The board was elected at the Annual General Meeting on June 15th, 2022.
Robert Brinker
President
Robert lives in the Carlington neighbourhood since he immigrated to Canada in 2000. He enjoys community building, home renovation, woodworking and spending time with his dog Layla. He is an FCA board member since 2018.
Leeanne Van der Burgt
Secretary, Acting Vice President
Leeanne has been a resident of Ottawa for over 20 years. She has been an active contributor in every community she has lived in from volunteering for working groups and committees to sitting on a number of Boards. She has organized and participated in numerous fundraising events across the City for a host of charities and not-for-profit organizations. She has worked with youth for nearly ten years and worked with seniors and adults with disabilities for three. Now living in rural Ottawa, Leeanne is happy to bring that perspective to the work at FCA.
Lorne Cutler
Treasurer
Lorne Cutler has been living in Westboro since 1988 and has been president of the Hampton lona Community Group for many years. Lorne grew up in Toronto, where he received his BASc in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Ivy School of Business. Lorne has worked in the finance industry since 1984. Lorne is also a Lieutenant-Governor Appointee Councillor for Professional Engineers Ontario, Ontario's licensing agency for engineers where he serves as Vice President and Chair of their Audit and Finance Committee. While interested in all aspects of city building, Lorne is pleased that he has been able to provide FCA with his financial skills for several years acting as Treasurer for the organization.
Roland Dorsay
Director-at-large
As a former federal civil servant, private sector CEO, industry lobbyist, and community volunteer activist, Roland has extensive experience in executive leadership, community relations, corporate governance, strategic planning, policy development and planning, international negotiations, issue advocacy and government affairs. Roland is a board member of the Federation of Citizens Association of Ottawa. He also chairs the K-9, the 10 community community associations of Kitchissippi Ward.
Maria Luisa Marti
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE
Maria Luisa has been volunteering for the FCA since 2015, her field of expertise is business sytems/ techonology and project management. Maria Luisa cofounded the residents group Friends of James and Bay, helping her Centretown neighbourhood to improve their presence be in the public consultations and/or discussions with the City. She has worked tirelessly, as an embassador , to make after-care for survivors of aneurysm and stroke a priority in the health care system Presently working with the Civic hospital on a program for aftercare for survivors.
Phil Sweetnam
Director-at-large
Phil Sweetnam, P. Eng. (retired), is a 2nd generation Stittsville resident who owns a mobile home community and several rental houses on family land. He is the recipient of many community and provincial awards including the City of Ottawa Environmental Award in 2006, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the FCA in 2018. Always active in the community, Phil has a cheerful countenance and is known to never pass on a really good bargain.
Paul Johanis
Director-at-large
Paul worked in a variety of roles and functions over a 37 year career in the federal public service, from the lowest level to the most senior, ending his career as Assistant Chief Statistician of Canada (Corporate Services). He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from l’École nationale d’administration publique and a PhD in Public Policy from the School of Public Administration at Carleton University. Since his retirement, he has been involved in various City of Ottawa planning files and issues in the defence of greenspace. He is the current Chair of the Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital.
Barbara Ramsay
Director-at-large
Barbara joins the FCA -FAC Board following a 40 year career as a pharmacist which included pharmacy ownership and long term care practice and supported community capacity building through not-for-profit leadership and management. An award-winning volunteer background recognizes high-level leadership of many not-for-profit organizations in Ottawa and includes work at both the municipal and provincial levels in the health and social welfare sectors. She has lived and worked in many corners of Ottawa and now calls Kanata home. Barbara is the Chair of CAFES.
Elizabeth J. McAllister
Director-at-large
Elizabeth McAllister was the President of the Manor Park Community Association from 2017 until 2022. She worked with 6 other Community Associations to form the “Community Collective.” Together they collaborated to address poverty and homelessness in the Ward 13 and Vanier, prepared for consultations with the City on the Official Plan, main street development and worked other issues of mutual concern. Prior to joining MPCA, Elizabeth served in leadership positions in the international development community for over 30 years. She held a number of senior assignments at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., including Director of the Operations Evaluation Department (OED), Director of External Affairs and United Nations Relations and Special Advisor to the Vice Presidency for East Asia and Pacific. Prior to joining the World Bank, Ms. McAllister held executive positions in the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Elizabeth is a recipient of awards for community service and leadership, including a 1994 Governor General's Commemorative She earned her Master’s in Public Administration at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of New Brunswick.
Past President
Alex Cullen
Past President
Alex Cullen - a former school board trustee, city councillor and MPP - is retired and past-President of the Belltown Neighbours Association (in Ottawa's west end). An avid cross-country skier, he teaches x-c skiing at Nakkertok and Kanata Nordic Ski Clubs and still skis the Canadian Ski Marathon.