2022-2023 Board of Governors biographies

Gary Rose, chair of the Board, is the Vice-President of the New Nuclear Growth Team at Ontario Power Generation (OPG).
With over 30 years of experience in finance and nuclear project management, Gary works nationally and internationally, supporting nuclear as a part of the solution to achieve net zero climate goals by 2050.

Gary is a Chartered Professional Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, and has a Project Management Professional designation. He has over fifteen years of Board experience as a trustee on the Whitby Public Library Board and the Durham College Board of Governors. Recently, Gary completed the Directors Education Program and has an Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D) Designation.

Gary lives in Whitby with his wife and three teenage boys, and he enjoys spending time with family and taking in all that Durham Region has to offer.

Lisa Allen is the Vice-President, Risk and Internal Controls at Real Matters Inc.

Lisa is a senior enterprise risk professional with over 20 years of experience assisting organizations with governance risk and internal control across multiple industries. Lisa joined Real Matters in June 2016 and worked with the senior leadership team through the IPO and established the organization's risk and internal control functions. Before joining Real Matters, she was a Partner in Deloitte's enterprise risk practice and served over 18 years in professional services. Lisa is the past President of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) in Toronto. She most recently served on the board of Luke's Place Support and Resource Centre for Women and Children, where between 2007 and 2019, she held several roles, including President, Treasurer, and Chair of the Audit Committee. Lisa is a Chartered Professional Accountant and obtained a Bachelor of Accounting degree from Brock University.

Suzanne Beale was the Commissioner of Public Works at the Town of Whitby until her retirement in April 2021 where she was responsible for the overall direction and leadership of a diverse labour force and Department comprising of various disciplines including asset management, civil engineering approvals, design and construction, traffic operations and transportation planning, parking management, stormwater design and maintenance, fleet repair and management, roads maintenance, forestry, horticulture, parks maintenance, and waste and landfill management.

Suzanne graduated from McMaster University with a degree in civil engineering and business management and is a professional engineer with over 30 years of experience in private consulting and public sector fields. Suzanne has lived in Durham Region since 1991 and is a strong advocate for the community. Suzanne enjoys sailing, tennis, and golf in her spare time and has travelled to Europe on cycling trips.

Melissa Bosomworth is the elected support staff member on the Board of Governors.

With her experience working in the fast-paced, ever-changing public sector, Melissa joined Durham College after working 14 years in health and mental health care settings. During her 17 years at Durham College, she earned a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on community colleges. Additionally, she has earned an International Coaching Federation designation to support students in their educational journey. Melissa has been instrumental on several committees, including the Student Code of Conduct, Social Justice and Strategic Planning. Further, she has co-chaired a committee that included colleges from across Canada. Outside of the workplace, Melissa is part of a national Board for a sporting organization and enjoys giving back to her community through various volunteer roles. As an advocate for well-being, Melissa enjoys outdoor activities, including cycling, hiking, and homesteading.

Elizabeth Cowie is the Head, Adjudicative Tribunals and former Vice-President and General Counsel with CPA Ontario, the regulatory body for 93,000 chartered professional accountants in Ontario.

She has a BA and LLB from Queen's University and an LLM from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, and has been a member of the Law Society of Ontario since 1984. Over her career, she has been an Assistant Crown Attorney based in York Region, a prosecutor, and educator with the Law Society, head of legal services with York Regional Police, and general counsel at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.

As Vice-President and General Counsel, she was an integral part of conceiving, negotiating, and implementing the unification of the accounting professions in Ontario. During her legal career, she has developed specific expertise in the governance of not-for-profit organizations, professional regulation, administrative and corporate law (including privacy, contracts, employment, litigation, intellectual property, risk management, and board advice), change management, and regulatory compliance.

A resident of Uxbridge, Elizabeth, is active in the community. She has taken on leadership and front line positions with several community organizations, including the Uxbridge Skating and Soccer Clubs, the Uxbridge Chamber Choir, Theatre Aurora, and the York Regional Police Pipe Band, and is a church music director and musician.

Kalyan (KC) Chakravarthy is the Chief Information Officer for the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).

As Chief Information Officer, KC is responsible for establishing and implementing a long-term technology strategy for the ESA. KC has over 22 years of experience in private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. Before joining the ESA, he previously worked with the Region of Durham, General Electric, IBM, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

KC currently serves as a board member at Grandview Kids and other start-ups. He graduated with his MBA from Smith School of Business and did a certificate course in Artificial Intelligence from MIT.

Kelly Doyle is the elected administrative staff member on the Board of Governors, and she is the Director, Organizational Effectiveness at Durham College.

Kelly began her career with Durham College in 1998 and feels fortunate to have had several rewarding roles at DC over the past 20 years. Her Human Resources experience has included benefits and compensation, job evaluation, recruitment and selection, health and safety, employee orientation, professional development, employee wellness, and employee engagement. At the regional and provincial level, Kelly has been an active member of numerous college and community committees and is often asked to facilitate at conferences. Kelly's passion for facilitation and building strong teams shows each time she is working with DC employees or community partners. Her facilitation experience spans from strategic planning to goal setting, emotional intelligence, and personality assessments such as DiSC, Strengths and Personality Dimensions, all of which she is certified to deliver.

Dr. Gail Johnson Morris is the President and CEO of LeaderLink, a boutique strategy consultancy that supports boards and executive teams to build strategic capacity.

Known as a transformational change agent, Gail held c-suite and corporate director roles at global financial services and health-science companies during her successful 30-year corporate career. Gail holds a Bachelor of Arts from York University, a Master of Business Administration from Royal Roads University, and a Doctor of Business Administration from Walden University. She is a published author and award-winning thought leader who is an independent corporate board member.

She advocates for practical, applied education and lifelong learning and brings that passion to her teaching. Gail is an instructor in the Master of Business Administration program at Athabasca University and has taught many proud Durham College alumni at Trent University's School of Business.

Gail, her husband Frank Morris, and their rescue puppy Moxie enjoy living, working, and trail walking in Durham Region.

Ian Murray is the Vice-President Internal Audit at Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.

At the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, Ian is responsible for directing the company's internal audit function in an efficient and process-driven manner, ensuring timely completion of audit and consulting engagements required to support the CEO/CFO certification process as well as operational and regulatory requirements.

Previously, Ian had several years of experience across various industries, including four years at MCAP as Chief Audit Officer and ten years at Rogers Communications as Senior Director, Internal Audit. He has also held senior Internal Audit and Enterprise risk roles at CIBC Mellon, Meridian Credit Union, and Canadian Pacific Railway.

Ian is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner and is a graduate of Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology with a diploma in Accounting and Financial Management. Ian lives in Whitby and is married with two children.

Jerry Ouellette is the Chief Executive Officer of Chaga Health and Wellness Inc.

Jerry previously worked for Perma-fix, an international radioactive material disposal company, and he is Oshawa's longest-serving MPP from 1995 to 2014. As MPP, Jerry held numerous portfolios, including Minister Natural Resources, Junior Minister Northern Development and Mines, Junior Minister Transportation, Chair Justice Committee, Chair General Government, Vice-Chair Public Accounts, Critic Native Affairs, and Critic Natural Resources. Jerry is an alumnus of Durham College, graduating from the Business Administration program.

Jerry is also an active community volunteer who chaired the world Junior A men's hockey championships when it took place in Ontario, and he has been involved with missionary work in Kenya, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Mexico, and Cuba.

Peter Pryce is the Senior Operations Manager of Lakeside Performance Gas Services.

Peter was raised in the Toronto area and relocated to the Durham Region in the early nineties, where he raised two sons with his wife, Sheryl.

Peter's career in the pipe trades led him to his current position as Senior Operations Manager for a large natural gas utility contractor. In this role, he is heavily involved in planning and executing large natural gas projects throughout Ontario. Peter prides himself on having a thorough knowledge of the industry and the codes and procedures that govern it. With a background in training, Peter enjoys working with new and younger workers coming into the trade whenever he gets the opportunity.

Peter now resides with his wife in the Ashburn area of Whitby, where they enjoy taking care of their home and gardens and travelling to warmer climates when they can.

Dwight Townsend is the Principal Director of Gomedics Health, a medical transport and health services company.

Dwight is a consultative leader with a successful track record in managing health care strategies and stakeholder engagements across primary, community, and regulatory health care sectors. Directing one of Ontario's First Provincial Health Strategy, Dwight served as Deputy Registrar at the College of Dental Technologists of Ontario and has worked in senior management in Toronto's teaching hospitals.

Dwight's scholarship focuses on health and Afrocentric education. He consults on Board governance, curriculum development, and education engagement as it pertains to racialization, diversity and inclusion. Dwight is also the Founder and Chair of The Health Research Council for People of African Descent in recognition of the Decade for People of African descent. He holds a Bachelor of Health Studies degree from York University; Masters of Leadership & Interdisciplinary Studies, Royal Roads University; and is currently completing a Masters of Law at Osgoode Hall Law School.

A husband and father, he provides education mentorship to at-risk youth and enjoys bringing external industry and sector-specific opportunities into the academic space.

Atif Usmani is the elected student governor on the Durham College Board of Governors.

Atif Usmani started at Durham College in 2021 in the Mechanical Engineering Technology-Advanced program and has been on the honour roll for the past two semesters.

Atif has several years of experience in business leadership and people management. Throughout his professional career, he worked with retail companies such as Home Depot and Lowes in senior management roles, team-leading/building, and new store opening; however, he is now pursuing his dream of becoming an engineer.

Nathan Wilson is the elected academic governor on the Durham College Board of Governors.

Since 2013, Nathan has taught communications, general education, and preparatory subjects with the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Durham College. He has also held additional roles at the college, including Academic Council Co-Chair, College Council member, and program coordinator.

Outside of the college, Nathan sits on the Board of Directors for Learning Essentials of Durham Region -- a non-profit volunteer organization that works to increase adult literacy in the Durham Region. He also previously sat on the College Association of Language and Literacy Board. In these roles, he has provided governance, reviewed finances, facilitated communication, and overseen quality assurance processes.

Nathan holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University and a Master of Arts from Dalhousie University. He is also a published writer, having contributed stories, articles, and poems to various North American journals, and in 2015 he co-edited a collection of essays about Kristallnacht that Routledge published.

Don Lovisa, BA, MIM President, Durham College

Don Lovisa is President of Durham College, a position he has held for the past fourteen years of his more than 34-year career in post-secondary education.

He is a strong advocate for the college system and changing lives through learning, in and out of the classroom. He believes that DC is successful because of its dedication to students, employees and strong community connections.
As President, Don leads a talented group of more than 2,400 full and part-time employees dedicated to Leading the Way in the delivery of transformative, experiential education. Durham College has thrived under Lovisa's leadership, growing to more than 13,500 full-time, post-secondary, and apprenticeship students and over 30,000 students. Lovisa takes great pride in Durham College being a GTA Top Employer for eleven years in a row and one of Canada's Greenest Employers for five years.

Lovisa is considered a leader within the college system and the broader provincial and national community. He is currently a Director on the Board of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), past Chair of Colleges Ontario (CO), and a member of the Education Committee of the Black North Initiative (BNI).

His track record of success was recognized when he received the Business Person of the Year Award in 2017 from the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce and the Business Achievement Award in 2011 from the Whitby Chamber of Commerce, among other awards.

Lovisa has a Master's degree in International Management, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, a diploma in Adult Education, and has completed the course work for a Ph.D. in Community College Leadership.

MEMBERS OF THE 2022-2023 BOARD OF GOVERNORS ARE: