Expertise

John van Mossel

John van Mossel is an expert in climate change adaptation and project and strategic evaluations. He has 40 years of experience in development and environmental programs in more than 30 countries, including 20 years directly related to climate change adaptation. He has worked with consulting firms and independently, building on 20 years of experience in program delivery and policy advocacy with Canadian NGOs.

His areas of expertise include-  participatory monitoring and evaluation, including mid-term, final, and strategic evaluations. Led over 28 evaluation teams, managed results-based climate change adaptation projects, including design and delivery. Mr. Mossal also has experience in policy development and preparation for strategic climate change adaptation programs/projects, design, and delivery of national and sub-national climate change capacity-building initiatives.

William Clements

William Clements has over 40 years of experience in business and finance. He has worked in finance on risk management for financial institutions. In addition, Mr. Clements has worked with entrepreneurs and small businesses and has found a passion for sustainability, the environment, and Governance in finance. In 2019-2020, Mr. Clements provided his insights to CDF Canada in the INVEST project in Indonesia.

Mr. Clements teaches global finance, international business, micro-finance, and investments at Carleton University in Ottawa.

Alisa Gehrels-Mallette

Alisa Gehrels is the Senior Business Development Officer at CDF Canada. She joined the organization in 2018.

She collaborates with the CDF team to develop new project initiatives that strengthen and use co-operatives as an international development approach. This process includes coordinating inputs and feedback from subject experts, partner organizations, project teams, monitoring and evaluation specialists, and financial experts. She works in collaboration with government representatives and foundations to secure support and move these initiatives toward implementation.

Ms. Gehrels has a multi-disciplinary background with a focus on monitoring and evaluation, non-profit management, and organizational development. Before joining CDF Canada, she consulted with several non-profits, working with ethno-cultural communities in Ottawa to create responsive programs in the settlement and mental health sectors

Glenn Gibney

Glenn Gibney works as a Program Development Innovator at CDF Canada. Glenn develops innovative and effective programs and builds on partnerships with a vast network of civil society organizations and donors. Glenn brings his extensive experience of over 25 years of managing international development organizations and projects with Plan International and CBM in Vietnam (7 years); with World Learning, Global Communities, Chemonics, the Canadian Embassy, and CARE in Indonesia (20 years); with UNODC and CARE in Myanmar (2 years); with UNDP in Bangladesh (2 years); with Habitat for Humanity in Cambodia (1 year); and with WUSC in Ottawa (2 years).

Business development and fundraising are second nature to him. Over the years, he has prepared successful concept papers and proposals in development sectors, including, among others, civil society, good governance, gender equality, child rights, ethnic minority and Indigenous rights, education, health, disability rights, climate change, disaster risk reduction, livelihood promotion, and humanitarian response. Glenn always strives to improve outcomes for communities through change management, on-the-ground community management approaches citizen-led development, and rights advocacy.

Glenn has significant experience dealing with a wide range of donors, including GAC, USAID, USDA, EU, NORAD, JICA, KOICA, UK/NZ/AUS DFAT, UNDP, UNICEF, and various private sector donors such as Lotte and Accenture.

Glenn has a Master of Science in Environment and Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan, an Honors B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Guelph, and a B.Ed, from Nipissing University in North Bay.

Ellen Woodley

Ellen Woodley has over 30 years of experience in community-based natural resource management and the impacts of environmental and climate change on small-holder women and men farmers and their communities.

She has over ten years of experience with multi-country, multi-stakeholder evaluations in the area of climate resilient agriculture and livelihoods, climate change programming and conservation, including ecosystem-based adaptation (or nature-based solutions) in Southeast Asia and West Africa. She has worked with governments and communities on climate resilient strategies, environmental rehabilitation, income generation activities and value chain strengthening.

Dr. Woodley has experience in results-based management, participatory monitoring and evaluation, both qualitative and quantitative, with a gender focus, and has developed and conducted household interviews, focus group discussions, large community-centred dialogues, survey questionnaires and employed a range of tools for communities to share their knowledge.

Dr. Woodley is a Ph.D. in natural resource management and the impacts of socio-ecological change on indigenous coastal communities in the South Pacific and an MSc in agroecology practices of Indigenous Peoples in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Sanjeev Singh

Sanjeev Singh is the Director, Program Development with CDF Canada. Mr. Singh has been responsible for strategic, operational, and technical assistance for a multimillion-dollar portfolio across 20 countries in  Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

Mr. Singh brings over 25 years of professional experience in management consulting, international development, policy, and program management. He has collaborated extensively with NGOs, governments, the private sector, funding agencies, and multilateral organizations.

He has worked with and consulted organizations such as World Education Inc, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), The European Commission, The German Technical Agency (GTZ), Cuso International, and CDF Canada.

Mr. Singh has a Bcom degree from the University of South Africa and an MBA from the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. Over the years, Mr. Singh has served on many different Boards.

John van Mossel

John van Mossel is an expert in climate change adaptation and project and strategic evaluations. He has 40 years of experience in development and environmental programs in more than 30 countries, including 20 years directly related to climate change adaptation. He has worked with consulting firms and independently, building on 20 years of experience in program delivery and policy advocacy with Canadian NGOs.

His areas of expertise include-  participatory monitoring and evaluation, including mid-term, final, and strategic evaluations. Led over 28 evaluation teams, managed results-based climate change adaptation projects, including design and delivery. Mr. Mossal also has experience in policy development and preparation for strategic climate change adaptation programs/projects, design, and delivery of national and sub-national climate change capacity-building initiatives.

Jack Wilkinson

Jack Wilkinson joined The Co-operators board in April 2007. He serves as chairperson of the Member and Co-operative Relations, Democratic Structure Review* and Resolutions committees. During his tenure on the board, he has been vice-chairperson and a member of the CEO Search, Sustainability, and Executive committees. He was a delegate to The Cooperators representing the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) from May 2002 to April 2007.

Mr. Wilkinson serves as chair of the Nipissing-Sudbury Co-op and is also The Co-operators representative on the Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada board. He served as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the International Federation of Agriculture Producers and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

Mr. Wilkinson is self-employed as a grain and oilseed producer on his family farm. He is a retired Captain from the Canadian Armed Forces and the recipient of an Honours Doctorate of Laws from the University of Guelph.

BETSY ESTEVEZ

Betsy Estevez is CDF Canada Gender Specialist. She has over 20 years of experience in international development with a focus on human rights and gender equality in Latin America, in South East Asia countries, and Africa. Betsy is a passionate feminist and Gender Equality advocate and brings this lens to all her work with CDF Canada.

Before joining CDF Canada, Ms. Estevez worked with Cuso International as a Gender Specialist in Peru and Colombia, promoting women empowerment through leadership and entrepreneurial skills and helping them build resilience and solidarity to decrease their vulnerability to exploitation and violence, and abuse.

She holds a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in International Development from Carleton University. She also has a Master’s in Human Resources Management and BA (honors) in History from the Central University of Venezuela. She recently completed the Certificate in Conflict Resolution from the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution.

Catherine Dangerfield

Catherine Dangerfield has worked for 26 years in financial services, six years at a large credit union in BC.  She had led businesses in Retail Banking, HR, Direct Investing, Automotive Finance, Equipment Leasing, Business Banking, and Wealth Management and have been a finance executive for ten years.

Ms. Dangerfield’s expertise is in financial services, facilitation, and curriculum development.  She has been an active volunteer with CDF Canada in the Women’s Mentorship Program since 2011, both facilitating and as an overseas coach. In addition, she leads a team that provides all of the education and training to Financial Planners and Investment Managers across Canada (over 4000 people) in her current role.

Bruno Dragani

Bruno Dragani is a value-based leader with 25 years of financial co-operative experience. He serves as an executive for Coastal Community Credit Union and holds the Chief People & Administration Officer position. His areas of oversight include Information Technology, Human Resources, Centralized Operations, and Premises. He has been instrumental in leveraging people and technology to create strategies and programs that support the credit union.

Mr. Dragani holds a Master in Business Administration from Royal Roads University (MBA) and is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) and he is currently completing the (ICD) Institute of Corporate Directors designation.  He serves as a director for the Nanaimo Port Theater and is a past chair for Community Futures Central Vancouver Island. He has also volunteered for the Canadian Co-operatives Association internationally and has served in Mongolia and Indonesia.

Michele Aasgard

Michele Aasgard is the Vice-chairperson of the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada. Ms. Aasgard is a former Executive Director of the Alberta Community and Cooperative Association (ACCA) in Edmonton, Alberta. The ACCA seeks to foster a healthy and vibrant co-operative sector; to provide a forum for co-operatives to associate and network with other provincial and national co-operatives; to promote the co-operative model; to support the development of strong Alberta communities through co-operation; to foster the development of community leaders through education; to provide youth education and leadership; and, to foster a healthy agriculture sector through co-operation and education.

Before joining the ACCA, Ms. Aasgard worked for the Alberta Fish and Wildlife Division of the Alberta Government, developing and delivering training programs for staff and the private sector. She has extensive experience producing educational resource materials and has completed her Certificate of Adult and Continuing Education from the University of Alberta with distinction.

Neil Cooper

Neil Cooper’s analytical mind and focus keep Conexus in the winning column to ensure it is properly equipped for and understands what success looks like. As Chief Financial Officer, Mr.Cooper leads the accounting, finance, and treasury functions for Conexus. With a focus on organizational financial sustainability and stewardship, he is willing to make thoughtful, tough decisions for the greater good of Conexus, its members and employees.

Mr. Cooper’s experience in the financial industry is supplemented by a Master of Business Administration Degree and Bachelor of Science Degree, both from the University of Saskatchewan. He currently serves on the boards of the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada and APEX I and II Limited Partnership. He has enjoyed volunteering with the Canadian Co-operative Association, Canadian Cancer Society and MS Society of Canada.

Fred Townley-McKay

Fred Townley-McKay has provided consulting to management, boards of directors, and strategic planning services to numerous organizations through CDF Canada. Since 2010, he has worked in (Uganda (UCCFS) Central organization, Sri Lanka (SANASA Development Bank), Malawi (both MUSCCO and FINCOOP SACCO), and MONCORD Credit Union, Mongolia. He has also acted as a liaison and contact with senior government ministers to assist these organizations in gaining their support. In addition, he continues to provide consulting and advice voluntarily to FINCOOP SACCO and MONCORD Credit Union via email as they continue to progress in their quest for recovery.

William Clements

William Clements has over 40 years of experience in business and finance. He has worked in finance on risk management for financial institutions. In addition, Mr. Clements has worked with entrepreneurs and small businesses and has found a passion for sustainability, the environment, and Governance in finance. In 2019-2020, Mr. Clements provided his insights to CDF Canada in the INVEST project in Indonesia.

Mr. Clements teaches global finance, international business, micro-finance, and investments at Carleton University in Ottawa.

Ingrid Fischer

Ingrid Fischer, is a cooperative development professional with more than 35 years of experience advising financial and non-financial cooperatives in 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and North America.  She brings 15 years of service as a finance executive and a board member of credit union associations, NGOs, and CBO’s to her work as a technical advisor to the international credit union and cooperative movements.  She specializes in rural finance and emphasizes board development and good governance based on cooperative principles, risk management, strategic planning, policy development, financial management, and excellent member service as the foundation of strong cooperatives.  As a credit union practitioner, Ms. Fischer has consulted on credit union legislation and regulation in Canada, Ghana, Mongolia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, The Gambia, and Uganda.

Her volunteer activities for  CDF Canada with Credit Unions and Cooperative Banks in southern Africa led to a full-time career in international development. Her fascination with financial and non-financial cooperatives comes from the observation that they continually surprise, innovate and provide services to members against impossible odds while defying conventional sustainability measures.  The diversity of cooperative solutions fit her belief that there are no panaceas; one size never fits all. Still, locally-driven initiatives are the best hope for improved global living standards.

Bruno Dragani

Bruno Dragani is a value-based leader with 25 years of financial co-operative experience. He serves as an executive for Coastal Community Credit Union and holds the Chief People & Administration Officer position. His areas of oversight include Information Technology, Human Resources, Centralized Operations, and Premises. He has been instrumental in leveraging people and technology to create strategies and programs that support the credit union.

Mr. Dragani holds a Master in Business Administration from Royal Roads University (MBA) and is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) and he is currently completing the (ICD) Institute of Corporate Directors designation.  He serves as a director for the Nanaimo Port Theater and is a past chair for Community Futures Central Vancouver Island. He has also volunteered for the Canadian Co-operatives Association internationally and has served in Mongolia and Indonesia.

Tracey Kliesch

Tracey Kliesch the Director of Strategic Alliances at Concentra Bank for British Columbia. Concentra is a schedule 1, chartered bank owned by credit unions and co-operative organizations across Canada. Before Concentra, Tracey spent many years at Vancity working in change management, community investment, and member experience.

She holds a Master’s degree in Co-operative and Credit Union Management from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. Outside of work, she teaches Sustainable Business Models at BCIT in the Advanced Sustainable Business Leadership Diploma Program.

Ms. Kliesch is co-chair of the Co-operative Management Education Co-operative (CMEC), the umbrella organization overseeing the work of the International Centre of Co-operative Management (ICCM).

She believes in the power of people helping people to advance community development which is why she is proud to sit on the board of CDF.

She is one of the co-founders of Canada DE, a credit union development education program that brings credit union professionals worldwide to Canada annually to share strategies to operationalize values and create positive social impact through financial co-operatives.

Mark Needham

Mark Needham of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, is the President of Arctic Co-operatives Limited and Arctic Co-operative Development Fund and has been an active member for over fifteen years. A resident of Yellowknife for 30 years, Mr. Needham serves on the Board of Yellowknife Direct Charge Co-op, first from 1992 -1994 and 1996 onward, holding all executive positions.

Mr. Needham served on the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and Co-operative Development Foundation (CDF) Board in 2013. In 2014, he was elected to the Board of Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC).

Mr. Needham has previously served on the Resolutions Committee, the Finance and Audit Committee, and as the CMC representative on the CCA Board Nomination Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of British Columbia, a Master of Business Administration Degree from Queens University, and is very active in his community.

Jeanette Wakelin

Jeanette Wakelin is the Director of Product Solutions at Atlantic Central and is responsible for the oversight and execution of product and services strategies supporting over 45 credit unions in Atlantic Canada. Having worked in the financial cooperative sector for more than 30 years, Ms. Wakelin has developed a strong passion for the co-operative way of life.

She has served on the PEI Co-operative Council, the Credit Union National Benefits Committee, the Credit Union National Risk Management Committee, and the Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce. She currently is on the National Committee in support of a co-operative financial literacy program and works with over 50 certified trainers in Atlantic Canada.

Ms. Wakelin is a Certified Change Management Practitioner from ADPRO and has a Sales and Service Training Certification from MOHR Development Group, a Performance Management Certification from the Hay Group, and her MBA designation specializing in Human Resource Management. Jeanette was the National Chair of the Children’s Wish Foundation and now serves on its National Board as Chair of the Human Resources Committee.

Korinne Collins

Korinne Collins is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of business consulting, learning, and leadership experience ranging from an entrepreneurial start-up that she built and subsequently sold to leading learning teams at PwC, IBM, CIBC, and now CCUA.

Ms. Collins current role as Vice President of Education & Events is focused on the delivery of educational services and design of conferences for the credit union system’s 28,000 employees and 2500 directors across Canada.

Ms. Collins has served on the Board of the Institute for Performance and Learning for 5 years, and for 2 years held the role of Chair. She currently serves as Chair of the Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA) for the Ontario Government and sits on an advisory panel for the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI). Ms. Collins was a member of the Steering Committee of the 30% Club Canada, focused on bringing more women onto Canadian Corporate Boards.

She has recently been appointed to the board of the Cooperative Development Foundation of Canada and elected to the board of ABC Life Literacy.

Jack Wilkinson

Jack Wilkinson joined The Co-operators board in April 2007. He serves as chairperson of the Member and Co-operative Relations, Democratic Structure Review* and Resolutions committees. During his tenure on the board, he has been vice-chairperson and a member of the CEO Search, Sustainability, and Executive committees. He was a delegate to The Cooperators representing the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) from May 2002 to April 2007.

Mr. Wilkinson serves as chair of the Nipissing-Sudbury Co-op and is also The Co-operators representative on the Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada board. He served as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the International Federation of Agriculture Producers and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

Mr. Wilkinson is self-employed as a grain and oilseed producer on his family farm. He is a retired Captain from the Canadian Armed Forces and the recipient of an Honours Doctorate of Laws from the University of Guelph.

Roby Tulus

Robby Tulus pioneered the Credit Union Movement in Indonesia in the late 1960s and co-founded the Credit Union Counseling/Central Organization (CUCO) in Indonesia and the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions. He started his career as managing director of CUCO Indonesia (Jakarta 1971-80), Training Specialist of ACCU (Seoul, Korea 1981-83), Asia Region Director of the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA, Ottawa, Canada, 1983-1993), Senior Policy Advisor of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA, New Delhi & Manila 1993-96), and Regional Director for Asia Pacific of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA, based in Geneva, New Delhi and Singapore 1996-2002).

After retiring from the ICA in 2002, Mr. Tulus continued his active involvement in co-operative development work, with consultancies for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), NTUC Income (Singapore), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA-SNCF – Singapore), International Labor Organization (ILO), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and may more.

Mr. Tulus held various Board chairs and memberships in Canada, UK, and in Indonesia throughout his professional tenure.

Catherine Dangerfield

Catherine Dangerfield has worked for 26 years in financial services, six years at a large credit union in BC.  She had led businesses in Retail Banking, HR, Direct Investing, Automotive Finance, Equipment Leasing, Business Banking, and Wealth Management and have been a finance executive for ten years.

Ms. Dangerfield’s expertise is in financial services, facilitation, and curriculum development.  She has been an active volunteer with CDF Canada in the Women’s Mentorship Program since 2011, both facilitating and as an overseas coach. In addition, she leads a team that provides all of the education and training to Financial Planners and Investment Managers across Canada (over 4000 people) in her current role.

William Clements

William Clements has over 40 years of experience in business and finance. He has worked in finance on risk management for financial institutions. In addition, Mr. Clements has worked with entrepreneurs and small businesses and has found a passion for sustainability, the environment, and Governance in finance. In 2019-2020, Mr. Clements provided his insights to CDF Canada in the INVEST project in Indonesia.

Mr. Clements teaches global finance, international business, micro-finance, and investments at Carleton University in Ottawa.