Catalyste+ Announces Changes to Board of Directors 2023

TORONTO, September 21, 2023 – At Catalyste+’s Annual General Meeting, new board members David Morley, Isabelle Bérard, John Morris and Shona Nelson were formally approved by the membership and welcomed by the Board of Directors.

Mr. Morley is an experienced executive in the not-for-profit sector and is a passionate and committed leader with a talent for public speaking and media relations. Mr. Morley has extensive international experience in community development and humanitarian projects, including in Republic of Congo, Zambia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Brazil. His work has focused on community mobilization for education, children’s rights and health.

Ms. Bérard’s career in international cooperation has been a long journey, beginning as a summer intern at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), she went on to help chart Canada’s global path for over three decades. Ms. Bérard has worked in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, among other regions. From 2017 to 2019, she served as Assistant Deputy Minister, International Affairs, at Environment and Climate Change Canada. She then returned to Global Affairs Canada (GAC), serving as Assistant Deputy Minister, Sub-Saharan Africa, from 2019 to 2021.

Mr. Morris is a member of the Mohawks of Kahnawà:ke, and brings over 35 years of experience as a senior executive in government and business. He has sat on various boards and carried out various consulting engagements for other First Nations. Mr. Morris has served two terms as an elected Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke, and eight years as Executive Director.

Ms. Nelson is an experienced executive manager who has worked extensively in First Nations and Indigenous organizations, and has been the Band Manager of Doig River First Nation in British Columbia since 2013. Ms. Nelson is a Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (UBC) and a Master of Public Administration (UVIC).

Darren Schemmer will be moving into the role of Past Chair having completed two four-year terms.

At the meeting of the Board of Directors on September 22, 2022, Lou Naumovski was appointed by the board to the position of chair. Mr. Naumovski has served as a board member since 2016 and brings extensive multidisciplinary expertise, including business development, marketing, finance and international development.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Abina Dann, Anne Noonan and Suzanne Laporte, who will be leaving the board. Ms. Dann, Ms. Noonan and Ms. Laporte made immeasurable contributions to the organization with their strategic input and valuable advice.

For the complete list of members of Catalyste+’s Board of Directors, please visit our website.