Staff and Board
Learn more about the people guiding the Donner Canadian Foundation.
Staff
Our staff members are responsible for the foundation’s operations.
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Debbie Gosney
Administrator
Debbie Gosney joined the Donner Canadian Foundation more than 30 years ago, and has overseen grant and office administration for over 25 years.
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Helen McLean
Executive Director
Helen McLean is the executive director of the Donner Canadian Foundation, where she has worked for 25 years. She has also held that role at its sister organization, the William H. Donner Foundation, since 2021. She previously held senior positions at the Toronto Community Foundation, Ketchum Canada, and Arts and Communications Counselors.
A former director of Philanthropic Foundations Canada, she currently serves on its finance committee. She recently completed her term as a director of the Mabin School. Helen has an MBA from York University’s Schulich School and a BAH from Queen’s University. -
Karine Parvin
Program Manager
Karine Parvin is the program manager of the Donner Canadian Foundation. She also holds that role at its sister organization, the William H. Donner Foundation. She previously held program and partnership coordination roles in the Canadian charitable sector and the French public sector, including a two-year program manager position in the Republic of the Congo. She studied at Wilfrid Laurier University as an exchange student and earned a Master's degree in International Relations from Sciences Po Lille.
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Julia Wong
Program Assistant
Julia Wong joined the Donner Canadian Foundation in 2021. She has a B.F.A from York University and a Master's in Ethnomusicology. Julia is also interested in studying languages, such as Mandarin and Greek.
Board
Our esteemed governors provide oversight of the foundation’s granting, finances, and management.
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Gregory S. Belton
Chair
Gregory S. Belton, CM, CVO, LLD, is the Executive Chairman of Hub International Ontario, the largest insurance brokerage in Canada and top-five globally.
He is the immediate past chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (London, UK) and a Director of the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, past co-chair of the Curators Circle at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and past Director of the Toronto General Hospital Foundation.
He has been awarded the Order of Canada, made a Commander of The Royal Victorian Order by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, received the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from York University. -
Dr. Marie Delorme
Governor
Dr. Marie Delorme is CEO of The Imagination Group Inc. She serves on the boards of Premium Brands Holding Corporation and the National Indigenous Economic Development Board, an advisory body to the federal government. Dr. Delorme also serves on the Order of Canada Advisory Council.
Dr. Delorme is a Member of the Order of Canada. She has received the Indspire Award in Business and Commerce; and was named as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Other awards include: the University of Calgary Dr. Douglas Cardinal Award; Alberta Chamber of Commerce Business Award of Distinction; Calgary Chamber of Commerce Salute to Excellence Award, Métis Nation Entrepreneurial Leadership Award, and the Alberta Centennial Medal.
Dr. Delorme holds a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Business Administration from Queen's University, and both a PhD and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Calgary. -
William Edwards
Governor
William Edwards is a fifth-generation Donner family member.
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Stephanie Hanson
Governor
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Kyle Hill
Governor
Kyle Hill is the President of Alaska Commercial Company, a retailer in rural Alaska with ownership by the Winnipeg-based North West Company. Kyle holds a BSc from Mount Allison University and an MSc and PhD from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He is a Co-Founder of Teach For Canada.
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Ashley Lainhart
Governor
Ashley Lainhart is a fifth-generation Donner family member. She is a marketing and events director in Palm Beach, FL and holds a degree in Apparel Merchandising and Marketing from Auburn University.
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Christopher Roosevelt
Governor
Chris Roosevelt is a fourth-generation Donner family member. He is a retired commercial fisherman who lives in New Hampshire as a homestead farmer of livestock and produce on the unceded ancestral homelands of the Abenaki and Pennacook Indigenous Peoples.
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Brittany Roy
Governor
Brittany Roy is a fifth-generation Donner family member. She is a marketing and communications leader in the beverage industry and holds a BA in Economics and Art History from Colorado College and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
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Dillon Roy
Governor
Dillon Roy is a fifth-generation Donner family member. He is an entrepreneur and has a real estate practice. He was a member of the Canadian national team that won the 2014 World Lacrosse Championship.
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Mary A. Tidlund
Governor
Mary A. Tidlund is a Canadian businesswoman, philanthropist, and author. She co-founded Williston Wildcatters Oil Corporation, a public oil and gas exploration and service company that pioneered horizontal drilling. In 1998, Tidlund founded an international charitable foundation with programs in 29 countries focused on empowering women and children in the areas of health, education, and the alleviation of poverty.
Tidlund is a Member of the Order of Canada and serves on numerous boards of NGOs and corporations. -
Rebecca Winsor
Governor
Rebecca Winsor is a fourth-generation Donner family member.