Board of Directors

Debra Berlet (Calgary, AB)
Debra Berlet has been involved with Cystic Fibrosis Canada for over 25 years and is the Chair of the Board of Directors. Debra has held various senior volunteer positions at Cystic Fibrosis Canada including as Regional Director for Alberta and as President of the Central Alberta and Edmonton/Northern Alberta Chapters. Debra has a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. She has attended the Institute of Corporate Directors governance education program for non-profits.

René Coutu (Montreal, QC)
With almost 30 years of information technology management experience, René Coutu has held various managerial positions with Société de transport de Montréal (STM). He was also a lecturer in management studies at HEC Montréal. René has been involved with Fibrose kystique Québec and Cystic Fibrosis Canada for over 15 years, and is the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. He has also served as President and Treasurer of Fibrose kystique Québec. René has a Master of Management Science and a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal.

Ross Drake (Dartmouth, NS)
A Chartered Accountant, Ross Drake is a Vice President at Sigma Real Estate Advisors. Prior to that, Ross was Senior Vice President, Research and Analysis at ING Real Estate Canada. Ross began his career as an auditor with Price Waterhouse and has also held various accounting positions before joining ING Real Estate Canada. An active volunteer with Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Ross has served on the Board of Directors, as Regional Director for the Atlantic Provinces and as a stakeholder member on the Medical/Science Advisory Committee. He has an MBA from Dalhousie University.

Douglas Ingersoll (Edmonton, AB)
Doug Ingersoll has over 35 years of legal experience and is a Senior Manager/Staff Lawyer with Legal Aid Alberta. Doug has also served as a Justice of the Peace in the Province of Alberta and as a prosecutor for the federal Department of Justice. An active volunteer with Kin Canada since 1977, Doug has held various senior volunteer positions at the club, district and national levels. Doug currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Kin Canada Foundation and as Secretary of the Board of Directors at Cystic Fibrosis Canada. He has a Bachelor of Science from Mount Allison University and a Bachelor of Law from the University of New Brunswick.

Carol Ann Kairns (Montreal, QC)
Carol Ann Kairns is an accomplished executive and is an Executive Vice President with BCP, a Montreal-based advertising agency where she has been for 23 years. She was also an instructor with the Association of Canadian Advertisers. An active volunteer within her community and profession, Carol Ann has been involved with Fibrose kystique Québec’s Montreal Chapter since 2008 and is also on the boards of the Broadcast Bureau of Measurement and the Print Measurement Bureau. She has a Bachelor of Education from McGill University.

Mitch Lepage (Whitby, ON)
Mitch Lepage has over 20 years of senior management experience with the Durham Catholic District School Board where he is a Superintendent of Education. An active volunteer with Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Mitch serves on the Board of Directors, and as Chair of the Ontario Provincial Association, Regional Director for Central Ontario and President of the Durham Region Chapter. He has also served on the Board of Directors for Community Living Ajax, Pickering and Whitby. Mitch has a Master of Education from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Education from Brock University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Western Ontario.

Geri Markvoort (Toronto, ON)
Geri Markvoort has over three decades of human resources experience and is the Executive Director of Human Resources at KPMG Canada. Prior to that, Geri was Vice President of Human Resources at CIBC Wood Gundy and has held various human resources positions at Jannock Ltd., Abitibi-Price Ltd. and Shell Canada. Active with Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Geri serves on the board of the Toronto and District Chapter. Geri has also served on the Board of Governors at George Brown College in Toronto, including as Board Chair. She has an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario.

James Mountain (Toronto, ON)
Jim Mountain is co-founder and President of Mountain Fowler Asset Management Inc. and has extensive investment, business management and capital markets experience. Prior to that, he held senior positions at Scotia Capital including as Managing Director. Jim has owned and managed several private companies, and currently serves on several private and foundation boards. A long-time supporter of Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Jim chaired the Breathe Campaign Committee for Ontario in 2004. He has an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario.

Miles Nagamatsu (Toronto, ON)
Miles Nagamatsu is a Chartered Accountant and has significant experience as a CFO and corporate director in the mining and investment management sectors. Miles has held various senior volunteer positions at Cystic Fibrosis Canada since 1982 including as Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee and as Chair of the Investment Committee. Miles has a Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University and has attended the Institute of Corporate Directors governance program for board effectiveness. He is the recipient of the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992) and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) for his contributions to the community.

Leona Pinsky (Vancouver, BC)
Leona Pinsky is a trained lawyer and has been an active volunteer leader in her community for over 20 years. She is the President of Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s Vancouver and Lower Mainland Chapter, and a co-founder of the 65_RedRoses Gala and GearUp4CF. Leona has also served on the board of the BC Centre for Children’s Hearing and Speech and on advisory committees at BC Children’s Hospital, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, Vancouver Talmud Torah Elementary School and the Canadian Bar Association. She has a Bachelor of Law from the University of Victoria and a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton University.
 

Reviewed/updated: 2012-05-15