Meet the Capacity Canada Team
Cathy Brothers
CEO
Leadership, relationships, networking, partnerships, governance, revenue generation
Bio
Cathy is the champions’ champion, lending a patient ear to the administrative and governance challenges organizations always face. With more than 45 years’ experience in health and social services sectors, her volunteerism and professional career gives her the advantage of seeing opportunities from both board and administrative points of view.
In 2010, Cathy took on the role of founding CEO of Capacity Canada. She is thoroughly committed to growing social good throughout Canada through optimism, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She recognizes collaboration within and among sectors as pivotal to the growth of social good.
As both a senior leader and a Board member, Cathy is passionately committed to innovative ideas, risk-taking, and helping both individuals and communities to reach their maximum potential. Cathy served in Kitchener as Director of Community Services at St. Mary’s Hospital, then, Executive Director at Carizon Family & Community Services. Cathy taught Social Policy courses in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph.
Cathy is a past member of both the Barnraisers Council in Waterloo Region, and the President’s Advisory Council at Wilfrid Laurier. Her past board service includes St. Jerome’s University, Rotary Club of Kitchener-Westmount, Family Service Ontario, Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services, St. Mary’s General Hospital, St. Mary’s Foundation, and, St Joseph’s Health Care System. She is an Honorary Senior Fellow at Renison College, University of Waterloo; recipient of the Queen’s Diamond, Golden and Silver Jubilee Medals; and, as part of Laurier’s Centennial Celebrations, Cathy was selected as one of Laurier’s 100 Alumni of Distinction over the past 100 years. For exceptional service, Cathy was honoured by St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation with St. Mary’s Mission Legacy Award.
Andrew Wilding
Director of Operations
Organizational start-up; including incorporation, by-laws; governance secretary / compliance / accreditation
Bio
Andrew is the Director of Operations for Capacity Canada and has more than twenty-five year of experience performing management roles in government, non-profit, and business. As the Director of Operations at Capacity Canada, not only does Andrew ensure Capacity Canada is running smoothly but he coaches individuals start their own non-profits. There is much more to the job than that. Andrew has some experience filling positions that defy definition.
His career includes working for a Member of Provincial Parliament, directing resource development for a counselling agency, and operating a computer company.
Andrew is currently a Member of the Grant Review Team – Waterloo, Wellington, and Dufferin for the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Andrew is a past board member for the Kitchener Conestoga Rotary Club, Kitchener Panthers Baseball, and Waterloo Region Small Business Centre.
Alison Beveridge
Director of Public Relations
Mentoring Skills:
- Social Media
- Media Relations
- Communications
- Public Relations
Bio:
Alison is the Director of Public Relations for Capacity Canada and has three years of experience in the nonprofit
world. As Director of Public Relations, Alison focuses on brand image, social media, events, communications, and project management.
Alison is looking forward to continuing to work with Capacity Canada and helping our local community.
Nasreen
Director of Communications
Mentoring Skills:
Writing, Editing, Communication strategy, Social media management
Bio:
Nasreen has more than six years of experience working as a journalist with media organizations and non-profits in Canada and India. She has worked as a writer, editor, and managed social media accounts for several non-profits in the past.
Nasreen’s work includes writing as a columnist for various newspapers, including The Daily Mail. She has also produced well-researched stories and news packages while working as an editor with national newspapers. A trained mediator, she recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Waterloo. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and a second Master’s degree in Political Science.
Fableeha Choudhury
Project Manager
Liz Dennis
Designer, Capacity by Design
Mentoring Skills:
Leading teams in collaborative processes, process coaching regarding design thinking, creative group processes that leverage all participant input, group reflection that facilitates learning and provides a basis for organizational decision making
Bio:
Liz’s previous roles in the nonprofit sector have ranged from program manager to senior leader. The majority of her professional time and talents have been dedicated to capacity-building organizations and programs in Guelph, Toronto and Peel Region. Since joining Capacity Canada in 2018, Liz has used the lens of human-centred design to stimulate new thinking and approaches to challenges and opportunities faced by social good organizations. Liz has enjoyed expanding her network of wise and dedicated colleagues to Waterloo Region and beyond with Capacity Canada.
Scott Williams
Executive in Residence
Mentoring Skills:
Communications, Fundraising, EDI, Strategic Planning, Board Governance
Bio:
Scott Williams (he/him) has over 20 years of experience working and volunteering in the not-for-profit sector, especially on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues and in mental health. Most recently, he was the Executive Director of Spectrum Waterloo Region’s Rainbow Community Space. He holds a BA in English Language & Literature from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a diploma in Film Production from Vancouver Film School. He has completed certificates in Diversity & Inclusion Fundamentals and Anti-Racism with the Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion and Diversio. He is a graduate of the Engage!KW program from the KW Community Foundation, and the Leadership Waterloo Region class of 2023. He volunteers with the Community Investments Team at United Way Waterloo Region Communities. Previous volunteer roles include serving as co-chair of the Waterloo Region District School Board’s Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group, chair of the GivingTuesday Waterloo Region movement, member of the City of Kitchener Mayor’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and member of the Film Selection Committee with Grand River Film Festival.
Don McDermott
Executive in Residence
Mentoring Skills:
Healthcare management and governance, religious governance, small to medium sized not-for-profit governance and strategic planning, certified life and executive coach (CCF), management and board leadership, mediation certificate, indigenous cultural competency training cycle 1, Adverse Child Event trained (ACE)
Bio
Don McDermott has over 40 years of leadership experience in the Ontario health and social services sectors. He is the former CEO of a number of health care organizations with responsibility for acute and long term care services, addictions and mental health, community rehab and social work programs. Don has supported or served on more than twenty not-for-profit and charity boards. As a consultant, using many examples from his experience, he works with organizations’ boards and leaders to clarify their missions, identify their values and vision, and achieve their goals through board education, facilitated strategic planning retreats, and various board and CEO mentoring processes.
Don is Executive-in-Residence with Capacity Canada and is a past chair for the Guelph Community Health Centre.
Don is a certified Life and Executive Coach, has obtained certification in Interest Based Mediation and has taken Indigenous Cultural Safety training with SAN’YAS and the Provincial Health Services Authority, B.C.
Don and his wife Joan are principal consultants with BoardSupport.ca.
Karen Spencer
Executive in Residence
Bio:
I am pleased to be part of the Capacity Canada team. I am a not-for-profit leader with 30 years of progressive management experience, including seven years as the Executive Director of Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region and Family and Children’s Services Foundation. My formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Development Studies, a Master of Arts Degree in Social Work, certificates in Public Sector Leadership (Rotman School of Business) and Lean Six Sigma (Schulich School of Business). I am committed to child and parent well-being, social justice and doing my part to end racism and discrimination. I am currently the Board Chair for the Renison University College and an active member of the Kitchener-Westmount Rotary Club and International Women’s Forum.
Susan Radwan
Executive in Residence
Mentoring Skills:
Governance, association management, strategic planning
Bio
Susan S Radwan, MEd, CAE, SMP, GSP is the owner of Leading Edge Mentoring, a governance and leadership consulting firm with an international scope of practice, based in Grand Ledge, Michigan. She is a contractor with Capacity Canada.
Radwan consults with boards who want to become more strategic, facilitates Strategic Planning events, and teaches boards and CEOs of non-profit organizations in the ways of governance and association management. Radwan attended the Policy Governance Academy, taught by John and Miriam Carver, in 1999. Since then, a large percentage of her consulting work has focused on boards practicing or desiring to practice Policy Governance. Her consulting practice reaches a wide variety of organizations and boards who want to be more strategic in their approach to governing. She currently coaches two Pan-Canadian Boards of Directors.
Radwan holds the designation of Governance Systems Professional-Fellow (GSP), awarded from Govern for Impact which is an international association of governance professionals and practitioners. Additionally, Radwan holds certifications in Association Management (CAE), Strategic Planning (SMP), Risk Management (ARM), Systems Thinking, Certification, Behavior Analysis, among others. Radwan loves to learn and add tools to her toolbox that will benefit her clients.
Radwan has recently developed a 10-course virtual curriculum titled “The Modern Board” sponsored by Capacity Canada. The project was created for two audiences:
- Boards that wish to enhance their governing capacity and learn together, and
- Young adults who want to help shape their communities and practice social responsibility by getting involved in a Canadian Registered Charity.
Radwan also designed a governance certificate program for local government officials in Michigan, titled The Township Governance Academy. She actively teaches the Boardsmanship coursework in that series of workshops.
For the past several years, Radwan has led one-day workshops, titled ‘How to Become an Extraordinary Board’, sponsored by the Michigan Society of Association Executives. This popular workshop has assisted many boards to move from being a working board to becoming strategic. As a former teacher in grades 7-8, Radwan has developed a style of presenting that is interactive and uses props to clearly explain governance concepts.
Radwan has co-authored a book titled Governing by Principles. The book gives guidance to Boards on an approach to unleash the power of Policy Governance® which is a principles-based, systems-oriented model for governance.
Radwan is the President of the Association for Strategic Planning (ASP) and is currently the Chair of the ASP Certification Commission.
Ian MacDonald
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Ian McDonald (he/him) is a recognized expert in business and product strategy, marketing, partnerships, and emerging industries. He has extensive international experience developing emerging markets, commercializing products and services, and scaling business operations globally.
Formerly Chief Customer Officer at Communitech, a globally recognized innovation hub, Ian led advisory services for startups, scale-ups, and Fortune 500 organizations. Ian’s senior leadership experience includes strategic growth, change, and innovation roles at world-class companies including TD Bank Group, InFlight, Aeryon Labs, and BlackBerry.
Ian holds a Master of Business Administration and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. His recent executive education includes Modern Board Governance, Change Leadership, Coaching for Performance, and Organizational Leadership in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
As an active community member, Ian is a Board Member of Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region and supports community organizations focused on food security, housing, education, employment, newcomer assistance, and other family services.
Julie Newman
Executive in Residence
Email
O: 866-317-1992 x31
Bio:
Founder and Principal at Willow Hall HR, Julie Newman, M.Sc., CHRL, CRM is a Certified Human Resources Leader with over 15 years of HR experience. Formerly a senior leader at Camino Mental Health + Wellbeing, Julie specializes in creating inclusive and psychologically safe workplaces. With a background in Kinesiology and Medical Science, she offers unique insights into organizational culture, performance management, and employee relations. Julie is dedicated to creating innovative HR solutions that align with organizational strategies and resource constraints. As part-time faculty at Conestoga College, she mentors future HR professionals and is actively involved in supporting immigrant talent through Waterloo Region’s Workplace Immigrant Network.
Fred Galloway
Executive in Residence
Mentoring Skills:
ED/Board roles and governance, financials, strategic planning, fund development strategies
Bio:
Capacity Canada Executive in Residence
Fred is the founder of F. J. Galloway Associates Inc., was formed in 1989 as a consultancy practice focusing on community development; facility development assessments; organizational and operational reviews; and specialized projects involving governance, partnerships, and collaborative initiatives. The firm, since its inception, has worked exclusively with municipalities, non-for-profit organizations, community groups and provincial ministries.
Fred Galloway is the President of the firm and the principal consultant. Based on the
customized needs of each assignment, the firm has worked with other larger and smaller consulting firms to align the right expertise and experience necessary to successfully complete assignments.
Over the years, the firm has worked successfully with land use planners, landscape architects, engineers, architects, financial analysts, and numerous other disciplines in order to meet client requirements.
Fred holds a Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Recreation from the University of Waterloo, a Master of Science Degree in Recreation
Bryan Webber
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Bryan is a relationship development professional with experience in the private and charitable sectors. His career has been focused on building long-term relationships that meet the interests and strategic priorities of his employer and its clients.
After 20 years as a sales professional in the private sector, Bryan shifted to the charitable sector in 2002, to “do more than earn a living” as a fundraising professional at the YMCA.
He enjoys helping organizations build high-impact visions, and the donor relationships, and partnerships with government and the private sector to support them.
Bryan is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University. He is semi-retired and thoroughly enjoying his new role as a grandfather.
Matt Miller
Executive in Residence
Design Skills
Mentoring Skills:
Branding, career coaching in graphic design or advising as a creative, portfolio review
Hugh Munro
Designer, Capacity by Design
Mentoring Skills:
Strategy formulation, marketing, collaboration and design thinking
Bio
Hugh Munro is currently a design-thinking consultant in Capacity Canada’s Capacity by Design Program. He also continues to teach and consult in the areas of Marketing & Strategy for organizations in both the public and private sectors. Hugh also serves as Marketing Director on the Board for the Kitchener Blues Festival.
Previously Dr. Munro had a long academic career with Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario where he was a Professor in the Marketing Area. As a Professor he taught courses in the areas of Marketing and International Business in Laurier’s graduate and undergraduate programs and also guest taught abroad at a number of universities. His research interests include the commercialization of innovative products and the internationalization of small and medium-sized businesses. While at Laurier he also served in a number of leadership roles including MBA Director, Associate Dean of Business, and Director of the Laurier Trade Development Centre. Hugh received his Ph.D. and HBA degrees from the University of Western Ontario.
Lori Payne
Executive in Residence
Mentoring Skills:
Change management (PROSCI certified)/proactive stakeholder engagement planning; lean management; organization development; human synergistics certified on high performance culture work (OCI/LSI); talent management; program design/project management; facilitation of large and small group – certified in social styles
Marion Thomson Howell
Executive in Residence
Mentoring Skills:
Board governance; working with groups on presentations, both development and delivery
Bio:
Marion Thomson Howell is an entrepreneur and active community contributor. After 33 years as President of ShaughnessyHowell Inc., an award-winning provider of learning and leadership development solutions, Marion now spends her semi-retirement years working with board directors in the not-for-profit sector helping them to advance the mission of their organizations and put practices in place to ensure they are effective stewards of their organizations’ resources.
Marion is the Past Chair of the Board of Trustees for St. Mary’s. Marion is also a founding director for A Better Tent City Waterloo Region, an organization that provides safe shelter and support for those who are experiencing homelessness.
Prior to coming to St. Mary’s, Marion served on the Board of St. Jerome’s University was elected as a trustee for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board in both the 2003 and 2006 elections.
Joanne McKiernan
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Joanne McKiernan is driven by the brave decision her grandparents made to leave war, poverty and persecution in search of a better tomorrow in Canada. Her family legacy of hope and hardship has translated into a 15+ year career in building programs that enable personal development, generate positive health outcomes, and create supports for new Canadians as they come to call Toronto home.
As Executive Director of Canada’s largest volunteer centre, she is proud to lead a dynamic, millennial-driven team enabling volunteerism through education, position matching and capacity-building initiatives. Each year, Volunteer Toronto engages 500,000 prospective volunteers and over 650 non-profit organizations. This experience builds upon a decade of public engagement in organ and tissue donation, where she leveraged partnerships and volunteer-driven activities to double the size of Ontario’s provincial registry – an increase of nearly 2 million individual registrations.
When Joanne’s not in the (virtual) office, she can be found on a volleyball court, enjoying time with her young family in Wellington County or serving her community as President of the Board of Directors of Community Development Halton, an agency that build community capacity through social planning and volunteer engagement.
Kelly Laurila
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Greetings. I come to you with having worked with Indigenous peoples in my community for close to 30 years, being a board member and president of an Indigenous housing board for 11 years, current board (circle) Chair with a grassroots Indigenous group providing wraparound permanency to Indigenous youth aging out of the child welfare system, board member of Family & Children Services in Waterloo Region, and about 12 years of teaching at post-secondary institutions primarily in Indigenous-centered social work courses.
I identify as an Indigenous Sami woman, partner to an Anishinaabe man and firekeeper, long-time songcarrier in the community and in a federal penitentiary, carrier of Indigenous knowledges and experiences, social worker and educator. I have a PhD in Philosophy where my social work focus pertained to understanding the ethics needed for engagement between Indigenous women and girls and the police. I am knowledgeable and skilled with facilitating discussions about: equity and belonging; Truth & Reconciliation process; colonization/decolonization and social injustices/justice; social work values, ethics, and practice; both at the community and post-secondary education levels. I consider myself to walk my life with kindness and integrity. Living an ethical life is what enables me to keep moving towards balance.
Much of my life and work focus has been about creating ways to live in harmony with all my relations. This Indigenous philosophy has grounded and facilitated the advocacy and justice work I do with the courses I facilitate and the committee/board work I do.
Randa MacNaughton
Executive in Residence
Mentoring Skills:
Experienced leadership and organizational culture professional working with organizations, teams, leaders and individuals. Randa’s mission is to help good leaders accelerate their greatness towards delivering impactful results in a values-based culture.
Bio:
With a progressive career and a myriad of leadership roles, organizational contexts, and mission-critical endeavours, I have established myself as a visionary leader and a change agent inspiring excellence so individuals and teams can thrive. With a global team, my scope contributed to the successful implementation of talent and organizational initiatives that cultivate high-performing teams and a culture that drives strong business outcomes.
As a trusted advisor, I am known for my ability to translate complex issues into actionable opportunities and gain buy-in around innovative solutions for maximum impact. Furthermore, I am recognized as a team player serving as a key liaison between stakeholders of all functions and geographies, aligning global strategies with the corporate vision, and fostering cross-functional collaboration for relevance and context.
Andrew Jardine
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Andrew Jardine is the Corporate Secretary of the Board of Directors of King’s University College in London, Ontario. To: Andrew is Chief Financial Officer of the Roman Catholic Diocese of London. He was formerly Secretary to the Board of Directors and Executive Assistant to the Principal at King’s University College.
Lisa Allen
Executive in Residence
Mentoring Skills:
Not-for-profit leadership & governance, project management, facilitation, analysis, process design, and strategic planning,
Bio:
Lisa has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the financial services industry. She led teams delivering projects both in Operations and IT. Throughout her career, Lisa held accountability for digital properties, administration systems, and data assets. Delivering projects across multiple business pillars and diverse stakeholders meant negotiating creative solutions, building consensus, and being a champion of strategic vision. Leading, coaching, and developing individuals and teams was the most rewarding aspect of her career.
Lisa is an avid volunteer in a variety of areas including Board Service and is a past Board Member and Chair of the Child Witness Centre.
Jennifer King
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Jennifer is a social impact leader with more than 20 years of programmatic leadership experience in Canada, South Asia, Nicaragua, and Africa. She has managed complex initiatives in public, private, philanthropic and community sectors and has advised networks, senior leaders, funds, entrepreneurs, and SMEs on growth that generates social and environmental impact. Jennifer is passionate about collaborative systems change models that meet the needs of underserved communities.
Jennifer has held executive leadership positions in several social impact organizations and has experience working with boards as both an Executive Director and as a Board Chair. She is experienced in community engagement, program design and partnership development, blended finance, evaluation and storytelling, and gender equality and social inclusion. Jennifer is a published photographer and has worked as a freelance writer and marketing and communications professional.
Erika Hornsey
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Based in Houston, Texas, Erika is an experienced community engagement practitioner with skills in strategic planning, board development, and partnership building. Erika has held executive leadership positions in nonprofit organizations and has experience in corporate community investment. Erika’s work has been most influenced by her time on the steering committee of the Social Prosperity Project, a five-year project to build resilience in Fort McMurray’s social profit sector to increase its capacity to address complex social problems and enhance quality of life in the region.
Erika holds a bachelor’s degree in Arts & Contemporary Studies from Ryerson University, minoring in Nonprofit Management and Equity and Diversity Studies. Erika holds certificates in Volunteer Management, Fund Development and is currently enrolled in Northwestern University’s Nonprofit Leadership program.
Paul Wilton
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Paul is a PhD student studying Higher Education at the University of Toronto. He has a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Western Ontario. Paul has served on several local and national boards including as President of the Canadian Hemophilia Society, President of Hemophilia Ontario, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders, Secretary of the Urban League of London, and as a director at King’s University College. Paul is a lecturer in the Management and Organizational Studies program at King’s teaching Corporate Governacne and serves as King’s University Secretary. Paul co-hosts a podcast, The Governance Guys, where experts in the field join to share lessons to help citizens make positive contributions to their communities through board service.
Fatima Awan
Project Assistant
Bio:
Fatima Awan is currently a student at the University of Waterloo, studying Political Science, Legal Studies, and minoring in Public Policy and Administration. She has a huge passion for volunteering and community service which has helped her accumulate over 1,000 hours. She was recently awarded the Young Adult – Woman of the Year Award 2021 , Junior Leadership Award and the honorable Principal Award 2020. Fatima has been involved in over five youth committees and initiatives over the past four years. She is involved with City of Cambridge Youth Advisory, Region of Waterloo’s Youth Initiatives, Youth Force, University of Waterloo PART Member, and much more. Fatima has helped create Coalition of Muslim Women – KW first ever Youth Program called Youth Leaders 4 Change and has created the first ever Muslim Youth Council of Waterloo Region.
Dianne Fehr
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Dianne is a values-driven leader who has worked in the social impact sector since 2000. Her knowledge and skills in board governance and development, and hands-on experience in strategic planning, risk management, project management, and organizational development, has been gained through executive director and board director roles.
Most recently, Dianne acted as executive director for a Canadian charity delivering their mission internationally. Prior to that, she was executive director for one of Canada’s largest microloan charities. Earlier roles in the social impact sector include fund development, marketing and communications; corporate sector roles were in the areas of marketing, public affairs and communications.
Based in Calgary, Dianne’s insights and experiences as executive director have helped her make a strong contribution to the various nonprofit boards on which she has volunteered, and to the social impact organizations with which she has worked.
Scott Haldane
Executive in Residence
Bio:
Scott Haldane retired in 2018 after 40 years as a senior leader and manager in the charitable sector and is now enjoying life in the Ottawa/Gatineau area.
He began his career with successively more senior roles at the YMCA of Montreal. His first position as President & CEO was with the YMCA of Hamilton/Burlington from 1993 – 2002. He served in the same capacity at the YMCA of Greater Toronto (2003 – 2009) and YMCA Canada (2010 – 2015). In each of these roles, Scott provided leadership focused on impact, relevance, and sustainability during periods of rapid change and growth.
After retiring from the YMCA at the end of 2015, Scott became the first full-time President & CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation, working closely with His Excellency David Johnston, Canada’s 28th Governor General. Scott provided executive leadership to this new national Foundation as it moved from start-up to scale-up to its current status as one of the most important national charitable foundations in Canada.
Scott holds a B.A. (Sociology) with Great Distinction from McGill University; a Master of Management (McGill University); Advanced Management Program (Harvard Business School); and Certified Corporate Director (The Director’s College, McMaster University).
Since retirement, Scott has devoted his time to wildlife photography for which he has received recognition by both Nature Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Federation. Since 2022, Scott and his son Trevor, who is also a wildlife photographer, have offered an annual online wildlife photography presentation in support of Trans Canada Trail. They attract hundreds of viewers each year and have raised nearly $15,000 for the cause.
In addition to this passion, Scott spends time with his grandsons who also live in the Ottawa area. He also pursues a wide range of interests including running (he ran his 21st lifetime marathon in 2023), cross-country skiing, cycling, and hiking. He has continued his lifelong education through courses at Carleton University as well as extensive reading and frequent travel opportunities with Linda, his wife and best friend for 49 years.
Scott has offered his services as a volunteer to many organizations and individuals since retiring from professional life. He is now looking forward to sharing his experience and supporting executive leaders in the charitable and not-for-profit sector as an Executive-in-Residence at Capacity Canada.
