JP Bervoets

Board Member

JP is Vice President of Community Foundations of Canada, the national network of 191 community foundations. For the past decade, he has worked to build meaningful cross-sector partnerships to enhance community wellbeing and advance domestic and international development outcomes through professional and voluntary roles based in North America, Europe and Africa.

Prior to joining Community Foundations of Canada, JP helped drive the partnership development and communications efforts for North Star Alliance, a public-private partnership founded by the United Nations World Food Program and TNT Express, and recognized by UNAIDS, the Clinton Global Initiative and the World Economic Forum as a best practice on how business, governments and civil society can combine forces to rapidly scale up access to healthcare.

He has a Master’s degree in Development Studies from York University and his professional interests include sustainable development, public-private partnerships, global health and arts and culture. He's been an Impact Hub member since 2014.

Jesse Cressman-Dickinson

Board Member

Jesse has a background in community management and stakeholder relations. She is a founder and Board Member of JustChange Canada, a not for profit that supports the development of giving circles and sits on the board of their local chapter in Ottawa. She gets excited about new models of philanthropy, experimenting with new forms of public engagement, creating quality public spaces for people of all ages and abilities and working with local organizations to address community challenges.

Brian Toller

Chair of the Board

Brian Toller is President of Tolcor Investments Ltd., a private investment firm. He is also Co-Owner of Cognitive Workshops, which provides cognitive therapy training for mental health professionals across Canada and in the UK. Previously, he was President of real estate developer The Expernet Group; Senior Consultant of DCH Consultants; Publisher of Renewable Energy News; and a reporter with the Ottawa Citizen. He received an Honours BA in Economics and Canadian Studies from Trent University in 1975 and also did post-graduate studies in journalism at Carleton University.

On a community level, Brian is on the board of Community Foundations of Canada, which represents the 191 community foundations across Canada. He was on the board of the Community Foundation of Ottawa (CFO) for 10 years, three as Board Chair and four as Chair of its Investment Committee, where he led an initiative to implement Responsible Investing and Impact Investing policies at the foundation. He is currently a member of CFO’s Impact Investing Committee as well as its Investment Committee. He is an active supporter of the Ottawa theatre community and is involved in other local initiatives around issues of affordable housing and social innovation.

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Jon Lomow

Board Member

Jon has more than 20 years experience as an operator, investor, strategic advisor and communications specialist. Jon has spent his career developing innovative ideas and organizations that push beyond the typical, to forge new ways of solving complex commercial, societal and environmental problems. He has provided leadership or senior advisory services to organizations ranging from small not-for-profits to multi-billion dollar projects in sectors that span municipal and community infrastructure, education, agriculture, food & beverage, renewable energy, marketing communications, financial services, information technology and public policy.

Manu Sharma

Board Member

Manu Sharma is an Engineer by education, Technology Entrepreneur by choice, and Community Activist at heart. He has spent the last 13 years building unique technology solutions and supporting young entrepreneurs. He has a strong strategic interest in creating opportunities to empower individuals, organizations, and communities. Manu is currently a Managing Partner with OAK Computing, an Ottawa based full service software development firm that he co-founded.

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Tracey Clark

Past Chair & Board Member

Tracey is the Managing Director of Bridgehead Coffee. Bridgehead serves fairly traded and organic coffees from small-scale farmers in fifteen coffeehouses in Ottawa, operates a central Kitchen, and operates a mail order service. Tracey holds an MBA and a Fellowship in International Development Management and previously worked at Mountain Equipment Coop and Newbridge Networks. She and her partner Gina have two wonderful children.

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