawa Estate Planning Council and of the Ottawa School of Art, board member of United Way and numerous other professional associations and voluntary sector boards.
Barbara McMillan, Director of Regional Strategies, Community Foundations of Canada. Barbara McMillan is Community Foundations of Canada’s Director of Regional Strategies, as well as national consultant on Youth in Philanthropy, and British Columbia Regional Coordinator. She has worked in grantmaking and social development for over 25 years, including 12 years with Vancouver Foundation, and is currently focusing on organizational development, network management and effectiveness, and fostering strategies for collaboration. She holds a BA in Communications from Simon Fraser University and a Master of Management Degree (National Voluntary Sector Leaders) from McGill University. Barbara serves on a number of boards and advisory committees, including the PLAN Institute for Caring Citizenship and Vancity Community Foundation.
Ross McMillan, President & CEO, Tides Canada. He has worked in association with Tides Canada over the past 10 years on a wide range of issues in social and environmental philanthropy, and he has encouraged the organization to take on complex, interconnected problems. Ross has extensive experience in the non-profit and public sectors, including appointments with the governments of Canada, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories and the City of Vancouver. He holds a Masters degree in Planning from the University of British Columbia, where he studied social policy and housing, and a Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology from the University of Victoria.
Bruce Miller, Aboriginal Relations Manager, United Way of Winnipeg. Recently responsible for the Aboriginal Relations Strategy at United Way of Winnipeg, Bruce Miller is a citizen of the Matachewan First Nation of James Bay Treaty #9 Territory. He is also a former staff and University of Manitoba faculty member, Senate member and the past President and CEO of its Alumni Association. In addition, Bruce was the volunteer chair of the U of M 6.7 million dollar capital campaign to build an Aboriginal Centre that opened in the fall of 2008. As the former Co-Chair of the Sport Competition Division for the 2002 North American Indigenous Games, Bruce was instrumental in the development of a legacy fund now held in trust by the Winnipeg Foundation. As a student, Bruce was an energetic two-sport athlete who won numerous awards at the Division One Collegiate level. He also has a strong business background and is the author of Our Original Games: A Look at Aboriginal Sport History in Canada. Inspired by the legendary Native American Olympic champion Billy Mills, Bruce embraces the five Olympic ideals of vision, focus, commitment, persistence and discipline both in his sports pursuits and his work. Currently, he is involved in the national Urban Aboriginal Strategy as a community member and the Past Chair of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management.
Cheryl Miller is the Grants Manager with Central Okanagan Foundation, managing the adjudication of seven grant cycles and forty volunteers. Cheryl is the Adult Advisor for COFFY (Central Okanagan Foundation for Youth) as well as project coordinator for the 2011 Vital Signs program. Prior to the Central Okanagan Foundation Cheryl managed the Community Information and Volunteer Centre, a region-wide information and referral, and volunteer development service with Kelowna Community Resources. The majority of Cheryl’s career has been community development and program management. Cheryl has served on several boards including InformCanada, is a cofounder and past board member of the Central Okanagan Community Gardens Society. Currently, Cheryl is a board member with the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan and is a City of Kelowna, Women’s and Community Advisory committee member.
Helena Monteiro, Executive Director, Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (WINGS). Helena Monteiro joined WINGS - a global network of grantmaker associations and organizations that promote and support philanthropy - in January 2011, as Executive Director. With over twenty years of experience in international development and the nonprofit sector, Ms. Monteiro has worked as Program Director at IDIS, a support organization serving corporate and family philanthropies in Brazil, and as Program Manager, Global Health, Canadian Public Health Association, supervising international public health projects.
Rosalyn Morrison, Vice President, Community Initiatives, Toronto Community Foundation. Rosalyn leads the development of Toronto’s Vital Signs®, an annual quality of life Report, and grant programs, community convening, and collaborative projects, which respond to issues highlighted in the Report. Her previous leadership work in the arts and culture sector focused on strategy development for provincial and national organizations and establishing partnerships with businesses, educational institutions, public galleries and museums, and private and public funders. Rosalyn’s community involvement includes a provincial appointment to the Board of Governors of the Ontario College of Art and Design University, and positions on the Governing Board of Get Active Toronto and the funders collaborative of ArtReach Toronto.
Colette Murphy, Community Program Director at the Metcalf Foundation. Her work focuses on developing lasting solutions to issues of poverty in the City of Toronto, and strengthening the effectiveness of individuals, organizations and networks engaged in this work. In her role she supports a range of community-based and policy level initiatives aimed at finding innovative ways to solve seemingly intractable problems on such varied issues as income security, working poverty, and neighbourhood revitalization. Her past professional roles include Director of Organizational Development and Director of Priorities and Planning, United Way Toronto. She began her career in the nonprofit sector doing refugee resettlement with COSTI Immigrant Services.
Vi Nguyen, Manager, Grants and Community Initiatives, Vancouver Foundation. Vi Nguyen is currently working in the areas of Children, Youth and Families; Youth Philanthropy; and the Youth Homelessness Initiative. Vi has an extensive background in youth engagement and working with youth-serving organizations.
Christina Parsons, Project Manager with the True Sport Foundation. In this role, Christina manages the True Sport Community Fund which seeks to unite and build stronger communities through sport for Aboriginal, low-income and new Canadian youth. Previously, Christina has held a variety of positions at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport and the True Sport Foundation working to promote the growth of values-based sport in communities across Canada. Christina holds a Masters degree in Sport Administration from the University of Ottawa and a B.A. in Kinesiology and Physical Education from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Bibi Patel, Vice-President, Community Foundation of Ottawa. Having worked for Canada’s largest high tech company for 18 years, Bibi Patel joined the Community Foundation of Ottawa in 2002 and is currently Vice-President leading the teams responsible for asset development, donor engagement, marketing and communications. She also works closely with the President on strategic and operational planning for the Foundation. Bibi holds a B.A. from the University of Ottawa and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Alberta. She also received a certificate in Corporate Community Relations from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. She serves as a Director on the Board of Volunteer Ottawa.
Monica Patten, President and Chief Executive Officer. As President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Foundations of Canada, Monica Patten has presided over a period of unprecedented growth in Canada's community foundation movement. When she took the helm of the fledging organization for Canada's community foundations in 1993, it had 28 members with assets of $500 million. Today, those numbers have exploded to include more than 170 community foundations in cities, towns and rural areas all across the country. In 2009, Canada's community foundations held $2.8 billion in combined assets and contributed $140 million to a vast array of charities - making the network one of the country's largest grantmakers.
Under Monica's leadership, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) has earned a national and international reputation for innovation and generosity. Monica firmly believes that 'growing the philanthropic pie' benefits everyone. As a result, CFC honours the true spirit of philanthropy by widely sharing its expertise with other philanthropic organizations. Monica has personally assisted in the development of community philanthropy around the world, including in Brazil, Mexico, Central and Eastern Europe, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand and Russia. She was a founder of WINGS (Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support) and served as its chair through 2004 to 2007. She now serves as a Director of the Global Fund for Community Foundations.
Monica is well known for her leadership in Canada’s voluntary sector. In May 2005, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lawson Foundation in recognition of her "extraordinary accomplishments and leadership. "Monica was also honoured by the Public Policy Forum in April 2002 for her contribution to public policy and Canada's voluntary sector. In 2007 Monica was appointed a Mentor with the Trudeau Foundation and more recently to the RioTintoAlcan Fund and The Lawson Foundation as a Director.
CFC's Board of Directors recently announced that Monica will be leaving CFC in 2011 to move on to new adventures. Her contribution to the community foundation movement will be recognized at CFC's 2011 Conference in Vancouver, May 12-14, which coincides with the 90th anniversary of Canada's first community foundation.
Raúl Pomares is a Managing Director of Springcreek Advisors LLC, where he serves as the Senior Portfolio Manager directing the firm’s investment advisory practice. Prior to joining Springcreek, Raúl served as a Portfolio Manager with Guggenheim Investment Advisors, where he developed integrated multi-manager portfolios for institutional and high net worth clients. Before joining Guggenheim Partners in 2006, Raúl co-founded a boutique wealth management firm where he directed client services and portfolio management. He has also served as an investment advisor, international private banker and consultant on behalf of global financial institutions and private investors. Raúl is co-author of Solutions for Impact Investors: From Strategy to Implementation, published in 2009 by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. He is an internationally recognized speaker and contributor to numerous publications on innovative investment solutions for return-oriented investors seeking measurable impact. He received his B.S. in International Business Management from the University of San Francisco.
Paul Richardson is the President of the Renewal2 Social Investment Fund. Prior to launching Renewal2, Paul practiced law in Toronto for over a decade before co-managing the Renewal Partners’ venture portfolio from 2003-2009. From 2004 to 2006, Paul also led a consortium of foundations and private investors in successful negotiations with the Federal and Provincial governments and the Coastal First Nations to structure a financing deal that supported the conservation of the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest left in the world. Paul is also the Chair of Ecojustice Canada, the Vice Chair of the Coast Opportunities Funds and on a number of investee company boards.
Ruth Richardson, founder of Small Change Fund, a new web-based vehicle for one-to-one giving to grassroots socio-environmental initiatives in Canada. Prior to Small Change Fund, Ruth was the first Environment Program Director at the Metcalf Foundation, the first Director of the Unilever Canada Foundation, the founding Chair of the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers’ Network, and member of the advisory committee of the Laidlaw Foundation’s Children and Environmental Health program. As well, she is on the founding board of the newly established Prince Edward Community Foundation, helping to shape the organization into an effective change agent for local action.
Sandra Richardson, CEO and Sharlene Smith, consultant, with the Victoria Foundation have almost ten years of experience in working with First Nations within the business model of a community foundation some of which has redefined the Foundation and its role within the Province of BC. Sandra has been the CEO of the Victoria Foundation since 2001. In that time the Foundation has grown to be one of the top ten in Canada. Sharlene Smith has worked with the Foundation since 2003 on special initiatives such as provincial funds (including First Nations) and Vital Signs.
Dana Robbins, publisher of The Hamilton Spectator, Dana Robbins leads one of Canada’s most historic and award-winning newspapers. Under Dana’s leadership, The Spectator has received numerous journalistic honours including the Canadian Journalism Foundation’s Outstanding Excellence in Journalism Award (2005 & 2007), ten National Newspaper Award nominations, three National Newspaper Awards, a nomination for the Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service Journalism (2006) and 38 Ontario Newspaper Awards. Dana is involved in a number of professional associations, to whom he is a regular speaker on media issues. Locally, he is deeply involved is his community, and previously served as a director with the Hamilton and The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundations.
Deidre Roberts, Board Member, Victoria Foundation. As a former documentary broadcaster with BBC and CBC, Deirdre brings a talented eye for story and community impact to her volunteer work as a board member and member of the Community Engagement Committee. She will share her experiences as a Community Advisor, where she has participated in site visits, pro bono journalism tasks and grant reviewer.
Tracey Robertson, Regional Program Manager, Waterloo, Wellington and Dufferin areas, Ontario Trillium Foundation. Tracey Robertson brings twenty years of experience working in community development, strategic investment and organizational capacity building regionally, provincially and nationally. Over the last 10 years, Tracey has been the Regional Program Manager for the Waterloo, Wellington and Dufferin areas for the Ontario’s Trillium Foundation (OTF). Tracey’s areas of expertise and interest include social innovation, grant-making practices and system change strategies. Most recently, Tracey was on a 6 month leave from OTF to work with community leaders from academia, business, government, philanthropy and non profit to explore new ways of working, connecting and leading in the community sector.
Marg Rose, Director of Community Initiatives and Grants, Victoria Foundation. Part of team at Canada's second oldest community foundation, Marg brings a decade of experience as a former CEO of a provincial charity to the "other side of the desk" to connect people who care with causes that matter now at the Victoria Foundation. She holds her Master of Adult Education, and was a university ESL and FSL instructor, classroom teacher, adult literacy program director and fundraiser in central Canada.
Zanele Sibanda. In her role as the Director of Programs, Zanele manages a seven-member program team and plays a central role in leading the development and implementation of Firelight’s Grantmaking, Organizational Learning, Capacity Building, and national-level Advocacy programs. A native of Zimbabwe, Zanele joined Firelight in 2006 as Program Officer and Advocacy Coordinator. Previously, she worked with informal community groups to develop income-generating strategies and care for vulnerable children in Zimbabwe. Zanele has also served as the Director of Education and Public Policy at Chicago United, a business membership organization that promotes access to resources for minority groups.
Colin Sinclare, Senior Vice President, McLean Budden. He has over 17 years investment experience and holds the CFA charter designation. Colin is responsible for pension, endowment and foundation client relationships in Western Canada. He is a member of the firm’s Canadian Equity Core team and management services group.
Rosemary Smith, CEO, The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation. After a successful career in financial services, Rosemary joined The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF). As the CEO, she works to encourage cross-sectoral leadership and collaboration. Rosemary has served on the Boards of The KWCF and the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation. She has also held leadership roles on many organizations such as Chair of The Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce and also the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. Rosemary was recognized as a Woman of Distinction by the Cambridge YWCA, and most recently has been named as Kitchener-Waterloo’s Citizen of the Year.
Sharlene Smith, Consultant, & Sandra Richardson, CEO, Victoria Foundation have almost ten years of experience in working with First Nations within the business model of a community foundation some of which has redefined the Foundation and its role within the Province of BC.
Sandra has been the CEO of the Victoria Foundation since 2001. In that time the Foundation has grown to be one of the top ten in Canada. Sharlene Smith has worked with the Foundation since 2003 on special initiatives such as provincial funds (including First Nations) and Vital Signs.
Nora Sobolov, LLM, MSW, President and CEO and Co-Founder Community Forward Fund, a loan and financing fund for Charities and nonprofits in Canada. As a senior executive and CEO in the charitable, private, foundation, credit union and cooperative sectors, Nora Sobolov has experienced firsthand the needs, challenges and opportunities of charitable sector financing and has led several organizations through financial restructuring and strategic plans for growth. She has worked in the community, both in building cooperative and emergency housing and internationally and in Canada’s north, supporting the development of credit unions and micro-credit initiatives. Most recently, as President and CEO of the Canadian Lung Association, she led 500 participants in the development of a national strategy and action plan on Lung Health, which received investment from government, private sector and nonprofit sources.
Diane Solinger, Executive Director of EF, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing corporate philanthropy. EF has worked with over 880 companies across the United States and Israel to design, enhance and implement corporate philanthropic programs. Diane has over 23 years of experience in the social sector and is a recognized expert in the field of corporate philanthropy. Diane believes that corporate resources, if leveraged properly, can be effective and powerful opportunities for social change. She holds a BA from the University of Colorado at Boulder and is a graduate of Stanford University’s Executive Program for Non Profit Leaders.
Joel Solomon is an activist of making money do good. He is President and CEO of Renewal Partners, Chairman for Renewal2 Investment Fund,Vice-Chair of Tides Canada Foundation and Executive Director of the Endswell Foundation. Their complementary missions use early-stage investing and strategic grant-making to promote a sustainable economy. Renewal2 Investment Fund focuses on early stage companies in the organic food, green consumer and green building product sectors and in 2010 became Canada's largest investment pool of triple bottom line placements, with $35 million assets under management. Joel is also Chair of Hollyhock Foundation and sits on numerous other boards throughout North America.
James Stauch, Vice President, Programs and Operations, Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation. Prior to joining the Gordon Foundation as a Program Manager, James managed the Community Grants Program at The Calgary Foundation, and before that worked in the field of urban and community planning in the private and non-profit sectors. He has worked on a wide array of planning initiatives in both the urban and rural contexts. James is past Chair of the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers Network Board of Directors, current Chair of the Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, a board member of International Funders for Indigenous Peoples and is an active participant in the Arctic Funders Group.
Justin Stephenson, Community Advisor, Victoria Foundation. This Director of the Council of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of BC brings 26 years experience leading organizations to operational excellence within the bio-medical, health care and financial services sectors. As a Community Advisor, he offers his services and critical eye to build strategic partnerships, multi-party leveraging and optimizing growth opportunities.
Coro Strandberg is a sustainability strategist and coach, using the leverage of the market economy to advance sustainability. She specializes in sustainable finance, community investment, socially responsible investment, sustainable governance and sustainable purchasing. SRI clients have included Vancity Credit Union, Ethical Funds Inc., Community Foundations of Canada, Co-operators Group and the National Round Table on Environment and the Economy. She has conducted thought leader research, developed tools and written publications on socially responsible investment and community finance and has advised organizations on the development of socially responsible investment strategies and policies.
David Sweanor is a lawyer who has spent his career doing public health advocacy work, primarily on issues of smoking and health. While doing that work he also pursued investment strategies that have left him financially independent. His interest in philanthropy goes back many years but it was not until the 1990s that he became involved with the Community Foundation of Ottawa. Having personally worked over the years with a broad range of non-governmental organizations he has seen the potential both for doing good and for terribly wasting resources, and tries to distinguish between those poles in making his own donations.
Carolyn Taylor is a generalist with more than two decades of experience of bringing disparate groups together to experiment, risk and most often create unique collaborative projects, programs, events and organizations. After founding The Word on the Street Book and Magazine Festival and expanding it across Canada, she worked on the Arts, Culture & Youth components of Toronto’s 2008 Olympic Bid and it’s legacy pilot project “World Youth Centre” for young emerging social entrepreneurs. She serves on two volunteer boards of culture and social-change organizations and most recently produced Artscape’s signature international conference ‘Creative Places + Spaces: The Collaborative City’. In addition to collaborating on McLuhan100, she is Executive Director of Cape Farewell Foundation, and consultant on Toronto Community Foundation’s 2015 Pan/ParaPan Social Capital Initiative.
Dan Thorburn, Vice President, Grants and Community Initiatives, The Calgary Foundation. Dan Thorburn has lived in four Canadian provinces and worked in the nonprofit sector for thirty years. Before coming to The Calgary Foundation in 2001 Dan was director of The Banff Centre’s Community and Not-for-Profit Leadership Programs. Dan has a fine arts background and a Master of Continuing Education specializing in workplace learning. His various activities within and outside The Calgary Foundation focus on developing more focused and effective nonprofit organizations, including leadership development through mentoring.
Brian Toller is Vice Chair of the Community Foundation of Ottawa (CFO) and will be Chair starting in January 2012. He chaired CFO's Investment Committee for 4 years and guided development of the foundation's Responsible Investment policy which was implemented in April 2010. He is currently President of Tolcor Investments Ltd., a private investment firm, and also Co-Owner of Cognitive Workshops, which has been providing continuing education for mental health professionals across Canada and in the UK since 1995. Prior to that he was President of The Expernet Group, a commercial real estate developer, and was a journalist at the Ottawa Citizen. He received an Honours BA in Economics and Canadian Studies from Trent University in Peterborough in 1975. He is active in the community and is currently Vice Chair of the Great Canadian Theatre Co.
Lynne Toupin, Executive Director, HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector. Lynne Toupin is Executive Director of the Human Resources Council for the Nonprofit Sector, a national, non-profit organization that brings together employers, employees and educators to address issues of paid employment in the nonprofit sector. Lynne has led and managed a number of national nonprofit organizations over the last 20 years. She currently serves on the Advisory Council for Imagine Canada and on the board of directors of the Alliance of Sector Councils. Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Lynne worked in the field of education as a teacher, school principal, curriculum consultant and Special Assistant to the Minister of Education.
Nontombi Naomi Tutu, Human Rights Activist. The third child of Archbishop Desmond and Nomalizo Leah Tutu, Naomi Tutu grew up in apartheid South Africa and has dedicated her working life to tackling human rights issues.
A respected speaker, teacher, and author Naomi has served as a development consultant in West Africa, coordinated programs on Race and Gender at the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town and taught at several U.S. universities. She has led Truth and Reconciliation Workshops for groups dealing with conflict and is in the process of writing a book with Rose Bator called, I Don't Think of You as Black: Honest Conversations on Race and Racism.
Jan Varner, CEO, United Way of Kitchener Waterloo and Area. Jan came to United Way to lead the organization through transformational change. Prior to this role, Jan was at Wilfrid Laurier University for ten years. She was the Director of the Laurier Institute, Laurier’s Executive and Management Development Centre, as well as a faculty member, both full-time and part-time, for the School of Business and Economics. She joined the faculty after serving 15 years in the private and public sector. Jan graduated from WLU in 1980 with her BBA and her MBA in 1994.
Tracey Vavrek has been the Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Greater Grande Prairie since 2002. In that time she’s grown the Foundation from 14 funds and approximately $120,000 in assets to 109 funds and total assets of $3.6 million, $2.4 million of those endowed assets. Tracey is the current President of the Rotary Club of Grande Prairie Sunrise. She is a founding member of the Young Persons and Families with Cancer Society in Grande Prairie. Tracey has resided in the Grande Prairie area since 1990. She and her husband Vince have four children. She has always been a strong believer in giving back to the community and has lead by example.
Tamara Vrooman, CEO of Vancity, Canada's largest credit union. Tamara harnesses her community's strength, breadth and diversity to encourage growth and prosperity for the greater good.
Jason Wagar has been working to connect philanthropy to community needs for a decade. Currently as the Donor Services & Marketing Officer at the Toronto Community Foundation, Jason engages over 300 generous and caring individuals, families and corporations, helping them to wisely invest more than $6.5 million annually in some of Canada’s most high-impact organizations. Previously, Jason was the Projects Manager at the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area. Jason holds a Master of Science degree from the Cass Business School at City University London (UK) in Charity Marketing and Fundraising, and teaches fundraising at Ryerson University.
William S. White, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Bill White's service to the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has spanned more than four decades. He joined the foundation in 1969 and has served at its president since 1976 and its chairman since 1988.
Based in the well-known community of Flint, Michigan, Mr. White currently serves on the boards of the Independent Sector, the European Foundation Centre, United States Sugar Corporation (chairman); and the Network of European Foundations for Innovative Cooperation. He is also a member of the Administrative Council of the Madariaga European Foundation.
In late 2010, the Community Foundation Network in the U.K. presented him with its first Beacon Award for Services to Community Philanthropy, and he in 2009 he was awarded the European Foundation Centre's first-ever Philanthropy Compass Prize, honouring outstanding contributions to the development of the European philanthropic sector.
Faye Wightman, President and CEO, Vancouver Foundation. Faye is one of Canada's philanthropic leaders. She brings to the Foundation a strong conviction that philanthropy can and should play a powerful role in shaping society. Since her arrival in 2005, she has led Canada's largest community foundation through a number of important changes designed to increase its impact in BC communities. Prior to joining Vancouver Foundation, Faye was President of BC Children's Hospital Foundation for 14 years and then spent two years as Vice President of External Relations at University of Victoria. She has served as Executive Director for Sunny Hill Foundation for Children as well as Campaign Director for the United Way of the Lower Mainland. She has also been a member, on the board, and/or served as president for numerous not-for-profits and other organizations.
Scott A. Wilson, Chair of the Board of Governors, Community Foundation of Ottawa. Scott Wilson retired as Partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in June 2008, following 33 years of specialization in tax planning for individuals and corporations. He was elected Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, lectured on taxation for the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, and was a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation. Scott has served on the boards of the Canadian Cancer Society, Southminster United Church, and the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance. Former Treasurer of the Community Foundation of Ottawa, during 2009 he chaired the Business Model Task Force.
Irma Tyler-Wood is a Principal and founding member of Ki THOUGHTBRIDGE, a consulting firm that specializes in leadership development, negotiation, strategic relationship management, change management and conflict resolution. At Ki THOUGHTBRIDGE, Ms. Tyler-Wood has advised and trained public sector, corporate and government clients to negotiate, manage change and to create, enhance, and/or repair strategic business relationships. In a decade of experience in this field, organizations with which Ms. Tyler-Wood has worked include IBM, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Eastman Kodak Company, Corporation, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, AT&T, Smith College, and Boston.
Cathy Wright has worked and volunteered for the past thirty-five years in the social development field. Since 2005, she has been the Atlantic Coordinator for Community Foundations of Canada, supporting the development of the 10 foundations in Atlantic Canada. She also works as a social planner on a poverty reduction strategy with Vibrant Communities Saint John. Prior to this, Cathy was executive director of the Human Development Council, a community social planning agency in Saint John for seventeen years. Cathy served on the Board of Canadian Council on Social Development for nine years, has been an active volunteer in the literacy movement in Canada for over 25 years and continues to volunteer both locally and provincially in social development initiatives.
Cathy lives in Hampton. She is a recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003 and the Canada Volunteer Award in 1990. She has a Master's in Social Work from Carleton University.
Bill Young is the founder and President of Social Capital Partners (“SCP”) a non-profit, social finance company started in 2001. SCP’s primary goal is to find innovative ways to provide meaningful job opportunities for people who face employment barriers. Throughout its history it has facilitated thousands of jobs for disadvantaged populations by financing a number of successful social enterprises across Canada and by providing financing and/or advisory services to for profit businesses that implement a community hiring program as part of their recruitment process. SCP facilitates the hiring of these individuals and helps ensure they have the appropriate skills to be successful employees. Before founding SCP, Bill worked for twenty years in the private sector primarily as CEO of Hamilton Computers, and Optel Communications Corp. He began his career as a Chartered Accountant and holds an Honours BA from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Harvard.