About Us
National Board of Directors
Roslyn Bern
President, Leacross Foundation, Chelsea, QC
Roslyn Bern is president of the Leacross Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting education and programs for families. She has supported artists in communities to share their knowledge with children, assisted in outdoor education projects as well as reading programs for elementary schools, and worked on programs assisting teens with violence and dating abuse. She has served three years on the Family Selection Committee for Habitat for Humanity in the National Capital Region of Ottawa, and has helped in the builds by donating plumbing products from her family's company, Bow. She has been an educator for 20 years, working primarily with hard-to-serve teens in rural and urban locations.
Roslyn was a volunteer on the CWF Multi-Year Teen Violence Prevention Committee in spring 2006.
Margot Franssen, O.C.
Philanthropist, Toronto, ON
Margot Franssen is one of Canada’s most innovative and passionate communicators, and a leader in campaigning for social justice and ending violence against women. Under Margot’s ownership and guidance from 1980 until 2004, The Body Shop Canada raised more than $1.3 million for violence prevention programs funded by CWF.
The United Nations honoured Margot with a Grand Award for her work addressing violence against women and she was an invited participant in the UN’s Fourth World Conference on women in Beijing, which called on all nations to recognize that “women’s rights are human rights”. She has also received the United Nations Women’s Development award for Outstanding Achievement in the Advancement of Women.
Margot is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a member of Women’s College Hospital’s Board of Directors, and an Honourary Board member of York University. In January 2010, Margot joined the Board of Directors of the Women’s Funding Networks, the global membership association of women’s funds and foundations.
Julie George (Co-Chair)
Philanthropist, Calgary, AB
With over 25 years of volunteer commitment and philanthropy, Julie has generously donated her time to numerous organizations. She is presently on the William Roper Hull Foundation Board, a member of the Alberta Ballet Guild, a Board member of the Canadian Women’s Foundation and is currently developing a Centre of Excellence for Girls in Calgary.
She has acted as Chair for William Roper Hull Child and Family Services, a past volunteer for Kids Help Phone, Western High School, Parent Council President of St. Mildred’s Lightbourn School in Oakville, Ontario, and President of the International School in London (TASIS) Parent Council.
Julie is a graduate from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and a Minor in Dance. She taught physical education in an inner city school in Houston, Texas, supervised and choreographed dance and drill teams, and was an instructor for the water baby Red Cross courses.
In addition to an appreciation of music and dance, Julie enjoys skiing, hiking and biking with her husband Rick and their three children Matthew, Emily and Zachary who is married and eagerly awaiting the arrival of his second child.
Sheherazade Hirji
Hirji + White Consulting, Toronto, ON
Sheherazade has worked in the philanthropic sector for the past 20 years. Her work experiences include the Ontario Trillium Foundation where she held a variety of positions, including Director of Learning and Evaluation, Vice President of Grants and Acting CEO. Most recently, Sheherazade was Executive Director of the Royal Lepage Shelter Foundation. In 2005, Sheherazade turned to consulting full time. Hirji + White Consulting focuses on promoting excellence in philanthropy by working with private and public foundation, agencies and corporations. Her areas of expertise include strategic philanthropy, program development and evaluation.
Sheherazade qualified as a Solicitor in England and Barrister and Solicitor in British Columbia. Her volunteer commitments have included the Great Lakes Management Assistance Project for Non-Profits and the Wellesley Central Health Institute. She is currently on the National Committee of Aga Khan Foundation Canada. Sheherazade served on CWF’s violence prevention committee for several years and joined the Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2008.
Natasha Jackson
Senior Policy Analyst, Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs, Halifax, NS
Natasha has over fifteen years of experience in the areas of affordable housing, community development, communications, policy and program development, adult education and project management.
Currently working as the Senior Policy Analyst with the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs (ANSA), Natasha develops and promotes strategies that deal with issues related to African Nova Scotians and their communities - the history of African Nova Scotians stretches back 400 years. ANSA is a public service entity which builds on community and government successes to facilitate innovative solutions that lead to self-reliance and sustainable development of the community.
Natasha is an active member of numerous community groups and, since 2001, has served on the Board and committees of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network.
Ildiko Marshall
Vice President and Publisher, Today's Parent, Toronto, ON
Ildiko Marshall is Vice President and Publisher at Rogers Media for the Today’s Parent Group of properties consisting of seven publications and two very active websites.
She has been with Rogers for the past 10 years. Before joining The Today’s Parent Group, she was VP and Associate Publisher at Chatelaine and The Women’s Group which included Marketing Solutions. Ildiko has been involved with CWF for the past 5 years. She has been a volunteer with CWF, working on the Shelter from the Storm steering committee and the Girls Fund granting committee. Most recently she was appointed Director.
She brings over 25 years of expertise in marketing, sales, media, retail & merchandising. In the past, Ildiko has worked for several international companies including Revlon, Estee Lauder and Yardley in a senior marketing and sales capacity. She also spent seven years at the Canadian National Sportsman Shows as publisher of Outdoor Canada magazine.
Ildiko is deeply committed to her family, work & the Canadian Women’s Foundation. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with family and friends, travel, ski, read and play tennis.
Mary Mowbray (Co-Chair)
Manager, Retail Group, Colliers International, Toronto, ON
Mary Mowbray is a Vice President with Colliers International, a global commercial real estate brokerage firm. She studied history at the University of Western Ontario and worked as a general manager for a national franchising company prior to starting in commercial real estate in 1989. She has represented both national and international companies such as Louis Vuitton, Telus, Nike, Microsoft, Mosaic Group, and B/Com3. Mary has been a member of the Board of Directors of Toronto CREW (Toronto Commercial Real Estate Women), an organization for senior commercial real estate professionals, since 2002 and served as President Elect in 2004. Through her work on Toronto Crew’s charitable golf classic, Mary has helped raise over $200,000 for the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s economic development initiatives since 1997.
Diane Redsky
Director of Programs, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, Winnipeg, MB
Diane Redsky has long worked to address the myriad of issues facing Winnipeg’s Aboriginal community in all areas of health, justice, education and social services. Since 1993, Diane has served in both a professional and volunteer capacity within Winnipeg’s social service sector, assisting in the creation of numerous innovative programs to support healthy communities.
“I believe that everyone has gifts and strengths to share that will enable us to work together for healthy families and healthy communities.”
Diane is a proud mother of three children and a member of Shoal Lake First Nation #40. She currently is employed in Program Development for the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, Inc. (we all work together to help one another), a social service agency that provides family resource support to Aboriginal families living in Winnipeg.
Diane’s belief in the inherent strength of the community continues to guide her along her life’s journey.
Angela Robertson
Director, Equity and Community Engagement, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON
Angela Robertson is the Director of Equity and Community Engagement at Women’s College Hospital, and past Executive Director at Sistering: A Woman’s Place, a multi-service women’s organization for marginalized, poor and homeless women. Angela is an activist in the Black and women’s community and has been a member of other community Boards, including Nightwood Theatre, Central Neighbourhood House, and Second Harvest Board of Directors. Angela is also co-editor with Ena Dua of the book Scratching the Surface: Canadian Anti-Racist Feminist Thought, published by Women’s Educational Press, and Coordinator of Sistering’s community-based research report Common Occurrence: The Impact of Homelessness on Women’s Health. Angela is a founding member of Blockorama, a celebration of black PRIDE for the queer community from the African Disapora. Angela was recognized by Toronto’s Now Magazine as one of the top 10 community activists on social justice issues, received the Rubena Willis Women of Distinction Award for her work on violence against women, and the Urban Alliance on Race Relations Awards for her work on equality and social justice issues. Angela was also a recipient of the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for Social Change in 2009.
Patricia Rossi
Executive Director, Autonomie Jeunes Familles, Montréal, QC
Since March 2009, Patricia Rossi has been the Executive Director of Autonomie Jeunes Familles, an organization supporting first-time parents, mostly mothers, who have survived traumatic events in their lives. From 2001 to 2009, she was the Executive Director of the Tyndale St-Georges Community Centre, located in Montreal’s Little Burgundy area, where she managed financial, administrative and human resources. Between 1983 and 2000, she was the Director of Le Parados, in Lachine, a shelter for abused women with children.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in women’s studies from McGill University. She is pursuing a Master’s degree in management and development of organizations at Université Laval.
Patricia is very involved in social issues (violence against women and children, poverty, gender equality, etc.) and is on numerous Boards including Maison Flora Tristan (a shelter for abused immigrant women with children), Montreal Municipal Housing Bureau (low cost housing), and CPE Genesis (subsidized day care centre).
Beth Summers
Chief Financial Officer, Energy Savings Group, Toronto, ON
Beth Summers is the Chief Financial Officer of the Energy Savings Group. Energy Savings’ business involves the sales of natural gas and electricity to residential and commercial customers under long term fixed-price contracts. Energy Savings operates in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Quebec, British Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, New York and Texas. Prior to joining the Energy Savings Group, Beth was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hydro One Inc.
Beth was a member of the national committee for the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s Girls’ Growth Fund campaign and joined the Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2008.