Board of Directors

Minaz Asani-Kanji
Outreach Advisor, Park People

Minaz has worked in the environmental field for 17 years.  She has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo. Minaz was formerly the Executive Director of the Toronto Green Community where over the last decade she has helped establish grassroots environmental programs to engage local communities.  For the last four years, she worked as a Live Green Toronto community animator helping communities in North York bring their environmental projects to life.  Minaz currently works as the Outreach Advisor for Park People, a great, young environmental organization that is helping neighbourhoods create lively, vibrant parks for all people 

Chris Chopik - President
Green Realtor, EvolutionGreen

Chris Chopik is a well-known green business leader and environmentalist.  Chris has a proven track record as a Sales and Marketing ecoPreneur. As a Green-Focused Realtor(r) Chris has worked on community based solar, home energy efficiency and retrofit programs, urban children’s gardens, and has served on the boards of Green Enterprise Toronto, Conservation Council of Ontario and many other local environmental initiatives. In broader contexts Chris has worked with Government on legislation and policy related to home energy efficiency and is an advocate for the Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition.

Stuart Grant - Treasurer
Office Manager, The Centre

Stuart Grant was the bookkeeper for Phoenix Community Works Foundation for many years, and served them also as a director in the 1990's.  He has extensive administrative and financial experience in the non-profit sector. Stuart currently manages an office building in the Annex area of downtown Toronto.  

Madhu Mahadevan - Secretary
IT Consultant

Madhu Mahadevan is an Information Technology Consultant working with Oracle Canada. His past clients include public and private sector companies in the financial and telecommunication sectors. A graduate from the University of Toronto, Madhu brings many years of experience and expertise in internet technology.

Lisa McGinn-Balendran
Financial Analyst, IBM Canada

Lisa McGinn-Balendran is a Financial Analyst for IBM Canada and an MBA graduate from the Schulich School of Business at York University. She has over seven years’ experience working in corporate financial management.  Prior to becoming a board member, Lisa worked as a consultant with LEAF on the feasibility study for expansion of the Backyard Tree Planting Program to York Region. 

Jode Roberts
Communications Specialist, David Suzuki Foundation

Jode Roberts is a writer, painter and schemer. For the past decade Jode has spent most workdays toiling as a communications strategist and wordsmith for green groups. Currently he works for the David Suzuki Foundation, aspiring to help connect folks with the wonders of nature in their neighbourhoods and mobilizing local champions for greener, healthier communities. To recharge his batteries, Jode spends time at the easel, creating colourful abstract paintings. He also spends plenty of time helping to initiate neat community projects, like musical bike parades and scale solar system art projects in city parks. Jode lives at the centre of the universe (also known as Toronto’s Christie Pits neighbourhood) with his darling partner and seriously cute three year old boy. 

Lorne Rothman, Vice-President
Principal Statistician, SAS Canada

Dr. Lorne Rothman is an accredited Professional Statistician (P.Stat.) with the Statistical Society of Canada, and a Principal Statistician with SAS Institute Canada where he serves as an educator and consultant to a wide variety of private and public sector organizations across North America. He studied Zoology at the universities of Toronto, British Columbia and Alberta, specializing in the ecology of forest insects. He is an avid LEAF supporter, and wishes all cities would look more like forests. He also writes ecological fiction, using fantasy as a means to raise awareness of natural history, ecology and environmental issues.  His book, Southcrop Forest, has won multiple awards.

Terrie Russell
Principal, BoardRx

Terrie Russell has been a successful entrepreneur and change management consultant for close to twenty years. As the sole proprietor of Russell Hille Associates, she is known for her independent and objective thinking and prides herself on delivering results. Terrie’s proactive and collaborative leadership style has built her reputation as a trusted and respected coach and colleague. Her track record includes many successive and long term assignments for a clientele of over 30 large and small organizations across both the private and public sectors. As a founder and principal of BOARDrx Inc. she is now devoting her time, energy and experience to bringing more effective governance, strategic thinking and innovation to the not-for-profit sector.