Executive

Alan Campbell, President

Alan was elected President of the CSBA in July, 2022.

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. 

Elected as MSBA President in November 2018 and re-elected in March 2025, he previously served as Vice-President from 2016 to 2018 and as Past President from 2023 to 2025.

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 served nine years as chairperson of the Interlake School Board from 2013 to 2018 and from 2020 to 2024.

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.

David Wasylciw, Vice President

David joined the CSBA executive in 2025. He is Chairperson of Yellowknife Education District 1.

Board of Directors

Alberta School Boards Association

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.

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario

Dr. Denis Labelle, Président

Denis est natif de Sturgeon Falls en Ontario. Il est le Président fondateur (1998) du Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario (CSPNE). Depuis 21 ans, il a l’honneur d’être élu conseiller scolaire au CSPNE et depuis 20 ans, élu annuellement par ses pairs à titre de Président au CSPNE. De plus, Denis est élu Président de l’ACÉPO de 2013 à 2017, et de nouveau en 2024.

L’éducation en français est sa passion et il est un éternel étudiant. Il a obtenu un baccalauréat en sciences sociales (B.Sc.Soc.1978 – U. Ottawa), une maîtrise en administration des affaires (M.B.A 2000 – U. Ottawa), un Doctorat en administration de la santé (D.H.A. 2012- U. Phoenix) et Juris Doctor (J.D. 2019 – U. Ottawa).
Cadre chevronné, progressif et bilingue, il a connu beaucoup de succès au sein d’organismes de plus en plus complexes du secteur de la santé. Reconnu en tant que leader visionnaire, il favorise un style de gestion participatif et l’établissement commun des directions et objectifs futurs, en attachant beaucoup d’importance au leadership partagé.

Il croit fondamentalement que l’éducation doit-être la priorité du gouvernement et que le développement de notre société doit-être basé sur un système public d’éducation, accessible, équitable, démocratique et financé à la hauteur de ses défis.

Denis is a native of Sturgeon Falls, Ontario. He is the founding President (1998) of the Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario (CSPNE). For 21 years, he has had the honor of being elected as a school trustee at CSPNE and for 20 years, he has been elected annually by his peers as President at CSPNE. Additionally, Denis was elected President of ACÉPO from 2013 to 2017 and again in 2024.

French-language education is his passion, and he is a lifelong learner. He holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences (B.Sc.Soc. 1978 – U. Ottawa), a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A 2000 – U. Ottawa), a Doctorate in Health Administration (D.H.A. 2012 – U. Phoenix), and a Juris Doctor (J.D. 2019 – U. Ottawa).

A seasoned, progressive, and bilingual executive, he has experienced much success within increasingly complex health sector organizations. Recognized as a visionary leader, he promotes a participative management style and the collaborative establishment of future directions and goals, placing great importance on shared leadership.

He fundamentally believes that education should be the government’s priority and that the development of our society should be based on a public education system that is accessible, equitable, democratic, and funded to meet its challenges.

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.

British Columbia School Trustees Association

Carolyn Broady, CSBA Vice President

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, CEO

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.

Suzanne Hoffman

Conseil scolaire acadien provincial

Michel Collette, Direction générale

Michel Collette has been Executive Director of the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial since 2021. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education with a concentration in School Administration from the Université de Moncton. He also continued his education by completing a 2nd Masters in Education with a concentration in Information and Communication Technology at Memorial University in St. John’s, NL. As Executive Director of CSAP, he seeks to position the CSAP as a national leader in educational innovation.

Since 2019, as Director of Educational and Student Services at CSAP, Mr. Collette has successfully led the merger of educational and student services to further focus resources on developing a structure that meets the needs of all students. He is responsible for the development and implementation of French first language curricula and associated teaching resources. He has played an integral role in positioning the CSAP in the transition to a 21st century pedagogy, including technology integration, universal access to technology, and support sites for CSAP staff and communities.

During his career within CSAP, Michel Collette has held a number of leadership roles, including vice-principal and principal, and educational program coordinator, in addition to many years of experience as a teacher. He has also worked for the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood as a consultant in French Immersion and has been a lecturer at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Université Sainte-Anne and at the undergraduate level at Université de Moncton.

Manitoba School Boards Association

Sandy Nemeth, President

Sandy Nemeth is Past President of the Manitoba School Boards Association.

First elected to the Louis Riel School Board (LRSD) in Winnipeg in 2010, she is LRSD’s Past Board Chair, Past Chair of the LRSD Endowment Fund Committee (Riel-evate) and also serves on the volunteer Board of Directors of Dakota Community Centre.

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.

New Brunswick District Education Council

Joe Peterson, 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 a 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.

Roland Collette, Manager

Roland has a rich background in education, sports, and business management. A teacher by trade, Collette taught in the New Brunswick public school system for seven years, contributing significantly to the educational development of his students. In addition to his teaching career, he has served on several boards, including the Moncton International Airport Board and a School Alumni Board, bringing his expertise in governance and community engagement.

Collette was also the president of his own business, Proatif Sports, for several years, where he demonstrated his entrepreneurial skills and commitment to sports development. His management experience extends further as he spent years in various leadership roles. His multifaceted career reflects a dedication to education, community, sports, management and business.

Ontario Public School Boards Association

Kathleen Woodcock, President

Elected to the position of OPSBA President in July 2024, President Kathleen Woodcock is a six-term trustee on the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). Prior to becoming OPSBA president, Kathleen served as First Vice-President and before that, as Second Vice-President. She has been involved in many leadership positions at her home board including chair, vice-chair, past chair and member/chair of many statutory and ad hoc committees.

President Woodcock holds a Master of Social Work degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree, both from Wilfrid Laurier University. A strong believer in life-long learning, Kathleen attained her MSW while working full-time at WLU and to move her professional career forward to the next level.

Kathleen retired from the City of Kitchener’s Community Services Department in 2020. As a staff member in the public sector, Kathleen learned how to strategically interact with elected officials while concurrently, as an elected trustee, applying those skills to building relationships at the WRDSB with trustee colleagues, staff and administration alike. While working at the City of Kitchener, she attained her green belt level in Lean Management. Together with her experience and education in community development, community engagement and policy development and her 20+ years as a locally elected trustee, Kathleen works from a strengths perspective in her advocacy for a strong public education system with access for all students, regardless of their background.

Stephanie Donaldson, Executive Director

Stephanie Donaldson brings outstanding experience in the world of public education to OPSBA as a leader and innovator in Ontario’s public and non-profit sectors. As a former elected school board trustee with the Toronto District School Board (an OPSBA member board), a member of OPSBA’s Executive Council, and Vice-Chair of the Toronto Board of Health, Stephanie has worked at both the local and provincial levels to safeguard and enhance the education, health and well-being of young people, their families, and their communities.

Stephanie has spent her career in the public sector leading large scale change and developing innovative policy. Prior to becoming a trustee, Stephanie held executive roles in the Ontario Public Service, including at the Ministry of Education where she led the transformation of the collective bargaining system in Ontario’s education sector; as well as Cabinet Office, where she helped launch the Ontario Digital Service. Stephanie began her career with the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres and thus, brings a broad perspective on how local communities across Ontario are working hard to serve youth and create opportunities.

Improving the lives of children, youth, and families has been at the core of all of Stephanie’s work throughout her career and whether it is organizing for a stronger and more equitable education system, re-imagining public policy and delivery, or working towards more healthy, liveable and just communities – Stephanie leads with heart and a trusted voice. Stephanie is a graduate of the Rotman Public Service Leadership Institute and received a Master’s degree from the National University of Ireland and undergraduate degree from Huron University College.

Stephanie joined OPSBA in December 2022.

Quebec English School Boards Association

David Meloche, Executive Director

David Meloche has been Executive Director of the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) since January 1, 2024. His educational career spans 31 years where he was a teacher, school principal and regional director at Lester B. Pearson School Board. In his last role as Regional Director, where he served for 12 years, he was responsible for the operations of 16 elementary and high schools, chair of the elementary and high school network, and represented the board on various ministerial dossiers.

Passionate about education and recognized by his peers for his commitment to equity, accessibility and diversity in the public system, Mr. Meloche is dedicated to the partnership between school boards, parents and community organizations, for the success of our students in Quebec’s nine English school boards and special status Centre de services scolaire du Littoral. He holds a Bachelor of Education degree in both physical education and teaching French as a second language, and a Master’s degree in educational psychology. He is also co-founder of two school-based pediatric clinics serving schools in underserved areas.

Saskatchewan School Boards Association

Darren Mckee

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.

CSBA Staff

Nancy Pynch-Worthylake, Executive Director

Nancy Pynch-Worthylake has served as school board association Executive Director at the provincial level, and as provincial government Senior Executive Director and as 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.