Meet our team and volunteers
Meet the people at the heart of social impact in downtown Ottawa. With an unwavering commitment to community-centred impact, our team and volunteers connect members, facilitate cross-sector collaboration, design events, build programs, and support your work.
So, how can we help you?
Our Team
Liz Cleland (she/her)
Managing Director
Meet Elizabeth Cleland, the Managing Director of Impact Hub Ottawa. With a professional background in both business and the charitable sector, Liz brings an entrepreneurial and community-building mindset to her role at the Hub.
Liz started her Hub journey supporting the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region, and she is always on the lookout for sustainable products or businesses to support.
As for what Liz loves about the Hub, it’s being witness to the random connections or collisions over coffee that can spark a potential collaboration or even a new friendship. She especially values the vibrant collective of individuals who show up to support fellow members and create a welcoming space and community.
Members are welcome to approach Liz with any questions or ideas related to their Hub journey, partnerships and dedicated offices and desks.
Dalainey Gervais (she/they)
Events Lead
Meet Dalainey Gervais, the Events Lead of Impact Hub Ottawa. With a professional background in the world of inclusive sexual education and sustainable writing, Dal has been a long-time advocate of creating safe spaces for new ideas, collaboration, and environmental advocacy.
After moving to Ottawa in 2022 to pursue Professional Writing at Algonquin College, Dal fell in love with the collaborative nature of the Hub, and its goal to create a more sustainable tomorrow.
From the blooming greenery to the lingering smell of freshly brewed coffee, there’s nothing Dal loves more about the Hub than the lasting connections she’s made with members, program participants and colleagues.
At the Hub, members are welcome to approach Dal with all things bookings, lunch & learns, and Tweakshops.
Susan Hickman (she/her)
Operations Manager
Meet Susan Hickman, the Operations Manager at Impact Hub Ottawa. Having been part of the Hub community since 2017, Susan is passionate about creating spaces where people and ideas flourish. With over 20 years of experience in not-for-profit administration and finance, she has worked with national, international, and community-based organizations in dynamic coworking environments.
At the Hub, members can approach Susan with all things facilities, administration, and troubleshooting.
Advisors & Board
Brian Toller
Chair of the Board
Brian Toller is the President of Tolcor Investments Ltd., a private investment firm. During his career, he has been an entrepreneur and investor in publishing, renewable energy, commercial real estate, venture capital and mental health training. Brian has had a couple of decades of experience as a board member of various charities.
He is currently Co-Chair of the Ottawa Climate Action Fund, an investment fund intent on creating a low-carbon, equitable future in Ottawa, part of the Low Carbon Cities Canada network. He also is involved in the creation of PAL Place, an 82-unit, net-zero affordable housing project for older arts workers opening in Ottawa in 2025.
He was on the Board of the Ottawa Community Foundation for ten years, three as Board Chair, where he led the foundation’s move into Responsible Investing and Impact Investing. He also served for six years on the board of Community Foundations of Canada representing the 191 community foundations across Canada.
He was awarded a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and a Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award for his work in the community.
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.
Want to get involved?
At Impact Hub Ottawa, we’re dedicated to strengthening communities through connection, collaboration and shared impact.
Sound interesting? Get in touch — we’d love to hear from you.
Your community is waiting for you. Ready to grow?
Connect with like-minded changemakers at the heart of social impact in downtown Ottawa.
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