The Board of Directors, on behalf of the membership and general community, governs the WOCRC through continually improved leadership with respect to values and vision. In addition, the Board of Directors establishes and records policies for the direction and good management of the WOCRC.
Board of Directors 2022-2023
- Chair: Mike Brown
- Vice Chair: Eileen McNamara
- Vice Chair (Finance): Chris Booth
- Past Chair: Gina Grosenick
- Executive Director: Leigh Couture
Directors
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- Marie-Ange Ahinful
- Parmod Chhabra
- Mike Coxon
- Robert Drummond
- Roger Farley
- Dr. Rouba Fattal
- Kyle Gordon
- Greg Kung
- Kirsta MacIsaac
- Marianne Wilkinson
Mike Brown, Chair
Mike Brown is the Director of Finance with the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA).
Mike is committed to the community. When he isn’t volunteering in his children’s various sports and activities, he is involved with several community organizations. Currently, he is the Chair of Stonewick Heights, a non-profit housing complex in Kanata.
Mike holds an advanced diploma in Business Administration with a Major in Accounting from Algonquin College. Currently Mike is enrolled in the Nonprofit Management program through the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
Eileen McNamara, Vice Chair
Eileen McNamara holds a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Toronto University. For over twenty-five years she has collaborated with adolescents and adults with complex health challenges, facilitating achievement of optimal function and independence. She has worked widely in the far west end of Ottawa where she is well versed with local community resources and health and social services. Eileen has a rich clinical background advancing health promotion and healthcare improvement processes and has extensive familiarity with adapting programs to reduce health inequities and meet the needs of different backgrounds, cultures, and communities.
Eileen is currently employed as a Practice Leader with the Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre where she focuses on supporting collaborative health care with internal and external stakeholders, participating in policy and procedure development, and implementing a quality management program. In addition, she is an Accreditation Reviewer with the OTA & PTA Education Accreditation Program of Canada.
Eileen and her husband John live in Kanata where their three children attend school in the francophone education system.
Chris Booth, Vice Chair (Finance)
Chris Booth is an experienced leader in Business Banking with a demonstrated history of over 38 years in the financial services industry, leading diverse teams in varied geographic markets. Experienced in technology banking, real estate financing, diversified industries financing and in the servicing and advising of not-for-profit and public sector organizations. Throughout his career he has been active in project management, strategic planning, risk management and business development.
Chris is committed to the communities he has worked in acting as a brand ambassador, community fundraiser and a board member for several local charities.
Chris is a graduate of the Carleton University Sprott School of Business with an Honours B.Commerce.
Gina Grosenick, Past Chair
Georgina Grosenick holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Carleton University and an M.A. and B.A. (Hons) from the University of Calgary. She currently serves as an adjunct professor at Carleton University and communications consultant and project manager for various non-profit and community organizations. She brings 20 years’ experience working in the non-profit sector as a lobbyist, communicator, executive, and project manager. She also has extensive experience working with and advising Boards and committees, managing government funded projects and research, cultivating relationships with government officials, navigating and communicating within the political process and working with volunteers.
Leigh Couture, Executive Director
Leigh brings knowledge and experience from several senior level social service roles in Ottawa, including as the Director of Community Health Services at Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre and as the Joint Associate Executive Director at Youturn Youth Support Services and Roberts/Smart Centre.
She is a fantastic fit, having a proven track record of advocating for health, mental health, children and youth, seniors and employment services. Leigh has a strong commitment to community and equity as exemplified in her past work, volunteerism, certifications, education and affiliations. To this position, Leigh brings direct knowledge of community development and reducing access barriers for marginalized residents in low income and social housing neighbourhoods. Her insight into the local issues and relationships with many key funders, partners and residents will be an asset for WOCRC.
Marie-Ange Ahinful, Director
Marie-Ange Ahinful holds a Bachelor of Political Science and Economics from Laurentian University and a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Moncton. She currently works as a Knowledge Management and Sharing Officer with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.
Throughout her career, Marie-Ange has worked with community-based organizations to design and evaluate initiatives that produce positive outcomes for underserved and under-resourced communities.
Marie-Ange aims to achieve representational diversity and to create an inclusive culture for the community by leveraging social connectedness and the wisdom of multiple perspectives.
In 2018, she started the employment agency Inclusive Staffing Solutions to increase job placement opportunities for Western Ottawa’s Black communities.
In 2019, Marie-Ange founded Leading Ladies Canada, a not-for-profit and community-based organization whose mission is to empower Black women and youth in the National Capital Region.
Marie-Ange has a history of volunteer work with the Ottawa Food Bank, Ottawa Mission, Women's shelter and various community centres.
Marie-Ange immigrated to Canada with her family from the Democratic Republic Of Congo at the age of 14 and now resides in Stittsville with her husband William and her three young sons.
Parmod Chhabra, Director
In 2019 Parmod retired from the provincial government, after working with the Ministry of Community and Social Services for 32 years. During his career, Parmod was involved with social services programs, policy development and implementation for underrepresented populations and youth. He holds Bachelor and Masters degrees in Finance and has extensive experience in working with the public, lawyers, media, all levels of government, First Nations agencies, community agencies, advocacy groups and financial organizations.
Over the past 30+ years, Parmod has worked with several Community Boards and organizations and managed government-funded projects in the fields of mental health, children and youth programs and services to our seniors. Parmod has received several Ontario Volunteer Service Awards for his years of leadership and community service.
Parmod is a committed leader in the community and recently started the Care & Share Ottawa group to help members of the Ottawa community connect and share information and services during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is a grandfather to three young children who keep him very busy in his spare time.
Mike Coxon, Director
Mike Coxon has thirty years of leadership service experience with organizations providing community health and social services. He has worked as a community developer in Metro Toronto and Alberta, and taught in the Developmental Services Worker programme at Georgian College.
Mike founded Third Sector Consulting in 1990, working with voluntary organizations on board development and strategic planning. He also spent nearly a decade as CEO of the Mills Community Support Corporation, which provides services to adults with disabilities and seniors, as well as social housing in Lanark County and Almonte. He is an active volunteer who is committed to using his extensive experience to help build inclusive, healthy, and welcoming communities.
Robert Drummond, Director
Robert Drummond holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Law and Political Science from Carleton University. He is an Inspector with the Ottawa Police Service with strong ties to the Kanata-Stittsville community.
Robert started his policing career in Kanata with the OPP working Patrol in Kanata, Goulbourn and West Carleton. After amalgamation of the Police Services, he continued working in Kanata and Nepean as a Neighbourhood Officer with OPS. He has extensive experience investigating violent crimes such as Robberies, Partner Assaults and Homicides. Prior to his current assignment, he led the Service Initiative Project that changed the Ottawa Police patrol deployment model to a more efficient front line deployment model to better serve the needs of the public. Currently, he is assigned as a Platoon Inspector to Frontline Operations.
Roger Farley, Director
Roger Farley is currently Executive in Residence at the University of Ottawa's Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, and the university’s Professional Development Institute. He has over thirty-five years of experience working for the federal government, including the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People, the Canadian Sport Policy, the Official Languages Support Programs at Canadian Heritage, and as Executive Director of the Official Language Community Development Bureau at Health Canada.
Roger has always been very involved as a volunteer in his community. In 2011, he received the Public Service Award of Excellence from the Clerk of the Privy Council for Service to Canadians. He is on the Board of the Maison de la francophonie d’Ottawa, a community organization whose mission is to offer services in French to the 28,000 Francophones living in the west of the city of Ottawa.
Dr. Rouba Fattal, Director
Dr. Fattal is a full-time public servant, serving as a senior economist at the federal government. She is also a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. She is a community builder, author of several children’s books, a dedicated volunteer and a mother of three.
Dr. Fattal founded the Kanata-Carleton Small Business Network (KCSBN) in 2015 to help connect and empower local small businesses. She has served as board director and Committee Chair for the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre and the Kanata Food Cupboard. As a board director of the Trailwest Community Association, she has organized numerous community events and activities. She has also served her community as coordinator of Neighborhood Watch, has helped raise funds for Chrysalis House, an Ottawa women's shelter, and is a Rotary Ottawa Club board member, where she has influenced the #Canada4Refugees Campaign, raising $70,000 to sponsor Syrian refugee families in Kanata.
Dr. Fattal’s efforts are focused on ending violence against women, poverty and homelessness, and promoting diversity and inclusions around board tables. She actively promotes inclusiveness and integration through her work with newcomers of various backgrounds. In recognition of her community efforts, Dr. Fattal was recognized with the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award (2019) and the Order of Ottawa Award (2020).
Kyle Gordon, Director
Kyle Gordon completed his Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and Master of Science in Health Sciences (Human Kinetics) at the University of Ottawa. He currently works as a Research Specialist with the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services.
Kyle was born and raised in Ottawa and has been actively volunteering in different roles in his community for many years, including mental health support and coaching minor hockey. Kyle is intent on contributing to a healthy community for all residents and is particularly passionate about addressing the needs of rural residents in Western Ottawa. Kyle now lives in Richmond with his wife, daughter, and twin boys.
Greg Kung, Director
Greg Kung brings an extensive background in public policy and public service. He brings over seven years in senior positions within the federal government and Parliament Hill including positions with the Minister of Finance, President of the Treasury Board and Leader of the Government in the Senate.
Greg also currently serves on the frontlines of healthcare delivery as a paramedic in Lanark County while also running a health policy consulting firm that seeks to deliver tangible policy and communication results for medical stakeholders. He has served as the Director for Policy and Government Relations for the Ontario Paramedic Association and continues to be active on other boards for health-focused charities.
He also was one of the youngest ever to be appointed to the Ontario Parole Board and Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. He currently serves as a part-time member with the Ontario Parole Board and License Appeal Tribunal.
Greg holds a combined double major (Honors) in political science and economics with a minor in global history from Mount Royal University and the King’s University.
Greg is a staunch West Ottawa advocate and proudly lives in Woodlawn with his wife.
Kirsta MacIsaac, Director
Kirsta MacIsaac has 30 years experience in healthcare with the Canadian Armed Forces. Having worked in the healthcare sector across the country and internationally, she brings diverse experience in working with both urban and rural communities. Kirsta holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of British Columbia, a Masters of Business Administration from Athabasca University, as well as post-grad studies in executive healthcare management and in program development. She’s commanded regional Canadian Forces Health Services Centres in Alberta, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Currently, Kirsta holds a senior portfolio with the Canadian Forces Health Services Headquarters.
Kirsta’s volunteer experience includes work with vulnerable youth, directorship on a community health board as well as directorship to a military community resource centre.
Kanata has become home and has served as the home base to Kirsta, her husband and her two children over the recent years of their military service.
Marianne Wilkinson, Director
Marianne Wilkinson (née Berton) was born in Ottawa and raised in Ottawa and Calgary. She has a degree in Honours Geography from Trinity College, University of Toronto, and a Masters in Management Studies from McGill.
Marianne won her first municipal election as a Councillor in March Township in 1969, and became the first Mayor of the new City of Kanata in 1978. She has spent 29 years in public office and was one of the first residents of Kanata, having been involved in its growth and development for 50 years as both an elected official and a volunteer. She has helped found or run multiple community organizations, including the Kanata Food Cupboard, the Community Resource Centre, the Blue Heron Co-op, and local and national Boards for the Canadian Federation of University Women and the National Council of Women. She has been a mentor for those interested in municipal affairs as well as running workshops and seminars, and communicates frequently with residents of Kanata North.
Marianne’s awards include the Y Woman of Distinction award for Lifetime Achievement in 2005, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal, the women in the air force medal, and the Ottawa Council on Aging’s Celebrating Seniors Award. She has been married to her husband Bob for 56 years and has 3 grown children and 4 granddaughters.