Chris Burton – Chief Commissioner

Chris was installed as the new Chief Commissioner at our AGM on June 6, 2009, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Chris previously served a three-year term as Deputy Chief Commissioner – Provincial, and was elected as Chief Commissioner - Elect in May 2008. As Chief Commissioner Chris is the most senior spokesperson and ambassador of GGC.

Chris has been active in Guiding for the past 50 years, starting as a Brownie, Guide and Ranger.  She has served as a Guider, Camp Adviser, Division, Area and Provincial Commissioner, Provincial Public Relations Commissioner, Trainer and Vice President of the Management Board.

Chris has been recognized in Guiding with a Gold Maple Leaf Award and an Honourary Life Award.  Besides Guiding, Chris is very involved in her community.  She has been recognized with the City of Lethbridge Woman of Distinction Award, a Centennial medal from the province of Alberta, Alberta Parks, Sports and Recreation Recognition Award, installed into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, and received an outstanding service award from the Duke of Edinburgh for her work with youth.

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Sharron Callahan, Chief Commissioner - Elect

Sharron was elected as Chief Commissioner – Elect on June 11, 2011. In this role, she is a Director of the Board, a member of the Executive Committee and a member of the Governance Committee, in preparation for her role as Chief Commissioner, which she will assume in June 2012. In addition, Sharron will continue as Chair of the National Task Force on Inclusivity Practices.

Sharron joined the Guiding movement as a Brownie. She continued with Guiding as a girl Member, earning her Gold Cord. As an adult Member of Girl Guides, Sharron has been a Sparks, Brownie, Guide and Pathfinder Guider. She has held many positions at the District, Division and Area level, and twice served on the former National Council. From May, 2002 to April, 2007, she served as the Provincial Commissioner, Newfoundland and Labrador Council and from 2007-2010 served as Deputy Chief Commissioner-Member Services. She continues as a Unit Guider and a Trefoil Guild Member. She has an extensive background in social work and youth justice.

Sharron is committed to ensuring that Girl Guides of Canada is focused upon girl empowerment and the development of girl leadership and to ensuring that GGC mentors and coaches women to support and encourage girls to be the future strong and confident leaders of our world organizations.

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Amy Porteous, Deputy Chief Commissioner – Governance

Amy was elected Deputy Chief Commissioner - Governance in May, 2009. In that role, she is the most senior volunteer delegated by the Chief Commissioner to support and guide the governance responsibilities and activities of the Board of Directors. Amy became a Brownie when she was seven years old and has been a Member of GGC ever since. She has been a Guider for Guide, Pathfinder and Trex Units; traveled extensively; spent four summers working at a GGC summer camp; and been a member of many councils, task groups and committees, including the National Governance Committee. Amy was also a Member of GGC's National Council in 2004-2005 and was Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Ontario from 2006 to 2009. A lawyer by profession, Amy works as a civil litigator for the federal Department of Justice. She is passionate about Guiding and thinks that WAGGGS and GGC are tremendous forces of good in the world.

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Marie Wetmore, Deputy Chief Commissioner – Member Services

Marie was elected Deputy Chief Commissioner – Member Services in April, 2010. In that role, she is the most senior volunteer delegated by the Chief Commissioner to liaise between the Board and the senior management of the organization. 
Marie has been active in Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada for over thirty years, starting as a Brownie Guider, remaining as a Leader to this day.

She has served as a District and Division Commissioner, a Provincial Training Adviser, and has just completed five years in the role of Provincial Commissioner for New Brunswick, where she is still active as a Trainer, believing that the best way to encourage girls and women to join guiding is to have well trained enthusiastic Guiders in the Units.

Marie works hard to support the Guider, believing that the connection between the Guider and what happens at the National level needs to be strengthened so that we truly become a nationwide organization dedicated to giving the opportunity to belong to GGC to as many women and girls as we can.

Marie truly believes that GGC is the best organization for girls and women in the country and strives to make sure this statement is a reality.

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Betty Slater, Deputy Chief Commissioner – Provincial

Betty was elected Deputy Chief Commissioner - Provincial in June, 2011. In that role, she is the most senior volunteer delegated by the Chief Commissioner to liaise between the Board and the Provincial Councils.

Betty is an Honourary Life Member of GGC and has been serving our organization for almost 30 years. She has stayed involved and committed to GGC because of the great satisfaction she receives from volunteering with GGC and the vast amount of skills and personal fulfillment she gets from the organization.

Betty is currently a Provincial Safe Guide Assessor and Trainer in Alberta and has also been a Unit Guider, Adviser, Mentor, Committee Member and Chair, Camping Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Provincial Commissioner for Alberta. At the national level, she has served on the Provincial Committee and the former Management Board.

As a Deputy Chief Commissioner and Director of the Board, Betty will work to continue to ensure that all Members enjoy a rewarding experience in Guiding and to encourage young women to stay with GGC and become the organization’s future leaders.

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Sarah Govan

Sarah was elected to the Board as a Director in June 2009. As a Director, Sarah is a steward of GGC and is accountable for the viability of our organization. Sarah has been active in Guiding as both a girl and adult Member, and has traveled internationally with the organization on multiple occasions. She currently leads a Guide Unit in Ottawa. Sarah has also held Moderator positions for both the Girl Zone and Member Zone discussion boards, and has served on the Ontario Provincial Awards Recognition Committee.

Sarah brings an extensive background in advocacy and communications to her role as member of the Program Stewardship Committee, where she is responsible for ensuring the voice of girl Members influences GGC decision-making with regards to programming. Sarah believes that the role GGC plays in Canada is vital, particularly within the context of a society which increasingly places greater importance on physical appearance as a means of determining a girl’s worth. With her election to the Board, Sarah aims to encourage GGC’s girl Members to discover their potential, to promote peace and understanding, and, ultimately, to work together to build a better world.

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Corrine Kennedy

Corrine was elected to the Board of Directors in June, 2009. As a Director, Corrine is a steward of GGC and is accountable for the viability of our organization. While growing up in Laval, Quebec, Corrine was involved in GGC as both a Brownie and a Guide. Her family was also involved in Guiding at the local level. Corrine has lived in Kingston, Ottawa and, currently, Toronto. The importance of contributing to her community, a lesson learned in part through her time in Guiding, has stayed with Corrine throughout her life. She has been actively involved in her community by volunteering with various organizations locally and internationally. As a corporate lawyer with Aird & Berlis LLP, Corrine brings to the Board legal expertise, an analytical approach and a commitment to equitable and effective governance structures and practices. Corrine will use these skills in her role as a member of the Governance Committee. Corrine believes that GGC has an essential role to play in the lives of Canadian girls by helping them develop a positive self-image and the skills necessary to be leaders in their local and global communities.

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Bobbi Hoadley

Bobbi was elected to the Board in June 2010, and chairs the Nominating Committee.

Bobbi has been a Member of Girl Guides of Canada since 1986.  Bobbi volunteers to have fun with Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers.  Her favourite Guiding activities include camping and travel.  In the course of numerous leadership roles in Guiding she has been fortunate enough to visit three of the World Centres; serve as National Camp Adviser and as Chair of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.  Bobbi is a regular contributor to the Canadian Guider and has an internationally published book on backcountry camping, which is dedicated to the Girl Guides of Canada.

In her work in British Columbia Bobbi is President and Team Practice Leader of Parley Services, a company that develops and facilitates person-focused rehabilitation strategies and positive behavioural support for individuals with neurobehavioural disabilities.  She is a Board certified Behaviour Analyst and a Registered Rehabilitation Professional.  She holds an Honours BA in Psychology, and an M.Ed. in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies. 

Bobbi endorses a transparent and proactive leadership vision communicated to successfully engender relevant programs and services; enable volunteers to productively deliver the programs and services; and engage existing members as well as increase membership.

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Tashia Batstone

Tashia was elected as a Director of the Board in April 2010.  As a Director, Tashia is a steward of GGC and is accountable for the viability of our organization.

Tashia has been a member of GGC for many years growing up as a Brownie, Guide, Pathfinder and Ranger.  After completing her Chartered Accountants designation she returned to Guiding as a Brownie and Guide leader and is currently a Pathfinder leader in Torbay, Newfoundland.  Tashia has also served in a finance role at both the District and Provincial level and since 2006 has been a member of the National Audit and Finance Committee.

As a CA, Tashia brings to the Board the expertise to advise the organization on matters related to finance, governance and risk management.

Tashia has seen first-hand the capacity of Girl Guides to empower young women and develop their leadership potential.  GGC has a tremendous ability to positively impact the lives of young women and Tashia feels privileged to have the opportunity to participate in this process.

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Marnie Cumming

Marnie was elected to the Board in June 2011. She has been a Member of Girl Guides of Canada since joining as a Brownie and enjoyed several summers working at a Girl Guide camp. As an adult, Marnie has volunteered with Guides, Brownies and Sparks and has held numerous leadership roles related to program and training. Most recently, she has completed her term as Provincial Commissioner for Ontario. Marnie is currently a Trainer and is looking forward to implementing new delivery methods to support our Guiders. She has also been involved with a number of community-based organizations and enjoys working with children as part of a literacy initiative.

Marnie brings over 30 years of experience as a high school teacher of Family Studies and leader of Co-operative Education programs across the curriculum. She also participated in a number of leadership roles both academically and within the teachers’ federation. Her development of innovative courses has partnered with her ongoing interest in working with Guiders to provide challenging, girl-centred programs. Marnie will continue this work as a member of the Board’s Program Stewardship Committee.

Marnie believes that the values of Girl Guides of Canada along with 100 years of experience provide a strong platform to continue growing girl greatness. Ensuring that our programs are relevant to the needs of girls not only today but for their futures, delivered by women well prepared and supported to work with the girls is a key goal.

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Tamara Jones

Tamara was elected to the Board of Directors in June, 2011. As a Director, Tamara is a steward of GGC and is accountable for the viability of our organization.

While growing up in rural Ontario, Tamara was an active GGC Member from Brownies through to Cadets. As a girl Member, she took part in numerous local and international camps which broadened her horizons and provided her with opportunities to develop her leadership skills.

As a Chartered Accountant with PwC, Tamara will bring financial expertise to the Board and be actively involved in strategic decisions to ensure that GGC continues to develop leadership and life skills in our Members so that they continue to become leaders and role models within their communities.

Tamara has always been a volunteer in her local community and is presently a member of the Board of Directors of the Aphasia Institute. She is eager to serve as a Director of GGC – an organization which provided her with numerous opportunities to succeed academically and professionally – in order for GGC to continue to positively influence the lives of young women.

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Deborah Del Duca – Chief Executive Officer

Deborah Del Duca joined Girl Guides of Canada (GGC) in 2001, and has been constantly inspired and challenged through new learnings and experiences. Deborah has developed a deep respect for and commitment to the Movement.

Deborah is the recipient of the Gold Maple Leaf Award.

Among her significant achievements are:

• organizational review, development and implementation of the current GGC governance model and management structure, in collaboration with senior leaders.
• proactive governing and financial stewardship, as well as risk mitigation and strategies.
• contract negotiations and corporate relationship management with Dare Foods Ltd.

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