RA Board of Directors
2022-2024

Karen Jackson - President

Karen retired from the public service in 2014 as the Chief Operating Officer of Service Canada and Senior Associate Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development (ESDC).  She is a member of the ESDC Audit Committee and a past member of the Audit Committee of Elections Canada. She has extensive volunteer experience with organizations such as, the Alta Vista community association, local public schools, and Climate Legacy.

As a Board Director since 2017, Karen has a solid understanding of the RA, its culture, business, and future vision.  She is committed to ensuring the RA remains an important contributor to a strong and vibrant Ottawa community.  She is familiar with the legal requirements of Not-for-Profits incorporated in Ontario and has experience supporting the not-for-profit sector.  After 30 years as a senior public servant, Karen has a strong understanding of the federal system.

Karen has extensive experience in leadership, management, and governance. She has led both small and large decentralized organizations in all respects of visioning, priority-setting, risk management and day-to-day operations. 
  
Karen has been a LifeFIT member since 2004 and has regularly participated in yoga and other fitness programs.  She has also enjoyed playing bridge with the RA Bridge Club. Karen became the President of the RA Board in June 2021 and was re-elected in Spring 2022.  She had previously served as the Vice President, Chair of the Phase 2 Committee and member of the Finance and Audit Committee. 

Karen is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and Queen’s University.  She holds a Master’s in Political Science.

Bruce miller - vice-President

As a Senior Canadian Government Official, Bruce was responsible for the CRTC’s overall direction in the areas of Information Management and Information Technology.  In his 33+ year Public Service career, Bruce worked in various departments, in addition to two years in the private sector.  Throughout his civil service career, Bruce contributed to several interdepartmental committees. He is an excellent collaborator with extensive experience working on advisory boards. In 2015, Bruce was the GC Workplace Charity Campaign Departmental Co-Champion for the CRTC.
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Bruce has extensive volunteer experience. He has served as Chairman of the 1996 Canadian Badminton Championships; Co-Chairman of the 1988 Canadian Badminton Championships; RA Badminton Club Executive, serving six years (three as Chairman); served on the organizing committee member of two International sporting events, and chaired several RA Summer Open events. Bruce was also instrumental in working with Badminton Canada and others to ensure that the Sport of Badminton had a strong internet presence starting in 1996.  

Bruce first joined the RA in 1975 and have been a member of the RA Junior Curling Club, a Worksite Fitness Facility, LifeFIT, RA Tennis Club, Rideau Tennis Club (when part of the RA organization), and the RA Badminton Club.  In 1988, he received the RA Badminton Club Lifetime Membership Award, in recognition of his volunteer efforts.
 
Since joining the RA Board of Directors in 2017, Bruce has served on a number of RA Board committees including co-chairing the Strategic Planning Committee.  He currently holds the position of Vice-President (since March 2022).

Jane Brownrigg

Ms. Brownrigg has extensive volunteer experience in community engagement and fundraising, serving on Boards such as the Monsignor Paul Baxter Foundation; Russell Association for the Performing Arts Board; and as a member in not-for-profit community organizations. 

In her 30-plus year health care career she has held several roles in health care in hospital and public health environments and has led many large-scale projects in IT, human resources, community activation; she was responsible for budgets of several million dollars and has managed large multi-disciplinary teams. As a hospital-based clinical manager, she collaborated with many sport and recreation organizations and community agencies, to better serve patients with chronic disease. She has also presented at many clinical conferences at regional, provincial, and national levels and been an advisor to Ministry of Health (Ontario) think tanks in the area of cardiac care. Upon her retirement from the UOHI in 2020, the Jane Brownrigg Spirit Award was created in her honour. 

Ms. Brownrigg’s connection with the RA goes back to the 1970s when she volunteered at several RA events with her mother. As an advocate for healthy living, she has encouraged many Ottawa residents to avail themselves of the many excellent services at the RA. She is an active participant in one of the adult women soccer leagues hosted at the RA.
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Ms. Brownrigg holds a BA (Communication) and a BSc (Nursing) from the University of Ottawa and certification as a Master Trainer (Chronic Disease Management- Stanford University).

Bob Butko

To come....

Robert (Bob) Chiarelli

Bob has successfully brokered partnerships for community projects and engaged community leaders and representatives to create economic initiatives. Through his public service experience Bob cultivated an extensive network of contacts within and outside government. Bob also has experience with finance through his management of a law firm and co-owning a family operated golf and country club.  He has considerable experience and knowledge of the NFP context related to health care, sport, seniors’ services, cultural and community services. Bob is a lawyer by training and a lifetime member of the Law Society of Upper Canada. 

Bob is well known throughout Ottawa for his leadership, commitment, and passion for improving the quality of life in our community. As a former Mayor and elected representative at the Provincial level, Bob has comprehensive knowledge of local and Provincial Governance. Bob has considerable volunteer experience with not-for-profits and foundations and their governance. Bob’s proven record with change agendas and innovation is an asset to the RA.

Bob was admitted to the Bar of Ontario is 1969. Prior to this he completed his LLB in 1967 at the University of Ottawa and his Bachelor of Business Administration at Clarkson in 1963.

Darrell Cox

Over the course of his career with Ottawa Tourism, Darrell has cultivated an extensive network with local sport organizations; the Ottawa Sport Council, Provincial, National and Multi-Sport Organizations; City of Ottawa staff and councillors; Former Mayor Watson; and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Sport, and Culture.

​Darrell has also exceled in building partnerships and relationships through his work engaging community stakeholders and creating long term event hosting alliances with leading National Sport Organizations. 

Darrell has comprehensive knowledge of the Tourism and Sports industries. He has worked with local, regional, provincial, and federal sport organizations as well as tourism stakeholders. Darrell also has experience working with the local, provincial, and national sport community and identifying event hosting opportunities.

In addition, he is knowledgeable about Ottawa’s event hosting capabilities. Darrell’s background with marketing and communications activities related to news releases, media advisories and event and social media marketing are also an asset.

Robert (Bob) Elliott

As the CEO of five different national not-for-profit organizations over a 38-year career Bob is well-versed in issues pertaining to NFPs.  He has worked with volunteer boards and committees throughout his career.  

Bob has worked with two national sport organizations, two industry associations and a community service organization.  Business lines included overall management of a sales division, a magazine, national conventions and conferences, a large industry trade show and significant government relations work as a registered lobbyist.   As the chief staff officer his responsibilities also included management of staff, overall responsibility for finances, including working with auditors and staff accountants and work with legal counsel and other professionals.   
 
Bob has been an association member since 2017. He is currently serving as the Chair of the Governance Committee.

He graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Kinesiology and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) from the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE).
After working with volunteer boards his entire career, the opportunity to be on the volunteer side with the RA Centre has been an enjoyable and satisfying experience. 

Bob has been a lifelong participant in sports of all kinds, currently focusing on golf and cycling. Since retirement he has worked at two different golf courses as a starter/marshal while trying to play as much as possible on off-days.  ​

Douglas Mallalieu

Douglas has extensive experience in finance which he has gained through his work as a Chartered professional accountant and Chartered accountant. Douglas also has comprehensive knowledge of the Not-for-Profit context both from serving as a VP Finance of a national not-for-profit charitable organization and running his own consulting business where he has worked closely with charity and not-for-profit clients. He is well versed in multiple facets of financial services such as bookkeeping, filing government reports, financial advising, and auditing. 
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Douglas has valuable experience working in different finance roles for multiple not-for-profits and charities. Douglas also has valuable knowledge of the unique challenges associated with Not-for Profit finances which is an asset to the RA Centre.  

Douglas is a Member of the Finance and Audit Committee at the RA Centre, and he has been in this role since 2019. He is current a LifeFIT Member.

Douglas has been a Chartered Accountant since 1984. He is also active in his Church. 

Richard Neville

Richard has extensive experience with community building projects and Public Private Partnerships (i.e., Confederation Bridge linking Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick). He also has extensive knowledge of the not-for-profit context. Richard has experience with all aspects of Finance including accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, internal controls, risk management and asset management in both the public and private sectors.

Richard is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant and Fellow Chartered Accountant accredited in Ontario, Québec and Alberta. He also has financial services experience as a current member and former Chair of the Boards for Alterna Savings and Alterna Bank. In the Public Service of Canada, he was appointed Deputy/Comptroller General of Canada, in effect, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Government of Canada. 

Richard is currently serving as the Chair of the RA’s Finance and Audit Committee. He is also a member of the Phase 2 Advisory Committee. ​Richard joined the RA in 1972 and is a current member. He is also part of the RA Canoe Club.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Montreal (Loyola College), Cum Laude 1968. He earned his CA Diploma from McGill University in 1972. He also achieved FCA accreditation in Québec, Ontario, and Alberta in 2001, 2005 and 2007, respectively.
 
Richard was appointed a Knight by Queen Elizabeth II on June 8, 2021. The Investiture Ceremony of being Knighted took place in the Senate of Canada on June 18, 2022, with the new Governor General of Canada – Ms. Mary Simon presiding. 

Cathy Pearson

To come...

Kevin Radford

Kevin has led many federal infrastructure projects.  He has experience in negotiating public-private-partnerships as well as innovative financing arrangements. He supported projects to assist in realizing community goals such as affordable housing, environmental sustainability, and Indigenous partnerships. Kevin has knowledge of financial oversight, especially in respect to Capital Budgets and Major Projects financing. Kevin currently leads the national Real Estate practice at Deloitte.  
 
 Kevin has an extensive network of contacts within key federal departments as well as central agencies.  He has been a respected advisor of many federal Ministers.  He also has experience with the Not-for-profit environment as an active member on several not-for-profit Boards. Kevin brings to the Board a wealth of knowledge of federal property management policies, practices, and planning. Kevin is recognized for his integrity and creativity at forging meaningful stakeholder relationships internally and with First Nations communities, commercial interests, and local communities. 
 
He is a member of the RA Centre Board of Directors and Phase 2 Project Committee.

Kevin holds a Master of Business Administration.
 
He is an athlete and continues to play hockey, ski, water-ski, and hike. Kevin has been happily married to Linda for 35 years and is a father of 4.

John Smit

John spent 34 years with the City of Ottawa growing his career from a junior planner to a senior leader, acquiring progressively more experience in municipal planning and related fields. He has dealt with many complex multi-disciplinary and multi-agency planning, development, transportation, and economic development projects/initiatives in his career. 
 
Throughout much of his public sector career and in the various leadership roles he held, John provided leadership, supervision, and management to staff teams and for consultant projects with a results-oriented focus and applied project management practices to ensure provision of timely quality service delivery. As a leader, John subscribed to and advanced the principles of change management to support and promote corporate goals and objectives.  John currently runs his own consulting business which specializes in providing strategic advice, urban planning and design services to various private and public sector clients engaged in development and city building projects.
 
John is currently serving as Chair of the Phase 2 committee.
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John holds a master’s Certificate in Municipal Leadership from York University and a BES in Honours Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Waterloo.

Joe Wilkinson

Joe is currently a subject matter expert for the International Monetary Fund. Previously he a served as Senior Manager in the Data and Statistics Office of the Bank of Canada and working on Macroeconomic Statistics at Statistics Canada. In these roles Joe gained experience in accounting, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, internal controls, risk management, investment practices and financial instruments. He has represented Canada internationally at the International Monetary Fund, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and European Central Bank in discussions of pension plans.

He also has experience with not-for-profits from his work on the boards of Causeway Work Centre and Foundation of Operation Come Home. Through his work at the senior levels of both the Bank of Canada and Statistics Canada, Joe has extensive experience in leadership and management. 
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Joe has been an RA member for 30 years.

He also holds a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in finance and economics from Queen's University.
 

Meg Wilson

Meg was previously a senior sales executive. She has extensive experience in financial oversight, budgeting and forecasting and financial statement preparation. Throughout her career she has also gained experience with project management, financial analysis, internal controls, customer management, digital transformation, non-profit management.  
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Meg is detail oriented and excels at networking, negotiation, financial management, business management, problem solving, and partnership building. 
She is an active member of the RA Canoe Camping Club   

Meg holds a BA Economics & Bachelor of Commerce, Carleton University. 

She loves to be active in and around our beautiful city. Meg's favourite activities including cycling, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, skating, and all types of skiing.  

Lee McCormack - Past President

Lee McCormack has held executive positions in several Government of Canada departments and central agencies, at the CCAF (now the Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation), and in his own consulting firm. Lee has broad experience in public sector and not-for-profit management practices, strategic planning, performance measurement and corporate governance – and has worked in these fields in Canada and abroad.

Lee has served on the RA Board in various capacities since 2014, most recently as President (mid 2018 to mid 21). He is currently the Board’s Past-President and serves on its Governance, and Finance and Audit Committees. He is also a member of the RA LifeFIT Centre.
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He holds a B.A. (political science, UNB), an M.P.A. (Queen’s), and a post-grad diploma (international studies, National Defence College of Canada).