Staff & Board
A team committed to inspiring students across our region
Working together for our students
Our Staff Team, Board of Directors and Board of Governors all play an important role in guiding the organization.
They make strategic decisions about our future and collectively serve as an innovative force to empower the next generation of leaders.
JA South Western Ontario Staff
Karen Gallant
President & CEO
519-439-4201 Ext. 224
Karen Chafe
Director, Programs and Operations
519-439-4201 Ext. 225
Heather J. Scott, CFRE
Director, Philanthropy
519.439.4201 x 236
Jenne Wason
Director, Marketing and Communications | Regional Director
519-352-0151
Alicia Gall
Community Projects and Partnerships Manager
519-439-4201
Sheena Gosse
Program Manager – Waterloo Region, Guelph-Wellington, Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk, Hamilton, Niagara
519-576-6610 Ext. 3
Megan Siddall
Program Manager – Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton, Windsor-Essex, Huron, Perth, Bruce, Grey
519-352-0151
Claudia Villatoro
Program Manager – London-Middlesex, Elgin, Oxford
519-439-4201 Ext. 223
Head Office (London)
15 Wharncliffe Road North
London, ON, N6H 2A1
519-439-4201
info@jaswo.org
Regional Office (Chatham)
60 William Street South
Chatham, ON, N7M 4S3
519-352-0151
Regional Office (Kitchener)
74 Queen Street, Unit B
Kitchener, ON, N2H 2H3
Tel: 519-576-6610
Board of Directors
JA South Western Ontario
Chair
Derek Askew
Associate Vice President, TD Bank Group
Vice Chair
Brad Bishop
Professor, Financial Planning, Fanshawe College
Secretary
Tabitha Schwarz
Director of Finance, Boshart Group
Treasurer
Luda Pradyszczuk-Pitt
Associate Partner – Tax – EY
Director Emeritus
Brad Geddes
President and Chief Executive Officer, ZucoraHome
Past Chair
Mark Russell
Sales Representative, Royal LePage Triland Realty
Board Member
Nomar Abdullah
Chief Financial Officer, FMF Metal Fabrication
Board Member
Mark Brown
Partner, adHOME Creative Inc
Board Member
Leonard Bumbacco
Student Achievement Consultant, Waterloo Catholic District School Board
Board Member
Murray Flanagan
Advisor, Flanagan Foodservice
Board Member
Jennifer Green
Director of Competitions, Skills Ontario
Board Member
Firas Halabi
Community Manager, Libro Credit Union
Board Member
Stephanie Hayes
Partner, Gowling WLG
Board Member
Kim MacPherson
VP HR, Cowan Insurance in Cambridge
Board Member
Alex Moroz
Marketing & Family Services Coordinator, Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries
Board Member
Philippe N. Oille
Board Member
Nicole Pereira
President and CEO, Dealer Principal, Cambridge Centre Honda
Board Member
Venkat Ramachandran
Director / Sr Manager Business Architecture Trading and Asset Servicing, Wealth, TD Bank Group
Board Member
Wes Vickers
Educator, Greater Essex County District School Board
Board Member
Matt Cassidy
Associate, Harrison Pensa
This was a much-needed unit that arrived at the PERFECT time! It’s great that financial literacy is in the new math curriculum but we lack resources to teach it properly to the students. Who better to teach the kids than JA, the experts! I’d love to have you come visit my classroom next year!
– Grade 5 Teacher, JA Our Business World