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Leadership Team

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Board of Directors

Broad Reach Canada

Our Board of Directors provides vision and direction for the organization. They liaise with youth serving agencies, develop relationships with our sponsorship partners and oversee staff and program performance.

Each board member brings their individual qualities to the organization and contributes a minimum of 40 hours active volunteer time each year. Being connected in this way enhances their ability to directly represent the needs of the Broad Reach youth audience.

Broad Reach is always seeking candidates to the Board Directors, standing and ad hoc committees. The Board meets monthly downtown Toronto. Directors are required to actively participate on Board Committees, at events and to support Broad Reach fundraising initiatives. Running a charity is a serious and demanding responsibility.

Interested candidates with relevant experience, values and appropriate level of professional and personal commitment are invited and encouraged to contact us – we will do our best to ensure that you have a rewarding and impactful experience.

Doug Farrand

Chair, Board of Directors

Allan Parkin

Treasurer and Officer
Financial Consultant, retired Corporate Executive, avid sailor

Robert Stevenson

Secretary

Joan Tollerton

Director, Stakeholder Relations, Program

ESL Tutor, Teacher, Accredited Sailor

Muna Abdullahi

Director

Veronica Chang

Director

Haarish Ganesh

Director


Advisor

Lucy Bamberger

Board Advisor, Past Chair

National Sales Director, Elekta

Youth Ambassador

Sarah Douglas

Sarah started sailing at the age of 7 on the island of Barbados. Starting in the Optimist, she competed in North American and World Championships before the age of 15. Transitioning to Laser Radials, she quickly became one of the top youth sailors in Canada. In 2010 she represented the country at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Having completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management at the University of Guelph in 2017 and is sailing full time. Sarah won the 2019 Pan Am Games Gold medal and finished a Canadian historic 6th place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. In April 2022 Sarah won gold in laser radial at the World Sailing Hempel World Cup.Now Sarah is hungrier than ever to step onto the podium in Paris 2024.

Staff

Marguerite Pyron

CEO

Chasity Hewitt Brown

GTHA Program Coordinator

Sarah Coons

Executive Administrative Assistant

Devon Cornelisse

Senior Project Manager, Resilient Sail Training Communities

Leah Shifferaw

Youth Programs Outreach Manager

Honourary Directors

Paul Henderson

A former president of the International Sailing Federation, he has the record of having competed in all the Canadian Olympic Sailing Trials from 1948 to 1984. Henderson has represented Canada at three Olympic Games: 1964 Enochima in the Flying Dutchman, 1968 Acapulco in the Finn and at the 1972 Schilksee as coach. He also qualified for the 1980 Olympics at Tallinn in the Star .

Diane Reid

The fourth Canadian, the first Canadian Woman, and one of only 6 internationals to gain entry into the 2013 Mini Transat race.Diane is Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster Ocean Commercially Endorsed to skipper yachts up to 24 metres, a full General Operator Certificate and a Restricted Operator Aeronautical Licence, as well as all the other tickets you can imagine. Diane is also a fully certified Sail Canada Cruising and Racing Instructor at all levels and was the first Canadian woman to be appointed as skipper in the world’s longest ocean race and is hoping to emulate the success of her compatriot Eric Holden, winner of the Clipper 2013-14 Race.

Damian Foxall

Born in Ireland and lives in Quebec. He has competed in ten round-the-world races which include four 1st place wins. He was subsequently described as a national hero and Ireland's top international sailor.In 2011 Damian won the Volvo Ocean race with Team Groupama.Other round-the-world events include 6 Volvo ocean races, and a World Record circumnavigation in early 2004 with Steve Fossett on the G-Class catamaran Cheyenne. He was named Sailor of the Month by Afloat Magazine in March 2004.