Board of Directors
HR Council Board Members represent a range of voluntary and nonprofit sector stakeholders including employers, employees, senior managers, educational institutions and labour organizations from across Canada.
Hilary Amit Hilary is the executive director of Highland Community Residential Services, a community agency with 110 paid employees providing residential and inclusion support services for people with developmental disabilities or mental health issues. Hilary is also the past president of the Nova Scotia Residential Agencies Association and is a member of the Nova Scotia Association of Social Workers. In 2003-2004 he served as a member of the board of directors of Nova Scotia's Health Care Human Resources Sector Council. Hilary holds a Masters Degree in Adult Education and a BA in Psychology (St. Francis Xavier University). |
Maggy Burns Maggy is the internal director of the Ecology Action Centre (EAC), an organization working to build a healthier, more sustainable Nova Scotia, with oversight for human resources, fundraising, strategic planning and the financial viability of the organization. She previously coordinated a number of EAC initiatives including the Steer Clean Vehicle Scrappage and Green Mobility Capital Grants programs. Maggy is also active on a number of boards and nonprofit initiatives including the Nova Scotia Sea School. She owns Re-cover Journals, a socially-responsible business that rescues old books from the wastestream. She holds degrees in Philosophy and Biology from Dalhousie University. |
Céline Charpentier Céline is the executive director of the Comité sectoriel de main-d'oeuvre de l'économie sociale et de l'action communautaire. She has extensive experience in management - administration, human resources, operations - and in-depth knowledge of community-based organizations and social economy organizations in Québec. Céline's academic achievements include a Masters in Business Administration - management of collective enterprises (UQAM). |
Owen Charters Treasurer Owen Charters is 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. He is also currently a member of the Advisory Council of Imagine Canada. He has consulted with numerous charities and nonprofits across Canada on best management practices, fundraising and marketing strategies. He holds an MBA, and a Graduate Diploma in Nonprofit Management, both from the Schulich School of Business at York University. He is also a part-time lecturer in the Nonprofit MBA program at Schulich. |
Ann Clancy Board Member Ann is the national director, human resources and volunteer services with the Canadian Red Cross Society, a humanitarian agency with over 30,000 volunteers, staff and international delegates. In her time with the Red Cross, Ann has held a number of roles including director, national volunteer resource management; International delegate working in the tsunami affected areas; and director, human resources for Ontario Zone. Prior joining the Red Cross Ann was the VP Human Resources (Ontario Division) for the Arthritis Society. Ann holds the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation. |
Neil Cohen Neil Cohen is executive director of the Community Unemployed Help Centre in Winnipeg. He has over twenty-five years experience in the sector as a senior manager, board member and volunteer. Neil has extensive relationships locally and nationally within the nonprofit sector, government and labour. He is current Past Chair of Mediation Services of Winnipeg and chairs the Joseph Zuken Memorial Association and Trust Fund. Neil also serves as a Commissioner with the Manitoba Automobile Injury Compensation Appeal Commission. He holds a BA in Political Studies (University of Manitoba) and Certificate in Conflict Resolution specializing in organizational leadership. |
Marlene Deboisbriand Marlene is the Vice-President, Member Services at Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada. Before joining Boys & Girls Clubs, Marlene was president of Volunteer Canada for nearly 5 years. In that role, she led a team of 25 dedicated staff members committed to supporting volunteerism and civic participation in Canada. Marlene received her Master's of Management (McGill University) through the McGill-McConnell Program in 2002. Marlene's understanding of the voluntary sector comes from more than 20 years of working with charities and nonprofit organizations. Her work with United Way established a landmark agreement between United Way of Canada-Centraide Canada and its members. On December 5, 2001, as chair of the Senior Sector Steering Group for the Voluntary Sector Initiative, Marlene joined the Prime Minister of Canada to sign the Voluntary Sector Accord. |
Eldon Emerson As the manager of the Muttart Foundation's Human Resources Cluster Project, Eldon provides consultation, education and advisory services to help six Edmonton-based social service charities address their HR needs and issues. Eldon has extensive HR experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. He is passionate about improving the sector's ability to effectively address human resources challenges. Eldon is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and a Member of the HR Institute of Alberta. He holds a Master of Education (University of Alberta), a Bachelor of Education (University of Saskatchewan), and a diploma in Business Administration (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology). |
Kathy Johnson Kathy is a national representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. She is currently the Ontario Social Service Coordinator, representing a sector with more than 30,000 social service providers working in a range of areas including child care, child welfare, developmental services, shelters, municipal social services, children’s mental health and other social service community agencies. She also sits on the Ontario Federation of Labour Social Service Committee. Prior to joining CUPE, Kathy served as president of CUPE Local 2316, representing workers at the Metro Toronto Children’s Aid Society. She has worked in the voluntary sector as a community development worker, with a particular focus on human resource issues. Kathy holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Calgary. |
Avnish Mehta Avnish is the manager of the health and wellness division of the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS). He also manages CCIS’s Temporary Foreign Worker Support Program, which is one of six projects of its kind in Canada. Avnish was born and raised in Calgary and is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, with a degree that focused on Human Resources and Public Policy. Prior to joining CCIS, Avnish had a successful career in the corporate sector as a currency trader, in the risk management industry and then finally as an owner and operator of a recruitment company dedicated to recent post-secondary graduates from all across Canada. Avnish is currently the Board Chair for Youthlink Publications Society, a nonprofit group that focuses on children's literacy and is a member of the Asian Community Advisory Committee at the Glenbow Museum. |
Carl Nicholson Carl is the executive director of the Catholic Immigration Centre of Ottawa (CIC), an organization with a staff of 85 people who serve 7,000 clients who are newcomers to the Ottawa area. He is also the executive director of the Catholic Immigration Centre Foundation. Carl is a Certified Fund Raising Executive with more than 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has previously taught fundraising and marketing courses at Algonquin College. He is active on a number of nonprofit boards and initiatives including being a founding member of Local Agencies Serving Immigrants (LASI), a board member of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), a board member and executive of the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership Council and is also the co-chair for the Welcoming Communities Initiative for Ontario. Carl is a graduate of Carleton University and is an active member of ‘Third World Players’ – a local drama group, and Black History Ottawa. |
Keith Seel, PhD Calgary, Alberta Keith is the director of the Institute for Nonprofit Studies at Mount Royal University. An instructor, researcher, speaker and author with in-depth experience in the voluntary sector, Keith designed Canada's first Bachelor's Degree in Applied Nonprofit Studies. He is known internationally for his advanced work in the areas of ethics, ethical decision making models and values based policy development. Current research interests include nonprofit board governance and social policy effects on the nonprofit sector. Keith is appointed to three provincial boards with close ties to Alberta's nonprofit sector. He is one of the founding directors of Association for Nonprofit and Social Economy Research (ANSER) - Canada's first network of researchers focusing on the nonprofit sector. He is editor for the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration's forthcoming (June 2010) professional textbook - the first of its kind. He is past-president of the Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre of Calgary and the Calgary Service Providers Chairs' Council. Keith's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Education (University of Calgary), an MA in Curriculum Design and Instruction, a Diploma of Education (Elementary). Keith's doctoral work - "Boundary Spanning: A Grounded Theory of Sustainability of Canada's Nonprofit Sector" - was completed in 2007. |
Dick Stewart Dick is a social worker with 33 years of experience from the front lines to senior management positions in the Social and Community Services departments of the Region of Ottawa Carleton and the City of Ottawa. He is a recognized leader in developing effective client-centred and innovative social and community services through municipal and voluntary and nonprofit collaboration. Currently he is a Board member of the Community Foundation of Ottawa and West End Legal Services of Ottawa and is also a member of the steering committee for the Ontario Non Profit Sector. Dick Stewart has a BA in Sociology and Masters of Social Work (Carleton University). |
Karen Stone Karen is the executive director of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, and the Society for Affordable Housing Education, Awareness and Development. In these capacities she is an advocate for social justice, with a high priority on the provision and sustainability of affordable housing. Prior to this Karen was the executive director of the BC/Yukon Society of Transition Houses a provincial/territorial nonprofit Association representing a membership of over 180 programs including transition houses, safe homes, second stage shelters, and Children Who Witness Abuse counselling programs. She has served as a strategic leader in various organizations at the local, national and international levels, including Lawyers for Human Rights and the South African Human Rights Commission. Karen has served on many boards of directors within the voluntary and nonprofit sector. Karen holds BA, LLB, and LLM degrees. |
Lynne Toupin Lynne is the Executive Director of the HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector. She has been engaged on labour force issues in the nonprofit sector for the last 8 years, and has been ED since the organization was officially launched as a sector council in 2005. She has led a number of national nonprofit organizations over her career including the Canadian Co-operative Association and the National Anti-Poverty Organization. She has 20 years of experience working in the sector and has also been involved in a number of national initiatives such as the Broadbent Panel on Governance and Accountability and the development of an Accord between the sector and the federal government, as part of the Voluntary Sector Initiative. Lynne is currently a member of the Advisory Committee at Imagine Canada, and a board member of the Alliance of Sector Councils. Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Lynne worked in the field of education in Manitoba as a teacher, school principal, curriculum consultant and Special Assistant to the Minister of Education. |
Veronica Utton Ms. Utton is a seasoned human resource professional whose career has spanned the nonprofit, public and private sectors. Currently, she is managing director of V. Utton & Associates, providing boutique style human resource management services to the nonprofit sector. Additionally, Ms. Utton is part-time faculty with the Centre for Human Resources at Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology. From 1999 to 2010 as the director of human resources for UNICEF Canada--the Canadian arm of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)—Ms. Utton’s responsibilities covered all aspects of human resources planning; organizational development; change management leadership; people and operations management; volunteer development; facilities management; corporate operations and warehouse logistics. Ms. Utton is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) with a Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (Seneca College) and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (York University). |
