Leadership Board
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Jo-Ann Davies - President
Member since 2018
Chair of Funding & Finance, Golf Committee
Ex-officio Member of all Committees
I joined Kiwanis at the invitation of our close friend Peter Bedard in 2018.
After co-owning an insurance brokerage for 44 years the time was right for me to share my skills to benefit children.
I am proud to be the mother of four amazing sons and three wonderful granddaughters.
Having volunteered on parent committees for my children‘s…
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Jag NaraSimhaDevara - Past President
Member since 1985-1989; 2017+
Chair of Membership & Community Relations
I initially joined Kiwanis in the mid-80s and was elected to the board. Later due to job requirements, I moved away to Nunavut where I worked for the Government of Canada, as a regional manager-Informatics, and for the Government of Nunavut as a Justice of the Peace for 15 years.
There I was involved in helping…
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Karen Kurtz - President-Elect
Member since 2022
Committees: Membership & Community Relations, Marketing & Communications, Funding & Finance, Golf Committee
I joined Kiwanis out of my passion for giving back to the community and for collaborating with friends who share the same passion. My family has been very involved in the Saint-Lambert Community, both in sports and volunteerism, for over 50 years. With my daughters Melanie and Stephanie, we proudly carry on the Annual Kurtz Toy Drive which in 24 years has distributed over 110,000 toys and games to children and families …
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Rae Sarrasin - Secretary
Member since 2019
Committees: Marketing & Communications, Funding & Finance
I have had a tremendous amount of fun as a volunteer with Kiwanis since 1984. Involving our children in numerous Kiwanis events to help others, has had a wonderful effect on their lives.
I joined the Kiwanis Club of Lakeshore Montreal in 2019 and the Board as Secretary later that year.
As a mother of 4, I have been volunteering…
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Catherine Davies - Treasurer
Member since 2022
Having raised three awe-inspiring sons and with my business career winding down, I was looking for a way to use my skills to give back - especially to children. I believe there is nothing more important for a child than a strong belief in oneself.
My sister Jo-Ann, had joined the Foundation several years ago and I was impressed by the energy and devotion of the members. This diverse group of fine people has enabled me to put …
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Pat Marshall - Emissary
Member since 2020
I have more than 50 years of business experience in both the private and public sectors in the fields of Aerospace and Defence in Canada and the US. My specialities include systems engineering, program and project management, technical writing, human resources, event planning.
I am the President of my condo administration. I volunteer with the Federal Liberal Electoral District Association for Vaudreuil-Soulanges for Peter Schiefke. I am the Emissary for the Kiwanis Lakeshore Montreal.
My previous volunteering included being the Vice President and Treasurer for the Queen of Angels Academy Foundation until the school closed its doors in 2014. I also volunteered ...
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Andy Sarrasin - Lieutenant Governor
Member since 1984 – 1988; 2009+
Past President 2021-2022
Club President 2019-2021
Chair of Marketing & Communications
Committees: Funding & Finance, Membership & Community Relations
I first learned about Kiwanis as the youngest of 7 children during some very challenging financial times for my parents. For several years we would receive these gigantic Christmas boxes from someone called Kiwanis. Receiving food and special gifts from these strangers was truly magical and impacted…
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Christian Aubert - Advisor
Member since 2014
Past President 2017-2019
Committees: Marketing & Communications, Funding & Finance
I was born and educated in Zurich, Switzerland. After immigrating to Canada, I worked initially in several jobs and industries, including sales, food and mining. In fact, I spent one year in Northern British Columbia in an open pit asbestos mining company, operating heavy equipment and performing other related work.
I joined Air Canada as a Purser and…
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Ron Della Porta - Director
Member since 1997
Past President 2004; 2014-2016
Chair of Holiday Nuts & Cakes Campaign
Committees: Marketing & Communications, Funding & Finance
I have always loved helping kids and when I was invited to a Kiwanis luncheon, I saw an opportunity to do even more for kids through Kiwanis.
I joined this club in 1997 and 7 and have never looked back. As the saying goes “time flies when you’re having fun”…
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Paulette Zielinski - Director
Member since 2016
Committees: Marketing & Communications, Funding & Finance
I was first introduced to the Kiwanis Club of Lakeshore Montreal in 2009. At that time, one of our Board Members, Velda Bourne, had approached the Club’s Board about our organization and we have been receiving funds from that time on. Though AWISH did not actively serve children, we did indirectly by taking care of their parents who were suffering from any of the 100 forms of arthritis and chronic pain.
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Johanne Senécal - Director
Member since 2022
Committees: Membership & Community Relations, Marketing & Communications, Funding & Finance
Johanne Senécal was born and raised in Verdun, a bilingual community on the island of Montreal. She has a son who is an engineer and two grandchildren both at McGill.
She graduated in Literature and Sciences at Collège Marguerite- Bourgeoys in Westmount.
She later on became…
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John Closs - Director
Member since 2022
Committees: Membership & Community Relations, Marketing & Communications, Funding & Finance
Director at large, supporting the Nuts and Cakes Campaign and providing general tech support for some of our gatherings.
I have been married to Lynn for over 50 years and we have raised two great kids, Ryan and Delaney, who have become adults of whom we are both proud. My parents modeled service in the community and to the family. In the early 1980s I co-founded an anti-nuke group, West Islanders for Nuclear Disarmament (WIND).