Alyssa Godin

Chair, Athletes Village

At 23 years of age, Alyssa Godin is attending Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont. where she pursues a degree in Biological Sciences and plans to get into medical school. Alyssa is trilingual in American Sign Language, English and French. Alyssa has over 16 years of experience with Parasport community, Special Olympics, and international sporting events.

She is currently the goalie for the Team Canada National Women's Deaf Hockey Team and plays for the Brock Badgers as well. She cannot wait to welcome all to Brock for a phenomenal athlete experience!

Bill Fenwick

Games Services Committee Chair

The 71-year-old London native grew up playing hockey and tennis before he devoted himself to working in sport for over four decades, including 11 years as the Director of Recreation and Community Services in St. Catharines from 1991-2002.

Add in five more years as Director of Culture and Recreation for the City of Hamilton, six years in Welland as both the Director of Parks & Recreation and Director of Integrated Services. It’s easy to see why Fenwick was a natural choice to be the Chair of the Games Services Committee for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games.

Candice Turner-Smith

Artistic Festivals Committee Chair

Candice recently retired from the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and spent 12 seasons at the Shaw Festival.  Today, as a consultant, she specializes in arts administration. A native of Montreal, Candice is a journalist by trade.

One of her most memorable projects was the 2012 Cultural Capital of Canada project for the Niagara Region, designed to celebrate the arts and highlight their value in each of our 12 municipalities. Niagara's rich cultural landscape is one of the region’s most vital assets. She feels privileged to serve as Chair, Artistic Festivals for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games.

Other projects: Marketing the Arts of St Catharines/Niagara; Riverbrink Art Museum, Carousel Players, Chorus Niagara; Lost & Found Theatre, the National Tap Dance Company of Canada, The School of Restoration Arts at Willowbank; the Department of Dramatic Arts at Brock University, Music Niagara, Orchestra’s Mississauga; the Ontario Arts Council Regeneration Conference.

Carol Phillips

Volunteer Services Committee Chair

Phillips’ sports and recreation background is extensive. She currently works as both the coordinator and as a faculty member for Niagara College’s recreation therapy and leisure/recreation services programs. She also sits on the executive committee in Welland for Special Olympics Ontario, she’s coached basketball for many years, and she also played both basketball and softball in her teens. Additionally, she earned a recreation and leisure degree from Brock University, before obtaining a post-graduate diploma in therapeutic recreation from Georgian College.

Crystal Vella

Sustainability Committee Chair

The Holy Cross alumna’s resume is tailor-made for the position. The Niagara Falls resident has a degree from Brock University in tourism and environment, a Master’s degree from Western University in environment and sustainability, and a post-graduate certificate in environmental management and assessment from Niagara College. She is now a business performance analyst for Walker Industries’ Environmental division.

Vella also previously worked in a volunteer capacity at a couple of smaller events for an organization called Leading Change Canada, which is a forum for young Canadian professionals working in the environmental sector.

Derek McNally

Medical Committee Chair

Derek is Niagara Health's Executive Vice-President of Clinical Services & Chief Nursing Executive. In this role Derek  acts as executive lead for the clinical portfolios. He is tasked with helping to optimize the organization’s performance as it strives for a great patient experience and excellence of culture, quality and safety, staff and physician engagement, and financial stewardship, working with the other members of the Executive Team.

Derek previously served as Executive Vice-President of Clinical Programs at Markham Stouffville Hospital and was Vice-President, Patient Services & Site Lead and Chief Nursing Officer at the Greater Niagara General Hospital at Niagara Health, where he distinguished himself by dramatically changing the performance and perception of his site. Previous to Niagara Health and Markham, Derek has also held senior leadership positions at Trillium Health Centre, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and the Hospital for Sick Children.  

Derek began his career as a front-line nurse in Glasgow, Scotland and has continued to be a strong and vocal advocate for great patient care. 

Desmond Walsh

Essential Services Committee Chair

As a retired law enforcement administrator, Des has extensive experience in human resource management, leadership, planning, and resource allocation.

He is a graduate of the Law Enforcement Executive Development Program (FBI Academy) and the Police Leadership Program (Rotman School of Management). Des holds life memberships with the Ontario, Canadian, and International Associations of Chiefs of Police. He was also previously awarded the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.

Sports have been an integral component of Des’ career path. He has had extensive involvement with Special Olympics and the Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Des is looking forward to contributing to the success of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games.

Diana Huson

Ceremonies Committee Chair

Diana Huson has held a variety of management positions across a variety of sectors including education, technology, arts and culture for the past twenty years. In these roles, she has been responsible for project planning, event management, marketing and communications for both private and public enterprises, as well as non-profit organizations.

As a lifelong Niagara resident, she has a passion for community, possessing extensive volunteer experience and having participated on a number of local Boards including the United Way of South Niagara and the Pelham Art Festival. She currently holds a management position at Brock University, is a Regional Councillor for the Town of Pelham, and act as the Chair of the Planning and Economic Development Subcommittee for the Region of Niagara.

Elizabeth Grimmond

Administration Committee Chair

Now retired, Elizabeth Grimmond is a motivated self-starter and results-oriented individual with expertise in Change/HR Management, Operations and Business Planning supported by a progressive career spanning over 35 years with RBC Royal Bank. She has been involved in leadership roles in many non-profit organizations including the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Niagara Integrated Film Festival, Toronto Caribbean Children’s Foundation, and currently is a Director for nTwyne Niagara and the President of the St. Catharines & Regional Niagara Twinning Association.

One of 10 children, Elizabeth is guided by her father's words of wisdom — "you cannot be a leader unless you have first been of service to others".

Gerry McIlhone

Transportation Committee Chair

McIlhone has plenty of previous experience helping out with sporting events in Niagara. He has volunteered at the Ontario Federation of Secondary Schools Association championships in Niagara and served as the transportation chair for the 2018 FIBA U18 men’s basketball Americas Championship in St. Catharines.

His transportation-heavy resume includes: supervisor station, train and engine employees with VIA Rail Canada in Toronto; operations controller with GO Transit; manager of transportation with St. Catharines Transit; manager of transportation for the Niagara Parks Commission; and, his present job as operations superintendent with City of Hamilton Transit.

He is also vice-chair of the Niagara Region’s active transportation sub-committee and the chairperson of the transportation advisory committee for Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Harvie Hagerty

Venues Committee Chair

Harvie brings many years of Niagara experience to his Canada Games role as Venue Chair. Today, he keeps busy as an athletic convenor for the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association . However, previous to that, he’s had many titles. In addition to being an experienced secondary school, college and university teacher, Harvie has also worked as a National Coaching Certification Program facilitator, a coach, and been a member of Niagara Trillium.

Harvie will tell you his involvement in these Games is all about leaving multiple legacies in Niagara. He wants to be a part of bringing lasting venues to the region, while also helping to provide all the Games’ athletes, spectators, coaches, and volunteers with a legacy of memories they won’t ever forget.

Iavor Perduhov

Fit-Out Committee Chair

Perduhov is one of the youngest chairs with the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games and also one of the most enthusiastic.

The 34-year-old Bulgarian native came to Canada 17 years ago and quickly fell in love with Niagara. He is a graduate of Brock University, where he obtained degrees in both philosophy and political sciences.

Perduhov, who is the retail manager for the Pen Centre, is responsible for all infrastructure and signage for the 2022 Games.

Jane Arkell

Accessibility Committee Chair

Jane Arkell has dedicated her career to the area of access and inclusion for individuals with a disability.

Jane has been the Executive Director of the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability (ALACD) since its inception in 1989. Prior to that, she was Executive Director for the Canadian Blind Sports Association, and she previously served as Project Director for the Federal Accessibility Legislation Alliance with Spinal Cord Injury Canada to assist in the development of the Accessible Canada Act (2019).

As a volunteer, she has been asked to advise on many committees such as ParticipACTION, Accessibility Standards Council (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act - AODA), CNIB Lake Joseph Centre, and PHE Canada After School and Intramurals Committee. Jane is also Co-Chair for the Brock Niagara Penguins (ParaSport Club).

Jane Macaskill

Chair, Food and Beverage

A graduate of the Niagara College with a Business Discipline in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Jane started working in the Food and Beverage industry at a very young age, and has never looked back. Has worked for Compass Group Canada, for many years, working at General Motors in St. Catharines as the Food and Beverage Director before I made the switch to Food and Beverage specializing in Sports and Entertainment, with her last role being the Director of Operations of Tim Hortons Field the home of the Hamilton Tiger Cats and Forge FC Soccer Club. Recently she made the switch over to HealthCare where she is currently a District Manager for Marquise Hospitality, working in the Long Term Care Sector.

In 2019 she had an opportunity to be involved in the Canada Games in Red Deer Alberta and has been hooked ever since. Jane is very much looking forward to being a volunteer with the 2021 Canada Games in the Niagara Region.

Kevin Cavanagh

Media Committee Chair

Kevin Cavanagh has worked since 2009 at Brock University, where he is the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications. Before joining Brock, the native of Dunnville, Ont., spent 30 years as a newspaper writer and editor. He worked in newsrooms in Swift Current, Saskatchewan; Red Deer, Alberta; and at several Ontario media outlets, including the St. Catharines Standard, the National Post and the Hamilton Spectator. During his career he won provincial, national and international newspaper awards, and was a Visiting Journalist Fellow at Oxford University. Kevin and his family live in St. Catharines.

Lynn Hamilton

Sport Committee Chair

Lynn Hamilton grew up in St. Catharines and was a member of Canada's National Basketball team which placed fourth at the 1984 Olympics, and third at the 1986 World Championships. She is also a member of Bishop's University and St. Catharines Sports Hall of Fame.

Lynn brings her passion for sport to Niagara 2022.

Both her sons, (Freddie and Dougie) played hockey for the Niagara IceDogs and for Canada's World Junior Hockey Team.  Freddie has since retired from the NHL and is a student at Brock University, while Dougie plays for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Mac Turchan

Merchandise and Ticketing Committee Chair

A recent business graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University, Mac joins the Niagara 2022 team early on in what he hopes to be a long career in the sports industry.

A resident of nearby Waterloo, Mac has gained significant experience in sport through roles with Ontario Basketball, the Guelph Nighthawks (CEBL), and Laurier Athletics. Working with a variety of sports organizations, Mac has a strong understanding of the ins and outs of creating a terrific event-day experience.

Currently, Mac is the Marketing and Events Coordinator for Social Venture Partners Waterloo Region, a non-profit dedicated to bringing together industry leaders with charities to create change locally.

Marcel Castonguay

Mission Services Committee Chair

Marcel is presently the Executive Director of Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara, a non-profit, multidisciplinary care organization that serves the French speaking populations of the Hamilton and Niagara areas. The Centre employs over 100 full-time staff and serves over 10,000 patients. The services provided range from primary care (medical services), chronic disease management, specialized services such as a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) clinic, adult and children mental services, services to newcomers and support services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. It also provides early-years services as well as a number of support services for seniors.

Prior to joining the Centre de santé 15 years ago, Marcel enjoyed a 23-year career in the Ontario Public Service working in various ministries such as Labor, Transportation and the three ministries comprising the justice sector. 

As Executive Lead for French language services across the ministries of the Attorney General, Solicitor General and Community Safety and Correctional Services, Marcel championed a number of legislative projects such as the regulation on bilingual proceedings before Ontario’s court system. During this time, he also had the opportunity to co-chair national working groups on access to justice in both official languages with representatives from all provinces and territories. He also had the opportunity to lead many provincial transformation initiatives to enhance access to French language justices services within Ontario.

Marcel grew up in northern Ontario, is an avid golfer, likes biking and enjoys reading. He played hockey in his younger years and also coached for a number of years. The Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games are his first hands-on experience with Canada Games but he enjoys following both summer and winter Olympic sports. 

Maria Fortunato

Event Services Committee Chair

Maria has made significant contributions to the development, promotion and execution of large city and province-wide oriented events throughout her career. She is recognized as an excellent resource providing advice, direction and technical assistance to local, regional, national and/or international groups planning and developing events. In 2018, Maria was inducted into the Festivals & Events Ontario Hall of Fame to recognize her many years of volunteer and professional service to the industry. Some of the signature tourism events Maria has been involved with include: the 2003 World Road Cycling Event hosted in Hamilton; War 1812-14 Bicentennial Events that occurred in Hamilton, Halton, & Brant; the 2015 Pan American Games (assist with venue partners in Hamilton & Milton); and Canada’s Sesquicentennial Events in Hamilton, Halton & Brant.

Maria is a graduate of McMaster University and Humber College. Maria also enjoys contributing back to the tourism sector and has been a Continuing Education Instructor in the Event Development faculty at Mohawk College. She also presents at Conferences on topical tourism subjects and serves on the McMaster DeGroote School of Business Executive Education Advisory Committee. 

Nicole Perreault

Protocol Committee Chair

Nicole Perreault is a certified human resources professional who recently retired from Niagara College as the Director of Human Resources. She has spent over 25 years in post-secondary education providing leadership in the areas of talent management, recruitment, human resource administration, employee/labour relations, organizational development and health & safety. Nicole also has experience working in the manufacturing and corporate sector as well as health care. In 2008, Nicole was the recipient of the Niagara College “Award of Excellence” given to a Niagara College administrator who exemplifies excellence.

A Welland native, Nicole and her husband Henri are the proud parents of three adult children and two grandchildren. Nicole has actively participated and volunteered in her community and is a member of the francophone community of Welland.

Rob Foster

Technology Committee Chair

Foster was first elected to Lincoln town council in a by-election back in January 2001 and served continuously representing Ward 1 for the past 18 years.

At the Town of Lincoln, Foster has held many roles including deputy mayor (seven years) and chair of planning and development (nine years). He also chaired the Corporate Priorities/Business Planning Committee for a total of eight years, a position which included chairing the budget process for Lincoln.

Susan Morin

Official Languages Committee Chair

As a member of the Bid Committee for the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games, organizers have become familiar with Morin's catchphrase: ‘How are you going to French it up?’

The native of Montreal was an obvious choice to be the Chair of the Official Languages Committee for the 2022 Games.

As a business development manager with Venture Niagara and designated bilingual by the federal government, Morin has worked with the Niagara French interagency network called La Table InterAgence to create the awareness campaign Bonjour Niagara.