AAAU Board of Directors

Executive

President: Geoff Irvine ('87) After moving east from Quebec at the age of two, Geoff grew up in the village of Smith’s Cove on the shores of the Annapolis Basin in Digby County, Nova Scotia. After studying History and Political Science at Acadia University, Geoff enjoyed a 15-year career in the seafood industry (with a four-year “sabbatical” leave in university advancement working as the Director of Alumni Affairs at Acadia University). He has extensive experience with live, raw, salted and frozen seafood products in retail, raw material inspections, sales, marketing, international trading, event, project and business management. Geoff has developed his knowledge of the business in large and small company settings and was Managing Director and partner in Harbour View Seafoods Ltd. from 1998 to 2006. He is currently Executive Director of The Lobster Council of Canada. Geoff has three children and lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

1st Vice-President: Ryan Conrod (’06) Ryan is legal counsel and the manager of loss control and risk for a privately owned national trucking company headquartered in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He has served on a number of boards in the past, including the East Coast Music Association Board of Directors and the Board of Governors of Acadia University. Ryan currently serves as a director on the board of a non-profit pre-school and daycare in the North End of Halifax. In 2006 Ryan graduated from Acadia University with a BSc in Biology. While at Acadia, he was actively involved in campus life as a resident advisor, a teaching assistant and a summer student at the Acadia Institute for Teaching and Technology. During his final two years at Acadia, Ryan served back-to-back terms as President of the Acadia Students’ Union. He went on from Acadia to receive a Juris Doctor in law from the University of Toronto.

2nd Vice-President: Donalda MacBeath ('75) Donalda (Donnie) was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and lived throughout the Maritimes during her childhood. She completed her high school education in Digby, N.S. and attended Acadia for five years, entering from Grade 11, completing a four-year BA (Hon) in Economics, graduating in May 1975, which also coincided with her parents’ 25th anniversary of graduating from Acadia. Donnie then did

a year of graduate studies in Economics, completing the course requirements for an MA in the spring of 1976. In the fall of 1976 she started legal studies at Dalhousie, graduating in the spring of 1979. Donnie then moved to Calgary, Alberta to begin her career in law. She started in private practice and then moved into corporate work in the oil and gas industry and has held mid- and senior management positions with various intermediate to large energy companies. She is currently a legal consultant with Chevron Canada on a part-time basis. Donnie is married with three children. Her oldest daughter graduated from Acadia in Business in 2011 and currently lives and works in Toronto. The other two children are both currently attending Acadia studying Geology and Engineering respectively. They own a home in Smith’s Cove, N.S. and look forward to spending more time there in the years to come. Donalda’s family has a strong connection to Acadia as, in addition to herself and her parents, her four siblings are all graduates, as was her fraternal grandmother. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, travelling, running and playing the piano in no particular order.

Treasurer: Paul MacIsaac ('88) Paul obtained his BBA from Acadia in 1988 and set off for Toronto, where he joined Coopers and Lybrand and obtained his CA designation in 1990. Having spent four years with the firm where he worked in various disciplines, Paul took an opportunity to return to Atlantic Canada with Ernst and Young in Halifax. Most of his time at E and Y was spent providing Corporate Advisory Services to various clients across Atlantic Canada. In 1995, Paul left public accounting and joined the Bragg Group of Companies, where he held various roles over the next 10 years. Since 2005, Paul has been with the Halifax Port Authority as their Senior Vice-President, where he looks after Engineering, Infrastructure, Finance and the

Seaport Redevelopment project. Paul and his wife Amy live in Hammonds Plains with their two teenaged sons.

Secretary: David Hovell ('91) David Hovell, a lifelong Port Williams, N.S. resident, began his career in agriculture as a founding partner of Planters Equipment Limited, a John Deere agricultural, consumer and commercial equipment dealership in Kentville, N.S. The business grew to include locations in Middleton and Halifax and was recognized as the largest tractor volume dealership in Canada. Later, with a keen interest in marketing and public relations, David created his own government relations consultancy firm, which led to his next post as Director of the Nova Scotia Government Caucus serving under Premiers Hamm and MacDonald. In 2011, David took on a challenge that blended his experiences from both the business and not-for-profit sectors as the first Executive Director of the Wolfville Business Development Corporation, a position he still holds. Seizing the opportunity to combine his love of cottage life and water sports into a business, he and a partner formed DockWorks Inc. in 2011. Dedicated to becoming a waterfront solutions company, it is the Annapolis Valley and South Western Nova Scotia dealer for EZ Dock and Eastern Township Docks. An active community volunteer, he is past chair of the Canadian 4-H Foundation and past president of the Valley Regional Hospital Foundation. He is also a former director of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival, Annapolis Valley District Health Authority and Acadia University Foundation. David holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Acadia University, joining his father and grandmother, who are also Acadia commerce alumni.

Past-President: Doug Jackson ('99) Doug is a third generation Acadia alumnus who followed in the footsteps of his parents, grandparents, and many other family members. He graduated from Acadia in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Chemistry and in 2003 with a Bachelor of Education. During his time at Acadia, Doug was involved with S.M.I.L.E., the Chemistry Society, and the Education Society. He was also an active member of the student alumni association, SMARTT, where he met his wife, Melanie Manning (’99). Doug moved back to the Valley in 2006 after teaching physics in Antigonish at Dr. J. H. Gillis Regional High School. Since then he has been a math teacher and Vice-Principal at Northeast Kings Education Centre in Canning. Doug now works for the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board as the Student Information System Teacher Trainer. Doug and Melanie currently reside in the Valley with their two young sons, Keagan and Ewan. Doug hopes his boys will one day follow the family tradition and attend Acadia. He has been a Director for the Associated Alumni since May 2007.

Members at Large

Tony Stewart (’72) Tony arrived in Wolfville from Montreal in 1968 to attend Acadia University and never left. The University has been an important part of Tony’s life. He received a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education and Master’s of Education from Acadia, all of which have been critical in his career as a lifetime educator. In addition, while at Acadia, Tony played football for the Axemen and then coached the team for nine years at a time when the Axemen were a football dynasty, winning two National Championships. Tony retired from public school education in 2003 after a 31-year career. For 26 of those years, he held a number of administrative positions in the Annapolis Valley, including Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Kings County District School Board; Principal, Port Williams Elementary School; Principal, Central Kings Rural High School; and Principal, Wolfville School. Since retirement, Tony has continued to be active in education, having recently completed a nine-year tenure as the Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Educational Leadership Consortium. He will continue to follow his passion for leadership as the Director of the Nova Scotia Instructional Leadership Academy. In addition, Tony has contracted his services to the Nova Scotia Government, provincial universities, Nova Scotia School Boards, and has supervised and taught student teachers at Acadia. Tony was on the Board of Directors of the Associated Alumni in the 1980s, serving in a number of capacities, including VicePresident of the organization. Tony is interested in returning to his roots and further serving the Acadia family during these exciting, yet challenging times.

Michele Gerrard ('88)

Michele Gerrard is Corporate Controller for Scotia Investments Limited in Bedford, Nova Scotia. She has worked for this company for over 20 years. Her responsibilities include such things as financial reporting, banking and corporate tax work. Prior to this, Michele worked for Touche Ross (now Deloitte Touche) as a staff accountant. She received her CA designation in 1990. In the early 1990s Michele taught introductory accounting courses at Acadia University. She is presently on the recruitment committee for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nova Scotia and prior to that was on the Regional Advisory Board. Michele adopted a baby girl from China seven years ago. She and her daughter Asya, now 8, live in Kentville, Nova Scotia.

Kiersten Amos ('96) Kiersten Amos graduated from Acadia University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science (Psychology). She enjoyed Acadia so much that she returned for more, completing her Bachelor of Science Nutrition in 1998. During her time at Acadia, Kiersten worked with the Acadia Students’ Union at both the Information Desk and Building Centre Management. She was involved also in the Athletics Intramural program, coordinating intramural soccer for several years. Following graduation in 1998, Kiersten went on to complete her Dietetic Internship at the QEII in Halifax. She worked as a Clinical Dietitian first in Nova Scotia and then Ontario, and finally for several years in Colorado. In 2005, Kiersten returned to Canada to complete her law degree at UNB and now works as a lawyer at McInnes Cooper in Halifax. She practices law in the field of insurance defence, pensions, education law, and employment. Kiersten continues to split her time between Dartmouth, where she lives with her sister Kelly (Amos) Peck (’98) and family, and Colorado, where she lives with her significant other, Jason Woodworth (’96 and ’98). Kiersten enjoys

spending time with her family, running, traveling, and embarking on new adventures.

Matt Rios (’14) Matthew Rios is from Vancouver, British Columbia, and came to Acadia in 2009 to major in political science. He served on the Acadia Students' Union for three years, serving his last two as the President. As President of the ASU, Matthew has extensive experience on both the Board of Governors and Senate, where he championed issues pertaining to students. He has also spent a significant amount of time advocating for students as the Vice-Chair of Students Nova Scotia, an organization that represents 40,000 Nova Scotia Students. During his time at Acadia he has fallen in love with the University, the people and the greater community and fundamentally believes in what this institution stands for. He has a deep understanding of Acadia's history and is even more deeply invested in its future.

Directors

Malcolm Smith ('76) Malcolm started his career in the insurance industry in 1997 as a producer for a regional broker in the Okanagan area of British Columbia after a successful career in both the food service industry and the industrial lubricants sector. Malcolm left the brokerage side of the industry to work for CNA/Specialty Underwriters, the leaders in "maintenance insurance", first as the Manager, Western Canada, then as Director of Sales, Canada. In 2002, he joined a global insurance broker working from their Kamloops office then transferred to Vancouver in March 2007. Since 2002, Malcolm has focused his efforts on gaining experience and educating himself on the insurance and risk management needs of aboriginal communities, businesses and organizations. To assist First Nation communities with their economic development objectives, Malcolm joined ICAB, the Industry Council for Aboriginal Business, and up until his move to Nova Scotia in July 2009 held the position of VP on the Board of Directors. In 2003, Malcolm achieved a CAIB, Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker, with honours. In 2007, Malcolm obtained his life license and in 2008 attained the RHU (Registered Health Underwriter) designation and his Canadian Risk Manager’s (CRM) designation in October 2009. Malcolm is a graduate of Acadia University, where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a dual core in marketing and management.

Fred Gilbert (’65) Fred holds the following academic credentials: Hons BSc Biology (1965-Acadia), MSc Zoology (1966-Guelph), PhD Zoology (1968-Guelph). During his career he has held several academic and

administrative positions at U. Maine (Orono). U. Guelph, Washington State U., U. Northern British Columbia, Colorado State U., and Lakehead U. At the latter, he was President from 1998-2010 and is now retired. He was a member of the Advisory Council of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization 2002 -2015 and has served on many government and private boards and on standards committees in both the United States and Canada. Currently, Fred operates a certified organic farm in the Bridgewater area and is a member of the Grape Growers' Association of Nova Scotia (GGANS) and the South Shore Wine Growers Association.

Ryan McCarthy ('10) Ryan McCarthy is a native of Falmouth, Massachusetts. Ryan completed a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a Co-op Option, at Acadia in 2010. During his studies, he worked for a number of departments across campus and was an active volunteer in Acadia's Kinderskills program. He also organized two DiscoveryQuest programs, a summer institute for Grade 11 students from the Maritime Provinces and New England, designed to support their desire to learn and contribute to a deeper understanding of themselves and the environment. After graduating, Ryan continued to work closely with Acadia University as an Events Coordinator for the Alumni Affairs office. Currently, Ryan works in development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab in Cambridge Massachusetts. He resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sandy Beveridge (’70) Alexander (Sandy) Beveridge was born May 3, 1950 in London, Ontario and graduated from Wolfville High School in 1966. He is a third generation Acadia graduate; B.A. 1970 and M.A. (Econ.) 1974. Sandy attended Dalhousie Law School and received an LL.B. in 1975, and was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar November 14th of the same year. Upon admission to the Bar, he entered private practice and received Queen’s Counsel (Q.C.) designation in 1998. Sandy practised law in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the past 40 years and is currently Senior Partner at the Atlantic Canada law firm of McInnes Cooper. Sandy is presently a resident of St. Margaret’s Bay and Wolfville. He is a son of the late Dr. James M.R. Beveridge, Past President of Acadia University, and the grandson of Frank H. Eaton, Past Member of the Senate of the University. Sandy was married to Jane Ann Frye, who unfortunately passed away six years ago. He has a son and daughter. Jillian, his daughter, graduated from Acadia along with five nieces and two nephews. It is Sandy’s present desire to become a competent fly fisherman.

David Davidson ('81) David grew up in Truro, Nova Scotia. He graduated from Acadia University in 1981 with a BSc and serves as Class President. David went on to complete his Bachelor of Engineering at TUNS (currently Dalhousie University) in 1983. In 1996 David received an Executive MBA from Queen's University. David is

currently the Chief Executive Officer of Interuniversity Services Inc. a not-for-profit organization, member funded by post-secondary educational institutions in Atlantic Canada and dedicated to delivering value through multi-institutional collaboration and cooperation. David’s business career journey includes Vice-President of Medbuy Corporation, founding CEO of Canadian Healthcare Marketplace, as well as National Director of Sales and Director of Business Development at Trudell Medical Marketing Limited. Earlier in his career David was the Director of Materials Management at Southeast Healthcare Corporation (Moncton NB). In the past David has served Swimming Canada in numerous roles including a member of the Board of Directors, international (FINA) designated official, a member of the Officials, Competition and Rules committee, chair of the Officials Education Committee, competition coordinator or technical delegate at numerous national competitions. Following 20 years of service, David stepped down from his various volunteer roles at Swimming Canada in the summer of 2015. David and his wife Alison live in Halifax and they have two grown children, a son Bryan and a daughter Leah (Acadia Class of 2014).

Amanda Penrice ('09) Amanda is passionate about communities and the individual stories of justice, ambition, and innovation that shape them. Amanda moved to Wolfville for a new adventure to study Community Development in the School of Recreation Management and Kinesiology. During her time at Acadia, she was the Chair of the Recreation Management Society, was a member of the ultimate frisbee team, worked for Alumni Relations, and received awards including Live & Learn, Valedictorian, and Golden ‘A’. Since graduating in 2009, Amanda has become a civic leader and community advocate serving many sectors including not-forprofit, children and youth, health care, technology, social innovation, and government, She became a

Motivation Speaker for Free The Children and Me To We, served as a social media expert to a series tech start-ups, and was the Project Manager for the Middle Childhood Matters Coalition of Toronto doing government relations and public policy. Amanda also served for 4 years as a Board Member of the National Alliance for Children and Youth. Amanda currently works at the City of Toronto for Josh Colle Councillor for Eglinton-Lawrence and Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission. Amanda is a 2015-2016 DiverseCity Fellow, one of North America’s top leadership programs for GTHA’s rising leaders and citybuilders and is a Commissioner and founder of the Public Accessory Commission, a project working to animate public and private spaces with neighbourhood-designed and apprenticeship-made public accessories. Amanda is looking forward to the opportunity to reconnect with her alma matter and is honoured to serve and ‘rep the six’ (Toronto).

Tammy Walker (’92) Tammy grew up in the Annapolis Valley and still calls it home even though she has lived in Ottawa for the past eight years. She graduated from Acadia in 1992 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. After a few years working in the agriculture industry in marketing, she moved on to a career in wealth management, starting at BMO Nesbitt Burns in 1997. She is currently an Investment Associate at Scotia McLeod in Ottawa and enjoys assisting clients meet their personal and financial goals. She and her husband have two very active teenagers who are involved in numerous activities that keep everyone busy. She is very excited that her oldest daughter will join the Acadia family in the fall to study biology.

Becca Webster (’13) Becca is from Quispamsis, New Brunswick and graduated from Acadia University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Psychology. In addition to serving as Life President of the Class of 2013, Becca had a number of different involvements during her time at Acadia. She had roles with Global Brigades, the Acadia Students’ Representative Council, Residence Life, S.M.I.L.E., the Acadia Dance Collective, and also worked as a Teacher’s Assistant and Research Assistant. Becca is currently living in St. John’s, Newfoundland and studying medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She currently plans to be a family physician with a focus on mental illness and would like to pursue global health. Becca greatly enjoyed the term she served on the Board this past year as an ex-officio member in the role of Grad Class President 2013. She is looking forward to coming on the board in a director’s position.

Ian MacIsaac (’86) Residing in Halifax and originally from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Ian graduated from Acadia University in 1986 and commenced working for Scotiabank that same year. Holding various Branch Positions and Electronic Banking Positions throughout this period, Ian joined the Home Financing Solutions Team in 2009. Since that time, Ian has consistently been one of the top performing Home Financing Advisors in Atlantic Canada. Ian was the Vice-President of the Acadia Students' Union and very active in student life. As a musician, Ian has achieved success at the international level of pipeband competitions, having competed throughout Canada, USA and Scotland. Ian’s daughter, Heather Chisholm, and his brother, Ross MacIsaac, are also Acadia alumni. During his spare time, he enjoys fly-fishing, playing bagpipes, hockey and personal fitness.

Lisa Peck (’85) Lisa has lived in the Halifax area since the age of 4. She graduated in 1985 from Acadia with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She then went on to have a very successful 30 year career in the area of Human Resources working for several departments within the Federal Public Service. She currently occupies the position of Public Service HR Manager at the RCMP for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Lisa is a member of the Human Resources Association of NS as well as a member of the HalifaxCornwallis Women's Progress Club which provides support to a number of local charities. Over the years, Lisa has been a strong Acadia alumna and has attended several Homecomings and other Acadia events. Lisa currently resides in Dartmouth and has two wonderful sons, one of whom is currently attending Acadia.

Barry Taylor (’80) Barry was born in Parry Sound, Ontario, the son of a mother from Halifax, NS and father from Corner Brook, Newfoundland. At age three, he moved with his parents to the Southeast US where he grew up in South Carolina and Georgia from where he visited Nova Scotian relatives most years of his youth. Barry returned to Nova Scotia in 1975 to attend Acadia University graduating in 1980 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a core in Marketing. Barry's early career involved ten years with Memorex Corporation which took him to San Jose, California and a Divisional Marketing Manager's position. Leaving Memorex in 1990, Barry joined a start up in the emerging interactive entertainment industry, Acclaim Entertainment, as Vice President of Sales, helping to lead that company to the number one position in the video game software business before returning to Nova Scotia with his daughter in 2005. Upon returning to Nova Scotia, Barry founded his current company, Cross Ridge Construction, Inc. and now operates in the Halifax and South Shore areas in custom residential housing and renovation. Acadia University has always been close to Barry's heart and relationships and friends from his Acadia days were a primary motivator for his return to Nova Scotia. Barry's daughter Sydney attended Acadia graduating in 2013. Married to Lynn Cochrane ('78), he shares Acadia with his mother in law and three brothers in law. A constant promoter, recruiter and supporter of Acadia, Barry looks forward to being a part of its future.

Jill Wagner (’99) Jill Wagner has been an active member of the Acadia community, not only during her time as a student, but, also later as an employee the University. She launched her career in Toronto working at advertising agencies, Young & Rubicam and Leo Burnett working on several accounts including Ford and P&G. Nova Scotia, however, was home so she returned to Halifax to work at Colour as the lead on Nova Scotia Tourism and Atlantic Lottery Corporation and then, for a number of years, with Discovery Centre. This experience became the platform for her infectious passion around brand building, strategic planning, sponsorship and community engagement. Currently, Jill is part of the senior marketing team at Stantec, a global design firm. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with two children, Luke and Ella who keep her busy between various sports activities.

Nick Westcott (’08) Nick grew up in Gaspereau, Nova Scotia and graduated from Acadia in 2008 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting (Co-op Option). During his time at Acadia, Nick participated in the accounting society and was a teaching assistant. He worked multiple jobs in food services and was an active member of the Relay for Life team. After graduating, Nick moved to Digby where he started his accounting career with Grant Thornton. There, he stayed actively involved with Relay for Life for six years, and was Chair for the last four years. Nick has returned to the Valley where he is employed with Kelly Coombs Chartered Accountant Inc. in New Minas as a Senior Accountant and is happy to call Gaspereau home again.

Rebecca Carr (’15) Rebecca is from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and graduated from Acadia University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in biology. In addition to serving as the Life President for the Class of 2015, Rebecca was heavily involved in many aspects of Acadia. During her four years at the school, Rebecca was a member of Acadia Athletics as a varsity athlete, worked at Cajun’s and the Axe Lounge in the Acadia Students’ Union, and held executive positions with the S.M.I.L.E. program, Acadia Global Brigades, Relay for Life and Community Outreach Acadia. Rebecca is currently residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she is pursuing her MBA at Dalhousie University. She is beyond grateful to have been given the opportunity to represent her fellow graduates, and is very excited to join the Board of Directors of the Associated Alumni.

Ex-Officio

Chelsey Penney, Class President 2016 Chelsea is from Bridgewater, Nova Scotia and is currently completing a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Biology. Chelsea is the Life President for the Class of 2016 as well as the President for the Acadia Biology Society. She has been heavily involved with the Acadia S.M.I.L.E. and Kinder Skills programs, along with a plethora of other volunteer endeavours. Chelsea is also associated with the Acadia Students’ Union as Charity Coordinator. Next year Chelsea will be in her fourth year at Acadia, and she appreciates Acadia and all the opportunities the institution has provided during her degree. Her honours thesis encompasses work with epigenetics and DNA methylation in marine invertebrates. She is excited to represent the Grad Class of 2016 and looks forward to serving on the Board of Directors of the AAAU.

Madison Cyr, Life President 2017 Madison Cyr was born in Saint John, New Brunswick and will graduate from the Fred C. Manning School of Business with a Bachelor of Business Administration in May 2017. Being the Life President for the graduating class of 2017 as well as a part of the Associated Alumni for the next two years excites her as she has loved her time at Acadia. From her first year, Madison has been involved in the Acadia S.M.I.L.E. program and will be part of the Marketing/Fundraising committee in her final year. During her third year she was a resident assistant in an all-first-year residence, Dennis House, and will be again in her final year. Madison loves welcoming people to what she calls her second home and is excited for the opportunities this life role will bring.

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