If you have concerns about a child please call 705.743.9751 or 1.800.661.2843

Supporting Children and Youth Involved with the Kawartha Haliburton Children's Aid Society

About Us

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Lee Hays – Board Chair

Lee Hays joined the Board in June 2021 and became the Board Chair in June 2022. A graduate of Trent University and the University of Guelph, Lee currently works as the Executive Director, Advancement & Alumni Relations at Ontario Tech University.  Previously she worked at Trent University for 16 years, most recently as the Director of Alumni Engagement & Services. Lee also worked in the financial services industry for 11 years, including branch banking, electronic banking, and lending.

Lee is passionate about making a difference for children and youth, and has volunteered locally with the Huntington’s Society, Walk / Run for The James Fund for Neuroblastoma Research, and the Westmount Public School Parent Council.

Lee lives in East City, Peterborough with her two children, Noah and Layla, and is looking forward to extending her community leadership and contributions through her work with The Foundation.

 

John Bardawill – Vice Chair

John Bardawill joined the board in June 2022 and assumed the role of Vice Chair.

John has a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University.

John is the Managing Director of TMG International Inc. – a strategic consulting firm he formed, that assists in the development and execution of customer-focused Marketing & business strategies. TMG serves clients in Canada, the U.S., as well as many countries in Europe and Asia.

Prior to his consulting, John has held senior Marketing roles at companies such as Southam Newspapers, Thompson –Reuters, Thomas Cook, and American Express.

John is very passionate about the community and not-for-profit organizations. For the last 9 years he has served on the Board of the Child Development Institute and has served as a Board member for the Canadian Marketing Association.

He enjoys various sports and… Unfortunately Is a lifelong Leaf’s fan.

 

KHCF Treasurer
Nicole Desrosiers – Treasurer

Nicole Desrosiers joined the Foundation Board in January 2021 and became the board Treasurer in June 2021.

Nicole moved to Peterborough in 2016 to complete a business degree from Trent University, graduating in May of 2020. During the program, she had the opportunity to complete a placement with the KHCF in the fall of 2019. This placement is what initially got her involved with the organization and helped her learn so much more about what the KHCF does to support children in the community. Upon completion of her degree, Nicole wished to continue volunteering for the KHCF, and when the chance to join the Board of Directors arose, Nicole knew it was the perfect way to do just that.

Nicole is very excited to use her online marketing and financial knowledge to help the KHCF expand their reach and increase their impact on the children and families in the Kawartha-Haliburton region.

 

Phillip Jolicoeur – Board Member

With such a broad range of experience and an enduring commitment to community service, we are excited that Phillip joined the Board in June of 2023.

As the owner and operator of both PJ The Marketing Guy and Phillip Jolicoeur Entertainment (PJE), he is a seasoned professional known for delivering results and fueling success.  His extensive experience spanning two decades encompasses marketing, account management, and public relations.

His dedication to service goes beyond professional boundaries. Phillip has tirelessly worked with numerous not-for-profits across Canada, contributing to raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes through special events and fundraising initiatives.

Before entering the world of marketing and PR, Phillip worked as a Child & Youth Worker in group homes, directly supporting children involved with the Children’s Aid Society and living in care. His compassion and dedication in this role have shaped his approach to business, embedding a profound sense of responsibility and care into his work.

He continues to give back to his community by actively participating in several organizations. He is an executive board member of both the Peterborough + Kawartha’s Chamber of Commerce and Havelock Chamber of Commerce, reflecting his commitment to support local businesses. As a former president of the Bowmanville Chapter of BNI (Business Networking International) and the launch director of the upcoming Peterborough2 chapter, Phillip has demonstrated his leadership and commitment to fostering business growth and networking.

 

Jessica Gordon – Board Member

We are thrilled that Jessica joined our board in June of 2023.

With a degree in Psychology and a diploma in Social Services, she is excited to bring her knowledge and experience to support the families accessing services.

Jessica is currently working at Trent University as a Co-op Employer Laision and has pervious experience in beverage sales. She has also previously held multiple types of positions in the Violence against Women sector.

She is fairly new to Peterborough and loves exploring all of the delicious restaurants and parks in the area.  In her downtime she enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with her busy toddler and large rowdy dog.

 

Colin Elsby – Board Member

Colin joined the board in April of 2019 after graduating from the Paralegal Program at Fleming College and is now attending Queens University.

Colin serves on the Governance Committee.

As a child, Colin was involved with Children’s Aid Society. He decided to join the board as a way to give back to the organization that lead to his adoption into an amazing family, and has helped him receive funding to attend post-secondary education.

 

 

Melissa Graham MacDonald – Board Member

Melissa has been a front line worker for the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society for over 29 years. During these years she has watched the Foundation grow and change as it provides countless opportunities to the children involved with KHCAS.

Melissa has happily utilized all of the programs and opportunities that have been provided by the Foundation for the children and families she has worked with over the years, but her favorite is Santa’s Sleigh. Not only does she see the benefits of it, and sees the joy it can create, but it has also become a tradition with her own family to participate, not only by picking  a name off the tree but also volunteering their time with the program.

Becoming a member of the Board of Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation was a decision she made easily and enthusiastically. Melissa has been on the Foundation since 2019 and presently sits on the Governance Committee. 

 

Babin Joy – Board Member

Babin Joy joined the board in June 2022.

Originally from India, Babin graduated with a Master of Business Advanced degree from Griffith University, Australia. Upon graduating, he worked as a Student Experience Officer at Griffith, where he developed and executed events and programs and facilitated connections between domestic and international students and local communities. He was one of ten Mayor’s International Student Ambassadors in 2016, promoting the City of Gold Coast as a top study destination.

Babin moved to Canada in 2019 and started his career at Trent University as Convocation & Events Assistant. He was integral to the execution of two virtual convocation celebrations, assisted with consultations, town halls, and communications for the Trent Lands Plan and was a key part of the team responsible for raising a record $150,000 for Trent’s United Way campaign.

Babin also seconded as Development Officer – Annual Leadership Giving, where he developed and implemented strategies for a portfolio of prospects and managed specialized appeals, such as Trent Day and Giving Tuesday.

Currently, Babin works as Alumni Engagement & Services Coordinator, primarily responsible for growing affinity programs, leading initiatives and services for alumni, cultivating volunteer relationships, and working with regional leaders and campus partners on alumni engagement opportunities.

 

Carla Gorman – Board Member

Carla Gorman joined the board in June 2022.

Carla is a graduated of Trent and York Universities. Although retired from teaching, she has recently taken a position as a tutor with the PVNC Catholic District School Board.

Carla enjoys participating in fundraising activities. Over the years, she has organized a variety of successful events for organizations such as Sleeping Children Around the World, St. Peter Secondary Alumni Saints in Action and the United Way of Peterborough. Carla is also a member of a local group that sponsored a refugee family from Syria.

Carla is looking forward to being part of a team that is so committed to providing enrichment opportunities and support to children.

 

Doug Robinson – Board Member

Doug joined our board in June of 2023 and also joined the Finance Committee, where his financial expertise has proven quite valuable.

After 27 years in the industry, Doug co-founded Veritable Wealth Advisory in 2019 with the vision of creating an effective and efficient wealth management firm rather than the traditional advisory team model.  Today Doug serves as CEO of Veritable Wealth Advisory, leading a sustainable business focused on superior client outcomes.

Doug is a graduate of Western University and has earned the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designations.

Doug enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and travelling.

FOUNDATION STAFF

Carrie Truman – Executive Director

Carrie joined the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation in November 2021 in the full-time role of Executive Director.

Carrie is a senior marketing and communications professional. She has a breadth of experience gained from leading marketing and public relations campaigns, product launches, and events while working at Hudson’s Bay Company, Fleming College and Procter & Gamble.

She holds an Hon. B.Comm Degree from the School of Business at Queen’s University and a Fundraising Management Certificate from Fleming College.

While a member of the Ontario Education Champion Team, Carrie supported youth, placed in the care of the Children’s Aid Society, to seek out and obtain post-secondary education and skills training. She has served on the board of directors at both Five Counties Children’s Centre in Peterborough and McNicoll Avenue Child Care in Toronto.

In her spare time she enjoys developing a love of sport, self-confidence and team work among young girls, by coaching in the Peterborough Youth Basketball League.

 

Susan Douglas – Office Manager and Board Secretariat

Susan has over 15 years of experience as an Office Manager.  Most recently she worked at Peterborough Retirement Residence where she was the Director of Administrative Services.

Previously she worked for United Way of Peterborough & District for 14 years where she was the Administrative Assistant for staff and committees.  She specifically supported the volunteer Board of Directors and Campaign Cabinet.

Susan has a business administration diploma, specializing in accounting, from Fleming College.

In her off time she enjoys camping, hiking with her dog and seeing the world.

 

Mackenzie Houlden – Summer Camp Coordinator

We would like to welcome Mackenzie to the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation as the 2023 Summer Camp Coordinator. Mackenzie attends Trent University and is entering her third year of her Bachelor’s in Developmental Psychology with a minor in Business Administration.

Mackenzie enjoys volunteering in her community, she has worked with children through the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization in Peterborough as a Mentor. She has also worked with adults with disabilities at Continuing on in Education Day Program in Belleville.

In her spare time, Mackenzie enjoys spending time with friends and family, baking, reading and being  outdoors.

 

 

Updates from Kawartha-Haliburton Children's Foundation

Send a Kid to Camp AXE-travaganza 2024

An evening of friendly axe throwing competition to help enrich the lives of children in our community. Peterborough, ON – (March 4th, 2024) The ...

Seeking New Board Members

Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation is Seeking New Board Members: Are you looking for a way to make a difference by supporting in-need children, youth and ...

2023 Santa's Sleigh Launches

Help put smiles on the faces of children in your community this holiday season!  Peterborough, ON – (Nov 23, 2023) The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation ...

40th Anniversary

2023 marks the 40th Anniversary of The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation.  When it was established in 1983 by social worker Margaret Davies the main goal ...