Governance

Board of Governors

Alyssa Pei, Chair of the Board

Alyssa Pei is a Partner at Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm. She has over 20 years of experience, with a focus on serving clients in Financial Services across a range of topics, including strategy and organization. She is also currently a member of the College’s Strategic Planning Committee. She brings prior board experience in the educational arena, most recently serving as Vice-Chair of The Chewonki Foundation. Chewonki is a place-based educational organization in Wiscasset, Maine, and a US 501 (c) nonprofit.
 
Alyssa holds an A.B. and an A.M. from Harvard University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She has two sons at the College: Alexander, who graduated as a member of the Class of 2024, and Henry, who is in the Class of 2025.

Andrew Armstrong '88, Vice-Chair of the Board

Andrew is a retired corporate partner, having practiced at McCarthy Tétrault LLP for over 25 years. His practice focused on investment funds, capital markets, and private transactions. Andrew obtained a BAH in Political Studies from Queen’s University in 1992 and received his LLB from Dalhousie University in 1996. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1998.
 
He graduated from RSGC in 1988 and has two boys at the school: Robbie (Class of 2027) and Charlie (Class of 2029). He was previously a member of the board of Mad River Golf Club.

Gordon Raman, Past Chair and Governance Committee Chair

Gordon G. Raman is a partner at the Toronto office of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. Gord practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and corporate finance. Gord has been a past adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto in 1996. He also holds an MBA from the University of Toronto and a B.Eng. (Engineering Physics, Summa Cum Laude) from McMaster University. Gord is the Past-Chair of the Board of the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada and the Vice-President of the Law Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto. He is also a Past-President of the Canadian Club of Toronto. His son Sebastian graduated as a member of the Class of 2021.

Richard Talbot, Treasurer, Audit & Finance Committee Chair

Richard is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Fellow) and Chartered Financial Analyst with over 25 years of investment research and capital markets experience. He currently serves as a Board member / Investment adviser to organizations including the Peter Cundill Foundation, Invesco Canada and Canada Overseas Investment Limited. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at RBC Capital Markets, a top-10 global investment bank including Chief Operating Officer and Co-Head of Global Research. Richard is active in the accounting profession and the local community. He serves on Canada’s Accounting Standards Oversight Council and the Board of Second Harvest. He is a past Board member of CFA Society Toronto, United Way Toronto MIG cabinet and Women in Capital Markets (Advisory Council). Richard has undergraduate and graduate degrees (with honours) in Business Administration from the Ivey Business School. His son David graduated as a member of the Class of 2024.

Manisha Burman

Manisha is the CHRO of CI Financial, a global, publicly traded asset and wealth management firm with approximately $600 billion in assets under management. Prior to joining CI, Manisha held progressively senior roles in Human Resources, Business, and Strategy at top-tier global organizations, including EY, GE, RBC, and BMO. While at BMO, she served as the CHRO of Capital Markets and Wealth International, Head of Talent Management, and Head of Client Experience and Workforce Effectiveness for 20,000 client-facing professionals.
 
Manisha serves on a number of corporate and non-profit boards and advisory committees. She holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Toronto, an undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario, and a Certificate in Business Management from the London School of Economics.
Manisha’s son Tejas graduated as a member of the Class of 2022, and her son Tavish is in the Class of 2027.

Andrew Ternan, Chair of the Facility Committee

Andrew Ternan is President of BOLT Developments Inc, a Toronto based Design Build Construction firm. He has been in the construction industry for over 35 years and has vast experience in the planning, building and maintaining of many different types of facilities. Andrew previously served for five years as a Board Member at the Mabin School. He joined the RSGC Board of Governors in the 2021/2022 school year. His son Angus graduated as a member of the Class of 2023.

Craig Mitchell

Craig is a partner in the Banking & Finance Group at Stikeman Elliott LLP. His practice focuses on banking, restructurings and workouts.  Craig acts as counsel to both lenders and borrowers on domestic and cross-border financings in North America, Europe and Asia, and as counsel to creditors and debtors in commercial insolvencies and restructurings. He also acts as counsel to private equity funds in connection with leveraged mergers and acquisitions.  Craig obtained his BA (Political Studies and Economics) from Queen’s University in 1992, and received his LLB from the University of British Columbia in 1996. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1998, and has been a past lecturer at Queen’s Law School.  Craig’s son Gavin graduated as a member of the Class of 2024, his son Quinn is in the Class of 2026 and his son Carter is in the Class of 2028.

Sonya Haick

Sonya Haick has over 15 years experience in finance, and is currently DVP Finance at Holt Renfrew responsible for accounting, treasury, and external financial reporting.  Prior to joining Holt Renfrew, Sonya held positions in financial planning & analysis, compliance and project management at Siemens in Canada and the US.  She is also currently a member of the College’s Audit and Finance Committee.  Sonya has a Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA).  Sonya has two sons at RSGC - Evan (Class of 2025) and Cole (Class of 2027).

Connor Byrne '13, Alumni Representative

Connor works at KJ Harrison Investors as a Private Client Analyst and a member of the Private Client Team. Prior to joining KJ Harrison Investors, Connor worked at RBC Global Asset Management. Connor is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder. Beyond RSGC, in his free time, Connor is a member of the St. Michael’s Young Leaders where he helps with fundraising on behalf of St. Michael’s Hospital. He also enjoys playing squash and tennis, and he is an avid runner and cyclist. Connor graduated from RSGC in 2013.

Dr. Sarah Hales

Sarah Hales, MD, PhD, FRCPC is a psychiatrist for the Division of Psychosocial Oncology in the Department of Supportive Care at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. Her research has been funded by both the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Her clinical and research interests include the end of life experience as it affects both patients and families, and psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at alleviating distress in those facing advanced disease. Sarah is mom to Caleb McFadyen, Class of 2028.

Don Aitchison, Clergy

Don (Father Don or “FD”) has been Chaplain of Trinity College School since 1999. Prior to this appointment, he served in the Diocese of Huron as Assistant to the Dean and Rector of St Paul’s Cathedral (1994-1996) and as Rector of the Parish of Florence, Aughrim and Bothwell (1996-1999). In 2010, Don joined the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserve as chaplain to the 48th Highlanders of Canada. In 2017 he was appointed chaplain of 32 Canadian Brigade Group and promoted to major. He has a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) from the University of Western Ontario, a Master of Divinity from Huron College, and an M.Litt. in Practical Theology from St Andrew’s University, Scotland. Previous board experience includes sitting on the board of Sacred Heart College, Peterborough.

Elizabeth Koukodimos

Elizabeth is the VP Finance and Accounting at the Woodbridge Company Limited (Thomson Family Office) and has held this position for seven years. Prior to joining  Woodbridge, Elizabeth held positions in Treasury and Finance at Maple Leaf Foods.  Elizabeth has served on many Audit and Finance committees for private and non-profit organizations and is currently serving on the Audit and Finance committee of The Globe and Mail. Elizabeth is a graduate of the University of Toronto and is a CPA, CA. She has  two sons at the College: Ari (Class of '29) and George (Class of '31).

Dr. Julie Maggi

Dr. Julie Maggi is the Director of Faculty Wellness in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a Staff Psychiatrist at St. Michael’s Hospital providing consultation-liaison psychiatry services. She holds an academic appointment of Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She graduated medical school from McMaster University and completed her postgraduate medical training in Psychiatry and a Master of Science (Institute of Medical Science) at the University of Toronto. She also completed fellowships in HIV Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, Administrative Psychiatry at Columbia University, and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Her previous roles included Director of Postgraduate Education from 2011 to 2017, interim Psychiatrist-in-Chief from July 2016 to May 2017, and Director of Postgraduate Wellness, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto from 2016 to 2017. Julie has a son at RSGC – Matteo (Class of 2028).

Susan Nickerson

Susan is a partner and the Head of McCarthy Tétrault’s Pensions, Benefits & Executive Compensation Group. Recognized as a leading pensions and benefits lawyer, her practice focuses on all areas of pension and benefits law and governance. Susan is a frequent speaker and moderator on emerging issues in the retirement industry and has a particular interest in policy development at both the provincial and national levels.
 
She is a past Chair of the Board of the Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM). In 2016, Susan was the inaugural recipient of the ACPM Don Ireland Award, recognizing outstanding volunteerism in the field of pensions and retirement benefits.
Her son, Max, graduated as a member of the Class of 2024.

Anastasia Kanellopoulos, Guild Representative

Anastasia is a multi-hyphenate professional and brings a wealth of diverse experiences to her consultancy practice. She began her career in both the software and hardware sectors, focusing on innovative solutions for the automotive industry. After becoming a mom, Anastasia chose to stay at home, which ultimately inspired her to pivot and study culinary nutrition. This shift led to the creation of a successful consulting business, advising corporate cultures on the role of nutrition in fostering wellness.  In addition to her professional life, Anastasia is an active member of her community, frequently volunteering and contributing to causes that reflect her values. She’s an avid tennis player, loves harvesting honey and tending to her family olive trees in Greece. She has been an active member of the Guild for 8 years and served as a president in 2023/24. Anastasia's son Aris graduated as a member of the Class of 2023 and her son Billy is class of 2025.

Officers

Stephen Beatty '86, Headmaster

Stephen Beatty became the 6th RSGC Headmaster in 2011. Steve’s association with the College began in 1976 as a Grade 4 student. A Lifer graduate of 1986, Steve was the President of the Alumni Association from 2000-2002 and a Governor on the RSGC Board from 2003-2010. Before returning to RSGC as Headmaster, Steve was the Head of School at Montcrest from 2006-2011. Steve is also a proud RSGC parent to sons Jack, who graduated as a member of the Class of '22 and Finn, who is in the Class of '25.

Sundeep Bhatia, Chief Financial & Operating Officer and Board Secretary

Sundeep Bhatia joined RSGC as Chief Financial Officer in January 2022. Sundeep is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and brings to the position a long record of excellence as an accomplished business leader across many disciplines. Previous roles include Directorships in Financial Planning and Analysis, Enterprise Risk Management, and Treasury Operations at Manulife and leading the Strategic Financial Planning team in one of the largest divisions at the City of Toronto. He is also a co-founder of the Seva Food Bank, a not-for-profit organization with multiple locations across the Region of Peel and served many years on the Board of the Peel Children's Aid Society where he Chaired the Audit and Finance Committee.

Governance Committees

List of 4 items.

  • Audit and Finance Committee

    The Audit and Finance Committee regularly reviews the financial position of the College. It is responsible for making recommendations to the Board concerning management of the College’s finances, preparation of an annual budget and the carrying out of an annual audit.

    Members
    Richard Talbot (Chair)
    Elizabeth Koukodimos
    Gordon Raman
    Sonya Haick
    Craig Campbell
    Andrew Armstrong (ex-officio)
    Alyssa Pei (ex-officio)
    Steve Beatty (ex-officio)

  • Strategic Planning Committee

    Dr. Sarah Hales
    Caitlin MacNamara
    Dr. Julie Maggi
    Susan Nickerson
    Steve Beatty (ex-officio)
    Alyssa Pei (ex-officio)
    Andrew Armstrong (ex-officio)

  • Facility Committee

    The Facility Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Board on all matters dealing with the improvement, maintenance, repair, upkeep and use of the property of Royal St. George’s College.

    Members
    Andrew Ternan (Chair)
    Joseph Gesualdi
    Elizabeth Koukodimos
    Steven Liu
    Craig Mitchell
    Takashi Yamashita
    Steve Beatty (ex-officio)
    Alyssa Pei (ex-officio)
    Andrew Armstrong (ex-officio)

  • Governance Committee

    The responsibilities of the Governance Committee are to:
    1. seek out, identify and place in nomination the names of persons to stand for election or for appointment, as Governors, Committee members and Officers, in each case having regard to the person’s demonstrated commitment to the College;
    2. receive nominations for Board positions;
    3. support the Board with the development, review, planning and implementation of the College’s approach to corporate governance.

    Members
    Gordon Raman (Chair)
    Manisha Burman
    Susan Nickerson
    Andrew Armstrong (ex-officio)
    Alyssa Pei (ex-officio)

Governance Policies

List of 1 items.

  • Nomination Process

    The Board has a comprehensive committee structure that includes Audit and Finance, Governance, Facilities and Strategic Planning. Committee members include Board members and other members of the RSGC community who possess special skills/expertise.
     
    The Board solicits the RSGC community annually for names of people interested in serving on the Board or its committees and maintains a list of those who have expressed such an interest. On an annual basis, the Governance Committee reviews the composition of the Board and its committees with reference to the skills matrix and recommends to the Board potential candidates to fill any required positions. Generally, the Board elects new members in October.
     
    For more information, please send a note to volunteer@rsgc.on.ca.

Find Us

120 Howland Ave | Toronto, ON | M5R 3B5
416-533-9481 
info@rsgc.on.ca

About

Royal St. George's College is an independent school for boys located in The Annex neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Our mission is to challenge and inspire each of our students to become the best version of himself.
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