Executive
Laurie French – President
Laurie was acclaimed as President of the CSBA in October 2020 at the virtual Annual General Meeting. She was acclaimed as President of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association in June 2016 and 2017 and now serves as OPSBA’s Past President. Prior to this, she served as OPSBA Vice-President from 2013 to 2016. Laurie has actively served five terms as a trustee with the Limestone District School Board since 2000, representing Greater Napanee, Ontario, with experience as Vice-Chair and Chair of her Board for 7 years. Laurie has spent her career in the field of healthcare where she is now a Director of Patient Services in the sector. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing Science from The University of Ottawa and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Queen’s University, with a System Leadership certificate from the Rotman School of Management. She also serves on the Community Foundation for Lennox & Addington, the Limestone Learning Foundation, and is a proud member of 100 Women Who Care in her community. She is the proud mother of 2 children who have since graduated from the public education system.
Carolyn Broady – Vice-President, CSBA
Carolyn has been a member of the CSBA Board of Directors since April 2017 and became vice president in October 2020.
She is a second term trustee and current chair of the SD45 (West Vancouver) Board of Education. She has represented her board as a BCPSEA representative and provincial councillor and has served on multiple BCSTA committees including the Professional Learning Committee (chair) and Legislative Committee. She is currently the vice-president of BCSTA.
A mother of two teenaged children, Carolyn is passionate about public education and believes that we need to continue to work to ensure that every student in our K-12 system gets the support and individualized attention they need to reach their full potential.
Board of Directors
Newfoundland and Labrador English School District:
Goronwy Price, Chair
New Brunswick District Education Councils:
Joe Petersen, Chair
Joe Petersen is the chair of the District Education Council for New Brunswick’s Anglophone North School District. Joe also serves as President for the Council of DEC chairs for the Anglophone Sector. He has served as dedicated council member since 2008 and previous to that was a volunteer with committees at the school level since 1996. Joe has worked as an insurance advisor for 34 years, is married and has two grown daughters both graduates of Dalhousie university.
Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA):
Dan Lamoureaux, President
Dan Lamoureux is the President of the Québec English School Boards Association (QESBA) and Chairman of the Riverside School Board on the South Shore of Montreal.
He began his career as a firefighter for the City of Westmount in Montreal since then he has been a community activist and involved in many different English Community organizations. Aside from his involvement in English public education since 1998, Dan has also served as President of the Québec Community Groups network.
Russell Copeman, Executive Director
Russell Copeman holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Honours Political Science from McGill University.
He was named Executive Director of the Quebec English School Boards Association in September 2018. Mr. Copeman is also a member of the teaching staff of McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy.
He was, from 1994 to 2008, the Member of the Québec National Assembly for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and was the Mayor of the Borough of Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and a member of the Executive Committee of the City of Montréal from 2013 to 2017.
Active in the community, Mr. Copeman has been involved in and sat on the boards of a number of community organizations.
Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA):
Cathy Abraham, President
Elected in June 2018, OPSBA President Cathy Abraham is a four-term Trustee and three-time Chair of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPRDSB). President Abraham has also served OPSBA and the wider community in the following capacities: Two terms as OPSBA Second Vice-President (2016-2018); OPSBA Education Program Work Team Chair; OPSBA Policy Development Work Team Member; OPSBA Central East Region Vice-President (2007-2010); OPSBA Trustee Labour Negotiation Representative; Variety of other leadership opportunities including with Rotary, Newcastle Community Hall, and as a founder of the Newcastle Family Connection resource centre.
Rusty Hick, Executive Director
Appointed in June of 2017, Rusty came into the role following 31 years serving students in public education; as a director of education, teacher, vice-principal, principal, and superintendent. He has been involved provincially in a number of associations, and was a lead director for the first ever provincial bargaining team in the K – 12 sector in Ontario.
He holds a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and history from the University of Toronto, a bachelor of education degree from Queen’s University, as well as a master of science in education degree from Niagara University. He continues to advocate on behalf of public education as a cornerstone of democracy, as well as a key driver of social justice and equity, He takes pride in being part of an educational system that is a global leader in educational practice!
Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario:
Benoit Fortin, Président
Benoit comes to CSBA with over 35 years of experience in the business world including 20 years of international business development world with a focus on Africa and India, mostly in renewable energy.
With 15 years of involvement in the school system, first at the school comity level, followed by being elected to represent Toronto East at the Viamonde School Board, presiding several committees and in the last year elected as the Viamonde Vice-President. Board member of ACEPO since 2019 and recently elected / nominated as a Vice-President. Benoit also sits on an advisory table for the health ministry on mental health and addictions.
Isabelle Girard, Directrice Générale
Isabelle Girard has served as Executive Director of Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO) (Association of Public School Boards of Ontario) since late 2017.
After years working in the health sector, where she honed her skills in human and financial resources management, strategic planning and governance, she chose French-language public education for the next phase of her career. Since coming to ACÉPO, Isabelle Girard has focused in particular on government relations development with the Association and on the orderly conduct of the second round of negotiations for the 2019-2020 central collective agreements.
Isabelle Girard has a Bachelor’s degree in Translation as well as an MBA. Her past positions include Executive Director of Centres d’Accueil Héritage, French Language Health Services Coordinator for Ontario’s Central West Local Health Integration Network, and various management positions in the private sector, including at Heathmount A.E. Entertainment and Mars Canada.
A strong believer in the importance of getting involved in the community, Isabelle Girard is active on the board of directors of several Francophone community organizations and is a member of the Toronto Francophone Affairs Advisory Committee.
Manitoba School Boards Association (MSBA):
Alan Campbell, President
With an academic background in political-science and experience as a past participant and now senator for Manitoba’s renowned Youth Parliament, Alan M. Campbell is a seasoned school trustee who brings significant experience to his role as President of the Manitoba School Boards Association. First elected as MSBA President in November 2018, he previously served as Vice-President, starting in 2016.
In addition to his responsibilities leading MSBA’s Provincial Executive Committee, Mr. Campbell also serves as a trustee for the Interlake School Division. First elected as a trustee in 2010, Mr. Campbell also served five years as chairperson of the Interlake School Board from 2013 to 2018.
Alan believes that our communities benefit from having local voices and local choices through their ability to elect local school boards. He has remained an effective advocate for why local voice and local choices remain relevant to public education today.
When he is not serving as association president and local trustee, Alan is a resident of the community of Stonewall, Manitoba, and is a proud husband and father of two children, in addition to fulfilling full-time duties in the educational transportation sector for one of Manitoba’s largest school divisions.
Josh Watt, Executive Director
Named as Executive Director of MSBA in 2015, Josh Watt has held a variety of positions in the field of public education. With the greatest portion of his career spent implementing policies and programs with the Council on Post-Secondary Education, Josh eventually became Senior Policy Advisor to the Deputy Minister at Manitoba’s Department of Education and Training. He has also worked as an educational assistant in French Immersion, newcomer/refugee, and special needs programs, as a change management consultant for non-profits, and also served as project officer at the Canadian International Development Agency.
Josh holds a BA (Hons.) in Law and Political Science (Carleton), a Master of Public Administration (Winnipeg), and a Masters of Education (Manitoba). He has also completed a Master level certification in Peace Support Operations through the UN Institute for Training and Research.
Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA):
Shawn Davidson, President
Shawn was raised on a family farm near Aneroid, SK, and graduated from high school in Kincaid, SK. He then attended the University of Saskatchewan and graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. After graduation he worked in large animal practice in Swift Current, SK before returning to the family farm in 2004. He has since operated a mixed farming and ranching operation, and practiced veterinary medicine in Assiniboia, SK and Scobey, MT. He was first elected to the Prairie South Board of Education in 2009, became the Board Chair in 2013, and was elected SSBA President in 2016.
Shawn and his wife Krista enjoy everything the remote rural area of southwest Saskatchewan has to offer, and recognize it as a great place to raise their 4 children!
Darren McKee, Executive Director
Originally from O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation in Manitoba, Darren completed his B.Ed. and M.Ed. at the University of Saskatchewan. He has been a Teacher, Administrator, Superintendent and Director of Education, as well as Director and Assistant Deputy Minister with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education. In 2011, he became the Executive Director of the SSBA. He has presented at a number of conferences on leadership and Aboriginal Education. He sits on the boards of C-21 Canada; Canadian Education Association, the National Selection Committee of INAC and United Way Regina. Darren is a coach and consultant in education, government, Indigenous peoples, change, leadership, relations and strategic directions.
He holds certificates in Leadership Training and Development; Crucial Conversations; Expedition Coaching; and Leadership Practices Inventory. He and his wife Ivy have three daughters.
Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA):
Marilyn Dennis, President
Marilyn Dennis is serving her second term with the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), where she served as Vice Chair and then as Board Chair. Before becoming a trustee, she worked for an education-based non-profit for several years and enjoyed a rewarding career in the oil and gas sector. Building strong communities in support of children’s success is at the heart of President Dennis’ work; she is passionate about excellence in education. She spent over 13 years supporting young people in their pursuit of academic, athletic and artistic excellence by taking on various leadership roles including School Council Chair, Parents’ Association President, Treasurer and Fundraising Director.
Dr. Vivian Abboud, CEO
After completing her B.Ed and M.Ed with a focus on leadership and bilingualism, Dr. Vivian Abboud, who is multi-lingual, completed several senior and executive management and development programs.
She completed her doctorate in educational policy and governance at Simon Fraser University. At the beginning of her career, Dr. Abboud taught for seven years at the Edmonton Public School Board. During this time, she facilitated workshops; contributed to the development of a math resource; and, received her principal-ship training. Over the last 15 years, Vivian has held multiple leadership positions at Alberta Education.
British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA):
Carolyn Broady – Vice-President
Carolyn has been a member of the CSBA Board of Directors since April 2017 and became vice president in October 2020.
She is a second term trustee and current chair of the SD45 (West Vancouver) Board of Education. She has represented her board as a BCPSEA representative and provincial councillor and has served on multiple BCSTA committees including the Professional Learning Committee (chair) and Legislative Committee. She is currently the vice-president of BCSTA and the vice-president of the CSBA.
A mother of two teenaged children, Carolyn is passionate about public education and believes that we need to continue to work to ensure that every student in our K-12 system gets the support and individualized attention they need to reach their full potential.
Suzanne Hoffman, Executive Director
Before joining BCSTA, Suzanne Hoffman held several positions in public education.
Her career started with Mission Public Schools before moving to the Langley School District, where she spent most of her career as a teacher, administrator, and superintendent. Suzanne was then seconded to the Ministry of Education as part of the curriculum outreach team. While working in the ministry, she also held the positions of chief educator and the superintendent of learning transformation. In January 2018, Suzanne became the first female superintendent at the Vancouver School Board. In 2021, Suzanne joined BCSTA, where she is excited and appreciative of the opportunity to take on the CEO role.
Suzanne is a wife, a mom to two grown children and a cairn terrier, and a passionate lifelong learner currently living on the unceded territory of the Katzie and Kwantlen Nations.
She is honoured and humbled to support BCSTA’s board of directors and boards of education across B.C.
Staff
Nancy Pynch-Worthylake, Executive Director
Nancy has served as a School Board Association Executive Director at the provincial level, as a provincial government Senior Executive Director and as a Superintendent of Schools (CEO). She is fluent in French and English and holds degrees at the Bachelor and Masters levels, as well as certification in governance and graduate level education in leadership and administration.
She can be reached at executivedirector@cdnsba.org or at (902) 456-5574.
