National Board of Directors

CHAIR

Barbara is honoured to serve on the Board of YMCA Canada and learn from and work with this talented team. Barbara serves as the President and CEO of CARE Canada. CARE is an international Confederation working in over 100 countries to realize the power and positive impact of women’s leadership in local communities. Barbara previously held executive positions with the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Vancouver Foundation. She also had a successful consulting practice for many years. Barbara also serves on the Board of Directors of jack.org (a national organization working to change the conversation for Canada’s young people around mental health), the Humanitarian Coalition of Canada, and CanWaCH, and is a Mentor with the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation. Most importantly, she is the mother of three adult children who, with their partners, inspire and bring her joy on a daily basis. 

VICE CHAIR

With over four decades of global leadership experience, Tracey Wallace has built a distinguished career in human capital strategy, corporate governance, strategic planning, and management consulting. She has worked across diverse industries and geographies, including Australia, Trinidad, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, the United States, Mexico, and Canada, gaining a broad perspective on international business and cultural dynamics. Tracey is honored to serve her third term as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for YMCA Canada, where she contributes her expertise in governance, leadership, and strategic oversight. Prior to joining the National Board in 2022, she served on multiple non-profit boards, gaining firsthand insight into the power of community-driven impact and collaborative leadership. A retired member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources, Tracey also holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. She remains actively engaged in governance and strategic advisory work, leveraging her extensive experience to support organizations in achieving their mission and long-term objectives. 

In retirement, Tracey enjoys traveling, sailing, and exploring new destinations. She values time spent with her family and finds great joy in the companionship of her beloved Miniature Australian Shepherd, Pika.

VICE CHAIR

Dan holds the position of President & CEO and Secretary for the Board for United Way Centraide Canada (UWCC) where he leads a national movement for social change comprising 67 local United Way and Centraide (UWC) organizations serving more than 5,000 Canadian communities. Dan has 20 years of leadership experience within the UWC Movement at the local, provincial, and national levels. He brings his expertise to UWC’s work on community impact and engagement, public policy, product development, network governance, and business transformation. Dan is leading and championing the UWC transformation and future state vision process for growth and impact. Dan engages with stakeholders through donor, government and media relations, and public policy development to drive the United Way Centraide mission forward. 

Prior to joining UWC, Dan held positions with the Ontario Government and managed an independent consulting practice offering services in urban planning, public policy, housing, and research.

DIRECTOR

Ed has over 14 years of experience in corporate banking and leadership roles and has worked as a Sessional Instructor at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba. With a focus and priority on giving back to the community in which he resides, Ed has been a guest judge and invited speaker at numerous business school case competitions and university conferences and has maintained a results-driven focus that has ensured deep relationships in the community. Ed has become proficient at fundraising and governance through his volunteer roles as a member of the United Way of Saskatoon and Winnipeg campaign cabinets, Winnipeg Foundation Community Initiatives committee, and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Board of Trustees. 

Ed's heritage is from Guatemala and he grew up speaking Spanish and he has consistently fostered and supported an inclusive culture with his staff and team. Ed's strategic mindset is demonstrated by the modernization strategies and tactics he has implemented professionally, and Ed is proud of his service to YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg where he has served 7 years on the board; and served as Chair of the Board throughout the pandemic. Ed is a grateful recipient of the Manitoba 150: Honour 150 provincial award granted to those who are quietly making a difference in the community through board work and volunteerism. 

DIRECTOR

Gaya is Director, Wellbeing and Accessibility Services at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan where she oversees services and accommodations for mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. She is a Certified Health Executive and sits on a number of national and provincial advisory committees and boards including National Chair for the CSA Standard for the Mental Health and Wellbeing for Post-Secondary Students. 

DIRECTOR

Ryan is the Chief Executive Officer at Integral Consulting, a pre-eminent environmental consulting firm dedicated to environmental stewardship and sustainability. He began his career at Deloitte Canada and spent 22 years at the firm. In his final years at Deloitte, Ryan was a Senior Partner and assumed many roles during that time, including serving as the Managing Partner in Toronto. He then joined WSP in 2019 as President & CEO of Canada. 

Ryan is a dynamic and transformational leader with extensive experience leading cross-functional teams and thousands of team members. He has a strong affinity towards the environment, infrastructure, energy and resources, and the movement to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) business practices. 

Ryan joined the Board of the YMCA of Greater Toronto in 2013 and served as Chair for two years until September 2021.

DIRECTOR

My first YMCA experience in Niagara Falls at age 8 launched a lifelong commitment to physical activity and admiration for the YMCA’s capacity to create for its people a sense of belonging. Later in life, I re-found my YMCA roots and, as my professional life took me to different cities, I have been privileged to serve the YMCA as a board volunteer and donor. In my career as a university professor, Dean, and Provost, I have devoted my teaching and research to active living, physical literacy, and healthy development through sport and physical education. I have lived in five Canadian provinces and worked and traveled extensively internationally as a proud Canadian and global citizen. I am a strong supporter of the YMCA’s belief in just, collaborative, and mutually beneficial relationships built on respect and a foundation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

DIRECTOR

Kristian is the Manager of Engineering & Asset Management at Vale Base Metals. For the past 25 years, Kristian has held leadership roles in the mining, milling, and processing industry. Kristian is of Metis descent, fully bilingual in English and French, and has worked in several different regions across Canada. He joined the board of directors of the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario in 2016 and became Board Chair in 2021. Throughout this period, Kristian has learned about systems and governance through his involvement in amalgamating two different Associations and facing the challenges associated with COVID-19.

DIRECTOR

Alyssa is Director, Communications, Marketing & Digital at Waterloo Regional Health Network Foundation. In this role, Alyssa leads a team of experts to deliver creative, compelling, and effective marketing communications to drive donations and build trust toward St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario, an adult acute-care facility that serves more than one million residents locally and beyond. Prior to St. Mary’s, Alyssa led strategic communications for one of Canada’s leading financial services co-operatives and for a $2-million donor-funded program at McMaster University. As an immigrant and former international student from Malaysia, community and service are at the core of who she is as a professional and person. In recognition of her community leadership, Alyssa was honoured with the Forty under 40 Award for Hamilton-Halton (2019), the McMaster Community Impact Award (2015), and the Woman of Distinction Award - Public Affairs (2014). She has served on the board of the YMCA of Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford since 2017, which has provided Alyssa with a high-level strategic view of how a YMCA across three municipalities responds to community needs. Alyssa was the board chair of the YMCA of Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford from 2023-25.

DIRECTOR

Professor (Dr.) Kwame McKenzie is CEO of Wellesley Institute, a full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, Director of Health Equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and a practicing psychiatrist. His expertise is the social causes of illness and the development of effective, equitable social policy and health services and systems. As a leader, policy advisor, administrator, clinician, educator, and academic with over 280 peer reviewed papers and six books, he has worked across a broad spectrum to improve mental health, population health, and health services for three decades. He is a member of Canada’s National Advisory Council on Poverty, Co-Chair of Ontario’s Black Health Plan, and Chair of the Board of Community Food Centres Canada.

Professor McKenzie’s work has been recognized with numerous awards including the African Canadian Achievement Award for Science, the Dominican of Distinction Award, the Fred Fallis Award for Excellence in Online Education, the CAMH 150 Difference Makers in Mental Health award, the Harry Jerome Award, and the Champion of Human Services Award from the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association. He has advised health ministers in the United Kingdom and Canada, housing, education, and social services ministers in Canada, as well as the World Health Organization and the World Bank. Professor McKenzie has completed numerous roles at the federal and provincial levels including a term as a Commissioner of Human Rights in Ontario and as Co-Chair of Canada’s Expert Task Force of Substance Use. He is a past President and Chair of the Board of CMHA Toronto and is a Member of the Executive and of the Council of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, U.K. He has been a columnist for The Guardian and The Times-online, presented “All in the Mind” for BBC Radio 4, and writes op-eds for the Toronto Star.

DIRECTOR

Mary is Owner and CEO of Macaw Marketing and Events, a full-service event planning and brand marketing company, as well as a Senior Consultant in NATIONAL Public Relations. She is also immersed in the hospitality sector with a venture she co-started, Nova Glamping. Mary has been a board member at the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth for the past 4 years and holds the distinction of being the founding chair of that YMCA’s Youth Advisory Committee. 

As a director, Mary is focused on developing a platform for young voices within the YMCA and community and has demonstrated a dedication to inclusivity and a deep understanding of the importance of engaging and empowering youth in decision-making processes. In 2023, Mary was given the Young Alumni of the Year Award by Saint Mary’s University, as well as the Business Development and Management Award by National Public Relations. She is active within her community and sits on other boards like the Bluenose Marathon.

DIRECTOR

Amy is General Counsel and University Secretary at Mount Royal University. Amy's team at MRU consists of legal, governance, privacy, safe disclosure, policy, risk, business continuity, Environmental Health and Safety, Security Services, and Employee Wellness teams. 

Prior to joining Mount Royal University, Amy was both a municipal prosecutor and a litigator at the City of Calgary. Amy is a retired competitive curler whose achievements include being a member of the 2012 and 2016 Canadian Women's Curling team, 2012 World Bronze Medalist, and 2006 Olympic Bronze Medalist. After Amy's retirement from competitive curling in 2017, she contributed to the sport as a board member of Curling Canada’s Board of Governors from 2018-2023 including serving as chair in 2021-22. Amy also served on various committees of the World Curling Federation including the Nominations Committee and the Governance Committee.

DIRECTOR

Krista is a Partner at BDO Canada with over 17 years of professional experience in public practice. She provides assurance, accounting, and advisory services to clients in various sectors including not-for-profits, with a specialization in pensions, other employee benefit trust funds, and unions. Krista helps her clients by advising on governance, information systems, financial statement disclosures, and emerging issues. As BDO Canada’s Pension and Benefits Operational Excellence Leader, Krista is involved with developing the firm’s national pension and benefit training, resourcing, and providing consulting to other BDO offices across Canada on relevant industry issues including completion of technical file reviews for complex matters. 

Krista holds a CPA, CA designation along with a Master of Accounting from the University of Waterloo. She is a member of the ACCELLE Women in Leadership program and a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). Krista volunteers her time to speak and teach at various IFEBP conferences, including teaching the Advanced Trust Management Standards (ATMS) course offered by the IFEBP. At BDO, she leads the assurance talent initiative in the Oakville office and is a key contributor to the recruiting, hiring, and training initiatives for future and current staff. 

Outside of work, Krista and her husband parent two energetic sons, who happily participate in YMCA programming.

DIRECTOR

Pat is an experienced senior leader in both corporate and not-for-profit board roles. She is retired from corporate life, where her professional experience included leadership roles at Suncor Energy and NOVA corporation, and focused on HR, Organizational Effectiveness, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI), Leadership Development, and Change Management. 

Pat served on the YMCA Calgary Board from 2017 to 2024, participating in many roles including Chair of Governance and Board Chair. She is also currently a member of the Board for the Calgary Black Chambers.  

DIRECTOR

Craig is General Counsel at Irving Oil Limited. As a lawyer with a professional accounting designation, Craig is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners with extensive experience providing advice on corporate governance, finance, estate planning, taxation, by-laws, and member relations. With over two decades of experience helping meet organizational goals using diplomacy and expertise, he is well-versed in contract negotiations, leading projects, drafting policies, and providing training for legal and non-legal staff. 

Craig is a committed volunteer, donor, and member of the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick. He has served in many governance positions with the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick and its Endowment Fund including being a former Chair of each organization. 

DIRECTOR

Todd is a dedicated and experienced member of the Simcoe/Muskoka community known for his strong representation within local boards and communities. With a natural aptitude for public speaking and strategic writing, Todd effectively conveys the mission and vision of the YMCA with authenticity and a deep understanding of its work. Todd is a firm believer in the power of communities as the foundation for advancing health and well-being.

As an owner of a Home Hardware in the small town of Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Todd’s commitment to service is evident in his efforts to help people help themselves. With extensive board experience, Todd has continuously developed his skills, staying relevant and informed within the YMCA community. His focus as a National Board member is on impacting the maintenance, growth, and development of programs that promote health, wellness, and a sense of belonging and inclusion.

Throughout his career, Todd has achieved excellent results in every area he has worked, demonstrating a true commitment of time and effort to helping others. As an active board member and business owner, he possesses the ability to think strategically, communicate effectively, and make difficult decisions.

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

Laurie has held senior executive roles and has provided strategic, operational, and financial leadership across multiple sectors including public accounting firms, publicly traded companies, government, privately held entrepreneurial companies and higher education. She is the former Deputy Minister of Finance for Newfoundland and Labrador and served as Assistant Deputy Minister for Business, having also held Assistant Deputy Minister positions in three areas of the Department of Finance. Laurie was the Associate Vice President of Administration and Finance with the Fisheries and Marine Institute of  Memorial University of Newfoundland and held the position of CFO with JCL Investments Inc., Universal Helicopters, and the KMK Capital Group of Companies. Laurie was the Controller and Assistant Controller with Vector Aerospace and Stratos Global Corporation (Inmarsat), respectively. She articled with Ernst and Young where she obtained her Chartered Accountant designation in 1997.  

Laurie is a past board director of the Brother T.I. Murphy Centre and the Youth in Care Network of Newfoundland and Labrador. She volunteers her time on the Finance and Audit Committee of The Gathering Place, is a member of the Rotary Club of St. John's East, and past board chair of the YMCA of Newfoundland and Labrador. Laurie was named a Fellow of CPA Newfoundland and Labrador in 2017. Laurie holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.