Board Members

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Members of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa Public Library Foundation

Hunter McGill, Chair John Dennison, Vice-Chair Mary Bishop, Treasurer Marc Binavince, Director Scott Hannant, Director Cindy Streefkerk, Director

Amelita Armit, Director JC Sulzenko, Director Vicken Koundakjian, Director Danielle McDonald, Director (non-voting) Tony Westenbroek, Director (non-voting)

 

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Board Member Profiles

Hunter McGill, Board 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. 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, Board 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, Board Treasurer

Chartered Accountant

Mary Bishop joined the Foundation board in February 2011. She is also on the Pension Advisory Council for the Canada Post Corporation Pension Plan. Now retired, 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, Board Director

Lawyer, Menzies Lawyers

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 Lawyers. 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.

Scott Hannant, Board 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.

Cindy Streefkerk, Board 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.

Amelita Armit, Board 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 the Pamana Award of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines 2000.

J C Sulzenko, Board Director

Poet and Playwright

JC Sulzenko joined the Foundation board in 2009 after many years on its literary evening planning group. Active in her support for the Ottawa Public Library as an institution at the heart of community literacy, she serves as a judge in the Library’s Awesome Authors Contest for students 9-17 and has co-edited the anthologies of winning entries published by FOPLA. She received the OPL’s Order of Friendship in 2010 for her commitment to young writers. JC gives readings and workshops to encourage emerging writers of all ages. Her poetry and creative non-fiction have appeared in local and national media. JC’s one-act play for children, “What my Grandma means to say,” and the storybook of the same title are offered by Alzheimer societies across Ontario in their educational outreach programs.

Vicken Koundakjian, Board Director

Career Diplomat

Vicken Koundakjian is a Senior Policy Advisor with the federal Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He speaks and writes nine languages (in four alphabets) and joined the Foundation board in 2012. He has been an avid reader, and lover of books all his life, and has attended many of the OPLF Literary evenings — including the first one. Overseas, in addition to his regular duties as political counsellor, Vicken promotes Canadian books and literature in both official languages. At home in Ottawa, Vicken is on the boards of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada and the Canadian International Council’s National Capital Branch, and is active with the Order of St. John as well as local and international organizations involved in Middle Eastern, diplomatic and military history.

Danielle McDonald, Board Director, ex-officio

Chief Executive Officer, Ottawa Public Library

Danielle McDonald is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ottawa Public Library. She brings to the office 25 years of management experience at both the Library and the City of Ottawa. Capitalizing on an education in public administration and urban planning, she has built a solid record of achievement directing teams responsible for strategic and facilities planning, technology, finance, and human resources. In Danielle’s vision for the Ottawa Public Library, North America’s largest bilingual system, its dynamic workforce continues to innovate in delivering customer-centred, accessible programs and services. Her vision also spotlights the importance of accountability to the public OPL serves, and the efforts of volunteers and programming partners in contributing to financial sustainability. Danielle intends that OPL’s branch network will continue to welcome and inform the many communities of Ottawa in an atmosphere of service excellence, intellectual freedom and lifelong learning.

Tony Westenbroek, Board Director, ex-officio

Librarian and Library Manager, Ottawa Public Library

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 Turkey, Bermuda and Qatar). Tony is a non-voting member of the Foundation board and serves as liaison to the Library’s management team.

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Lori Nash, Corporate Secretary

Community Activist

The Ottawa Public Library Foundation announces with great sadness the passing of Lori Nash, a member of our Board of Directors.

Lori was a passionate supporter of the Ottawa Public Library and a tireless member of the Foundation Board. She contributed much energy, many ideas, advocacy and focused strategic direction during her tenure on the Board, in support of her great passion – the Library and the services it provides to our citizens.

Prior to her work with the Foundation she was the President of the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library and provided tremendous leadership to that group. Lori was a city champion, a library and literacy advocate, a dear colleague and we will miss her greatly.

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