Board Members

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Who are the directors of the Ottawa Public Library Foundation?

Hunter McGill, Chair

Consultant

Hunter McGill joined the Foundation board in January 2008. He is also chair of the board of Friends of the Rideau, an organization working to protect and enhance the heritage of the Rideau Waterway, and a director of the Rideau Waterway Land Trust. Hunter is an international development policy consultant. He spent 25 years with the Canadian International Development Agency, where he was director for Zimbabwe and Zambia, director for the Caribbean, and director general for humanitarian aid and peace-building. From 2002 to 2006 he headed the review and evaluation division of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris. He is senior fellow at the School of International Development at the University of Ottawa.

John Dennison, Vice-Chair

Senior Advisor, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

John Dennison is the founding chairman of Cathedral Arts, the performing and visual arts program of Christ Church Cathedral, the Anglican cathedral on Sparks Street at Bronson. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Laurentian University in Sudbury, and a Master’s degree in Political Science from Carleton University. He has received a number of community awards. Currently, he is a senior advisor in the Department of Citizenship and Immigration.

Mary Bishop, Treasurer

Retired

Mary Bishop joined the Foundation board in February 2011. She is also on the Pension Advisory Council for the Canada Post Corporation Pension Plan. Mary has over 35 years of financial experience with various organizations, including more than 25 years with Canada Post Corporation. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, a chartered accountant, and certified employee benefits specialist.

Marc Binavince, Director

Lawyer, Menzies & Associates

Marc Binavince was the first vice-chair of the Foundation board and is also a past director of the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association and a former trustee of the Friends’ Trust Fund. He graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts and Yale University’s School of Law. He is a member of the Ontario bar and has been admitted to practice in Illinois. Mr. Binavince practices law at Menzies & Associates. He is a member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and active in the local chapter of the Yale Alumni Association. His interests include film, literature, golf and hockey. He is fluent in English, French, and German.

Elaine Condos, Director, Ex-officio

Acting City Librarian and CEO of Ottawa Public Library

Scott Hannant, Director

Communications Expert

Scott Hannant has had an extensive career in journalism and communications. He is currently teaching journalism at Carleton University and consulting on communications issues. Until 2010, Scott led CTV/CJOH News in Ottawa as News Director and, before that, as Executive Producer. Scott came to Ottawa from Toronto in 1988 to produce Sunday Edition with Mike Duffy, a national news and current affairs program shown on CTV. Scott is a board member of the Vanier Institute of the Family, Youth Services Bureau Foundation, Peace Camp Ottawa, and the Ottawa Mission. He also serves on the fundraising committee of the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health. He is a past member of the board of the United Way Ottawa. Scott is married with two grown children.

Lori Nash, Director

Community Activist

Lori Nash is a director of Friends of Canadian Libraries ( FOCAL) and has served as president of Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association and vice-president of the Queenswood Heights Community Association. She has received many community awards for volunteer work. Lori Nash received the Order of Friendship Award for long time service in advocacy and support of the Ottawa Public Library in June of 2010. She is a member of the Cumberland and Grenville Historical Society, and Ottawa Storytellers. Lori is a retired researcher and publisher and has written extensively on politics, education and literacy, and published articles in academic journals on teratology, toxicology and nephrology.

Cindy Streefkerk, Director

Past President, Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association
Consultant

Cindy Streefkerk recently served as president of the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association. An independent business consultant, she offers clients a broad business and management background, strong strategic, project management, analytic and listening skills, coupled with a sensible viewpoint. Cindy was born in Montreal, graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, and now lives in Manotick with her family. She enjoys spending time with her teenagers, playing violin, classical music, reading, volunteering, competitive and recreational soccer, and running.

Amelita Armit, Director

Board member, Ottawa Public Library Board

Amelita Armit is an independent public policy professional specializing in governance, public service reform, and in building the capacity of organizations for effective performance. She is the past President and CEO of the Parliamentary Centre, a non-profit organization involved in international democratic development. An active participant in her community and profession, Amelita has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Medal 1977, the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada 1992, the Queen Elizabeth Gold Jubilee Medal 2002 and thePamana Award of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines 2000.

J C Sulzenko, Director

Poet and Playwright

JC Sulzenko joined the Foundation board in 2009 and is active in her support for the Ottawa Public Library as an institution at the heart of community literacy. JC gives readings and leads workshops across the region to encourage emerging writers of all ages. For a number of years, she has judged entries in the Library’s Awesome Authors Contest and co-edited the anthologies of winning poems and stories published by FOPLA. These activities were recognized when she received the OPL’s Order of Friendship in 2010. Her poetry and creative non-fiction have appeared in local and national media. The Ottawa International Writers Festival and at the OPL/Ottawa Children’s Literature Roundtable Kid Lit Galas often feature her work. JC’s one-act play about dementia for children, “What my Grandma means to say,” is offered by The Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County in its education programs for young people. The storybook adaptation of the play was launched at the Ottawa International Writers Festival’s Spring, 2011, edition. It is JC’s sixth book for children.

Tony Westenbroek, Director, Ex-officio

Librarian

Tony Westenbroek manages the Alta Vista, Greenboro and Ruth E. Dickinson community branches of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL). Before joining the OPL in 2003, Tony held positions at the Bank of Canada library and the Canadian Housing Information Centre, the corporate library of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). He also worked in marketing and communications while at CMHC. His interests include reading, cooking, keeping fit, and traveling (most recently to China, Mongolia and Hawaii).

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