Meet Your 2015 Board of Director Candidates

Transcription

1 Meet Your Alex Cheesman Joe Drew Damien Fox Adam Heller Jesse Moses Sylvia Slaughter Robert Tarantino John Taranu

2 Alex Cheesman I have worked as a fundraiser for environmental organizations all my adult life. Using a muscle- powered vehicle for transportation is pleasing for me as an environmentalist, as an urban adventurer, and as someone who can (just barely) tolerate the icy kiss of Toronto winters. Why I want to join the board Making cycling accessible, welcoming, and safe for more Torontonians are important goals for the city. It s good for our health, for our environment, and for traffic relief. Cycle Toronto is instrumental in building the social and physical infrastructure for realizing these goals, and I d like to help. : Fundraising Ten years of fundraising experience: I ve raised millions of dollars from individual donors, and have recruited thousands of monthly donors. In my current role at Environmental Defence, I doubled the monthly donor base. My focus is multi- channel fundraising that gets the best bang for non- profit bucks.

3 Joe Drew Joe Drew is an effective local advocate and seasoned software developer. On the board of Cycle Toronto for the past three years, he has been tireless in his efforts to grow Cycle Toronto into a stalwart defender of cyclist values in the city. As co- founder of CodeRedTO, he advocates for evidence- based transit expansion policies in Toronto. He works as a software developer for Wattpad and lives in Toronto's east end with his wife and their three cats. I want to continue my work on the board as Toronto's Minimum Grid begins implementation, helping to direct and guide Cycle Toronto as an integral part of Toronto's political landscape. I also believe it's very important to keep a voice with significant technical experience on the board to ensure its decisions are always possible and current. 3 years of professional board governance on Cycle Toronto's board ( ). Effective local advocate with CodeRedTO (2011- present). Seasoned software developer with over a decade of professional experience.

4 Damien Fox I spent much of my first 20 years biking around the Annex; these days (many years later!), you can sometimes find me riding the Belt Line trail on my new bike when I m not taking care of business at my day job managing an electronics design company. Convinced that innovation and hard work will make our city a better place, I d like to put my experience in law, business development and building community networks to good use as Cycle Toronto advocates for improved cycling infrastructure. As a lawyer, a B- school grad, and manager at a geophysics company, I have skills and experience that would help ensure Cycle Toronto continues to be a well- governed, sustainable, and more powerful organization. We have a chance to keep Toronto moving towards a better future, and I can't think of a better way to lend a hand than taking on a role in Cycle Toronto's work. : Fundraising / Business Development / Finance + Accounting Knowledge of governance, accounting, and finance for small/mid- size organizations; I aim to enable collaboration, innovation, and shared success. I help manage a mid- size high- tech design company, raised money for U of T, started a subscriber- owned ISP, completed JD and MBA degrees, and know how to ride a bike with no hands.

5 Adam Heller Corporate lawyer at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP. Attended the University of Toronto (J.D.) and McGill University (B.A.). Why I want to join the board I can offer the board valuable experience and a unique perspective in respect of governance and operational matters. In my professional capacity as a corporate lawyer I have experience in advising boards of directors of companies of different sizes and in a range of industries. I also have hands- on experience sitting on boards; while attending the University of Toronto I represented students on the governing council and also sat on the board of directors of Varsity Publications.

6 Jesse Moses Chartered accountant, business advisor and tax manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers. My area of practice is diverse and includes tech start- ups, high net work individuals, and public sector clients. Born and raised in Toronto. I have travelled to over 40 countries and previously worked with the Rolling Stones in Europe. I love Toronto and I have a deep passion for cycling. I want to be part of the team that develops cycling infrastructure in Toronto that could serve as a model for other first- class cities around the world to strive towards. Strong analytical and financial analysis capabilities combined with excellent communication skills. Pro- active and goal oriented. Track record of success with business development and relationship building.

7 Sylvia Slaughter I am a commercial real estate professional with a passion for urban living. An avid traveler, I have visited 60 countries, and lived in 4, concluding that big city living is where it s at! I was officially turned onto urban cycling in central London (UK), but my extensive trips through the Netherlands really opened my eyes to life on a bike. Why I want to join the board I want Toronto to catch up. I want Toronto to get in the lead here in North America, and then start matching European cities. Because bike infrastructure makes better cities, and Toronto deserves better. I want to take my years of corporate experience, and apply it to something that really matters, organised advocacy for a better city. Honours Business Administration, Richard Ivey School of Business (UWO) Canadian securities course, Chartered Financial Analyst level 1, 2 13 years experience in commercial real estate fund management, expertise in capital raising, investor relations, project management and investment analysis 4 years analyst experience working for 2 of Toronto s biggest landlords (Oxford Properties, Cadillac Fairview) 9 years hands on experience with financial statements, accounting (IFRS GAAP) etc. 9 years working closely with investment boards Co- chair of Ward30bikes Webmaster for Withrow Public School parent association website

8 Robert Tarantino I ve been a member of Cycle Toronto for many years engaging with cycling advocacy through our ward groups and Board of Directors. As a lawyer I skillfully represent individuals, companies and not- for- profit organizations in the areas of contract and commercial, labour and employment, human rights, and administrative law. I live in Toronto s west end with my wife and son. For the past two years I have had the honour of serving Cycle Toronto as the President of its Board of Directors. I am running for re- election because I believe passionately in our organization s grassroots organizing and cycling advocacy and want to contribute to our continued success. My goals for a second term include refining the Board s governance, improving our fundraising capacities, and assisting with our Minimum Grid campaign. Advocacy, mediation, negotiation, law, human resources, and governance. Cycle Toronto, Board of Directors ( ): President ( ), Executive, Advocacy, HR, AGM and Operations Committees. Honours B.A. (McGill), J.D. (Windsor)

9 John Taranu I jumped into cycling advocacy in 2010, starting Cycle Toronto s Ward 22 group. Since then I ve led our campaign for protected bike lanes on Eglinton, and started our Trails and Yonge working groups and Board Fundraising committee. In my midtown neighbourhood, I am secretary of the Deer Park Residents Group. Since joining the Board in 2012, I ve guided Cycle Toronto s substantial growth in staff, budget and political influence. Now I want to transform successful campaigns into citywide strategy, ensuring strong links between the Board and advocacy community, expanding our ward program to the suburbs, and maintaining effective, credible advocacy. I am a software developer by trade, specializing in web mapping and cloud computing. As part of my day job I lead a team of developers located around the world. In my spare time I lead diverse teams ranging from technical specialists to community advocates.