Save the Dates for 2025!
Who Should Attend
We encourage Non-Profit CEOs/Executive Directors and Board Chairs to attend or anyone interested in learning more about modern Board Governance. Many organizations find it beneficial to bring their entire board.
The Challenge
In the world of Non-Profits, the board of directors is a powerhouse for impactful and positive change. However, for directors to excel in their roles, they need thorough training in governance responsibilities. Many boards face challenges in adequately educating new and existing directors. Without the right education, resources, and guidance, boards can struggle to achieve their organizational goals.
Capacity Canada’s Board Governance BootCamp
Capacity Canada’s Board Governance BootCamp presents an exceptional opportunity to enhance the capacity of boards across various organizations. Our program is led by a distinguished faculty, featuring engaging small-group sessions, tailored resources, and practical exercises over an intensive three-day period.
By encouraging both the Board Chair and the CEO or Executive Director from each participating organization to attend, the program uniquely strengthens the collaboration between the board and leadership team.
The BootCamp will elevate your governance skills by sharing innovative strategies and tools that teams can immediately implement. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of their roles, discover new strategies for effective governance, and renew their focus on the critical issues facing their organizations. Ultimately, you’ll be better equipped to lead positive change within your organizations and communities.
Highlights from 2024 BootCamp
Capacity Canada Hosts 16th Annual Board Governance BootCamp
Capacity Canada concluded its 16th annual Board Governance BootCamp on November 28. The theme of the three-day BootCamp was ‘Building Community Trust: The Role of Nonprofits in Fostering Hope and Resilience.’ Read more…
2024 BootCamp Schedule
Tuesday, November 26th – 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm ET
- Two optional concurrent Pre-BootCamp Workshops 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm ET
- Opening Reception
- Keynote Presentation: Nik Nanos, CM, ICD.D
Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research - Closing Reception
Pre-BootCamp Concurrent Session 1A – 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Leveling Up On Your Board’s Effectiveness
The board chair has a significant impact on the productivity and critical leadership of the board. What gets on the agenda, how you ask questions, and how you facilitate dialogue influences the Board’s impact on the organization. This session will address those key considerations to lift the board’s value-added role.
Presenter: Susan Radwan, Governance Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
Pre-BootCamp Concurrent Session 1B – 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Fundraising: For Good
A practical and informative learning opportunity for NFP EDs and Board Chairs seeking to strengthen their fundraising capacity and raise the bar for giving in their organization.
In this session, two fundraising professionals will share their experience along with new trends in the sector, followed by an interactive discussion with a panel of seasoned philanthropists and foundation executives.
Presenters: Rob Donelson, Interim Executive Director, Lyle S. Hallman Foundation & Bryan Webber, Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
Panel: Mike Stork, Angel investor and Community Leader
Lynn Hall, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada
Manfred Conrad, Manfred & Penny Conrad Foundation
Opening Keynote
Nik Nanos, CM, ICD.D
Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research
Nik Nanos leads Nanos Research, one of Canada’s most distinguished research companies.
He is the Chief Data Scientist and Founder of Nanos Research, a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC, and a research adjunct professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He is also the Past Board Chair of Carleton University in Ottawa.
Nik leads the team behind the weekly Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index which is streamed to Bloomberg terminals globally every Monday Morning. He is featured in a weekly segment on CTV’s News Channel, Nanos on the Numbers, which focuses on the latest political, business, and social trends. He is the pollster of record for CTV News, Canada’s largest private broadcaster, the Globe & Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, Bloomberg News in Canada and a member of the Order of Canada.
Interviewer
Associate Vice President, Global Strategy, Wilfrid Laurier University
Wednesday, November 27th – 7:30 am to 5:00 pm ET
Opening Workshop with Nik Nanos, CM, ICD.D, Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research – 8:30 am to 9:45 am
Concurrent Session: Governance Essentials Track (For New Directors and ED/CEOs)
Session 1A – 10:00 am to 11:30 am
What is governance? Roles and responsibilities Board as part of a system
Fred Galloway, Governance Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
Session 2A – 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm
CEO-Board Evaluations
Marion Thomson Howell, Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada & Andrew Jardine, Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
Session 3A – 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm
Technology & Trust
Katie Gibson, Consultant & Senior Fellow, Responsible Digital Innovation at The Dais
Concurrent Session: Advance Governance Track (For Seasoned Directors and ED/CEOs)
Session 1B – 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Creating a Culture of Belonging
Susan Radwan, Governance Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
Session 2B – 12:45 pm to 2:15 pm
The Fragile Commodity of Trust: A Black Woman’s Perspective
Nneka Allen, Partner, Social Impact Group Miller Thomson
Session 3B – 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm
Competence Trust
Wraychel Gilmore, PhD Candidate, University of Toronto &
Jayden Paquet-Noiseux, Student, University of Ottawa
Thursday, November 28th – 7:30 am to 4:00 pm ET
Concurrent Session: Governance Essentials Track (For New Directors and ED/CEOs)
Session – 4A – 8:30 am to 10:00 am
How and why to process Financial Statements,
Statement of Financial Position, & Statement of Activity
Ameer Abdulla, CPA, CA, Partner – Tax, EY
Carson Brett, CPA-CA, MAcc, Senior Manager, EY
Abey Ormond, Senior Accountant, EY
Session 5A – 10:15 am to 11:30 am
Continued: How and why to process Financial Statements,
Statement of Financial Position, & Statement of Activity
Ameer Abdulla, CPA, CA, Partner – Tax, EY
Carson Brett, CPA-CA, MAcc, Senior Manager, EY
Abey Ormond, Senior Accountant, EY
Session 6A – 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Governing More Effectively within a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lens
Kelly Laurila, Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
Concurrent Session: Advanced Governance Track (For Seasoned Directors and ED/CEOs)
Session 4B – 8:30 am to 10:00 am
Contractual Trust
Natasha Smith, Partner, Social Impact Group Miller Thomson
Session 5B – 10:15 am to 11:30 am
Recovering from Broken Trust
Panel Discussion Moderated by Wraychel Gilmore, PhD Candiate, University of Toronto with Cait Glasson, Cynthia Wesley- Esquimaux, Board Member, Capacity Canada & Colleen James, Founder Divonify Incorporated & Region of Waterloo Councillor
Session 6B – 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Communication Trust: is your board seen as trustworthy?
Paula Barrett, Founder, Impact Strategic Communications
Plenary Session – 2:45 pm to 3:30 pm
Nneka Allen
Founder, The Empathy Agency
Closing Special Remarks 3:30 pm
Mike Morrice
Member of Parliament, Kitchener Centre
Our Presenters & Faculty
Nik Nanos, CM, ICD.D
Chief Data Scientist, Nanos Research
Nik Nanos leads Nanos Research, one of Canada’s most distinguished research companies.
He is the Chief Data Scientist and Founder of Nanos Research, a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC, and a research adjunct professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He is also the Past Board Chair of Carleton University in Ottawa.
Nik leads the team behind the weekly Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index which is streamed to Bloomberg terminals globally every Monday Morning. He is featured in a weekly segment on CTV’s News Channel, Nanos on the Numbers, which focuses on the latest political, business, and social trends. He is the pollster of record for CTV News, Canada’s largest private broadcaster, the Globe & Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, Bloomberg News in Canada and a member of the Order of Canada.
Nneka Allen
Founder, The Empathy Agency
Nneka Allen is a Black woman, a Momma and a daughter of the Underground Railroad. She descends from African survivors of the TransAtlantic Slave Trade. Through the centuries-long unparalleled forced free labour of Africans in the United States, her ancestors helped build North America. In the process, a historic relationship developed with the First Peoples of Turtle Island and as a result, the Cherokee and the Lumbee are her relations.
Born in the 70s, Nneka was raised during a time of Black power and acute political awareness in North America. As a result, the air in her childhood home was generous, brilliant and proud. Her parents and their siblings with great intentionality poured their consciousness into her multi-ethnic identity.
Nneka is a relationship builder, a stone-catcher, a freedom fighter, a storyteller and a leadership coach. As a lover of justice, Nneka has inspired philanthropy as a Fundraising Executive in the charitable sector for 25 years. As the Principal and Founder of The Empathy Agency Inc., she helps leaders and their teams deliver more fairly on their missions by coaching them to explore the impact identity has on culture and equity outcomes. Through The Empathy Agency, she helps leaders cultivate belonging spaces.
Nneka is also the founder of the Black Canadian Fundraisers’ Collective, a group of fundraisers who inspire and elevate the philanthropic sector in the African tradition of Ubuntu – “I am because we are”. She is an award-winning author and joint editor of a book featuring the first-person narratives of 15 Black contributors, mainly fundraisers from the United States and Canada called Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love. In 2022/23, Nneka was also one of the first Scholars-in-Residence on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of British Columbia, where she delivered a provocative lecture called Us and Them: What it Really Means to Belong.
Her ultimate joy is her daughter Destiny and her husband Skylar. Along with their dogs Sophi and Sammi, they live and work on the unsurrendered and stolen shared territory of the Stó:lō Coast Salish peoples. She honours the survival of the Indigenous nations of Turtle Island, despite genocide. She grieves the theft and the subjugation of colonization and white supremacy culture. And as a forced inhabitant of these beautiful territories, she is challenged to confront the cost of living on this land with nowhere else to call home. It is only through the historical relationship and collective wisdom of her African and Indigenous ancestors that she is here today. It is from this place that her activism emerges.
Dr. Kathy Hogarth
Associate Vice President, Global Strategy, Wilfrid Laurier University
Dr. Kathy Hogarth holds a Ph.D. in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University. She has more than 20 years’ experience as an adult-education specialist at the University of Waterloo, Renison University College, King’s University College, York University and Wilfrid Laurier University, specifically in the roles of professor, lecturer, dean, and special advisor on anti-racism and inclusivity. Dr. Hogarth’s most recent position is Associate Vice President, Global Strategy at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is a published author in numerous academic journals in the areas of social work, psychology, anti-racism, diversity and inclusion. Dr. Hogarth has spoken widely at national and international conferences on the topics of racial representation, multiculturalism, and the lived experiences of racialized peoples in Canada.
Susan Radwan
Governance Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
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 an Executive in Residence with Capacity Canada.
Radwan is the author, voice and instructor of “The Modern Board” series sponsored by Capacity Canada and delivered by Conestoga College.
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), and Strategic Planning (SMP) among others.
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. She is also the Executive Editor for Professional Practices in Association Management, 4th edition, published by the American Society of Association Executives, which serves as the textbook for the association management profession.
Fred Galloway
Governance Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
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.
Fred holds a Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Recreation from the University of Waterloo, a Master of Science Degree in Recreation. He also holds a Masters of Business Administration Degree from the Ivy School of Business at Western University. In 2002 he was awarded an Honorary Diploma by Fanshawe College for community service, and in 2018 he was awarded the Governor General’s Sovereign Award for Volunteers
Ameer Abdulla, CPA, CA
Partner - Tax, EY Private
Ameer is a Partner the Tax Services group in Waterloo. Ameer has nearly 15 years of experience working in public accounting and currently focuses on corporate and personal tax planning.
He provides tax advice to Canadian private companies and their shareholders on topics such as reorganizations, intergenerational transfers, purchase/sale of businesses and estate planning.
Ameer also has experience advising trusts, not-for-profits and charities.
Abey Ormond
Senior Accountant, EY
Abey is a Senior Accountant in the assurance service line in EY’s Waterloo office. Abey first joined EY in 2020 where she has completed all of her co-op terms and worked on public and private companies in all sectors.
She is a graduate of Laurier’s BBA and Financial Math double degree program, along with a Graduate Diploma in accounting. Abey is in pursuit of her CPA designation and wrote the CFE in September of 2024.
Abey greatly enjoys volunteering and has volunteered in support of various organizations including Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Food for Kids, and St. Joseph’s Healthcare.
Carson Brett
CPA-CA, MAcc, Senior Manager, EY
Carson is a Senior Manager at EY specializing in Assurance with a demonstrated history of working in the accounting industry. Strong professional skilled in Microsoft Excel, Auditing, Accounting, and Financial Accounting. Have experience auditing in a variety of various industries including: insurance, manufacturing and technology-related companies.
He has a BA and MA in Accounting from the University of Waterloo
Natasha Smith
Partner, Social Impact Group Miller Thomson
Natasha Smith is a partner in the Social Impact Group, with a practice dedicated to providing practical legal advice to charities and non-profits, exclusively. In an effort to ensure that these organizations achieve their missions and mandates successfully, Natasha assists these entities with a variety of matters including corporate governance and tax compliance.
Natasha has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Lexpert Magazine and for leadership in her community, serving as a Civic Action DiverseCity Leadership Fellow and receiving recognition as an Emerging Leader (Social Impact) by The Peak Magazine.
Natasha’s practice focuses on helping her clients to determine the best structure for their organization and to navigate the complex regulatory environment in which they operate. Specifically, she provides tailored advice on various issues including incorporation and charitable registration, operating in foreign jurisdictions, structuring complex gift agreements, reporting, and general compliance under legislation governing the voluntary sector. Natasha has experience structuring merger and asset-transfer transactions between non-share capital corporations, advising on social enterprise and social finance ventures, and facilitating corporate reorganizations.
Prior to commencing her law degree, Natasha received a B.A. in communications from the University of Calgary.
Kelly Laurila
Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
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.
Al McDonald (Miskoakiinin)
Aboriginal Ceremony Teacher
Aanii my name is AL my spirit name is Miskoakiinin (Red Earth Man) I am Anishinaabe from Manitoulin Island. My family comes from Henvey Inlet First Nations. I follow the Anishinaabe Seven Grand Father Teachings. I have been involved with Aboriginal Ceremony for over 20years more specifically being blessed with teachings as a Firekeeper for the past 15 years along with many other continued teaching from our Elders for which I am honored and grateful. The fire gives people safe and sometimes quite space and opportunity for reflection, learning, prayer and a chance to offer our four Medicines Tobacco, Sage, Sweetgrass, Cedar and beyond. The fire gives us also the chance to feel the unconditional love that Creator gives to us
All my Relations
Marion Thomson Howell
Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
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.
Andrew Jardine
Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
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.
Wraychel Gilmore
PhD Candidate, University of Toronto
Wraychel Gilmore has twenty-five years of experience in community development and strategic change.
Her career spans across executive, non-profit, government, and consulting roles. Wraychel’s ability to employ critical thinking and analytic skills, specifically in identifying legislative barriers and solutions in the political and systemic spheres, has been instrumental in enabling her clients and organizations to generate the social impact they aim for.
Throughout her impressive career, Wraychel has worked alongside colleagues across the globe, from Jamaica to Austria, advocating politically and building strengths in community programming. Her notable contributions include piloting programs for both the Ministry of Children and Youth Services and the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities in Ontario. Wraychel has also served in a sworn oversight capacity for the independent Office of the Child and Youth Advocate for the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island.
Wraychel’s impact resonates profoundly in the realm of community development. She has overseen services and high-risk management for over 6000 youth in grass-roots programming and founded a private Montessori pre-K through secondary school. Within the public education system, Wraychel pioneered the first paid co-op program outside of the Armed Services in Canada. CBC’s Peter Mansbridge has recognized her innovative youth political engagement strategies, featuring them on his podcast, The Bridge.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Wraychel is currently in the final defense phase her PhD with the University of Toronto in Adult Education and Community Development. Her original research on youth political consultations have been featured in 2024 at international conferences in Miami, Sweden, Greece, and at a UNESCO conference hosted at Cornell University. She holds a Master of Arts in Religion and Culture, and multiple post-secondary certifications in social work, board governance and organizational capacity building. Her academic pursuits underline her commitment to continuous learning and professional development, making her an invaluable social justice advocate and community builder.
Jayden Paquet-Noiseux
Student, University of Ottawa
Jayden Paquet-Noiseux (18) is a passionate youth leader in his community and is a second-year student at the University of Ottawa. Jayden has always invested a lot of his time in his school’s community outreach programs and with national organizations that focus on children’s rights, mental health and helping others. School hasn’t particularly been easy for him as he was a victim of bullying at the primary level and has had to overcome a lot of hurdles due to ADHD, dyslexia and dyscalculia. He has been recognized in the last few years, winning many awards and scholarships such as The Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Youth. His dedication, perseverance, involvement and advocacy work to inspire youth and adults alike.
Katie Gibson
Senior Fellow, Responsible Digital Innovation at The Dais
Katie is an independent consultant and the Senior Fellow, Responsible Digital Innovation at The Dais, a public policy and leadership think tank at Toronto Metropolitan University. Katie works, writes, and speaks on issues at the intersection of technology, social impact, and governance.
Katie has played leadership roles across sectors. Most recently, she co-founded and served as inaugural Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience, where she developed a comprehensive view of Canada’s nonprofit tech ecosystem. She previously worked on technology policy and standards at the Digital Governance Council and on startup programs at Ontario’s economic development ministry. Her charitable sector experience includes an executive role at a national charity serving children and youth. She is also a lawyer and dedicated volunteer.
Bryan Webber
Executive in Residence, Capacity Canada
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.
Rob Donelson
Interim Executive Director, Lyle S. Hallman Foundation
Rob Donelson is the Interim Executive Director of the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation and recently retired following a 41-year career leading award-winning advancement programs at four universities and two hospital foundations in three countries. Most recently, Rob served as Executive Director of Advancement at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Prior to this, he was Executive Director, Development & Alumni Relations at University College Cork in Ireland, and Vice-President, Development & Alumni Relations at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada. He has also led multi-million-dollar campaigns with two hospital foundations. His experience in all aspects of the donor cycle is extensive.
Acknowledged for his leadership in the area of charitable accountability, Rob led the first registered charity in Canada to earn the Ethical Fundraising License and the first university to earn the Standards Accreditation Trustmark from Imagine Canada. He has spoken at several national and international conferences of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners, Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE), and the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, and served on the Board of CCAE. He was named the Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Golden Horseshoe Chapter, and received the Mission Legacy Award of the St. Joseph’s Health System.
Rob has a keen interest in international development and was part of a community development project in Nicaragua and served on a national fundraising committee of a Canadian international development agency. He also led Wilfrid Laurier University’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis in the sponsorship of three families.
Manfred Conrad
Founder, The Cora Group Inc.
Manfred Conrad is a visionary leader and philanthropist who founded The Cora Group Inc. in 1978, building it into one of the Waterloo Region’s largest commercial real estate firms. Since 2011, Cora has focused on developing LEED-certified, sustainable properties, becoming a national leader in eco-conscious design.
Beyond business, Manfred – together with his wife Penny – established The Manfred and Penny Conrad Family Foundation in 2008 to support community causes. In recognition of his contributions, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Waterloo, which later named its entrepreneurship school in his honor. Throughout his career, Manfred served on multiple advisory boards and is currently Chancellor of Renison University College.
In 2015, Manfred was inducted into the Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame for his positive impact on the local economy and community, an influence that continues to shape future generations in both business and philanthropy.
Lynn Hall
External Affairs Analyst, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada
Lynn is a dedicated, approachable and knowledgeable professional with almost 20 years of experience in Communications and External Affairs at the most awarded automotive plant in the world. Lynn’s current responsibilities are vast, including corporate philanthropy, community support, and government/neighbour relations. She oversees the company’s tour program, where her team welcomes approximately 15,000 guests each year. Past responsibilities at TMMC include internal communications, serving as the Editor-in-Chief for the company newsletter, and Team Member Relations.
Michael Stork
Angel Investor and Community Leaders
Michael Stork is a Wilfrid Laurier University Business graduate who devotes a considerable amount of time to non-profit organizations. He has been active in the business community for more than 30 years. After a successful exit with his family-owned business, Unitron Hearing, his love for investing skyrocketed. He is now an avid angel investor, participating mostly in Waterloo Region startups.
Paula Barrett
Founder, Impact Strategic Communications
Paula Barrett is an experienced professional writer, public relations advisor and post-secondary educator. Her work in the field of public relations spans 30 years in a variety of industry sectors including healthcare, financial services, not-for-profit and tech.
A full-time Professor of Public Relations at Conestoga College for 20 years, Paula maintains deep industry ties to complement her academic work and contribute to her community. As a consultant to Communitech, she contributed to the Government of Canada’s Future of Work and Learning Initiative aimed at helping to future-proof Waterloo Region and Canadian workplaces through communications skills acquisition. Her work in the not-for-profit sector has included strategic communications planning and creative campaign development for Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region, United Way Waterloo Region Communities, Catulpa Community Support Services and Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada.
A passionate proponent of experiential learning, Paula engages her degree students in Capacity Canada’s Creative Day for Social Good. She also oversees a student-led agency that has helped more than 30 Canadian charities to date with their communications and fundraising efforts.
Paula holds an M.A. in Professional Writing from University of Waterloo and is two-time past President of the Waterloo Region chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Through her consultancy, Impact Strategic Communications, Paula helps organizations tell stories of impact to engage their constituencies and inspire positive change.
Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux
Board Member, Capacity Canada
Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux served as Vice Provost for Indigenous Initiatives at Lakehead University for three years. Effective September 2016 she was appointed as the 1st Indigenous Chair for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada for Lakehead University and continues to develop pathways forward to reconciliation across Canada.
Cynthia was the inaugural Nexen Chair for Indigenous Leadership at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and remains a faculty member in the Indigenous Learning program. She is the Chair of the Teach for Canada non-profit which recruits teachers for remote First Nation schools. Cynthia was inducted as a “Honourary Witness” by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2014, and is the Chair of the Governing Circle for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba.
She is a member and resident of the Chippewa of Georgina Island First Nation in Ontario and has dedicated her life to building bridges of understanding. She sees endless merit in bringing people from diverse cultures, ages, and backgrounds together to engage in practical dialogue and applied research initiatives. She is deeply committed to public education and active youth engagement from all cultures and backgrounds. She co-founded a youth project out of the University of Toronto, the University of Saskatchewan, and Lakehead University. More information on the Canadian Roots Exchange (CRE) can be found at: www.canadianroots.ca.
Cait Glasson
Cait Glasson is a grandmother, activist, organizer, polyglot, and one of those Marxists your mother warned you about. She’s a retired translator, now contributing to the community in return for the disability benefit she receives, by volunteering up to 25 hours a week. If you’re patient, you can ask her questions in German, Russian, French, Spanish, or English.
Colleen James
Founder, Divonify Incorporated & Region of Waterloo Councillor
Colleen James was elected to Regional Council in October 2022, representing City of Kitchener residents.
Colleen’s professional career includes more than 15 years of experience in municipal government at both the city and regional levels. As the founder of Divonify Incorporated, Colleen is a leading consultant on equity and inclusion. Locally, nationally, and internationally, Colleen partners with a wide range of public, private, and not-for-profit organizations and businesses that are committed to change.
Colleen’s values are central to her work as a leader. These values determine her approach to making decisions as a Councillor on behalf of the community. These values include building trusted relationships; having equity-informed community discussions; listening and collaborating; empowering and amplifying; taking meaningful action and being accountable.
Colleen graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours B.A. in history, political science, and Caribbean studies. She holds a master’s degree in leadership, higher, and adult education from U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).
In 2020, the Canada International Black Women Event named Colleen one of the Top 100 Black Women to Watch. In 2021, she was named one of the Top 25 Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Persons of the Year by the Canadian Multicultural Group. In 2024 Colleen was awarded the Public Service Excellence Award by Women of Dignity International.
Colleen is a graduate of Leadership Waterloo Region and has served on several local boards and committees, including the Kitchener Public Library (2020-2022), and KW Oktoberfest (2020- 2023). She is also involved in many collaborative community projects, including the Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region, where she established the James STEM scholarship.
Born and raised in Kitchener, Colleen’s family immigrated to Waterloo Region more than 50 years ago. She currently lives in Kitchener with her partner Daren and daughter Maleigha.
Mike Morrice
Member of Parliament, Kitchener Centre
MP Mike Morrice is inspired by the great things people can accomplish when we genuinely listen to one another, look to find common ground, and prioritize future generations.
Prior to his election, Mike founded Sustainable Waterloo Region, co-created ClimateActionWR, piloted Canada’s first Green Economy Hub, later founded Green Economy Canada to share this work across the country.
Since his election in 2021 – the first Green MP ever elected in Ontario – Mike has used his platform to amplify his community’s concerns. This includes his advocacy and progress made in ending legislated poverty for people with disabilities, urgent action to address the climate crisis, and to addressing the unaffordability of housing. Mike is the Green Party of Canada’s critic for both housing and disability inclusion.
Mike has participated in COP26 in Glasgow and COP27 in Egypt as a member of Canada’s delegation. He has worked to address wealth inequality through dedicated advocacy for the Canada Disability Benefit and interim Disability Emergency Response Benefit. He has also introduced Private Members Motions to Improve Housing Affordability, Election Reform, and Windfall Tax on excess profits of fossil fuel companies to fund climate solutions and increase affordability for Canadians.
Program Overview
You will leave the BootCamp with a plan to improve the governance of your organization by leading organizational change.
Overview
NEW: Optional Pre-BootCamp Concurrent Workshops
NEW: Governance Essentials and Advanced Governance Concurrent Sessions
Keynotes and presentations by subject matter experts
Interactive and participatory sessions
Resources and tools available during and after the sessions
All food and refreshments over three days
Access to CapacityGOV, a board governance online app co-designed with Axonify
Boot Camp Registration: $1,400 CAD/Person
Optional Pre-BootCamp Board Workshops: $150 CAD/Person
Travel & Hotel Information
Hotel
Hotel accommodation is available at the Delta Hotel Waterloo with complimentary shuttle bus to and from Bingemans.
Flights
There are flights at the Region of Waterloo International Airport serviced by WestJet and Flair Airlines. Toronto Pearson International Airport is only a one hour drive from Kitchener/Waterloo.
Train
Both GO trains/buses and Via Rail provide service to Kitchener.
Airport Transportation
Taxi and Airport Limo service is available through Brentwood Livery, Uber, or Waterloo Taxi.
Sponsorship Opportunities
As part of our Board Governance BootCamps, community is the key to connecting, growing, and learning.
Capacity Canada created BootCamp to unite our supporters, new or expert board members, senior leaders, and new or potential sponsors. For more information about how we can work together please contact Cathy or Andrew below.
Cathy Brothers, CEO – [email protected]
Andrew Wilding, Director of Operations – [email protected]
