Robyn Easton
Programs, Events, and Rentals Coordinator
r.easton@diefenbunker.ca

Project Assistants

Caleigh, Juliette

Team Supervisor – Museum Guide

Samantha

Museum Guides

Aidan, Alysia, Emily, Eric, Keira, Robyn, Sarah, Shannon, Sophie

Susan McLeod, Chair

Susan McLeod has worked for more than 35 years in museums and heritage tourism. She has an undergraduate degree in archaeology/anthropology from Trent University and a graduate degree in museum studies from the University of Toronto.

Susan has worked both in the areas of museum research and collections and in exhibitions and programs. This rounded experience has instilled in her a deep appreciation of the need to balance protection and preservation of heritage resources with visitor learning and enjoyment.

Susan has worked at the Royal Ontario Museum, National Postal Museum and Canadian Museum of Civilization (now History). For many years she headed the interpretive planning department at the latter, giving her a central role in exhibition and program development.

After 25 years in museums, Susan took a position with Parks Canada, working with national parks and national historic sites to enhance the visitor experience of these iconic destinations. She now works as an independent, consulting in the fields of museum and heritage tourism with her company, Susan McLeod Solutions.

Susan is a fan of the Diefenbunker and delighted to join the board. Her previous volunteer activities have revolved around heritage, cultural and community activism, as well as schooling and sports activities related to her three children.

Joanne Charette, Vice-Chair

Until recently, Joanne was Vice-President, Corporate Strategy and Communications at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).  Prior to her time at IDRC, she was the Communications Advisor and Official Spokesperson to the 28th Governor General of Canada, David Johnston. Joanne is an accomplished, results-driven marketing and communications professional offering more than 30 years of experience in the field of public affairs, media relations, outreach, strategic planning and corporate governance.  She has more than 25 years as a senior executive in a Crown corporation. Joanne has knowledge of sound governance principles, having worked with many different boards, elected or appointed, as well as expertise in monitoring and evaluation of performance.

Paul Drover, Secretary

Paul Drover is a former Air Force Pilot who, during his military career, completed a number of operational and staff assignments. His appointments include Squadron Commander, Wing Operations Officer and Senior Policy Advisor at National Defence Headquarters. As a senior official he represented Canada on international panels and committees and served as the Air Attaché to the United States of America.

During his career he also served with the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) where he was responsible for the bi-national command exercise program. He also served as Command Director at the Cheyenne Mountain complex NORAD, the center responsible for aerospace warning. He was subsequently appointed as Deputy Commander, Alaska NORAD Region where he was directly involved in the readiness, employment and evaluation of defence forces.

Following his military career, Paul joined the private sector as a senior consultant. In addition, he was appointed Executive Director, Unmanned Systems Canada. Most recently he served as a Returning Officer with Elections Canada.

Paul and his wife Natalie enjoy an active lifestyle and live in the charming village of Carp.

David Loye, Treasurer

David Loye, a professional Accountant since 1989,  worked for over thirty years in the Federal Crown Corporation Museum Sector, most recently as the Chief Operating Officer of the National Gallery of Canada.

His career in the Museum sector has been highlighted by leading major transformative initiatives such as the transition of the Canadian Museum of History to a Crown Corporation, overseeing the implementation and growth of revenue-based activities, managing the financial reporting and control aspects of the Canadian War Museum construction project, and leading the transition team overseeing the creation of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 as a Crown Corporation.  David is recognized as an accomplished cultural administrator with expert knowledge of museum front-line operations, business planning, marketing, facilities, finance, and Board governance.

Now semi-retired, David works part-time through DM Loye Consulting specializing in Federal Crown Corporation management and in providing senior management expertise to cultural and non-profit organizations. He is a long-time resident of Kanata.

Joe Brown, Director

 A professional accountant since 1992, Joe was born and raised in Ottawa. He obtained his Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University and later completed professional business courses at Queen’s University and Wharton Business School. After working for a chartered accounting firm, Joe spent 25 years in the Advanced Technology sector in a variety of finance related roles. For the last five years of his career, he was the Chief Financial Officer of MOSAID Technologies Incorporated, a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Semi-retired, Joe does part-time virtual CFO work. 

Joe enjoys golfing, curling, travel and videography. Joe and Lori, his wife, live in Kanata, 

Colleen Kelley, Director

Colleen is the President of Management Consulting at Stratford Group. She is an experienced Board Director, executive and leader, with over 30 years of experience in strategy and accelerating companies to scale. As a CPA, Colleen brings deep financial insight to every role, providing Boards and her clients with calculated decision-making strength. 

Having led several organizations through major transformations, Colleen excels in helping organizations articulate vision, foster culture amidst chaos, build infrastructure, reach improved financial performance, and make the many difficult decisions that accompany growth and change. Highly perceptive, Colleen is an engaging leader with substantive skill in profit and loss management, customer orientation, program management and supply chain management. She also brings significant experience in M&A integration activities and leading organizations 

In her consulting role, she has been providing pragmatic support to private and public sector organizations and national associations in technology, healthcare, and retail market sectors and well as economic development accelerators. 

Lorraine Mastersmith, Director

Lorraine Mastersmith is an Ottawa-based partner in Gowling WLG’s Corporate Commercial and Capital Markets Groups. Her practice focuses largely on corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on assisting emerging and established companies across a variety of sectors with commercial agreements, mergers & acquisitions and capital raising.

Lorraine is the Ottawa lead for the firm’s Blockchain and Smart Contracts Group. Over the course of her career both as in-house counsel and in private practice, Lorraine has assisted clients in raising hundreds of millions of dollars in financing from banks, angel investors, private equity and venture capital firms. With extensive experience in the listing of capital pool companies and the completion of qualifying transactions on the TSX Venture Exchange, she has acted as lead counsel on a number of listings and subsequent financings. Lorraine applies her business acumen to assist clients in the development of strategic plans and governance policies. She currently serves as an independent director and member of the Audit and Compensation Committees of Ross Video Limited.

Lorraine is actively involved as an Ottawa Regional Ambassador Council member for Women Get on Board, an organization devoted to the advancement of qualified women to corporate boards. She also volunteers her time with the executive committee of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and the Queensway-Carleton Hospital Foundation.

Linda Nixon, Director

Linda Nixon has been a Human Resources Executive for the past 15 years and brings a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience to help build an excellent HR strategy, program and team. She is a solution-oriented Human Resources executive with progressive and expanding mandates focused on aligning people strategies to achieve business results. As a values-based leader, Linda believes and practices transparency and effective communication. She is recognized for her leadership competence, relationship building, people development, communications and strategic program implementation.

Linda has a passion for working with executives in creating meaningful, sustainable work environments that heighten employee engagement and drive desired business results. She is skilled at coaching leaders at all levels of the organization in understanding how their own beliefs, values and behaviours shape the culture of the organization and partners with them to co-create intentional and meaningful workplaces.

As a strategic HR consultant Linda has worked with a variety of organizations including those in the technology, retail, project management, government and social services sectors.

Ron Roedig, Director

Ron brings considerable experience and expertise in facility design and project management to the Board.

Ron has worked for some of Ottawa’s top employers over his career, including: J.L. Richards, National Defence, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Colonnade Development.

In 2004, Ron opened his own consulting firm and offers custom solutions for all aspects of facility management, from marketing to implementation of services in the private and public sector in the Greater Ottawa area.

Ron has a strong sense of community, both personally and professionally, and has supported numerous local charities as a volunteer and a donor, as well as serving on various professional organizations as a volunteer.

William Jeff Siddall, Director