ParticipACTION Board of Directors

(Vice Chair)

Mel Wright is the Vice President Communications at Intact Insurance. Before joining Intact, she was the Vice President of Corporate and Public Affairs at Laurentian Bank, and prior to joining the bank, she was the Interim Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre. Mel launched her career in the Ontario government, serving in progressively senior roles, including as a top advisor to the Minister of Finance, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Economic Development and Infrastructure, and Chief of Staff for Intergovernmental Affairs to the Premier. Mel is the proud mother of two young children, Arthur and Willa.

Mike Kaplan is a former corporate and commercial lawyer at Dentons Canada LLP, having retired after 40 years of practice at the end of 2022. Previously, he was the Managing Partner of the Dentons Canada Toronto office, a member of the Dentons Canada National Management Committee, and a member of the Global Board of Directors of Dentons. Mike was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. Mike enjoys keeping physically active by running, bike riding, hiking and playing tennis.

Andrew Lue is a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group and has experience in non-profit funding, finance, people, and digital strategies, and has a deep passion for sports and education. He graduated from the Queen’s Smith School of Business with an MBA and was previously a professional athlete in the Canadian Football League (playing for teams in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario & Quebec) for 5 years.

As a management consultant, his work has included projects in portfolio optimization, digital transformations, and operational excellence. As a non-profit Project Director for Concussion Legacy Foundation, Andrew developed strategic initiatives to advance the organization’s influence and tactically engaged collaborators / partners in the pursuit of mutual points of interest. Andrew is also a Career Mentor at Pathways to Education, providing academic and career support to students.

Dr Paul Oh is the Medical Director and Chair of the GoodLife Fitness Centre of Excellence in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Prevention at the University Health Network – Toronto Rehab and Peter Munk Cardiac Centre since 2014, and an Associate Professor, Clinical Pharmacology, at the University of Toronto. He obtained his M.D. from the University of Toronto in 1988 and completed specialty training in Internal Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology, and Clinical Epidemiology.

Paul’s clinical focus over the last 30 years has been on cardiovascular risk reduction and has participated on many national guideline committees (e.g., Hypertension Canada, Diabetes Canada, Canadian Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (CACPR), Canadian Cardiovascular Society) with leadership roles in provincial (e.g., CorHealth Ontario; Heart and Stroke Foundation) and national advisory committees and professional associations around heart health, physical activity and policies. Paul has authored over 300 peer reviewed publications around cardiovascular health.  Paul is also an avid racquet sports player, golfer and has completed 15 half marathons.

As the Vice President, Government Relations, Dan is a member of the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) Leadership Team, where he leads the CBA’s national Government Relations team. Working closely with colleagues across the organization, Dan focuses on banking sector policy advocacy with governments and key stakeholders across Canada. Dan joined the CBA after a successful term as the Senior Vice President of External Engagement with Futurpreneur Canada, where he focused on growing and diversifying corporate, government and individual fundraising as well as donor and public relations. Dan’s public sector experience includes a term as the Chief of Staff for Ontario’s Minister of Research, Innovation and Science, working closely with Ministry Officials and leading the Minister’s team in achieving the Minister’s and government’s priorities. He has also served in various Federal Government roles, including as a Senior Policy Advisor to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

His professional experience has been complemented by a lifelong participation in sport. Having competed as a varsity athlete, he remains active in organizing sporting events and as an endurance runner and Ironman triathlete.

Allison is the CEO of Rocky Mountain Liquor Inc. and has been an executive for over 15 years.  She started her career at Deloitte, receiving her Chartered Accountant designation in 2005. Allison holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Memorial University and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Allison’s dedication to community engagement shines through her involvement in board roles as Vice Chair and Chair of the Governance and HR Committee at the Edmonton Humane Society, Vice Chair of the Alberta Liquor Store Association, and director of Rocky Mountain Liquor. Her contributions as a board member reflect a commitment to shared success, where her insights contribute to the strategic decisions that propel these organizations forward.

Allison is a passionate advocate for active living and community engagement, and she finds solace in Canada’s natural beauty. She enjoys her early morning sessions at Orange Theory and outdoor activities like cycling and hiking with her three Labrador retrievers.

Chris Saniga is a tenured senior executive, board member and avid community volunteer. Chris is the Chief Business to Business Officer for Staples. Prior to Staples, he was the Head of Canada for Meta focused on partnering with Canada’s largest companies to drive business results through the Meta family of apps and services. Chris brings 25 years of senior leadership experience with global tech-leading brands including Deloitte, SAP,  and Oracle. Chris is a McMaster University alumnus, and recently completed a program at Kellogg School of Management focused on AI, Automation, & Analytics.

Chris currently serves on the board of the Leaside Hockey Association as the VP of Sponsorships, is a Head Coach for his son’s teams, and has coached both daughters through the Leaside Wildcats organization. Chris integrates daily physical activity into his life by being on the ice as a coach, playing hockey as a goalie weekly, attending F45 classes, and walking the many foster dogs that come into the Saniga household regularly.

Kenda Shaheen is a partner at Dentons Canada LLP in the Business Law Group, with a focus on venture technology. She frequently works with emerging growth companies operating at the forefront of innovation. Kenda advises on corporate matters, including corporate governance, and all stages of venture financing. Her role is rarely limited to being a legal advisor and often requires her to be a trusted business advisor who can provide practical suggestions for a business, including fundraising strategies, operating with a limited budget and managing risk.

Kenda earned her Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. Throughout her career, she has actively sought opportunities to give back. She has coordinated and participated in an inner-city youth legal education and outreach program, is an active member of Dentons Canada’s Student Committee, and frequently acts as a mentor to young lawyers and law students.

Once a semi-professional ballerina and now a marathoner-to-be, Kenda maintains an active lifestyle outside of her practice. She participates in the Terry Fox Run, CIBC Run for the Cure and Sporting Life 10K each year. Kenda cherishes meditation in her own movement and frequently relies on morning runs to set intention for the day ahead.

Camilla is MD and Head, Product Management Canada & UK, Equity Research at BMO Capital Markets. Prior to this role, Camilla was the President and CEO of Women in Capital Markets (WCM), a national not-for-profit that aims to accelerate gender diversity across financial services. Her career spans more than two decades in capital markets, including as Scotiabank’s Global Head of Foreign Exchange, responsible for the firm’s FX trading desks, electronic trading and distribution, sales teams, and the global strategy. Prior to this role, she was Scotiabank’s Chief FX Strategist, providing global macro commentary and advisory services across the firm’s client base. Earlier in her career, she was part of Portfolio Management at OMERS and Equity Research at BMO Capital Markets. Camilla holds a BA from Dalhousie University and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business. In addition, she is a CMT, CFA charter holder and ICD.D.  In addition to being on the board of ParticipACTION, Camilla is a past member of the CFA Society Toronto’s Board of Directors and was previously a member of the Bank of Canada’s Foreign Exchange Committee. She is also a member of several committees within the United Way and several other community organizations.

Dr. Jane Thornton is a Canada Research Chair and Clinician Scientist specializing in long-term athlete health, female athlete health, and physical activity in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, with cross appointments in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and School of Kinesiology. Jane completed her medical training at the University of Toronto and her family and sports medicine training at Western. She has completed additional training in Switzerland in preventive medicine with elective sports medicine training in seven different countries. She treats athletes and active individuals of all ages and abilities. Jane is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM) and Rowing Canada Aviron, as well as an Editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM).

Jane has represented Canada for over a decade in the sport of elite rowing, becoming both a World Champion (2006) and Olympian (2008), and has been recognized with the 2015 AthletesCan Social Responsibility Award for her contribution to society by sport/volunteer initiatives.