our team

The Bentway Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and a registered charity.

We are a group of city-builders, civic animators, dreamers, and do-ers who work to unlock new opportunities for Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway. Together with local residents and partners, we believe in the power of urban possibility.

Read more about our staff and senior volunteers below:

staff

  • Alex Rand (he/him)

    Manager, Programming

    Alex Rand is a curator and creative producer, with a background in the performing arts and creating artistic experiences in non-traditional spaces. In his role as Manager of Programming, he works with artists to support their visions and steward projects from original conception through to final presentation. A community builder at heart, his work is guided by creativity, radical joy, and moments of magic.

    From 2017 – 2022, Alex was the Producer, Artistic Programs at Luminato Festival Toronto, where he curated and produced a variety of multidisciplinary projects across the city, working with international and local artists, community organizers, and thought leaders. In 2017, he was an Artistic Director of An Honest Farewell, the multidisciplinary festival, party, and community platform celebrating the legacy of Honest Ed’s, produced by the Centre for Social Innovation. From 2010 – 2016, Alex was based in London, UK, where he had the opportunity to work as both as an artist and arts manager with organizations such as the Barbican Centre, National Theatre, VAULT Festival, and Ovalhouse, among others. In his spare time, Alex co-leads the Toronto chapter of Sandbox, an international community of creative leaders working across the arts, technology, and social innovation sectors.

  • Alice Moores-Rodgerson (she/her)

    Fundraising & Partnerships Coordinator

    Alice Moores-Rodgerson (she/her) loves the writing, reporting, researching, and relationship-building that comes with her day-to-day as Fundraising & Partnerships Coordinator. Her interest in the development sector is informed by her Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Sociology from McGill University and her previous work at the Toronto-based non-profit, Good Foot Delivery. She is excited to continue supporting efforts to ensure The Bentway can keep providing engaging, accessible programming. In her free time, Alice loves to cook/bake, run, and endlessly watch rom-coms.

  • Anna Gallagher-Ross (she/her)

    Senior Manager, Programming

    Anna Gallagher-Ross (she/her) is a curator and writer working across performance, dance, and visual arts, with an emphasis on site-specific and socially-engaged practices. As a curator, Anna seeks to be an advocate for artists, providing resources and supportive platforms that enable them to create their most adventurous work, as well as forging inclusive and accessible encounters between art and audiences. Anna believes in the unique possibilities that can emerge from the live experience. She sees curating as an act of community building.

    From 2017-2021, Anna was Co-Artistic Director & Curator of Fusebox Festival, the acclaimed international performance festival, which features interdisciplinary artists from Austin, the U.S., and around the world. In 2020, Anna was a guest curator at Performance Space Sydney’s Live Works Festival. She was also part of the inaugural cohort of GENERATE (2019-20), a joint program of the British Council and Arts Council England that promotes exchange between a select group of US and UK performance curators and producers. 

    Prior to Fusebox, Anna’s work in the arts sector spanned community arts organizations and large-scale museums and theatres in Canada and the U.S. In addition to holding producing and administrative positions at Toronto’s Nightwood Theatre, The Paprika Festival, and Theatre Revolve, Anna was Curator and Managing Editor at Sister Writes, an arts and empowerment program for women affected by poverty, underhousing, trauma, mental health issues, and addictions in the Parkdale and Bloordale neighborhoods. She was also Assistant Curator for the 2017 Live Arts Biennial at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts and Curatorial Fellow for the 2016-17 interdisciplinary exhibition Merce Cunningham: Common Time at the Walker Art Center. Anna has independently curated and produced performances, public art projects, exhibitions, and programming in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and the U.K. Her writing and interviews have appeared in Art PapersC MagazineThe Walker ReaderTheater, as well as numerous exhibition catalogues.

  • Benjamin Freedman

    Producer

    Benjamin Freedman is an artist, curator and organizer who’s passionate about facilitating instances of artistic expression and community engagement.  From 2015 – 2021, he was the Artistic Project Manager at the CONTACT Photography Festival, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and fostering the art and profession of photography with an annual Festival in May and year-round programming in the CONTACT Gallery.  He has also participated on steering committees for the annual Toronto Art Book Fair, the SNAP! Live Auction and as an artist advisory committee member for The Patch Project, an award-winning charity that animates Toronto’s public spaces with artwork.

  • Dave Carey (he/him)

    Co-Executive Director

    Dave Carey is a city animator with a background in public affairs, storytelling, and fundraising. As Co-Executive Director, he builds curiosity, trust, and support of The Bentway through a growing family of audiences, champions, and partners, while ensuring that the organization remains on budget and on brand.

    He joined The Bentway team in 2017 as Director of Development. Dave worked for most of his career at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), most recently as Director of Government Relations & Philanthropy. During a formative period of growth for TIFF, his fondest achievements include the Festival’s pedestrianization of King Street, the acquisition of key 35mm film collections, the opening of TIFF Bell Lightbox, and the launch of several filmmaker development initiatives.

    In 2018, Dave joined the Toronto Arts Council’s Cultural Leaders Lab, a leadership development program for arts professionals who have demonstrated the potential to drive change in the sector. He is a yogi, a poet, a cyclist, and an ally. Dave sits on the Board of East End Arts and lives on the East Danforth.

  • Ilana Altman (she/her)

    Co-Executive Director

    Ilana Altman is a cultural planner and designer who has a background in art and architecture. In her role as Co-Executive Director she works with the community to implement innovative and engaging programming, revealing new possibilities for public space and cultivates the best visitor experience possible.

    Prior to joining The Bentway team, Ilana worked for a number of notable design firms including Studio Daniel Libeskind and Diller Scofidio + Renfro in New York and KPMB Architects in Toronto. She has led the curation and design of exhibitions and installations at the SFMOMA, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Additionally, she has worked closely with artists to realize public art installations for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche. In 2014 Ilana founded the Artful City, a Toronto collective that aims to advance public art research, policies, and imaginations.

    Additionally, Ilana founded and served as the Executive Director of the Pavilion Project from 2015-2017.

  • Jaime Meier (she/they)

    HR & Office Coordinator

    Originally from Treaty 6, Jaime is a visitor to the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples in Tkaronto (Toronto). She is an administrator and fibre artist whose work centres the complexity of relationships and community.

    Jaime holds a BA in History & Art History and a Master in Museum Studies. After a brief pursuit in programming and curation, she returned to her true passion, arts administration.

  • Jeremy Forsyth (he/him)

    Producer

    Jeremy is a producer, cultural programmer, and visual artist who specializes in managing logistics for public festivals, arts organizations, and start ups. With over ten years of experience producing events for organizations including TIFF, Luminato, Design Exchange, Paradise Theatre, and the City of Toronto, Jeremy has extensive experience bringing public art projects to life within unconventional spaces. Jeremy is excited to continue his placemaking work at the Bentway, expanding Toronto’s public realm and strengthening residents’ connection to the city they live in.

  • Jessie Farewell

    Manager of Fundraising & Partnerships

    Jessie learned a long time ago that a paycheck, while essential, is not enough to motivate her to do her best work. She knew she needed to work for something greater than herself, something that contributes positively to her community and beyond. Combining this drive with a passion for writing and building relationships, she has become an accomplished grant writer and fundraising professional. She has worked in multiple not-for-profit sectors and held positions with Environmental Defence Canada and the Art Gallery of Ontario.

    As The Bentway’s Manager of Fundraising & Partnerships, she leads our Development team in working with corporate brands, governments, and philanthropic supporters to ensure that we may continue to thrive and provide our community with free, year-round programming. She loves Toronto for its many vintage and thrift stores, dive bars, live music venues, and restaurants. When not heading out on her bike to spend all her money at one of the above, she can usually be found in a blanket fort, rewatching every sci-fi series created or reading melancholy fiction.

  • Josh Harskamp (he/him)

    Design Manager

    Josh is a registered architect in the UK and the EU with experience delivering international cultural projects across a variety of scales. He holds a Diploma from the Architectural Association in London, where he lived and worked for 10 years prior to joining The Bentway.

    Josh’s primary focus as a professional has been the adaptive re-use of existing buildings and infrastructures in heavily regulated environments like city-centres. His passion is to build design-competency in communities in light of the ongoing climate emergency. He is interested in metabolic economies. He is a long-distance runner.

  • Michael Clarke (he/him)

    Facilities Manager

    Michael Clarke joins The Bentway team with more than 12 years experience in landscaping and recreation facility operations. Before pursuing grounds keeping and ice making, Michael attended Ryerson University School of Image Arts and is excited to be reintegrating his passion for the arts with his professional career.

    In addition to operating the Skate Trail in the winter season, Michael enjoys expressing his creativity in the kitchen and exploring the streets of Toronto by bicycle.

    Please be sure to wave hello when you see him on the Zamboni!

  • Renee Castonguay (she/her)

    Programming Associate

    Renee Castonguay is an arts and cultural programmer and artist passionate about community-building through collaboration, creative expression, and inclusive placemaking to foster vibrant public spaces. With a decade of experience producing community-engaged public art, studio art programs, and curatorial projects, her work is rooted in relationality and care, and championing representation and accessibility in the arts. As a Programming Associate, Renee leads community-centered and artist capacity-building initiatives.

    Before joining The Bentway, Renee managed community engagement and program delivery at STEPS Public Art, and previously led programming and the daily operations of Toronto School of Art. Her studio practice combines drawing, printmaking, installation, and performance. She has been a part of international printmaking exchange portfolios, print shops, and artist collectives in the US and Canada. Renee holds an MFA in Studio Arts, Print Media from Concordia University and a BFA in Printmaking with Honors from Maine College of Art.

  • Robert McKaye (he/him)

    Senior Manager, Planning and Design

    Robert McKaye is an interdisciplinary designer, educator and maker with a background in interactive art and architecture. As Senior Manager, Planning and Design at The Bentway, he is responsible for the development and realization of ambitious and innovative public art and expansion strategies. He is interested in harnessing the power of environmental and human capital to create unique and accessible experiences.

    Robert comes to The Bentway after several years in the emerging research and development arm of Canadian architecture firm, KPMB. Working with advanced tools for microclimate analysis and generative design, his projects explored how to infuse data-driven processes with traditional design methodologies. From 2016-2019, he acted as project architect for Canada’s Diversity Gardens at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, a horticultural centre celebrating the diversity of people and plants. In his own time, he has explored the realm of public art through experiments and installations in prototyping and digital fabrication. Robert has exhibited his work at Toronto’s Nuit Rose, Barcelona’s Festival of Lights and EASA Links in Valletta, Malta.

  • Sam Carter-Shamai (he/him)

    Manager, Planning

    Sam Carter-Shamai is an urban planner with a penchant for the unexpected and overlooked opportunities that cities have to offer. As a planner, Sam applies an inquisitive and critical approach, seeking to work with communities through direct engagement and participatory interventions to demonstrate viable solutions for complex urban challenges. Holding a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University in Montreal and a Masters of Planning from Toronto Metropolitan University, Sam draws on a broad skill set informed by a multi-disciplinary background in cultural geography, photography, and collaborative design facilitation.

    With a strong commitment to promoting an inclusive, equitable, and just city through progressive planning and development, Sam has worked and studied in cities across northeast Canada and the United States; Newport News Virginia, Halifax, Montreal, Hamilton, and Toronto. Prior to joining the Bentway team, Sam worked as a development and strategy planner with SvN Architects + Planners, as lead researcher for the Toronto Metropolitan City Building Institute investigating best practices in adaptive re-use, programming, and cultural planning for civic museums, and as Special Assistant to Councillor Joe Cressy. Sam currently serves as chair of the Neighbourhood Land Trust’s board of directors, working with residents to support a growing portfolio of community-owned housing and grassroots economic development efforts.

  • Stephan Lamoureux (he/him)

    Facilities Supervisor

    Coming to the Bentway team from a background in landscaping and ice operations, and with a wealth of experience in customer service roles, Stephan likes the fact that no workday is ever the same in our park. He enjoys achieving ambitious tasks together with the small but mighty facilities team, as well as getting to meet our visitors face to face.

    As the Junior Facilities Supervisor, Stephan is in charge of keeping the Bentway in tip top shape throughout the year. His love of the outdoors as well as years of playing hockey prepared him well for spending time on the ice operating the Zamboni during the Bentway skating season.

    When not at work, Stephan enjoys playing sports, as well as music and books – and he’s always enthusiastic about hearing a good joke.

  • Stephanie Dudek (she/her)

    Production Manager

    Steph moved to Toronto over 10 years ago, and has since devoted herself to creating spaces and events that foster connections between people and place. An event producer with a passion for community-building and a B.A. in Arts Management from the University of Toronto, Steph has lent her skills in logistics and operations to community events large and small, and has worked both locally and nationally on projects that encourage participation in the arts, inclusion, and place-building.

    Having worked for public and not-for-profit organizations such as The City of Toronto, the Design Exchange, and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Steph loves to facilitate everyday exploration. From city-wide initiatives such as Doors Open Toronto and Nuit Blanche, to community-led citizenship ceremonies from coast-to-coast, Steph strives to create shared experiences build relationships and bind us together.

  • Tessa Chan (she/her)

    Controller (on parental leave)

    Tessa Chan is an experienced arts administrator with a passion for building relationships within the community. In her role as Controller, she works to ensure programs and outdoor events at The Bentway are produced in the most cost-efficient manner without sacrificing artistic integrity.

    Tessa began her career at CIBC Mellon, where she successfully lead the Paperless Initiative. The efforts of her and her team ultimately lead to a reduction of $1.2m in printing costs. She was also the Director of Finance at Calgary Opera where she was at the helm of the capital campaign as plans were underway for a new office. Tessa went on and ventured to the artistic side where she made her on stage debut as a supernumerary in Calgary Opera’s performance of Norma.

    An avid hiker, Tessa enjoys the Rocky Mountains and camping at Algonquin Park. Her most memorable adventures include Bright Angel Trail, Zion Narrows, and The Lemosho Route.

  • Select from the left or right columns to learn more about the Bentway staff.
  • Alex Rand (he/him)

    Manager, Programming

    Alex Rand is a curator and creative producer, with a background in the performing arts and creating artistic experiences in non-traditional spaces. In his role as Manager of Programming, he works with artists to support their visions and steward projects from original conception through to final presentation. A community builder at heart, his work is guided by creativity, radical joy, and moments of magic.

    From 2017 – 2022, Alex was the Producer, Artistic Programs at Luminato Festival Toronto, where he curated and produced a variety of multidisciplinary projects across the city, working with international and local artists, community organizers, and thought leaders. In 2017, he was an Artistic Director of An Honest Farewell, the multidisciplinary festival, party, and community platform celebrating the legacy of Honest Ed’s, produced by the Centre for Social Innovation. From 2010 – 2016, Alex was based in London, UK, where he had the opportunity to work as both as an artist and arts manager with organizations such as the Barbican Centre, National Theatre, VAULT Festival, and Ovalhouse, among others. In his spare time, Alex co-leads the Toronto chapter of Sandbox, an international community of creative leaders working across the arts, technology, and social innovation sectors.

  • Alice Moores-Rodgerson (she/her)

    Fundraising & Partnerships Coordinator

    Alice Moores-Rodgerson (she/her) loves the writing, reporting, researching, and relationship-building that comes with her day-to-day as Fundraising & Partnerships Coordinator. Her interest in the development sector is informed by her Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Sociology from McGill University and her previous work at the Toronto-based non-profit, Good Foot Delivery. She is excited to continue supporting efforts to ensure The Bentway can keep providing engaging, accessible programming. In her free time, Alice loves to cook/bake, run, and endlessly watch rom-coms.

  • Anna Gallagher-Ross (she/her)

    Senior Manager, Programming

    Anna Gallagher-Ross (she/her) is a curator and writer working across performance, dance, and visual arts, with an emphasis on site-specific and socially-engaged practices. As a curator, Anna seeks to be an advocate for artists, providing resources and supportive platforms that enable them to create their most adventurous work, as well as forging inclusive and accessible encounters between art and audiences. Anna believes in the unique possibilities that can emerge from the live experience. She sees curating as an act of community building.

    From 2017-2021, Anna was Co-Artistic Director & Curator of Fusebox Festival, the acclaimed international performance festival, which features interdisciplinary artists from Austin, the U.S., and around the world. In 2020, Anna was a guest curator at Performance Space Sydney’s Live Works Festival. She was also part of the inaugural cohort of GENERATE (2019-20), a joint program of the British Council and Arts Council England that promotes exchange between a select group of US and UK performance curators and producers. 

    Prior to Fusebox, Anna’s work in the arts sector spanned community arts organizations and large-scale museums and theatres in Canada and the U.S. In addition to holding producing and administrative positions at Toronto’s Nightwood Theatre, The Paprika Festival, and Theatre Revolve, Anna was Curator and Managing Editor at Sister Writes, an arts and empowerment program for women affected by poverty, underhousing, trauma, mental health issues, and addictions in the Parkdale and Bloordale neighborhoods. She was also Assistant Curator for the 2017 Live Arts Biennial at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts and Curatorial Fellow for the 2016-17 interdisciplinary exhibition Merce Cunningham: Common Time at the Walker Art Center. Anna has independently curated and produced performances, public art projects, exhibitions, and programming in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and the U.K. Her writing and interviews have appeared in Art PapersC MagazineThe Walker ReaderTheater, as well as numerous exhibition catalogues.

  • Benjamin Freedman

    Producer

    Benjamin Freedman is an artist, curator and organizer who’s passionate about facilitating instances of artistic expression and community engagement.  From 2015 – 2021, he was the Artistic Project Manager at the CONTACT Photography Festival, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and fostering the art and profession of photography with an annual Festival in May and year-round programming in the CONTACT Gallery.  He has also participated on steering committees for the annual Toronto Art Book Fair, the SNAP! Live Auction and as an artist advisory committee member for The Patch Project, an award-winning charity that animates Toronto’s public spaces with artwork.

  • Dave Carey (he/him)

    Co-Executive Director

    Dave Carey is a city animator with a background in public affairs, storytelling, and fundraising. As Co-Executive Director, he builds curiosity, trust, and support of The Bentway through a growing family of audiences, champions, and partners, while ensuring that the organization remains on budget and on brand.

    He joined The Bentway team in 2017 as Director of Development. Dave worked for most of his career at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), most recently as Director of Government Relations & Philanthropy. During a formative period of growth for TIFF, his fondest achievements include the Festival’s pedestrianization of King Street, the acquisition of key 35mm film collections, the opening of TIFF Bell Lightbox, and the launch of several filmmaker development initiatives.

    In 2018, Dave joined the Toronto Arts Council’s Cultural Leaders Lab, a leadership development program for arts professionals who have demonstrated the potential to drive change in the sector. He is a yogi, a poet, a cyclist, and an ally. Dave sits on the Board of East End Arts and lives on the East Danforth.

  • Ilana Altman (she/her)

    Co-Executive Director

    Ilana Altman is a cultural planner and designer who has a background in art and architecture. In her role as Co-Executive Director she works with the community to implement innovative and engaging programming, revealing new possibilities for public space and cultivates the best visitor experience possible.

    Prior to joining The Bentway team, Ilana worked for a number of notable design firms including Studio Daniel Libeskind and Diller Scofidio + Renfro in New York and KPMB Architects in Toronto. She has led the curation and design of exhibitions and installations at the SFMOMA, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Additionally, she has worked closely with artists to realize public art installations for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche. In 2014 Ilana founded the Artful City, a Toronto collective that aims to advance public art research, policies, and imaginations.

    Additionally, Ilana founded and served as the Executive Director of the Pavilion Project from 2015-2017.

  • Jaime Meier (she/they)

    HR & Office Coordinator

    Originally from Treaty 6, Jaime is a visitor to the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples in Tkaronto (Toronto). She is an administrator and fibre artist whose work centres the complexity of relationships and community.

    Jaime holds a BA in History & Art History and a Master in Museum Studies. After a brief pursuit in programming and curation, she returned to her true passion, arts administration.

  • Jeremy Forsyth (he/him)

    Producer

    Jeremy is a producer, cultural programmer, and visual artist who specializes in managing logistics for public festivals, arts organizations, and start ups. With over ten years of experience producing events for organizations including TIFF, Luminato, Design Exchange, Paradise Theatre, and the City of Toronto, Jeremy has extensive experience bringing public art projects to life within unconventional spaces. Jeremy is excited to continue his placemaking work at the Bentway, expanding Toronto’s public realm and strengthening residents’ connection to the city they live in.

  • Jessie Farewell

    Manager of Fundraising & Partnerships

    Jessie learned a long time ago that a paycheck, while essential, is not enough to motivate her to do her best work. She knew she needed to work for something greater than herself, something that contributes positively to her community and beyond. Combining this drive with a passion for writing and building relationships, she has become an accomplished grant writer and fundraising professional. She has worked in multiple not-for-profit sectors and held positions with Environmental Defence Canada and the Art Gallery of Ontario.

    As The Bentway’s Manager of Fundraising & Partnerships, she leads our Development team in working with corporate brands, governments, and philanthropic supporters to ensure that we may continue to thrive and provide our community with free, year-round programming. She loves Toronto for its many vintage and thrift stores, dive bars, live music venues, and restaurants. When not heading out on her bike to spend all her money at one of the above, she can usually be found in a blanket fort, rewatching every sci-fi series created or reading melancholy fiction.

  • Josh Harskamp (he/him)

    Design Manager

    Josh is a registered architect in the UK and the EU with experience delivering international cultural projects across a variety of scales. He holds a Diploma from the Architectural Association in London, where he lived and worked for 10 years prior to joining The Bentway.

    Josh’s primary focus as a professional has been the adaptive re-use of existing buildings and infrastructures in heavily regulated environments like city-centres. His passion is to build design-competency in communities in light of the ongoing climate emergency. He is interested in metabolic economies. He is a long-distance runner.

  • Michael Clarke (he/him)

    Facilities Manager

    Michael Clarke joins The Bentway team with more than 12 years experience in landscaping and recreation facility operations. Before pursuing grounds keeping and ice making, Michael attended Ryerson University School of Image Arts and is excited to be reintegrating his passion for the arts with his professional career.

    In addition to operating the Skate Trail in the winter season, Michael enjoys expressing his creativity in the kitchen and exploring the streets of Toronto by bicycle.

    Please be sure to wave hello when you see him on the Zamboni!

  • Renee Castonguay (she/her)

    Programming Associate

    Renee Castonguay is an arts and cultural programmer and artist passionate about community-building through collaboration, creative expression, and inclusive placemaking to foster vibrant public spaces. With a decade of experience producing community-engaged public art, studio art programs, and curatorial projects, her work is rooted in relationality and care, and championing representation and accessibility in the arts. As a Programming Associate, Renee leads community-centered and artist capacity-building initiatives.

    Before joining The Bentway, Renee managed community engagement and program delivery at STEPS Public Art, and previously led programming and the daily operations of Toronto School of Art. Her studio practice combines drawing, printmaking, installation, and performance. She has been a part of international printmaking exchange portfolios, print shops, and artist collectives in the US and Canada. Renee holds an MFA in Studio Arts, Print Media from Concordia University and a BFA in Printmaking with Honors from Maine College of Art.

  • Robert McKaye (he/him)

    Senior Manager, Planning and Design

    Robert McKaye is an interdisciplinary designer, educator and maker with a background in interactive art and architecture. As Senior Manager, Planning and Design at The Bentway, he is responsible for the development and realization of ambitious and innovative public art and expansion strategies. He is interested in harnessing the power of environmental and human capital to create unique and accessible experiences.

    Robert comes to The Bentway after several years in the emerging research and development arm of Canadian architecture firm, KPMB. Working with advanced tools for microclimate analysis and generative design, his projects explored how to infuse data-driven processes with traditional design methodologies. From 2016-2019, he acted as project architect for Canada’s Diversity Gardens at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, a horticultural centre celebrating the diversity of people and plants. In his own time, he has explored the realm of public art through experiments and installations in prototyping and digital fabrication. Robert has exhibited his work at Toronto’s Nuit Rose, Barcelona’s Festival of Lights and EASA Links in Valletta, Malta.

  • Sam Carter-Shamai (he/him)

    Manager, Planning

    Sam Carter-Shamai is an urban planner with a penchant for the unexpected and overlooked opportunities that cities have to offer. As a planner, Sam applies an inquisitive and critical approach, seeking to work with communities through direct engagement and participatory interventions to demonstrate viable solutions for complex urban challenges. Holding a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University in Montreal and a Masters of Planning from Toronto Metropolitan University, Sam draws on a broad skill set informed by a multi-disciplinary background in cultural geography, photography, and collaborative design facilitation.

    With a strong commitment to promoting an inclusive, equitable, and just city through progressive planning and development, Sam has worked and studied in cities across northeast Canada and the United States; Newport News Virginia, Halifax, Montreal, Hamilton, and Toronto. Prior to joining the Bentway team, Sam worked as a development and strategy planner with SvN Architects + Planners, as lead researcher for the Toronto Metropolitan City Building Institute investigating best practices in adaptive re-use, programming, and cultural planning for civic museums, and as Special Assistant to Councillor Joe Cressy. Sam currently serves as chair of the Neighbourhood Land Trust’s board of directors, working with residents to support a growing portfolio of community-owned housing and grassroots economic development efforts.

  • Stephan Lamoureux (he/him)

    Facilities Supervisor

    Coming to the Bentway team from a background in landscaping and ice operations, and with a wealth of experience in customer service roles, Stephan likes the fact that no workday is ever the same in our park. He enjoys achieving ambitious tasks together with the small but mighty facilities team, as well as getting to meet our visitors face to face.

    As the Junior Facilities Supervisor, Stephan is in charge of keeping the Bentway in tip top shape throughout the year. His love of the outdoors as well as years of playing hockey prepared him well for spending time on the ice operating the Zamboni during the Bentway skating season.

    When not at work, Stephan enjoys playing sports, as well as music and books – and he’s always enthusiastic about hearing a good joke.

  • Stephanie Dudek (she/her)

    Production Manager

    Steph moved to Toronto over 10 years ago, and has since devoted herself to creating spaces and events that foster connections between people and place. An event producer with a passion for community-building and a B.A. in Arts Management from the University of Toronto, Steph has lent her skills in logistics and operations to community events large and small, and has worked both locally and nationally on projects that encourage participation in the arts, inclusion, and place-building.

    Having worked for public and not-for-profit organizations such as The City of Toronto, the Design Exchange, and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Steph loves to facilitate everyday exploration. From city-wide initiatives such as Doors Open Toronto and Nuit Blanche, to community-led citizenship ceremonies from coast-to-coast, Steph strives to create shared experiences build relationships and bind us together.

  • Tessa Chan (she/her)

    Controller (on parental leave)

    Tessa Chan is an experienced arts administrator with a passion for building relationships within the community. In her role as Controller, she works to ensure programs and outdoor events at The Bentway are produced in the most cost-efficient manner without sacrificing artistic integrity.

    Tessa began her career at CIBC Mellon, where she successfully lead the Paperless Initiative. The efforts of her and her team ultimately lead to a reduction of $1.2m in printing costs. She was also the Director of Finance at Calgary Opera where she was at the helm of the capital campaign as plans were underway for a new office. Tessa went on and ventured to the artistic side where she made her on stage debut as a supernumerary in Calgary Opera’s performance of Norma.

    An avid hiker, Tessa enjoys the Rocky Mountains and camping at Algonquin Park. Her most memorable adventures include Bright Angel Trail, Zion Narrows, and The Lemosho Route.

board of directors

  • Ann Bowman

    Vice Chairman, Enterprise Strategic Client Group, RBC

    As Vice Chairman, Enterprise Strategic Client Group of Royal Bank of Canada, Ann Bowman is responsible for supporting Ultra High-Net-Worth families and their enterprises.

    Prior to joining the Enterprise Strategic Client Group Ann was the Head of RBC Private Banking Canada, through more than 30 offices across Canada. Ann began her career with RBC in Toronto. She was appointed Vice President of Business Banking for the Greater Toronto Region in 1998, and in 2000, became Vice President of Strategy for Canadian Banking. During her career, she has held numerous senior leadership roles including leading technology transformation and channel strategy.

    Ann is bilingual and holds a Baccalauréat en sciences économiques from the Université Laval, an MBA from Queen’s University and has completed all three levels of the CFA program (AIMR). She is the past-chair of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and has also served on the Boards of the Women’s College Hospital Foundation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Peggy Baker Dance Projects.

  • Barbara Macdonald

    Founder, Barbara Macdonald Interior Design

    Barbara started her career in the advertising and marketing industry. After 10 years in this corporate sector, she founded Barbara Macdonald Interior Design which she ran for twenty years designing interiors for corporate and residential clients around the globe. Alongside her professional interests, Barbara is also a keen volunteer and supporter of the arts. She sat on the board of Soulpepper and co-chaired the capital campaign to build the Young Theatre.

    She continues her long standing involvement with Partners in Art where she was Co-Chair, sat on the Board and chaired several committees. Barbara is also actively involved with The Art Gallery of Ontario where she works on special projects and acquisition committees. Her keen interest in the visual arts prompted her to obtain a Masters in Contemporary Art, MA, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, NY. Her studies sparked a deep and passionate interest in Public Art. Most recently, she joined The Bentway Arts Advisory. Barbara is committed to pursuing endeavours that explore and expand Toronto’s public art practices.

  • Daniel Shearer

    Board Chair, President, Cossette

    Daniel believes that creativity will make the world a better place.

    With over 20 years of business experience, Daniel has an impressive track record of taking a people-first approach to building and running diverse, integrated teams at leading agencies, and creating bold breakthrough solutions for blue-chip global brands, such as Google, Walmart, McDonald’s, Kraft, TD, TELUS, and many more.

    Daniel leverages his obsession with what makes people tick in everything he does—ever-curious, endlessly energetic, and entirely bullshit-free.

    As part of the core team that developed the SickKids VS campaign, Daniel played an integral role in SickKids achieving their fundraising goal of $1.3 billion (recently increasing to $1.5 billion). The SickKids VS brand platform was created to anchor what has been the largest fundraising initiative in Canadian healthcare history.

    Daniel is sought out for his thought leadership and speaks regularly on creativity, consumer culture and fundraising at global conferences and gatherings, such as TEDx, The American Marketing Association, Ipsos, C2 Montreal, The Globe and Mail, Save The Children Global, and others.

  • Drew Sinclair

    Partner, SVN Architects + Planners

    Drew Sinclair is the Founding Principal of SvN Architects + Planners, a dynamic cultural practice dedicated to resolving critical urban planning and design issues. A graduate from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, he continues to teach design studios, lecture and mentor students.

    His foundational education in international development studies underscores his dedication to resolving social and environmental challenges. This commitment is reinforced by early research into alternative planning models initially supported by a Canada Council for the Arts’ Prix de Rome in Architecture for Emerging Practitioners.
    Besides serving as an advisor to urban-design-related initiatives, Drew continues to volunteer on various boards. Recent involvement includes the City of Vaughan Design Review Panel, where he was its inaugural member. Drew continues to serve as a Director for the Centre for Urban Growth + Renewal. His board involvement with Canadian Stage, includes chairing its City Builders program, a philanthropic initiative leading the development and curation of creative opportunities.

  • Gabe Gonda

    Managing Director, Corporate Development, The Globe and Mail

    Gabe has a proven record as a leader in Canada’s top newsrooms, with almost two decades of experience in daily journalism. He spent a dozen years at the Toronto Star, where he covered city politics and ran the Insight section.

    In 2010, he joined The Globe and Mail where he has held a variety of management roles, such as Focus Editor, Arts Editor, Weekend Editor and most recently Head of Opinion, Features and Sports. In these roles, he helped conceive and lead a variety of editorial and commercial collaborations, including work with CAMH that influenced government policy on mental health and an innovative marketing partnership with a leading Canadian financial services firm.

    A strong supporter of the Canadian cultural sector, Gabe co-chairs the board of the Canadian Art Foundation, which publishes the award-winning Canadian Art magazine. In that volunteer role, he has helped guide the foundation to financial stability and facilitated the renewal of its senior leadership team, as well as its board and strategy.

  • Jane Pepino

    Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP

    Jane Pepino is a Partner of Aird & Berlis LLP and founder of the firm’s Municipal and Land Use Planning group. In her long career, Jane carries 50 years worth of experience in public policy, government relations, municipal and land use planning (1982 to present), and is one of Canada’s leading lawyers in property development and real estate. Her practice includes providing advice on all things planning, zoning, and land development throughout Ontario, as well as on a range of municipal and provincial licensing and other regulatory matters to maximize value and utility of land. Jane’s clients range from provincial, regional, and local governments or agencies, to large development corporations, small landowners, and citizen/special interest groups. Her line of work includes appearing before local planning committees and councils, conservation authorities, the Ontario Land Tribunal, and the courts. Aside from her work, Jane has been actively involved in volunteering with or leading various organizations and advocating for equity, diversity, community safety, and women’s health.
  • Judy Matthews (Emeritus)

    Judy and Wilmot Matthews Foundation

    Judy and Wil Matthews have a history of leadership and philanthropic giving to a wide variety of the City of Toronto’s programs, arts and cultural organizations, and city-building initiatives. Passionate Torontonians, they are deeply committed to enriching the City and the lives of its citizens.

    Judy Matthews holds a long-standing interest in urban renewal projects that emphasize creativity, beauty and greener more inviting spaces. She first became interested in civic initiatives in her early twenties while working on the anti-Spadina Expressway campaign. After her four children were settled in school, she completed an M.A. in Urban Planning from York University and began honing her professional expertise in the Planning Departments at Metro Toronto, the City of Toronto and the University of Toronto. Judy has directed her energy to realizing an impressive array of projects that improve Toronto’s livability and creativity including the award-winning St. George Street revitalization and the development of the $30-million Open Space Master Plan for the University of Toronto, as well as the creation of the Music Garden at Harbourfront. A seasoned expert in creative public and private partnership solutions and an invaluable resource, Judy strongly believes in the role not-for profit organizations organizations play in civic life. A few of the organizations that have benefitted from her guidance include Creative Trust, The National Arts Centre, Toronto Community Foundation, The United Way and more recently, Artscape, the Canadian Opera Company, Evergreen, and Park People.

    Judy has received many honours for her work including being nominated one of Toronto Life’s 50 most influential people of the year in 2016; a 2016 Canadian Urban Institute Award; and a 2014 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

  • Ken Greenberg (Emeritus)

    Principal, Greenberg Consultants

    Ken Greenberg is an urban designer, teacher, writer, former Director of Urban Design and Architecture for the City of Toronto and Principal of Greenberg Consultants. For over four decades he has played a pivotal role on public and private assignments in urban settings throughout North America and Europe.

    His work focuses on the rejuvenation of downtowns, waterfronts, neighborhoods and on campus master planning, regional growth management, and new community planning. Ken is involved in many grass roots and community initiatives in addition to The Bentway, and has served as a Board Member of Park People, a non-profit dedicated to the improvement of Toronto’s parks, is on the Advisory Board of Waterfront for All, and is President of the Wellington Place Neighbourhood Association. He is a co-founder and Vice Chair of the new City Building Institute at Ryerson University in Toronto. A frequent writer for periodicals, he is the author of Walking Home: the Life and Lessons of a City Builder published by Random House. He is currently serving as an advisor to Sidewalk Labs for Quayside on the Toronto waterfront.

  • Krystal Koo

    Krystal is the Head of Sales & Marketing at Dream Unlimited and is very active in enhancing the communities in which she works. She sits on the board of the Woodgreen Foundation, one of the largest social service agencies in Toronto, servicing over 37,000 people per year. Together they help people find safe, a.ordable housing. She also currently sits on the Mayor’s External Advisory Committee for Toronto’s Year of Public Art called ArtworxTO, which is to kick o. the City’s new 10-year Public Art Strategy.

    ArtworxTO will provide new opportunities for Toronto and international artists to play a leading role in developing public art projects within the city while working closely with key art institutions to deliver major public art commissions. She also sat on the board of Design Exchange where she worked with the board to change the organization’s mandate to become EDIT, an Expo for Design, Innovation & Technology that partnered with the United Nations for its inaugural event in 2017. The focus was to bring disciplines together to solve the planet’s grand challenges and forge new paths to make the world a better place. She was the honorary chair of the YMCA Strong Start Campaign, their $250-million capital campaign dedicated to building 10 new YMCA centres over the next 10 years. She also sits on the board of The Shoebox Project, a not-for-profit that provides gifts to homeless and at-risk women across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Krystal is actively involved in the arts, design, and cultural community and participates and chairs many charities and committees.

  • Mark Keil

    Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Burgundy Asset Management

    Mark Keil is Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at Burgundy Asset Management, a global investment manager for private clients, foundations, endowments, pensions, and family offices. Mark is responsible for overseeing the financial activities of the organization while supporting the long-term strategic priorities of Burgundy. Mark began his career as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Toronto. Having lived in the area for many years, Mark sees and experiences firsthand how the creative projects and unique designs of the Bentway have had a positive impact shaping the neighbourhood. Mark previously sat on the Board of Youth Without Shelter, a youth shelter in Etobicoke for those facing homelessness in the GTA. Outside of work Mark enjoys playing softball, working out, and cheering on the Blue Jays!

  • Mary Rowe

    President and CEO, Canadian Urban Institute

    Mary is an impassioned civic leader with diverse experience in the business, government, not-for-profit and philanthropy sectors in Canada and the US. Over 30 years, Mary has been a steady advocate and champion for place-based approaches to building livable and resilient cities, and community-driven local economies.

    She has led campaigns, organizations, initiatives, and companies spanning a few months to several years. Mary was deeply engaged in the self-organizing initiatives that emerged in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, providing support to two dozen initiatives that focused on various forms of resilience. She also supported, in her role at MAS NYC, community engagement efforts during the recovery from Superstorm Sandy, and Rebuild By Design. Subsequently, Mary has led local, national and international urban initiatives from Toronto and New York City, including the initial development of Re-Imagining the Civic Commons, an initiative to strengthen elements of the urban fabric that create social cohesion and community resilience, including libraries, community centres, parks and other ‘third places’.

    Following her return to live in Toronto, Mary’s current roles include empowering Canada’s largest cities to be economically vibrant, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable as a Senior Fellow with Evergreen (http://www.evergreen.ca) and Future Cities Canada (www.futurecitiescanada.ca), and as Lead Faciltator for the National Urban Project (http://www.theurbanproject.ca). She is also Senior Fellow with Shorefast (http://www.shorefast.org) a charity and social enterprise focused on building place-based economic development strategies that strengthen local communities and foster resilience.

  • Munira Ravji

    Realtor and Owner, OLEA Real Estate Group

    Munira Ravji is an Award-Winning Realtor and GTA Neighbourhood Expert at Olea Real Estate Group, with a proven track record of bringing together Toronto residents to build and strengthen local communities.

    Munira Ravji is founder of the Harbourview Estates Residents Group located in the CityPlace community on Toronto’s waterfront. A local resident and neighbour to the Bentway, Munira has her pulse on new developments, demographic shifts and critical issues facing this vertical neighbourhood.

    As a realtor focused on downtown living, Munira is passionate about public safety, as well as providing local residents with access to activities that improve health and lifestyle, along with opportunities to learn and grow through innovative and interactive displays of arts and culture, all just outside their condo doors.

    Munira is a life-long volunteer and has spent her entire career advocating on behalf of new immigrants, vulnerable communities, and individuals facing barriers to employment and day-to-day resources. She has served the residents of Ontario through her work at Premier Kathleen Wynne’s constituency office, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, as well as on behalf of the Ontario Realtor Party – lobbying the provincial government as a member of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) help Ontarians realize their dreams of homeownership.

  • Raja Khanna

    Executive Chair and Co-Founder, Dark Slope

    Raja Khanna is Co-Founder and General Partner at FortyTwo Communities, a purpose-driven real estate company supporting community development through art, culture, affordability, and sustainability.  A Toronto-native with a successful 25-year track record as a technology and media entrepreneur, Raja is also Co-Founder of Dark Slope and Lumeto, companies developing entertainment content and educational simulation software using immersive technologies.

  • Wil Matthews

    Judy and Wilmot Matthews Foundation

    Judy and Wil Matthews have a history of leadership and philanthropic giving to a wide variety of the City of Toronto’s education and medical programs, arts and cultural organizations and city-building initiatives. Passionate Torontonians, they are deeply committed to enriching the City and the lives of its citizens.

    Wil Matthews worked as an investment banker, serving in various positions with Nesbitt Burns Inc. and its predecessor companies from 1964 until his retirement in 1996. As a prominent business leader, he has served as a director on a wide variety of corporate boards, as well as on the boards of many community and social organizations, including Renaissance Energy, Husky Energy, WestJet Airlines, SQI Diagnostics, and is presently on an advisory committee to Imperial Capital. In addition, Wil has dedicated his expertise to the boards of many community and social organizations including Dellcrest Children’s Centre, the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Trinity College, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and The Toronto Symphony Foundation.

  • Select from the left or right columns to learn more about the Bentway Board of Directors.
  • Ann Bowman

    Vice Chairman, Enterprise Strategic Client Group, RBC

    As Vice Chairman, Enterprise Strategic Client Group of Royal Bank of Canada, Ann Bowman is responsible for supporting Ultra High-Net-Worth families and their enterprises.

    Prior to joining the Enterprise Strategic Client Group Ann was the Head of RBC Private Banking Canada, through more than 30 offices across Canada. Ann began her career with RBC in Toronto. She was appointed Vice President of Business Banking for the Greater Toronto Region in 1998, and in 2000, became Vice President of Strategy for Canadian Banking. During her career, she has held numerous senior leadership roles including leading technology transformation and channel strategy.

    Ann is bilingual and holds a Baccalauréat en sciences économiques from the Université Laval, an MBA from Queen’s University and has completed all three levels of the CFA program (AIMR). She is the past-chair of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and has also served on the Boards of the Women’s College Hospital Foundation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Peggy Baker Dance Projects.

  • Barbara Macdonald

    Founder, Barbara Macdonald Interior Design

    Barbara started her career in the advertising and marketing industry. After 10 years in this corporate sector, she founded Barbara Macdonald Interior Design which she ran for twenty years designing interiors for corporate and residential clients around the globe. Alongside her professional interests, Barbara is also a keen volunteer and supporter of the arts. She sat on the board of Soulpepper and co-chaired the capital campaign to build the Young Theatre.

    She continues her long standing involvement with Partners in Art where she was Co-Chair, sat on the Board and chaired several committees. Barbara is also actively involved with The Art Gallery of Ontario where she works on special projects and acquisition committees. Her keen interest in the visual arts prompted her to obtain a Masters in Contemporary Art, MA, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, NY. Her studies sparked a deep and passionate interest in Public Art. Most recently, she joined The Bentway Arts Advisory. Barbara is committed to pursuing endeavours that explore and expand Toronto’s public art practices.

  • Daniel Shearer

    Board Chair, President, Cossette

    Daniel believes that creativity will make the world a better place.

    With over 20 years of business experience, Daniel has an impressive track record of taking a people-first approach to building and running diverse, integrated teams at leading agencies, and creating bold breakthrough solutions for blue-chip global brands, such as Google, Walmart, McDonald’s, Kraft, TD, TELUS, and many more.

    Daniel leverages his obsession with what makes people tick in everything he does—ever-curious, endlessly energetic, and entirely bullshit-free.

    As part of the core team that developed the SickKids VS campaign, Daniel played an integral role in SickKids achieving their fundraising goal of $1.3 billion (recently increasing to $1.5 billion). The SickKids VS brand platform was created to anchor what has been the largest fundraising initiative in Canadian healthcare history.

    Daniel is sought out for his thought leadership and speaks regularly on creativity, consumer culture and fundraising at global conferences and gatherings, such as TEDx, The American Marketing Association, Ipsos, C2 Montreal, The Globe and Mail, Save The Children Global, and others.

  • Drew Sinclair

    Partner, SVN Architects + Planners

    Drew Sinclair is the Founding Principal of SvN Architects + Planners, a dynamic cultural practice dedicated to resolving critical urban planning and design issues. A graduate from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, he continues to teach design studios, lecture and mentor students.

    His foundational education in international development studies underscores his dedication to resolving social and environmental challenges. This commitment is reinforced by early research into alternative planning models initially supported by a Canada Council for the Arts’ Prix de Rome in Architecture for Emerging Practitioners.
    Besides serving as an advisor to urban-design-related initiatives, Drew continues to volunteer on various boards. Recent involvement includes the City of Vaughan Design Review Panel, where he was its inaugural member. Drew continues to serve as a Director for the Centre for Urban Growth + Renewal. His board involvement with Canadian Stage, includes chairing its City Builders program, a philanthropic initiative leading the development and curation of creative opportunities.

  • Gabe Gonda

    Managing Director, Corporate Development, The Globe and Mail

    Gabe has a proven record as a leader in Canada’s top newsrooms, with almost two decades of experience in daily journalism. He spent a dozen years at the Toronto Star, where he covered city politics and ran the Insight section.

    In 2010, he joined The Globe and Mail where he has held a variety of management roles, such as Focus Editor, Arts Editor, Weekend Editor and most recently Head of Opinion, Features and Sports. In these roles, he helped conceive and lead a variety of editorial and commercial collaborations, including work with CAMH that influenced government policy on mental health and an innovative marketing partnership with a leading Canadian financial services firm.

    A strong supporter of the Canadian cultural sector, Gabe co-chairs the board of the Canadian Art Foundation, which publishes the award-winning Canadian Art magazine. In that volunteer role, he has helped guide the foundation to financial stability and facilitated the renewal of its senior leadership team, as well as its board and strategy.

  • Jane Pepino

    Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP

    Jane Pepino is a Partner of Aird & Berlis LLP and founder of the firm’s Municipal and Land Use Planning group. In her long career, Jane carries 50 years worth of experience in public policy, government relations, municipal and land use planning (1982 to present), and is one of Canada’s leading lawyers in property development and real estate. Her practice includes providing advice on all things planning, zoning, and land development throughout Ontario, as well as on a range of municipal and provincial licensing and other regulatory matters to maximize value and utility of land. Jane’s clients range from provincial, regional, and local governments or agencies, to large development corporations, small landowners, and citizen/special interest groups. Her line of work includes appearing before local planning committees and councils, conservation authorities, the Ontario Land Tribunal, and the courts. Aside from her work, Jane has been actively involved in volunteering with or leading various organizations and advocating for equity, diversity, community safety, and women’s health.
  • Judy Matthews (Emeritus)

    Judy and Wilmot Matthews Foundation

    Judy and Wil Matthews have a history of leadership and philanthropic giving to a wide variety of the City of Toronto’s programs, arts and cultural organizations, and city-building initiatives. Passionate Torontonians, they are deeply committed to enriching the City and the lives of its citizens.

    Judy Matthews holds a long-standing interest in urban renewal projects that emphasize creativity, beauty and greener more inviting spaces. She first became interested in civic initiatives in her early twenties while working on the anti-Spadina Expressway campaign. After her four children were settled in school, she completed an M.A. in Urban Planning from York University and began honing her professional expertise in the Planning Departments at Metro Toronto, the City of Toronto and the University of Toronto. Judy has directed her energy to realizing an impressive array of projects that improve Toronto’s livability and creativity including the award-winning St. George Street revitalization and the development of the $30-million Open Space Master Plan for the University of Toronto, as well as the creation of the Music Garden at Harbourfront. A seasoned expert in creative public and private partnership solutions and an invaluable resource, Judy strongly believes in the role not-for profit organizations organizations play in civic life. A few of the organizations that have benefitted from her guidance include Creative Trust, The National Arts Centre, Toronto Community Foundation, The United Way and more recently, Artscape, the Canadian Opera Company, Evergreen, and Park People.

    Judy has received many honours for her work including being nominated one of Toronto Life’s 50 most influential people of the year in 2016; a 2016 Canadian Urban Institute Award; and a 2014 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

  • Ken Greenberg (Emeritus)

    Principal, Greenberg Consultants

    Ken Greenberg is an urban designer, teacher, writer, former Director of Urban Design and Architecture for the City of Toronto and Principal of Greenberg Consultants. For over four decades he has played a pivotal role on public and private assignments in urban settings throughout North America and Europe.

    His work focuses on the rejuvenation of downtowns, waterfronts, neighborhoods and on campus master planning, regional growth management, and new community planning. Ken is involved in many grass roots and community initiatives in addition to The Bentway, and has served as a Board Member of Park People, a non-profit dedicated to the improvement of Toronto’s parks, is on the Advisory Board of Waterfront for All, and is President of the Wellington Place Neighbourhood Association. He is a co-founder and Vice Chair of the new City Building Institute at Ryerson University in Toronto. A frequent writer for periodicals, he is the author of Walking Home: the Life and Lessons of a City Builder published by Random House. He is currently serving as an advisor to Sidewalk Labs for Quayside on the Toronto waterfront.

  • Krystal Koo

    Krystal is the Head of Sales & Marketing at Dream Unlimited and is very active in enhancing the communities in which she works. She sits on the board of the Woodgreen Foundation, one of the largest social service agencies in Toronto, servicing over 37,000 people per year. Together they help people find safe, a.ordable housing. She also currently sits on the Mayor’s External Advisory Committee for Toronto’s Year of Public Art called ArtworxTO, which is to kick o. the City’s new 10-year Public Art Strategy.

    ArtworxTO will provide new opportunities for Toronto and international artists to play a leading role in developing public art projects within the city while working closely with key art institutions to deliver major public art commissions. She also sat on the board of Design Exchange where she worked with the board to change the organization’s mandate to become EDIT, an Expo for Design, Innovation & Technology that partnered with the United Nations for its inaugural event in 2017. The focus was to bring disciplines together to solve the planet’s grand challenges and forge new paths to make the world a better place. She was the honorary chair of the YMCA Strong Start Campaign, their $250-million capital campaign dedicated to building 10 new YMCA centres over the next 10 years. She also sits on the board of The Shoebox Project, a not-for-profit that provides gifts to homeless and at-risk women across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Krystal is actively involved in the arts, design, and cultural community and participates and chairs many charities and committees.

  • Mark Keil

    Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Burgundy Asset Management

    Mark Keil is Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at Burgundy Asset Management, a global investment manager for private clients, foundations, endowments, pensions, and family offices. Mark is responsible for overseeing the financial activities of the organization while supporting the long-term strategic priorities of Burgundy. Mark began his career as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Toronto. Having lived in the area for many years, Mark sees and experiences firsthand how the creative projects and unique designs of the Bentway have had a positive impact shaping the neighbourhood. Mark previously sat on the Board of Youth Without Shelter, a youth shelter in Etobicoke for those facing homelessness in the GTA. Outside of work Mark enjoys playing softball, working out, and cheering on the Blue Jays!

  • Mary Rowe

    President and CEO, Canadian Urban Institute

    Mary is an impassioned civic leader with diverse experience in the business, government, not-for-profit and philanthropy sectors in Canada and the US. Over 30 years, Mary has been a steady advocate and champion for place-based approaches to building livable and resilient cities, and community-driven local economies.

    She has led campaigns, organizations, initiatives, and companies spanning a few months to several years. Mary was deeply engaged in the self-organizing initiatives that emerged in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, providing support to two dozen initiatives that focused on various forms of resilience. She also supported, in her role at MAS NYC, community engagement efforts during the recovery from Superstorm Sandy, and Rebuild By Design. Subsequently, Mary has led local, national and international urban initiatives from Toronto and New York City, including the initial development of Re-Imagining the Civic Commons, an initiative to strengthen elements of the urban fabric that create social cohesion and community resilience, including libraries, community centres, parks and other ‘third places’.

    Following her return to live in Toronto, Mary’s current roles include empowering Canada’s largest cities to be economically vibrant, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable as a Senior Fellow with Evergreen (http://www.evergreen.ca) and Future Cities Canada (www.futurecitiescanada.ca), and as Lead Faciltator for the National Urban Project (http://www.theurbanproject.ca). She is also Senior Fellow with Shorefast (http://www.shorefast.org) a charity and social enterprise focused on building place-based economic development strategies that strengthen local communities and foster resilience.

  • Munira Ravji

    Realtor and Owner, OLEA Real Estate Group

    Munira Ravji is an Award-Winning Realtor and GTA Neighbourhood Expert at Olea Real Estate Group, with a proven track record of bringing together Toronto residents to build and strengthen local communities.

    Munira Ravji is founder of the Harbourview Estates Residents Group located in the CityPlace community on Toronto’s waterfront. A local resident and neighbour to the Bentway, Munira has her pulse on new developments, demographic shifts and critical issues facing this vertical neighbourhood.

    As a realtor focused on downtown living, Munira is passionate about public safety, as well as providing local residents with access to activities that improve health and lifestyle, along with opportunities to learn and grow through innovative and interactive displays of arts and culture, all just outside their condo doors.

    Munira is a life-long volunteer and has spent her entire career advocating on behalf of new immigrants, vulnerable communities, and individuals facing barriers to employment and day-to-day resources. She has served the residents of Ontario through her work at Premier Kathleen Wynne’s constituency office, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, as well as on behalf of the Ontario Realtor Party – lobbying the provincial government as a member of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) help Ontarians realize their dreams of homeownership.

  • Raja Khanna

    Executive Chair and Co-Founder, Dark Slope

    Raja Khanna is Co-Founder and General Partner at FortyTwo Communities, a purpose-driven real estate company supporting community development through art, culture, affordability, and sustainability.  A Toronto-native with a successful 25-year track record as a technology and media entrepreneur, Raja is also Co-Founder of Dark Slope and Lumeto, companies developing entertainment content and educational simulation software using immersive technologies.

  • Wil Matthews

    Judy and Wilmot Matthews Foundation

    Judy and Wil Matthews have a history of leadership and philanthropic giving to a wide variety of the City of Toronto’s education and medical programs, arts and cultural organizations and city-building initiatives. Passionate Torontonians, they are deeply committed to enriching the City and the lives of its citizens.

    Wil Matthews worked as an investment banker, serving in various positions with Nesbitt Burns Inc. and its predecessor companies from 1964 until his retirement in 1996. As a prominent business leader, he has served as a director on a wide variety of corporate boards, as well as on the boards of many community and social organizations, including Renaissance Energy, Husky Energy, WestJet Airlines, SQI Diagnostics, and is presently on an advisory committee to Imperial Capital. In addition, Wil has dedicated his expertise to the boards of many community and social organizations including Dellcrest Children’s Centre, the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Trinity College, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and The Toronto Symphony Foundation.

our committees

Arts Advisory Committee

Barbara Macdonald
Judy Matthews
Rui Pimenta
Julia Rose Sutherland
Krystal Koo
Quentin VerCetty
Eleanor Shen

Capital Projects Committee and Neighbourhood Development Committee

Ken Greenberg
Judy Mathews
John Livey
Chet Shah
Barbara Macdonald
Steven Trumper

Drew Sinclair
Jane Pepino

Finance and Audit Committee

Wil Matthews
Mazyar Mortazavi
Mark Keil
Luisa Gale
Tom MacMillan
Preety Patel
Rita Said