Meet the Paralympic Foundation of Canada (PFC) Board and Honorary Board Members
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James (Jim) Westlake
Chair
Jim Westlake is a retired senior financial services executive. He spent 17 years at RBC in roles including head of RBC’s Canadian retail, commercial banking and wealth management businesses. Most recently, he was head of International Banking and Insurance for RBC. From 2000 until 2012, he also served as a member of the bank’s group executive which is responsible for setting the overall strategic direction of RBC. Prior to that, he spent 19 years at MetLife, most recently as Chief Operating Officer, Canada.
During his career, Jim served on many Boards, including acting as Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the Canadian Bankers Association. His community involvement extended to additional community-driven positions including Director of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Chairman of Ottawa Ronald McDonald House and Campaign Chair for the United Way of Peel Region. As recognition to his commitment to community service, Jim received both the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee medals.
A long-time supporter of the Paralympic Movement, including 12 years as a Director of the Canadian Paralympic Committee and being the founding Chair of the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, Jim believes in an inclusive and accessible sport system. “Para sport is about so much more than the competitions,” he says. “High performance sports have changed the way many people think about people with a disability and has been a driving force in areas such as accessibility.”
Jim has an MBA from Queen’s University. He is married and has four children and, in his spare time, enjoys travel, golfing and boating.
Robert Cassius de Linval
Vice-Chair
Robert Cassius de Linval is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Brunet Group and oversees the operation of five business units. He previously held posts at the City of Montreal as the Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, General Secretary for Reorganization Task Force and Special Advisor to the Mayor. He also practiced law, focusing particularly on information technology and intellectual property.
As part of a governance program on Democracy and Media, Robert joined missions to Benin, Mali and Guinea to teach media and intellectual property law to African journalists enrolled in master’s degree jointly awarded by the University of Montreal faculty of law and the national university of the host countries.
Robert has an extensive educational background, first receiving a Bachelor of Laws from Montreal University. A Rhodes Scholar, he earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from Oxford University. He also attended the University of Salamanca in Spain and the University of Poitiers in France before being called to the Bar in Quebec in 1994.
Robert believes strongly in Canada’s role in shaping the global Paralympic Movement. “As a country, we are blessed. I believe we have a duty to level the playing field in order help as many Canadians as possible feel “normal” and accomplished. Competing with others is for me a big part of that. It fulfills so many basic needs that we have. By doing it at home, I believe strongly we can set an example that hopefully other countries can follow.”
Mike Shaikh
Treasurer
Mike Shaikh is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants. As a Director of various private, public and not-for-profit organizations, Mike lives his life following his mantra of LEARN, EARN, RETURN.
A respected member of the business community, he is perhaps first and foremost regarded as a humanitarian, tireless volunteer, philanthropist, community leader, and, an exceptionally proud citizen and ambassador of Alberta and Canada.
At the heart of his work is a deep commitment to doing what he personally can to help ensure Canada continues to evolve as a prospering and caring society for all its people, including immigrants, Indigenous, and the marginalized. Through this lens, his efforts continue to centre on the focus areas of public safety, medical research, education and mentorship.
For Mike, inspiration comes in helping all Canadians with disability achieve their potential. “Canadians need to know that a person with disabilities can excel through Para sport and be a contributing member of society. Para sport gives a person with disabilities a sense of belonging and self esteem.”
Jasmine Cumberland
PFC Board Member
Jasmine Cumberland is a human resources business leader who’s had experience across industries including professional services (law and accounting), retail, entertainment, and technology at organizations ranging in size from start-up to Fortune 50. She is currently a Vice President and member of the executive team at a Fintech start-up in Toronto, in addition to running her own business focussed on leadership coaching and consulting.
Community engagement is incredibly important to Jasmine, who previously served as a member of the SFU Alumni Association Board of Directors for over six years, including over two years as President. Jasmine was also a founding Board Member and former Chair of the JDC West Board of Directors, which supports Western Canada’s largest undergraduate business case competition serving over 800 students annually.
As a former skating instructor of over 15 years, Jasmine was inspired by seeing her students develop and master their own skating skills. This experience drives her passion for supporting increased access to participation in sport for Canadians with a disability. Having had her own Olympic moment as a volunteer with the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, she hopes that through additional support to Para sport in Canada, young Para athletes will be able to take pride in seeing talented Paralympians excelling and performing at the highest levels, leading to their own Paralympic moment!
Jasmine holds a Global Professional Master of Laws degree from the University of Toronto and an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University, in addition to designations in coaching and human resources.
Kerri Henneberry
PFC Board Member
An impassioned innovator, Kerri Henneberry is an expert in technology strategy and partnerships with more than a decade of experience helping independent and corporate technology companies work together to create new revenue streams.
Prior to launching a successful career in digital media, Kerri earned an MBA from Saint Mary’s University. She became a trailblazer in digital content while at the CBC, where her partnership strategies launched the 2006 Olympics mobile and Video on Demand products. Through her career she has developed successful partnerships with the NHL, the CSI franchise, HubSpot and RBC to name a few.
Kerri believes that sport is an important part of healthy personal development, not just physically for our bodies but also for our minds and mental health. “Sport is what unites us, teaches us how to work together and provides skills for the rest of your life.” She is passionate about supporting Para sport and removing barriers to participating in sport for all Canadians, including at the community level. “You can be what you can see”.
Paul McCullough
PFC Board Member
Paul McCullough is a senior business advisor and former Interim President and CEO of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Canada’s premier polytechnic institution serving approximately 45,000 students annually. He is an unwavering champion of high-quality accessible education that contributes to the strategic workforce development of the province and supports British Columbia’s economic prosperity. Prior to joining BCIT, Paul was Vice President Investor Development at 2010 Legacies Now (the legacy organization of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games).
Paul has been actively involved in many local community organizations and boards over the years, he recently served on the Boards of Polytechnics Canada and The British Columbia Association of Institutes and Universities, and is also a member of the Business + Higher Education Roundtable. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute, an Accredited Director, and holds a Diploma in Business from the London Metropolitan University School of Business in London, England.
Education and sport are some of the great equalizers of modern society, but disability adds an additional dimension”. Paul has great admiration and respect for Para athletes as they strive for excellence and become experts at adapting. “The Paralympics opens doors a bit more widely for these outstanding athletes and provides a powerful forum in Canada for Awareness, Acceptance, and Opportunity.
The Hon. Lois E. Mitchell
PFC Board Member
The Hon. Lois Mitchell is a career businesswoman and a proud, longstanding member of Canada’s dedicated corps of community volunteers. She served as the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from June 12, 2015 until she completed her five-year term on August 26, 2020. During her tenure in office, she chose to make history education a priority and became founding patron of the History and Heroes Foundation, of which she is now the Chair. The Hon. Lois Mitchell is currently Co-Chair of the Global Business Forum, President of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and recently completed her term as a board member of Football Canada.
Her belief in the value of amateur sport, to both individuals and the community, prompted her volunteer service as a Director of the Hockey Canada Foundation, Ambassador and Governor of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, Co-Chair of the Gold-Medal Plates dinner in support of aspiring Olympians and was the Chair for the inaugural World Women’s Under-18 Hockey Championships.
“I wish all Canadians could have an opportunity to meet and learn from our Paralympians. I’m grateful to have had a chance to spend time with them and understand their hope and how they learn to adapt to life with an impairment. Their attitude is so amazing, and I really feel they can teach us all to be more accepting and open.”
In 2015, Hon. Lois Mitchell received Honourary Doctor of Laws degrees from both the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary, became a Dame of Justice of the Order of St. John and received the Alberta Order of Excellence. In 2012 she was named a Member of the Order of Canada.
Rhonda O'Gallagher
PFC Board Member
Rhonda O’Gallagher is an experienced corporate communications and public affairs executive. She has spent the greater part of her career working in the healthcare, life sciences and biopharmaceutical sectors in Canada. Rhonda is currently the Vice President of Strategic Marketing & Communications at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital (JGH) Foundation.
Leading a team of marketing, communications, public relations and digital specialists, Rhonda is responsible for developing the Foundation’s multi-channel marketing and communications programs that promote the exceptional care provided at the JGH, engages with key audiences and results in fundraising revenue.
A steadfast supporter and advocate of the Paralympic Movement in Canada, Rhonda has attended five Paralympic Games and has seen first-hand how Paralympic athletes have the ability to teach Canadians about living a healthy, inspired and positive life.
Richard Rudderham
PFC Board Member
Richard Rudderham is an accomplished executive with over three decades of experience in banking and human resources. Most recently, he served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at BMO Financial Group, where he reported directly to the Chief Executive Officer and was an integral member of the bank’s Management Committee.
Richard began his career at BMO in 1989, joining the bank in a variety of roles within the Corporate and Institutional Financial Services and Personal and Commercial Client Group divisions. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Senior Vice-President of the British Columbia Division, P&C Canada, where he led strategic initiatives and drove growth in the region. In 2008, Richard transitioned to the role of Senior Vice-President, Institute for Learning and Human Resources, and in June 2010, he was appointed Deputy Head of Human Resources and Senior Vice-President of the Institute for Learning.
Throughout his career, Richard has demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to developing talent and fostering organizational growth. In addition to his work at BMO, he is actively involved in the community, sitting on the Board of Directors for the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).
A passionate advocate for Para sport, Richard holds the utmost respect for Para athletes, finding inspiration in their incredible resilience, determination, and ability to compete at the highest levels. He is deeply moved by their unwavering commitment to excellence and feels privileged to witness the extraordinary feats of strength, focus, and perseverance these athletes demonstrate. For Richard, the opportunity to experience this level of sport and to connect with such remarkable individuals has been one of the most rewarding aspects of his personal and professional journey.
Richard holds an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo.
Dr. Hartley Stern
PFC Board Member
As a leader in Canadian health care, Dr. Hartley Stern, MD, FRCS, FACS, ICD.D has held positions in universities, cancer systems and hospital systems throughout Ontario and Quebec, with a distinct focus on improving health care quality and safety.
His medical career began with undergraduate education and surgical training at the University of Toronto, followed by a Research Training Fellowship at the London Hospital Medical College in London, England. In 1994, he became Surgeon-in-Chief at the Ottawa Civic Hospital and later, through its amalgamation, The Ottawa Hospital. Concurrently, he served as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Ottawa. In 2000, he joined Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre as its Chief Executive Officer, a position he held for seven years before joining Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital as its Chief Executive. Most recently, Dr. Stern was the CEO of the Canadian Medical Protective Association until March 2020.
Dr. Stern has extensive experience on local, national and international Boards of Directors including the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, the Medical Professional Liability Association and Equinoxe Virtual Care. He has led capital fundraising initiatives and development campaigns including the building of a $150 million new cancer centre in Ottawa and a $400 million hospital critical care tower in Montreal.
His long-standing commitment to giving back to his communities is personal, stemming from his family’s history of overcoming adversity and recognizing opportunity.
“My mother was a Dutch Jew who survived WWII in hiding for three years in a single room with her parents and five brothers. My father was a member of the Canadian forces which liberated Holland and my mother’s family. Canada gave my family an opportunity to realize our dreams,” he says.
“From the time I was a small child, my mother inspired me: to give back something meaningful to this country; to rail against any injustices to individuals inflicted solely because they were different; and to not settle for anything less than excellence. The opportunity to support the Canadian Paralympic Movement by serving on the Foundation Board of Directors, allows me to honour my mother’s wishes and gives me and my children a source of great pride that I am helping extraordinary athletes realize their dreams and be in turn an inspiration to all Canadians.”
Wayne Gretzky
PFC Honorary Board Member
Best known as being the all-time leading goal scorer in the NHL, Wayne Gretzky continues to hold many records that still stand today – despite being retired since 1999. Playing for Team Canada in 1998 at the Nagano Olympics (the first time NHL players were permitted to be a part of the Olympic Team), Wayne was also the executive director for the gold medal winning Canadian national men’s hockey team for the 2002 Winter Olympics. In 2002, Wayne founded the Wayne Gretzky Foundation with a mission to provide less fortunate youth with the opportunity to experience the sport of hockey. This mission has expanded over the years to give back to many charitable organizations such as Food Banks, Hospices and United Way – and now proudly includes the Paralympic Foundation of Canada.
Rick Hansen
PFC Honorary Board Member
Sport has always played a large role in Rick Hansen’s life. In 1975 he joined the Vancouver Cable Cars wheelchair basketball team and continued to pursue sport at the highest levels. Between 1979 and 1985, Rick won 19 wheelchair marathons, three world titles, and 15 medals, six at the Paralympic Games and nine at the Parapan Am Games. In March 1985, Rick embarked on the Man In Motion World Tour, an epic 26-month, 34 country, 40,000 km wheelchair trip around the world to make the world inclusive for people with disabilities and to find a cure for paralysis. Rick is the Founder of the Rick Hansen Foundation and remains a passionate supporter of people with disabilities in Canada.
Hon. Chantal Petitclerc
PFC Honorary Board Member
The Honourable Chantal Petitclerc is one of Canada’s most decorated Paralympians, competing in five Paralympic Games and winning 21 medals, including 14 gold, in Para athletics (wheelchair racing.) In 2008, after winning five gold medals and setting three world records at the Beijing Paralympic Games, she won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year and was named The Canadian Press female athlete of the year. Off the track, she remains an advocate for recognizing the contributions people with disabilities have made to our society and plays a definitive role in building a more inclusive society.
Scott Russell
PFC Honorary Board Member
A Canadian Screen Award and Gemini Award-winning broadcaster and acclaimed author, Scott Russell is a passionate and knowledgeable supporter of Canadian Para sport. He has anchored the CBC Sports’ coverage of the Paralympic Games, beginning at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, hosts the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and is a regular emcee – and sometimes participant – at the ParaTough Cup event in Toronto. Scott’s commitment to sharing stories of Canadian Para athletes and highlighting Canada’s Para sport system to millions of Canadians helps elevate and strengthen the Paralympic Movement.
Dr. Robert Steadward
PFC Honorary Board Member
Dr. Robert Steadward is a pioneering leader in the field of disability sport and a highly respected teacher, author, sport scientist and community volunteer. His seminal work brought the Paralympic Movement to the world’s attention and allowed athletes with a disability from Canada and around the globe to develop and compete to their fullest potential. In 1971, he began a five-year term as President of the Alberta Wheelchair Sports Association and by 1977, he was involved in the creation of the University of Alberta-based Research and Training Centre for Athletes with a Disability, which in time became The Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement. In 1989, Dr. Steadward was elected as the founding president of the International Paralympic Committee, a role he held for 12 years. Concurrently, Dr. Steadward also filled various roles with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, including national coach, chef de mission, national governor, treasurer, and president.
